MLB Free Agents 2012: Why Boston Red Sox Don't Need to Spend Big This Offseason

The Boston Red Sox have spent plenty of money the last two offseasons, and they don't need to spend big money this offseason to still win the World Series. There are plenty of players who are worth less than $10-$15 millions each season and are willing to play for the Red Sox due to the fact that the Sox are usually in the playoff race in the final weeks of the season.

The main targets the Sox should be after are fourth/fifth starters, and these types of pitchers can be found easily for relatively inexpensive contracts.

Chris Young

Chris Young, 32, has shown that he can dominate a game with the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres these last couple of seasons, but he also showed that he gets hurt often.

The right-handed starter only started/played four games for the Mets in 2011, but he had an unbeatable 1.88 ERA and was 1-0. He was out for the season after his four Apparel starts, but he is still worth taking a look at for a fourth or fifth starter.

Young made less than $2 million last season, and the Sox could sign him for only $1-1.5 million for a couple seasons. For the time being, this would solve their starting rotation problems.

Brandon Webb

Brandon Webb did not pitch at all in 2011, but he showed some promise in spring training with the Texas Rangers. He has made progress with his rehab with shoulder issues and is worth about $3 million per season of the Sox want him in their rotation.

Webb won the NL Cy Young a number of years ago and still should be able to eat innings when he is healthy.

Paul Maholm

Paul Maholm finished his 2011 campaign with a 6-14 record and a 3.66 ERA while on the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates did not give him much, if any, run support, and that affected his record for the entire season.

Maholm got injured in late August and missed the entire month of September, but this could bring his value down from $6.25 million to about $5.5-$6 million, which is a bargain for a pitcher of his caliber.

Ryan Ludwick

Ryan Ludwick is one of those oddities on the baseball field where he bats right-handed and throws left-handed. This makes him perfect for right field for the Red Sox, and he would make less than $7 million, which would make him a cheap, productive option for the Sox in the long run.

In 2011, Ludwick may have only hit .237, but he also hit 13 home runs and tallied 75 RBI. That is more productive than JD Drew was in his final year and could make himself a home at Fenway Park.

Ryan Kalish/Darnell McDonald/Josh Reddick

Darnell McDoanld, Josh Reddick and Ryan Kalish are all part of the Sox farm system and have been used as backups in 2010 and in 2011 when JD Drew would get hurt.

Sometimes they were productive, but most of the time they weren't. The Sox need to be able to rotate these guys effectively to get the most production if they want to use them to the best of their abilities.