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MARC TOPKINEven with Pedro Martinez among several free agents, the team hopes to keep its core intact.
ST. LOUIS - The Red Sox expect to be back this way again.
Even though they go into the offseason facing a series of major decisions, topped by whether to bring back Pedro Martinez, there are no plans to make significant changes to the methods that carried them to their first World Series championship since 1918.
"From the time we bought the team, people have speculated we were going to blow up the team," owner John Henry said. "I think our record speaks for itself. We will have a good, representative team and do everything we can to win another championship. No doubt about it. We don't do this as a hobby."
General manager Theo Epstein said he will take some time - maybe two full days off to celebrate this title - before getting to work on implementing his plan, and deciding how to spend his ample resources, for 2005.
"We've been above $100-million for the last few years and I'm confident we'll be above it again. I'm confident we'll have enough money to win unless I do something to screw it up with a lot of bad decisions."
And though catcher Jason Varitek is part of the team's foundation, and shortstop Orlando Cabrera has been a welcome addition, and starter Derek Lowe has won some big games, including all three playoff clinchers, there will be no bigger issue than whether the Sox keep Pedro in Boston.
After his Game 6 gem, Martinez made it clear he wanted to stay, though it's easier to say that now than at the negotiating table.
"It's been a great ride. I hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did. Even with the struggles that I've had up and down during the season, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed every moment. I enjoyed my career in Boston. I'm really happy things went the way they have," Martinez said.
"I hope I get another chance to come back with this team, but if I don't, I understand the business part of it. I just hope that many other people understand and understand that I wasn't the one that wanted to leave. I'm only doing what I have to do. And they're going to have their chances to get me back in that uniform. If they don't get me it's probably because they didn't try hard enough.
"My heart is with Boston. I consider Boston my house. It's actually my house. I just hope everything works out okay. ... I think four times out of seven years in the playoffs is not bad, is not a bad average. And also performing like I did (Tuesday night) and in previous games in the playoffs is not bad. If I have to leave, I will leave and I'll be proud of it."
It sounded like a touching farewell, but Epstein said that wasn't necessarily the case.
"I don't think Pedro's comments were inappropriate," Epstein said. "They were heartfelt. And I feel that he has given everything he has for the Red Sox.
"If he wants to come back, we want him to come back and we'll do everything we can to accomplish that. But we're going use the same team concept in building the '05 team that we did in '03 and '04, which is to not put one guy before the team. But I'm pretty confident we'll find a way to bring back most of the guys."