I’m with you on Burnett and Holliday. AJ isn’t worth the $15 million he’ll likely cost. Also, Burnett is anything but durable. He threw 200 innings in only one of his three years in Toronto.

As for Holliday, he and Bay are similar players. The Sox will have to give up a lot to get Holliday and then pay through the nose to keep him. He is one year away from free agency (which is why Colorado wants to move him), and Scott Boras is his agent. While Holliday is a good hitter, he is no Manny Ramirez. I’d pass.

I’d also like to see the Sox get younger at catcher. Martin (if the rumors are true) or Teagarden would be nice. I’d trade anyone but Pedroia, Youk, Lester, Beckett, Paps, or Buchholz to get either one.

I’m not sure what to make of the Tex rumors. I can’t really see the Sox paying $20 million for a 1B. I also think the Angels are serious about keeping him (they dumped Anderson’s $14 million), and the MFY need him.

Aside from upgrading catcher—and maybe SS—the Sox don’t really need much. Another bullpen arm would be nice. Perhaps their biggest need is an improved bench.

would you read the words “my esteemed diseased colleague.” Great work Allen.

Can’t imagine Derek Lowe coming back. He’s too old and probably pissed off ownership. The fact that they didn’t offer him a contract in 2005 was really revealing. Besides, I can’t imagine the distraction that having Lowe and Heidi Watney in the same park would cause. Might make for a good NESN reality show – “The Home Wreckers.”

Also, I wouldn’t mind bringing Brett Myers to Boston. It’s been AGES since we tarred and feathered someone.

Brett Myers is an ass. I can’t believe there’s such a thing as a ‘nice’ wife beater. He’s not a nice guy.

Catcher Toby Hall is eligible after Chicago declined a $2.25 million option. He batted .260 with two homers in 41 games last season.

Starter pitchers eligible for free agency include CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster, Jon Garland, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Randy Johnson, Randy Wolf, Braden Looper, Jamie Moyer, Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez.

A.J. Burnett will decide on opt-out by start of GM meetings Monday. As you all know, he is expected to opt-out for free agency.

Manny Ramirez filed for free agency today. It’s rumored that he spurned a 2 year, $60 M contract extension from the Dodgers to seek something more along the lines of 4 years, $80 M. I’m guessing he’ll make more than $20 M annually, on average.

Does the title and the this:

I’m less than impressed by the quality of those tidbits

a suggestion that I should work harder on this stuff? Or that they aren’t great leads? Thanks for the other compliments, I’m just filtering MLBTR’s stories to ones that concerned the Sox and any targets we are going after. For other stuff: www.mlbtraderumors.com

Unless I’m in a rush and need to post something that isn’t long enough (75 words). That way people will see it when they load up the front page, instead of having to scroll down.

http://www.draysbay.com/2008/10/27/647577/fan-loyalty

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 SAYS:
You might want to factor in the number of seats available in each park. The Trop held as much as 40,473 in the World Series, 36,048 in the 2008 regular season, 38,437 in the 2007 regular season, and 45,369 in the 1998 regular season. Citizens Bank Park held 43,647 starting in 2007, 43,308 in 2006, and 43,500 in 2004 and 2005. Before that, Veterans Stadium in Philly held 62,306 for baseball in 2003, it’s last year. It’s kinda hard to fill up a stadium that averaged 10,000 more seats than the Trop.

You know what’s lame? I open SI.com, and on the frontpage there’s Tim Tebow running for 2 TDs… I can’t think of anything more boring than college football.

I miss baseball. Thank god for the NBA, because otherwise I’d be as good as dead in these 5 months or so every fucking year.

1) Sign Teixeira, he is the best FA bat available currently and IMO take the Sox to a level that other teams would have to make moves to get too or not make the playoffs.

2) Sign Lowe, Ive been thinking about this and for the money, years, experience and the injury risk (Burnett, CC and Sheets), D. Lowe is the best fit. Slot him in at #4 and the Sox rotation is pretty bad ass…Beckett, Lester, Dice-K, Lowe, Wake/Bowden/Buchholz.

3) Sign Kawakami, Japanese pitchers are 50/50 and the Sox have been 2-0 on them so I say lets keep going to the well until it dries up. Its just money and we might find another Okie steal. Plus, being the favorite MLB team in Japan has its rewards. Junichi Tawaza, the 18 year old who wants to go to the MLB from High school, has stated he wants to play for Boston.

4) Sign a FA catcher or Tek. Either does not matter. With Teixeira, even a .220 catcher would not matter. We can hide Varitek in a lineup with Teixeira and Bay.

5) trade Coco to Chicago for Sean Marshall, the lefty relief pitcher. That would give the Sox a reliable lefty in the pen to add to Masterson, Okie, Delcarmen and Paps. Our staff would be very nice with the 5 starters and a bullpen with 2 lefties and 2 righties setting up Paps.

6) see if anyone will take Julio Lugo’s contract.

7) Either make Mike Lowell a “super sub” or move him to Minnesota or Chicago White Sox for anything.

I think the Sox should let the Rangers stew on their catching surplus until the price comes down or they are willing to move Teagarden. Young Pitching > Young Catchers. Sox have the prospects everyone wants… let them come to the Sox. If the Rangers would do a Buchholz for Teagarden straight up or something similar, I would jump on that in a second.

But didn’t we trade Manny away to save a boatload of money? Doesn’t this team make a boatload of money? Shouldn’t we throw a boatload of money at the best 1 or 2 free agents available and fill in around them with our fantastic farm system? Forgive me if I sound too much like Joe Yankee fan, but if we are going to have one of the highest payrolls, why not go after the big fish – especially now that we lost one of our biggest stars (Manny) and perhaps could be seeing a decline in our other biggest bat (Ortiz)

(again, be kind, I’m just a humble Celtics fanatic who also likes the Sox)

I would sign Tex, at all costs. Losing Manny’s contract will allow for this.
Sign Millar to fill the Sean Casey role.
Do whatever it takes to trade Lugo, this is going to be hard to do.
I have no doubt Lowell can be traded away for a decent package to the Indians or Twins.
Do not sign Lowe, AJ, or CC find out whatit takes to get Peavy, and get it done.