Lackey to Red Sox.

[buconvict]

I don't think there is any way the Red Sox trade Westmoreland. He's probably the one untouchable in their system.

I think for Adrian Gonzalez, Westmoreland is very tradeable. I don't think anyone is untouchable in that scenario, it'll just be the number of prospects.

I'm weary of five-year pitching contracts but you probably can't sign a top starter for less than five years nowadays with the Sabbathia, Burnett, Zito and other contracts. I don't think they'll extend Beckett because not only will be be a free agent after next season, Halladay (unless he extends with the Phillies) will also be a free agent. There are probably some other pitchers available then too.

Signing Lackey means two big things for me: Buchholz is now available in an Adrian Gonzalez trade and that signing a big bat will not be as high a priority. I'm with that. While Holliday and Bay are the best hitters available this offseason, I don't think either are truly elite. We've seen Bay down the stretch and in the postseason the past two years. As good as he's been, he's not worth what he wants. Harold Reynolds on MLB Network now is saying that the Sox aren't really out with Bay and he makes some good arguments based on how much money they had in the Teixeira hunt last year.

I really don't want to see them sign Beltre. He had that one big homerun year and has been average offensively since. Whatever defense he has can be found in other third basemen.

God Adrian Beltre is bad. Please No?

Adrian Beltre is quite good, actually.

[BCEagle74]

Beltre is a great fielder who lost power last year in a strange quick slide most likely due to vicious testicle injury from not wearing a cup. That had to make him virtually a powerless hitter.

He had 24-90 power stats in Seattle, which sucks as a hitters park.

If he is fully recovered he is a gold glove defensively and may like Mike Cameron tatoo that Green monster.

I'll say one thing for Theo, he does his homework and Cameron, Lackey, Beltre, Gonzalez, Scutaro, and maybe waiting for Boonser to develop...

He has unlimited funds like Cashman and that makes homeowrk easier, but he ain't sitting on zillions in cable cash like the Dodgers or nw the cursed Mets.

[MaxxPower325]

I love Gonzelez, am lukewarm on Beltre, and very distressed that I might have to pull for a dude named Boof....

[bignick33]

very distressed that I might have to pull for a dude named Boof....

Consider me as a Boofhead.

[eepstein0]

I don't think there is any way the Red Sox trade Westmoreland. He's probably the one untouchable in their system.

I think for Adrian Gonzalez, Westmoreland is very tradeable. I don't think anyone is untouchable in that scenario, it'll just be the number of prospects.

I'm weary of five-year pitching contracts but you probably can't sign a top starter for less than five years nowadays with the Sabbathia, Burnett, Zito and other contracts. I don't think they'll extend Beckett because not only will be be a free agent after next season, Halladay (unless he extends with the Phillies) will also be a free agent. There are probably some other pitchers available then too.

Signing Lackey means two big things for me: Buchholz is now available in an Adrian Gonzalez trade and that signing a big bat will not be as high a priority. I'm with that. While Holliday and Bay are the best hitters available this offseason, I don't think either are truly elite. We've seen Bay down the stretch and in the postseason the past two years. As good as he's been, he's not worth what he wants. Harold Reynolds on MLB Network now is saying that the Sox aren't really out with Bay and he makes some good arguments based on how much money they had in the Teixeira hunt last year.

I really don't want to see them sign Beltre. He had that one big homerun year and has been average offensively since. Whatever defense he has can be found in other third basemen.

God Adrian Beltre is bad. Please No?

Adrian Beltre is quite good, actually.

Defensively yes. Offensively he's the latest Red Sox infatuation with a .250 hitter.

[cvilleagle]

Defensively yes. Offensively he's the latest Red Sox infatuation with a .250 hitter.

A .250 hitter without much power, to boot.

Adrian Gonzalez is the perfect remaining piece for this team, if they can swing it. Hitting 40 homers playing in San Diego shows a lot of pop, and we all know that they could use a scary bat in the lineup. Also, moving Youk from first to third is really no big deal - he's very good on that side of the infield as well.

[buconvict]

Adrian Beltre is quite good, actually.

Defensively yes. Offensively he's the latest Red Sox infatuation with a .250 hitter.

It baffles me how you can be so stupid as to call a lifetime .270 hitter who spent the last 5 seasons in a horrible park for hitters a ".250 hitter."

[RegalBCeagle]

With Beltre they're trading Mike Lowell for Mike Lowell, but with much better D. While the D improvement is nice, the Sox are a lineup full of Mike Lowells. They need an impact Bat, and sans juice, I don't see that from Beltre.

[eepstein0]

Adrian Beltre is quite good, actually.

Defensively yes. Offensively he's the latest Red Sox infatuation with a .250 hitter.

It baffles me how you can be so stupid as to call a lifetime .270 hitter who spent the last 5 seasons in a horrible park for hitters a ".250 hitter."

You seem to be in the minority here. Adrian Beltre isn't worth whatever crazy amount of money Scott Boras is going to command.

[buconvict]

You said Beltre sucked and was a .250 hitter. I said that Beltre is an awesome defender and a .270 hitter trapped in a huge ballpark. Which he is.

I'm right, you're wrong. Enjoy your so-called 'majority'.

[cvilleagle]

You said Beltre sucked and was a .250 hitter. I said that Beltre is an awesome defender and a .270 hitter trapped in a huge ballpark. Which he is.

You're right, he's a .270 lifetime hitter. He is excellent at 3B. So is Youk, although I will admit not quite as good. But Gonzalez is in a huge park too. And huge parks in a lot of cases mean that your batting average will be higher, because there are bigger holes in the outfield for the ball to find.

Beltre has one monster year (juice) and a bunch of pretty mediocre hitting years. If the sox' biggest problem was defense, I wouldn't disagree with you, but they need a big bat. Beltre just isn't a big bat.

Meh, I don't really care that much. I'm a Pirates fan until they're mathematically eliminated.

[BCEagle74]

Meh, I don't really care that much. I'm a Pirates fan until they're mathematically eliminated on opening day!

Fixed.

[buconvict]

Meh, I don't really care that much. I'm a Pirates fan until they're mathematically eliminated on opening day!

Fixed.

Very nice.

[cvilleagle]

True. it is not a happy life being a Pirates/Bills fan. It's sad that BC is the most successful team that I root for.

[cvilleagle]

Just saw a rumor on espn.com that the sox might swoop in on Xavier Nady. I guess to play 1st?

[flyingelvii]

You said Beltre sucked and was a .250 hitter. I said that Beltre is an awesome defender and a .270 hitter trapped in a huge ballpark. Which he is.

You're right, he's a .270 lifetime hitter. He is excellent at 3B. So is Youk, although I will admit not quite as good. But Gonzalez is in a huge park too. And huge parks in a lot of cases mean that your batting average will be higher, because there are bigger holes in the outfield for the ball to find.

Beltre has one monster year (juice) and a bunch of pretty mediocre hitting years. If the sox' biggest problem was defense, I wouldn't disagree with you, but they need a big bat. Beltre just isn't a big bat.

Meh, I don't really care that much. I'm a Pirates fan until they're mathematically eliminated.

They were second in the league in runs last year and lose Lowell and Bay. They get Scutaro so they will now have something other than a void of suck at the SS position and have a full season of VMart, which should account for a lot more offense than Varitek came close to offering. Beltre is more or less a wash in terms of offense with Lowell (probably a little worse but the fact he can run the bases makes him more valuable in that sense). If they don't get Beltre, I'd agree with this assessment but I think I'll be able to stand the Sox having a top 3 staff and team defense while run production dips to the 5-8 area at worst.

[bignick33]

I severely hope that a deal for Adrian deal occurs. Given what they've already done to upgrade the starters and the defense, they really can afford to pillage the minor league system a little. It would be perfect in so many ways.

[bignick33]

Just saw a rumor on espn.com that the sox might swoop in on Xavier Nady. I guess to play 1st?

From Rotoworld feed:

"Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes that the Red Sox are looking at looking at right-handed hitting outfielders and utility types. Olney uses Xavier Nady as an example, but there's no confirmation of interest at this time. If anything, it's interesting because Nady could be used in a platoon with Jeremy Hermida should the Red Sox include Jacoby Ellsbury in a trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Nady, 31, is returning from Tommy John surgery and would make some sense on an incentive-laden one-year deal. He batted .305/.357/.510 with 25 home runs and 97 RBI between the Pirates and Yankees in 2008."

Cam-> CF in this scenario?

[buconvict]

Just saw a rumor on espn.com that the sox might swoop in on Xavier Nady. I guess to play 1st?

From Rotoworld feed:

"Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes that the Red Sox are looking at looking at right-handed hitting outfielders and utility types. Olney uses Xavier Nady as an example, but there's no confirmation of interest at this time. If anything, it's interesting because Nady could be used in a platoon with Jeremy Hermida should the Red Sox include Jacoby Ellsbury in a trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Nady, 31, is returning from Tommy John surgery and would make some sense on an incentive-laden one-year deal. He batted .305/.357/.510 with 25 home runs and 97 RBI between the Pirates and Yankees in 2008."

Cam-> CF in this scenario?

If Dreamboat getting traded away means that Buchholz stays, sign me up.

There has also been speculation that Cameron will play CF anyway and that Dreamboat will move to left, where his terrible arm is less of a liability.

[bignick33]

San Diego has a really big outfield. Just saying is all.

[buconvict]

San Diego has a really big outfield. Just saying is all.

Defense doesn't matter though because the common fan doesn't understand what a UZR score is and how it translates into ERA+ or winshares. The only stat that matters is batting average and RBI.

[claver2010]

We also saw what happened when Cameron plays a corner OF position:

[bignick33]

What's the deal with hard-thrower Ryota Igarashi? Is he next...

[claver2010]

Do you mean is he NOW?

I heard he was favored to go to the Mets but that was a couple of days ago not sure now, but I have reservations about Japanese players coming to the Mets (Yoshi, Shinjo, Matsui..

[bignick33]

Do you mean is he NOW?

I heard he was favored to go to the Mets but that was a couple of days ago not sure now, but I have reservations about Japanese players coming to the Mets (Yoshi, Shinjo, Matsui..

I have no idea where he's going and know very little about him. That's why I asked.

From Roto feeed:

Contrary to reports in New York, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker cites a Japanese media report that the Red Sox are in the lead for the services of right-hander Ryota Igarashi.
According to a Sponichi.com report, the Red Sox have offered a two-year contract worth $2-3 million. The Mets are believed to have offered a two-year contract, as well, though terms have not been revealed. A possible advantage for the Red Sox, according to Newman, is that Igarashi is currently training with Daisuke Matsuzaka in Arizona. Igarashi, 30, is known as one of the hardest throwing pitchers in Japan, but he has yet to perfect his command. He'll likely contribute as a set-up man in the majors.

[claver2010]

From New York Post Mets beat writer a couple of minutes ago: A Mets official tells me the club feels Igarashi's signing is "going to happen," but still in talks and nothing is imminent.

No clue what's going on.

[bignick33]

From New York Post Mets beat writer a couple of minutes ago: A Mets official tells me the club feels Igarashi's signing is "going to happen," but still in talks and nothing is imminent.

No clue what's going on.

It would actually be kind of funny of the Sox and Mets got into a mini-bidding war over this guy.

[claver2010]

From New York Post Mets beat writer a couple of minutes ago: A Mets official tells me the club feels Igarashi's signing is "going to happen," but still in talks and nothing is imminent.

No clue what's going on.

It would actually be kind of funny of the Sox and Mets got into a mini-bidding war over this guy.

Signed with the mets today, 2 yrs ~1-2 mill/year

[angrychicken]

From New York Post Mets beat writer a couple of minutes ago: A Mets official tells me the club feels Igarashi's signing is "going to happen," but still in talks and nothing is imminent.

No clue what's going on.

It would actually be kind of funny of the Sox and Mets got into a mini-bidding war over this guy.

Signed with the mets today, 2 yrs ~1-2 mill/year

Is the McElroy bookstore open?

[claver2010]

For 27 more minutes...