First post here,

I think that if Alex Rodriguez is acquired, it is a shoe-in that Nomar will be traded for either a 2B, OF or top prospects. There is no way they pay 37M for A-Rod and Nomar when other holes need to be addressed.

I do think that A-Rod will be in a Red Sox uniform by Spring Training. This is amnesty for Hicks' horrible signing in 2000. He must realize that it is John Henry and the Red Sox who are taking the load. I think he has realized that and is playing the game of negotiations.

The Foulke signing was huge in the sense that it enables us to trade either Williamson or Kim with Manny to get things moving.


lets go sox.

Nomar stays if he EVER wants to win a WS ... *If Nomar signs* that's going to put pressure on Hicks to get A-Rod off his hands. *If Nomar signs* that tells TX we don't NEED a SS opposed to Nomar going to LA and the Sox having a hole in 2b and ss. A-Rod for Manny straight up? Is that even plausibble? What if we get rid of Manny, get A-Rod... and somehow talk either A-Rod or Nomar into moving to 3b or 2b. Can't Millar or Mueller play either pos? In fantasy land... this could happen. I don't like having to trade someone that sounded so passionate about staying... esp. after recently buying a house.

"...it enables us to trade either Williamson or Kim with Manny to get things moving."

It could happen, but it shouldn't. As I posted in another thread, quality pitching depth is invaluable. We're a stronger team with Kim as the #5 starter and Foulke, Williamson & Timlin all in the pen. Guys get hurt, have slumps - and even bad years - and sometimes you go extra innings and use several pitchers. Why trade depth and use Jason Shiell in the 11th when you could have had Williamson as an option?

Why not? There's a good chance, no matter what, that Nomar bolts after next season. Take advantage of 2004 while you can.

If Nomar is amenable to playing second (and I have complete confidence that a superior athelete like him could make the adjustment), then stick McCarty in LF for all I care. A lineup with Damon, Mueller, Nomar, A-Rod, Ortiz, Millar, Nixon, Varitek & [any leftfielder] would be absolutely devastating. Come on, JH, suck it up, pay the luxury tax, and be a part of bringing the first World's Championship to the Red Sox since 1918.

The one thing I can use to justify keeping Nomar and getting A Rod and just biting the bullet and paying a luxury tax is the following. If the Sox win the WS (I say if because nothing is a givin in baseball and its the Sox) but if they do then the marketing revenue alone would more then offset any luxury tax we would have to pay. Like someone else said, keep Nomar, get A Rod and put any one in LF. Better yet to save money have one of those contests like in the commercial for umm I think its Bud or some beer where they have the "Catcher for a Day" sweepstakes and they guy gets bowled over at home. Have A "LF'er for a Day" contest and at the beginning of each home game choose 2 random seats, let one play the home game and use the other for the next road game because with a lineup like that LF would be insignifigant because the run production would possibly surpass last years record setting team. Couple that with pitching and, hell I could play LF this season. (By the way Theo I will glady sign 1 year league min. so call me if your interested)

So who replaces Damon in CF?
Cameron?

I don't see any depth in the OF.

IF the trade is done (which I am against at this point), I say thrown in Kim on our end and ask for Michael Young from Texas. He seems to have average-to-good range at 2nd, and 200 hits is great (though his OBP isn't). Then trade Nomar for a solid LF, and possibly a young arm or 2. But, I am hoping for Nomar to sign here.

Anyone check out dirt dogs site? DD can you give us any more info?

From DD.com:

Ken Rosenthal reports on Sporting News Radio that Cameron has signed with the Mets.

I've been looking at Cruz Jr. today. I like him. I'd see if for Damon we could get Ramon Vazquez, switch him from SS to 2B, and also see if we could get Brian Buchanan for help on the bench. If Cemeron has signed with the Mets, the Padres will still be looking for a CF. And I don't think they want Terrance Long starting there.

I understand how great it would be to have both Arod and Nomar here at the same time. However, that ignores a couple of important issues.

First. getting Nomar to switch places which I think is completely unlikely.

Second, money. The Sox have stated that no way will they go over the luxury tax threshold. If that is so, and I don't think there is any reason to doubt what they have said, how can the Sox afford both Nomar with an extension and Arod. I have my doubts they could afford both Manny and Nomar with an extension. The Manny?Arod/Nomar deals is much ado about money since getting Arod and trading Nomar and Manny saves money for the Sox.

Gary

This is a new article on the ARod situation from the NY Times.

Anybody seen the DD site lately? If so, can you explain the significance of the "Light and Day" lyric he's got up there? I guess I'm missing something. Dirt Dog, can I get some?

This was posted in one of the threads on the board I was looking at, could have been this one...I adjusted it to my liking. What do you think of this roster?

2004
Player
1 Mueller $2,100,000
2 Garciapara $11,500,000
3 Dominique $300,000
4 Millar $2,650,000
5 Ortiz $3,250,000
6 Varitek $6,700,000
7 Graffanino $1,250,000
8 Ramirez $16,500,000
9 Cruz, Jr. $2,000,000
10 Nixon $5,500,000
11 Martinez $17,500,000
12 Shilling $12,000,000
13 Lowe $4,500,000
14 Wakefield $4,350,000
15 Arroyo $325,000
16 Vazquez $315,000 (For Damon?)
17 Embree $2,750,000
18 Williamson $2,500,000
19 Timlin $2,700,000
20 Mendoza $3,600,000
21 Malaska $325,000
22 Foulke $7,000,000
23 McCarty $500,000
24 Crespo $300,000
25 Daubach, Buchanan, Lee, "10th Man" $750,000

Totals $111,165,000

Trade Kim for a prospect or 2 in the interest of saving cash, or just keep him and eat Mendoza's 3.6 mill.

ya, dudes officially lost it. maybe whoever is whisperin in his ear is right about it all, but you know. geesh. loco.

You need some better speakers dude. Crank it up. Sing along.

And whats up with the "Model Shot" of A-Rod? Are you digging Arod for more than his Baseball skills DD? HEHE ... J/K


Schillondahill

hey dude, it might b nice if youre right.

I like your new avatar, John. What happens if the Sox trade for ARod?

Maybe he could use the head shot DD has on his site of A-Rod.

we;ll then we got some issues. i gotta go just arod for a while, then we can explore a collage-style thing. were talking, exploring different avenues to improve our avatar. thats all the speculation ill indulge in at the time. as for the avatar changing sometime tomorrow, that deal is dead. im gonna focus on other things that could really waste my time in a more pathetic manner. maybe i get back to it later, but im gonna look at other time wasting options now.

{starts arod hat cut and pasting}

vvac 35 I like the general outline of your roster.

So, some possible tweaks: Graffy is signed elsewhere; I'm not sure about Cruz in CF but a good as OF; Vazquez would get the bulk of the starts, so it would be nice to have more pop at day-to-day 2B; I'd rather Buchanan as RH bench (deleting McCarty) & an LH (which might be Daubach but I think Vanderwal might be better); we might be able to upgrade on Crespo if some speed comes out of the 2B platoon; also keeping Mirabelli and Domnique is not absurd because that would open the opportunity for 'Tek to DH against LHP.

This is very difficult business but if BK is traded, we should get some serious talent for 2004 (he could be a closer or middle-of-the-rotation SP for another team so he should folk for the 2004 squad)

Couldn't have been here...So high on Malaska already?

The lineup breaks down into:
Cruz Jr., Mueller, Garciaparra, Ramirez, Ortiz, Nixon, Millar, Varitek, Graffanino

Bench: Dominique, Vazquez, Crespo, McCarty, 10th Man.

Rotation: Martinez, Schilling, Lowe, Wakefield, Williamson (or Arroyo)

Bullpen: Arroyo (or Williamson), Embree, Timlin, Mendoza, Malaska, Foulke

I'm not sure I'm too big a fan. Graffanino needs someone to platoon with, as Graffanino can't really take righties. There's too much salary relief for a WS push, IMO.

Vazquez for Damon seems to be...I won't profess to know much about Ramon, but the stats don't look nice.

How about an animated gif? Keep rotating them through.

Just saw this on the nyyfans.com forum:



I work with several MFY fans, and none of them were happy about Pettitte leaving. In fact, there's been a lot of grumbling about Big Stein and what he's been doing this offseason. Thursday was truly a great day in the office, with the official announcement of Pettitte going to Houston.

I haven't heard any of them talking much, but I think they're all worried about the Sox getting ARod, and that was before the Foulke deal. One of the guys like to talk trash a lot. He kept spouting off after Game 7 about the "soon to be 2003 world champion NYY". I've reminded him since the WS that they are now the "never to be 2003 world champion NYY". Even better, he's a Giants (football) fan. Between their record, and Pettitte leaving, I thought we were going to have to put him on suicide watch.

These are sweet days indeed.

Just looking at Malaska's numbers, he'd be cheaper and probably as productive as Sauerbeck. Anyway, the Damon trade, I won't lie, would be mainly a cost cutter, but also get us a 2B.

that might be the single dumbest thing ive ever read. wow. im reeling. my lip is bleeding from biting it so hard. damn.

Too bad he doesn't like the jests as well, he'd have hit it big in the loser trifecta.

does anyone know ohw to make an animated gif? just curious. almways looking to improve the avatar

Didnt somebody already post the excellent Baseball Prospectus Article that explains why AROD is more valuable than Manny and Nomar combined? And arent the Yankees paying Jeter 19 a year? Man sometimes Yankee fans remind me how goddamn dumb they are.

hahaaaaa someone sounds jealous and beaten

I could help you out with that. If you want to email me the gifs, I can make an animated gif out of them and send it back.

Gammons is saying the A-Rod deal may be picking up steam again. This guy can't figure out what the hell's going on. However, I think it may have been a little premature to start calling DD out.

Just curious, where did he say this? Sportscenter or something of the like?

According to SoSH, Gammons reported it on ESPN and Fox25 also reported that Texas is pushing to get the deal done.

TEXAS is pushing to get it done? Heh heh heh...

I was just letting Nomar/Manny back into my heart, but if A-Rod's coming, I'll forget all about them within an hour.

This offseason has proven to me that Gammons is a moron. Why the heck does ESPN keep him around. Someone tell him not to go near a casino because the way he's been predicting trades and signings this winter he would lose all his money gambling.

In a story filed 2 hours ago on the Dallas News site, it indicates the deal is dead

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/da...dsox.ab013.html

But I have reason to believe that is not the case.

Yeah...It's pretty evident that Gammons is going on both sides so as to look right when it comes to an end.

I've tried to detach myself from this situation so that I don't get my hopes up one way or the other. I'm sick of the ridiculous reporting and one-upmanship going on amongst the various media outlets. If the deal gets done...great. Otherwise, I think we're all sick of hearing Gammons talking just for the sake of talking. Everyone knows that Hicks needs this more than we do. His only real target now is Tomko...pathetic. Hart must be sitting in the lobby of the hotel like a kid left out of a dodgeball game - from the sidelines. Texas is going nowhere fast.

Could you copy the article here? cause we need to register in order to see it.

From Dallas Morning News:

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein gave the strongest indication yet Saturday that Boston's interest in acquiring Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez is all but over.

"It's safe to say there are no more major investments in our future," Epstein said after announcing the $24 million signing of closer Keith Foulke.

Epstein confirmed that efforts are again under way to patch the relationship with Nomar Garciaparra and sign the All-Star to an extension to the contract that expires after the 2004 season.

"We're doing that confidentially," Epstein said. "But, as far as our shortstop situation, signing Nomar to a long-term deal that makes sense for both sides is our first priority. And we hope it can work out. There's been some bumps in the road, but we still think it can work out."

I'm with you. Right now I really don't care if Texas pulls this deal. Honestly I just want a final answer just so we can all move forward. Seems like this news has held us hostage this last week. Someone just shut Gammons up, PLEASE!

I don't even care which happens anymore. Were fine either way, honestl.y And frankly, at this point i think my attraction to having us get Arod is the novelty of having a guy olike that on our team. in the final analysis, the difference on-field between the two (oft repeated) options is minimal if anything.

... Just cause Theo said that they aren't going to make anymore major investments doesn't mean that they might not trade for A-Rod. If they do and trade Nomar and Manny, then there's really no major investment because he would be saving money. You would think that the Dallas Morning News would realize that.

to be fair, i dont think hes speaking in "code." he means "were not trading for arod". whether or not hes bluffing is for interpretation- not really what hes saying. i see what yopu mean, but i dont think hed code his wording to send US a message.

BTW, gotta give props to cmcgill for the new avatar

thanks man for animating that

Gammons has been no good for a while now, he just invents rumours and then shoots other ones down only to fence sit a week later. The Dirt Dogs got the scoop, shouldnt Foulke have taught you not to doubt the Double D? To quote the site:

Man, people in Dallas still belive the single bullet theory, so its pretty obvious theyre not the greatest at math.

hey, whatever at this point. They want to keep A-Rod, go right ahead. 25 mil buys a lot of pitching per season. We'll still have one of the best SS in the game. Hope Hicks likes watching the playoffs from home and being at the bottom of the division cause he'll be stuck there for another 7 years.