SchillingIsTheNatural

Jim Edmonds would certainly get people's attention. He would help out our pitching staff a great deal and be a better defensive player than Johnny Damon. Not to mention he is also a better hitter. Considering he is a lefty it seems only fit to have him bat 5th. 1. Mark Loretta ® 2. Kevin Youkilis ® 3. David Ortiz (L) 4. Manny Ramirez ® 5. Jim Edmonds (L) 6. Mike Lowell ® 7. Trot Nixon (L) 8. Jason Varitek (S) 9. Alex Cora (L) Thats a sick lineup and I would expect Graffanino and Pedroia to get plenty of playing time in the #9 spot.

Well as true as that may be we need a CF and a SS more so if this deal was actually for real...then I would deal with the bullpen and fill the spots needed. Especially with two young talented players like Peralta and Crisp. We still have plenty of guys in the farm system who can contribute in the bullpen.

Well apparently this Peralta thing has a lot of us talking although not a single word has come out giving it any life. I was just thinking about it and went through the Cleveland team... They missed out on Trevor Hoffman as a closer They lost one of their top pitchers in Kevin Millwood Matt Clement or David Wells Guillermo Mota or Keith Foulke Andy Marte for Johnny Peralta Coco Crisp .....only in a dream world but its fun to dream.

They wouldn't trade him for Marte for the same reason most teams won't trade there SS...they don't have anyone to take his place. My whole point was really the type of player I would look for in a Andy Marte deal. Someone young with great potential and in a position we need. I'm not one of those people who likes to deal young talent for older veterans. Any deal involving Andy Marte would have to be for a player 26 years old or younger. They would also need a ceiling along the same lines of Marte but take up a position we need. Since we don't need anyone at 3rd I would make a move for a top SS, CF or SP. Perhaps a team like the Minnesota Twins who struggle with offense but are loaded with pitching would be willing to move Francisco Lariano for Andy Marte. Or better yet maybe the Diamondbacks want to deal with us and move Carlos Quentin since we need a CF or Stephan Drew since we need a SS. These are my own thoughts on the matter. I'd be more interested in a Stephan Drew or Brandon Wood than Julio Lugo.

This is a strange website. Today it says the trade is on hold because the teams can't come to an agreement on the prospect involved. It also says that Yanks deal is dead because Sheffield won't waive his no trade clause. Oh and get this....they say Manny Ramirez will be on the Angels before spring training. Apparently the Mets are hot after Julio Lugo and a trade of Xavier Nady and Kaz Matsui will take care of it?? If they wanted more than Andy Marte in our potential three-way deal with the Braves...how does this make sense?

Both sides of this deal have good pieces in place. If Guillermo Mota is able to return to LA Dodgers form he would be huge for Seattle or Boston. I think his chances of that are better in Seattle with a pitchers ballpark. I also feel Bronson Arroyo would be a much better pitcher in Seattle considering he can keep the ball in the park. On the other side...Fenway Park makes everyone a better hitter so that helps Jeremy Reed a ton. A guy who has excellent gap power and speed would be sure to have a better batting season in Boston. He would also bring great defense at CF which we could use. It would be nice to have a player with a strong arm next season. As for that Yankee-Mets trade....what would the Mets be thinking? Giving up a young potential all star for 40+ year old Gary Sheffield. I could see them making the trade if the Yanks included a starting pitcher for the Mets. Possibly Carl Pavano and Gary Sheffield going for Milledge and Benson. Obviously the Yanks would be picking up a lot of money on that deal.

If Bobby Abreu was hitting 3rd or 4th in the Red Sox order where most of his games are at fenway and players are always on base I will guarantee he has more than 90 RBI. He would have around 110-120. Not to mention the protection he would have behind him. Plus Bobby Abreu would have somewhere in the means of 30-40 stolen bases....not so sure Manny Ramirez can provide any of those. You won't get 40 HRs out of Abreu but at Fenway Park and protection in the lineup you can probably get 35 HRs. Add that to a lineup who will hit more HRs together this year as opposed to last and we are in fine shape.

Chances would be if Coco Crisp came to Boston and played CF he would be a temporary solution for CF. My guess would be in a year or two either Manny or Nixon would be gone allowing Crisp to move over and bring in Ellsbury by that point to take over CF.

It would be hard to trade him for just prospects cause it would ruin the current team. If you can find a replacement for Manny while adding an additional prospect or two then we are making out on the deal in the long run and still set ourselves up for the present. I don't care what Phillies fans think of Bobby Abreu...the guy is a pretty good player and would put up good numbers in Boston. Not the same as Manny but who would?? If we were able to get Gavin Floyd and another top prospect it would be worth consideration.

New team that is competitive every year. He might change and have a good attitude you never know. Not like Manny isn't a pain right now so whats the difference. I like the idea of getting another good young pitcher (not sure what his ceiling is) but its on the right track. This goes back to when I was interested in trading Manny to the Angels and being able to get Ervin Santana. Another young pitcher with great potential is the direction we should go if possible. Abreu wouldn't be able to produce the same numbers as Manny but he is close. I would feel better giving up Manny for Abreu and Floyd while not including Clement. Then turn around and continue an attempt to move Clement for a CF or SS.

Adding another rumor to this thread... according to the Buzz on Boston.com there was a rumor where Bobby Abreu and Gavin Floyd were mentioned in an exchange for Manny Ramirez and Matt Clement. I don't know enough about Gavin Floyd to make a true judgement but he is a young pitcher. I still think we would need another player in the deal.

If we were trading him for a position MLB player...someone as good or better than Edgar Renteria who is still one of the better SS in the league. Julio Lugo is not one of the top SS in the league so thats silly. I'm a huge fan of Johnny Peralta in Cleveland. I wouldn't mind taking Andy Marte and possibly a pitcher to move him for Johnny Peralta. I'm not saying Cleveland would do that but its what I would expect in return. We were able to get Josh Beckett mostly for Hanley Ramirez so I would think with this market we could get a Mark Prior for Andy Marte and another.

Atlanta got Tim Hudson for Charles Thomas, Juan Cruz, and Dan Meyer St. Louis got Mark Mulder for Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton My own opinion is that Tim Hudson is the best followed by Mark Mulder then Barry Zito. All three are good so I would expect Oakland to ask for something along those lines. Unfortunatly I don't think our prospects match up. The players involved in past trades are not equal to the talent of Andy Marte. Both Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester have a better arsenal of pitches and with time have a chance to be better than Zito so that is not a match. Craig Hansen is a special case because we saw what Houston Street was capable of....some scouts feel Hansen has better stuff. Dustin Pedroia could be moved but why would Oakland want him when they have Bobby Crosby and Mark Ellis? If we were to deal Andy Marte here is what I suggest: Barry Zito and Mark Kotsay for Andy Marte and Matt Clement

So far the most in depth conversations the Red Sox have had involving Manny Ramirez have been with Baltimore for Miguel Tejada. I don't hear too many rumors involving Manny for strict defensive players. If the Red Sox wanted to trade Manny for a top pitcher I would be interested.

He had the highest ceiling of our infield prospects but certainly Dustin Pedroia was showing more production which is all that counts. Its up to Hanley to really show his talent but so far he hasn't really done it.

I like how (according to the list) we have the #5 and #7 top pitching prospects in baseball...I'm fine with that.

I'm starting to believe the Red Sox are set at SS. After signing Tony Graffanino plus having Alex Cora and Dustin Pedroia they may just let the best of the three play. Cora and Graffanino can platoon in the beginning leaving some time for Pedroia to get called up in the season. I'm ok with that but CF is a different story. I agree that this move of signing Tavares is setting up a deal to come. I'm curious to know if David Wells had an objection going to Seattle? He wants east coast and that would be a good place for him. Moving David Wells and a reliever (Mota?) for Jeremy Reed would be a decent deal for us. In the end I think Reed's strongest role will be on defense. I'm not sure he will be anything amazing with a bat but playing at Fenway can only help. I would be excited to see Dustin Pedroia and Jeremy Reed...young speedy players batting at the end of our lineup. However, if we traded for Jeremy Reed or Coco Crisp what would happen to Jacoby Ellsbury?? I think its very possible he could be the best of the three. Overall he could turn out to be a great leadoff hitter, come up through the Red Sox system, and play solid defense at CF for years. He is also the youngest out of the three.

I would be more interested in getting Jeremy Reed over Aaron Rowand. It would be tough to make a deal including Jimmy Rollins because they would be without a SS. However we do have players that can be reliable for them like Alex Cora or Tony Graffanino (who everyone seems to think will be traded). On that note I could see the Red Sox making a play that included Manny, Clement, and Graffanino for Abreu and Rollins. I really like that lineup plus the speed it adds in the end: 1. Jimmy Rollins 2. Mark Loretta 3. David Ortiz 4. Bobby Abreu 5. Mike Lowell 6. Jason Varitek 7. Trot Nixon 8. Kevin Youkilis 9. Jeremy Reed

Certainly the players around the QB will help. Its the case with all the teams in the NFL. You need a good offensive line, some strong weapons around you and a smart coaching staff... still think Vince Young in Houston with no offensive line, no weapons, and so far no coaching staff can run over the other team with his blazing speed and beast like strength?? For me to be convinced you need to do it for more than a season. Matt Leinart with all those resources produced...just as Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, and Tom Brady do.

and you base his three year career at USC on that??

Matt Leinart... The guy's big, the guy's smart, the guy won almost all of his games in college, the guy is incredibly consistant, the guy thew the ball for over 3000 yards every year he played, the guy can throw the football damn well, and the guy's regarded as a leader -- that's a player I want on my team.

Matt Leinart Rose Bowl 2003 324 YDS, 67.6 CMP%, 3 TDs, 127.9 Rating Orange Bowl 2004 332 YDS, 51.4 CMP%, 5 TDs, 124 Rating Rose Bowl 2005 365 YDS, 72.5 CMP%, 1 TD, 98.4 Rating You are right..Matt Leinart obviously struggles in big games. After losing 2 games in his career at USC I don't think he has a good understanding of what needs to be done. Vince Young's QB ratings in bowl games (92.4 and 73.5) both lower than Leinart's numbers. Young did have good rushing stats in the two games with a total of 40 carries for 392 yards. Think it will work in the NFL???

Alright we will see. You think Daunte Culpepper can repeat those numbers and be good...I don't think he is a good decision maker and will never be that good again. We shall see...Culpepper was not the first QB Moss made. This whole thing started because people were making the statement...Vince Young is big (235 lbs) and fast (not as fast as Vick) and he should be drafted #1 by the Houston Texans. His speed and size will run over opposing defenses and "who's gonna sack him?" I just don't like it when people think a rookie QB will walk in and make a wrecked Texans team a lot better, not get sacked, and be successful. Won't happen end of story.

Because of Randy Moss's presence on the team it allows everyone else the ability to find open space. You see it all the time with a player such as Peerless Price...excellent #2 WR but a complete bust as the #1 WR. Reason: he starts to see the double coverage Eric Moulds had to face. Culpepper had all day to throw since teams weren't exactly stacking the line and Nate Burlesson had a nice easy job with 1-1 coverage. All of a sudden he needs to be the #1 guy...what a disaster. All the WRs move up the depth chart and suddenly Culpepper doesn't have his security blanket. Which by the way it may have been Randy's worst season but it was still an excellent season compared to most WRs in the NFL. This season Culpepper walks in showing he cannot do this without a top target such as Randy Moss. 17 turnovers by Culpepper in 5 games?? THATS HORRIBLE. Over 3 turnovers a game....he will never win anything with showing like that...all the athletic ability in the world could not save his weak ability to drive an offense. No more of the "sit back and launch it to Randy." Defenses now crowd the line cause they can afford weak coverage in the secondary. Then we get an experienced pocket passer in Brad Johnson to walk in and.....well they start winning games....go figure. A player who knows how to run an offense and not turn the ball over....and lets compare the athletic abilities of Brad Johnson to Culepper....apparently being big and fast isn't everything is it?? Did they step up?? Or did Brad Johnson have a better understanding of what needed to be done. Making the throws that needed to be made. Keeping the defense honest and allowing the run game to be more efficient.

Culpepper is not a good QB. He is one of the worst decision making QBs in the NFL. I believed this for several years and it was confirmed when he lost the most dangerous WR in the NFL in Randy Moss. The only reason Culpepper did anything is because of Randy Moss. He made Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Gus Frerotte, Culpepper, etc. all look like fantastic QBs when he was playing. So you are incorrect...Culpepper is not a good QB. The Atlanta Falcons would be just as good if not better with Matt Shaub at QB. In the one game he got to start he had a passer rating of 112.1 and it was against New England of all teams. Many teams have contacted Atlanta about dealing Shaub which leads me to believe this pocket passing QB would do just as well if not better in the course of a season. Who cares how electric a player is....you want someone that won't turn the ball over and make dumb mistakes. Enter Daunte Culpepper with his turnovers and Michael Vick with his crappy QB rating. The two most athletic QBs in the game, and everyone thought with Culpepper's speed and size (260 lbs vs. 235 lbs) nobody would be able to tackle the guy....oh wait....s*** this is the NFL. It doesn't matter how big your QB is....linebackers and defensive ends are just as big. Wow they are also fast. The game is so much quicker compared to college. And you can imagine how much faster the game is when you have an offensive line like the Houston Texans. You are dreaming if you think Vince Young's athletic ability would save him on a team in Houston's situation and if you believe he will basically run over other defenses because he is just SO BIG AND FAST....forget it