SoxSport

On the subject of TB, just look at how they handle their starting pitching. They keep a constant flow of young talent flowing into the rotation. Sure, they have the talent, but the result is they can afford to trade off a couple of their starters for a hitting prospect. How many teams could do that? The Red Sox couldn't even afford to trade Lester-much less another starter, because they don't know what they have in their pitching prospects, and would have to spend more money signing a FA who might be worse than Lester. Right now, with the the Dodger deal, the Red Sox have a couple of prospects who might slide right into their rotation. DeLaRosa would have been in the Dodger rotation this year if they hadn't splurged on FAs and traded him. TB will have a couple of new kids in the rotation to go along with Moore, who needed a half-year to find his location last year. But he'll be good this year. In spite of all these youngsters, everybody likes TB's chances this year. The message to the Red Sox is give the prospects a chance and forget about signing retreads.

The trouble with the current list of available FA pitchers is they are no better than Lester or Buchholz or even Doubront and maybe Lackey. And they are going to be overpaid because the MF Dodgers with all their MF Fox money just way overpaid for Greinke. I say pass to these guys--no more 6 year $15 mil contracts to middle rotation starters. Better to leave a slot for an emerging prospect--like DeLaRosa or whoever shines in ST. Something the Red Sox have not done enough of in years. It has taken an injury to an old vet for a promising kid to get the call from Pawtucket. Teams like TB don't work like that--because they don't sign expensive FAs to tie up their roster. On the other hand, why do I look positively on throwing $25 mil at Hamilton? Because the guy is a proven stud--impact player. One of the top 5 in Baseball. I would push hard to make this happen--timing an important factor here. I also wouldn't mind having Swisher on my team, either, for $15 mil or so. Switch hitter, OF/1B, plenty of swagger. I go hard for him if Hamilton goes elswhere. I would much rather spend my money on Hamilton or Swisher than the current lot of FA starters. Go with those prospects. Give them a shot. Or trade Ellsbury for a starter. No more overpaid Lackeys and Becketts, please. Bring up the pitching prospects-- TB style.

Pretty solid. He always understates stats. Wonder what he thinks the needs are. I figured they wouldn't go after the FA pitchers. They need room for the pitching prospects to have a chance to win one or two slots.

Disconcerting to see the Phillies mentioned with Ross, Swisher and Hamilton--and nothing on the Red Sox--who have more money than the Phillies to spend at this point. Sometimes quiet in the media is a good sign--that's when deals are made. All of these guys are still in play for Boston. Swisher or Hamilton would give them more punch--especially Hamilton. They should not be through with dealing --yet. Upton is being oversold. The FAs are better value.

Epstein got fired--for losing the keys to the car--after he had been given them following his gorilla suit tantrum.

"Fredo" undoubtedly is getting a lot of help. He is doing what he is told to do. My feeling is they are going to have to do a lot of thumping with the pitching they have--unless one or two of their pitching prospects turn into Cinderella. The FA pitching out there right now may not be enough--or any better than what they have. I hope they don't regret moving on Hamilton--if they don't.

Everything will have to click for this team to get out of the cellar. Especially no injuries. The pitching will have to improve substantially, and so far they haven't done much to improve it. They have a few underachievers in the pitching who will have to turn around. And Lackey's coming back. Bailey will close the full year if he can avoid getting hit by the clubhouse toilet door. Bard will have to be Bard again. Most importantly, overachieving teams like the Orioles have to come down to earth, the Yankees have to decline and the Jays discover a bunch of stars doesn't buy you wins. And the Rays have to finally run out of starters after dealing a couple of good ones for a hitting prospect with a partial year in AAA. In other words, luck has to turn. A lot.

The long term deals thing is catching on in MLB. The data is accumulating where players start declining at 32, and some of the big tickets with long contracts are being paid as though they are a few years younger. Guys like Teixeira, for example. Happy they passed on him. It's not just the Red Sox who are holding the line. Of course, there's always some dumbass owner who will give a ridiculous contract just to get a guy. And then there's the Dodgers, who are making a shambles of Selig's surtax. He will have to push that surtax up to 200% to stop them.

Trade Rumors just posted KC got Shields and Wade Davis from TB for Myers plus other prospects.

Just saw "Bull Durham" again today. Aside from being about Susan Sarandon's pussy, there was a serious baseball message: the pitcher should never overrule the catcher on pitch calls. That means the catcher better know what he is doing. I get the impression that hasn't always been the case lately in Boston. Just another detail overlooked by the management.

Safe to say selling the team is just another possibility, based on the rumors out there, and based on their current financial state. Their moves so far haven't contradicted that possibility. In the late 1990s, when Harrington was putting the team up for sale, Duquette was suddenly given the green light to sign Manny to a long term deal--for the biggest bucks at the time. The media explanation at the time was the Sox were accumulating assets to jack up the selling price. Harrington suddenly got very generous with FAs after being stingy for awhile. I remember Fenway Park was a pigpen at the time--dirty seats, etc. Henry has behaved the opposite of Harrington up to this point. Of course, the team was way overstretched on spending, so he had to bail out with the Dodger deal. They had no financial room to plug holes. Now, they are nearer to middle ground. The team is more financially sound, and in a better state for Henry either to keep the team or sell. He could go either way.

The point about Napoli catching for Lackey in LA is a good one--and maybe was an incentive for Napoli to come to Boston.A indication he will be catching as well as playing 1B.

The guy in Fox business who originated the rumor stands by it. He says Henry has offered the team up for sale. His source might be one of those Henry contacted.

Texas is down to Hamilton and Upton. Or maybe a starter other than Greinke--if Ryan likes any of them. if I were Ryan, I would just re-sign Hamilton and walk away. Tower has been dangling Upton for several years now. His act is tired.

Maybe the Dodgers will buy the Red Sox. Maybe Henry has already asked them.

Every year, it seems the optimists win out over the pessimists in the Red Sox organization. They don't do enough, and sure enough, they come out short. This year, they need to add another starter from the FA pool.You know their pitching is never enough. Forget about trading for one--they can't afford to weaken their present lineup unless they sign a Swisher or a Hamilton.

They better add another starter. Too risky to assume every starter is going to rebound this year, and one of the prospects will stick. Always expect the worst. Besides, the world is passing them by rapidly in the AL East. Maybe Yankees, too.

Hamilton is better off staying in Texas, or even Seattle, than coming to the East coast. He's really a pretty fragile guy, when it comes to his personal problems, and he should stay away from the media in the Boston-NY axis.

Wilbur gives a different perspective on these short term deals: http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/wilbur/2012/12/is_red_sox_rebu.html He says Henry might be setting the team up for a sale in the near future. He also says the selloff to the Dodgers was done by upper management, not Cherington, as a number of sources have reported.

The team to watch for Ells is Cincinnati. Homer Bailey is trade bait.

A lot of the Yankee stuff on Hamilton is media driven. So much of the media is centered in NY, with the TV networks, ESPN, MLB TV, etc., the Yankees invariably become their favorite topic. Plus the advertising factor in the biggest TV market. There is always media pressure on the Yankees or any other NY team to win. Make the playoffs, etc. It's important for TV. Now the Fox coast in the West is challenging that. We'll see how that plays out. Right now, the Yankees are under media pressure to do something. They did nothing in the Winter meetings. They are almost obligated to become interested in Hamilton--but they have other more critical issues right now. It's a very old team.

Not Lackey. He may well rebound this year, after pitching with a bad elbow for 2 yrs. Could be the pitcher of several years ago. Salty will get traded. Other driftwood like Melancon should be discarded.

The Vic signing was a clear signal the Red Sox are preparing for Ellsbury's departure--sooner or later. He's a CFder.

Don't think it means much. They are interested, or else they wouldn't have seen him. They have to be interested. He's an impact player, and they have money. His first choice is to stay in Texas. Everybody knows that. If Texas gets Upton and Greinke, interest in Hamilton will jump.

Don't count on them to get close to 175. That's what got them in trouble. They had no room to maneuver.