Second to one

I share your attitude toward the Santana non-trade, but a strong case can be made that the Yankees SHOULD have made the deal. They have a rapidly aging (but still potent, at least for now) lineup, but are heavily dependent on the quick development of young arms. It's not a good fit. And this season, they're clearly good enough to get into the playoffs even while pitching the likes of Sidney Ponson. If they had Santana, they'd be almost certain to make the playoffs, and they'd be a serious threat to any team in a short series.

They almost certainly would have lost out on the talent exchange, but they would have had a 2008 team that made more sense. As it is, by the time Hughes, Kennedy, et al., are ready to lead a rotation, they'll have some huge holes to fill in their lineup.

Wasn't Jim Kern the guy who lit a bonfire in the Texas bullpen on a 100 degree day?

I equate Posey to Ted Washington when Ted left after the 2003 season. I had no qualms with Little Ted leaving for what was assumed to be his last big payday. Same thing with Posey. Thanks, James for your service!

ESPN's Titletown competition is stupid. How could any city other than Boston be Titletown? Six sports championships in 6.5 years. If only the Revolution had stepped up and finished the deal in the MLS Championship games, we'd have had even more.

How did Paul McCartney keep from laughing in that Chris Farley interview? The early 90's was definiitely the SNL heyday. That show where Paul was the musical guest was hosted by Alec Baldwin - who was always hilarious whenever he was the host. SNL is now unwatchable.

I don't know man.... I watched that at bat and thought on 2 of those pitches, he was taking the whole way. And then on the 3rd he flinched. And I was thinking, "what the.... is he mad they brought him out for an at bat on a day off?" I thought that then... before all this came out about the huge fine.

Seeing how there's always been a suspicion and sentiment around this town that he tanks it occasionally. And lately he's been thinking he can do anything... ducking into the wall more than once and knocking people around, I wouldn't be surprised this is all true.

Where there's smoke there's usually fire Chad.

Either way.. with all that said. If he finishes the yr hot and ends with 300,35,110. They'll keep him for one yr at that money. If he does less than that I think he's gone. And based on the numbers now... I don't think he's got it in him. He's looking more like last yr. 280,25,90. and thats not worth 20 mil a yr. His slumps are deeper and longer than they've been in years past and his strike out #'s are going up.

But who knows.... with Papi coming back Manny might start getting better pitches more opportunities to drive in runs.

Celts should sign Maurice Evans.

Guys, please, Manny didn't tank that AB. You're telling me you've never seen a guy strike on on three pitches looking from Rivera? Granted, the circumstances of the situation might fuel the speculation, but from a realistic standpoint, you have to give the man some credit.

As a notorious slow-starter, let's hold judgment on Manny until the end of the season. I'm expecting a torrid second half, he seems to have made some good adjustments to catch up to the fastballs he was getting caught on during his most recent slump.

Peace out, Posey. You will be missed.

I'd take Kinsler, based on the numbers. I don't see either of them play enough to judge defensively. Also, Pedrioa has classic Short Man Syndrom, so there's that against him too.

That rookie card of Jeter is classic. He looks like my 4 year old daughter when she tries to throw a ball.

Offensively, you have to go with Ian Kinsler. His rookie year, he hit 14 home runs in 120 games, then he had 20 HRs in 130 games last year, and now he's currently on pace for 25 home runs to go along with his .333 average. Defensively though, it's another story. Pedroia is a Gold Glove caliber 2B, while Kinsler is sporting a Julio-Lugoesque 16 errors. Still, as much as I love Dustin, I'd choose to have Kinsler for the next 5 years.

I'd be willing to bet your daughter has better range.

A) Pedrioia is one of the best defensive infielders I have ever seen. I'll never forget the play he made in the 9th of Clay's no-no. After he made that play, the camera showed his face and he mouthed, " F*** Yeah." AWESOME! Kinsler reminds me of A. Soriano. I'll take D.P.

B) Manny will not be back next year. Here is a question? Do you pick up the option and trade him? Or, just let him go and take the draft picks? Probably the latter, but it's something to explore.

C) Can't wait to hear the ovation Posey gets when he comes back to Boston for the first time.

D) R.I.P. Julio......

Has anyone suggested that the Sox could do what the Yankees did with Sheffield a couple of years ago: exercise Manny's option and then trade him (w/Sox probably eating some of the $20 mil), preferably farther away than Detroit, like to the NL if someone there would take him.

-So why everyone is in such a rush to get rid of one of the greatest right handed hitters ever?! For 1 yr, 20mill you take the Manny option everyday of the week and twice on Sunday!
-Here is a question, who do you replace Manny with?! Who out there can get you .300, 35, 120? Texeira? Not close on batting average and its a MINIMUM 6 year $130 mill deal. Dont forget his agent is Bora$
And the biggest thing with Ortiz is no pain after the game. He hasnt felt any yet which is a great sign. I was at the game Thurs. His HR was the definition of a laser. 20ft off the ground, 330 feet long. He really was locked in all night, he also just missed a fastball and popped up and laced a liner that was caught by the 1B.

Only a truly despicable person would accuse anyone of tanking that at bat, a clear and simple case of getting beaten by the best. No matter what Mannyd does, it brings out the baser instinct in others. Just as the altercation with Youk just HAD to be about 24 not getting out on the field during the Rays scrum fast enough (as the DH he had gone intot he clubhouse), so big deal), so will a lousy strike out be
about sabotaging his own team.

The ariwaves and blogs are always filled with our erroneous takes, bashing Manny over and over and over again. But when we're proven wrong, silence, or the kind of pitiful remarks we see in blog post number 3. 'I still don't believe it because despite substantial proof, I prefer to believe otherwise. Manny will sabotage his own team on a whim',

I think our 'interpretations' of Manny's acts say a whole lot more about ourselves than they do about him - and the need for a public whipping boy in Boston sports.

Manny has done a few things he should be ashamed of this year - but this ain't one.

And we the fanbase and media need to be ashamed as well.

This public piling on is disgusting.

Lets just have JD Drew pitch the 8th. Couldnt be any worse. Our bullpen is horrible this year. Its going to take more than 1 person to fix this problem. We dont have any reliable middle-relievers either.

The Sox can't pick up Manny's option and trade him without his permission.

He is a 10/5 player.

Bravo Return2,
You nailed it. I live in NYC and root for the Sox, and I can tell you that A Rod, with all his playoff choking and strip club/Madonna antics, gets more respect from the neanderthal yankee fans than Manny gets from Red Sox fans. It's pathetic. The numbers this guy has put up year after year are insane, and yet it seems that Boston is always on hair-trigger mode to dump him.
I'll tell you this: I listen to WFAN here in NYC, and I can't tell you how many times I've heard #1 Yank fan/radio host Mike Francesa say something to the effect of "I'll never understand why they'd do it, but as a yankee fan, I PRAY for the day the Red Sox get rid of Manny Ramirez, who is only the greatest right handed hitter of our time."

I do not even trust Papelbon right now. The guy seems like he has not had a 1-2-3 inning all season. Hansen and Delcarmen both look like they will never get it together. At this point they have nothing to lose by bringing up guys from Pwtucket because the bullpen has been so brutal they have nowhere else to turn.

I think that when Papi comes back they need to put Pedroia back in the leadoff spot and put Drew in the two hole because Ellsbury has been absolutley brutal as of late.

Kinsler over Pedroia in a squeaker.

Weei Made a good comment this afternoon about Manny's Agent Boras.
He is not getting paid right now. Manny is playing under his old contract with his last agent Moorad.So Moorad is getting paid. "Boras" wants Manny not to get picked up so he gets a new contract somewhere else and He (Boras) gets paid. If the sox pick up the option it does Scott Boras no good. So unless I hear words right from Mannys mouth I do believe anything

Last thought on Lester and Santana: Lester's numbers are from facing the superior AL lineups verses Santana against the weaker NL...

Most of us wish James Posey well -- this is his chance to secure his family's futurt.

That was true with Johnny Damon as well, except that (worse than going to the Yankees) he had to talk and talk about how much he tried to stay, but it was the Red Sox's fault for "not stepping up", and so forth. It was his mouth that generated the resentment more than anything.

I'm glad that James Posey hit megabucks, and am happy that he can just say that.. He was good to Boston, we wish him well.

It's absurd
I'm probably
I'll remember
believe me, this is trivial
I hope
for entirely selfish reasons I hope
See, I told you
I'll believe it when I actually hear him

Me, me, me, me and I

You're a friggin idiot bandwagon jumper, Finn. Before anything else, you and your BFF Shank ought to find the time to apologize to JD for criticizing him all last year while his kid was in a body cast. Short of that, I don't care what 'you' think.