Anxiety in the Nation?

Sox continue to be stagnant after the Beckett deal. The Nation is getting restless as holes in center and short still exist. Although the Sox have been mentioned in deals with Millwood & Glaus of late, they didn't pull the trigger on either deal. The Renteria deal still has many scratching their heads, especially since no backup plan is apparently in place.

Does "new" management know what they are doing? Like last years Martinez deal, the Sox held firm on a pitcher with injury issues (Millwood) and would not guarantee a 4th year. They also refused to overpay for an aging outfielder (Damon), although productive is still on the back 9 of his career. So, it appears the same principles are being applied. It's good for the long term, but causes the Nation to freak out in the short term. We want to see the Spring Training roster before we pass judgement...

On to the latest rumors...

1B - Sox have been close to signing JT Snow as a backup. The 37 yr old has 6 gold gloves to his credit. Last season he played in 117 games, hit .275, with 4HR & 40RBI. He would be a solid backup & late inning defensive replacement for Youkilis. Supposedly a solid clubhouse presence as well.

Mannygate - Latest is that Sox have offered both Manny & Clement to the O's for Tejada. This seems a little to steep a price. It's also been noted that the Sox would have to kick in additional money as well, because the O's would be taking on an additional $13-14M per season over the next 3 seasons. If you were GM, would you pull the trigger on this? O's would have to add something else to the deal for us to buy into it...

Wells - The talks with the Dodgers have been escalating but no deal yet. Sox would be looking for some of their young arms (prospects) as well as some bullpen help. By holding out, it appears they may be getting close to fair value in return. Talks with the Padres have cooled, as the last offer was Dave Roberts & starter Woody Williams (39 yrs old, 9-12, 4.85ERA).

CF & SS - Strongest rumors have been out of Tampa Bay. Sox would get CF Gathright & SS Lugo in a packaged deal, but no mention of what the Sox would need to give up in return. In the past few seasons, the Rays asking prices have been over the top. The Indians recently signed an OF, which may open the door up for trading Coco Crisp. It also appears that the Mariners will hold onto CF Jeremy Reed. Juan Encarnacion (29yrs old .287, 16HR, 76RBI, $4.4M) although not a true CF, remains one of the best remaining free agent options.

Damon chooses the dark side...

That's right Red Sox Nation, he's gone and there's no turning back. On the surface it seems like the Sox let this one slip thru their fingers. This is different than Pedro last year (who is actually injured right now). Hopefully they know something we don't. Time will tell...


Sox had offered a reported 4yr deal @ $10M per, while the Yanks landed him for 4yrs @ $13M. Wouldn't you think the Sox would have been willing to spend the extra money? The biggest concern was thought to be the length of the contract. Just don't get this one. Was the extra $3M really a deal breaker? Let's hope the Yankees get the Dunkin Donuts version of Johnny...

We really thought he would prefer to stay in Boston. Now it's Johnny turned traitor (or Jesus to Judas?). It was all about the money. Don't believe the BS about who was more aggressive going after him. Bottom line is the dollar sign. Do you think he believes they are closer to a World Series than the Sox? It's not like choosing between Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Yanks lineup just got better. The question is will it be better over the next 4 years. Probably. That puts Damon at 36. The downside for the Yanks is how often he will play hurt now that he is not playing for a contract. He was beat up most of last season and the body can only take so much wear & tear. Odds are he'll be fine and they can always afford the mistake, a la Bernie...

Don't worry too much. Yanks will probably outscore the majors in runs, but that isn't what wins in Oct. Just ask the Sox who have done so the last 3 seasons. It's about pitching, pitching, and more pitching.

Let's just hope the Sox use that savings to acquire more pitching. Kevin Millwood has been rumored to have an east coast suitor. If not the Sox before, odds are they are in it now. They would make room by dealing Clement, Arroyo, or Wells (he had better #'s than all 3 last season). They could also be saving up for an expensive Clemens return (who wouldn't pass on Damon for Clemens?)

What about CF? The Jeremy Reed trade now looks like one of their better if not only options. With all the trade buzz about a plan B before today, you'd have to think the Sox thought they couldn't re-sign Damon. This also opens up the door for a Manny to Mets trade again. They are offering Beltran and a highly touted OF prospect - which would solve CF & LF. This could gain steam in the next few days...

Torii Hunter - .269, 14HR, 56RBI, Gold Glove (for newly acquired 3B Marte?), Preston Wilson - .260, 25HR, 90RBI (free agent @ $12.5M last yr), & Juan Encarnacion - .276, 16HR, 76RBI (free agent @ $4.4M) will be names to surface in the coming days...

Shortstop? With Graffanino accepting arbitration, there's a logjam at 2B with Loretta & Pedroia. All 3 have played short, included highly touted prospect Pedroia who switched to 2B last year. The answer may be a combination at SS & 2B until the trade deadline...

Latest Sox Activity...

Still no movement, but at least more info seems to be surfacing. Not quite a hot stove yet...

Center Field: There seems to be significant activity around backup plans for Damon. In a recent conversation, Damon hinted at Boston in past tense. The Yanks, O's and Dodgers are all rumored to be interested. The Sox are the only team who has made an actual offer. The others are balking at more than 4yrs for a 32 yr old, and the high pricetag. The Yanks are probably the only other viable suitor. Maybe the Sox are leaking activity in order to have more bargaining leverage. Here's a look at the backup plans:

Coco Crisp - Cleveland: Only 26, hit .300, 16HR, 69RBI, and scored 86 runs. Upside - still developing and will get better, inexpensive salary. Downside - Might not be seasoned enough to take over leadoff role, not sure how pressure in Boston will affect him. Sox would have to give up reliever Mota & newly acquired 3B prospect Marte. Not sure they can afford to give up relief with remaining questions in the pen. Pricetag seems a little high, and can't get past having an outfielder named after a cereal...

Jeremy Reed - Seattle: Only 24, rookie last season, hit .254, 3HR, 45RBI, and scored 61 runs. He has tons of upside, but has big shoes to fill. Might be too young to handle a leadoff role and high expectations. Sox would reportedly have to give up Clement or Arroyo. A solid starter for an unproven rookie is not a good tradeoff...

Pitching: ChiSox are reportedly shopping Jon Garland. He's only 26, went 18-10, 3.50 ERA last season. He has only 1 year left on his deal and has turned down extension offers to test the market next year. Sox should take a run at this guy. Chicago is reportedly looking for 2 pitching prospects, but Sox could offer Arroyo or Clement & another minor league pitcher (but not Lester)

Rudy Seanez: Former Sox reliever had solid 2005 but has been inconsistent in the past. The 37 year old has already received an offer from the Sox. There are also a number of NL teams in the mix for his services as well.

Octavio Dotel: Sox are amoung several teams with interest in former A's closer. He had Tommy John surgery last year and probably won't be availble until June.

Wells: Still no activity. Sox would prefer to have him back, but he may retire & they would get nothing in return except salary room.

Manny Gate: Negotiations are said to still be going on with the O's for Tejada, but asking price is still too high. Apparently Big Papi has been in contact trying to persuade him to stay. As more time goes by, this deal is less likely to go thru.

Shortstop: Alex Gonzalez may already have a suitor. Rich Aurilia remains an option - hit .282, 4HR, 68RBI, and only 10 errors. Would much prefer Aurilia...

First: Sox plan is to start Youkilis, who could be a .280, 15HR, 80RBI guy. He hasn't proven that he could do so, but we're not uncomfortable with that. Sox reportedly have had contact with JT Snow who would likely platoon. The 37 yr old hit .275, 4HR, and 40RBI. A full season of Youkie is looking better & better...

Other news: Ortiz has been contacted by the Sox to work on a contract extension, along with Terry Francona. Negotiations will start after Jan 1st...

Stove not as hot as it should be...

Things have cooled considerably since the GM meetings. Although the Sox have finally settled on a GM, or uh, two, with maybe the door open for Theo? Moving on...

Sox sign journeyman backup catcher Ken Huckaby to a minor league deal. He's planning on moving near Wake's home in Florida before spring training to get an early start on his upcoming "every 5th day" of duty. Best known for his collision at 3rd with Jeter. Wouldn't be surprised to see another guy in camp - namely Shoppach if they don't trade him.

Manny - Latest is another 3 team deal including Mets & Rangers. Sox would get Beltran (poor 2005, injury question), reliever Juan Dominguez (just avg), and CF Laynce Nix (.240, 6HR, 32RBI). Not the worst deal, but nothing that gets you too excited. No worries, because the Rangers have apparently stalled this one...

Damon - The Yanks have finally started interest (phone call by Torre), and now he reportedly is meeting with the Dodgers who are said to have a small chance of signing him. Not sure how much of either is strong interest. Sox really need to sign him, especially if they want to resemble anything close to the offense they've had the last 2 seasons. His agent Boras will drag things on - last year Beltran signed on Jan 9th - which may be too late for options if they lose out. Backup plan is Mariners CF Jeremy Reed - .245, 3HR, 45RBI, but Sox will have to sacrifice players (Clement?) in a trade to get him. He is supposedly a rising star only at 24, but straight up for Clement is too steep...

Shortstop - Ideal situation would be Tejada, but in preliminary discussions, the O's were asking for a pitcher & pitching prospect in addition to Manny. Dream on boys. But Sox may be willing to pay cash to get it done. Backup plan looks to be former Marlins SS Alex Gonzalez - .264, 4HR, 45RBI with 16 errors in the field.

Wells - Not a lot of activity as teams are reluctant to give up much in return for a durable 15 game winner. In a time when pitching is so scarce (see Free Agent deals so far) its puzzling that no one has stepped up. Sox are asking for bullpen help in return. In a recent interview, even Francona thinks he will be traded. He also added that if Wells goes, they won't move another starter...

Clemens - Remains a long shot at best. Sox confirmed contact and sources close to Clemens said he was very happy about interest from Boston. Yanks have also jumped in and made contact. Wouldn't be shocked to see him retire, or even return to Houston on may 1st. The extra month of rest may prevent his body breaking down in Sept. You'll probably see more activity in January...

GM Meetings a success?

Sox managed to make 2 deals at the meetings, one minor and one major.

Mirabelli to San Diego for 2B Loretta. Anytime you can get a full time player for a backup, it's a good deal. Sox fill their need at 2B until Pedroia is ready. Wakefield was consulted prior to this deal as well. B+

Renteria to the Braves for 3B prospect Marte. Sox shelled out an additional $11M over 3 years to get this done. Management obviously thought he couldn't get the job done. Maybe they found his "real" birth certificate and think he got old way too fast? They must know something that hasn't been made public. Anyway, Marte is one of baseball's top 5 prospects, rated higher than Hanley Ramirez - who the Sox had traded in the Beckett deal. Should have been able to get more (prospect or bullpen help) especially shelling out that kind of dough. C

Other deals still in process...

Damon: Apparently the market hasn't been too active for Damon, which is good for the Sox. Reportedly the Dodgers are now considering an offer, but rumblings around the Yankees have been surprisingly quiet. Sox have offered 4yrs and $40M+ to this point. This deal could be getting in the way of other deals. Wish they would just fish or cut bait at this point...

David Wells: Most people thought he would be gone already. Apparently the Sox haven't been offered what they are looking for and are sticking to their guns. Dodgers have apparently cooled their interest & San Diego is probably the front runner once again. Giants could be the dark horse. We wish they would package a deal to get Zito from the A's. What's holding up this deal? Sox need to determine what needs they have if they trade Manny & can't re-sign Damon. (Deal believed to be OF Dave Roberts & reliever Otsuka) Roberts would be the 4th OF again, which is why he asked for a trade after 2004.

Blockbuster Manny for Tejada: Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. If this swap of superstars happens, the Renteria deal just turned brilliant. Ramirez is a superior hitter, but their numbers aren't that far off. Sox would be getting 90-95% in terms of value - better than any reported deal out there. What they get is the best shortstop in the game, a good clubhouse guy, and a feisty competitor. You'll see a few more all-star appearances as well...

Theo back? Sounds like the Sox are bringing him back in an "advisory or consulting" role. Call it what you like, but he'll be running things again. Smart move, as management can save face and bring back one of the more talented thinkers in the game. Gammons reported on Thursday that Theo had been "in contact" with members of his former staff. Wonder how much input he's been having...

Clemens? This is a long shot. Although if he does return, the Sox and Yanks are possible destinations. Beckett and Schilling might be able to persuade him to return to Boston. His exit from NY to Houston might be a point of contention. With his son in the Houston organization (catcher) most thought he would return until he was major league ready. Will the desire to win another championship bring him back? Or how about another Cy Young - which he would be a favorite for in the AL? He's more than likely retiring, but would put most contending teams over the top as favorites...

Rumors in full force on next to last day of meetings...

No major deals have been pulled off yet this week. Sox management said to have been in "clean up" mode on Tue, with Wed targeted as dealing only with teams that have real interest.

One notably quiet team is the Yankees, who have only signed a reliever to this point. Now that Pierre has gone to the Cubs, you would think they'd step up efforts for Damon. Word is that they would only discuss a 3 or 4 yr deal - at a significant discount to the current asking price of $13M per. Can't believe Georgie Boy has been quiet, and don't believe the BS about the Yanks losing $50-80M last season. Highest revenue in majors by far, so apparently their accountants left out revenues from the YES network on this one...



Congrats to Grady Little, the Dodgers new manager. Things will probably work out a little better for him this time around. He's got Gagne to bring in the 8th now...

Good luck to John Olerud, as he hangs up his cleats. Was looking forward to see him in a Sox uniform once again...

Most likely deals to happen...

Wells wil probably be gone in next couple of days. Apparently his request was "West Coast", which opens the door for more suitors. A's, Dodgers, Giants, and Padres all have interest. A perennial 15 game winner should yield a good return. Best case would be to package him with another pitcher or prospect to get Zito from the A's...

Mirabelli & prospect to yield Padres 2B Loretta. Not sure why deal hasn't been done yet - could be haggling over prospect.

Back burner...

Manny gate continues. Appears that Angels & Mets are cooling on deal. Managment stated that deal is too complex & will not get done this week

Damon - Management met with his agent Boras who said talks are going good. Apparently "good" is not a word he throws around lightly, but it will probably take 4yrs @ $44M plus option for a 5th year.

Renteria to the Braves has apparently lost some steam. Money the Sox would have to pay is reportedly the bottleneck. Hopefully it was more than a tease.

Seattle has been inquiring about Trot, but no reports of what they would give up in return...

Arbitration...

Teams have until midnight tonight to decide to offer their free agents arbitration. If they do not offer it, kiss that player goodbye.

Players can reject it, and then teams have until Jan 8th to sign them. If a player accepts but does not re-sign, their team receives compensation from whoever they sign with next. The downside is that the player is awarded a significant contract. Here's the list for the Sox:


Yes:

Damon - he'll reject it, giving the Sox until Jan 8th to re-sign


Decision time:

Mike Myers - reportedly fielding offers from multiple teams
Matt Mantei - no word on offseason surgery or timetable
Mike Stanton - might be a good idea especially with current reliever's pricetags

Probably a "no":

Bill Mueller - Mike Lowell unless he's traded, then Youkilis?
Kevin Millar - too steep a price for a backup
Gabe Kapler - too severe of injury? Already taken off 40 man roster
Tony Graffanino - looking for a 2 or 3 year deal (might do just to get compensation?)

Stay tuned, we'll be back later tonight or tomorrow the latest. Something is cooking!!!

Hot Stove is on fire...

Finally, something to get excited about.

It's day two of the meetings & not much but a flood of rumors. Why? The free agent market has about 200 players, and only 22 of them are in their 20's. And half of them will be 30 come playoff time. That's what is driving the trade market. Sox picked right time to have farm system start to pay dividends.

Sox have been somewhat busy fielding numerous Manny inquiries. Supposedly they've met with 8 of their scheduled 13 teams so far.

The Theo returning to Boston rumors keep surfacing. We think someone is doing this just to be a pain in the ass. Move on already...


Manny Gate Continues:

Still puzzled as to what is or will happen. So many contradicting rumors floating around:

1) His agents are apparently stating that he will play anywhere & that they are mandated to get a deal done.

2) Sox management stating that it's unlikely they will get what they want in a trade, inferring he will be back (NY paper thinks they are putting that out there to get more value)

3) Angels management privately stating not interested in Manny(so there goes Troy Glaus) & not willing to part with Ervin Santana.

4) His deal could be extended or restructured in order to get a deal done

5) Mets would want to include Kaz Matsui (.255, 3HR, 24RBI - $7M/yr) as part of the deal, and fill 2B void in Boston. Bellhorn had better #'s...

6) To Texas for Soriano? Soriano is the exact opposite of the prototype player the Sox covet. Poor defensive fielder at 2nd, never played in OF. Might make sense for 1 year?



Bobby Abreu - for Clement & Nixon. Philly apparently not high on Clement. Sox should throw in an Abe Alvarez or similar to get this done. Wow.


Julio Lugo - Tampa SS, would play 2nd. Shoppach & Youkilis are the bait.


Wells - Dodgers now in the mix. No mention of players, but likely pitching prospects. At least provides leverage in San Diego talks. San Diego not likely to part with pitching now that Hoffman appears to be headed to Cleveland. The A's have also entered the picture offering relier Justin Ducherererererer. Seems a little light for a 15 game winner in this market. Heck, throw in Clement & go for Zito...


Mark Loretta - San Diego 2B - for Mirabelli. Was rumored to be part of Wells / Mirabelli combo deal last week. Now straight up. Wake might not be pleased with this one.


Mike Lowell - newly acquired 3B inquired by Twins for JC Romero & Lew Ford - meets Sox need for reliever & 4th outfielder.


Aubrey Huff - Tampa 1B - Sox have had interest for a while, no mention of what they would give up

Trot - offered to Pittsburgh for either starting pitcher Mark Redman or Kip Wells. Not sure why the Sox would do this with excess pitching already. Both guys have era around 5. Yikes.

Sean Casey - Cinn 1B - for Arroyo & Youkilis - would work out well for Sox

Lyle Overbay - Milw 1B - for Clement. Price might be a little too steep

Soriano - reports saying that Texas would be interested in Clement or Arroyo...

Edgar Renteria - Apparently the Braves have some interest. Boy does this open the door for a number of possibilities. Getting giddy just thinking about it. This would be a 3 team deal with the Sox acquiring Tampa's SS Lugo, but paying some of $30M left on Renteria's deal.

Stay tuned folks. More updates to come this week. Talks end on Thursday where most wheeling & dealing will take place...

Hot Stove headed into GM Meetings...

Here's the latest as we near next weeks GM meetings in Dallas...

Manny Gate
The latest on Manny is that Mets GM Omar Minaya is going after him hard, and will probably try to get something done at the winter GM meetings next week. David Ortiz had stated last week that Manny would not be back & that his preference would be on the west coast. Here’s a few pro’s & cons…

1) Mets would need to shed salary and address one of their biggest needs – a closer. They’ve reportedly offered Wagner $10+M a year. On top of Delgado, that’s an additional $30M a year. The supposed “blank checkbook” would be north of $135M. Doubt it even with new TV deal.
2) According to David Ortiz, Manny will not be back to Boston, and prefers the West coast. Choices are limited to Angels & Dodgers, with Seattle (Manny’s choice) a longshot.
3) A third team would need to get involved, as Mets only have highly touted OF prospect Lastings Milledge as bait. Delgado was told he would not be traded, as he would fill the 1B void in Boston.
4) Sox rumored to make offer to Wagner, which would have to be more than the $10M offered by Mets/Phillies. Now that BJ Ryan was offered over $9M per for 5yrs, that price should go up. Unless Sox want to go over $130M, they would have to shed Ramirez’s salary.
5) Supposedly Sox management has made a last ditch effort to keep him as well
6) He can veto any trade, and could change his mind 25 times before spring training
7) His threat to not show at spring training lowers his value

We really have no idea which way this will go. Will the Sox & fans be able to deal with his antics again? At least the Beckett trade will take the sting out of a potential bad deal for the Sox.

Bottom line is that the Sox are better with him, and you won’t get dollar for dollar in a trade. A third team will more than likely have to be involved. The Sox also have enough trade bait to sweeten the right deal. Worst case, they get top prospects & use the money to sign Konerko & Wagner for similar dollars.

Check out www.KeepManny.com - sign a petition to help keep him in Boston!

Damon
Haven’t heard much response from the Boras camp on the supposed $10M for 3 years. Rumblings are that Sox will make a push to get him signed in a shorter timeframe than Varitek last season. A Boras tactic is to drag on negotiations, and apparently his dealings with Lucchino (who has taken a more active role) in the past were contentious. Let’s hope this works to the Sox advantage. It will be critical for the Sox to have a solid leadoff guy especially if Manny goes bye bye.


Bullpen
The Sox reportedly are making an offer to Wagner as early as today. At least we know where they stand on Foulke now. You know he’ll want out if Wagner is signed. They must be worried about his mental state. Who would take Foulke? A small market team looking for a starter?

A potential trade with San Diego for David Wells could yield reliever Akinori Otsuka & Dave Roberts. Roberts is a hometown favorite, but would be relegated to a 4th outfielder, but that was the reason he was traded last offseason. He’s not a suitable replacement for Damon (hit .275 with 8HR & 38RBI’s – not great #’s for leadoff).

Tom Gordon’s name has been floating around the Sox. The Yanks have yet to pounce on him in this thin market. Surprising. He had a solid season and would have been better if he wasn’t so overused, especially down the stretch.

Kyle Farnsworth & Japanese league’s (Seibu Lions) Shinji Mori are longshots, but possibilities if Wagner or other options dry up.

First
There are many options here, most being trade options. Sox reportedly concentrating on lefthanders.
Konerko is only viable if Manny is dealt.
Delgado was told he is not being traded.
Lyle Overbay is supposedly expendable due to a prospect projected to hit 40HR. Rumors have the Sox sending Clement. This seems too steep a price, and Milwaukee would need to send more. No way they do this deal straight up.
Adrian Gonzalez form Texas seems like the most viable option, as the Sox could trade catching prospect Shoppach
Fall back candidates are John Olerud or Travis Lee
Long shots are Chad Tracy from Diamondbacks or Sean Casey from Reds
What happens to Youkilis? If a big name is signed, he becomes expendable. Otherwise he’s in a platoon situation with a younger guy or Olerud. Sox may not be as high on him as the fans are.


Second
Sounds more & more that Sox are not sold on Pedroia starting the season in Boston. Only problem is finding a viable one-year option. Most guys they are considering are looking for multi-year deals. Based on the reports last year, he should be given a shot. Most trade publications rank Pedroia in the top 15 prospects in baseball.

Rotation
Who is the odd man out? Will Schilling be healthy or still a shell of his former self? Gut feeling is that Arroyo is pen bound & they’ll keep him in case Schilling faulters.
Matt Clement’s fate is up in the air. He’s been mentioned in at least one rumor. Did the line drive to the squash damage him, or will the late season swoon continue? Sox may have apprehensive & unafraid to move him. Still better than Arroyo however.
David Wells may retire if not traded to the west coast. Roberts as part of the deal doesn’t make sense. Apparently Sox are getting Angels & Dodgers to get involved in an attempt to get San Diego moving. Stay tuned.

GM
Looks like the Sox could continue the GM by Committee, or even stick one of the older internal guys with an interim tag. Based on what they’ve done so far, an internal promotion is still possible. Either way, they’ve had a successful offseason so far.


Stay tuned for breaking news & more updates…

Sox land the big Marlin

Oh baby. Wow. It's not official yet but this is huge. A bargain at $4-5M for 2006, but also the ability to sign a franchise type pitcher to a long term deal. The opportunity to sign this caliber of pitcher doesn't come along every day, especially at age 25. He's easily a solid #2 behind Schilling. They have the horses to get it done in Oct again...

The Deal:

Sox Get:

Josh Beckett 25, 15-8, 3.38 ERA. Power pitcher, fastball tops at 97, sinker at 92-94, nasty 12 to 6 curveball. Sox get better and younger. Proven Yankee killer - remember game 6 of the World Series?



Sounds like Paul Revere calling...




Mike Lowell - 3B, 32, gold glove, but career lows last yr: .238 BA, 8HR, 58 RBI. Replaces Mueller with similar power numbers and equal defense. Should be able to get closer to last 5 year avg of 20+HR & 90+RBI, especially with Sox lineup. Right handed pull hitter at Fenway? Sounds like a doubles machine.

Cash - Marlins are desperate to dump payroll, but still paying out some of Lowell's remaining $18M over 2 years.



Marlins Get:

Hanley Ramirez - 21, SS, Sox organization's top prospect. Projected to be superstar caliber. Would have seen Boston in midseason the earliest but will start for Marlins. Renteria signing makes a little more sense now if they were looking to trade him.

Anibel Sanchez - 21, Starter, highly touted righthander, strikeout type pitcher. Went 6-1, 2.40 ERA in Single A. Promoted to AA, went 3-5, 3.45 ERA in 11 starts. Probably won't make big club until mid season 2007 at earliest. Sox able to keep prized lefty starter Jon Lester (AA pitcher of year), look for him mid season. Rumored to have better pure stuff than Papelbon. Wow.

Player to be named later: To be determined, but will be a minor league pitcher...

The Outcome:

Sox get the best of this deal by far. A stud #2 or arguably 1-A caliber ace, gold glove 3rd baseman and cash, for 3 minor league prospects. Wow. Sox make the right call trading away their blue chip & another solid pitching prospect. Kudos to the GM Team for getting this one done.

Sox rotation:

Schilling

Beckett

Papelbon

Clement

Wakefield

-

Wells - Trade to SD for relief pitching?

Arroyo - back to pen?

DiNardo - pen in April

-

Lester - start season in AAA, up in mid season?

Alvarez - Sox pen in April?

Other rumors:

GM - Still very much up in the air. Current GM Team did solid job. Will they look internally now that they're somewhat proven? Gammons also reports that Theo might still be in the mix. Our gut says Bowden, but regardless, the organization looks much stronger after the Beckett deal.

Damon - Sox reportedly offered 3 years between $9-10M per. Just a starting point? Boras threw 7yrs and $84M at the Yanks. Where's the middle? Sox should jump on 4yrs $42M.

1B - Now that Sox landed Lowell, look for Youkilis at first. He's a solid defender at 3rd and was working out at first in AAA last season. Love to see Olerud back as platoon. Stay tuned.

Closer - Sox reportedly making inquiries into Wagner. They would have to shell out significant dollars to pry him away.

2B - Mark Grudzielanek - Sox might not be sold on Pedroia just yet. We'll know soon enough if he signs to more than 1 year deal.

MVP goes to...

The wrong player.

A-Rod gets the nod over Ortiz by a slim margin, his second overall since winning with last place Texas. Apparently most writers are old school and feel that the DH position doesn't merit the award. But, at least 11 writers (first place votes) thought that his accomplishments far exceeded his position. But, here's the kicker - if Ortiz had played half the year at first, even horribly, this race wouldn't have been close (see Don Baylor). This award has always been about offense, not defense (see Canseco). Today's ESPN poll of 90,000+ participants, over 55% thought Ortiz should win. What it really comes down to is which team suffers more if you remove the player. Ortiz performed far better & won more games then A-Rod in the clutch. How many games did A-Rod win with his glove? Nuff said...

GM RUMORS:

Latest GM rumor is that Theo has been offered the position for the Dodgers. The wildcard here is that they reportedly offered him a small piece of ownership. Will it be enough to sway him? Chances are no based on his unwillingness to work in a difficult environment (which may be the same in LA). Could change based on the SIZE of the ownership. Still think he will act in a consulting type role, or even ESPN analyst until the job he covets opens up (Washington?).

FREE AGENCY:

Friday marked the first day that teams lost exclusive negotiating rights with their free agents. It's been fairly quiet across baseball, and not much info is floating out there yet. Here's a few tidbits:

Manny - reports are saying Sox must be bowled over with an offer to move him. With no one team apparently in that position, it will take 3 teams to get involved. Most think he will stay in Boston.

Damon - report leaked that the Sox had extended an offer, and most assume it was to Damon. Sox are thought to be aggressive going after him. They almost have to be, as his agent, Boras, loves to drag negotiations on. If they wait to long, it could interfere with other needs or trades (Manny).

Nomar - Cubs reportedly have asked him to look elsewhere. Injuries have been decimating & humbling. Sox would be crazy not to offer him a job at 2nd. An incentive based contract, based on health, for one year until he proves himself (to go back out on open market). Won't hurt to have Pedroia start in AAA or platoon. That is, if he can get past the trade. Can you imagine Fenway if he steps up to the plate? Wow. May solve part of offensive issue if Manny is dealt...

Sox Hot Stove - GM Meetings

Well folks, here's the first installment of the Hot Stove season. Not too much going on, unless of course you look internally. Now that the initial Theo shock has worn off, we press on and look at the external goings on.

Management is sending their own "Rat Pack" into the GM meetings this week. While Cherington, Hoyer, Shipley, & Woodfork don't have the cache of Frank & the boys, they should have the necessary seasoning & understanding of the system. Let's hope GM by committee has more success than closer by committee did. At least they haven't rushed the GM position...

Teams have until Nov 10th to sign their respective players, otherwise they hit the open free agent market. On to the latest news...


Mike Timlin - recently signed a one year deal with Sox for a reported $3.5M


Manny Ramirez:

3 way trade with Arizona / Angels has been shot down. Sox would have received 3B Glaus, 1B Erstad, and prospects. Shouldn't do deal unless stud pitcher is involved.

Sounds like the Mets rumors are back on involving Mike Cameron (still damaged from last year?), and 2 of their 3 top prospects. This would also impact re-signing Damon. Look for a third team once again if this is going to happen.


David Wells:

Asked for trade to left coast. Apparently tired of east coast spotlight. Born & raised in San Diego, rumored to have purchased a house there recently. Early indications point to Sox not satisfied with potential players, including young starter & solid relief.


Johnny Damon:

Has stated he wants big contract consisting of at least 5 years. That's a tall request for someone who will be 37 in the final year of that deal. His agent Scott Boras floated 4yrs & $50m out there. Look for Sox to make a strong push to get him re-signed.


Paul Konerko:

Rumors indicate he prefers not to be on east coast. Apparently told teammates during ALDS that he would not come to Boston. Money has a way of changing things.


Bill Mueller:

Sox plan to speak with his agent. Can't imagine them letting Youkilis spend another year in utility role. They will have to trade him or play him if they keep Mueller. Look for Billy in a Twins uni in 06.


Kevin Millar:

Recent reports have him doubting a return to Boston. Apparently O's & Twins have some interest.


BJ Ryan:

Most coveted reliever on market. Sox would love to have him, but Yanks will probably overpay to get him.



AJ Burnett:

Most coveted starter on the market. Someone other than the Sox will overpay. He still has "potential" tag stuck to him. Left Florida on bad terms as well..

Stay tuned for weekly updates! We will also be reporting any breaking news.

Market should get hotter later this week.

State of the Yankees - offseason needs

Hello gang. Here's a quick look at where the Yanks stand and what they need this offseason. It's been since Year 2000 and now close to a billion dollars since they last won it all. Hell, it seems like T-rex was around the last time they won it - especially in NY. With an aging team and one of the thinnest free agent markets in recent memory, they have a lot of work to do this offseason. The only stability they have is now at GM & a revamped coaching staff. The farm system has been depleted the last couple years, and doesn't have much talent above single A ball. Cashman will have to get creative to pull off any significant trades...

Catcher:

Posada - will be 35, hit .258 and power #'s down. Definitely on the back 9, Big Unit still won't pitch to him

Backup? Future? Big issue if Posada goes down, or skills disintegrate.


1B / DH:

Giambi - will be 35, "rebounded" to hit .271, 32HR, 87RBI. Who knows what you get next season - roid / HGH effects. Full time DH in 2006? Definite in 2007...

Tino - will be 39, no telling if he comes back. Had a brief power spurt, but only hit .243

Sierra - will be 41, #'s way down, will be a cheap option

Hold on with platoon guys until prospect Eric Duncan is ready in 2 seasons?


2B:

Cano had solid rookie season. Should be long term option.



SS:

Jeter - will be 32, hit .308 but power #'s down. Could be start of decline, but still has a few years left


3B:

A-Rod - will be 31, had MVP caliber season. Will be OK if he gets gambling under control


Utility:

Need to pick up 1B & infield backup - most likely vets on back 9 of career


RF:

Sheffield - will be 38, had solid 2005 #'s, but age and injury history bound to catch up soon


Outfield:

Crosby - will be 30, backup duty at most, will be shocked if given start in CF

Lawton - huge disappointment at trade deadline, now suspended for roids. Not much impact in 06.

Free Agency:

Bernie - probably won't be back - already have cheaper options with same stats / short money

Matsui - will be 32, must re-sign. No better options out there but he won't be cheap.

Damon - biggest name free agent on market. Will be 32 & wants at least 5 years. Yanks will have to offer 6yrs & more money than Sox.

Giles - will be 35, power #'s OK but declining. Still significant upgrade over Bernie. May force Matsui into CF which weakens defense. Teams will run on Matsui in center.

Trade: (rumored)

Milton Bradley - hit .290 but only 13HR, 38RBI's, some injury history & what a head case. Good luck with this one...


Relief:

Rivera - will be 37, had great 2005. Age has to catch up to him at some point. Doesn't it?

Small - will be 35, now with his 15th major league team. Don't expect repeat of last season. There is a reason Torre kept taking him in & out of the rotation. He's bullpen bound in 06.

Free Agency:

BJ Ryan - had solid 2005, best reliever on market (outside of closers). Yanks will have to overpay with several teams in bidding war. They'll get him, but they'll pay.

Sturtze - had subpar 2005 with 4.7 ERA.

Others: Good luck. Worst crop in a while - topping last year's list. Guys like Gordon, Guardado, Mesa, Urbina all want to close, not be setup guys behind Rivera.


Starters:

Big Unit - will be 43. Ouch. Mediocre 2005. Back problems persist, no cartiledge left in one knee. Worst season in years, should have stayed in NL. Don't look for much improvement, will probably see #2 type numbers at best.

Mussina - will be 38. 13 wins & 4.4 ERA is respectable, but not for a #2 making $20M. Age & injuries will continue to follow him. Can't stay healthy the entire season.

Chacon - will be 29. Yanks most consistent starter, pitched well in 2005. Still only a solid #4 or fringe #3 guy.

Wang - will be 26. Solid rookie season with 4.1 ERA, could be potential #3 guy. Not a good sign when your rookie pitcher is out 2 months with a strained shoulder. Can't be too optomistic with the youngest pitcher on the staff spending significant time on the DL.

Pavano - will be 30. Very mediocre 4-6, 4.7ERA performance. Still has the "potential" tag, with career losing record & 4.3ERA. Don't expect a breakout season with "new" rotator cuff injury. Not sure how mentally stable he is. Already mentioned in trade rumors to Seattle.

Wright - will be 31. Bounced back from horrific start, but turned into a ball magnet. Based on injury history, any success will be short lived.

Free Agency:

AJ Burnett - best pitcher on market. Will command high dollars, but stuck with same "potential" label as Pavano. His early Florida exit may be warning sign he can't handle the pressure, and there's plenty in NY.

Matsuzaka - plays for Japanese league's Seibu Lions. On a few teams radar, exceptional talent apparently. Doesn't have permission to leave, but still hired Scott Boras as agent. Long shot at this point.


Bottom Line:

Overall, not much change coming to the everyday lineup. Big question marks are CF, mid relief, and the starters. As proven again this season, pitching wins in Oct. Their lineup will be fine, with some depth needed at catcher and outfield.

But the starters are OLD and injury prone. Not one guy on the staff has made all their starts. Big Unit is no longer the true Ace he was even in 2004. Mid relief will probably be their achilles heel in 06. Other than BJ Ryan, the free agent crop is thin, and teams will be reluctant to part with any arms - especially effective ones.

Cashman will need to be very creative, especially with an immature farm system. The current Yanks payroll is just shy of $170M even with the loss of multiple big contracts (Bernie, Kevin Brown, etc). Money obviously isn't an issue. But, between CF ($7M-11M), Matsui ($10M), BJ Ryan ($6M), possibly AJ Burnett ($11M) & dead money ($5M - via trades), you're looking at $210M. Just obscene.

Don't expect to see this sign - except in a museum, Yankee fans. There's still not enough pitching. The drought will continue in NY...

Theo's gone, Sox Nation reeling...

The loss of Theo is the first misstep the organization has taken. The proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back came in the form of an article written by Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe - Here's the article . Basically it revealed some of the more intimate details of the working relationship between Theo & Lucchino, as well as details of what Theo assumed to be private. They way in which the Colorado deal was handled also incensed him. There was no question in Theo’s mind that Lucchino had leaked the story to his friend Shaughnessy, aka the curly haired boyfriend. Not to mention that the Globe “coincidentally” owns a 17% stake in the Sox. Trying to utilize the media was a critical mistake.

The article calls into question Theo’s role and how there was hand holding going on during his development. It also leads you to believe that Theo hasn’t been standing on his own two feet. Then he drones on about how Theo’s “minions” have been doing more talking than Sox management. Please. The story was “leaked” directly by Lucchino. Shaughnessy indirectly works for the Sox. You have to take what is reported with a grain of salt, or at least grasp the point of view of the writer. If any of this was true, why was he offered $1.5M a year for 3 years? Curious.



Yup, here's 2 guys that may not make it back...

What it comes down to is that the ego of Lucchino came before a business decision. He would rather put a media spin on this to ensure people think he has the upper hand. It backfired. There was no need to massage the fans. The perception of Theo was positive, and everyone expected the Sox to pay up in order to keep him. This was all about Larry. Theo knew in his heart he couldn’t trust the person he was working for any longer. If he was on the fence about coming back, he was pushed over by the article. Now the Sox have lost one of baseball’s rising stars. Theo grew up a mile from the park, had a better grasp of the dynamics than anyone, and was destined to run this team for years - successfully.

Who’s ultimately to blame? Lucchino? Absolutely. His EGO has taken its first victim in his tenure. Even mild-mannered guys like Peter Gammons have become harsh towards Boston because of him.

Shaughnessy? He’s a whore, plain and simple. Some folks in the media say they would have done the story if leaked to them. Point is they are no better. You should be held accountable regardless. All he cares about is the story, not the effects of it. In today’s column, he says “Blame me if it makes you feel better”. Well we do blame you, it doesn’t make us feel better, and we’re not buying the “BS” as you try to cover yourself. Stop being evasive and own up to it. You screwed up. You let yourself be used. You should be ashamed. But when you’ve been on your back as many times as he has, there’s no conscience, no regrets, and no integrity left. Let’s hope Karma makes a visit sooner rather than later.

But until then, here’s his email address: dshaughnessy@globe.com

Sox look to assemble 2006 squad...

The Red Sox have been to the postseason the last 3 years, averaged 95 wins, and won a World Series. Amazing accomplishment in the history of the franchise. There are only a handful of teams to have similar success in recent memory. This past season they were able to win 95 games and get into the playoffs DESPITE major injuries to Schilling & Foulke. There were other injuries such as Trot, and horrible production from 1st & 2nd base. They also overcame one of the worst pens in the majors. If you take the staff ace and all star caliber closer off ANY team, how many would do what the Sox did? Not many. So take stock in the fact that they will continue success especially with a healthy team.

Here’s a look at position status & needs:

Starters:

Curt Schilling – will be 39, questions remain if he’ll fully bounce back from surgery. One of the most driven guys on the planet, and if anyone can do it, its him. He’s the key to next season.

David Wells – will be 43. Would like to be traded to the left coast – sounds like he’s tired of the spotlight. If he does return, his competitiveness will pull him thru. 15 game winners don’t grow on trees either.

Tim Wakefield – will be 40. Knucklers are timeless, so age not critical. Count on 12-15 wins…

Bronson Arroyo – will be 28. Solid #4 or 5. Will get you 12+ wins, somewhat inconsistent, but has been strong down the stretch the last 2 seasons.

Matt Clement – will be 29. He’s the biggest question mark. History of fading down the stretch continued, although that shot to the squash may have contributed. Lets hope he figures out a solution in the offseason, such as personal trainer / nutritionist.

Wade Miller – don’t expect to see this guy in uniform. Team probably won’t pick up the option ($4M?) especially if he won’t contribute until June. That’s too expensive a gamble.

Jonathan Papelbon – will be 25. Getting giddy just thinking about him. Very solid down the stretch, unbelievable amount of poise for a rook. Big question is where he starts off the season. If Wells or Arroyo are traded (for something other than pitching) he steps into the rotation. Otherwise, they probably keep him in Pawtucket to remain stretched out.

Trades:

Wells - asking for one.

Arroyo - has been named in several rumors – especially deadline deals

Clement – Sox may not have enough faith, willing to eat some salary in order to trade?



Free Agents:

AJ Burnett – tops list on several teams with resources (incl Yanks). Price will probably be too high

Kevin Millwood – not getting any younger

Jarrod Washburn – probably best option

Paul Byrd – had solid season at 3.75 ERA

Homegrown:

Jon Lester – lefty said to have better stuff than Papelbon. Wow. Wasn’t ready last season, but may contribute by mid-season. Double A pitcher of the year.

Abe Alvarez – should be able to make the leap next season. Will probably come out of the pen.

Lenny DiNardo – former rule 5 should have enough seasoning, was solid in few outings in Sept. Will likely be a spot starter.




Relief:

Timlin – rumored to have signed a 1 year deal

Foulke – 2 surgeries, but they didn’t fix his squash. Sox may try to unload him but must eat some salary.

Hansen – Should have a big role next season. The phenom showed flashes in his brief stint in the majors. Looks to be on big league roster in April.

Delcarmen – Young flamethrower got a taste of the bigs. Should have a more prominent role next season.

Trades:

Probably not many options here. You’re looking at mediocre talent unless a blockbuster happens

Free Agents:

BJ Ryan – Similar to AJ Burnett situation. Sox would love to have him, but won’t overpay

Billy Wagner – Only way Sox would consider is if Foulke is traded away, and Hansen is converted to a starter. He probably won’t sign a 1 year deal until Hansen is truly ready…

Tom Gordon – wants to be a closer. Will command too much money for a set-up guy. Looked spent at the end of last season.

Eddie Guardado – team expected to decline option. May want to be closer only.

Ugeuth Urbina – pricetag, bad blood will prevent return

Biggest area of concern…




1st Base:

Kevin Youkilis – solid glove, professional hitter, most likely a fill-in / platoon at first

John Olerud – they would be crazy not to bring him back, but depends on acquisition


Free Agency:

Paul Konerko – rumored as not wanting to play on east coast, pricetag up after Series

Lyle Overbay – looking at 15HR, 80RBI, .280avg – probably short money, best option

Trade:

Richie Sexson – If available. Other plausible possibilities have worse #’s than Overbay. Downside is that this is the only position to regain a bat if Manny is traded.



2nd Base:

Alex Cora – Actually had a decent run with .273 ba w/Sox. Only a role player at this point of career, can also play third & short.

Tony Graffanino – would love to see him return. Probably won’t sign a 1 year deal & platoon with Pedroia

Dustin Pedroia – Management very high on this guy. Similar player to David Eckstein. Should be competing for the starting job in April.


Free Agency / Trade:

No viable options out there. Better off with what they have, if not Graffanino



3rd Base:

Kevin Youkilis – solid glove, professional hitter, low salary, has had some big hits playing a limited role. Sox may want to see what he can do full time. Looks like the future at 3rd.

Bill Mueller – can’t say enough good things about him. Will demand a higher salary, and dollar difference may be bigger than the gap between him & Youkie. He filed for free agency on the first day – not a good sign for his return.


Short:

Edgar Renteria – face it folks, we have a $10M SS that hits .280, 10HR’s, and 80 RBI’s. It’s not going up. Let’s just hope his fielding percentage does.

Hanley Ramirez – waiting in the wings. Can’t believe he’s still only 21. Probably major league ready around mid-season. If he makes “the leap” the Sox would have to seriously consider dumping Renteria & eating some salary.



Outfield:

Manny Ramirez – this team is better off with him. Unless you get a stud pitcher (must be ace caliber) in return, there’s no way you do this. Despite his newest request for a trade, he's more than likely still here next season. This happens every July...

Trot Nixon – injury plagued, had offseason surgery. Has a relatively low salary. Can’t put a price on clubhouse presence. When healthy, he’s a 20HR, 80RBI, .285 hitter. With injury history, how much do you get in return? He’ll be back.

Johnny Damon – he’s been all over the place about how many years, hometown discount, bad agent, blah blah blah. Sox can replace a CF, but probably not a solid leadoff guy. They don’t grow on trees. Issue will be # of years – Damon wants 6 @ 33 years old. Not gonna happen here. Let’s hope they can get it done for 4 years around $10 per year (good sign is that he didn’t file for free agency yet). You know Steinbrenner is licking his chops.

Adam Stern – still needs about 20 games to satisfy rule 5 requirements. At least a year away from being a solid player. Couple other young guys still year & a half away at least.

Gabe Kapler – long shot to even make 2007 squad, not ready physically until Sept 2006

Free Agency:

Not much help out there. It’s a pretty thin crop.

Trade:

Torii Hunter – has reportedly put his house up for sale, because he believes he’ll be traded

Adam Dunn – was on Sox radar, but may have to give up too much to get him


Bottom Line:

This could be a dramatically different team next season. But, at least Catcher & DH are settled.

There will be changes at probably 3 of the 4 infield positions.

The outfield is a huge question mark. Can they come to an agreement with Damon? They will at least give it a shot. They probably won’t get enough in return for trading Manny. It will have to be at least a 3 team blockbuster in order for it to make sense. No way the Sox trade him just to get rid of him. He'll get over not being traded again if not.

They have 6 starters not counting Wade Miller. Someone will overpay AJ Burnett but not the Sox. They would have to get a stud for Manny & then move someone else – Wells, Clement, or Arroyo, and possibly some dead money on top of that. The most surprising stat? The 2004 starters amassed 73 wins. The 2005 staff (including Schill) had 70.

The pen is the biggest area of need (volume wise anyway). Who thinks Foulke can bounce all the way back? We’ll know if the Sox do soon enough. Although they have a couple of young arms in the mix, they still need proven veterans. There isn’t a long list to choose from.

The Sox have about $95 Million spent already. Assuming they match what they spent last season, that gives them roughly $30M to use. Here’s where we think it will go – provided Manny stays put:

1st: $5M – Overbay ($400k last yr) only 4 yrs in the league, 28yrs old. Will probably get better too…

2nd: $300,000 – Pedroia

3rd: $700,000 – Youkilis

Utility: $4M – Cora / Machado / Stern / OF or RH bat

Center: $11M – Johnny Damon

Pen: $6M – Need at least 3 veterans. May turn to Hansen as closer (see Huston Street)

Dead Money: $3M – Foulke / Clement / other – if traded (for each of next 2-3 years)



You know Theo (presuming he is re-signed on Monday) will get the job done. This all changes if Manny gets moved. It should be an active Hot Stove season. We will be providing updates at least weekly, and hopefully more depending on information coming in.

Coming Next – State of the Yankees…

Congrats to Chi-town!!!

Well Chicago White Sox fans, welcome to the party! Congratulations!!! Great feeling isn't it?
Not to mention a SWEEEEEEEEEEP!


(Sorry Houston fans, it's tough to be on the other side...)




One of the great playoff runs ever. Their 11-1 record ties the Yanks from 99 as the best postseason records since the wildcard format was implemented. A few others have gone undefeated before then...



Not many things like this happen in a lifetime. Enjoy it Chicago! Amazing what a win after 88 years can do for a city. We're sure you'll also take joy in the fact that life as a Cubs fan just got worse...




Many folks out there weren't watching this series & that's a shame. Nationally, the ratings were the worst for a Series ever. But each game was close. Only game 1 was won by 2 runs, with every other by 1. Two games were decided by solo homers in the 9th. They set a Series record for a 14 inning game. Role players made huge contributions. Jermaine Dye is MVP for crying out loud. He doesn't break the starting lineup on some teams. Point is there were many compelling reasons to watch, and millions missed out.

There's some media out there that think this was the worst Series EVER. They couldn't wait for it to be over. These are the same clowns that write it sucks to have the same teams in the playoffs year after year. There's a "story" in ESPN's Page 2 today featuring David Schoenfield & Eric Neel. If you've never read any of their columns, they are essentially Yankee homers and bash anything not NY. We're not Chisox or Houston fans per se, but we wanted to let them have it. Here's your chance as well:

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/mailbagESPN?event_id=5294

Send them a note for us too...




Now that the Series is over, all of baseball turns its attention to Free Agency. The Hot Stove season has officially kicked off. Yeeeeee Haaaaaaaa!









For those of you keeping score out there, Guillen said he would retire if the Chisox won it. Well, lets see if he keeps his word. Bye bye Ozzie...

Coming next...

- Sox & Yanks offseason needs -

Uh oh... Someone's down 3-0...

Well here it is. The first 3-0 deficit since last year. Can you hear Joe Buck saying it? "The only team to overcome a 3-0 hole was the Red Sox over the Yankees last year." (NY homer McCarver would choke on those words.) We're getting all tingly in the shorts just thinking about it. Every Yankee fan watching will cringe at the same moment the Nation will be smirking. If Houston manages to actually win a game, you'll hear it 2 games in a row. Best part?

This never goes away...


So how bout dem Chisox! This team deserves a ton of credit. They are much better than advertised. We still really can't stand Guillen, but here's what they've accomplished at the end of this season:

Won 15 of last 16
10-1 Playoff record (only loss was 3-2 vs Angels)
Boston in 3 games, Angels in 5 - only giving up more than 3 runs ONCE
Scoring average of 6 runs PER GAME in the playoffs

For you detractors out there, those numbers are hard to dismiss. This is a great run historically speaking - especially if they close it out tonight. Some are saying that any of the AL Playoff teams would have beat the Stros. Possibly. But none of them got past the Chisox. Not even close.

It's too bad that this series hasn't caught on nationally - based on lowest ratings in Series history. What are the next 2 lowest you ask? Yanks vs Mets was FIRST, and then Yanks vs Marlins. Is it that no one likes the Yankees outside of NY? Yes. But what about this series? Both have big TV markets. Two of the games have been decided on last inning home runs. Astros have never been, Chisox last won 88 years ago. Blown saves, late inning comebacks, plenty of drama. It's not like anything else is on TV either. Why aren't people at least clicking back and forth? Can't figure it out...

We certainly do not want to jinx the Chisox, but this series is over. Things are just going their way. Even if Houston manages a win tonight (so we can hear the 3-0 Sox over Yanks again) they still have a pitching problem for game 5. According to Gammons, Clemens is having trouble WALKING and it would be a miracle if he pitched. There's no "stitching" able to fix a pitcher this year. Pettite would be going on 3 days rest in game 5. There isn't a good historical record for 3 days rest, especially for a pitcher thats had injury problems. Sorry Houston, we have a problem. Probably won't see game 6. Get ready Chicago, the holy grail is within your grasp...



Random thoughts...

It's never a good way to open a conversation with the following:

Don't hate me but...
Before you get upset...
I know this sounds wrong but...
Don't take this the wrong way...

So insert any of these below:

Brian Jackson of Brentwood, PA was charged with disorderly conduct. Why? He mislead 2 different women into believing he was an NFL quarterback from the Steelers. One thought he was Brian St Pierre, the other Ben Rothlisberger. His motive? He wanted to date them.

How you doin?

Now, we all have friends who have pulled this one, and probably some of you reading this have made a similar attempt. But why is this illegal? Since when? (insert phrase here)

Have you ever told a little white lie or exaggeration to impress the opposite sex? You betcha. Was Mr. Jackson trying to commit a crime? No. He was horny and went about things the wrong way. We don't condone the behavior, but come on. He had to complete a psych eval and pay a $300 fine.

Hey ladies, if you look under "G" in the dictionary, you'll find the word "gullible" with your pictures next to it. Go look right now. Have you seen any commercials for Vegas? They poke fun at the art of BS. "Hi, my name is Ginger & this is my friend MaryAnne?" Is society getting too PC?

The Nation looks ahead to Free Agency...

We now interrupt your World Series with… Free Agency!

Even as the World Series gets going, the Nation has shifted its focus to next season and free agency. While this is one of the more compelling matchups in recent history (one team never in it, and other has 80+ year drought) most of us will still have only a casual interest. It’s awfully difficult to compare to last year as well.

Here are the Free Agency basics:

Teams have 15 days after the World Series to re-sign their own free agents

Arbitration eligible players can re-sign until Jan 8th – and either accept or reject arbitration by that date

Players who are not arbitration eligible must re-sign by Dec 22, or wait until May 1st of 2006

Each free agent is ranked as a Type A, B, or C. This is determined by the stats that MLB uses. Those in the top third statistically would be Type A.

The teams losing a Type A, B, or C player get compensation in the form of draft picks. Typically a Type A player would yield a 1st round pick to the team that did not re-sign them, and so on. There are more in depth rules around this, but you get the point…

Players with options (in parenthesis): Team= team decision to pick up or deny option, player= player decision, mutual= both player & team decision

Here’s a list of the “recognizable” free agents by position (those supposedly retiring are left off):


Catcher:

Brook Fordyce
Benito Santiago
Charles Johnson
Sandy Alomar Jr.
Brad Ausmus
Mike Piazza
Bengie Molina
Ivan Rodriguez (Poss. Team Void Option)
Einar Diaz
Gregg Zaun (Team Option)
Mike DiFelice


First:

Mo Vaughn
Matt LeCroy
Rafael Palmeiro
Frank Thomas (Player + Team option)
J.T. Snow
John Olerud
Tim Salmon
Doug Mientkiewicz (Vesting Option)
Kevin Millar
Paul Konerko
Scott Hatteberg (Team Option)
Robert Fick
Tino Martinez (Team Option)
Travis Lee
Erubiel Durazo

Second:

Bret Boone
D'Angelo Jimenez
Frank Menechino
Ray Durham (Player Option)
Tony Graffanino
Todd Walker (Team + Player options)
Eric Young (Team Option)
Ronnie Belliard (Team Option)
Mark Grudzielanek
Pokey Reese (Team Option)
Miguel Cairo
Denny Hocking
Dave Berg

Third:

Bill Mueller
Scott Spiezio

Joe Randa
Chris Stynes
Jeff Cirillo
Geoff Blum

Short:

Rey Ordonez
Royce Clayton
Ricky Gutierrez
Jose Vizcaino
Desi Relaford
Alex Gonzalez (Fla)
Nomar Garciaparra
Deivi Cruz
Jose Valentin
Alex Gonzalez (Tampa)
Rafael Furcal
Benji Gil
Lou Merloni
Rich Aurilia (Mutual Option)
Rey Sanchez
Neifi Perez

Left Field:

Raul Mondesi
Ray Lankford
Bubba Trammell
Terrence Long
Quinton McCracken
Adam Hyzdu
Reggie Sanders
John Mabry
B.J. Surhoff
Carlos Lee (Team Option)
Bobby Higginson
Hideki Matsui
Randy Winn (Mutual Option)
Jeff Conine

Center Field:

Marquis Grissom
Michael Coleman
Roger Cedeno
Gerald Williams
Jacque Jones
Carl Everett (Team Option)
Preston Wilson
Bernie Williams
Kenny Lofton
Ruben Rivera
Johnny Damon

Right Field:

Orlando Merced
Michael Tucker
Sammy Sosa (Team Option)
Juan Encarnacion
Gabe Kapler
Jose Cruz Jr.
Richard Hidalgo
Juan Gonzalez
Moises Alou (Player Option)
Jeromy Burnitz (Mutual Option)
Brian Jordan
Matt Lawton
Brian Giles

Starters:

Aaron Sele
Joe Mays
Pedro Astacio
Andy Ashby
Matt Morris
Scott Elarton
A.J. Burnett
Jeff Weaver
Jason Schmidt (Team Option)
Jeff Suppan (Team Option)
Hideo Nomo
John Thomson (Team Option)
Steve Trachsel (Team Option)
Brett Tomko
Kevin Brown
Jason Johnson
Paul Byrd
Jose Lima
Ismael Valdez
Kevin Millwood
Rick Helling
Esteban Loaiza (Mutual Option)
Roger Clemens
Scott Erickson
Tony Armas Jr.
Omar Daal
Denny Neagle
Tom Glavine (Mutual Option)
Al Leiter
Mark Redman (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Jamie Moyer
Kenny Rogers
Shawn Estes
Jarrod Washburn
Glendon Rusch (Player Option)

Mid relief:

Mark Guthrie
Jeremi Gonzalez
Mike Stanton
Donovan Osborne
Felix Heredia (Team Option)
Alan Embree
Ricardo Rincon
Scott Sauerbeck
Terry Mulholland
Mike Myers
Jason Christiansen (Team Option)
Mike Matthews
Buddy Groom

B.J. Ryan

C.J. Nitkowski
Steve Reed
Bret Prinz
Brandon Duckworth
Jose Jimenez
Bob Howry
Dan Miceli
Danny Graves (Team Option)
Byung-Hyun Kim
Grant Roberts
Mike DeJean
Ricky Bottalico
Tanyon Sturtze (Team Option)
Kyle Farnsworth
Steve Karsay
Julian Tavarez
Felix Rodriguez
Paul Quantrill
Tom Gordon
Mike Timlin
Scott Sullivan (Team or Player Option)
Doug Brocail
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (Vesting Option)
LaTroy Hawkins (Player Option)
Jason Grimsley
Todd Jones
Antonio Alfonseca (Vesting Option)
Scott Williamson (Team Option)
Jay Witasick
Jeff Nelson
Jim Mecir
Kerry Ligtenberg
Matt Mantei

Closer:

Billy Koch
Trevor Hoffman
Octavio Dotel
Braden Looper (Team Option)
Billy Wagner
Jose Mesa (Team Option)
Bob Wickman
Eddie Guardado (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Ugeuth Urbina

Coming SOON!

A look at the offseason needs for Sox & Yanks

World Series without perennial powers...

Although most of us will be casual on-lookers, this series has the potential to be one of the best ever. Baseball fans in general must be excited that the Yanks and Braves are nowhere to be seen. It's great to see a matchup with a team that has never made it in 44 years of existance, and the other having won last over 80 years ago. Either way, the winner becomes a great story. Lets hope it's a 7 game series filled with drama and roller coaster rides. But realistically, it should be an old fashioned pitching duel. For those of you in the Vegas area, you may want to jump on the "under" for each game...

Here's some analysis of the key areas for both squads:

Starting pitching:

Chisox: Have had an amazing run. Starters only needed 2 outs of relief in 5 games. Wow. They are well rested.

Stros: Pitching has been dominating. Not just good. If not for some Pujols magic, NLCS would have been over in 5 games.

Advantage: Stros. Clemens & Pettite are playoff battle tested. Oswalt looks unhittable.

Lineups / Defense:

Advantage: Even. Both are solid defensively. This won't be won or lost on fielding. Will come down to who gets the big hit.

Relief:

Advantage: Even. Both pens are solid. Chisox are more rested (maybe too much), but closer Lidge is far better than Jenks.

Intangibles:

Chisox: Home field. Have been getting all the breaks go their way. But, just waiting for Guillen to say/do something wacky when pressure is really on.

Stros: Strong veteran presence, more playoff experience. Extra team incentive to get Biggio/Bagwell a ring.

Edge: Even. Look for "role players" to have a significant impact on this series. Clutch hitting is the only way to overcome dominant pitching.


The full monty:

As we are always reminded each postseason, pitching wins championships. Both teams matchup in every other category. Despite Chicago's recent success on the mound, we think Houston is just at another level. Regardless, this should be a grind em out series. Not much offense, which will intensify each at bat especially late in games. Would really love to see this be an epic 7 games series and grab national attention...

Prediction: Houston in 7...

Coming Soon...

A peek into free agency

Sox & Yanks offseason needs / issues

Oct 20th ring a bell? It should...

Oct 20th, 2004. The Stadium in the Bronx. Game 7 ALCS. Series that will live in infamy. Sox 10, Yanks 3. Ultimate euphoria in Red Sox Nation. One of the Greatest Moments in all of sports. And the best part...

The Biggest Choke in the HISTORY of Sports at the hands of their bitter rivals!





Yup, one year ago today Sox fans were in complete joy, disbelief, complete joy, disbelief, and then joy again. What a ride. Don't think it really set in until midway thru the next day. And then BANG. It hit us like a lightning bolt - right out of the Natural. We can finally tool on all those Yankee fans that have given us so much crap over the years. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeautiful.........

And one year later (a BILLION dollars over the last 5) and still no ring for the Yanks. Year 2000! This chant will continue to grow louder. It's become our mission. Next season, Yankees Suck will take a back seat to "YEAR 2000!!! YEAR 2000!!!". Another disappointing season with the newest Yanks not meeting expectations...


It's hard to measure up to the drama, the big hits, the unlikely heroes (Lowe), and the biggest steal in decades (Roberts). Here's some highlights from Game 7:

1st Inning:

Damon thrown out at home, the "here we go again" thoughts rear their ugly head. Up comes Papi with 2 outs & crushes one out. Sox 2-0 after the 1st.

2nd Inning:

Kevin Brown gives up a single and 2 consecutive walks. Torre has seen enough & replaces him with Vasquez. Big Mistake. Damon unloads on the first pitch for a GRAND SLAM! Holy Crap he just hit a GRAND SLAM in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium! Woooooo hoooooo! The Stadium goes into a shocked silence. Doesn't get much better than this. Sox up 6-0. Those feelings of dread starting to slip away...

4th Inning:

Damon steps up and absolutely CRUSHES his second homer of the day into the upper deck in right. The Nation is so fired up and stunned at the same time. Here's what most of us were thinking: OK. OK. Just maintain. It's 8-1 but it's only the 4th. Don't celebrate too much yet. If we celebrate too much we might jinx them. Hold on. Hold on...

7th Inning:

In goes Petey. He's shaky. Back to back doubles to open the inning. He doesn't have it tonight. Oh crap, don't pull a Grady! Get him out now! Petey gets out of the inning with 2 runs. Whew. Sox up 8-3 after 7...

8th Inning:

Bellhorn hits a homer. Timlin dominates a 1-2-3 inning. Are we allowed to start going nuts yet? Is this really happening? What time will we get to work & how bad is the hangover going to be?

9th Inning:

Sox tag on an insurance run with sacrifice fly by Cabrera. Sox up 10-3. Holy crap. Only 3 outs away. Can barely stay in our chair. Just realized we've been standing since the 4th inning. Yanks manage a single and a walk with 2 outs. Embree comes in. One out to go. Can't feel the floor we're standing on. Almost a floating sensation. Or maybe just numb from standing the whole time. Pitch goes in to Sierra. Ground ball to Pokey, Pokey to first, OUT! Holy Crap they did it! THEY DID IT!!! AMAZING!!! Rewrote history coming back from 0-3 defecit. Shocked the sports world! Sox 10, Yanks 3...

Guarantee that anyone you ask 10 or even 20 years from now, will remember exactly where they were, who they were with, and even what they were wearing (probably for a number of days in a row) when the Sox pulled it off. Unforgettable. Life changing experience for some people. Even better is that the Yanks fans will be reminded in any playoff series when a team is down 0-3. Beeeeeeautiful...

Thanks Red Sox. It will never be forgotten...

The Stros are in! The Stros are IN!!!

Congrats Houston fans! It only took 44 years of your teams existance to get into the World Series! While many other teams have suffered a longer drought (including your opponent) it must be an indescribeable feeling to be where you're at. Especially after the Pujols game 5 blast with 2 outs in the 9th. We felt for you, but also shared in some of your joy with a convincing game 6 win. Brad Lidge can rest easy now & his psyche shouldn't hurt him. Oswalt was overpowering - what a clutch performance. This coming from a team that was well under .500 at the beginning of the season. Big congrats to Bagwell & Biggio who have been teammates for 15 years. It's a waste when players of their caliber never get to the big dance. Nice to see...

For those of you wondering, there are a few present day teams who have NEVER made it to the Series: Seattle, Colorado, & Tampa Bay. Ouch...

Look for our World Series preview coming soon...

Congrats to the go-go Chisox...

Welcome to the party Chicago fans!!!

Congrats to the Chisox. First time in the Series since 1959, and looking to exercise the demons of the Black Sox back around the Yankees former favorite date of 1918. What is winning again in Oct? PITCHING. Period. White Sox starters pitched all but 2 outs in the ENTIRE 5 game series with an astounding 2.20 ERA and only walking 4. Amazing.

This is the same team that was fading down the stretch. This is the same Contreras that was an absolute "Deer in the Headlights" against the Red Sox until late this year. We want to speak with his hypnotist...

But despite how we feel about Guillen (insert expletives here), those Chisox fans deserve to feel what we did last year. Nothing can top it. Well, except maybe for those Stros fans whose team has NEVER been to the Series in the first place. Wow.

Either way, it's a great story. And besides, it's more fun when someone new or unexpected gets there.

Good luck boys...

Nomar returns to Boston?

Well not really. While hanging out at his oceanside Charlestown (Boston community) condo recently (who knew he still owned it?), he & his Uncle Victor saw a woman fall into the water. Apparently the woman's friend attempted to help but fell into the water as well, hitting her head on the pier on the way down. Nomar dove in and saved them both, and one was apparently unconscious. His uncle stated Nomar had them both safe by the time he arrived, but was unable to get them onshore without his help.

A witness said he overheard one of the woman ask: "Are you Nomar?" after she was pulled to safety.

Nice job Nomie. Welcome back...

Yanks post season ends, drought continues...

How much does it cost to win a championship? Not $200+ million apparently…

Oh baby… Yanks fall in the decisive fifth game to Los Anaheimangeles. Colon goes down with an injury in the SECOND inning, and they couldn’t get it done against a ROOKIE. Mussina was terrible after the first. What a great call to send him to California ahead of time. Now he’s a year older, just like the rest of the overpriced squad that was trotted out there. The drought continues. Year 2000! Year 2000!

Must have been a long flight back to NY. Ouch… Wonder who will get the ax?

For those of you cocky Yankee fans writing in giving us crap about the Sox over the last few days (even while down 1-2), how did that Angels series work out? At least the defense was pathetic, or uh, disturbing…

We are starting a petition to remove the Los Anaheimangeles tag. Any suggestions? How about the East LA Angels? Or the SoCal Angels? Hey Arnold, how bout the Kali-forn-ia Angels? What wouldn’t be better…


Baseball fans around the league were rejoicing after this loss, especially after the Sox had lost. Fans in general must be happy to see anyone other than the Yankees and Braves. We are. Angels and Cards have been in recently, and we are pulling for a Chisox & Astros finale. Would be so much more fun that way.

Anaheim limps into Chicago with starting pitching in question. Colon’s return is doubtful, and others may not be available due to flu-like symptoms. Chicago only had a three game series and are well rested – including the entire pitching staff. Chisox should get their first birth in the Series since the early 1900’s. Go Chisox!!!

St. Louis vs. Houston will be the toughest matchup. Both have outstanding pitching staffs and good offenses. Get ready for low scoring & maybe even more extra inning games. The winner of this series will have a great shot at winning. We like Houston to take the whole thing…





Stay tuned for our Hot Stove updates. Theo is first on the list – his contract expires the end of this month. Don’t look for Manny to go anywhere unless Sox get blown away with an offer. Remember he’s only got 3 years left now. Hopefully Damon can get locked in soon…