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I understand what you're saying, but does anyone have a whole lot of confidence in Embree or Foulke in Boston right now? I know I don't. We may or may not be able to find someone to take on these guys, but why not give it a shot? That's all I'm saying. I DID preface it by saying it was a crazy idea, didn't I? Plus, didn't I say Mike Timlin would be the closer? He's hardly unproven.

That's exactly what I'm proposing. I'm suggesting that the Sox could very easily replace Foulke's contributions to the 2005 team (perhaps even from within, with Hansen or Papelbon), AND get some good talent for Foulke during a time when the price for a closer (in talent) could be at an all-time high. SOMEone's gotta bite and overpay for Keith's services. I have no doubt that Mike Timlin could handle the closing duties. He's done it before, and he can do it again. Getting the ball to Mike Timlin could be a primary issue, but building a bullpen starts at the closer, and right now, ours is not someone you can afford to build around. How can it hurt to put some feelers out there, see what the Mets might give up for a chance to upstage the Yankees? I'd be real careful dealing with John Schurholtz, because he always seems to come out on top of deals, but could you pry some of his prime-time young arms away?

I voted Foulke, and here's why: Am I the only crazy one in the world who thinks Theo Epstein should reckognize the market trends, and ship off Keith Foulke while he might be able to get some prospects for him? I know I said this last year about some other guys, but that was a knee-jerk reaction. I've really thought this one out. Everybody knows Keith Foulke isn't THIS bad. His playoff performance last season proves he's capable of dominating, especially in key situations. Judging by some comments made to the press by Foulke of late, he seems pretty fed up with the Boston fans and media, going so far as to say he expected to be traded a few weeks ago, and commenting last night on how the fans should "talk to management" if they don't want him to do the job. Now of course, he was probably talking out of frustration, but this could be the case where just getting the hell out of Boston and getting a new look (change of scenery) could straighten out Keith's problems. The problem that's been widely chronicled this season is lack of sellers of veteran talent. I'm no business man, but it doesn't take a genius to understand supply vs demand and how that dictates price. There could be some GMs out there really looking to improve their bullpens, and with Danny Baez the best closer on the market, teams would take a long look at Keith Foulke, and I could see a few teams who would jump at him. Hell, if Chuck Lamar can convince the Mets to give up their top pitching prospect for Victor effing Zambrano, Theo Epstein can get some top-notch talent for Keith Foulke. If he's traded to a National League team, there's a pretty good chance that when he does straighten himself out, he won't be able to hurt us until the World Series-- and I'd take my chances on that one NOT coming back to burn us. The Red Sox (thanks to Theo and company) have been working their collective asses off trying to rebuild a barren farm system. Trading Foulke now when he might be the best looking arm on the market could net the club some talent that can help down the road. I've sited the Mets' example, but look at some historical Red Sox trades. Remember Heathcliff Slocumb? His best contribution to the Red Sox was the talent the Red Sox got in return for him (A few prospects named Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe). I'm not giving up on this year's team. The 2005 Red Sox are in first place, have an explosive offense, and when Schilling comes back should have enough pitching to get them into October, and they've accomplished all this without reliable innings from Keith Foulke-- who says they can't continue to win with him earning his millions in say, Shea Stadium? Just a thought.

no no no no no no no. Moving a guy who's struggling at AA to the big leagues is absolutely not the answer. This kid's young and has a ton of potential, and he needs to work the kinks out of his game. How in the hell is he going to do that while riding the pine in Boston? He's at least a year away from contributing in the big leagues, and he needs his development.

Not that crazy an idea if you ask me. He's been right there in some of the more pressurized situations for the Sox, and done well. The only question in converting him from starter to reliever would be how durable is he going back to back to back days. We know he's capable of pitching multiple innings. The one thing that worries me about Bronson is the .291 average that lefties have against him. He might be best suited as a setup man who can get crucial righties out late in games (ala Mike Myers vs lefties) or be a long man if needed. I wouldn't mind seeing Timlin as the closer either, as he's been the best reliever on the team by far this year. Mantei's been just as inconsistent, he's had great stuff, but no command.

Orioles, no question. In the end, I'd rather be neck and neck with the Orioles than the Yankees in September. Also, I'd much rather see the Orioles make the playoffs than New York.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I think you're right. As talented as Hanley Ramirez is, it's hard to imagine the team without Johnny Damon. He'll be expensive, but he's an offensive force. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2005/06/28/renteria_hints_at_future_switch/ After reading the article above, I started to think about what our infield might look like a few years down the road. Hanley won't be ready in 06, he's still toiling in AA. So next year the infield could look like so: 1B: Fat boy (Millar) 2B: Pedroia 3B:Youkilis SS: Renteria If we could jettison Millar, I'd be agreeable to resigning Mueller on a 1 year deal and playing Youk at first full time, because when Hanley bursts onto the scene in 07, I'd love an infield that looked like this: 1B: Youkilis 2B: Pedroia 3B: Renteria SS: Ramirez Renteria's said he'd be willing to switch for Hanley in the article I linked above. Thoughts?

You can never have too much pitching. The team's bullpen is really a weakness. Timlin has been the only consistent reliever on the team. Sure, Mantei, Embree, and even Foulke have shown flashes of dominance, but this is hardly the bullpen of a World Series contender. Some folks believe getting a guy like Schmidt would allow us to shift another starter to the bullpen. While I can see Arroyo strengthening the bullpen (which he will probably do when Schilling comes back), I'd be satisfied with a rotation of Schilling, Wells, Clement, Wakefield, Miller. That being said, the asking price on Schmidt is going to be WAY too much. If the Giants decide to move him, they'll have a bunch of teams interested. Anaheim (Sorry, I can't call them by their other name), Baltimore, New York Yankees, Texas are all teams with playoff hopes who could be in a position to add salary, and need pitching more than the Red Sox do. Of course, if any of those other teams are seriously interested, the Yankees won't have enough talent to get it done, and the Red Sox SHOULDN'T give up the kind of talent it would take to get it done. Then again, since he's signed through next year, the Giants shouldn't be under pressure to trade him, since it's not like they'd be letting him go for a draft pick. What the Red Sox should look into is another good bullpen arm-- but if it looks like they're getting ripped off (because it's absolutely a seller's market), I say the best move is no move. The pitching staff as-is is good enough to get to the playoffs, and in the playoffs you only need 4 starters anyway-- thus adding a Wade Miller-type arm to the bullpen anyway.

I finally found the right thread to chat about my Red Sox tickets.... I bought 2 tickets from stubhub for me and my Dad in the granstand, section 17. It's pretty far back (row 17, from what I've heard, if it starts at AA, BB, etc, that's pretty bad). What (if anything) can y'all tell me about these seats? What am I in for? Can't wait either way.

In all honesty, either team could come out on top in this one. If I remember correctly, Roger Clemens started last year for the NL and got shelled.... but he could very well start again this season, and as competitive as he is, he'll be out to prove something. Willis, Pedro, Peavy, Lidge, etc should round out a pretty good staff. Clement may fall short simply because the Red Sox will already be well represented (Varitek, Ortiz, Ramirez, and probably Damon), but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it. The AL Staff will probably feature Buerle, Garland, Halladay, Santana... and remember the Devil Rays have to have at least one player attend too.... Should be a fun game to watch either way.

I voted wild card because I just can't see the Yankees going quietly. Baltimore is the team that really looks like they're falling apart, as they just can't stay healthy this season. The way the Red Sox have been playing (Especially without Schilling and with a horrible bullpen) makes me believe they've got the best chance at winning the division. Minnesota and Texas have the best chances to challenge the Yankees for the Wild Card, but without another starter I see Texas faltering late like last season. That leaves the race between the Twins and Yankees, and it should be close. If I had to pick a Wild Card favorite today I'd take Minnesota, but I just can't count out the Yankees until they're 10 games back with 9 to play....

Like with any other potential deadline deal, Guardado would be an excellent addition to the staff if he didn't cost a top prospect. He's been a fantastic reliever for years now and he did it in a playoff race with Minnesota, so he wouldn't buckle under pressure. Leftties are actually hitting better (.241) against him than righties (.164), so using him as a lefty specialist wouldn't make sense. That being said, we already have Mike Myers as a specialist to get lefties out, so Eddie could just pitch in the 7th or 8th inning as a setup man.

The Schmidt situation should be interesting to monitor, because there isn't a contender in baseball right now who wouldn't benefit by adding him to their rotation. Obviously, the rotation hasn't been much of an issue of late, which makes the acquisition of a guy like Schmidt seem pointless, but SchillingIsTheNatural brings up a good point-- that this would inadvertantly strengthen the bullpen because one starter (probably arroyo) would join the bullpen. The issue with acquiring Schmidt would be the asking price. If San Fransisco puts Schmidt on the market officially, he should get a lot of phone calls, and that could drive up the price of talent. Plus, he's still got another year on his contract after 2005, meaning the Giants don't HAVE to trade him. I see this as getting out of hand very quickly, and I hope Theo doesn't mortgage the future on Jason Schmidt by giving up the team's best prospects.

This is true, I s*** you not. I went to Dodger stadium on April 25th, for a game where the Dodgers played the Arizona Diamondbacks, and there was a loud "Yankees Suck" chant. What the hell's up with that?

yes!!!! Manny! I say a lot of bad things about Manny but I've got to give him credit-- he made a good play in left and hit a key homer. If he would just run out ground balls hard I'd lay off of him, I promise... Yes..... I get to go see the Red Sox take on the mighty Devil Rays July 20th.... just bought tickets...sorry unrelated-- I was so excited I had to tell someone...

Is Pedroia a base stealing threat? I understand he's got a great eye and can flat-out hit, but I'm just curious what we're in for-- how fast is he?

Johnny seems like too much of a free spirit to play for the tight-ass Yankee team with all their stupid-ass rules and regulations. Remember the clean cut Damon? Borrrrrring. He doesn't seem like the guy who'll go to the highest bidder, and he's already backed off his 5 year demands. Call it a hunch-- I think he'll be resigned for 3 years. Also, Zenny's got a point. Bill Mueller is really the only guy with much trade value who the team is willing to (and should be willing to) give up. Shoppach, Youkilis, Ramirez, Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon, all those guys play into the future of the organization, and have more value long-term than losing them for a 1-year rental.

The fact that Olerud has been very good off the bench kind of makes me want to keep him there. If I'm Terry Francona, I love having his lefthanded bat (and great defense at first base) on the bench, ready to hit WHENEVER I see fit. I also love having someone like Jay Payton available. He has the speed to take the extra base, plays good outfield defense-- It's really too bad that he doesn't embrace the role because he's perfect at it. I think Youk makes the MOST sense as a starter because just like a Bellhorn type guy, he can make the opposing pitcher work. He's more valuable to the team as a starter because of his patience. Also, it always seems like good things happen when he's in the lineup. Someone else mentioned the question of WHERE Youkilis plays, and it's obvious that there isn't a clear-cut position for him this year. I'm thinking he should start twice (or so) a week to give him more experience and also rest Mueller's knees. We need him healthy in September. Also, Youk can play SOME first, although that position is also loaded with Olerud and Millar. In short-- I think that right now ALL three of these fellas really belongs on the bench. That's their best purpose to the team. They are all very valuable in their own ways, but are behind very talented guys. I'm glad we've got all three guys up and healthy-- it really has us covered in case of injury (Except at the middle infield position, which Vazquez could cover). I voted Youkilis

With Mirabelli already starting in place of Tek, it would be hard to imagine Terry taking Ortiz' lefthanded (and potent) bat out of the lineup .... If it's me, I want David's bat in there, but given Millar's success (and Francona's desire to keep everyone fresh) Millar could play the outfield in this series. Lieber gave us fits in the ALCS last year, outdueled Pedro even in game 2. He should be a tough customer tonight. As usual, Wake's key to victory. We should get 3 or 4 runs against Lieber, so if Wake can keep them below that, and the bullpen holds it, we can win this ballgame. If Wake gives up 4+ runs, I don't like our chances.

I'm with Matt. As fun as it is to witness the Yankees struggling mightily, they are still only 5 games out of first place despite their struggles. With the talent and resources they have available to them, it is not unreasonable to think they could get back in it. Of course, Johnson and Pavano HAVE to pitch better, and they need solid contributions from their #4 and #5 starters (Wang has been decent so far) to do it. They can still score runs despite the declines of Williams, and Giambi. Keep in mind that last year's World Champs played .500 ball for over two months last year. All they've got to do is put it all together and they can take off.

Sorry man, I say we've got to keep Johnny Damon for the duration of the season. Worst case senario we get a draft pick for him, but I honestly believe he'll work out a deal and come back to Boston. My team: C-Varitek 1b-Ortiz 2b-Bellhorn SS-Rent 3b-mueller Lf-Payton CF-Damon RF-Nixon DH-Manny Rotation: Schilling (He's supposed to return after the ASB) Wells Clement Miller Wakefield Bullpen: Foulke Timlin Mantei Arroyo Embree Myers Not sure what I'd do with Halama, but I'd like to see what's out there on Kevin Millar. If I can package the two and pick up a good reliever to replace Mantei or Embree, so be it. If not, keep them in the reserves. Of course, this doesn't seem realistic to me because Millar will most likely be the starter all year long.

No way. Arroyo is good right now, and Hanley is a potential future cornerstone. If I were the Giants, I'd jump all over this deal, but I don't see Theo pulling the trigger on that one. Too much to give up. I'd much rather see the Sox invest some lesser prospects in relief arms and keep Bronson in the rotation. There's some very interesting ideas there though. A fun read.

um, until Yeszir sees that and yells you to get rid of it. Enjoy it while it lasts though.

Wow. Soxie REALLY gets mad about this Bellhorn stuff. But she has a point. As Bellhorn has been this season, he isn't the problem on this team. Plain and simple. This team can score runs. Mueller can't play second. He doesn't want to play second, his knees can't handle playing second, and he isn't a second baseman. In an emergency, he can cover that spot... but he is not a solution at second. As much as I like Youk, he's got to suck play the bench role this season until given the full-time job next year. I've said multiple times I'd like to see more Ortiz at first, Payton in left, Manny at DH type senarios. Although my dislike of Kevin Millar is pretty widely known. I don't think Ortiz would hurt this team playing first regularly. Does anyone remember Mo Vaughn? I'd love to see the Sox get Ted Lilly, because you can never have too much pitching. That having been said, he's been wicked inconsistent this season, and where would the Sox use him? They've already got 5 starters, with Schilling coming back after the ASB. Do you banish 2 current starters to the bullpen? If so, who? Does Lilly go to the bullpen? Also, with pitching at a premium, is Theo willing to part with the talent necessary to bring in a guy like Lilly?

He's playing a lot more of late it seems since his complaint. I'd imagine with Trot and Damon beating themselves up every day, and Manny's hammy's, and Millar's crappiness, we could give Payton more playing time. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Ortiz playing more first-- we could DH Manny and play Payton in left.