riverside sluggers

its still possible Omar will now try and swing Delgado over to Boston ------------ As for Mets with their 2nd baseman position, Kaz Matsui is likely on the trading block. A couple of 2nd baseman on their radar is Mark Grudzelanik and our own Tony G.

haha yeah i was right there with you ---------------------------- for you yankee fans to think about: im sick as any sox fan "oh but he has blisters, and um other stuff". article too long for me to copy and paste. Bottom line, the hand blisters can be easily corrected as throwing a different pitch. The blisters mainly happen on his middle finger, which basically isolates the problem. Each year his innings has gone up and wear and tear have lessenned. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2005/11/23/putting_finger_on_a_problem/

Manny for Ichiro perhaps? Its worth the Sox looking into...

sorry for double post. According to the Globe's Chris Snow, it seems that the Red Sox want to play nice and be buddies with the Texas Rangers and put together another big trade. hmmm

eh i dont know really, Youkilis seems to now be in the cards as the starting 1st baseman. Im alright with that, he can give good D and has great patience at the plate, not a lot of K's

I never wanted Pavano, glad you guys got him. he's had his share of seasons with ERA's over 5. And about Hanley as if you didnt know, which im sure is the case, Hanely was really overhyped as a top prospect. Im not just saying this because of the trade for Beckett. He struggled for most of the season when he had come up to play Double A. And now the marlins are going to make him their starting shortstop, whcih i think could backfire on them, if he struggled against Double A pitching. How will he be to jump to against major league pitching. We gave away Anibal Sanchez, ok good for the Marlins. We wasnt our top pitching prospect, the top is prized Jon Lester who the Marlins were really pushing for. He had cemented more of a presence than Sanchez did for the Sox and will be a starter on opening day, 2007. I find it very laughable "oh wait and rent had 30 errors last season, so that means duh its gonna happen for 2006. Lowell though in a hitter's park will go duh 0-22. Beckett will go on the DL because he went on it last season."

Lowell does have a career .300 batting avg at Fenway

yeah Nolan Ryan's blisters early on in his career which had hurt it badly . And no just before you say, "oh duh dont compare him to Ryan". Nolan Ryan and several other hall of fame pitchers had to deal with blisters just like beckett is now. its something that can be corrected. Good luck with Jaret Wright's target sign painted on his shoulder.

Id welcome clement to cardinals trade, Jason Isringhausen please Thats dreaming on my part, I know

If Manny wants the Angels then I say for the Sox to pull off another good trade acquiring Ervin Santana and Darin Erstad who would take over in left field. With the addition of Santana, the Sox then go and find a suitable team to trade Clement to Sox 2006 rotation Josh Beckett Curt Schilling Jonathan Papelbon Tim Wakefield Ervin Santana a younger and more solid of a rotation

11/24 12:30 ET Atlanta -3 At Detroit 11/24 4:15 ET Denver -2 At Dallas 11/27 1:00 ET At Kansas City -3 New England (tough test for my boys, but as us Patriots fans say "In Belichick we trust" 11/27 1:00 ET At Cincinnati -9 Baltimore 11/27 1:00 ET Carolina -4 At Buffalo 11/27 1:00 ET At Tampa Bay -3 Chicago 11/27 1:00 ET San Diego -3 At Washington 11/27 1:00 ET At Minnesota -4 Cleveland 11/27 1:00 ET At Tennessee -7.5 San Francisco 11/27 1:00 ET St. Louis -4 At Houston 11/27 4:05 ET Jacksonville -3.5 At Arizona 11/27 4:05 ET At Oakland -7 Miami 11/27 4:15 ET At Seattle -4.5 NY Giants 11/27 4:15 ET At Philadelphia -3.5 Green Bay 11/27 8:35 ET New Orleans -1.5 At NY Jets Monday Night Football Point Spread 11/28 9:05 ET At Indianapolis -8 Pittsburgh (if Tommy Maddox isnt starting)

The biggest problem with Beckett is his hand blisters, which Im sure could be corrected. Correct me if Im wrong. But didnt a certain pitcher named Derek Lowe used to have that problem?

The only games he has pitched against NY is the 03 World Series.

according to Gordon Edes, craig hansen and manny delcarmen will start the seasons off in Triple A. Manny DelCarmen is said to have gotten an apartment close by to Fort Myers so he can be there as early as possible to try and make the opening day roster. Even if he doesnt, we know he will still play significant time in the majors for 2006. 2006 projected bullpen: Long Relief- Bronson Arroyo Lefty Outs- Mike Myers Set Up Men- Matt Mantei or Chad Bradford (rumor Sox working to resign Mantei) Akinori Otsuka (Sox will push for him in wells trade) Mike Timlin (deemed as entering his final season, which paves way for Manny) Closer- Keith Foulke (last season most likely for him with Sox, paves way for Hansen) ----------- I was watching ESPN's cold pizza during the 1st & 10th section of the show. Woody Paige who is known as a longtime Yankee fan has just coined the 2006 Red Sox as World Series contenders. "I believe they are World Series contenders now. They now get this 25 year old ace caliber pitcher who has proved to handle the playoffs, hence the World Series MVP shutting out my Yankees. You have him with a healthy Schilling, Jonathan Papelbon who had proved his merit, another prospect is coming up fast and you end with the 5 starter in the workhorse Tim Wakefield. What a trade this was for the Red Sox who seemed to be floundering this offseason." Im not one to say that right away, but I do agree this trade is a step in that direction.

very interesting indeed--what pitching would they acquire from the Twins? Hah I just thought of something. Josh Beckett would probably be the opening day starter for the Sox and it just so happens the first series of the season is playing the Texas Rangers

good to hear. Im glad to welcome Josh to Red Sox Nation ; ). His home park was Dolphins Stadium which had ranked lowest with D-Rays in attendance. Fenway Park will be a welcome change Im betting. I remember after Schilling's 1st performance in Boston saying "I will tell you that with 35000 fans behind me with every pitch, it was really an uplifting feeling. They can pick you up when you need that extra strike or need to get a ground ball to induce a double play. Pitching here is like nothing else really." Mike Lowell is still solid on his defense at 3rd base, just 6 errors committed this past season. And in hitting, 05 might have been an off year for him. He is capable of 25+ HRs/100 RBIs

ah i still see them now shifting Youk over to 1st base, its only right after what theyve put Youk thru especially this season. Times he has played 1st, he did a great job at doing so. They were even talking about him at 1st base on WEEI. As for Lowell platooning with Trot in the outfield, could be a good idea but Lowell hasnt played any career games in the outfield before. Just 3rd and 2nd base. This deal of course makes Mueller the odd man out.

Beckett will also be able to improve with pitching coach Dave Wallace and our gold glover capatin varitek who has mentored this past season: Paps, Delcarmen, and Hansen

With the emegence of Lowell, our solid D Bill Mueller could be odd man out. Sox are all but certain to make Youk their starting 3rd baseman, he could shift over to 1st base to make way for Lowell. The Twins and Brewers have spoken the most interest, both teams are likely to offer longer contracts than Boston and significantly more playing time. Huff is still a viable option to take over left field if the Sox, Mets and Devil Rays do that supposed 3 team trade.

courtesy of the article on ESPN.com

yeah Wade Miller has a team option on him for 2006, but look for that option to be declined obviously.

the Marlins are sending cash considerations to Boston due to Lowell's remaing contract. An upside on Lowell, still solid at the 3rd base corner. 6 errors committed in 135 games this past season --------------------------------------------------

i just read Hanley is expected to be the opening day shortstop --------------------------- thank you BoSox front office, i wouldve not been happy that much if Lester was dealt. The second minor leaguer will probably be along the lines of like Abe Alvarez.