Chisoxfn

He also mentioned that he played left a bit down in the minors and with the Brewers in spring training. Seems like a very humble person.

Seems like a nice guy.

Lehr will pitch out of there bullpen. Nothing special, 5 plus ERA last year at the major league level (after numerous years in AA/AAA). Does have solid k/9 ratio. Cruz doesn't look like a major league outfielder at this point. Seems like a very good move by Billy Beane. Cruz did hit over .300 in his first half season in AA (was promoted mid way through or so). Does have some power though, 26 homers in 133 games, but struck out 149 times.

I'll knock on wood for you. I sure as hell hope not.

Sosa would put up great numbers in Baltimore, but thats not a good deal payroll wise. The Cubs must be picking up a hell of a lot of Sosa's contract if that were to happen. Be an amazing deal for the Cubs.

Yesterday the rumor for Hairston and Julio involved Farnsworth and a prospect.

Obviously the Dbacks would do Rowand, Garland, Marte, Anderson, but that move just doesn't make sense for the Sox cause Rowand is cheap and will be around for a while. Of course Rowand could easily prove himself as being a one year wonder and that his numbers take a bit of a dive. Still, I can't see Kenny giving him up. He's a grinder, but ocassionally Kenny gives up guys he doesn't want to because the other guys makes the team better. Ie, him giving up Olivo.

Oh I agree, Marte is cheap, but if it gets Randy Johnson, I don't care. This gives the Sox the best starting pitcher in baseball (arguably) and he'll be here this year and next. After that I don't care. Garland is solid but may be gone after this season anyway and Marte is solid but the Sox have a better pen then last year anyway and if they deal him I'd like to see them find a lefty to semi replace him (Scho is the guy I like). And then if Anderson and Diaz or whatever two prospects are a part of the deal then fine. The Sox aren't really giving up that much of there future, but it is a solid deal for the Dbacks as well. They are going to get 2 everyday players (Garland and Everett), a near everyday reliever (Marte), plus Diaz or whomever probably plays as well in the pen. And a future to get another starter out of Anderson/Sweeney.

Sweet, thats when my next break from studying comes.

Now thats thinking outside the box.

Badass...Thanks Willie

The acquisitions of Vizcaino and Hermanson make Marte available, thats for sure. I just hope Kenny is adamant about not giving up his boy Rowand.

My new job is to create work for other mods. I think I'll run over to PHT and make a post about the Sox signing Jermaine Dye and Dustin Hermanson.

ROFLMAO....I'm sure that crazy guy from WS still thinks I'm a little odd

Techinically the Sox have 10 mill available right now, so the 12 mill gained from the salary would increase the Sox budgeted payroll 2 million. Meaning there payroll would be 77 million, 2 million over the alleged 75 mill budget.

Call me crazy, but a healthy Scho can sure up the pen pretty good. He's not quite Marte, but I think Scho (as a reliever) is one of the best in baseball (in terms of a lefty reliever). Plus having Hermy and Vizcaino who are both gains. You lose a bit from Marte to Scho but gain a lot in Hermy and Vizcaino. Still giving the Sox a very good pen.

Disagree, I think only one of them is on his boards with Chris Young being a guy that will be on his 3 year board in the next year or two. Rowand is going to be here for a while. Now Spod will likely be too.

Ya, supposedly you can't trade a deferred thing. But I still have my doubts cause whenever Griffey was rumored to be dealt it was considered a nice thing that some of his money was deferred. But I think most everyone proved me wrong. But if RJ would agree to defer the money again and the union or whomever wrote it off then it would be fine. He did it once to ensure a world series and I'm sure he'd do it again. Plus, the Sox aren't going to get him without signing an extension. RJ wants another year guaranteed if he's dealt and when doing that negotiation you could negotiate or talk about the current year deferred, imo. Regardless, following the deal I expect the Sox to have somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5 mill available to spend.

One thing I want to say is. Richrd Hildalgo got 5-6 mill a year one year. Everett will be 4 mill this year. Now Hildalgo is better defensively but if in shape Everett is still versatile and can hit, just as good as Hildalgo can. Everett at 4 mill compared to Hildalgo at 5-6 mill is a realistic thing for the Sox to look at. Lets also remember the Arizona was interested in both Hildalgo and Dye but missed out; I actually do think Everett fits similarly to Hildalgo. If given the option, I think Everett is more likely to put up better numbers then Richard.

I'm not going to count Rowand in this, cause like I've said, I wouldn't make a deal involving him. So thats roughly 9 mill the Sox give up. They gain 10.5 and 6 deferred for a total of 16.5 mill. Its been argued that a traded player can force to get rid of his deferrals meaning the Sox would have to pay 16.5 mill this year. I'll assume it this way first. With that the case, you add the 6 mill saved from the Lee deal and your already at (9+6) 15 million. So the Sox still had 3-4 mill under budget prior to the Lee deal, which means after the RJ deal (16.5-15 = 1.5; 4-1.5 = 2.5) the Sox still have 2.5 mill remaining from the supposed 74-75 mill budget. However, if the Sox can keep Rj's contract deferred and this could happen since the Sox will likely be forced to negotiate an extension and put in that the first year is also deferred still; I think they can do this with approval). Then you figure if he only gets 10.5 mill, counted this years budget (don't know how JR will do it), then that leaves the Sox with (10.5 - 9 = 1.5; 10 - 1.5 = 8.5) 8.5 million leftover following the trade with the budget staying at 75 million. I do think that JR will up payroll to 80 mill if the deal is made (and the money isn't deferred) which would essentially give the Sox 7.5 million. So regardless, if this deal goes down, I think the Sox will still have 7.5-8.5 million available to fill some remaining holes.

I read something saying that its going to be hard for him to get two big name players because of some 40/60 financing rule. So before he makes any big moves in the rotation, he's going to first have to unload Brown or Vazquez, imo. Otherwise there rotation will be filled out. Pavano, Mussina, Vazquez, Brown, Wright. They could still sign Milton, but that would be cause they know Brown is going to get hurt, lol.

Imo, the Sox don't wait till Xmas, unless Kenny has a very good feeling (i'm talking 75-90% odds) that he's going to get RJ. He can't let the other FA pitchers jump off the market cause trading for RJ still leaves them a void. I'm assuming JR would up payroll roughly 5 million if they picked up RJ. I also think the front 4 with RJ coming aboard would look awfully good. But they need to get a serviceable 5th like Elo (who should do better then he did last year). And Elo did not leave the Sox on bad terms, I think he would gladly come back, as long as no one offers him a 3 year deal (thus far Washington hasn't done that, If they had, he'd of been signed already).

I agree the Dbacks are going to ask for Rowand. I just hope Kenny backs down on it and gives up prospects instead. Anderson and anyone not named Sweeney/Bmac and Everett. If it takes a package with Rowand, I think you say no and sign Clement or Perez. Marte is a very good reliever, Garland has upside, Anderson has upside, Diaz/Munoz could come in and be other pitchers, while Everett can help them now. I don't know if the Dbacks do it, but I tell them NO Rowand. Unless of course the Sox are willing to find a bat to replace him. I guess you could see Everett in left and Spod in CF but I don't want to see that. I'd want to see the Sox do something to replace Rowand and thats Beltran and I don't see that happening, lol.

Reds made two good moves in my mind. Weathers is a quality reliever and if Weber figures things out they pick up another good reliever. By the way ignore the Rotoworld thing that says Weber, who had been with the Astros.

Plus the Yanks don't seem as desperate lately, especially with Boston having such an awful offseason. Bostons pitching staff is going to have 3 guys right around 40...in Wakefield, Schill, and Boomer. There are some definate questions surrounding Boston and I think they'll get desperate and make a big time offer for Burnett (don't think Fla does it unless a 3rd team is involved that gives Fla a major league pitcher) or Clement. They don't have enough for Huddy, although Hanley Ramirez could definately interest Beane. He just won't provide immediate help.