Cityofchampions33

I agree, this is a very underrated signing IMO. Hernandez has more upside than Abe and has shown flashes of brilliance in the Majors (see April last year). For a minor league deal this can do nothing but help us with depth, and has no risk or consequences involved.

The ChiSox are either very smart or very stupid. I don't undertsand why they would keep McCarthy for this trade, unless they know something about this kid Danks that no one else knows. If the Rangers get Zito I'd like them a lot more, but I don't buy Padilla as a #2 (or a good one for that matter). Their offense would have been a lot better with Lee still in it. But F Cat is a solid OF and an underrated acquisition in my book.

How is the lasts eries relevant to how the Sox are now compared to the Dodgers (unless you really want to get into that). I'm not saying theyre horrible, but your pissin' in the wind if you think the NL West is better than any of the AL divisions, or NL divisions for that matter. I never said the Rays were better than the Dodgers, but they're not miles below them either. Btw, just in case you didn't notice, the Jays own the 6th higehst paid player in the world, so it's not just 2 teams. And I don't think the AL eats owns baseball (money-wise yes) but I think the AL Central is the best division.

I mean honestly, if we wrecked the Mets, I doubt the Dodgers could fend off the O's or Rays with ease. I'm not saying their a bad team, but you have to admit the AL is waay more powerful now-a-days.

I don't think he'll decline that badly, or maybe even at all. I mean it's not like he hit .300 with 30 HRs and 100+ RBIs, what he did can be repeated twice. However, it would not suprise me if he did. To be clear I am all for moving Lowell if we can get a better option.

quite a few Bears

As much as I'd love to have Clem's back in Beantown, it may be too crowded in the rotation by the time he decides to play, and he wants basically 20 mill for half a season. Ifw e ened him by July then go get him, but we're already a good 7 deep.

Solid career indeed, I watched a Red Sox classic with him in it awhile back. Looked good then as he does now.

Mussina = Schilling Wang > Beckett Johnson Pettite = Papelbon Igawa/Pavano I think Schilling and Mussina are both very able aces and I can picture them both aheing 16+ wins with solid ERAs, could goeitehr way. Battle of maturity here as Beckett needs to show he's learned from his mistakes and be what he's supposed to be. If he can't, this battle goes to Wang. 40 year old with injury problems and somehwat abd mechanics last year to the fearless 26 year old with command of 4 + pitchers, however this could eaisly swing in teh yankees decision. Pettite, if he stays healthy can beat out Papelbon but I ahev a lot of optimism in Jon and think he can rack up 13+ wins with a decent ERA. Wakefield is always reliable to give you a shot in a game, pending your fofense is working. I look for now more than a .500 record and a 4 ERA. Igawa/Pavano are big ?s. As you see, this could swing either way, both rotations have their own questionables, and it could be very Red Sox or very yankees, or even somewhat of a draw.

This can turn out eitehr evry good or very bad. Very good being he's not as bad as this is made out to be, and Theo is maybe trying to make this more incentive based or shorten the length. If we don't sign him then WMP is our starting RF next year.

ESPN is reporting the Sox are looking for a second opinion on Drew's shoulder. The source is not sure if this would void the prior agreement, shorten the length of the contract, or make it more incentive based.

Hence why we have Timlin (if we acquire a closer)

5 runs from July 31st to october is pretty reliable to me, he's been reliable throughout his career, I don't undertsnad why your saying he won't be. I mean he was better than Farnsworth last year, and he was basiclaly your set-up man.

Your side-tracking, your argument was that he's not going to be a solid reliver, or a good set-up pitcher. Now your just saying he's deteriorating with age. Yeah, so does every other pitcher and player. I mean we could have the same argument over Randy Johnson, who's seen on somewhat of a downward trend lately. In no way am I expecting another 03 season, but I expect him to be able to go 60+ innings, 50+ K's, and to a go to guy along with Timlin.

Not to mention he was competing with the otehr relievers of that deep LAA bullpen for the set-up position. Oh yeah, he also won his last 9 decisions with the Angels, and was absolute money down the stretch last year. Yeah, thats 2.87 career ERA is horrible, he shouldn't even be considered a set-up man or even a middle-relievr he's soo horrible.

Of course he totally didn't win 2003 SET-UP MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD. And wasn't used as the "primary" set-up man for K-Rod.

I'm seriously not being biased when i consider Timlin a solid MR guy. He should hold down inning 6-7, and Okajima should devlop nicely with his hammer of a curve, though I don't expect him to be the next Sasaki, and MDC had some bright spots last year, and then I think got worse as the workload got on. However, after experiencing an MLB season, i think he can boucne back with a low-high 4 ERA. How isn't Donnelly a set-up guy? He's been one for msot of his career, yes his stats are risin a bit but he's not "exploding" like Timlin.

Snyder is one of those guys who always has one bad inning, against teh A's he was great until I believe the 5th inning, where he gave up 5 runs. I agree with SchillNatural, he could be a diamond in the rough as a long reliver so to speak. Much like Arroyo in the 03 playoffs (came in for Burkett or w/e his name was) and shut down the Yanks to keep the series goin.

Donnelly, Timlin, Okajima, Delcarmen should be a really solid core of middle relivers for us this season (banking on if Okajima and DC have good seasons, and of course health) and depending on who our closer is we have a nice deep bullpen as of now. If we get Cordero, this is a VERY solid ballclub on paper and "screams" 1st place AL East.

Yeah, unelss we get Cordeor or Otsuka, we don't really stand in any position but letting everyone internally try out for the spot.

Yeah, he was the man in the postseason, it's gunna be wierd without him.

I want Cordero, it should be a bit easier in getting him, cuz ya kno Bowden ain't exactly an elite GM.

Well he blessed us with good luck, earnng us a 5-3 victory over the Diablos of New Jersey

I wouldn't midn Wheelr, but not for a closer