scaffolds

Trading a 26yrs Beckett isn't just a bad move, but a move that the organization could be sorry for years.

Lidge has not only a better arm than Cordero, but more room for a mistake that Cordero has, in general Lidge is the better closer. In talking about Wily Mo Pena, i read a post in this thread that said that Pena was a below average runner, not only that comment isn't true but its a joke, Pena has an above average speed. Its well known that Pena isn't a great defensive outfielder, but he isn't as bad as some posters has posted, sure he has had a hand full of bad games in RF, but Fenway's RF may be hardest to play at the ML level and i believe that if Pena plays RF in a regular basis he would play a playable defense. Top righthanded power hitters is one tool who its very hard to find and when an organizational finds it you don't traded away.

Coco Crisp, a has been, you must be watching a different player than i have been in the last three years. As a matter fact I take Coco over Melky Cabrera anytime.

The chances of Lester breaking camp with Boston are very slim and may spend the first half of the AAA season in Pawtucket for two reasons, first of all because of his health issues, but also because he struggle in his last few outings, he isn't a finished product.

Wheeler is a very good set up pitcher, but not a closer.

Unless Coco Crisp gets traded Pena may play more first base than most Sox fans may think.

Coco isn't only the CF that the Astros needs, but he could replace the speed that they lost when Taveras was traded in addition to more pop potential. Lidge isn't the first top closer that has had a bad playoff series, but that doesn't means he can't close preasure games.

With the Sox signing of Doug Mirabelli and Matsuzaka about to be signed the closer is the final piece for the Sox roster in 2007. The Sox brass keeps insisting that Papelbon won't be the closer. The Hoouston Astros just traded their CF Willie Taveras and have a gapping hole in CF. Could Brad Lidge be the Sox closer in 2007? How about Coco Crisp to the Astros for Brad Lidge?

Originally it was reported the the Boras camp was looking for a short contract, something like a three year deal with free agency after the contract ended, of course the Sox would be looking for a longer contract in part to be able recover some of the posting fee. Lately it has been talk that Bora would go for a six year contract, but at eleven million per year, while the Red Sox offering eight million per year on a same contract length. With time running out lets closed the deal with a 6 year contract at 10 million per year.

Ran off??? Well first of all I didn't ran way from nowhere, just to put it simply i decided not to post on that board anymore, there are too many CLOWNS in that page. To answer your questions we need to see more of beltre and Tejada to be able to make a compare them to a ML player. Yes they are both 16 yrs. I have heard some talk that because Jason Place is from close to the Greenville are that wouldn't be a good idea to send him to start the 2007 season. I disagree if Jason Place reports in good shape (like expected) and there isn't any setbacks in Spring training Greenville its the best level to play in 2007. Chavez like Castro are maniacs and no one knows what they may do next, i don't believe that he will close the borders for the 07 season, but if i was a betting man i would say that the 08 season could be affected.

Bosox, Without any questions Beltre and Tejada are the creme of the crop, but while very young (both 16 yrs) Pimental and Rivera are very well regarded by the scouts, Pichardo is 16 yrs and Bonafacio is 17 yrs, Valera is the one with the least potential, all 5 of them will play in the DSL in June 07, with Beltre and Tejada in the GCL.

Beltre and Tejada are Dominicans both where in the Florida instructional league in September and also in the in the Dominican instructional camp along with early phase International (Dominicans) signees; Stormy Pimental RHP Manuel Rivera LHP Juan Bonafacio OF Wilfredo Pichardo 2B Emilio Valera RHP

International scouting or scouting in Latin America more specific in Venezuela took a BIG hit this past Sunday when Fidel Castro wanted be Chavez under QUESTIONABLE elections results won the election. Venezuela has been behind the Dominican republic in producing baseball talent for years, but in the last 5 to 7 years those results have change and many people in the baseball industry believe that now a days both countries are in even or very close to be even in producing baseball talent. Which leads to the problem with Chavez in power in Venezuela. Chavez has been in power for the last few years, but slowly he has been changing the free interprice system to the communist way of life, with the least connection to u.S. as possible, for example he wont allow nothing related with Xmas in Venezuela this Winter. The general feeling among baseball people is that very soon there will be a termination of the ML run baseball academies and VSL, but even worst the feeling its that also very soon he won't allow Venezuelans to leave the country to play baseball, a pattern that Castro used in Cuba about forty some years ago. In the last few years Venezuelans major leaguers after Chavez took power have started to take residency in other countries expecting something like this to take place, but this has been a very small group. The Red Sox signed two Venezuelans in the early phase of International signing and will be very interesting what will happen to them or the rest of the Venezuelan prospects in the future or how the scouting in Venezuela will be affected.

I am not a Drew fan and like almost everyone has questions about his ability to stay in the field, but Nixon is only a shadow of the player that he was 3-4 years ago.

With the signing of RF J D Drew, SS Julio Lugo and the drafting of rule 5 draft pick RHP Nick Debarr the Sox 40 man roster stand at 37.

Then you have the hole at third base, lowell isn't just a better hitter than Youkilis, but a lot better third baseman.

Youkilis has too many holes in his offensive game to be a starting corner player at the ML level. I do agree with you that Wily Mo Pena has a lot of potential.

That would be better than they had in 2006, but they would still have a hole at first base.

That isn't correct, the Sox only would get a sandwich pick after the first round.

To that all i can say its 8 HR 52 RBI not very good at all.