a700hitter

He a veteran and a professional. Andy Pettitte's desire to be close to home didn't affect his performance when he returned to the Yankees. No, it doesn't affect influence my view at all, but it tells me that the Sox will have to pay more than Texas.

The smiley faces help me pick up the sarcasm. I realize that you don't keep a guy around just to face one pitcher, but overall, he was a solid smart player with a good stick for a SS. I was just mentioning some of the things that we will miss him about him. If dumping his salary- and make no mistake that this really wasn't a trade- means that we stay under the LT cap and get a starter, I am good with that. If we will be going over the cap anyway, I don't get the move even if the accounting counts his $6 million as $7.6 million. I don't think it is a smart move to dump your every day SS when the replacements within the organization are not comparable IMO.

One reason we will miss Scutaro is that he could hit Mo Rivera. We don't have too many guys that can do that. There aren't too many SS that can hit Mo. Scut played hard and smart.

For a 1 year contract, I really prefer Oswalt. He is a much better pitcher than Ewdin Jackson. EJ is worth about a third less than Oswalt, and I don't think we can get him for that amount. Paying the same for EJ as for Oswalt would not be a value signing. I think Benny Boy needs to get authority from ownership and sweeten the deal to Oswalt with a couple of million more. Offer him $10 million on a take it or leave it basis. If he says no, lock down EJ. Right now Oswalt has the upper hand and the Sox are being used in the process. Bring it to a head. Sweeten the pot and if he doesn't sign on the dotted line now, walk away.

The vote is 7-0-0-0 that we will get another pitcher before Spring Training. That's more optimistic than the last poll.

I hope we get 1 of them.

I would assume that if one of the pitchers accepts the Sox offer that the Sox will withdraw the other offer. Are they looking to sign both of them?

The latest is that there is mutual interest between Oswalt and the Rangers. If that happens, Texas will be a very good team for another year.

In one of those 2 years, he still pitched 181 innings.

I posted the other poll almost two weeks ago. Most people (almost 80%) thought we would get a new starting pitcher. I'd like to see if the passage of time has changed any minds, so I am reposting it.

I think something will develop quickly here. I think something will happen by before the weekend. Benny Boy seems to be turning up the heat on the two pitchers.

Oswalt is the much better pitcher.

Thank goodness you were being sarcastic. The thought of him in an important role gave me the dry heaves.

So you are okay with Aceves and Bard as the 4th and 5th starters? Also, who will be the swingman/long reliever in the Pen?

You don't want a starting pitcher?

The Rangers might consider bolstering their pen by moving Ogando or Feliz back to the pen. If they do, they'll have an opening for a starter. I am concerned about them making such a move. I can't see that the are comfortable with an old broken down Nathan anchoring the pen.

Someone didn't get any last night. Your last 2 lines are the crux of the matter. The goals of the fan and management are antithetical to one another. They always have been and they always will be. The goals of management and the fan are only similar to the extent that the fan wants the team to make money so it can continue to put a championship caliber team on the field and management wants to win championships, because it helps to make money. The ultimate goals differ: make money vs. win championships. That is why people criticize, and I use that word instead of complain, because we want the best possible team, but we have no control except to vote with our feet. However, if things get to that point, they have gotten very bad. Look at the Mets. Yes, Cherrington knows better than the non-professionals how to build a competitive team that will make money, but so do the other 29 GMs. The fans, however, can sit in judgment of whether they think a roster has what it takes to win. Every GM does his best to build his team. However, many know that their rosters don't have a chance to succeed, but they can never say that publicly. There are years when teams like the Sox and the Yankees know that they will have a struggle to make the playoffs. Sometimes they are in a rebuilding mode, but they can't say that they are rebuilding and charge $50-150 ticket. Whether a team is good enough to go all the way is a legitimate topic of discussion for the fans. In that matter the fans may not know better, but we can discuss it more honestly, because we are not also wearing marketing hats. As this team stands, they will have a tough time competing for the playoffs. The Yanks are clearly better and several teams look like tough competition for the wild card. If we get another starting pitcher, that analysis changes. If I end with a :thumbsup::thumbsup:, will you feel better about the situation.