BSN07

Given a700's track record, I would expect Clay to win the Cy Young soon

Two different arguments.

They are, in the way of the team doesn't have to use resources to improve upon the position those players currently fill. As in Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Papelbon, Bard and Buchholz are all good enough that they Sox would probably not look to replace the with a veteran FA. that's how he is comparing them, how do you not get this?:dunno:

2 of the 5 pillars that form Gom's personal mental structure.

Holliday will sign with whoever gives him the biggest check. Thats the way Boras operates.

It's not Kelly and Westmoreland, it's one or the other.

Oh well, back to Hot Stove talk. I think Josh Johnson may have turned into my new #1 trade target. I think he could be signed for a Beckett type extension after being traded for. Not sure what the price tag would be though. That and will the marlins move him now while his value is probably the highest it's ever been, or risk it and try and get more at the TDL or next off season :dunno: Kelly(Westmoreland)+Bowden+Anderson+MDC(Reddick)???? Does Florida hang up the phone laughing or intrigued? Beckett Lester JJ Buchholz Dice-K drool...

He doesn't look at the names when he's "watching" the games.

Unless I play in NYS, yes. Younger, absolute house for an arm, better power. Ankiel is the better long term option. C Benji Molina 1B Laroche 2B Hudson SS Scutaro 3B Beltre LF Figgins CF Ankiel RF Holliday DH Bay Bench C Torrealba OF Damon IF Lopez 1B Johnson SP Lackey Harden Pettitte Pinerio Escobar RP Mike Gonzalez Fernando Rodney Rafael Soriano Billy Wagner Octavio Dotel Kevin Gregg J.J. Putz BTW how cool would it be to have an actual FA team? They wait until about Febuary to fill out their roster with 1 year deal players. I bet they could beat the Nats LOL

That's probably about the time the best of the Red Sox prospects should be ready, you know sort of like 2007 when they had multiple prospects come up and contribute to a WS run. I would imagine this more of what i believe he may be alluding to, not that the Sox will not make any runs at big name FA until 2012.

With how last off season went and the Yanks Championship run I knew you were primed for all time doucheness, but this is ridiculous. Take some riddilin or something.

I think the Sox are going to put together a good offer for Holliday first. If he doesn't take it, I think they will move on sooner rather then later(maybe the negotiate a little, but I think they are going to make an offer and stick pretty close to it, I don't think they do the dance with Boras this off season) and make Bay the priority. They might up the AAV in order to get Bay to take 4 years.

Ok, damn I wish you had mentioned this earlier , oh well we had a good conversation. This is what I read, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2010148572_base28.html

Ok that part of the whole thing wasn't in the story I read. If there was a prior agreement, then it's different.

I know the Dojji thing doesn't apply as well here, made me laugh though:D As far as the money goes that's just a flat out false statement. He opted out of his contract. He wasn't owed anything.

If the Sox make minimal short term moves and hold steady until some off the "old" contracts come off the books, it wouldn't be surprising. I would expect them to contend for the WC like normal. Their core is good enough for that. Winning the division and making a deep run in the playoffs is a different story(of course any team can get on a hot streak). Like I said before, outside of a long term deal for Holliday or a 4 yr deal for Ba,. I don't think the Sox make a big FA splash. 2011 I would have a harder time believing they wouldn't be involved in the FA market.

Of course he wanted to play full time. Who doesn't? My point is, he signed in Japan because no one was willing to offer him that full time gig. Most likely because he isn't that good. This season's Catcher FA class is weak and there are a few teams looking for Catchers. The fact he signed with Japan before the FA market even opened tells me that he knew he wasn't going to get a deal from anyone and/or he just truely wanted to finish his career in Japan. He ends up making 21M over 4 years, instead of 2 years 15.8M he would have got if he stayed. From what I read he held talks with Henshin and his former team the Softbank Hawks. I haven't read anywhere else that he talked to other ML teams, or other ML teams interested in offering him anything. He did however talk with Seattle before signing in Japan. I'm not looking to getting into a pissing match over Kenji Johjima, we can agree to disagree. But I will end with this. You do understand you are defending a "Dojji type" favorite? Maybe that will add some perspective on the situation:lol:

Didn't he have a chance to sign with any team that made him an offer? You think he goes back to Japan if someone was willing to offer him a "chance" to play in the MLB?

Bound to get brought up eventually. I would actually prefer Johnson to say Halladay. I know the price is going to be steep. But Johnson would make a nice #3/4/5, and is a good fall back plan if Beckett can not be signed. Not saying it will be easy, but something the Sox should undoubtedly look in on.