SoxSport

And in the meantime, he's blocking a spot in the rotation for one of several prospects they have with higher upside. Dempster looks like a 4.50 ERA guy to me in Boston--the kind of ERA which will keep them in the cellar for the average hitting team they have.

As best I can see, the way things are developing, the Red Sox have held the line against signing anybody who requires draft compensation, or who wants more than 3 years. That means they are getting the leftovers--not the best players. It's a pretty dumb attitude when you consider the small amount of quality FAs available. It keeps them from signing a Hamilton or a Swisher or a Sanchez. Sanchez I don't mind, because his value is way overrated from what he has shown the last couple years.Forget one month at the end of the season--too small a sample size to be paying this guy a fortune. But Swisher is the kind of live wire they need on this dead team.

I doubt the Red Sox will sign anymore players unless the Napoli deal falls through. And by that time, the best alternatives will be gone.

This one makes you gag. This guy is a stiff.

saving his ammunition for what? Ellsbury? Boras will want Hamilton money if Ells hits .270next year and steals 40 bases. Hamilton is one of the top 5 hitters in baseball, and his personal life has never affected his play. He's worth 5/125.

You have to overbid--to get a player of this stature. You make an offer he can't refuse. He never gave Texas a last chance, as he promised, from what I've heard. The result is he held up the whole FA process--for nothing. The Red Sox had the money to outbid the Angels--but they passed. They are a pussy organization.

Fox Sports has changed MLB with those huge TV contracts to the LA teams--that blow the Yankees and their Yes network out of the water. The result is both LA teams are stockpiling the biggest FAs and driving the FA price up to unreachable heights for most other teams. What will Selig do? My guess is he will double the surtax. At any rate, the game is in trouble because the playing field has never been so warped. The Red Sox had a golden opportunity to upgrade their team with the Dodgers' generosity last year. I mean really upgrade their team with prime FAs like Hamilton. But they blew it all on middling players who will have minimal impact on a team that is weak in pitching. Wait until Henry finds them still in last place next year, and wonders why.

How can Dumpster refuse a dumbass offer he isn't going to get anywhere else? They are wasting a lot of money on a guy who is almost a batting practice pitcher at this point-certainly in the AL east. You don't throw those kind of bucks at a back of rotation pitcher--even if he once pitched for Henry's Marlins--too long ago.

With Dumpster, the next coming of Pedro Martinez, to be in the fold shortly, the Red Sox will have signed every FA who doesn't cost a draft pick--if my count is correct. Brilliant. Just kidding. In the meantime, that other LA Fox team, the Angels, apparently are going to scarf up Hamilton and leave their rival Rangers holding the bag. The media missed this one--just like they missed Pujols last year. IF you want to know who is signing the big FAs, just FOLLOW THE MONEY. That means the two LA teams. I think I said that a while back in a post showing the local TV revenue for all the teams. The two LA teams are way above everybody else--dwarfing even the Yankees.

I heard Dempster wants to go to the NL. After seeing what he did for the Rangers, who can blame him. Putting him in the AL East is like tying a stick of dynamite to his leg. He'll get destroyed. There are conflicting reports out there on how the Sox view him. I hope Cafardo is wrong on this one. It's disturbing to see the media hype pitching prospects like Bauer, as if they are immediate Cy Young candidates, while saying the Red Sox have to add pitching--with 2 or 3 top prospects sitting in AAA. And that kid SS the DBacks just got--being compared to Jeter. A green kid who can't hit a lick--like Iglesias and Dee Gordon. Just a lot of BS hype.

Dempster is a warning sign they are going in the wrong direction--again. Developing prospects and tying up roster spaces for declining vets so the prospects get stuck in AAA. Why can't they see that? They have two pitchers from the Dodgers plus one or two others, including that knuckleballer who can pitch anywhere. On many teams, the prospects get a chance to crack the rotation. On the Red Sox, the rotation gets filled by FAs and fading vets. And the prospects fester in AAA. Great for Pawtucket, which won their league last year. Bad for the Red Sox, who refuse to improve their pitching from within.

Buying high on Dempster, who is no better than what they have, is a waste of money. The Red Sox organization is dull and flaccid.

And now they are close to signing Dempster, Mr Mediocrity. Why the hell they want this guy I'll never know. He's worse than what they have. He did pitch for Henry's Marlins a million years ago.

The Red Sox have several top pitching prospects right now. Not sure they are in the market for another. I hear Bauer had a problem with Montero, the DBacks catcher. Not sure that's a factor with other teams. Would rather see them sign Wilson for the bullpen, as Bard may not come back and Bailey is a continuous injury risk.

I think what's happening here is they want to sign Swisher to play 1B, keep Ells in CF into next year, and play Napoli mainly at catcher. This increases their concern about his ankle. And they have a history of modifying contracts (eg, Drew) because of previous injuries. One regret they may have is AdGon's contract, which omitted any provision about his shoulder. And Adgon hasn't been the same hitter he was in SD since his shoulder op. They were very lucky to get out of his contract. The recent trades may have affected their thinking--they might see Hamilton as staying in Texas now, since Texas didn't get Greinke and Upton isn't being traded because the DBacks got their SS. That means their fallback, Swisher, may now be in play for them--which shifts their thinking somewhat on Napoli--more towards catcher than 1B. Hence, the increased ankle concern. Just some speculation based on what I've read. They have a bunch of money to spend, and I think the value they see is more in Swisher/Hamilton than the pitching. Plus they now have several excellent prospects who could fit into the rotation soon. They are in a position to outbid everybody except the LA Fox teams for anybody they want--except maybe Hamilton, who might take less to stay in Texas.

Youks is in decline. They'll need to platoon him at 3B. Nobody else would give him $12 mil. They aren't getting the player of a few years ago. You wonder if the Yankees aren't in decline as well.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/24080/source-red-sox-have-interest-in-swisher Edes confirms the Sox are after Hamilton and want Swisher if they can't get Hamilton. This is consistent with my previous posts about the need for more thump in the middle of the lineup.A throwback to the days when Manny was around. Shows that their thinking is not far off. I'd expect them to go after pitching only if they don't get either of the two outfielders. Edes says they won't go over 3 years on Hamilton, but that could be posturing. Lucchino said they were not going to give contracts for "6, 7, 8 years." He didn't say 4 or 5. Given the monetary situation, the Sox are in great position to outbid everybody on Hamilton except the LA teams, who aren't involved at this point.

might be a 40 man roster issue that's causing the Napoli delay.

might be a 40 man roster issue that's causing the delay.

There's a decent chance Gonzo won't be the same guy power-wise he was before the shoulder surgery. The Dodgers don't care because they wanted him for their Mexican fans. The Sox were damn lucky to have the Dodgers in a generous mood.

They should grab him for 4 yrs. They can afford it, and he fills the middle of their lineup. One of the top 3-4 hitters in baseball.You only live once--not twice, like James Bond. This would be a ballsy move--trade Boras/Ellsbury for a pitcher. Sign Wilson, too, in case Bailey slips on a banana peel. No joke there. The arms, by the way are the three top prospects they have--two from the Dodgers and the knuckleballer Wright, who they say is ready right now. Why sign more pitchers long term when you've got these guys? DeLaRosa is a stud.

No fit for he or Hamilton unless they deal Ellsbury and Vic plays CF. It's not out of the question but unlikely. Hamilton would have to fall into their laps for 3-4 years. Does Ross fit part-time? Not for the money he wants. I think they have their OF right now, unless they trade Ells. Not much power out there in the corners except for Gomes, who is a platoon player. Maybe Ells will find his power again.

With the Red Sox pitching and Fenway, you can never have enough hitting. I was not referring to current FAs as "retreads." The retreads are all the pitchers the Red Sox signed last year.

I like Swisher better than Upton. Better batting eye, switch hitter, more consistent. Wish Hamilton would sign with the Rangers so the Sox can go after Swisher.

You heard the saying, "You can never have enough pitching?" Well, with the Red Sox pitching, you can never have enough hitting.