Theo Epstein Silences Critics, Makes 2010 Red Sox a Championship-Caliber Team

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Feb 16, 2010

Theo Epstein Silences Critics, Makes 2010 Red Sox a Championship-Caliber Team Some Red Sox fans thought their team was entering a "bridge period," but with Boston's offseason additions, Theo Epstein has made the 2010 Red Sox a championship-caliber team.

The Red Sox have improved their pitching staff and their team defense this offseason with the signings of John Lackey, Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro. The moves have silenced assumptions that the team would regress in 2010.

"There was no rhetoric from us about not being any good," Epstein told the Boston Herald. "I can't control the narrative people tend to use to talk about the club in November. I think there were a lot of assumptions about what we were doing that weren’t necessarily accurate."

Rumors linked the Red Sox to offensive stars, including Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez, but the team did not make any significant offseason trades to add a bat to their lineup. Epstein understands, though, that the best moves sometimes are the moves that don't get made.

"Sometimes, you can make the greatest improvement not by bringing in a great or elite player — it's always nice to do that, but it’s hard to do — but by finding your area of greatest weakness and improving that significantly," Epstein told the Herald.

The Red Sox nearly traded Mike Lowell to the Rangers this offseason, but the move was nullified by Texas amid concerns with Lowell's injured right thumb. The failed trade puts the team and Lowell in an awkward position, but Epstein believes spring training should resolve the dilemma.

"We're looking forward to playing games in March when he can prove himself healthy and effective, which we expect to happen," Epstein told the Herald.

Once the season starts, the Red Sox hope to be riding a bridge to success.

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