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While this is the most realistic rumor I've heard in a while, it seems to me that there are missing pieces. The Devil Rays have been asking for the likes of Andy Marte and Jon Lester for Lugo, they would be insane to drop down to a modest request of Anderson Hernandez and Aaron Heilman for Danys Baez AND Lugo. I think the Mets are getting off so easily in this deal. Millege, Heilman, and Hernandez for Ramirez? That's a steal. I think NY's got to give up a bit more and both the Red Sox and Devil Rays should be getting a bit more talent from NY. It's a real good start though. Let me take a crack at retooling the deal a bit. The Mets would get Manny Ramirez (and his whole contract). The Rays would get Aaron Heilman, Kaz Matsui (and cash), and Anderson Hernandez. The Red Sox would get Victor Diaz, Lastings Milledge, Danys Baez and Julio Lugo. OK. I'm probably the only person on Talksox who's high on Victor Diaz, but the kid's been called "Mini Manny" by some and could at least be a 4th outfielder immediately if not get a chance at starting in LF everyday. At 24 he's got a chance to blossom into a pretty darn good hitter and will be helped out by Fenway. Millege is obviously added to the crop of outfield prospects and CF candidates and is invited to spring training. Baez joins a pretty talented bullpen as a setup man and Lugo becomes the everyday shortstop. I'm not enamored with Lugo as a shortstop but he's a better option than Gonzalez or Clayton, so I'll deal with it at this point. The Rays add a guy they like in Kaz Matsui, and with New York paying most of his salary he's a low risk guy and can be a stopgap infielder while Upton develops and can probably step right in at second base. Who knows, without the NY spotlight he could do very well. Heilman and Hernandez are the earlier mentioned youngsters (although Heilman is only 1 year younger than Baez) and Hernandez probably pushes Cantu to third long term. If anything Tampa's coming up a little short in this deal. The Mets are giving up a lot of Quantity, but still worth it for them IMO. They get the prize of the offseason in Manny Ramirez, and give up a pretty decent package of players they have almost no use for: Kaz Matsui has been rendered a bust by NY and they signed Bret Boone to play second. They basically want to cut their losses on Kaz. Anderson Hernandez, a MI prospect will never play shortstop on account of Jose Reyes being there. With Floyd, Beltran, and Nady already in the fold, add Ramirez in there and you've basically got no place for Victor Diaz. Heilman and Millege are the two guys who New York still has a place for, and that's a small price to pay for the best hitter in the game. Personally, I think this benefits all parties. The Red Sox pick up a stopgap shortstop, a decent setup man, and 2 youngsters and getting tons of financial relief from no Manny. Plus, Manny's in New York with the Mets which means at MOST they face him 3 games a year. Tampa's thrilled they don't have to face Manny anymore, and get a decent package for 2 guys who won't be around when this team starts to compete anyway. It's pretty obvious why the Mets do this deal. On to the important aspect of this trade: The Red Sox perspective. We all knew that trading Manny would cause a drastic restructuring of the Red Sox, and this would no doubt be followed by subsequent moves. If we got off the hook from Manny's deal (the only way it makes sense IMO), the Red Sox need to go balls to the wall to sign Roger Clemens. give him a 1 year, $15 million deal if he wants it. You're still saving money from not having Manny, and adding a guy like Clemens has amazing repercussions. With Schilling, Beckett, Clemens, and Wakefield taking up 4 rotation spots already, the Red Sox have the freedom to trade 2 of the following 3: Arroyo, Clement, Wells. Got to keep one along with Papelbon because of the health issues of Schilling and Beckett. Obviously Wells goes. A package from San Diego of Roberts and one of the following: Tim Stauffer, Clay Hensley, Sean Thompson, Rusty Tucker is perfect. Roberts is thrown into the CF mix with Millege and Murphy, and the other is relegated to AAA. Personally I prefer Hensley to the rest, because he was very good at AAA and continued to dominate out of the bullpen. He would be given a chance in spring training to win a job. This guy was a reliever last year at the bigs, but made 14 starts in AAA last year. Thompson or Stauffer are starters who probably need some more time at AAA, but in their early-mid 20s are nice pickups. Rusty Tucker is a lefty reliever who could compete for a job out of the bullpen with the likes of DiNardo and Alvarez. Next you've got either Clement or Arroyo. Personally I say hold on to Clement for 2 reasons: 1. He's got better stuff and a higher ceiling. He doesn't have the makup of Arroyo and really struggled in the playoffs, but he's really the better pitcher. 2. Arroyo has more trade value. He's younger and cheaper, and didn't collapse last year in the second half and playoffs like Clement did. The Red Sox are much better off keeping Clement as the #5 and hoping he turns it around.... and quite frankly-- Clement will probably be the best #5 in the game next year. Who Arroyo goes for is less clear. I'm very curious to see what Victor Diaz can do, but in reality getting a RH power bat is the #1 priority. Graffanino's also got to be traded before opening day, so that duo would be a real good start towards adding an established bat. Mike Sweeney is the first name that comes to mind, but the Sox seem committed to Youkilis at first base. One guy that would seem a perfect fit is Andruw Jones. The Braves value pitching very highly and Graffanino came up in their system. A prospect would need to be included, but I think it could be done without Papelbon or Lester (probably a David Murphy) So, my proposal to Atlanta would be Bronson Arroyo, David Murphy, and Tony Graffanino for Andruw Jones. They get a decent pitcher, a pretty good CF prospect (who will soon be eclipsed by Ellsbury in Boston anyway) and a great utility guy. Jones slots himself into CF and the cleanup spot and Roberts shifs to left field. My lineup: LF Roberts 2B Loretta DH Ortiz CF Jones RF Nixon 3B Lowell C Varitek SS Lugo 1B Youkilis Rotation: Schilling, Beckett, Wakefield, Clement, Clemens* * Assuming we sign him. If not, Papelbon takes that role. Bullpen: Foulke, Baez, Timlin, Mota, Seanez, DiNardo/Alvarez/SDP* *SDP is the extra we got from San Diego in the Wells deal. If Clemens is not signed, the team has some serious payroll flexibility. Jones gets the money Damon would have gotten, and they're still up $10 million+ from not having Manny. Plus, Roberts/Jones/Nixon has more range than Ramirez/Damon/Nixon from last year and instead of having the worst CF arm the Red Sox will have one of the best. Roberts has a weak arm but would be playing half his games in Fenway where it wouldn't matter. The Red Sox future outfield looks pretty good with youngsters added (Diaz and Millege) and youngers coming up (Ellsbury, Moss) and with all the young pitching and keeping Andy Marte as the future 3B this team's future looks pretty sweet-- while still competing in 2006 with the best staff in the division and a pretty good lineup.

If the Sox can get Jairo Garcia for David Wells, they'd be stupid not to do so. If I had a choice of Garcia or Duchscherer, I'd take Garcia in a heartbeat. Duchscherer was VERY good last year, but Garcia is 6 years younger and his numbers in AAA last year were nasty. 73 K's in 48 innings (that's 13.7 K's /9) and a pretty high walk total at 20, but the kid's just 22 years old and he's still got a K/BB ratio of 3:1. He had a high ERA but he's shown that he can dominate. He may start the season at AAA, but adding a young power arm like his would be very very nice. I've never been a fan of Ricky Ledee, and while I think Jose Cruz Jr was not given an opportunity here in Boston, he'd be a last resort IMO. Jason Werth to me is at best a 4th outfielder, and he hit .239 against lefties last year so a platoon with Nixon for him is not a realistic expectation. One option that makes sense from LA to me is Hee Seop Choi, a lefty first baseman who can platoon with Youkilis. Another alternative if the Sox want to cut out the middle man is deal Wells + something for Garcia and Mark Kotsay. With Oakland's glut of outfielders (Bradley, Kotsay, Keilty, Payton, Swisher), they could trade an outfielder and still be perfectly fine (either Payton or Bradley could shift to center). That deal would seem to make the most amount of sense for Boston given their need for a centerfielder and Kotsay being pretty decent. For Wells alone, I'd take a package of Jason Werth and Jairo Garcia. Werth is young (by Red Sox standards) and right handed and would cover the 4th outfielder spot, and Garcia is a tremendous young arm.

Wilson as a 4th outfielder is OK-- anything more than that too much playing time. If he comes cheap he could be an insurance policy in case Youk gets hurt or struggles at first or in case Ramirez is gone and we don't get another left fielder, but I wouldn't give the Pirates any real talent for Wilson.

Call me crazy, but that could be another move made with a motive of convincing the Sox to part with Manny. It's no secret that the Red Sox have coveted Julio Lugo for awhile, and if he were on the Mets, he could be part of a package. If the Mets do acquire Sanchez and Lugo, look for at least the Manny RUMORS to heat up again, especially with the Orioles asking for Papelbon/Lester.

Could the Mets be attempting to pick up pieces to deal to Boston for Manny Ramirez? I wouldn't mind Sanchez in Boston as a part of that deal-- obviously there's still some major hurdles to be worked out but it's just a thought.... Sanchez and Millege is a good start.

The Orioles can suck it. I'd rather call Manny's bluff and watch him sit out spring training than send either Papelbon or Lester to Baltimore. At least if Manny's sitting out we get better defense and don't have to pay him. If that article is true, the Orioles are being rediculous.

Thought Lowell, typed Loretta-- oh well, you get my point. Matos is right handed, and if Patterson could be acquired along with Matos that would make Matos a 4th outfielder but with Nixon and Drew injury prone, 4th outfielder in Boston is not the worst job to have. I've stated in multiple threads that I'd like to see the Red Sox go after Patterson because he's everything the Red Sox aren't-- young, cheap, and athletic.... but assuming Clement and Wells are traded, what would the Sox have left to send the Cubs for Patterson? I like the idea of getting Patterson along with the other moves and your lineup that you propose is strong enough IMO with an improved pitching staff and improved defense to win the division. It's just a matter of getting those guys here which is obviously easier said than done.

Manny for Tejada straight up would be a steal for the Red Sox. He's cheaper, younger, faster, plays a harder position, plays more games, plays with more enthusiasm, and is a much better hitter FOR HIS POSITION than Manny Ramirez. Manny's the better hitter, but offense in LF is easier to find than offense at shortstop. I understand that there are better indications of offensive production, but to keep things simple, take homers and RBI. With Manny and Alex Cora in the lineup at left field and shortstop respectively, an accurate prediction might be 48 homers (40 from Manny and 8from Cora) and 160 RBIs (120 from Manny and 40 from Cora). According to ESPN.com, Tejada's seasonal average for HR/RBI are 28/110. This would mean the Red Sox would need to find a left fielder capable of hitting 20 HR and knocking in 50 runs to match the production you'd get from LF and SS in my earlier comparison. Say the Sox signed a guy like Preston Wilson, who's seasonal averages (again, according to ESPN) are 29 HR and 101 RBI (inflated by one monster season in Colorado), and you'd have essentially more production from those two spots than you'd have had with Manny and Alex Cora, or Alex Gonzalez or Royce Clayton or ANY free agent available. My point is this: Manny Ramirez is a rare player, nobody's denying that. However, if you can trade him for a player like Miguel Tejada who can play shortstop you've already replaced more than half of Manny's production and it's much easier to acquire a left fielder who can be a major contributer and bam-- you have essentially replaced Manny Ramirez' offensive output. I think a Manny Ramirez and Matt Clement for Miguel Tejada deal is fair because of the advantages I've already stated that Tejada has over Ramirez. If the Orioles insist that some of Manny (or Clement's) contracts get paid by the Red Sox, I think the Red Sox should insist on getting an outfielder back. The quality of that outfielder is obviously going to depend on how much money the Red Sox cover. Manny's got 3 years and $60 million left. Tejada's got 5 years and (I think) $60 million left. So, the long-term money difference is Matt Clement's contract, which (I'm going from memory here) has 2 years and $16 million left. I propose the following ideas: Boston pays Baltimore $10 million over the next 2 years and gets Jay Gibbons back. OR Boston pays Baltimore $7 million over the next 2 years and gets Nick Markakis back. OR Boston pays Baltimore $5 million over the next 2 years and gets Luis Matos back. Under options 1 or 3, that player steps in as an everyday player for Boston. Matos would be the centerfielder, Gibbons left field. If the case was Markakis, he wouldn't be ready to step in immediately but would provide the Sox with some depth in the outfield for future seasons. Personally, I like each of these ideas for different reasons. Matos is the least desirable player of the trio, but the Sox are getting more financial relief in the deal. My favorite is option # 1. Assuming Jay Gibbons can repeat his 2005 season (26 HR 79 RBI), him and Miguel Tejada (26 HR, 98 in 2005) are about the same as a duo of Manny Ramirez (45/144) and Alex Cora (3/24). Considering Cora was a part time player in 2005, his numbers would probably look more like 5/40 as a full-timer, the totals are as follows: MR/AC: 50/194 MT/JG: 52/177 Without Damon in the leadoff spot I'd imagine Manny's RBI numbers to decline, because no way Loretta/Youkilis is as good as Damon/Renteria last season.... which puts these numbers a lot closer than they are now. Depending on the player received (be it Matos/Markakis/Gibbons) the Sox need to either fill centerfield or left field. Assuming Matos is the most likely candidate, they still have one major trade chip in David Wells, who could be sent to Arizona in a package for Shawn Green or to LA for JD Drew. Both would represent a defensive upgrade over Manny in left and both are contractual headaches left over from previous GMs that could be moved. If I had my choice I'd go with Drew based on the fact that he's younger and in general better and hope like hell he can stay on the field by playing half his games in Fenway's left field and potentially taking a "day off" to DH. Under that senario the Sox would sport a linup like so: Loretta Youk Ortiz Tejada Nixon Loretta Drew Varitek Matos Not bad at all. Certainly much deeper than the current starting 9.

I absolutely agree with you that it's a BETTER deal than giving up any one of the top 3 of Marte, Papelbon, and Lester.... It's just too much to give for Lugo and Gathright.

I honestly think you're offering too much for those 2. Lugo is error prone and like you said: AVERAGE. Gathright is a AAA player right now IMO. He's blazing fast which would be a welcome addition, but does he have the skills offensively to make a contribution?Shoppach is a great defensive catcher even if he never develops a bat, an asset because to me defense behind the plate is SO SO important. Abe Alvarez could make the club this year with its lack of lefthanded relief. For Lugo and Gathright I'd trade Arroyo and Alvarez. If they don't like it-- T.S. Their players aren't that good.

If I'm the Orioles I have got to be seriously looking at option 2. Option 1 is a nogo for me, I'm still not convinced that Contreras can be an ace. He was very good at the end of last year and in the playoffs, but until he has some sustained success, I'm weary of him. Brandon McCarthy, Juan Uribe, and 2 prospects for Tejada? Depends on how much money I have to pay for Tejada to play for someone else, but if I can get a decent young shortstop to replace Tejada, a top pitching prospect + two more, I have to be seriously considering that offer. Manny and Clement make them better right now, but they get financial relief, and they strengthen their pitching future with McCarthy and Woodson, plus Uribe is no slouch with the bat. He's no Tejada, but he's pretty decent. The Red Sox to get the Orioles to take on Manny and Clement will need to help the O's pay their salaries, and the Red Sox are probably very resistant to do so. The most realistic way to get Tejada to Boston IMO is for the Mets to jump in.

http://www.nj.com/mets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1135923276242010.xml&coll=1 More Manny crap. I said I'd have traded Manny and Clement for Tejada, so a trade in which we trade JUST Manny, get Tejada, and don't have to face Manny is way better This seems like the MOST likely senario of any other Manny talk. The Mets are the one team that lusts over him-- it's just a matter of the Mets giving enough to the Orioles to convince them to part with Tejada, because you know the Red Sox would trade Manny for Tejada straight up.

I'd do that deal in Boston's shoes without Graff but a little bit of cash. Although with guys like Burnett and Milwood getting BIG cash, Clement's $8mil per doesn't look so bad anymore. I've already stated that I'm high on Patterson and Cedeno, and with the Mariners being rediculous in their requests for Reed this is a reasonable avenue. I don't see the Cubs too crazy on this deal though. They are looking to add offense and this does the exact opposite of that. I still like the idea of sending Manny to Chicago and getting Prior back. Maybe we could do something like so: Cubs get: Matt Clement, Manny Ramirez, cash Red Sox get: Prior, Patterson, Cedeno, Murton Cubs replace Prior with Clement, and Murton with Ramirez and all it costs them is two guys they have very little use for anyway. The Red Sox get a potential ace down the road and 2 guys who can help replace Manny now, plus a potential shortstop.

I understand that all the rumors are just rumors, and that this particular rumor had a third team involved, but the trade idea I liked most went a little something like this: Manny Ramirez to the Cubs for Mark Prior, Corey Patterson, Ronny Cedeno. If the Cubs then want to try to spin Manny to Baltimore in persuit of Miguel Tejada then so be it. BUT, my 2 cents: Why the Cubs would do it: The Cubs have been searching for a big bat since they traded Sammy Sosa. Obviously Jeromy Burnitz isn't that big bat, but Manny Ramirez absolutely would be. They're obviously not enamored with Corey Patterson because they demoted him last season and they are not ready to hand the shortstop job to Ronny Cedeno because they were in heavily on Rafael Furcal and now have interest in Tejada. If they can add a bat like Manny Ramirez they can play Neifi Perez at short and get similar offensive output. They get a huge bat without giving up top prospects Rich Hill or Felix Pie. Why the Red Sox would do it: They're obviously interested in fulfilling Manny's request, and this package is far greater than anything else out there unless Anaheim gets involved. Mark Prior is an ace-caliber pitcher who would be slotted into the #3 spot in Boston. He's still young and despite his injury troubles, he's damn good when he is on the hill. The Red Sox could afford to be careful with him with and prolong his baseball life. At 25 years old, Prior's best years are ahead of him. I'm a big believer that Corey Patterson is due to bust out. He's hugely talented and despite sub-par strike zone judgement, could seriously benefit by a change of scenery and a new batting coach. This guy's a 30-30 threat and is still just 26. Ladies and gentlemen, our new centerfielder. Ronny Cedeno, as I've already said, is more advanced than the prized Hanley Ramirez at the same age. While Hanley barely kept his head above water in AA, Cedeno was putting up decent numbers in AAA. To me that means this guy is more ready, perhaps to step in right now. The Red Sox fill center field, and add a starter and a shortstop candidate without giving up any prospects or starters. This gives them some serious trade ability-- They'll now have 2 wholes, left field and first base, which can be filled via trade because they can trade 2 starting pitchers (Arroyo, Clement, Wells) and possibly even Graffanino. If it were me, I'd trade Wells to the Dodgers unless San Diego starts offering Adrian Gonzalez. LA has so many extra players that just make sense for Boston (Hee Soep Choi, Edwin Jackson, Yhency Brazoban, Jonathan Broxton, possibly even JD Drew if the Dodgers are looking to dump salary. Personally I'd love to send Wells to LA for Edwin Jackson and Yhency Brazoban, two guys who struggled mightily last year but are still young and talented. That gives the Sox another YOUNG arm who can start-- and at worst he's refining his skills in Pawtucket. Brazoban adds some depth to the bullpen, and with Foulke, Seanez and Mota question marks, and Timlin pushing 40, depth is never a bad thing. s***, you could still deal Arroyo for Crisp and Matt Clement for Jeremy Reed (take on Gil Meche if they're dying to get rid of him) and you're rocking a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Prior, Wakefield, Papelbon/Jackson and a bullpen of Foulke, Timlin, Mota, DiNardo, Brazoban with Hansen and Delcarmen starting the season in AAA but available in case of a disaster. If Meche comes from Seattle, put him in the #5 spot in the rotation and that gives you the ability to put Papelbon in the bullpen. That is AMAZING depth in the pitching staff despite trading off 3 starters. The lineup is not as powerful, but is younger and more athletic than in 2005, and let's face facts: How often does the team with the best offense in baseball win anything meaningful? Usually about as often as that team also has a really good pitching staff. Lineup: Crisp, Loretta, Ortiz, Lowell, Nixon, Varitek, Youkilis, Patterson/Reed, Cedeno IMO-- It's a crapload better than what we have now, and the 2 weaknesses I see are RH power bat and LH reliever. If DiNardo fails you've got Abe Alvarez and possibly even Jon Lester who could fill that role. Give the kids a shot before wasting resources is what I'd do. Getting a RH power bat could prove difficult, but look you have Graffanino without a role, and Youkilis as a main piece to the deal. With Crisp, Patterson, and Reed all in their mid-20s, it wouldn't kill you to add a David Murphy or the like to a deal like that to get a slugger...... Mike Sweeney maybe? I'f you offered Youkilis, Graffanino, and B level prospect for Mike Sweeney it might be enough to convince the Royals to part with him. Lineup: Crisp, Loretta, Ortiz, Sweeney , Nixon, Varitek, Lowell, Patterson/Reed, Cedeno That's leaps and bounds above what we have now.

ORS-- I agree with you for the most part. The Red Sox look like they're acting in the best interest of the long term organization over the needs of winning in 2006. Something that's very hard for a lot of Red Sox fans to swallow, especially with both the Blue Jays and Yankees making high profile moves. Hanley and Sanchez were hard to lose as well, but take a look at what they got: Josh Beckett, a guy who at 25 has already been a postseason hero and is still years before his prime. The Red Sox traded a backup catcher for a potential all-star and a proven everyday player. I cringe every time I hear people say we've downgraded at third base. Mike Lowell is overpaid, I'll give you that, but he's a guy capable of hitting .280 with 25 homers and 90+ RBIs AND win a gold glove. I loved Bill Mueller but let's face facts here-- Mike Lowell is NOT a downgrade. The only problem I have with the Edgar Renteria trade is that there doesn't seem to be a contingency plan. Edgar was a great player in St. Louis who really really struggled in Boston. He seemed to have limited range, made a ton of errors, and never hit like the Red Sox thought he would. While I don't like the idea of giving up on Edgar so quickly, they acquired a top corner infield prospect and a bat that can help soon and for a long time. If either Lowell or Youkilis get hurt, Andy Marte will see time as their replacement. If Lowell plays out his contract here and contributes as I believe he will, the Red Sox have a potential star to replace him in a couple years. The Red Sox have made strides to upgrade the bullpen, too. Guillermo Mota and Rudy Seanez are good arms which should help reduce the pressure on the likes of Mike Timlin. I'll agree that the Red Sox have a lot of work to do. Centerfield, Shortstop, first base, 4th outfielder are still positions that need help. It may get worse before it gets better (with Wells and Ramirez potential further departures), but I the Red Sox have an eye on the future and if they sacrifice 2006 but have a strong team starting in 2007 for a long time, that is a sacrifice I'm willing to make as a Red Sox fan.

Why all the hate for Chipper Jones? Despite being one of the most productive players in the game at a position that doesn't have many great run producers (Chipper Jones), he resigned with the Braves without testing the free agent market twice. He also did damage to his legacy (and his body) by switching to play left field because the team went out and signed Vinny Castilla a few years ago. He came back to third base because he had a bum hamstring and the team thought he'd be less apt to hurt himself playing third. Chipper Jones then (as someone already mentioned) restructured his contract so the team would have a better shot at resigning Furcal. Seems to me that Chipper Jones is a dedicated team player who REALLY does what's best for the team, not himself. A player the Red Sox have very few of (Nixon and Varitek come to mind, but who else?) and you can NEVER have too many of. John Thompson is not a great pitcher and is really a #5 at best, especially in the AL East. He'd probably get lit up in Boston.... Why would the Braves do it? Well, they have always put a high value on pitching, and Clement and Arroyo would help them round out that rotation. Losing Chipper is huge, but the Atlanta Braves have recovered well from losing superstars of late. I personally would love to have Chipper Jones on the Braves. He could play first base even if the Sox DON'T trade Manny Ramirez, and you could pencil him in for at least 25 HR and 90 RBI but probably more once he gets familiar with Fenway Park. Improving first base offense makes trading Manny more reasonable. It still makes it very hard, but keeping in mind that we got absolutely NOTHING from first base last year, improving that significantly by adding Chipper Jones goes a long way. Trading Manny Ramirez to Anaheim makes the most sense as long as the Red Sox can get a decent package back. I'll start with the rumored package above: Chone Figgins, Dallas McPherson and prospects? That's a good start. I assume Chone Figgins is the center fielder until further notice, and if I make that trade AND the Chipper trade Dallas McPherson is now (in my mind) platooning with Kevin Youkilis at first with Chipper shifting to left. Hopefully with a smaller left field the hamstrings will be less of an issue. The prospects have got to be along the lines of Howie Kendrick or Kendry Morales if it's up to me, which basically gives you someone to possibly platoon with Nixon if they're ready soon, or even replace Nixon if he leaves after next season. Wells is going to be traded, and a package of Woody Williams and either prospects or a reliever doesn't look THAT bad at this point. (unless you can get Edwin Jackson or another prospect from LA who is close to MLB ready) Personally I'd trade Wells to the Dodgers for Edwin Jackson and Yhancy Brazoban and I think they'd do it, too. 2006 Red Sox if these trades go down? Rotation: Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, Thompson, Papelbon/Jackson Bullpen: Foulke, Mota, Timlin, Seanez, DiNardo, Brazoban Lineup: CF Chone Figgins 2B Mark Loretta DH David Ortiz LF Chipper Jones RF Trot Nixon 3B Mike Lowell C Jason Varitek 1B Kevin Youkilis/Dallas McPherson SS Alex Cora/Graffanino It's not as good as last year's lineup, but it's absolutely better than what the Red Sox are sporting right now.

First let me make one thing clear-- I'm not critisizing you Riverside Sluggers. It's the dipshit who wrote that article: The Red Sox are "stepping up" their persuit of pitching by offering Gil Meche to the Red Sox? "Stepping up" to me implies making the offer in some way more desirable, and since Gil Meche was so horrible last yearthat it isn't even funny... he's a liability at $2.5 million. Meche gave up more hits than innings pitched, walked nearly as many batters as he struck out last season, and had a 5.01 ERA at HOME last season-- in SafeCo which is widely considered one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball. No thanks. I'd consider Gil Meche acceptable financial punishment if we traded Matt Clement to Seattle for Reed (in that I'd take on his salary as a way to partially relieve the burden of Matt Clement's contract), but if the Mariners seriously thought Jeremy Reed and Gil Meche was worth Lester or Papelbon I'd just simply say "No thanks." and walk away. HOPEfully the Red Sox management team is smarter than that.

IF it does happen (and that's a HUGE if IMO), the Red Sox will be taking one problem (shortstop) and filling it with another (left field). The only thing it would solve is getting rid of Manny's huge salary and an unhappy player. Tejada is one of the top shortstops in the game and this would be a decent move. Left field is easier (IMO) to fill with a productive offensive player than shortstop is. Cityofchampions-- if the Mets get ahold of Tejada, they KNOW the Red Sox are willing to do a 1 for 1, how could the Red Sox work a prospect into the deal? Personally I like the deal from the Red Sox perspective..... I just doubt it will because of the complexity of it.

From Bostondirtdogs.com Also rumored on BDD (and reported in Baltimore) is that the Sox offered Clement and Manny for Tejada. To me it sounds like the 4 way trade is way too complicated actually be finalized, but what do I know.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051228/news_1s28padres.html Very little real info here-- but I like the idea of LA and SD bidding against each other for Wells-- only helps the Red Sox return possibilities.

No, I wouldn't. Cesar Izturis is a good defensive shortstop but his bat just isn't that good. He's still young and has a chance to improve, but for Wells, Alvarez and Moss or DiNardo, I'd want more. I have to admit I don't really know a thing about Jason Repko. Let's face facts here-- the Red Sox are rebuilding-- it doesn't make a lot of sense to trade away guys like Moss or Alvarez at this point. If Wells is going to LA I'd be much more inclined to trade for a package that includes Hee Seop Choi and Yhency Brazoban than the abovementioned package.

Some players make the jump. The Braves were pretty famous back during the late 90s for bringing up A-ball pitchers and throwing them in the bullpen... of course off the top of my head I can't even think of one-- the problem is I don't think any of them stuck around too long. Rafael Furcal skipped AAA entirely (maybe AA too, my memory is failing me), but this guy stole 100 bases in the minors before being called up. I love the idea of the Red Sox building from within, building a strong core group of players to work with, but Ellsbury's played 35 pro games? Inviting him to Spring Training is one thing. Teams often invite kids to ST so they can get exposed to veterans and get a taste of what it's like-- but handing him the job at the Major League level is jumping the gun a bit. They'd be much better off just handing the job to David Murphy if they're going to get someone from the farm. Murphy's more advanced based solely on the fact that he's older and has more experience-- but I don't think that's going to happen. Preston Wilson is a decent choice depending on what he wants, but in my mind the most likely senario is a trade with San Diego that brings in Dave Roberts for Wells. That is the one move that just seems to make sense for all parties.

MLB still had him listed as a free agent.... oh well. Again my idea there was as a 4th outfielder. As a MLC with an invite he presents no risk Burnitz is too one-dimensional for me to really get excited about. His offensive attack consists of swinging as hard as he can at just about everything-- sure he gets SOME, but 24 HRs last year isn't enough to justify his lack of other talents (defense, average, speed, eye, etc). Hidalgo has a chance to rebound, but he's more of a corner outfielder so would be more suitable as a potential left fielder if Manny's gone or a RH bat to platoon with Nixon-- but, his splits don't really indicate that facing lefties is a strength. He hit 21 homers and drove in 54 runs with the Mets in 2004, but that .228/.296/.463 line stands out to me and it just doesn't look good. On a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite I'd take Hidalgo, and if he could return to his 2003 performance he'd be a bargain.... but he was in a hitters' park last year surrounded by some pretty good hitters and he was even worse than 2004 at: .221/.289/.416 ...... Long story short I'd be interested in Preston Wilson contingent upon his demands, but the options beyond him on the free agent market are bleak. I'd extend an invitation to Jamal Strong on a minor league contract and try to bring in Eric Byrnes as a 4th outfielder regardless.

My two cents: We know Milwood's no longer an option, and assuming Wells is not an option (he's either traded or retires) and we lose out on Clemens, we've got the following POTENTIAL starters: Schilling Beckett Wakefield Arroyo Clement Papelbon I'd really like to see Papelbon start the season in the bullpen for 2 reasons: 1. I'm still not convinced our pen is strong enough (albeit stronger than last season) 2. I'd like to see him broken in softly this season. With Beckett and Schilling in the rotation and health risks, Papelbon is going to get starts.... but like others have already said we shouldn't wear out Johnny's arm at this point. We forget just how little experience this kid has at the big leagues, and breaking him in as a setup man IMO is the best option. That having been said, trading Wells and NOT receiving a starter in return (which seems to be our fate) leaves us with just 5 starters if you put Papelbon in the bullpen. There goes the pitching depth the Sox have been rumored to have this offseason. At this point, with Jeff Weaver really and truly the best free agent on the market, if I'm the Red Sox I take a different approach to the rotation and sign some low risk (meaning money), high reward guys in hopes that they'll fill out the rotation. Hey-- that's how the Sox got Bronson Arroyo and David Ortiz and look how THEY turned out. If I'm in Jed (or Ben)'s shoes, here's who I'm talking to: Wade Miller. Remember it was reported that this guy felt like he owed the Sox something after last season, and a similar contract to last season ($1.5 base with incentives) is a worthwhile gamble. Jose Lima. Why Jose Lima? Why not. If he'll sign an incentive laden deal (and why wouldn't he at this point) he's a very low risk move. He's got tons of energy and a fierce competitor-- who knows, the hungry Boston fans may give him some additonal motivation. Darren Dreifort. Who? OK OK, this is a longshot. Injuries and ineffectiveness have riddled this guy's career for the past 5 years, and there's very little indication that will change in 2005. But before the arm trouble he was a decent pitcher. Tony Armas. A Red Sox farmhand believe it or not, seemingly attracting very little interest and for pretty good reason. He walks too many guys, doesn't dominate (low K/9 and K/BB ratings), and if he can't succeed in Montreal or Washington, pitchers' parks in the NL, what evidence is there to suggest he might turn it around in Boston? None that I can see. But on a minor league deal, what have the Sox got to lose? He's 28 (almost), and SOMETIMES a change of scenery does a talented player good. Personally, I'd rather see the Sox sign a few bargain basement guys with a chance to be a 4-5 starter than a Jeff Weaver (who's agent is Scott Boras by the way) who will probably STILL be a 4-5 starter for 3 or 4 times the price. I'm weary of the trade market because the Sox already dealt 2 top prospects and the price of pitching is (as usual) very very high right now. Of course, if the Sox have a real shot at Roger Clemens, they need to take it-- bring Roger back for a chance to finish what he started.... but I still believe he's more likely to sit out April and sign with Houston in May than be in Boston by March.

I'd be OK with Eric Byrnes as a 4th outfielder, but he strikes out twice as much as he walks and hasn't shown me enough to prove he's an everyday player. Of course, if he's signed on he could be given a chance to prove he deserves playing time. Preston Wilson is the best available free agent outfielder, and the Sox may be out of their league price wise if another team shows strong interest. He's a 25-30 HR guy and in the back end of Boston's lineup (batting 6 or 7 most likely) could amass 90+ RBIs. His 141 RBI season is far and away his next best season (90 last year), and his career .333 OBP is pretty bad. Also this guy K's almost as often as Mark Bellhorn without the walks, so be prepared for that. He looks (stats wise) to be a slight downgrade to Damon defensively, and having never seen the man play (Florida, Colorado and Washington games don't get much press up here) I can only ASSUME his arm is better than Johnny's. Jeromy Burnitz and Richard Hidalgo should not be considered options IMO. Burnitz is a guy who swing as hard as he can at absolutely everything, and has huge strikeout totals and minimal power numbers by comparison. Hidalgo's had 1 great season and a series of mediocre seasons since. He's a 4th outfielder at best, but he doesn't hit lefties well (.157 last season, .245 over the last 3 years) so a platoon with Nixon makes no sense. I wouldn't offer Sosa anything more than a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training. His health and abilities are in steady decline and I wouldn't expect a thing from him at this point. Even still, he was just as productive last season as Richard Hidalgo-- which is saying something not about how good Sosa is, but how bad Hidalgo was. A couple guys who catch my eye are: Jamal Strong-- Pretty good numbers at AAA last year, (.293/.371/.393). He's got good speed (25 SBs), decent plate judgement (43 BBs to 67 K's in 382 ABs), and at 27 he's not a prospect but still has a chance to be a contributer. Very little power but I'd get this guy to spring training with a chance to win the job as a 4th outfielder and a potential centerfielder if he plays well. At 25, him seeing time in Pawtucket obviously isn't the end of the world either. Charles Gipson-- Another guy with some speed (19 SBs in AAA) and decent bat. Strike zone judgement needs help, and at 32 isn't getting any better. A 4th outfielder at best. Alex Escobar -- I have no good reasons other than the fact that the guy was a top prospect in the past, so he's obviously got talent that hasn't been put together. An invitation to camp presents very little risk, but anything more than a minor league deal with that invitation is too much. The only outfielder on the free agent market who deserves to be an everyday player (IMO) is Preston Wilson. If he's in high demand his price could soon be out of the Red Sox' range, in which case the Red Sox may need to look into some lesser players and hope they pan out. The problem with the trade market is that other teams know we're desperate. Jeremy Reed, Coco Crisp, these guys are good options, but teams aren't in this to be nice and are looking to guage the Red Sox to the tune of Andy Marte+ for some of these guys. This is more a hunch than anything else-- but I wouldn't be surprised if Corey Patterson was in Boston in some capacity next season.