a700hitter

It's sound strategy, but the Yankees will need to blow the other teams out of the water to get him.

I'll be happy not to face Sheffield or Randy Johnson this year. I think I will miss Wright, although he wasn't too bad against us last year.

I don't pretend to know the prospects as well as many of the posters here. It's just so speculative that it doesn't interest me. It's such an inexact science evidenced by the large percentage of first round picks that never make the majors or that make little or no impact in the majors. I can't tell you how many times throughout the years that I have heard about can't miss prospects that have fallen away without so much as a major league cup of coffee. The people who wrote or spoke about those people were every bit as sincere and knowledgeable as you are. For every Nomar there are so many that go the other way. There are almost as many tragic stories l(ike the kid who severed the tendons in his pitching hand at a funeral) as there are success stories. I hope our FO does a better job than other FO's in this regard, because it is an essential function, but I rarely if ever get excited when I hear about drafts or prospects, especially if we trade proven talent to get them. I go to ST every year, and I enjoy watching the kids, but I am rarely impressed with any of them. I like Lowrie's bat. THe others...eh. I'll let you know in March. I am hoping to get a look at Ellsbury. I haven't seen him yet. I'd like to see Bard too, and you guys have me intrigued about Bulcholz and Bowden, but don't jump ugly all over me if I tell you that I think they are nothing special or not ready after seeing them. I am far from an expert, but special guys like Rice, Lynn, Nomar and Papelbon make an immediate impression even if they don't produce great results right away.

It's possible that the Yankees would blow everyone away with thier offer, but they had the chance to do so last year and they didn't do it. Last year they opted for Cory Lidle R.I.P. Why would Cashman go nuts with a blow out offer for a 44 year old when he had a 43-yr old under contract for the year at about $3-4 million less than Clemens will be asking. Also, Clemens might not want to pitch until June. It just doesn't add up. I could see this if they were unloading a long term contract by unloading the Unit, but he was a one-year commitment.

The upside potential of our prospects is that they will someday hold down a rotation spot in the major leagues. Cordero is a proven good major league closer-- that is not his upside potential. That already is. His upside potential is that he will regularly make All Star teams and win relief awards. If the FO decides to give up the potential for the proven quantity, I am not going to complain. It's their job to know which players will make it and which will fall by the wayside. Most of them fall by the wayside.

Cordero is not only a major league proven player, but he is very good and he has had a lot of success at a very young age.

I would if for no other reason than to unburden the team of Farnsworthless's contract.

The success of prospects is just so speculative that it's just not worht the investment of my energy. Hopefully, the FO knows what it is doing and will keep the good prospects and trade the rest. I remember years ago reading a spring training interview with a veteran ballplayer about prospects in camp. My recollection is the it was Carlton Fisk that gave the interview. Fisk basically said that he more or less ignored them. He felt no need to befriend them, because few if any of them would be coming north with the team. As a fan, I can't get excited about Bucholz, Bowden, Lowrie etc., because so few of these guys ever make it big. I witnessesed Lynn and Rice as Rookies, and it took me years to realize that i will never see anything like that again. It was amazing to see, but it was such a freak thing.

It's got nothing to do with warm and fuzzies. It's got to do with $. You are in Dice-K mode here. You've got yourself convinced, and you are not processing the other side of the story. We've gone through this broken record argument before. Clemens doesn't give a rats ass about warm and fuzzies, but he'll give the fans what they want if it means $ in his pocket. it's called a marketing opportunity. Knock knock is anyone home, Jacksonian. What makes you think the Yankees will make a blow out bid. The Astros, Yankees and Red Sox made essentially the same bids last year. All of a sudden Cashman is going to blow away the field for Clemens when he didn't do it last year? That doesn't make sense. BTW: When Clemens went to Toronto, he was welcomed back to Fenway as a hero as he kicked our ass.

Again, you are just not getting it. He would not have to win a championship in Boston to get a heroes welcome. It would be the return of the Prodigal Son. He wouldn';t have to do a thing to earn the adulation of the fans except don the Red Sox uniform. You don't understand Red Sox fans or the region, but Roger and his agents do understand.

It's my opinion in light of the facts. My reasoning is in several of my posts.

I don't think this will happen too fast. Once they decide on a package, they'll need ample time to go over the Unit's medical records and negotiate an extension.

You didn't grasp that no matter how many times I reminded you about it. Was it you or Gom that engaged in all the scenarios of Boras challenging the posting system' date=' buying the contract from Seibu, etc., etc. I am pretty sure it was you. You didn't listen to sound reasoning then and you are not listening now. You are missing the bigger picture. Boston and NY and probably even Houston can offer similar types of one year or pro-rated one year packages. They were within pennies of each other last year. He went with Houston, because it gave him the money plus his comfort. And he will go that way again if Houston throws in. If Houston opts out, Boston and the Yankees will offer essentially the same one-year package. The decision will be made by other factors. The allure of the enormous additional marketing possibilities in Boston will tilt the scales in Boston's favor. I've explained this for the last time. I'm not going to be a broken record like you were on Dice-K. When he makes his decision, one of us will rub this post in the others face.

If you want to know where Clemens will go look for the best financial opportunity. Everything else is just empty rationalization. BTW: Just wanted to remind you that the Dice-man did not goe back to the Lions. You were pretty sure about that being the result of the FO ******** offer of $7-8 million/year.