BSN07

Well I'm glad to see Theo put a deadline on this. Make some of the teams interested in Manny sweat a little. And it's good that he wants to put this behind him so he can move onto more of the teams needs. I'm just glad it will hopefully be all over wednesday. Question, if Manny is going to be here next season, would you hit Drew behind him or hit him in the #2 spot?

1. Kemp 2. Broxton 3. Loney/Billingsley 4. Penny/Laroche That's what I would rank them.

Just a thought, but since we need a back up catcher this year,I was thinking maybe if we dealt Manny to LA and threw in a low level prospect, we could get back the kids we want but also have LA throw in Toby Hall. He be a decent backup for a year and I doubt we would have to give up anyone that wasn't just a mid to low level prospect anyway. Just an idea.

If he doesn't get traded, I will go on record now saying he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season. I could be wrong by all accounts but i'll be one of the first to say it, that way maybe I can say "I told you so"lol:D

Got this from foxsports.com thought it would make for good debate. The Yankees have been awfully quiet this offseason, and it is interesting how in the last couple of days Alex Rodriguez has been whispered more and more. By most accounts, the White Sox would like to trade for Rodriguez with Joe Crede and one of two pitchers, Mark Buehrle or Freddy Garcia as bait. Publicly, Rodriguez’ agent, Scott Boras, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman have said there will be no trade. Given the keg of gunpowder and pile of cash that always seems within reach of owner George Steinbrenner, the volume on Rodriguez swap-talk could start dialing up this week. Posted December 04, by Ben Maller

Like I said on another thread, any combo of Penny/Kemp/Loney Penny/Kemp/Laroche Broxton/Kemp/Loney Broxton/Kemp/Laroche Billingsly/Kemp/Loney Billingsly/Kemp/Laroche Broxton/Billingsly/Kemp I would consider a nice deal. In my opinion Kemp has to come back in any circumstance, if not then either, Penny/Loney/Broxton Broxton/Billingsly/Loney/Laroche( we have to throw down some money or something else for this one)

I was reading an article on bostonherald.com. It was basically all about the winter meetings and what teams needs where. But in one part of it, I was interested to see that the writer said there have been very quiet whispers about AROD. Yes I know they have said there not trading him and he has said it too. But the so called "big" thing cashman could be planning might be an AROD trade. I mean it makes sense if your AROD to deny wanting to be traded so that your not hatted even worse if they can't get a deal done. Then once your traded who gives a F what the fans think from your former team. Cashman can say it was a deal he couldn't pass up or whatever. Not saying its concrete by any stretch of the imagination but just thought I would bring it up after I read it. Besides the NYY have an over abundance of offense and have enough to get by without AROD. They need pitching, and if AROD could bring in some quality pitching then why not. As a Sox fan I would rather them keep him, have all those distractions and not get any pitching for him. But thats just me being apart of RSN. If I was the GM for NYY, I would consider moving him for pitching help.

Drew has to be aware of what is being said about him in BOS. He has to know what it's like play in BOS from either Boras the FO, reporters ect. He has to be on some level aware of what it's going to take to play here. I'm sure he's getting offers to play elsewhere, maybe for not as much money, but I think he does realize what he's getting himself in into. Theres just no way he comes to BOS and gets blind sided and says"wow I didn't know it would be like this playing in BOS". With that said I'm willing to give him the benifit of the doubt and let his play do the talking. Like Schilling said in his interview last week about Drew, He hopes the fans give him a chance to prove himself and not boo him if he doesn't get a hit every at bat. Let's give him a chance before we totaly kill the guy before he even puts a uniform on. All be it it might turn out bad, and in that case let him have it, but let's just give him enough rope to hang himself, and see what he does from there. I mean for God sake we put up with WMP out in RF last year. If Drew doesn't come threw with the bat, even the people who don't like him agree he has great D, and probably is the only one out there besides Trot that can play RF good at Fenway.

Latest news has Penny, Loney and Laroche in a deal for Manny. Not a bad package, in anypackage we either have to get Broxton/Billingsly/Penny, after that Id like for them to sub Kemp for either Laroche or Loney, only because they play 1B and 3rd, and we have Youk to play one of them. Penny/Kemp/Loney Penny/Kemp/Laroche Broxton/Kemp/Loney Broxton/ Kemp/Laroche Billingsly/Kemp/Loney Billingsly/Kemp/Laroche I think Kemp has to be a player that comes back in a trade, a power hitting CF, that can play any of the OF positions would be nice. Any combo of the above I would go for.

All of that being said, Manny's bat is great. But everyone who wants to keep him around on the team fails to realize or is just daft that "HE DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN BOS ". Listen I love the guy as much as the next person, but if you don't want to be here, and give 100% to the team, then I really don't want to pay you 20 million dollars to wine and be a distraction for the guys that do love BOS and want to play. We got what we wanted from him, we got a WS title, he's given us great memorys and made us laugh. He's 35 supposidly is starting to have knee issues and his desire to play lets just say is not what it was. Can't blame him for that tho, he has a WS ring, millions upon millions of dollars and is a first ballot HOF. He has nothing more to prove to us or anyone. So lets get the best deal we can for him, make the team a little younger( hungrier). Everyone says with Manny gone we will have no offense, yes it won't be as good but just because we don't have the big 3-4 cobo anymore won't mean we can't score runs. Believe it or not the Sox have made the playoffs with out Manny and Ortiz. Most teams aren't blessed with having that combo but they still make the playoffs and win. I would much rather have a balanced attack on offense( with Manny gone, and Drew, Lugo if signed, the line up will be much more balanced) and a dominate pitching staff( new rumor with peny coming to bos for manny) anyday rather then just a 3-4 combo with no other support in the line up. For argument sake, lets say Drew, Lugo sign, and we get some combo of Penny/Kemp/Loney/Laroche/Broxton/Billingsly back for Manny this is what 07 could look like. SS Lugo 1B Youk/Loney RF Drew( he can't protect Papi, might as well have Papi protect him) DH Papi 3B Lowell/ Youk( Lowell might be dealt for BP help if Loney or Laroche come back in LA trade) LF WMP/Kemp C Varitek CF Crisp 2B Pedroia Rotation 1. Schilling 2. Beckett 3. Matsuzaka 4. Penny 5. Papelbon Bullpen is just to far away from being complete and too many different ways to go, so I won't bother. Yes this team isn't an offensive juggernaut, but it is solid, and a pretty damn good rotation too. I for one would rather have this team then, a mediocre pitching staff, and the best 3-4 combo in the game thsat is only gonna last 2 years at the most anyway.

Soriano is a .280 career hitter, averages 30-35 HRs a year and about 85 to 90 RBI, and a OBP .325 over 7 seasons, Manny is a .314 career hitter, averages 30-40 HRs, 125 RBI and a .411 OBP over 12 seasons. Manny is a first ballot HOF, Soriano is not. Thats why you either get 3 top prospects, or one ML and two top prospects for Manny, and only 1 for Soriano. Soriano is an All Star caliber player, but does not have the plate discipline or the overall skill Manny has at the plate. Manny is the best RH hitter maybe in BOS history and the best the game has seen in along time. Thats why you ask for alot and if you don't get it then you just keep him. The only reason I say trade him is because if he truly does want out then Id get the best deal I could for him and send him off before he becomes more of a distraction.

Agreed RS, forgott o mention those:)

I agree with you GOM, it is hard to justify trading him but he doesn't want to be hear. He's given the fans enough, might as well get something in return for him. You as a NYY fan will be dealing with this next off season in the form of AROD. If he has another year like last year and the media continues to bash him, I think he opts out and signs elsewhere. I know what he has said but I still think after this season AROD plays elsewhere.

You all are forgeting a very importsnt detail, Manny will never play in Seattle! He has a list of like 12 teams and i'm sure the awful f@%*$ing Mariners aren't one of the teams. Our offense will not be the same, but with Drew and Lugo( if both are signed) it will be a decent line up. I just heard something about a LA trade that would send Penny, and 2 of the following, either Kemp, Loney, and LaRoche. Our pitching staff would be lights out. Yes we won't have a top ranked offense, but I'll take a dominate pitching staff over that anyday anyways. About the line up, if Manny is traded and Drew is signed, why not put Drew in the 3rd spot and have Papi hit 4th. Seemingly you would be offering Drew the best protection he has ever had and his stats would more then likely go up. Since theres now no one to protect Papi( unless a big trade happens which is not likley maybe until trade deadline), you might as well use him in away that makes other players in your lineup better. As far as closer..... Gagne is an option, he says he feels great so maybe a incentive one year deal with maybe an option on the 2nd if he reaches so many appearances, innings yada yada yada, all beat it I don't think they will be able to pull another Papelbon out of the hat this year. But i'm sure come opening day we will have what we will believe to be a legitiment closer in the bullpen.

Thats not a half bad trade. Id sub Kemp for either laroche or loney, only because we have Youk to play 3rd or 1ST. If it was my choice I suppose I'd choose, Penny,Kemp, and Loney.

I'm a Roberts fan. He's a scrappy give it everything you got type player. A little steep in price for his age but good for him. He gave us alot of good memorys, so i'm glad to see him make a little money before his career is over. Good Luck D.R.! As far as SF attempt to head to a youth movement, that lasted all of what? 3 weeks? Julio Franco will be a FA in 08, he probably could get a 3 year deal from SF:thumbsup:

Wow an actual signing that makes a little sense. I'm surprised with the market the way it is, he didn't get a 4 year 40 million contract( sarcasm) Kudos to Seattle for making a decent signing and not getting raked over the barrel like so many other teams are getting. So thats 2 contracts so far this off season that weren't absolutely absurd, 1. Alou 2. Guillen

Whatever they decide to do, I wish the decide it already and move on. Except an offer from someone, or come out and say he's under contract for us and he will be playing for us. The constant babble this subject causes and the ridculous rumors are becoming a bit boaring and warn out. I'm all for talking rumors and enjoy it alot, but everyday it's something new and the reporter's reporting it seem to think it's solid info. But then the next day it's different then it was the day before. Either get solid facts or don't discuss it. It's getting annyoing hearing Buster Olney or Tim Kurkjan( sorry for butchering his name) flapping there gums about a possible Manny trade and how the expect him to be traded any day like they have an actual reliable source to the hole dealings. There sources are un reliable at best, like Tim's that told him that Soriano was going to the CHW at the trade deadline, and that was supposed to be a "sure thing." If there just gonna thorw random s*** out there for rumors there no more reliable then the people who come up with trade ideas in this forum. Sorry for the rant, but you would think out of all these reporters they could eventually get something right, not just BS that fills in there blogs. But none of them don't want to admit to not having a F*#@ing clue as to whats going on and that there guess is as good as anyones.

TEK is a huge part of this team, a leader of the clubhouse and pitching staff. I have to look at this froom an un bias position tho. Tek is not likely to bounce back with big numbers. He might have a better BA or OBP but as far as power numbers go I just don't see him being able to put them up. I think this might be Tek's last year as the full time catcher. With Kottras waiting in the wings( and from what I hear hes a solid prospect). He will have one year left on his contact after this year, and will probably and hopefully spend 2008 grooming Kottras on how to run the pitching staff. It's too bad his bat wasn't a little better, maybe then he could play some 1B for them on occasion to give his knees some rest. On a side note, with his preperations for games and his handeling of the pitching staff( if you didn't realize how big a factor he was, look what happened when he wasn't there) does anyone see the SOX offering him a coaching job when his contract is up( or when he decides to stop playing)? As a bench coach or maybe a pitching coach assistant or something.Something that would keep him involved with the pitchers prep for game. I mean he would have to be valuable in that sort of way wouldn't he?

It's being reported on foxsports.com that SD will not include Peavy in a Manny deal.:thumbdown F... them, they don't get him then:harhar: . Send him to LA for the kids, and SD can watch him make LA division champs. Linebrink and Gonzalez are not enough for Manny. Maybe if they threw in Greene. But with no Peavy, I would rather have the LA trade or just keep him.

If Lugo falls threw, it could very well be one of those under the radar type deals that could play out nicely. He can play all IF positions besides 1B. I'd say he's worth having on the team for that alone, his bat, age, inexpensive contract are all pluses.

Rican, you may very well be right. I haven't read anything on him recently, but from something I read awhile back said not to count on him too much in 07. But like I said things might have changed. If I come across anything concrete I'll post it.

Nice article on bostonglobe.com about bringing back Trot. Saying They might offer arbitration to him and have him platoon with WMP. They say if it is offered it's a good sign Manny will be dealt. They said the top trade right now being talked about is Peavy from SD. With WMP/Nixon, Drew and Crisp in the OF(where they each play is up for debate, WMP has to be only considered in LF tho) theres alot of options. As far as the offense goes the article says a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Peavy, Matsuzaka, Papelbon might out weigh the lack of a big hitter( Manny). If the Sox can get Peavy and Gonzalez( maybe a prospect in there), put Youk at 3rd and send Lowell out for more bullpen stability or a closer, they have to pull the trigger. yes we would lose Manny but the entire team will be better and more well rounded.

Well he might not even be ready for the 07 season. But there has been said to be like 12-15 teams looking at him including, Baltimore( which scares because anyone BAL. wants is bad news:)), AZ,STL,TEX,TOR,TB,SF,LA, those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. So there's a market for him for sure. But it might be sign him now for cheap, and hope he pitches well for you in 08. But with players today he might beable to do some good in 07.

Bill Hall the guy who hit 30 HRfor the brewers last season at 2nd, is said to be moving to the OF or will be traded. He is said to be good with the glove at either 2B SS or 3B. This was mentioned in another forum, but if Lugo falls threw would this guy be worth going after? I think he is 26 and pretty cheap salary wise. I mean he might not hit 30 HR in the AL, but 20 wouldn't be bad from our SS. What does everyone think of maybe trying to trade for this guy? And what would we have to give up in return for him? Just thought I'd bring it up. On a side note, I saw him on ESPN's Cold Pizza during the playoffs, and he doesn't seem shy at all, so I don't think he have a problem playing in BOS like so many other have had. During his week long stay on the show he seemed a little cocky( not too much tho, just enough), and said he likes the big spotlight and wished his team had made the playoffs, so that he could play in that sort of atmosphere. Hell every game at Fenway is like that:) Just a thought