I agree with Friedman absolutely at #1. I don't agree with Epstein at #2. Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek, and David Ortiz all have pretty bad contracts at this point. The Red Sox spent a lot of money on Matsuzaka (don't forget to factor in the posting fee), and it's pretty questionable as to whether or not he's been worth it. The only homegrown talent the team is built around that I can think of is Youkilis (no longer cheap), Lester, Pedroia, & Papelbon (no longer cheap). You can add Buchholz to that list, but he certainly wasn't anyone the team was built around prior to 2010. Ortiz, Drew, Lowell, Beltre, Beckett, Bay, Scutaro, Martinez, Cameron, & Matsuzaka are all guys that were brought in via other avenues. It just seems like the WS title in 2004 has forever earned Epstein the label of GM golden boy; apparently receiving the torch passed from Billy Beane. I think he's a good GM, but I think he's also quite overrated. I would probably vote for Beinfest at #2.