BSN07

Alot of that list is a little far fetched. I'm not being a homer or anything but do you really only see the sox making 1 move out of the top 50 players? Come on atleast 2. Just some thoughts.

Yes I agree that would be amusing. There won't be 29 bids, only a handful of teams will be biding for Matsuzaka. Seatlle released a Statement saying the owner has decided on not pursuing him. Besides do you expect teams like Tampa, Kansas city and thoses teams to bid? And yes this very well could be the quiet before the storm, I think the sox bid 28 million, and sign him for 5 years 65-75 million. This is just a flat out guess on my part ,don't read too much into it.

GG are voted it on coaches of the ball clubs. redsox.com has a link to mlb.com and it explains the proccess, and yes Lowell got hosed that would have been big for his trade value don't you think? Just some thoughts.

Seems as tho mostly everyone is on the same page here.

Hilarious reply's guys. Keep them coming.

I agree good number's for 2nd maybe SS or cf, but you would have to be getting alot of production from somewhere else like 3b. I know it may be a long shot but get ARAM away from the CHC. Then you could except 12-15 hrs, 60 RBI,and a OBP of .370.

Bonderman is said to be being shopped for offense. I'm not sure if thats enough for Manny. Maybe if there was a prospect in there as well. I have to consider Manny is worth 2 major leaguers and a prospect. That's not an over priced theroy for a first ballot hall of famer that will produce well for the next 4 or 5 years.

Just a thought here about Youk. If we get a lead off hitter we could expect Youk to drop in the line up. Being a leadoff hitter implies your responsiblity as getting on base and in scoring position for number 3 and 4. With that said would it be that big of a surprise to see Youks power numbers go up now that he isn't leading off? Just a thought.

SEATTLE -- There figures to be a handful of Major League teams who will be involved in the posting process for the right to sign Japanese starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. But the Seattle Mariners won't be one of them. Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi confirmed on Wednesday that the team's owner, Hiroshi Yamauchi, opted against pursuing the 26-year-old right-hander. "A decision has been made by Mr. Yamauchi," Bavasi said, "that we will not be participating in the bidding process, and it's a decision that our baseball department concurs with." One factor -- one large factor -- that could have steered the Mariners' interest away from making a run at Matsuzaka in the posting process might have been the anticipated asking price just to win the rights to negotiate with him. The winning bid in the posting process for Matsuzaka is rumored to be in the neighborhood of $25 million and possibly as high as $30 million. That's certainly a far cry from what Seattle paid to win rights to negotiate with outfielder Ichiro Suzuki in the fall of 2000. Beyond that, the team with the highest bid to Matsuzaka's current team -- the Seibu Lions -- has 30 days to negotiate a contract. Matsuzaka, who is being represented by agent Scott Boras, could command an annual salary in the neighborhood of $10 million. Seattle paid a reported $13.1 million to Ichiro's Japanese team -- the Orix Blue Wave -- to win the rights to sign him. Matsuzaka hasn't officially been posted by the Lions but is expected to soon. There are a handful of teams reportedly interested in him, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. After Seibu rejected his demand to be posted after the 2005 season, Matsuzaka went out and helped Japan to the World Baseball Classic title in March and was named the Most Valuable Player. He was even better for Seibu this past season, posting 17 victories in 25 starts with an ERA of 2.13 to go with 200 strikeouts in 186 1/3 innings. Much has been made of his "gyroball," a pitch that looks like a hanging curveball only to dart sharply away from right-handed hitters with the cutting action of a slider. The Mariners -- who said at the end of the regular season that their most pressing need was starting pitching -- are expected to turn to other candidates like San Francisco's Jason Schmidt and Texas' Adam Eaton, among others. Schmidt (Kelso) and Eaton (Snohomish) both have ties to the Pacific Northwest and are believed to have interest in the Mariners. Schmidt was 11-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 32 starts for the Giants last season. He struck out 180 in 213 1/3 innings. He'll turn 34 in January. Eaton, who will turn 29 on Nov. 23, was 7-4 with a 5.12 ERA in 13 starts. He missed the first half of the season after he injured the middle finger on his throwing hand and needed surgery at the end of Spring Training. Jarrod Washburn and Felix Hernandez are the only certain starting pitchers coming back in 2007, as Gil Meche is a free agent Just got this from mlb.com, Just thought I'd put it up here not sure I buy it tho.

Injury's definately didn't help, but he also didn't have that confident demenor that he had in o4' so that leads me to believe his confidence was no there like it was. Either one or the other or both lead to him pitching the way he has recently.

Yes it's time to let Pedroia play 2nd. I've been hearing about him for like 3 years now. His D can't be worse the loretta's and his bat either, plus he's young and cheap. And Kevin Millar is an A? Not talking crap about him he's good but maybe more like a B. Is this elias ranking or a ranking from an official site?

Yes it was structured that way. That is why I say if he opts out now he will be 33 he could get 18 million for the next 5 years(probably)from any team wanting a big bat/SS, or get 18 million for 2 or 3 years on the remainder of this contract then at age 35/36 he could get a 3 year deal but not for 18 million, he would have to take a decrease then. That's why I say he stands to make more if he opts out and leaves NYY. And all those who say he won't cause that means he failed in NY.... ummmm he failed in Texas too but he left there as well. Just some thoughts.

I wish the Red Sox would go get him, I know they could do it. But it does seem ARAM is leaning towards the cubbies and that this was just a move to get a little more money out of Hendry. But you never know what team might offer him.

What's everyones dark horse here? What big name not expected to be moved/traded will be? What Free Agent will sign where no one expected? Just thought it be a fun one to debate. Mine is Mark Prior. If he goes somewhere else I think he helps whatever team more then he will ever beable to help the cubs. Just some thoughts.

Jesus I hope he is still not taking up a roster spot, he should have been paying us last year to watch his pathetic efforts.

For 30 million you should beable to buy the hole Seibu Lions Team! Just some thoughts.

I'm also starting to warm up to the idea of Matsuzaka. I've been reading on him more and more and it looks as tho he has way higher potential the any of imports before him. With a mid 90's fastball and from what I hear great comand of off speed stuff and only being what 26? Then maybe this is the one we should go after. I don't think it will take 30 million to talk to him either. It's just the Seibu Lions blowin smoke up MLB's back side so that they get as big a pay day as him. The hole bling bid is the biggest skam i've ever heard of.

Milledge and Heilman huh? For who Manny? I'm not sold on that if manny goes anywhere he has to bring back pitching of major league ready caliber and i'm not to sure of Heilman. I mean I was iffy on trading him to LAA for Ervin Santanna. I'm just saying like I have before I have a hard time believing in trading a sure fire first ballot H.O.F. for potential. And Manny sitting out the last 7 weeks was it really all that bad? Yes if he stayed with it we might have got the wild card but we would have been gone in the first round because of lack of pitching. If he had plpayed and messed the knee up more where it would have needed bigger surgery would it have been worth it for a 1st round exit? I'm glad he shut it down he will be more valuable next season then he would have been the last few weeks of the season this year. Besides come on most fans that know baseball know we didn't have a chance with or without Manny in the line up, yes he's a nut job but let Manny do his thing and hit 35 HRS and knock in 120RBI and I don't care if he comes out to play LF at Fenway in a Tom Brady jersey and flip flops.

Yes but in an interview on ESPN during the regular season, I think more towards the beginning, Roy Oswalt talked of retiring in a couple of years. Do we really want to send all those prospects away for someone who isn'sure how long they want to keep playing? If you make the Jones trade fine but keep him.

Well what would make them more competitve right now happened this morning when ARAM opted out of his contract. Should ARAM be Boston's new #1 target? Just some food for thought.

Whoever is gonna catch him head to Wakefield's house in FL for the winter and get in some work so you don't look like Bard( poor guy).

ARAM might be the new #1 on Boston's list. Sign him up and theres the 5 hole hitter you been looking for, then trade Lowell for bullpen help or as a package deal for a starter. Just some thoughts.

Do you see a possible trade between the Red Sox and Yankees to acquire Alex Rodriguez? A change of scenery and being able to play shortstop again in a city other than New York could serve him well. -- Rob G., Greenwood, Ind. The Yankees are picking up Gary Sheffield's option so they can trade him to a team of their choice. Translation: They are trying to keep him away from the Red Sox. The fact they are going to such measures with Sheffield makes it clear to me that they would never in a million years entertain thoughts of dealing A-Rod to Boston. found it on redsox.com just thought I paste it.( Ian Browne blog)

Thanks GOM I completely agree with you even tho i´m a sox fan but atleast your a NYY fan with some common sense. I caught some crap for not wanting AROD on the team but all I was saying was like you said not for Papi. If he was a FA and since we need a ss and someone to hit behind Manny then yes, and with ARAM opt out of the CHC the only team I can see him maybe going to is LAA. I still say he plays another year and opts out of his contract and signs somewhere else to play SS. I´m not positive but I´m sure I read that the last few years of his contract are in the 19 to 22 million range? Is it really that hard to believe he opt out of a place he hates at age 33 and go sign a 5 year deal for 90-100 million to play SS in a place that will embrace him? For those who say he won´t leave all that money on the table is bs. He stands to make more if he opts out, how you say? Well if he opts out after the season he will be 33, it´s easy to say most any team would give him a 4 or 5 year deal in the 80-100rnge, if he stays for the remainder of his contract then when it´s over he will be 35/36? Somewhere in there and will not beable to get that 4 or 5 year deal for the big bucks more like a 3 year deal for much less also depending on how he is producing. So it´s not that hard to believe he will opt out.

Any team that signs old roid boy I will no longer have any respect for. If your a gm how could you? No one signed Palmerio after his episode and yes I know Bonds hasn't tested positive but to even bring that "maybe he did"to your clubhouse is just a bad idea. Besides at this point I believe bonds is near the bottom of the hill, he went over it a few seasons to go. The only reason I see to bring him in is to beat the HR record. And that will bring in more conterversy and publicity good and bad. Besides I think it's not a real issue for the HR record because even tho i'm a Red Sox fan I believe if AROD stays healthy he will be the new HR champ at the end of his career.