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Brooklyn Sox Fan

by John Brian Quinn

Mail Brooklyn Sox Fan!

Check out his daily blog!

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Get the weekend wrap from a fan that isn't afraid to tell it how it is!

david@bornintoit.com

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NOTABLE QUOTES

"I'm so happy. I'm happy for the fans in Boston, I'm happy for Johnny Pesky, for Bill Buckner, for (Bob) Stanley and (Calvin) Schiraldi and all the great Red Sox players who can now be remembered for the great players that they were."-2004 Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling

"A hundred years from now, how will we make people understand what just happened here? How will we ever make them understand what happened The Year The Red Sox Finally Won The World Series? There was no way they could ever do this the good old normal way. Never. They're the Red Sox."-Jayson Stark, ESPN.com

"We wanted to do it so bad for the city of Boston. To win a World Series with this on our chests -- it hasn't been done since 1918. So rip up those '1918' posters right now." -2004 Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar

"I dreamt about this day. I said my prayers every night to the big guy: 'Bring us a World Series."-Johnny Pesky, former Red Sox infielder after WS victory

I think if you're Red Sox, well, it's something you're born with, and affection you have."

- Johnny Pesky

2005 Brooklyn Sox Fan Page

"I think if you're Red Sox, well, it's something you're born with, and affection you have."- Johnny Pesky

by John Brian Quinn

Mail Brooklyn Sox Fan!

2005 Brooklyn Sox Fan

A view of a Sox fan living in the heart of the Evil Empire

Johnny, we hardly knew ye.

I was stunned when I was on my computer on Tuesday night and checked on ESPN.com to discover that Johnny Damon, Boston World Series hero, the leader of "The Idiots", a man who will forever be remembered as "one of the 25", and a player who had rock star status in the city of Boston, agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal with the hated, archrival New York Yankees.

However, I was stunned for only a few moments. After I allowed the news to completely filter through my brain, my next reaction was, "Are the Yankees insane??"

I will make a bold prediction here. Sometime during the length of this four-year contract, the New York Yankees will come to rue the day that they signed Damon to this deal. It may not happen in 2006, or even in 2007, but it will happen. The Yankees have just added yet another untradeable contract to a roster list of players they cannot possible move in a trade if they wanted to. In the short term, they have added one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball. (Sorry Johnny, you're not THE best, as he told a reporter last night. Ichiro Suzuki is the best. And Derek Jeter even had a better OBP than Damon did in 2005.) It will make the Yankees' very good offense even more potent. But that is not their most critical need. Their money would have been better spent improving their starting pitching, and especially their bullpen. Remember, Mariano Rivera can't pitch every day.

Didn't someone once say that pitching and defense wins championships? And how many times have the Red Sox had the best offense top-to-bottom in the AL and not won the pennant?

This new episode reminds me of the Alex Rodriguez trade of February 2004. Many of my friends who are Red Sox fans were really upset about it. The press were falling all over themselves patting the Yankees on their backs for "making the greatest trade since Babe Ruth." I tried to calm my friends down by reminding them of one simple fact: Alex Rodriguez can't pitch.

And neither can Johnny Damon.

The Yankee brass should know by now that adding all-stars is no guarantee of winning a World Series. The move hurts the Red Sox, but it doesn't kill their 2006 season, as some so-called "experts" seem to think. Adding Damon to me seems like they are putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. I watched about 70% of all Red Sox games in 2005, and as the season wore on, it looked like Damon was breaking down in the field. Balls hit out to him seemed more and more like an adventure, and one friend back in September said to me, "I'm just not confident with Damon in centerfield anymore." At the time, I thought it might be because of the injuries he played through last season. Offensively, his second half numbers were much lower than his first half numbers. He hit .316 in 2005, but he was leading the AL in batting in the early part of the season. His power numbers also dropped, from 20 HRs in 2004 to 10 in 2005. (But with the short porch in Yankee Stadium, his HR total should increase slightly.)

But it makes me wonder if the Red Sox front office believes that Damon's defense is truly on the decline, and they don't want to be hamstrung by tying Damon up to a long term deal. Now he will be patrolling the vast outfield that is Yankee Stadium. He still has good speed, but his throwing arm is among the worst in the American League. He will be giving Derek Jeter a workout on those relays to the plate, just as Bernie Williams did in recent years too.

It was clear to me that the Red Sox brass was not willing to give Damon anything above the four-year, $40 million offer they made to him earlier this month. I heard one commentator on ESPNews say that the Red Sox "blew it" by not offering Damon a five year deal for less money. I practically screamed at the TV that the Red Sox simply weren't going to tie themselves up to such a commitment. I'm sure Damon would have taken more money for less years from the Yankees than stay in Boston for less money and more years.

I also found it interesting that the Red Sox found out about Damon going to the Yankees by news media reports about it, and not by Damon or agent Scott Boras. You would think that they would go to the Sox and tell them about the Yankee offer and see if they would match the deal, or better it. They didn't have the common courtesy to do it, and that says a lot about Boras and Damon as people. It tells me that Damon wanted out of Boston, and any talk of his wanting to come back was a lot of empty nonsense. He and Boras may have been waiting for that "offer they couldn't refuse" from the Yankees, and they got it.

And I'm still wondering about this $52 million contract they Yankees gave to Damon. Exactly who were the Yankees bidding against for Damon? The Sox weren't going above $40 million, so why are they paying him $12 million more? This moves smacks of Yankee desperation, as they clearly weren't confident going with Bubba Crosby playing CF to start the 2006 season. (Of course, that could all have been a cleverly disguised ruse by NY). This move also has "the mark of Steinbrenner" on it. He always wants "the sexy name" for his club, whether he's a good fit or not. And not all Yankee fans are jumping for joy over this move. Many simply won't ever forgive Damon for the Comeback of 2004, and others think the Yankees are making a big mistake in such a commitment to a player who may have just passed his prime.

You also have to wonder if Damon is a good fit for the Yankees. Obviously, the long hair and beard will be coming off to fit into the Yankees "clean-cut" image. He's known to be rather laid-back and "marches to the beat of his own drummer". How that will fit into the Yankees corporate, "stuffed shirt" image remains to be seen, and as to whether it will affect his on-field performance. (I've heard the "Samson" comparison already; you know, Damon losing his effectiveness by cutting off his long hair.)

So, I'm not devastated by this turn of events. I went on a number of Red Sox fan message boards after the signing was announced, and the fans overwhelmingly thought the Red Sox had done the right thing by not signing Damon to such an extortionate contract. I wanted Damon to come back, but not with a deal that would hamstring the Red Sox payroll. (Remember, they will have to sign David Ortiz to a huge deal before the end of 2007.) I just can't see the Red Sox giving him this type of deal, and they are NOT to be blamed for letting Damon walk. The Yankees overwhelmed Damon with the deal, and being a good businessman, he took it. Baseball is a business, and it always has been and always will be. (Don't believe any of the nonsense that baseball was "just a game" before free agency. If free agency was around in the 1940s and 1950s, players would have jumped around just like they do today.)

I heard more than one caller on talk radio make an interesting comparison between the Damon signing and when Andy Pettitte left the Yankees in 2003. The Red Sox made a serious pitch for Pettitte when he became a free agent, but eventually he chose to sign with his hometown Houston Astros. Pettitte later said he couldn't "slap the Yankee fans in the face" by signing with the rival Red Sox. In many circles he was hailed as a "class act" for not doing so. Now compare that statement to the events of the past few days.

Damon went to the Yankees for the Big Money, plain and simple. He's not the first player to do that, and surely won't be the last. You could argue that he would have been a fool if he hadn't done so, especially if the Sox had not upped their offer. But what he's done is simply destroyed the legacy he built in Boston. He gained nationwide fame and status as one of the "Idiots", the group that pulled off the greatest comeback in the history of American sports in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees, and put an end to the idea of "the Curse of the Bambino". For that he will be remembered forever. He appeared on talk shows and even co-authored a nearly unreadable biography. But he will not be forgiven by many Boston fans for "moving over to The Dark Side." Perhaps Damon doesn't care about his legacy. Maybe a big payday is what REALLY motivates him.

So be it.

My friend Alan wrote a me a very good email this morning about all of this.

"Now The Bronx is no longer the place where Red Sox all-stars go to win championships, but let it henceforth be the place where fading Red Sox champions go to get richer."

Now the Red Sox have a gaping hole in centerfield to fill. There are a number of possibilities out there for the Sox to trade for, but the consequence of Damon's defection will be that the price for getting a quality player will have just shot up. The two most talked about names are Jeremy Reed of Seattle and Coco Crisp of Cleveland. I like Crisp a bit better than Reed, but both are very good outfielders and can hit leadoff. The Mariners are interested in Bronson Arroyo, but the Sox would rather move Matt Clement.

No matter who the Red Sox get, it will cost them. I figure that trade talks will heat up in a hurry, as Sox management will be attempting to deflect what has turned into a PR nightmare. I wouldn't be surprised to see a deal for a centerfielder in place by the end of the calendar year.

Johnny Damon will always be remembered for his ALCS Game 7 heroics in beating the Yankees, giving the Red Sox the pennant and putting the choker tag on the Yankees forever. But he's seems to have turned his back on the Red Sox, their fans and his legacy in Boston for a bigger payday in New York, despite what he told MLB.com last May. Ultimately that is his choice and he'll have to live with the consequences that comes with his decision.

Thanks for the memories Johnny.

Now let's go get a centerfielder.

Keep the Faith everyone.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all of you in Red Sox Nation.

"Two GMs In, One Lawsuit Out"

This past week, Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington were named co-general managers of the Red Sox, and they become the 12th and 13th general managers in team history. This may prove to be one of the smartest moves the Red Sox have made this entire off-season.

Hoyer, 32, and Cherington, 31, were both right-hand men of former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. Their contract information (years and dollar value) was not revealed by the front office. Hoyer was the assistant to the GM and Cherington was the director of player development. Hoyer originally joined the Red Sox as an intern the day the new ownership gained control of the team, hired ironically enough by Cherington. Cherington joined the Red Sox as an intern hired by former GM Dan Duquette, and his Sox resume is heavy on scouting and minor league operations.

Each man will look over different aspects of the team. Hoyer will handle the major league issues, such as player contracts and trades. Cherington will handle the minor league side, which has always been his area of expertise.

It's not the biggest surprise that the Red Sox stayed "in-house" with the GM selections. It was apparent that none of the candidates previously interviewed, such as Jim Beattie, Jim Bowden and Dan Evans, really knocked the socks off the Red Sox brass. John Henry especially wanted the choice to be one of "continuity of the direction we have gone in the last four years."

And now lurking in the weeds is the possibility of a return to the Red Sox by Theo Epstein. Both co-GMs are close with Theo and talk to him frequently. A return in an advisory role is not out of the question, and now appears it may actually happen soon. Even CEO Larry Lucchino said during the press conference introducing Hoyer and Cherington that "there have been some general discussions about bringing Theo back", but wouldn't discuss in what role that could be.

Both Hoyer and Cherington come to their new roles with excellent reputations. They know the Red Sox and their inner workings inside and out, and for all concerned it appears that the Sox may not have seriously considered any outsider for the GM position. Staying within the organization seems to be the best move John Henry & Co. could have made.

It also leaves open for a return by Theo Epstein to the position that got him his greatest glory. What exactly his role will be remains unclear at this time. But stay tuned. The never-ending soap opera that is the Boston Red Sox never ceases to disappoint in terms of drama.

On Friday it was announced that the Red Sox were dropping their lawsuit to try to keep the ball Doug Mientkiewicz caught as the final out of Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. Both the Sox and Mientkiewicz agreed to take the dispute to an independent arbitrator, who will decide once and for all who really has the right to keep the now-infamous ball.

It really shouldn't have come down to this. Right after this dispute made news, the reactions of most Red Sox fans I know and on the Internet message boards was the same: "we don't care!" If Doug wants to keep the ball, fine. Didn't someone once say that "possession is nine-tenths of the law?" He lent the ball to the Red Sox for one full year with the proviso that they could display it and then return it to their former first baseman after that.

Then a few weeks ago, the Red Sox filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts saying the ball rightfully belonged to them and wanted to keep it. They came off looking really petty in such an attempt. Most fans just didn't seem to care who had the ball. All they cared about is that the Sox finally won a championship.

In all of baseball history, I can't recall one case of a team saying they had the right to keep what is perceived as an historic ball. This past October, the White Sox' first baseman Paul Konerko gave the last-out ball that he caught to owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Most of those type of baseballs are either lost forever, or sitting on the shelves of players who decided to keep them. (There are three last-out baseballs that are displayed in the Hall of Fame.) Mike Timlin has one, the last out made when the Blue Jays won their first World Series in 1992. Timlin saved that game and was given the ball by Joe Carter, who caught that final out.

Let's hope the arbitrator finally puts all this childish nonsense to rest. Whoever he decides to award it to is fine with me, and probably to about 99% of Red Sox Nation as well. At least going to arbitration did have one positive result already.

It took one frivolous lawsuit out of the courts.

As I write this, this isn't much going on in terms of the Johnny Damon sweepstakes. It sounds like he and his agent Scott Boras are going to drag this saga out for the rest of the year and maybe even into January.It looks like it will finally come down to the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, and maybe even the Orioles. Nomar Garciaparra will announce in the next few days which team's offer will accept. Four teams are bidding for his services: Dodgers, Yankees, Indians and Astros. It sounds like the Dodgers and Astros may have the inside track, as Nomar has two homes in LA and he was born not far from there. His wife Mia Hamm is from Austin, Texas, so being with the Astros might be beneficial to them both. But no matter how you slice it, a Nomar return to the Red Sox right now looks highly unlikely.

I also wouldn't bet on a Roger Clemens return to Boston either. Although the Astros didn't offer him arbitration this month, he may still return to Houston on May 1, the day they can resign him. It would make sense for him, as at his age, starting the season then might not lead to the physical breakdown he suffered this past October. He also wants to play in the World Baseball Classic for the USA next March, so that makes a return to Houston more probable if he doesn't decide to retire.

With Christmas and Hanukkah both coming up on the horizon, it was brought to my attention that there is a very special program to remember those many Marines who will be hospitalized this holiday season. They are currently at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC, after being wounded defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the Marines have not received many Christmas and holiday cards, and they all could use a boost in their morale at this time of the year. It would be a wonderful gesture to send them a special card to let them know that we care about them and appreciate the sacrifice they made for all of us. If you would like to send a card to an injured Marine, please send it to:

Any Marine

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

c/o Red Cross

6900 Georgia Avenue

Washington, D. C. 20307

I sent out a card this week, and I included information about Bornintoit.com and the site I am proud to write for. (I hope the Marine who gets my card is a Red Sox fan!) My special thanks to Bornintoit.com message board poster Warrdawg for bringing this very worthy project to our attention.

It happened late in the week. On Wednesday, the rumors began that the Sox would trade Edgar Renteria to Atlanta as part of the three team trade with the Braves and Devil Rays. The Red Sox were trying to get Tampa Bay shortstop Julio Lugo, but eventually, they dropped out, so the Sox and Braves traded Renteria for 22-year-old third baseman Andy Marte. He is a highly regarded prospect, considered to be one of the top ten in all of baseball. Marte was up briefly with Atlanta in 2005, and hit .140 in two short stints with the club. But he is projected to be a 25-30 home run a year player. His defense is considered to be about average. At AAA Richmond in 2005, Marte hit 20 HRs, 74 RBI and .275 AVG in 109 games there. The Sox project him as their third baseman of the future, and he will probably begin 2006 at Pawtucket. But he may also see some time at first base and possibly even the outfield. This trade seems to be universally applauded, as many baseball experts think the Red Sox acquired a future superstar.

As for Renteria, it was one year and out. His time in Boston will probably be looked back on as a big disappointment. The two-time Gold Glover made 30 errors at shortstop to lead all major league players. There were times Renteria just didn't appear to be comfortable playing in Boston, and seemed to be pressing both at the plate and in the field. He never seemed to adjust to playing in the American League, and the change to the Braves and the NL might be a blessing for him. Personally, I would have liked to have seen Renteria play at least one more season in Boston, if just to see if 2005 was just a fluke. (He struggled in his first season in St. Louis after being traded by the Florida Marlins many years ago.) But Red Sox management wanted to get out from under the $29 million they owed Renteria for the next three seasons (but they will be paying Atlanta $11 million of that).

So now the question remains: who will be the Red Sox starting shortstop in 2006? Highly touted prospect Hanley Ramirez was dealt to Florida in Josh Beckett trade, and at this moment Alex Cora has been penciled in there. But the Red Sox clearly will go out and find an everyday player at SS, as they view Cora as more a utility player. There are a number of shortstops out there on the free agent market, such as Alex Gonzalez and Royce Clayton. Gonzalez seems to be the logical choice, as he has a superior glove and does have a bit of pop in his bat (he hit 18 HRs in 2003 and 21 in 2004). He is a lifetime .245 hitter.

Of course there is another shortstop out there I did not mention who has been getting a lot of attention the last few days who is also very much available: Nomar Garciaparra. I wouldn't bet the farm on him making a return to Boston right now. When Nomar was traded back in July 2004, there was a lot of animosity between him and the Red Sox brass, and I don't think enough time has gone by for a reconciliation to happen now.

But of course, we're dealing with the Red Sox here, so even stranger things than a Nomar return have happened.

On the same day as the Renteria trade, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada made it known that he was not happy about the direction his team was heading in, and told a newspaper in the Dominican Republic that he would like to be traded. And he also let it be known that he wouldn't mind playing for the Red Sox. (Some coincidence, eh?) So naturally, the idea of a Manny Ramirez-for-Miguel Tejada deal was launched, and it has been rumored the Red Sox have already approached the Orioles about just such a deal. On paper it would make sense, swapping two all-star and extremely high-priced superstars for each other. (The Red Sox would have to send either another player or more cash to the Orioles to balance the difference in salaries.)

I would trade Manny to Baltimore for Tejada in a heartbeat. But I honestly don't believe this trade will happen. Orioles owner Peter Angelos is extremely difficult to deal with, and the Orioles may simply not want to trade Tejada to a team inside their own division, even if they get back a tremendous hitter as Ramirez. And of course, Manny could throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing by not wanting to be traded to Baltimore (Manny has the say on where he goes as he's a "10 and 5" player). It has also been reported that the Orioles have now received about five or six offers for Tejada, so if Baltimore does seriously want to move him, they could easily start a bidding war between the teams who really want him.

So what about Manny? According to many insiders, the Sox tried "extremely hard" to trade him this past week, to clubs such as the Mets and LA Angels, but there was just not the right fit to satisfy the Red Sox brass, who simply won't give Manny away. The Tejada trade rumors seemed to have jump-started the Manny speculation once again, but it is still my feeling that Manny Ramirez will be playing left field for the Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 11.

It's also no huge surprise that Johnny Damon has not signed with the Red Sox, or anyone else yet. This past week, there was a story in the New York papers about how much Damon loves New York and respects the Yankee players, and even talked about the "jealousy" among some Red Sox players have in regard to Alex Rodriguez. The article made me laugh more than anything else. It was a really shallow attempt on his and Scott Boras' part to try to get the Yankees more interested in signing Damon to a long term deal. The Yankees simply aren't biting on their demands for a seven-year deal. Right now, the Yankees are loaded with many long term and hence, untradeable contracts, and they are not interested in giving Damon that kind of contract. I found it interesting that Yankee GM Brian Cashman was asked at the end of the meetings about Damon, and his reply was that he and Scott Boras hadn't even met to discuss a deal this past week. So if the Yankees are hot after Damon they clearly aren't showing it. They may only be interested in driving up the price the Sox will have to pay Damon eventually.

I still think that before Christmas ends, Boras and the Sox will meet somewhere in the middle of what the Red Sox are offering and what Boras and Damon want and they'll hammer out a new deal. Stay tuned.

The Red Sox also traded backup catcher Doug Mirabelli to the San Diego Padres for second baseman Mark Loretta. I really like this trade. Loretta is an ideal number two hitter who was second in the NL in total hits in 2004. He had injury problems last season, but he is still a quality ballplayer (as well as a quality person, as my friends in San Diego tell me). He can be a great mentor and bridge for Dustin Pedroia, who the Red Sox feel needs another year in the minors in 2006. I am saddened to see Mirabelli leave, as he was a great catcher for Tim Wakefield, as Wakefield's numbers are so far superior than when Jason Varitek is catching him. Mirabelli will see more action with the Padres, as they want him to bring young Miguel Olivo along. The Red Sox will now have to get a veteran backup for Varitek, and it is rumored to be Ken Huckaby of Toronto. (It sounds like young Kelly Shoppach will be moved in a trade.) I have also heard that Wakefield will actually have a say as to who the Sox sign, as he will be taking Mirabelli's slot in catching Wakefield.

The Red Sox also had no success in trading David Wells. The Padres and Dodgers were interested in him, but it now appears that the Red Sox are in no rush to deal him, and may even wait until January to pull the trigger on a deal.

This past week, all major league clubs had to offer their free agents arbitration, or else they could not negotiate a new deal with them until next May 1. As far as the Red Sox went, they offered it to Johnny Damon, Bill Mueller and Tony Graffanino. They declined to offer it to Kevin Millar, Matt Mantei, Mike Myers and the now-retired John Olerud. Players have until December 19 to accept and if they do, they are considered to be signed. If they decline (and all three will) the Red Sox have until January 8 to sign them. Mueller appears ready to go to either the Dodgers or Pirates, and Graffanino is looking for a two-year deal, and wants to play everyday. It's doubtful he will be back in Boston.

This now means that the Kevin Millar Era in Boston has come to a close. It was certainly an enjoyable run he had here, but it was pretty clear that his days as an everyday player are behind him, so the Sox cut him loose. I haven't heard of even one team interested in signing him, but if he's willing to play part-time, someone will surely pick him up. Otherwise, his next stop maybe Japan, where the Red Sox rescued him from going to in early 2003.

Anyway, I wish "KFC" all the best in his baseball future. It was sure fun while he was here, and I'll never forget it was him who started "The Comeback" in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS with the walk. And of course, before that game, it was Millar and his "Don't let us win today!" rousing speech during batting practice that turned out to be so incredibly prophetic. Good luck wherever you career path leads, Kevin.

I wish all the best to Bill Mueller and John Olerud too. They are both classy players who play the game the right way, and left the Red Sox for different reasons. I've always admired Olerud, and hated to root against him when he was with the Yankees in 2004. Bill Mueller got two of the biggest hits in Red Sox history in 2004, both off Mariano Rivera. They will be remembered forever. Good luck to whichever team you land with, Bill.

Another important question maybe answered soon, as the Red Sox may actually be going with co-general managers next season in Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington. An announcement maybe coming next week, but the brass seem to be leaning in that direction. And rumors have gotten hotter that Theo Epstein may return as "an advisor" to his two former proteges. We'll see what happens, but that move would make a lot of sense. It will be interesting to see if CEO Larry Lucchino will sign off on that. Theo's return seems to be coming from the mind of owner John Henry, and it will be fascinating to see if it does happen, will it cause any rift between Lucchino and Henry.

Boy, this team is never boring.

Well, the Winter Meetings are over and the Sox have made a number of moves, and they will have a whole new infield next season.The club is being turned over again, and now only 13 players remain from the 2004 champions. They clearly aren't as yet done, as the Manny and Johnny D situations are still not settled. They still need a shortstop and a first baseman. Four players from the 2004 World Championship team (Millar, Myers, Mirabelli and Mueller) will not be wearing Red Sox uniforms next year, and we wish them all the best. (Yes, even to Myers, who signed with the Yankees.)

They'll always be "one of the 25", no matter what opposition uniforms they wear.

And the Red Sox figure to be right smack in the middle of it all.

The Red Sox still don't have a general manager in name, but that didn't prevent them from pulling off the biggest trade of the off-season so far when they acquired Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota. They have gone down to Dallas to try and shore up a number of problem areas. Of course the sexiest name out there in all of the trade talksl is Manny Ramirez.

The rumors about Manny being traded have been swirling since last July, and soon as the playoffs concluded they started to pick up speed again. The Sox' brass will of course be listening to all offers for him, and late last week, assistant to the GM Jed Hoyer said there were five clubs that had solid interest in swinging a deal for him.

We all know that Mets' GM Omar Minaya highly covets Ramirez. The Red Sox are definitely interested in Mets' prized minor league outfielder Lastings Milledge and righthanded pitcher Aaron Heilman. The Mets have been acquiring big name, as well as big salaried talent the last month, like Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner and Paul LoDuca. They feel they can still absorb Manny's huge contract, but the Mets have also dealt away some good young talent from their system in these deals, and have become a bit reticent in dealing away Milledge and Heilman. (They have to be careful not to fall into the trap the Yankees have fallen into by gutting their farm system.) But still the Mets may not have enough to satisfy the Red Sox for Manny in terms of talent ready to step in now for Ramirez. I still think it's unlikely he goes to the Mets.

The Angels and Rangers have also been teams thought to be a landing spot for Manny. The Angels just lost out in the Paul Konerko sweepstakes and are looking to add another big bat to their lineup. The Sox are hot after their young starter Ervin Santana and a young slugger named Brandon Wood, who the Angels don't want to give up. The Angels are trying to move Darin Erstad and Steve Finley, but the Sox don't want to take on those salaries, so more and more it appears Anaheim (or LA of Anaheim if you prefer) doesn't seem to be a place Manny will end up. The Rangers have been offering Alfonso Soriano in a possible trade, but he doesn't want to play the outfield. Unless Texas wants to sweeten that deal considerably, I wouldn't bet on Manny playing there either. A possible swap of Manny to the Phillies for slugger Bobby Abreu doesn't appear likely either, as the discrepancy in the salaries doesn't appear to be a match, and the Sox won't up the trade just to get Abreu.

My feeling is Manny will still be with the Red Sox after the meetings end. I just don't see the Red Sox getting anything close to Manny's value in a trade. I know the Sox want to get out from under that contract, but they shouldn't do anything foolish just to move him. I still think that Manny will be in a Red Sox uniform come next March 1.

The other big name the Sox have to deal with is Johnny Damon. The Red Sox maintain that re-signing Damon remains a high priority. He and his agent Scott Boras are seeking a seven year deal, and are finding no takers for that length of contract. The other teams beside the Red Sox who have shown interest are the Yankees, Cubs and Tigers. The Yankees have no interest in Damon unless he brings his demands down, and probably wouldn't sign him for more than a three year deal. The Yankees may still use Damon (or vice versa) to get the Red Sox to give him a better deal and drive the price up. I don't see the Yankees committing anything long term to Damon, and I honestly can't see him starting his career anew in Detroit. The Cubs interest hasn't been that strong, so I really believe that Damon and Boras will back off their pie-in-the-sky demands and meet the Red Sox somewhere in the middle. It sounds very similar to what Boras did for Jason Varitek last winter.

The Red Sox also a have a number of other holes to fill, namely at first base, second base and middle relief. Rumors of a trade of Matt Clement to Milwaukee for first baseman Lyle Overbay have surfaced, and this would be a deal I'd love to see the Sox make. But I wouldn't bet on it. I don't see the Brewers doing it. They would love to move Overbay for some pitching, as they have rookie Prince Fielder waiting in the wings to take over first. But Clement will make $9 million next season, and Overbay makes less than $500,000. Unless the Sox add more to it, they may turn their attention over to the Reds' Sean Casey, who Cincinnati is looking to move with his $8 million salary. Travis Lee is a cheaper alternative to Casey and a free agent. He's a good first baseman who could platoon with Kevin Youkilis there in 2006.

At second base, the Red Sox could go with a platoon of Alex Cora and rookie Dustin Pedroia next year, but there are some that feel that Pedroia may not be fully ready yet. The Red Sox have talked to free agent Tony Graffanino, but he is seeking a two year deal and wants to play full time. Still, the Sox may swing a deal to bring in another second baseman in the interim until they feel ready to give Pedroia the job. This past week, a rumored trade of David Wells and Doug Mirabelli to San Diego for Mark Loretta surfaced. Loretta is a very good second baseman and quality hitter, who suffered through an injury-plagued 2005. If the Red Sox make this deal, a new question surfaces: who catches Tim Wakefield every fifth day? I would imagine that Jason Varitek would be having different off-days in 2006 than he did last year if Mirabelli is traded.

The Red Sox should make an effort to re-sign lefty specialist Mike Myers, who is currently getting much interest from teams such as the Yankees. He will be getting a hefty raise over 2005, and the Sox shouldn't wait and get into a bidding war over him. If he should depart, I would hope the Red Sox would give Lenny DiNardo a shot at being a full time member of the pen next season. He was very impressive in his stints last September.

As for Wells, he appears to be heading back home to San Diego, and all that's left is for who. The original trade that came to light was for former Sox folk hero Dave Roberts and setup man Akinora Otsuka. The Padres have cooled on parting with Otsuka, as they maybe losing long time closer Trevor Hoffman to free agency, and he could take over that role.

Well Red Sox fans, this should be an interesting week for the club. Despite not having a general manager, they should be active this week. Who knows what surprises might be in the works. What exactly will happen is unknown, but I still feel that Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon will return to Boston in 2006.

In the immortal words of comedian Dennis Miller: "That's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

But I hope I'm not.

"The Calm Before the Winter Storm"

As the month of December is about to commence, all eyes in the baseball world will be turning towards Dallas and the Winter Meetings, which will begin next Monday. But before we get into that (which will be my next column), I noticed a few interesting things that I thought I would comment on.

I received a very interesting email from Eric Wass, a Red Sox fan from Rockland, Maine. Eric's a lifelong Red Sox fan, and he's also a guitar player. He and some friends put together a band called The Red Sox Rockers, and they have recorded a CD called "Red Sox Family". Eric's CD has 9 songs, all professionally produced with many different types of music.

The song list includes "Go Red Sox", "Fenway Girl", "Manny and Ortiz" and "We are The Nation". Eric and his band recorded a video for "Fenway Girl" and it was shown twice on NESN during the past baseball season. Eric hopes to get his band in the "Hot Stove, Cool Music" program, which is the Boston music show that has featured such icons as Peter Gammons and Theo Epstein playing guitar. The Red Sox themselves enjoyed his CD, and this past October they sent him a letter thanking him. He also says that he's received hundreds of emails from people who loved his music, and he told me "Some like to use the CD to torture Yankee fans!!" (A perfect stocking stuffer for that Yankee fan in your life?)

Eric is also donating a generous portion of the proceeds of the CD to the Red Sox Foundation. There is a website where you can check it out at: www.Klaritymusic.com.

(Once there you click on "Rock" and scroll down to the bottom of the page.)

The price of the CD is $15, or 2 for $25. You can order the CD by sending a check to:

Best World Records

18 Halls Lane

Rockland, Maine 04841

Best of luck Eric! Hope I see you playing in the "Hot Stove, Cool Music" program soon.

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading the New York Daily News and saw an interesting tidbit in one of the paper's gossip columns. It's something I'm honestly surprised was virtually ignored, especially here in New York. New York state congressman John Sweeney, a Republican from Dutchess County, was in Bobby Van's Steakhouse in Washington D.C. one night and was talking to a bartender there, who happened to be a big Red Sox fan. He and Sweeney, a huge Yankee fan, started to get into it pretty good about their teams, as most Yankee and Red Sox fans often do. Apparently it was really rather good natured, but another Red Sox fan at the bar didn't think so, and he hauled off and hit Sweeney. The report did not say where Sweeney got hit by the fan, or whether the fan was drunk or not.

An aide to the congressman said there was "an ugly incident" and said that Sweeney "didn't get punched" or at least "not hard". Sweeney didn't press charges against the fan, so it doesn't sound like anything serious occurred. Sweeney, in typical Yankee fan "wiseguy" fashion, said, "It just goes to show Red Sox fans can't handle losing any better than they can handle winning."

I'm honestly surprised the New York press didn't play this incident more. I could see a screaming NY tabloid doing just that: "Yankee Fan Pol Sucker-Punched By Bosox Thug!"

I'm certainly glad the congressman was not hurt and basically laughed off the incident. But be careful out there, Congressman Sweeney. Red Sox Nation is everywhere!!

Last week I went to a very special screening of an independent film near Lincoln Center in Manhattan. The film is called "In-Between", and it was written and directed by Deborah Twiss, who also stars in it. The film is centered on the lives of two New York City couples, and how their lives are forever altered by the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. The movie takes a number of interesting twists and turns.

Of course, the 9/11 attacks are something that altered my life forever, so I was very curious about this film. There have only been a few films or television programs that have dealt with the terror attacks of four years ago, but I watched "In-Between" and I was absolutely captivated by it. The film was made on a very low budget, but Ms. Twiss has put together a very fine film that deals with the 9/11 tragedy very respectfully.

I spoke with Deborah after the film's screening and she told me that "In-Between" was her way of giving back and remembering the victims of that terrible day. If you ever get the chance to see the movie at a future screening or on DVD, I would definitely recommend seeing it. The film has a webpage: www.traaxproduction.com/html/in-between.html, where you can read more about it.

And I'd like to conclude with this. I was watching the Vikings-Giants football game a few weeks ago, and I heard the color commentator, who's name I can't remember, say this gem once the Vikings had won and upset the Giants: "The Vikings win and they break 'the curse' against the Giants!" The Vikings had lost to the Giants the last THREE years in a row, and apparently in the NFL, to lose to a team three consecutive years is now considered a "curse".

Haven't we had enough of this nonsense about curses, once and for all? Every time I hear ANY announcer use the term "curse" in any sport, I "curse" the name of Dan Shaughnessy.

See you next week everyone, when all the speculation about Manny Ramirez' and Johnny Damon's futures with the Red Sox may finally come to a conclusion, one way or another.

Or maybe not.

Theo Epstein's "Halloween Surprise" shook Red Sox Nation to its core, with his shocking departure after just three years as the club's general manager. Just days before his announcement, the man who could have been his logical successor, assistant GM Josh Byrnes, left to take over as general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks (and he just brought Peter Woodfork, another trusted Theo lieutenant, with him as the team's assistant GM).

Manny Ramirez told Red Sox officials he wants to be traded (for what, the 150th time?), and that if he is not dealt over the winter he says won't report to spring training. Of course if he sits out the 2006 season, he forfeits his $20 million salary. He has said he'd like to play for the Mets, Angels or Mariners. (Now that the Mets have tentatively traded for Carlos Delgado, it looks pretty unlikely that the Mets will get Manny. The Mets are taking on a huge contract in Delgado, and look to sign a free agent closer and catcher, so taking on Manny's contract now looks highly doubtful.) David Ortiz was told by Manny recently that he'd want to go to a West Coast club, and Big Papi said he thought Manny would be gone from the Red Sox. (Remember he also said Pedro Martinez "won't be going to no Mets" last winter.)

Johnny Damon and his agent Scott Boras are looking for a deal in the seven-year, $84 million range. I can't see anyone biting on this deal, especially the Red Sox. We all know that Boras shoots for the moon for his clients, but this kind of deal is just insane. Damon has said on many occasions that Boston is the city he wants to play in. The Red Sox are looking in the three-year, $10 million a year range for him. I still believe that he and his agent will play the field throughout the winter meetings (which start on December 5), see what teams are spending to sign free agents, and then go from there. I still feel that they will do what Boras did with Jason Varitek last winter: wait until about Christmas, then get down to some "approachable" numbers with the Red Sox brass (hopefully there is a GM by then) and get Johnny signed. Could Damon leave Boston? Sure, but we'll see. There aren't many quality free agent options for CF, so the Red Sox really have to make a concerted effort to sign him.

It has been over three weeks and the Red Sox still don't have a general manager. Many probable candidates declined interviews for various reasons, while former Expos GM Jim Beattie has been interviewed twice for the job. But still, no successor has been named. As time continues to drag on, it made me wonder what the Red Sox are waiting for. Could there be a surprise, and Theo Epstein would return as GM, as those rumors that started last week seem to say? I highly doubt that, as I can't see the major players in the bust-up (Theo and Larry Lucchino) return to running the Red Sox as if nothing happened. There are big egos involved, and I believe that Theo will have to live with his decision.

This past Monday night, I went out to a movie screening, and when I got home, I got the news from my dad that "the Red Sox pulled off a big trade". "Did it involve Ramirez?" I asked him.

"Yes, but not for the Ramirez you're thinking of."

I then knew it was Hanley Ramirez the Sox had traded, and then he told me it was for Josh Beckett. I was really shocked to hear it, as I heard that Beckett was probably heading to Texas for third baseman Hank Blalock. I got to my computer and I found out that Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell of the Florida Marlins were heading to Boston (once all players pass their physicals, that should be any day now) for Hanley Ramirez and minor league pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Jesus Delgado. My reaction to this trade was: what a steal!!

Beckett is the 25-year-old star righthanded pitcher who is best known for shutting out the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series and giving the Florida Marlins their second world championship. He was 15-8 for Florida in 2005 with a 3.37 ERA in 179.2 innings. He figures to move into the number two slot in the rotation after Curt Schilling (assuming that the Sox indeed trade David Wells). The Red Sox rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Matt Clement (assuming he isn't dealt),Bronson Arroyo (or possibly Jon Papelbon) and Tim Wakefield looks a lot better than the one that finished the 2005 season. The Sox are also adding another pitcher in Beckett that has beaten the Yankees in the postseason, and you can never underestimate that.

However, there is one downside. Beckett has been on the DL nine times in the past four seasons, six times it was for recurring blister problems. I remember Nolan Ryan had some serious blister troubles early in his career and was able to overcome them. However, most of Beckett's blister problems occurred earlier in his career. He was also evaluated late last season for shoulder problems, but it didn't appear to be anything serious. The Red Sox medical people will evaluate his medical records before the 72-hour window for completing the trade ends on Friday.

In making the Beckett trade, the Sox had to take the contract of 3B Mike Lowell. He had a terrible year at the plate last season, hitting only 8 HRs, 58 RBI and .236 AVG in 150 games. Despite that, he is still one of the better fielding third basemen in the game, and won the NL Gold Glove last season. The Sox take on a contract that will pay Lowell $18 million over the next two years. I believe it is a gamble worth taking. A change of scenery could do Lowell some good, as he hit 135 HRs for Florida from 1999-2004. His best year was 2003, when he hit 32 HRs and 105 RBI for the World Champions. He could be a great number 6 hitter in the Red Sox lineup. (I'll never forget that game-winning home run he hit at Fenway Park in June 2003 to cap a big comeback win over the Red Sox.)

The Sox give up two talented prospects in Ramirez and Sanchez. The Marlins, who are in a salary dump mode, weren't going to give up Beckett and Lowell and get very little in return. But you have to wonder if Ramirez had any future with the Red Sox, especially when they sigd Edgar Renteria last winter. The Red Sox may have looked at him as a trading chip for a big trade. He figures to be the Marlins' starting shortstop in 2006. Sanchez had a very good season at AA in 2005, but figures to be in the majors either late next season or in 2007. The Sox had balked at trading Jon Lester in this deal, as the lefty is considered to be the best pitching prospect in the entire organization (he maybe up at some point in 2006). The fact they were able to get Beckett without sacrificing Lester is a very positive thing.

, the Red Sox were busy trying to convince Curt Schilling to come to Boston in a trade from Arizona. Later that weekend, the deal was announced, and the Sox were on the road to making baseball history. Back in 1997, shortly before Thanksgiving, the Red Sox acquired Pedro Martinez from the Montreal Expos for pitchers Carl Pavano and Tony Armas, Jr.

It appears another Thanksgiving present for Red Sox Nation is on the way in the form of another big time hurler in Josh Beckett. It was definitely a deal the Red Sox had to make, and hopefully it's the start of more good things to come. Despite all the turmoil of the past month, and with all the major personnel decisions that are coming very shortly, the Beckett trade seems like a big coup for the Red Sox and their fans.

Update: The Red Sox and Marlins signed off on the trade on Thursday night, and it was expanded to include hard-throwing reliever Guillermo Mota to the Red Sox while the Red Sox have included minor league right handed pitcher Harvey Garcia to the Marlins in the deal.

Heck, who needs a general manager?

I want to wish everyone out there a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you all for all of your emails and nice feedback, as it is always appreciated.

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