seabeachfred

I've asked myself that same question all winter. That was one of the two teams I was sure Lester might go to. The other one was the one he did sign with.

How about the Yankees? They say they have some worries about the health of their rotation. Lee to the Bronx is not out of the realm of possibility for me since that team has been relatively quiet all off season.

Kimmi, if you can check back over the post seasons after the Red Sox win a World Series, the Yankees out of their minds. After 2004 that team paid through the nose for that pitcher who was once a star for Montreal (there, I can't remember names anymore) and he didn't pitch for them the four season they had him. They also signed a couple of others to big contracts that fall. In 2007 they gave A-Fraud that ridiculous extension, and after 2013 came Ellsbury, McCann and two other guys. That is the Yankee playbook. If we are fortunate and win this year a league or WS Title you will see the Yankees once again go on a spending spree.

Your idea is sound and that's what I would suggest also except for who we're dealing with. In the last three or four off seasons, we've seen how Amaro is stubborn to the core asking hold-up returns on some of his veterans and then refusing to deal unless every demand he asks for is met. In fact, he has gone the other direction whether out of spite or not and resigned two of his aging stalwarts, his catcher and second baseman to extensions. Amaro will go down with is ship if he has to. We should tell him what we're willing to offer and if he balks just walk away. I'm tired of hearing his name of listening to his ********.

I would but not for Swihart.....no way in hades to I want that trade if he is included. Sometime ago User mentioned Cliff Lee as an alternate because if he is healthy (and that's the key), he would cost us a lot less. Still the Red Sox seem to want to hold out for Hamels but no Swihart in any deal, and I'm pissed off enough that now I am hearing that Betts might be in such a trade. Where your point is strong, besides what you listed, is that we are depending on five starters and to me it is bizarre that that fivesome will stay healthy all season, and let me be clear on this.....Workman is not a possibility as a replacement starter. Teams eat him up the second time around the lineup as his 1-10 record indicated. He is best suited for a one or two inning stint from the pen. Right now my head is spinning from all these rumors and talks......Hamels or Lee? Just get me a good No. 1 starter. It could mean the difference between the division and wild card or just getting into the playoffs even though I went out on a limb and predicted an AL East Title for the Red Sox this season.

Right Spud. I feel the same way as you do, but Napoli has to have a solid season for that to happen. The thing to remember is that Mike wants to play in Boston, feels comfortable here and is a good fit for this city. The ball is in his court and if he has that solid year it will be up to Henry not to play lowball and give him a contract. The guy could hit until his late 30's and he is only 33 right now and that is not old for a hitter.

Please Kimmi, learn from history. Hanley is always on his best behavior when he goes to a new team and within two or three years it's the same old story. Understand this--I live in the LA area and the Dodgers spent all last season denying that Hanley was a problem but stuff kept leaking out and when it was all over the Dodgers made no effort whatever to bring him back. That said, I will be a strong Hanley man this year and next because I think the guy is headed for a big season for us this year provided we can keep him healthy. Here's also a shock.....he may be better as an outfielder than some may think is possible. It's just that attitude that worries me down the road. If he has turned a new leaf then kudos to you and we have ourselves an authentic middle of the order hitter moving on.

sk--this guy Amaro never seems to learn anything about getting down and dirty in trade talks. He keeps over-hyping his players and asking ridiculous demands in exchange. The fact that Hamels has said he wants out of Philadelphia should be enough to teach the GM that he doesn't need a major distraction for a team that is going nowhere this year and unless they start rebuilding aren't going anywhere next year or the year after. The Padres offered Amaro their prize young catcher and best hitting outfield prospect along with a pitching prospect and he turned them down. His ass is going to be out the door very soon unless he gets his s*** together. He needs to trade Hamels......and soon.

It would now seem that we are set up for a trade for a top notch pitcher but I'm not going to put money on it. One thing we should have all learned by now is that you never know what Cherington has up his sleeve. Still I would like to get that No. 1 pitcher, and I'm hearing from scouts and pundits that Moncada might actually be ready this season. That is astounding. Could he actually be another Mike Trout?

That's true---I had a boil removed from near my left eye Sunday night in emergency surgery and it hurt like a son of a bitch. Also got some stomach flu last Saturday so there certainly is truth to what you wrote----and this is no ******** story. I also have to see my hematologist tomorrow and an ophthalmologist Thursday for a possible operation on my tear ducts. So, yes, there may be something there. However, I also said that Hanley would be a standout this season and probably in 2016. This is getting to be a soap opera. Tell you what.....think some good thoughts for me that all this works out well. that might help. I'm not yet out of the woods. Anyway, I want to get along with you and mvp and I'll do my damn best to do so. As for Hanley, he has been my nemesis but maybe this prediction I made will help.......310-28--102 and a maybe an All Star berth. Now hopefully for some good luck.

Piling on again mvp? That statement IS f***ing racist and bears no resemblance to what I wrote about food based on what I knew. There was no f***ing reason for you to write that. If you are even hinting that I may be a racist you're asking for a lot of hurt. I don 't go defensive when something like that is thrown at me--I go on the offense and get as dirty and nasty as I can be. I hope it doesn't get to that because we've gotten along a lot better lately and at worst you should have given me the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, let's move on.

OK User, peace once again reigns. I will let pass what passed as mischaracterization on my part. I still don't really know what could be construed to be racist. We aren't talking about black vs white or yellow vs red. We were talking about food and what they serve in different parts of the world. As for a burger cracker, what a laugh. I never touCh that s***. Haven't had a burger in over 20 years, don't eat red meat, don't eat eggs, butter, most pork, no lamb, and I never drink cola sodas. And f*** hot dogs too. I eat lots of sea food, vegetables, fruit, some chicken and my starches are pasta and rice. I think I would fare very well if I had to live in the DR for any length of time unless you or anyone else tried to serve me something with onions in it. Anyway, this whole thing came about because of my worry over what Ramirez might be to Moncada, and while Palodios thinks Hanley has matured, I heard the same talk when he went to the Dodgers and, believe me, they were glad to see him go. Hanley, I think will be very good for us this year and maybe next year. After that, well, you know what I think. GO RED SOX!!!!!

That's a given our here in Los Angeles my friend. Of course Mexican cuisine is very big here as it is in Mexico----though for me I stay away from the rice and frijoles and zero in on those chicken enchiladas and chicken tacos. And, of course, those delicious pork tamales. I do think the type of rice served in Cuban and Puerto Rican restaurants is a little different than the rice recipe Mexican-Americans use. I also don't know why he was offended but he may still think the worst of me......sad!!!!!

User, I posted another missive and mentioned that I wasn't up to date on the culinary tastes of the Dominican Republic except to say that a Dominican friend of mine said chicken and rice were popular there. So please read it. It was'nt meant to be funny nor was it meant to be insulting and it sure as hell wasn't any racist s*** that people seem to like to throw out there whenever someone says something that could be construed wrong. I eat in Cuban restaurants. You now know that. I have eaten in Puerto Rican restaurants and I know their specialties. I did not know for certain what they serve as specialties in the DR except for what a DR-Amercan told me one time, but since he has lived in California since he was five he might not be an expert in the tastes of his native country. Maybe you can tell me for sure what you love to eat down there. For me it would be enlightening since I fancy myself as a foodie, though an amateur one. And please, no offense meant.

Cuban food, and Puerto Ricans love rice and beans too......and so do I. I eat it at least once a week.......but I do not use onions in mine and when I eat in Cuban restaurant I have to emphasize NO SAVOIA!!!!! See mvp I'm a man with some culinary tastes. Now if User will step in and tell me what they eat with their rice in the DR I might be up to date on all the culinary loves of the Caribbean, though I think rice and chicken is big there according to one of my DR friends.

Let's assume Moncada is the real deal.......and I think he is going to be more than just the real deal. He might turn out to be the best of the Cubanos baseball has signed recently. He won't be 20 until May 27, can play any infield position, most likely could become an outfielder, is a switch hitter and can run and has a very strong arm. So what is the problem? None right now but in two years there could be one......Hanley Ramirez, who I am expecting big things from this year. I am also predicting that HR will do what he did in the Boston farm system, in Miami and in LA and that's become virus in his third season....if not late in his second. A leopard doesn't change his spot and for that the Red Sox must keep Moncada away from Hanley with either Panda and or Castillo (assuming he has the good attitude we've heard about) as protection. We saw the chicken and beer in 2011 and we don't want to have a rice and red beans redux two or three years from now. Attitude is extremely important and Moncada must develop and maintain all the positive entities he's so far developed. We cannot afford to let someone put him astray and I'm afraid Hanley could be one to try that. Remember Ortiz will be gone within two seasons.

Are we talking about the same Rex Barney, the pitcher who threw as if the plate were high and inside, but when he had his control could be a devastating pitcher?

Everyone here knows I still have deep reservations about X, and he either has to really produce this year or his value will sink like a rock a la Middlebrooks and Bradley. If it take Xander to get Hamels I would make that trade in a flash and just go with Holt or someone else at SS this season. Of course, if Bogey starts playing and hitting as most of you think I will have egg on my face. Still, we now have pieces to trade for a solid pitcher.

Now use some of the surplus to get us some needed pitching since we cannot develop our own to save our sorry asses. However, I still want to hold on to Blake and Mookie.

Simple really!!!!!! Justin is a decent hitter who can drive in runs and be a threat at the plate much of the time. BJ is horse s*** that even the Rays no longer wanted.

Got my seasons mixed up User. Thanks. I think it foolhardy if the 'Red Sox start putting the guy on the scale. Let him play and I think we'll get the first three years of his contract a player well worth what we paid him. When he reaches 31 and 32 that weight he carries could slow him down unless he becomes the DH when Ortiz retires.

Here is where I will reluctantly give the Dodgers credit for something. They were able to bottle up and hide Hanley's problems for the most part. When he was first traded to the Dodgers all was sweetness and light, and in 2013 he had a helluva season after being injured early that year, but the problems started surfacing about that time mvp. Last season it pretty much erupted, not loudly mind you, but the papers and media caught it and it was a slam dunk from all of them that Ramirez was not going to be resigned because they did not want him back, the Dodgers that is. Now this is what I predict. If healthy (and we certainly need him that way for us to prosper) he will be a solid contributor for the Red Sox this season, and it will continue into most of the '16 campaign. It is then that a few warts will come out and by the last two years of his contract he will show why he hasn't been happy anywhere he's been and will pretty much become a problem the Sox will have to handle some way. So let's just think of his first two seasons. I think we'll be just fine with them the first half of that contract. Just my opinion from past history.

Sometimes when a heavy player loses a lot of weight he does look better but he may have lost a lot of strength. Not all of those 40 pounds are pure blubber. There is some muscle and lean body tissue there. I don't like Panda being so heavy but it seems to work for him, and didn't he lose a bunch of weight a couple of years ago and go off to a real slow start for the Giants before he put some of the weight back on?

They say a little knowledge is dangerous Kimmi----but a lot of it could be a disaster, baseball wise. I remember very very well how Red Sox PI"s, scouts, pundits, etc, scouted and re-scouted Carl Crawford before we signed him and all lauded to the heights what a hard worker he was, how dedicated a player he was, what determination to excel he had. What happened? They couldn't find through all that scouting that he was a miserable fit to play in a market like Boston. It may work at times but it is not an end all and sometimes it can be a major disaster.

You know BSN, put another mid-level prospect in the mix and we could possibly swing a deal for Kimbrel. Face it, we have no potential closer to take Koji's place and none of our pitchers fit that role. It might be worth a look.