I'm so stresed... they are trying damn hard to kill us. My brain hurts?!

I don't get it. They may have beaten a dead horse to pulp already in those negotiations if neither side is willing to budge. But if it were me - and it's not - I'd still be in there playing mental chess with the other side, clock ticking in the background, trying to get them to break. They get mad at players for not playing every out. For giving up too early when they're down in runs. They should take their own advice. Play this thing out. It's what you're being paid billions to do.

SportsCenter update on the Dan Patrick show quoted a Dallas-Fortworth paper as saying not only would the deal get done, but that the rangers would use the savings to go after Ponson and Clemens. It also said that Hicks had met with Clemens in Arlington yesterday.

The only thing worse would be continual blather about UGA football. Those fans are almost as bad as Yankee fans... but far, far less intelligent.

Silence is golden - something must be going down! I think there has to be a compromise - and I also feel that ARod is just towing the line so he doesn't tip the apple cart with the MLBPA. - large quantities - please

wink wink


"talks are underway although no one is communicating. this deal was done at 1:30 but dead at 1;33. guesses are that it either gets done, or it doesn"t. If the deadline isn't met, the deadline may move to accomodate my latest guesses. the word now is that the deal may or may not happen. Of course either scenario could change"
This is peter gammons, espn.

rsb

This is nutz, Schilling has not stepped on the field in the Sox uniform but he already has the entire Red Sox Nation behind him. That says a ton about his character. He wants to win! I pray that he pitches well because the Sox Fans and media have a short fuse and he can easily become a hated man. But for now, Rock on with your will, Schill!

I must say this has been the craziest post season ever! I have been glued to the radio, TV and various chat rooms with almost as much tension as the ALDS and ALCS of this year!

you know damn well that theo and john won't let this amazing oppertunity pass.

that is probably true

I'm willing to bet that there have been talks going on. Even if Gammons flip flops with predictions every 10 minutes, there is no doubting that he has the best sources around.

Theo and the Trio have probably been regrouping and awaiting some sort of definative word from Selig. Since the Sox and A-Rod agreed to 30 million off the contract and the PA said they would approve 13-14 million off, i'd be willing to bet that this will just boil down to a basic negotiation type thing. As Gammons said on EEI, 18-20 sounds about right. That way the PA would only be going up 5 or 6 million and the Sox would be coming down to 10 -12 million. PA saves face that way and it is a pretty decent break for the Sox in A-Rod's contract, seeing that Hicks wants a chunk taken off Man- 's deal.

This seems like a simple solution. Which means that it probably won't be used.

another new espn news update within mins

I feel for you. I'm stuck in between Chicago and Milwaukee. No news from Beertown because they only talk Packers and Chitown only states the deal is on hold, no insights. Thanks for all of those that have been giving EEI updates on a regular basis.

"I can't feel my legs...I see colors..and I believe hens are following me"

rsb

breaking news w/ Jayson Stark

Unless there is some kind of miracle, this deal is not going to get done by 5 o'clock.

To all those who feel that this deal not getting done would be disastrous, I strongly disagree. I'd be very disappointed, but we'd still have the team we did last year minus Walker, but plus Schilling and Foulke. I'll take my chances with that. I also think it's ludicrous to say that Nomar now "has to" be traded. He wants to stay in Boston. Millar's comments can be smoothed over easily. Winning will take care of everything. And Manny could care less. I have complete faith in management. It will work out.

THOSE IN DILBERT'S WORLD - - We live by the postings of updates - keep 'em coming.....

Gammons... wants to sound like he knows what he's talking about. But he can't know what's going on behind closed doors until someone comes out of that room and tells him. We can't expect Gammons to have a shot glass pressed up against the door and his ear on the shot glass. Or a tin can hanging inside the window, a long string going down to the street and his ear on a tin can at the other end.

i believe in miracles

I'M OFF MATES. I WISH THAT THIS WILL BE DONE WHEN I LOG IN TOMORROW MORNING. I WISH ALL OF YOU RED SOX FANS SOME JOY TONIGHT AND SOME PEACE CUZ WE ARE ALL DEAD TIRED AT THIS POINT.

I WOULD LIKE TO SIMPATHYZE WITH SOMEONE WHO SAID "MY BRAIN HURTS" A FEW MINUTES AGO. MINE TOO BUDDY.

LATER SOX FANS!!

SOSH longtime lurker (two years) who reads the board every morning before our local papers.......Amazed at the sudden explosion in interest i.e 38 and JWH posting: however due to the fact that I am not a member I am now shut out....very frustrating.........

Earlier poster asked if there were meetings today. Big O stated "No"...Gammons "Yes"...Orza was in Tampa handling the Bubba Trammell arb case but there is a top Union LT. in NYC (forgot his name) who is well versed and apparently handles all the dirty stuff...This guy has been in communication with Seligula et al.....Reason why I can't see this thing going to XMAS is because it compromises the non tender date of the 20th...who the sox sign via the non tenders depends on whether we aquire AROD & MAGs......

And the beat goes on

jason Stark says as of 3:00. There is 0 chance of the deal happening before 5:00 PM.

he said they are far apart. not 0 chance. i think the sox might take the 15 million the union is offering them if they sit on it long enough and the deadline gets close. i hope the union budges and makes it 20 or 25 though

I think it's time to move on and realize that Nomar and Manny will be in Boston in 2004.

This starting to get ridiculous! C'mon how long can this possibly get drawn out? What an offseason of WAITING

Schilling, Foulke, now this..... "Good things come to those who wait"

But my Mind is spinning as well!!!

Not to mention my work is suffering, and my wife is ready to KILL me!

Well, if there is zero chance by the deadline...wouldn't it be logical to assume its over?

rsb

same out here in denver....at least i have bronco fans to torment

no, he said 0 chance before 5:00 PM. They are 30 million apart on the deal.

When the guy who controls the deadline stands to profit tremendously from the deal happening, it's not wise to assume anything.

MLB wants this done....
Arod wants this done....
Theo and the trinity wants this done.....
Gammons stated that the UNION wants this done...(They need to posture a little)

We are to far into this thing for it not to happen....

1. None of Gammons predictions thus far have been right. He is just speculating like the rest of us
2. You're right, it would not be nearly as disasterous for the Sox, Manny and Nomar are still great players and to be "stuck with them" is not bad! Hicks, Orza are going to look like jackasses at the end of the day. Theo and the Trio have bent over backwards to accomodate while trying to make this fiscally responsible for the Sox.
3. It will be very dificult to smooth things over with Nomar but he must do well this season because he DOES have a year left on his contract and if he wants to be at his true market value he needs to put up the numbers!
4. Worst case scenario: Sox still under $120.5 ($80 mil less that the Spankees)

No. If it were over, they would be able to know that by five. The fact that it won't or can't be done by five can only mean that it's not dead.

I'm still betting this happens. I'm less sure about it happening before the five o'clock deadline.

i don't see the union changing their stance at the last minute. sure, they look bad in all of this, but they'll look just as bad if they give in at 4:59. i can't see any realistic scenario where they give in.

i see three possibilities at this point:

1) the sox decide to pay the extra money

2) the rangers decide to take less money

3) the deal is off and the sox clubhouse is a mess (since there's absolutely no chance that the media will let this die, regardless of how well the team is playing)

I think the whole team should boycott the media.

RSB,

Shilling had a deadline and it was extended....5:00 deadline means nothing....

Then again nothing would surprise me.

What exactly does "clubhouse is a mess" mean. Ws are Ws. They'll come with Nomar and Manny, A-Rod and Mags, or, with our pitching, Luis Sojo and Chad Curtis.

remember the shilling trade was not going to happen and they were extremly far apart and look what happened. with the group of guys in redsox management i would never count them out

30 mil - union kicks in 15 mil - TH and JH split the other 15 mil - and where done.

You have to remember the same thing was being said about the Curt Schilling trade. Gammons was sure it would never happen and then the next thing you knew...it went through. The reason the Red Sox brass might not be talking right now is the deal is done and their waiting to work out the details such as signing paper work, etc. I still have hope but I'm preparing for the worst.

I think there will be so much pressure for the Red Sox to win the World Series next year regardless of this trade. But imagine if they don't, everyone will be saying "what if we had AROD and MAGS?".

I hope this deal is dead. Tom Hicks is the one who is screwed!!! Unless Alex can pitch the Rangers will never win!!! Give him back money on top of undoibng his stupid ass comtract given to Alex. NO WAY!! Nomar will resign and Manny may not know what is going on with all of this anyway!! We still have to resign Pedro oh by the way. I will take great pleasure in watching the Rangers finish last for a long time!!!!

"How 'bout them Dawwwwgs!??!?!"
Yeesh. Thank God for New England.

That's exactly why this will get done. The last thing we need is more material for the CHB and Buckley.

Ultimately, it comes down to who has the most to lose. By "losing" the Red Sox keep Nomar and Manny and come into Spring Training with the best pitching staff in the AL. The Rangers are basically stuck back at the bottom of their division again and have a 25 million dollar man who could care less about playing for them. I see the deal happening. Maybe not by 5, but the Rangers can't let this fall through.

I love how A-Rod's AP quote says "my transfer to the Red Sox"... he can't even say trade now that they've got him speaking that union psycho-babble.

the would be darkest day that baseball has ever known if the trade does not happen. worse than pete rose, worse than the black sox., worse than any and everything you can think of. the biggest trade to ever happen gets block by a players unionbecause the bbest player in the game wants to take less money to play for another team. thats something to go in the history books about how far unions have gone

To those wondering if the Sox are in trouble should this A-Rod deal fall through and they need to keep Nomar this coming year... it'll be a contract year. Nomar isn't going to pout and not play up to his potential because the Sox shopped him around. If anything he's going to play his ass off, enter free agency, and hope to rub it in the Sox face should he not return. I wouldn't be so much concerned that he is disgruntled during the season as that won't necessarily help him on the free agency front if he doesn't play up to his potential. I'd suspect that the Sox would get good production from a player who is potentially pissed at his current team and looking for a new home with a generous contract.

apparently, you don't remember the Carl Everett era. it doesn't take much to turn a talented team into a losing team. everyone in baseball recognizes that fact. chemistry DOES matter. any sports fan can rattle off a long list of teams that were stockpiled with great talent, but couldn't win because they had no chemistry.

the interesting thing this year is that both the sox and yanks may be victims of bad clubhouses vibes.

Mr. Henry, Theo, Lucky and Tom,

WALK

AWAY

FROM

THE

TABLE

NOW!!!!

TELL TOM HICKS TO GO BACK TO HIS STICKING TEAM IN ARLINGTON. LET'S GO INTO THE SEASON WITH THE LINEUP THAT WAS THE BEST IN MLB LAST YEAR AND ONE OF THE BEST HISTORICALLY.

Deadlines are made to be broken or extended. Selig is the Ghadafi of deadlines.

"Here is the deadline. You cannot cross."

... "Time's up? Well, here's the new deadline ... you cannot cross."

Oh Come on... Everyone knows Gasbag always has a spare shot glass hanging around ... 75minutes this is killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!