Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino said that the team is "far from dead in the AL East and will challenge the Yankees again." Lucchino said, "We will return. I feel like (Gen. Douglas) MacArthur. 'We shall return.'" Lucchino added, "There’s a kind of new culture emerging around here with this notion that we have something to prove, and it permeates the organization. It’s on the business side. It’s on the baseball side. It’s on the finance side." Lucchino said that the Red Sox are "changing the way they do business." In N.Y., Kevin Kernan wrote the team's "view of success became too short term" after winning the World Series in '04 and '07. There was "too much of a quick-fix mentality instead of creating a fix-it organization" (N.Y. POST, 12/9). In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy noted the team's new marketing theme is "Next Year Is Looking Brighter Already." Shaughnessy: "Not a lofty goal, is it? After the 2012 train-wreck season ... anything would look brighter" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/7).
ROYAL TREATMENT: FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal writes under the header, "Royals Made Right Move With Trade." Rosenthal writes of the Royals trading four prospects, including OF Wil Myers, to the Rays for Ps James Shields and Wade Davis, "People will crush the Royals. People always crush the Royals, and they mostly deserve it after nine straight losing seasons, the last 6-1/2 under general manager Dayton Moore. ... But not this time." Rosenthal: "I’m sick of low-revenue teams that are scared to make a move, fixated on their place in the Baseball America organization rankings, content in their mediocrity" (FOXSPORTS.com, 12/10).
SEEING RED: In Cincinnati, Tom Groeschen noted the Reds are "unveiling an alternate jersey" for next season, which will "have 'Los Rojos' emblazoned on the front, in white scripted letters." The Reds will wear the jersey "at selected games." Reds Senior VP/Business Operations Karen Forgus said, "We found there's an appetite with our fans that they love things with Los Rojos on it, because it's fun. We're not changing our main uniform. This is an alternate" (CINCINNATI.com, 12/8).
