Hopefully we (Pirates) are getting Jason Bay back in this trade...

You are kidding me...you have to wonder what we gave back (I wouldn't be surpised if they just took Aaron Bates in the Pirates apparent quest to have their team not be able to rent a car). I saw the headline and was suspecting his brother might be coming (third baseman). But this might just be the bat that we need.

Rumors are out there that Wilson maybe involved too.

www.tbebaseball.com

LaRoche usually does VERY well after the All Star break.

Can he play rightfield?

Probably player to be named. Decent move. What a terrible organization the Pirates are...they unload all of their talent year after year!

Totally not the answer, when the Yankees sign Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett while we do little, well, its all over for us. How about a salary cap in this stinking sport so teams cant buy wins, or favors.

He is easily fooled by the low inside and low outside pitch. Be prepared for strikeouts galore.

OK, but how is a left handed first baseman going to help them against right handed hitting? Righties tend to pull the ball to the other side of the diamond :)

Curious to hear all the details here. This guy make upwards of 7 mil, and no one in the 'Burgh seems sorry to see him go. He strikes out nearly once a game and doesn't have amazing numbers to offset.

Classic Theo overpaying for mediocre talent, or is this a small part of something larger? Or an indication that Lowell is not 100%?

I'm a fan. We'll see how it turns out though. Nice pop, decent on base guy..I'll take it. Obviously they didn't give up a whole lot for him..

At this point, I will take anybody who can hit the ball over the fence instead of routine fly balls. I mean anybody !

OK, but how is a left handed first baseman going to help them against right handed hitting? Righties tend to pull the ball to the other side of the diamond, unless, of course, you're arguing Youk is a major improvement over Lowell at third ;)

nice move, now release Kotsay

The .247 doesn't thrill me, since we have plenty of those in the lineup right now, but if he is a "notorious second-half hitter", then he might be able to help.

OK, but how is a left handed first baseman going to help them against right handed hitting? Righties tend to pull the ball to the other side of the diamond, unless, of course, you're arguing Youk is a major improvement over Lowell at third ;)

'Acquired'? How? Was he released and signed, or was it a trade? If a trade, who did the Sox give?

Red Sox are imploding!!

I am guessing the Sox are going to give Lowell some serious time off these next few months to rest that hip for October. Or my fear is that Lowell is done and this move comes first before we find out about it...we'll see.

Chad - does who comes off the roster - Kotsay?

Sweetest stroke in the game. Nice swing, too.

good deal, I can't imagine the Sox needed to give up much.

How is this intriguing? LaRoche stinks. Also what does: "but he has never had a full-season adjusted OPS below 100" mean?

Great, another guy with great potential to go 0-4...

Oh great...another .240 hitter. Just what the offense needs.

Oh great...another .240 hitter. Just what the offense needs.

Big freekin deal!! What's that gonna do?

Notorious?
Sorry to go all editor on you, Chad, but you'd better look that up.

Adam LaRoche does not strike fear into other pitchers hearts!... we need a bat the pitchers cant get a good nite sleep the nite before the game!! c'mon Theo!

a 247 hitter that's going to help! who they give up to get a great hitter like that?

Who did we give up in Return.
This is a good move considering Lowell's uncertainty with his health. At the very least it is a Power Bat for off the bench.

it supposedly is NOT Manny Delcarmen that is goint to Pittsburgh in return for LaRoche...maybe Penny or Saito? wouldn't have given up Bucholz or Bowden for him

Any truth to the rumor that the Sox made a pitch for Chris Duncan in exchange for Lugo, with Boston picking up a chunk of Lugo's salary ?

Viva El Birdos reported that LaRussa and Papa Dunc blew a gasket when they were informed, and the deal was yanked.

sweet

Great, another guy hitting below .250.........

First JBay, now Adam... you may as well take the other 2 remaining good Pirate players... Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson. They all deserve to feel what it's like to be in the playoffs. Good luck Adam, Jason, and whoever is next!

good deal, I can't imagine the Sox needed to give up much.

The Sox will make out in this deal. They'll probably give up a case of cheap beer and a loser to be named later.

looks like the battle for a new bat vs. a new arm is moving forward, lets hope it doesn't stop here. Go Theo

c ya Kotsay

Welcome to Boston! I would rather have seen a Right handed bat but Adam can help.

Sox gave up Argenis Diaz and an unknown prospect

Because the Globe can't report things on their own, the Post-Gazette site is down. Hopefully the Globe can have another paper find out who's going to Pittsburgh and share it with us.

"intriguing pickup for the Red Sox, who have surprisingly struggled against righthanded hitting this season."

certainly, you meant righthanded pitching?

its a start

its a start

That's great, but I still want to see them pull the trigger on Martinez and get our bats really going. We need a lot of firepower and we need it now.

hmmmmm.. 7mil for a .243 average?

who did they give up for laroche?

as a Red Sox fan living in Pittsburgh, i have been to many Pirates games and i can tell you this guy is a hard working ballplayer. He'll fit right in.

Great pickup! If Lowell goes down again, we can swap Youk to 3rd, and he can start at 1st!

Wow another .250 hitter, is he another batter that just stands there too?

"According to multiple baseball sources, the Pirates will receive shortstop Argenis Diaz and pitcher Hunter Strickland when the deal is finalized."

WEEI blog report.

Good. This is what I would have expected the Sox to do. Get a bat without giving up too much. First basemen...makes me wonder how Lowell is feeling these days?

Interesting move - Does this mean that Mike Lowell's surgically repaired hip is having more problems then the team is letting on.

Good timing to make a move. They needed to do something to shake things up in this offense. Seems like a good pick up to me, depends on what Pitt is getting from us.

Yippee!
I follow two teams Pirates and RedSox.
Sorry for the Pirates but so very happy for the Red Sox.

to bad they couldnt get sanchez

The prospects are Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, whoever they are

Really? This is an impact bat. Come on Theo...you're better then this.

Whooop deee dooooooo!!

This may be a big mistake. Reportedly, Adrian Gonzales is willing to be traded to a team with a chance to be in the playoffs and the Padres are anxious to dump salaries. He is a better hitter and fielder than LaRoche and is two years younger. He could be legitimately compared to Teixeira.
I think the Red Sox hitting woes are not temporary. There are a lot of automatic outs in the lineup these days.

its the little things that count having a bench player in adam laroche may be a good thing for the sox theo knows wut he is doing

Awesome! We don't need to worry now because we have Adam LaRoche.. he'll fix everything! Forget shortstop and catcher, we need yet another mediocre back up corner infielder to solve our problems. Theo- Go trade Penny/Smoltz and Lowry for JJ Hardy now. Throw in LaRoche if you have to.

Need all the hitting we can get. Nice pickup by Theo.

Rthe Red Sox need to make a trade for ROLEN and a pitcher LEE or Halladay to make a run at the American League Pennant.LaRoche is not an impact player thus mantaining the Red Sox in the same position

I do not like this trade at all. The Sox needed a bat. LaRoche is not exactly a big bat. Even getting Aubrey Huff would've been better than this move.
This all stems from the fact that they didn't go the extra mile for Teixeira in December.

I like the deal.....

It looked like Mike Lowell hurt himself when he hit the ground trying to make it home the other night. Hope this is just insurance.... We need both Youk and a healthy Lowell to make it to the playoffs.

Hmm. Chad, Is this an indication of Mike Lowell's expected health moving forward? Otherwise we're getting log-jammed at the corner spots- Lowell, Youkilis, Kotsay, LaRoche.

Or are we looking at a 3rd base platoon based on pitching match-ups? RHP = LaRoche & Youk, LHP = Lowell & Youk, with Kotsay spot-starting to give Youk a rest. Doesn't sound like we gave up much in the way of prospects, so it sounds like a no-lose deal. Poor Pirates fans...

I like it, potential 30 homer run 90 RBI guy who kills it in the second half. Good work Theo!

now when youk gets hurt we have sum one to play first that belongs there

Another 250 hitter - perfect - we only have four of them in the line-up now (Ortiz, Bay, Drew, Varitek). We could replace Lowell (at 290) with LaRoche!

Well, Bill Simmons doesn't like the trade so that must mean it will be a good one.

Not the answer!

Don't we have more pressing needs than an average OPS guy? Or is this a bigger plan to get a guy like Andrian Gonzalez from SD?

This is absurd and is not going to make a difference. Statistically, LaRoche is just another JD Drew.

I know the Sox need hitting but where is he going to play? Ortiz is a left handed hitter and we already have Youk and Lowell. Also, another shot term pick up for two prospects. Does anyone know anything about them?

The Sox have "struggled against righthanded hitting"? You mean "pitching," I presume.

This sounds like an indirect backup plan for Mike Lowell. If he goes down, Youk can play more third and LaRoche can play first. Our last trade with the Pirates worked out well, so what the heck?

Theo is celarly hedging against Lowell's bad hip, and getting someoen to play first (as Youk plays third). But isn't this the role Kotsay is supposed to be filling? What does Theo know that we don't?

the Pirates receive pitcher Hunter Strickland and shortstop Argenis Diaz.

Diaz is an average SS but i think if they held on to Strickland for a couple of years, he might have panned out into something decent...he's 6"5' and could have developed his fast ball a little more and been effective

Just another Martk Kotsay

He'll ride the bench and get ready to split games with Kotsay at 1st when Lowell inevitably goes on the 15-day DL again and Youk moves over to third.

We're turning into the Pittsburgh Pirates......how'd that work out for them?

Who's going to take a sit , Lowell or Papi?

Who get's cut?

This move tells me that they are not confident that Lowell is healthy

So who comes off the roster to make room for him, it's got to be Kotsay, right?

So does this mean Lowell is benched while youk plays third?

Chad Finn doesn't post comments anyway

Nice Touch !!
This works for me....In lieu of the fact that Lowell's hip cannot be relied upon (you can still see how restricted his mobility is at the plate and running....no matter how healthy he says he is)....Youkilis is a natural 3B and admitted on NESN (1) week ago that "I am a 3B, playing 1B". -- It's Youk's natural spot.
LaRoche is a quality 1B -- and since Lars Anderson is stinking up Double-A Portland right now, LaRoche is some nice "POP" to add-on.

Lots of things to still address in the offseason., (LF) (SS) & more....but this is a good signing. Jack Wilson would be nice next....since Pittsburgh Pirates are in fire-sale mode as usual.

LaRoche and Mike Lowell platoon, with Youk flipping sides of the infield -- and getting an occasional day off himself.

What's the corresponding 25 man roster move? Someone to the DL?

"If the report is accurate, the 29-year-old six-year veteran is an intriguing pickup for the Red Sox, who have surprisingly struggled against righthanded hitting this season."

I'm no english major but shouldn't it say they have struggled against right handed pitching* not hitting?

The should now package LaRoche and a Triple A pitcher or two and go get Gonzalez.

Not Argenis Diaz!!

What's intriguing about it? He's a first basman who drives in 80 runs. Where Youkilis play, and Lowell? Is he a pinch-hitter? There has to be a lot more to this.

I am excited about this trade. LaRoche is a great hitter and will add much depth to the roster. I am a little confused about what his role will end up being. Where do you think LaRoche will fit?

Plus, as LaRoche is finishing a last year of a contract, you can revisit him in November on a new-offering if needed. While we debate Jason Bay (only hitting .254 now and showing his true colors -- vs -- Matt Holliday (both FA's) for 2010). -
2010 Red Sox:
LaRoche (1B)
Pedroia (2B)
J. Wilson (SS) ??
Youkilis (3B)
Holliday (LF)
Ellsbury (CF)
Drew (RF)
Kotsay & Baldelli (Utility....resign 1-year deals)
Tek another year....work with Kotteras and Exposito in the minors.
Mauer is not leaving Minnesota so stop the pipe-dreams, people....

I like it....I like it....

Let Bay walk....he wants to be an overpaid Yankee anyways.
Mr. Batting .254 !!

Teo has lost his mind. Maybe we can get Rob Deer to come back from retirement too. We have far better guys in our system than this clown. I happen to root for the Pirates too and I always wondered how they could keep paying this guy and now we get him. yikes!

Great trade! Pretty much the same as if they had picked up Mark Texieria in the offseason with how good LaRoche's second half splits are. Plus, LaRoche is 1 inch taller! Now if they can swing a trade of Lugo for Haney Ramirez (similar contracts but Lugo's is expiring) they will have even more height in the infield! Make it work Theo!

MLB reports that LaRoche is in the midst of a " July slump ".

He will fit in nicely with the rest of the team, save for Pedroia and Youk.

Hate this move...The Pirates fans have not liked this guy for the last 3 years........This guy is another "we see a chance he COULD be good again" like the other cheap moves the Sox have made this year.... We needed to make a much bigger splash (Adrian Gonzalez) than this dull move..............This is the kind of move that the Yanks and Rays will look at, and simply relax...............Theo, the team needs a wake up...and now it is apparent that the front office does as well........This can't be it! Can it????????????.

Got more pop than Kotsay!
Hope we didnt over spend for him!!

Interesting! Insurance for Lowell, since Youk can move to third.

In a package deal somewhere else...WTF

After watching lethargic hitters come to the plate letting first pithces go by for strikes, the Red Sox must do something to get back their verve, confidence or whatever. Ellebury still doesn 't get on what is expected from a lead-off hitter (quit trying to hit homeruns get on).. A single, walk and one first means a double. Uppercut swing for flyballs. Papi is back to umpiring when he bats. Hit the d--n ball. Bay and Drew look like they belong at Pawsox. Look at piches waiting for the right one. You get a first pitch strike and then garbage. Waiting for what you are not going to get a nice fastball. There doesn't seem to be any emmotion. Just doing a job to too many. They'll straighten out. Maybe LaRoche is a start.

That's it? Just give the Yankees a free pass why don't you?

With the team hitting .227 this month, and Laroche with a career 2nd half OPS of .901, he fits in ANYWHERE. They needed a bat, not an arm. He also gives them insurance in case Lowell needs a break.

Why another first baseman? Are we that hard up or desperate to release Mike Lowell, move Youk to third permanently and drop this guy in?

Not sure if this trade really makes that much of an impact for the team. But, at least, they're getting a left-handed bat with power, without having to give up any of the better prospects. This should also help Lowell get some days, as they can slot LaRoche at first and Youkilis at third, when necessary.

Hope they didn't give up Bard, Bay, Bowden, and Buchholz to get him.

This means they are really worried about Mike Lowell.

if he's coming to red sox.. then who's going to make a room for him?

So they must be worried about Lowell?...moving Youk to third?

So he seemingly obvious point that hasn't yet been raised ... where does the roster spot come from? Is somebody hurt that we don't know about yet, ir another trade in the works, or is somebody getting cut?

Wow...the Red Sox have a plethora of guys who play first base. Batting .247 is nothing to brag about, but if this guy lives up to his tendency to break out during the second half of the season, it could be a good fit. I guess Youkilis will be moving to third.

Maybe there is another shoe that will fall, but to me the Red Sox acquisition of Adam LaRoche makes as much sense as a Sarah Palin resignation speech...

We need pitching!! Smoltz is a has-been and is hurting the team..Dice K is no loss..The Sox have very good 1st basemen but need a good starting pitcher

haha. Looks like another trade with the pirates where the sox essentially give up nobody of any real value. Nice.

Whoopee another .243 hitter can he play RF so I don't have to hope JD Drew has a career ending injury.

Has battled ADD too. Good glove as well but is slooooow on the bases.

"His career OPS after the All-Star break is .901"

Wow

Sounds like a desperate move. Where does he play?? He moves to 1b and you know who goes to 3b? Lowell is out? Wow.

"one of the most notorious second-half hitters in baseball."

"Notorious" by definition always denotes a negative. "Most noted" would have been an accurate statement.

Like the trade.

Kotsay or Baldelli must go or Drew goes on DL

I like the move as it will give Lowell more rest. Im just curious who the odd man out will be? Im assuming the Sox need to make a roster move to make room.

Great news! He will do well in the presure cooker.

With Lowell's status uncertain, gives them left handed pop with Youk moving to 3b. Can only help this anemic offense!

Here's another bat we DON'T need.............Thanks again you cheap, unwilling, GM who is unwilling to bolster our roster!

I'm not that familiar with him but anything the Sox can do to stir up their bats is a blessing.

Here's another bat we DON'T need.............Thanks again you cheap prick GM who is unwilling to bolster our roster!

Great. another .250 hitter whose contract expires at the end of the season. Who gets sent down or DLed for this?

Love this move, great club house guy, decent power and great OPS. Get this guy in the line up as much as possible.Will surprise a lot of people who have no idea who he is.

Seems to be a smart, safe and MUCH NEEDED move by Prince Theo. The question remains... is this the only bat the Sox will acquire?

At this point If he can get a hit once in awhile he'll be ahead of the rest of the team!

yeah where do you put his bat in this line up that has a number of good hitters up and down it. I know he is a firstbaseman but what about Youk and Lowell. He doesn't in my opinion posess the best deffencive glove in the majors. Although his numbers are consistent I hope this is what this team needs to make it through the rest of the season into the playoffs. The reason I said Lowell is because Youk would play third I would imagine and Lowell would have to sit. I know that Lowell is getting older and he is fresh off the DL, just I am confused a little bit.

If Epstein and John Henry had just been willing to pony up the 200 Million it would have taken to sign Teixeira, the Red Sox would be in first place and we would not be reading this article right now.

After years of over-priced tickets and having to deal with obnoxous fans blinded by their loyalty, I have switched allegence to the Nationals. At least their fan base is not so ignorant that they look the other way when their ownership makes a poor move. Any REAL Red Sox fan knows that the Red Sox messed up last off-season and now they are paying for it - and rightfully so.

Woooooo Awesome. This will fix our offense

I shouldn't be writing this in the first place because the Red Sox SHOULD have acquired Teixeira last winter...

I think this is a good pickup. LaRoche is due to break out in the second half if form holds. He will get a lot more protection in this lineup and could blossom here.

yes! another guy hitting below .250...perfect soultion for a lack of bats!

Ok, so who is getting released? Baldelli or Kotsay?

So what does this really do for us? I'd like to think it gives us some more flexibility at the corners. Hopefully he'll turn it up in the second half like he's done in the past.

Lowell is toast and the Sox know it. He will be a platoon player at best the rest of the way.

who are the Sox removing off of their roster to make room for him?

Not Diaz! I love that kid. He was turning a major corner I thought, maybe lacked some plate discipline but had a great future ahead of him. So, does this mean that pitcher/shortstop has more promise? I wonder.

So, is this a "rent-a-player" deal, he has only this year left? What happens to Lowell as Youkilis likely moves back to third?

Another white guy. Figures....

Talk about crossing your fingers; this trade even calls for crossing your toes to boot. We need HITTERS; not hopes that the second half of the season this new guy will blossom.
Although we didn't give up a lot, at least Jed Lowrie must feel more relaxed and that might be a blessing in disguise.

Since the All-Star break the Sox have been playing with almost little or no enthusiasm. Maybe this deal was made for the purposed of lighting a fire under team. Something needs to get hie team going, because right now they are pretty miserable to watch, almost painful. May be some new blood will help.

I know nothing about Diaz and Strickland but I sure hope we didn't deal away 2-birds on the come for a pigion in the bushes.

O.K. but how do the Sox use this guy? Could Mike Lowell be more injured than we know... that is the only reason I see this trade happening with Youk moving to third base.

not a bad piece...

Who gets cut to make room on the roster?

sox need to send someone down or cut someone or put someone on the dl... is baldelli/kotsay/lowell going on the DL ??

You should go ahead and pick up the other LaRoche sister...

I guess it's either Kotsay or Baldelli unless they want to send a pitcher down.

Case for Kotsay - he can play more positions and is more accomplished than Baldelli. However - he has been hurt and bats left handed

Case for Baldelli - he can run faster, he is a righty. However - he is injury prone and not as versitile as Kotsay.

Solution - send Masterson (has been rocked by lefties lately) down and keep both Baldelli and Kotsay.

I'm just sooo tired of the Red Sox players getting paid so much! I watch every game, am a season ticket holder, and can state statistics to anyone! But, the fact that the once "humbled" sox are now the big paying team,...I've lost the faith. Secretly: I don't care if they don't win this year. They all need to be humbled!

And this addresses the lack of a leadoff bat how?

This is all about Mike Lowell not being healthy.

he's been a second half player for the past two years, good pickup and didn't give away anyone big

does this mean that they are seriously worried about Mike Lowell ever being right this season.

Does this mean Lowell DH,Youk at third, La Roche at 1st,
and finally, Ortiz to the bench.....

This guy is a stiff, he's been trending down for the last few years and is a statue at 1B

Why don't we just make Pittsburgh our AAA Affiliate? We make a trade w/ them almost every season! Then we could just "call up" these players we trade for every yr? Look at all the players we've traded there: Freddy Sanchez for Jeff Suppan, Brandon Moss & Craig HAnsen for Jason Bay, and now a cpl minor leaguers for Adam LARoche!!!!

Lets see-how bout taking jd drew and his non performance out of the lineup-or let the pitcher hit and dh for him-what a waste of money-kotsay can't hit, shortstop is a problem and jd bay is through for the year-- .254 92 rbi and 27 hrs for the year in my opinion-we need a stick!

Per the site Sox prospects Diaz is the Sox #29 prospect and Strickland is their #38 prospect. So they did not give up alot...
Solid move.

so who comes off the 25 man roster to make room for this guy?

Cool. Theo and Tito are going to use duct tape, chewing gum, and 5 different line ups per week to try to secure the wildcard! Yippee!!!

It looks like LaRoche will be a type A free agent. The Sox will receive one draft pick (sandwich pick) and will not need to offer him arbitration...

That's certainly a possibility, though there is no guarantee on whether LaRoche will fall as a Type A (two compensatory picks) or Type B (one compensatory pick) free agent after the season. If LaRoche's second-half production is consistent with his first-half production, he'll likely be a Type B free agent, meaning the Pirates will get one additional Draft pick if he leaves this offseason.

So what roster move will the Sox make to make room for him?

It looks like LaRoche will be a type A free agent. The Sox will receive one draft pick (sandwich pick) and will not need to offer him arbitration...

That's certainly a possibility, though there is no guarantee on whether LaRoche will fall as a Type A (two compensatory picks) or Type B (one compensatory pick) free agent after the season. If LaRoche's second-half production is consistent with his first-half production, he'll likely be a Type B free agent, meaning the Pirates will get one additional Draft pick if he leaves this offseason.

Goodnight Kotsay.

Seems like a good pickup. I've heard the SS's name mentioned before but not the P in terms of the Sox prospects. You have to give something to get something. I wonder what this acquisition means for Mark Kotsay. LaRoche is, I believe, a good defensive 1B. So he should play there in relief of Youk or when Youk spells Lowell. Although Kotsay can play all three OF positions, so can Baldelli, albeit not on a regular basis. As I look at the current 25-man roster, I wonder who goes to make room for the new guy? They're carrying 12 pitchers. I don't see them going down to 11 at this time of year. They have only four outfielders (not including Kotsay). I don't see them parting ways with Baldelli, who has been decent offensively and very good defensively when he's played. So that brings me back to Kotsay. LaRoche is definitely a power upgrade over Kotsay. But if two OFs need a day off or are injured, who plays? Nick Green, possibly? It will be interesting to see the corresponding roster move that's required.

STUPID

Awful......No impact at all. The front office through the development of it's young players has given itself a great foundation at low dollars. With the 2nd highest ticket prices in MLB when a player comes along that can dramatically improve the team they need to pull the trigger even if they have to "overpay." Not going more aggressively after Texiera in the off season is killing them now. I really don't see how this move benifits the team at all. .247 BA??? Wrong way, they have Ortiz, Varitek, JD Drew, and now LaRoche combined BA of ~.240-pathetic.

Why not get Hinske? He's a lefty bat. He's been on the team before and he knows AL East pitching. He was available for nothing and instead he's hitting bombs for the Yankees.

Type your comment here...AW I REALLY LIKE HUNTER STRICKLAND... BEST OF LUCK TO HIM IN PITTSBURG....

Can he teach Drew to hit the other way and use the wall a la Bernie Carbo?

Maybe I'm missing something, but why do the Sox need another first baseman when they have about 5 guys who can play first? And they gave up a potential major league shortstop (something they're definitely going to need) for him? I don't get it.

LaRoche is barely a bat this year. He is an upgrade over Kotsay or Bailey but at $7 mil he damn well better be, but he is no bat to help if Lowell goes out or Papi gets cold again.

He's already homered today.

It'll be interesting to see how he's used. That's the problem with this line-up. It's in-between a good one and a bad one. Nice insurance for the Lowell situation, and I'm sure Youk probably needs a spell whether he likes it or not. Probably better him than Kotsay over there. Biggest question, is which big league roster spot does he take? Someone's gotta go. Thems the rules.

Check the batting average. THat's all I got to say except I'm disappointed.

We need someone who can come in and HIT, right now there IS NO HITTING AT ALL ! maybe the trade for Halladay isstill on the table. but right now we have NO OFFENSE, not enough speed to be able to manufacture runs. make Penny part of any trade deal and give smoltz the heave ho ! he's washed up.

another deal which solidifies the sox as the whitest team in the majors! Seems a bit coincidental that players of color are being systematically traded away or their character is attacked in a humiliating and public way. Ask Papi what he thinks about this, its an embarrassment....the more things change the more they stay the same.

So what's the corresponding roster move? Does Rocco get cut? Do they send Masterson to Pawtucket? Do they trade Saito for a prospect?

Hope he can help.

My tooth hurts

I don't believe I have ever been un-civil. Sarcastic, sure, but not un-civil.

What's the roster move?

Who gets sent down/released when the add Adam to the roster?

Finally, the Sox make up for the fact that they missed out on Texeira. I believe this deal will be the difference maker in August and September when Laroche repeats what Jason Bay did last year!

The deal makes sense for the short term, and maybe even longer. Farm systems exist to enable the Big League team improve. Trading two mid-level prospects to bolster a slumping line-up is the right thing to do. I think getting Wilson from the Pirates would be a good idea as well.

Baldelli should go. Too bad J.D. can't.

why the comments on race? really? Judge a player by how he plays. goodness, people.

good thing we got rid of a short stop prospect, as we're so strong at that position already...

Honestly, other than going after Beckett & locking up homegrown talent what good moves has Theo made?? Lugo? Drew? Renteria? Crisp? Willy Mo? Dice K? Gagne? Penny? Smoltz? Paying Schil 7 mil to sit out a year? There are not too many that come to mind.

All of the Sox standouts (excluding Lowell who was an afterthought on the Beckett deal) seem to have come from within the organization.

Enough with the Tex comments. The Sox didn't get him. Lets complain FOREVER about it. Pointless!! This move is a start....

Lifelong Pirates fan who was adopted into Red Sox nation in 1967 at Pease AFB. Still follow both teams and will tell you this trade is like switching from oatmeal to cream of wheat!! Won't do much for either side. Jack Wilson's job at short for the Buccos is in jeopardy but it was already. I am a Seadogs season ticket holder and have been right about every kid except for Kelly Shoppach and I don't have Argenis Diaz high on my prospect list. He's not as good as Lowrie and nowhere near as intelligent a ballplayer. What does this say to Aaron Bates and Lars Anderson(Seadogs 1st Base) about their futures? My personal choice is Bates at 1st to back up Youk.

Fire Coma. This team has been sleepwalking for 3 weeks.

I've been watching Mike Lowell this year , when he does play, and he just looks to me that he's not ready to return to be the work horse he has been in the past. It's a darn shame too because he was the guy you could always count on to get something going with the bat or make the great play at third. He may need more rehab time and if this is the case the Laroche deal makes sense. To me, signing Dice-K was the deal that underwrote most of the future positioning problems we have had. Without his salary to hang over the club's head many options would have been easier to work. The Texeira question would have been a nonissue as the extra monies he wanted to be in a Red Sox uniform would have been there. I know hindsight is 20/20.

It isn't a stupid move. These are Andy LaRoche's split stats for the last 4 seasons pre- and post- all star game:
AVG OBP SLG OPS
'06: .251 / .325 /.479 / .805 pre
: .323 / .387 /.655 / 1.042 post
'07: .239 /.324 /.439/.763 pre
.312/ .371/.482/.854 post
'08: .251/.330/.434/.764 pre
.304/.361/ .613/.975 post
Do your freakin' homework before posting on this board.

I watched LaRoche for two years while living in the Atlanta area.He is more laid back than Drew!Plus,he doesn't hustle--a great pickup!

The Sox seem content to over stock themselves with second tier players, a strategy that isn't going to work against a team stocked with All-Stars like the Yankees.

I agree Coma needs to go.
Lowell should never have been on the base path running for home the other night and he should have had a pinch runner last night in the 9th. Coma hasn't a clue. The Sox could have won 1 may 2 more WS Rings during the last 5 years.

I've followed LaRoche for years. He has decent splits but is not the guy who is going to shake up the Red Sox' offense! I mean what is this all about? We are headed to Palookaville on Papi's shoulders and this is the deal we make? How about making a TRADE!!?? Wait. Wait. I forgot: Sox pitching is going to carry us into the playoffs. Penny, Smoltz, Dice-K and Wake. Right. We don't need a bat.

i think there will be apackage deal to get adrian gonzalez from san diego. this teams offense is pathetic.

"Red Sox will not make a corresponding roster move until Fruday."

Boston.com should invest in spell check - not sure where Fruday falls in the week :)

I wouldn't be surprised if Theo packages Kotsay in another deal even though he is so versatile. Kotsay could play full time for another team and is good trade bait.

The sox pitching situation is all bad with only two real starters!!Pitching is the key to finishing first for this club,not another first baseman hitting 263!!

Guys, they traded what amounts to a used bag of baseballs for a guy who is going to be a bench player, hitting against only RHPs and has a second half OPS career of over .900. Oh and we only pay around 3.25 million not 7 because the year is half over. Yeah, 1 more thing, the there's a week and a half left before the deadline...It's not like we are done.

I like this move, but I have to agree with the sentiment that we need an IMPACT hitter... someone to come in and get everyone fired up.

I have that sinking feeling I used to get after the All-Star break when it was the Duquette sox. Let's hope that it's not justified.

I still trust you Theo! Let's do something to get EVERYONE fired up.

Can he lead off?? PLEASE!!!!!!

youk had the biggest mouth when it came to manny.........to bad all he does is flap his gums........and has taken the whole month of july off.......you happy john henry how many of your guest left their bobbleheads at their tables......i guess manny did have an impact here....

Personally I love both of these deals! I think the Red Sox just got much better and they'll have great success this year.

mazda83 must like manny, big hitter, big head problem, gone and forgotten---Tex, unavailable---ancient history---- laroche, we will see-----smoltz, maybe bullpen----get a s.s., get a catcher that can hit for power and average----get off the don-t trade him he has potential fence-----r.s. need real players not overpaid potentials or past hero's----this is a business, fans deserve the best for the loyalty they show, stop worrying about feelings---make some real moves. posted by K-9

I can say from the Pittsburgh perspective no one here is sorry to see him go. He is a great defender but horrible hitter. No speed whatsoever and no competitiveness. Strikes out walks away shows no emotion. Way over paid. He was not going to be resigned by the Bucs in the offseason. Just getting him out of the lineup is a plus for the Bucs.

"another deal which solidifies the sox as the whitest team in the majors!"

Hey pedroj, LaRoche is Mexican.

Say what you say about lowell he is still hittin better than drew than varitek and than bay....Adam Laroche? are you serious? Just give the yanks the pennant...Sometimes sacrifices need to be made, and I don't feel like the sox have done that.