HeadOfSoxNation

I can't decide how you mean all this stuff. Obviously you're being facetious with the penalties that you're calling for, but are you pointing this stuff out in an effort to "lessen" the severity of drunk driving? Are you putting it on par with reading a txt or talking on a cell phone? I'm unclear.

Yea, Yankee fans (most) do assume that. In fairness, though...assuming that Mitchell's ties to the Red Sox helped a few Sox remain off the list isn't being a Yankee fan, it's being a realist.

YOU LEAVE MY DAD OUT OF THIS!

Gladly. The horse doesn't have to be up too high to be above this argument.

Mantle power. No one is comparing the rest of his skill set to the Mick. Dunn is one of the most powerful hitters ever. Not one of the BEST, but one of the most powerful. You disagree?

Agreed. The "working stiff" however, is the moral authority in our example which in itself isn't really fair. To play devil's advocate, what gives us the right to keep a greater percentage of our income than someone who makes more money than us, even if it is a great amount more? I'm not saying that I don't agree with a reformed tax system completely, I'm just saying that there is another side to the coin.

Yes, it does. It's all relative. You taking a few liberties on your taxes to save $5,000 when you make $50,000 is the exact same, proportionally, as ARod taking a few liberties to save $3,000,000 when he makes $30,000,000.

Let's name every single player in baseball that is good and over 5'10", 200 lbs! And let's name some twice!

Captain Red Ass = best nickname in baseball

I'm going to go out and say it... ...I don't like him, but after his tenure is over, Selig should be in the Hall of Fame. Thoughts?

Find me one American who doesn't take a few liberties on his taxes. It's like embellishing a resume...it's expected. There is a certain degree that is almost condoned.

If you want to look at it that way, doesn't Ellsbury have the chance to decide every game whereas Hughes/Buchholz only has the ability to decide one game every fifth day? :dunno:

Are you implying that Beckett DOESN'T have an ego?? You don't carry yourself with his swagger on the mound if you don't. His cockiness and arrogance is what makes him great. He walks to and from the mound with a "f*** you...I'm way better than you" attitude...fans see it and opposing batters see it. Most of the good guys (especially good power guys) exude it...Clemens, Pedro, Unit in his prime. Beckett is no different. Do you ever read Improper Bostonian? They did a whole article on Beckett last year about him owning the town and loving every minute of it. He's the type of guy that basks in the spotlight and wants the brightest lights and the most focus on him. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with that...I'm just saying that that is the way that he is. I guess you could play the angle that Santana becoming the #1 will motivate Beckett to pitch even better than he did this year, but I just don't see it happening that way. All of these superstars have some degree of ego. All I'm saying is...I feel like Santana would be more accepting of assuming a #2 role with the defending WS champion than Beckett would be of becoming the #2 to a newcomer on a team that he's been with for 2 years and earned a ring with (for)...I don't care if that newcomer is Nolan Ryan circa 1973. You disagree?

I think you're right...contractually speaking, anyways. Beckett knows his payday will come and he's still young so he's got one definite, probably two big deals in his future. On the other side of that, if I were Beckett...I'd consider it somewhat of a slap in the face if I'm the ace of the team and carry the team on my back through the postseason, then they go out and get a new guy and I'm dropped down to a #2. For that reason, I keep Beckett the #1 and make Santana #2. Beckett's ego, to me, is the only thing that can be damaged this whole thing, and I think that that can be avoided if you go Beck #1, Santana #2.

Trading Santana doesn't make you "lose" his 15-20 wins...you only lose the win difference between Santana and his replacement. I think Lester can win 12-13 games in Minny...so you're only losing like 7 wins max and your team is in far better position going forward than it would be with one more year of Santana and then a FA departure.

I'm retarded.

If I'm the Twins, I take Ellsbury... ...if I'm building a team from scratch, I take the potential ace.

You can't be serious. Loretta is not a superstar...never has been, never will be...but he's far from s*****. A guy like this is great to have around...he did everything the Sox asked him to do. Lifetime .300 hitter, solid clubhouse guy, extremely proficient and hitting with a runner on first which makes him invaluable off of the bench. Not to mention the fact that he can play every infield position besides pitcher and catcher...certainly makes pinch-hitting him in the late innings a lot easier. He doesn't have the range of some of the premier infielders or the younger guys, but he's still well beyond adequate with the glove.