ESPN grades the Red Sox offseason

The offseason is pretty much over, with players already starting to report to Ft. Myers. The Red Sox, for their part, did most of what they wanted to do. They unloaded for a big starting pitcher in Chris Sale, giving them a potentially dominant rotation. They added to what was an inconsistent bullpen by dealing for Tyler Thornburg. They also opted to improve their infield defense instead of trying to replace David Ortiz’s offensive production when they signed Mitch Moreland.

Some of the moves were controversial — there were/are certainly fans who didn’t want to give up so much for Sale — but there’s no doubt that this is one of the best teams in baseball on paper. Some of that heavy lifting was done this offseason, which was reflected in Jim Bowden’s offseason grades, as the former GM gave Boston an A.

The Red Sox were one of three teams to receive an A, along with the White Sox and the Dodgers. Cleveland was right behind these teams with an A-.

Is this a fair grade? Or is Bowden too high on Boston’s winter?