example1

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/11/28/ap/sports/d8lmet9o0.txt Not sure what this means, given that Ichiro was allowed to get money from his former team (or some such arrangement). I'd be surprised if the Sox weren't aware of this before the deal, so I'm not too concerned.

And you cannot honestly tell me the sox would have won the WS, or that Pedro would have stayed healthy, or that if they had the Sox would have won. Do you remember that Schilling was hurt for much of that season and sucked when he returned? Clement? Arroyo? That team isn't winning a WS against those white sox man. Without scrutiny? Have you listened to WEEI before?

Ortiz should bat 4th then and allow Drew the luxary of increasing his numbers with that high OBP.

Good post. I don't think you'll find a pitcher who is "better than Mussina" no matter who you sign, given that Mussina was better than Zito last year and schmidt is getting old. Don't diss the Moose anyway. He's old and less effective but he's still a very solid pitcher and more consistent than ZitoBB. I'm not at all sold on Wang. His stuff is not overpowering at all, and guys who don't get those strikeouts are much more dependant on defense and luck. I think he's good, but I'd still rather have Beckett and I bet most people here would. (of course, we watched him absolutely dominate the Yankees after they beat us in 7 games, we we're all emotionally attached to him, especially now that he's on the sox). I just like Beckett's arsenal better even if it didn't show last year regularly enough. I think you'll know by his second start whether Matsuzaka is an average pitcher or an ace and I don't think you'll like the result.

It is very easy to be critical of the 29 or so teams that DON'T win a WS. Very, very easy. If you would rather have Lowe and Martinez on your team now, instead of the 6 or so draft picks they got for those guys (and O-cab) then you're insane. Pedro is done. Lowe was a headcase and wanted too much money for what he would give back. You think that's maybe because its not your money? I know it doesn't matter to most people whether or not we get access to players for 6 years at 300,000 a year and that NOBODY cares that the difference between having a 26 year old Papelbon for 3 more seasons at less than 400,000 is different than competing with every other team for him at 15,000,000 but the people who are driving the ship are aware of that and they have DOMINATED the draft the past few years. The only reason they gave up Anibel and Hanley is because they COULD. They still have Bowden, Buchholz and Bard. They still have (had) Lester and Papelbon. I just don't see the big deal. Draft picks are for two purposes: trading and developing. As long as they use them for one of the other I'm fine with it. If you think first round draft picks aren't important than I'm sorry. They are in every other sport and they are in baseball. Yes, not every one is going to be a hit, but the ones that are a hit end up costing twice as much when relatively unproven as the most expensive NBA or NFL player. They're expensive to get once they've made it.

I really don't think the Sox are looking to get anything from SF for them. Part of me envisions them doing a deal like this: Manny for "whatever Atlanta wants from SF" "Whatever Atlanta wants from SF" + Someone from the Sox (WMP?) for Andruw Jones. Nothing is set in stone, but I can't imagine what other type of player they would be looking for. That would leave an outfield of Crisp (LF), Jones (CF) and Drew (RF). that's a damn good outfield and seems at least somewhat realistic.

SF is the ideal place for him to go. They would replace one slugger with another. He would take an average team to a slightly above average team, still without any pitching. They wouldn't play the sox and already have a lot of competition to get to the WS in the NL (Mets, Cards, Braves, San Diego, etc.,). Go ahead, let's get a deal done with SF out of any team in baseball (except perhaps Arizona) that's where I would want him if my intention was to never have him face my pitchers or impact my daily happiness.

Not a chance. One of them is in his prime NOW. One of them has dominated 2 olympics, a world baseball classic, the japanese league for 9 years and the MLB all-stars on at least one occasion. The other has not.

I guess my thoughts are that it is nearly 2007, the 2006 season has been over for a few months. It appears that the Sox have the best chance to get the best pitcher on the market and they are willing to pay for a player who will provide nice protection for Manny and will play a solid RF. The Sox weren't willing to give up what the Phillies were asking for in terms of prospects to get an expensive player like Abreu to play RF when they also had Nixon and WMP under contract, and especially when the gaping hole in the team was pitching. They could very likely be trading Manny Ramirez with the intent of getting back prospects to flip for someone really solid. I think people will give them more credit after this offseason and the team should be pretty solid next year and well prepared for the future for sure.

Has Hughes proven that he's a better pitcher than every other pitcher in Japan? It seems that being the best pitcher in Japan is better than being good in AA. In fact, most people see Japanese ball as being a step-up from AAA but below MLB. I know that Matsuzaka struck Ichiro out a few times (search "matsuzaka" under google video), I know he dominated the Cuban team in the WBC and the MLB All Stars a few years ago (on youtube). I know that all of his statistics and every performance he's had for the past 9 years have indicated that he's got stuff that is as good as anyones.

Please stick to the topic. You should make a Theo Epstein sucks thread and watch how many people agree with you there. At least use the forum correctly if you're going to post s*** like this man.

You think Aybar is good enough to start at SS soon? If so how will a 4 year deal with Lugo work? I'm thinking the sox keep WMP as a RH platoon for Drew who is capable of filling in any of the other positions, OR they trade Manny. Shields would be a nice return, but if its just Shields and one other then I'm demanding Wood, not Aybar.

I imagine they'll justify it by saying that they didn't know the market would get this absurd and they are now forced to pay the prevailing wage for a better than average but slightly-less than all-star caliber player like Damon and Drew. :dunno: It is still very, very steep. I guess their reasoning is that they can't justfy going into another season without the adequate players at every position. Drew will ensure that they're not composed of a hodge-podge in RF at least. Within 5 years there will be a better option there.

No its not. Its the reality for all teams when they pretend that they have ANY clue how their long and middle relief team will play itself out. People will fall into roles but we don't know what they are quite yet. What the team lacks is a shut down reliever (the relief "ace") who comes in in situations with the most leverage late.

Face it, the sox can maximize CLEMENS'S value by starting him and his value is much, much higher than Wakefield's as a SP. Wakefield pitched spats of long relief and closer out of the pen for a few seasons and did an okay job of it. Nothing great. The sox don't need great, they need average and that's what he can give you. I don't advocate for it but if we pulled another ace caliber pitcher out of our ass then I have no problem with it.

I agree scaffolds. I'm just convinced that he will be preserved and used to his full ability in one capacity or another for years and years to come.

I think 15m is a little low for Zito. I'm guessing 16-18 for a young guy who has a Cy-Young. Wang, Zito, Mussina, Lilly and Johnson isn't a bad rotation, except that--of late--Lilly and RJ get pounded and Mussina is a huge injury risk. Zito throws more walks than anyone in baseball and Wang, while good, is young and a groundball pitcher at best. It's definitely not doom-and-gloom for the Yankees pitching (especially with Hughes in the wings), but I would take the Sox rotation (w/ Matsuzaka, god willing) over that one any day of the week. getting anything for two overpaid losers is a good deal. Trading Wright is remarkably similar to something the sox haven't (and won't) been able to do: move Matt Clement. So Kudos for being able to do that. Of course, Pavano and previously Kevin Brown are two other guys who you would have liked to move but weren't able to, so its not a "full kudos" to Cashman over the years. As for Sheffield, I think it was pretty even as far as a deal goes. it is easy to forget how good Sheffield is as a hitter, with his injury and the power of the Yankees lineup around him. In this market he would have been a 16m at least FA for Detroit, so they're happy to get him. That's no coup. I would rather have Matsuzaka and so would the Yankees and so would you.

I kind of feel like there are somewhere between 5-10 "special" catchers in baseball. The rest are guys who will hopefully give you one category that is above average and will play at least average defense.