If only in my dreams . . .

Ben Sheets would be such a perfect response to the Teixeira signing... I have to hope that the front office is doing their due diligence on this one. I'm not that excited about the inevitable Holliday rumors- I think Bay can nearly match his non-Coors-carbonated stats at a much lower price. And, I have to admit, the Lugo for Byrnes rumors have me intrigued despite myself (you have to figure, if the Sox make the playoffs, we wouldn't have to listen to Byrnes and his haircut-as-personality on Fox). Anyway, I think Teixeira and A-Rod make perfect, soulless bookends in the Yankers infield (and, yes, that is sour grapes).

Yeah, you called it!! As much as I wanted to believe in my heart that you were wrong, I knew that you were right on the money......Still, the Sox are still an elite team, and depending on how Theo finishes filling out this team, we should still have a say in the East........Right now, I would have to say that a healthy Sox team would go a long way in helping us forget theTex fiasco

Nailed it, Dirt. Absolutely nailed it. I'm not just talking about the prediction, but the sentiment in the aftermath. I don't know what's going to be tougher; knowing the money-printing Yankees got our man, or listening to the clowns on our side who say it doesn't matter.

I know it's hypocritical, because the Sox are big spenders as well. But the Yankees are so grossly monopolistic, they should be broken up like U.S. Steel was. All Boras has to do for ANY client is approach the Sox, tell the Yankees that the Sox are looking at this guy, and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dumber-brenner will rubber stamp the contract and tell Boras to add as many zeros as he wants. Rooting for the Yankees must be like rooting for Dick Cheney to win the lottery.

In the words of Ron Burgundy, " Go f*** yourself Scott Boras."

The Yankees are playing the game by different rules where financially they can do things that most people cannot one of which is piss away hundreds of millions of dollars and not win. The best you can hope for your team as a fan is that the guys play hard, compete deep into the year and that the baseball operations people do a good job in signing the right guys at the right time. Oh, and luck plays a part too. Anyone who doesn't agree just doesn't understand baseball.

That said I hope the Sox find a home for Baldelli, make a run at Daisey Fuentes to naildown their pen and go out and get some guys who can catch a game. Keep drafting pitching and athletes who can play the game. The future of the team rests with Pedroia, Lester, Ellsbury, Masterson, Bard, Buchholtz, Anderson and Youk. Keep drafting well, sign the picks to good contracts and stick to your philosophy of what your players should do. If the Yankees win a few WS along the way then so what? Boston has it's own heroes that we can reflect on and enjoy watching for years to come.

Texiera is NOT the kind of guy the Sox wanted. He's a greedy pig who wants to hold a grudge against a GM who was fired years and years ago. Fine. Remember that when the Yankee fans and media are crucifying him for not delivering a base hit or the front office is questioning another player's heart of there is some other sex scandal related to A-Rod.

One thing I have to disagree you about, Chad, is that Tex is not "the best free-agent hitter." That title without a doubt goes to our very own Manny.

I think when one looks quite soberly at Tex, what one sees is a player in the upper realm of hitters, but not quite the most elite such as A-Rod, Manny, Pujols, etc. And this is an important distinction. When you are going to break records on a contract I believe it should be for that class of players, definitive best of the generation sort of guys. Though I am saddened that Tex won't be manning the 4 spot in our lineup for the next 8 years and though I am a bit spooked by the NYY lineup. I think it will be much more rewarding to watch our young stars continue to develop and get reinforcements from down below.

I'm excited for the coming season. Bring it on!

Merry Christmas. The Sox will be fine. Go Pats. Go Jets.

I wish people would stop the whole, "we're in a recession, how can they spend this kind of money?" idiocy. If an industry is not feeling the impact of the economic crisis (as baseball - or atleast some teams - clearly is not) it should absolutely spend money. Would you tell your local market not to give its employees raises just because the bank down the block is in trouble? That's insane. If the healthy industries buy into the panic and horde their money the recession only gets worse. Companies that can afford to spend money, especially to employees, absolutely should spend it. It's not like the Yankees are going to start paying off people's mortgages if they don't sign expensive players.

When is Puljos a free agent? Is it after this season? I still think the Sox need to at least try and trump the enemy. No way St Louis can afford 200 million for Albert. Would you make the Cards a Godfather offer now, one they can't refuse....say the three hurling B's (Buchholtz, Bowden and Bard) plus Ellsbury and Lars Anderson for Albert? I would in a heartbeat.

As a displaced Boston fan living in NYC, I had the pleasure of delivering the breaking news that Teixeira had signed with the Yankees to all the NY fans in my office yesterday. But did they rejoice and enjoy the fact that get had now signed three of the most sought-after free agents of the offseason? No. The exact words, as I recall:

"Manny's next!"

The bastids.

Ok, Chad...

I've said this before, but you are currently my favorite writer--sports or otherwise. You are a hoot.

And, you get major props for not saying "I told you so" at the very beginning of this post. You were fairly screaming that Tex was going to the Yanks for ages now. It was quite dignified that you saved that for the end here.

However...

You must stop defending JD Drew. He's a fine person and a nice ballplayer, but a terrible investment.

You have--by far--the best comic lines about Boras. But You insist on repeating the notion that you would still hire him as your agent because he is so mighty. I think there are several agents who are both decent and savvy who could do the job for you, no? Does it not say something about the character and priorities of the player, once he hires Boras? If Jason "Team First" Varitek insists that the team madly overpays for him, doesn't he implicitly acknowledge(sp?) that he is hurting the team's chances to compete, if they have to pay superstar money to a backup catcher?

Bryers Mint Chocolate Chip Rocks! I believe it cures most things that ail you. See you on facebook. BTW Yankees still suck.

Congrats Sox brass. You had a chance to significantly improve this team in the offseason yet the only thing you gave us were new uniforms. Embarassing.

Perfect summation. I am PISSED that the Sox didn't end up with Tex. Anybody who says otherwise is lying, but it'll be interesting to read all the back-trackers that come out of the woodwork saying "I didn't want him anyway, he's ugly!"

One of the happiest people on the planet has to be A-Rod, who may actually now be the second-most hated member of the Yankees.

The gospel of Chad. Amen.

Much, if not all of your points are fine. I just feel that the thought of losing Lowell kept me from being excited about getting Tex. Mostly I saw him as insurance for the first year or two, but bottom line the gross amount paid for these guys, while most of us are really hurting, makes it very easy to be cynical. The Sox won the World Series in my lifetime and from there I am more likely to be a more of an observer (and Yankee intense disliker) than a Sox zealot.

Much, if not all of your points are fine. I just feel that the thought of losing Lowell kept me from being excited about getting Tex. Mostly I saw him as insurance for the first year or two, but bottom line the gross amount paid for these guys, while most of us are really hurting, makes it very easy to be cynical. The Sox won the World Series in my lifetime and from there I am more likely to be a more of an observer (and Yankee intense disliker) than a Sox zealot.

Sorry for the double click.

I didn't want Texiera at that price and I for one am proud that we didn't pay him that money.

We have a plan and we stick to it. Let the Yankees have A-Fraud 2.

Interesting article....I think people fail to realize that the Steinbrenners make their money through hard work and have built multiple businesses through the years. They own shipyards, real estate and also breed race horses. This is apart from the Yankees and all things related to them. They are also a very charitable family and support many causes. They have earned the right to spend their money any way they want to. Good for them that they reinvest in their team and help to subsidize so many other teams. A lot of owners live a lavish lifestyle and hold back on investing to improve their team. Red Sox fans should long remember the "fiasco in Texas" last Thursday night. Theo and J.H. made a major league boo-boo!

Unless I am missing something here, the same people that are losing there jobs on Wall Street and all over the financial district are the same people that would be buying these tickets at 2500 per seat per game.......Write it down.....The yankees will be looking for a bailout next. Will be interesting to see them with thei tails between their legs.

"who is karim garcia?" Pedro Martinez, ALCS. That should make anyone smile

I've wondered for weeks why none of the Globe sports writers said anything about the possibility of Texeira holding a grudge against the Red Sox because of how they treated him when he was in high school (granted, under the previous regime). It seemed an obvious possibility.

Well of course he planned all of this and of course it serves the Sox right. Why did they ever think he'd go there--even if they offered more than the Yanks. The whole bunch were played like fools.

Losing out on the Teixeira sweepstakes hurts a little, but I would caution those in Yank-me land about engaging too deeply in schaedenfreud by reminding them of this: IT'S NOT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPEND, IT'S HOW YOU SPEND THE MONEY! Because along with Teixeira, the Yankees just signed the pitching equivalent of A-Fraud (Sabathia), a guy who DISAPPEARED in the playoffs the last two years (once against the Red Sox). With him they got the oft-injured A.J. Burnett (Jared Wright/Carl Pavano, anyone?) And the last time I checked, the reigning American League champions had a payroll of around $40 million. See you in April!

My first point goes to Chad... the minute you type in one of your prognostications I either become as gleeful as a grade school girl who just scored Jonas Brothers concert tickets or I wanna make a sprint to the bathroom like I've got yesterday's lunch looking to book a return engagement up the same channel. You're starting to scare me Bro, I hope your crystal ball is showing a real strong catching option, an undervalued score on a #4 starter and for the first time in years, some consistent run support for the Wakemeister.

My second point goes to what LJ commented about Lowell. The guy took less money and less years ... and what he gave up was 'more' than what Teixeira pocketed on the difference between the Sox and Yanks final offers, and so somehow just I cannot feel that a little karmic justice was involved in the final outcome. Go Mikey!

Finally, consider this, when Holliday does hit the market at year's end... who has the bigger outfield positional gaps to fill, another perpetual big budget clearing year (Damon, Matsui) AND even more increasing salary cap flexibility to sign him... Can you spell C-a-s-h-m-a-n. I personally love Holliday, i think he will hit far better than most think outside of Colorado and the NL ( a hitter is always a hitter ) but what do the Sox do... sign Bay for less money and less years and then dump him off like they would have dumped Mikey or do the delay Bay and trade for Holliday mid year if Oakland does not compete or let Bay go and go head to head with Cash, Hal & Hank? It never ends. I say, throw the dollars saved annually into overslot draftees for 18 straight rounds... In 3 or 4 years, maybe less, think of the implications, just with trading prospects for the Jake Peavy's of the world. Why we can have a "Yankees Light" version in every league from rookie on up to AAA. Just a thought and I have not seen anyone else try it.

Merry Xmas to all from Fiji.

Merry Christmas Chad and keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your articles very much. As for the Sox and Teixeira, did the Sox really need him? I can understand both sides of the argument, but if you look at the situation, Teixeira provides a marginal upgrade over what Youkilis has submitted, albeit at a huge cost. I would therefore say that the Sox did not need him, but could have sorely used his skills. Let's hope Lars Anderson makes us quickly forget that we even considered signing Teixeira.

I would like to see the Sox acquire Smoltz or Sheets to round out their starting rotation. For I believe the bigger question going into next season that hasn't been touched upon isn't really whether Lowell or Papi are healthy (I pray they are), but which Josh Beckett will turn up, ie, the '07 or '08 version? Also, I don't think it is naive to say that if Lowell and Papi are healthy they will give their career average performances, which would be great and I am sure is expected.

Otherwise, I look forward to Theo finding the other missing pieces before Spring Training and to the forthcoming season. Happy holidays!

Chad - sour grapes and look at the 100M the Sux spent on Dice K. The sux me land is really hurting, Youk the beaver will have an average year, Peedroia will be mediocre and the blister man will explode. Go Yankees - Sux me land.

The new most over-hyped cliche -- replacing "throw him under the bus" -- is "They swooped in at the last minute." Everyone from ESPN to this column keeps writing it, and it couldn't be less factual. I would bet the bailout that Theo and John Henry cough up their egg nog whenever its mentioned. No Sox official has said they were even remotely surprised by the Yanks, and frankly, nobody really was. Every report that listed the teams involved, listed the Yankees, saying, "they haven't made an offer though." Of course they didn't... they didn't need to. They told Boras, when you get done, we'll top it by 10 percent. That was the offer.

And that was why John Henry fired off his email saying the Sox were out of it, because they knew the only "offer" topping them was a non-offer from the Yanks.

Also missing from the "reporting" of this event is an accurate perspective on the Sox history in these things in recent years. When they ABSOLUTELY need a player, they get him: I.e. the Famous Thanksgiving with the Schillings, and the Casablanca-like Scene with Dice K in LA, after outbidding all others by $10M for his posting fee.

When the Sox are interested, but not desperate, they draw a line in the sand at the start: Johnny Damon 4/40, Pedro 3/45, Manny, no renegotiation but we'll buy the option if you behave. They did the same here, what looks like 8/170. They never budge in these situations. They didn't here. Sounds like they did what they wanted, the way they wanted it, the same way they have won two world series in the time that all the Yankees wild spending (remember the All-Star at every position) has earned them no titles.

The more things change, they more they stay the same. The Yanks are back in the 90-100 win categ0ry, where the Sox have been waiting all along. 2009 looks to be another chapter in '99, 01, 03, 04, 05, 07 AL East races between two evenly matched rivals. But 2011 looks downright awful for the Yanks, if you ask me.

Nice column overall Chad. Just stop the "Swooping!"

Has anyone in RedSox nation figured out that even with all the signings by the Yankees they will still be spending LESS than last year? Face it, the Sox didn't want to pay and Tex didn't want to be here.

hmmmmm....I wonder how long before we start hearing about a new Fenway to capture the revenue streams that the Yankees were smart enough to go after?

sounds like a bunch of sore losers. Be happy you won twice. Boston would be gloating to high heaven had you gotten Tex. ... well get off it because Boston spends all the money they can to get players. The fault lies within your own organization not in the NYY. The Bosox front office just blew it. Manny is gone and that is a tough bat to replace. That's the biggest thing in Boston. Boston was acting like it did not matter if Manny left Boston ... you got Jason Bay ... well had Manny still been in Boston most likely Boston would of won. Manny was the difference. Manny was like Reggie, "the straw that stirs the drink." Manny giveth and Manny taketh away.

The season hasn't started yet. We have a good-to-excellent team with a starting lineup more than capable of generating 140-150 HRs. We have a solid blend of youth and experience. With all of their big names, the Yankees have holes and a lot of candidates for the DL. And let's not forget about Tampa Bay in all of this: They've been together a year longer and they are the defending AL champs.

The most immediate fallout from not getting Teixeira is that the lineup can't afford to carry Tek for the sake of his defense and handling of pitchers. First and foremost, the Sox need to make a move to get a new everyday, offensive-minded catcher.

My first thought after hearing the news was can all those reporters be wrong and TATB right? Well , second thought actually, after swearing.Then I couldn't wait to see the I-told-you-so column. Great column. Well at least we don't have 3 months of I wonder who they'll get for Lowell talk.

It 's sad that a young player kept such bad memories stored inside in sticking it to the Red Sox's current owners who have done so much over their tenure to create trust, credibility and respect in MLB as a franchise. Now we can reflect back on how much of a dunce Dan Duquette really was, as a dishonest General Manger, and his boss Hayward Sullivan, an accountant,who knew nothing about baseball. I guess we are still paying for Dan Duquett's sins with this prejudice continuing in this sorry saga.

Just keep whistling past the graveyard, Sox fans. The biggest question this year is whether the new Yankee stadium will be christened with two or three 20-game winners.

Lest you forget, the Yankees "struggled" to 89 wins absent Posada and Wang and Joba (playing out of position) with the back of the rotation contributing nothing (Hughes, Kennedy, etc.) with no defense at first base or center field and Cano having an off year. So be afraid. Be very afraid.

LMFAO...When will you beaners realize you are always second rate to NYC. Get over it and accept your inferiority

your absolutely right Joe.... but really that is just wishfull thinking... merry TEx-MAS

Well said, Chad. What an unsatisfying way to build a team, indeed. Outspend everyone by yards? I just hope that we won't have to hear what underdogs they were, & how no one believed they could do it should they win the WS. Happy new year, everyone.

Bottom line: Tex wanted to go to NY... NY would get the chance to top any Sox offer. They did. No Sox brass screw-up. No "missed out on him for only a mil a year." The deal was going to be NY from the beginning. Get over it.

To NY1 -- I grew up in Boston but have lived in Manhattan for the past 30 years (because of my work). And to those idiotic NYers who think Boston is second rate, I would trade my residence on the Upper East Side for a Boston address in a hot second if the economics made it possible.

New York City is an unlivable hell filled with nasty arrogant people who have entitlement issues to beat the band.

The only people that think NY is more habitable than Boston are those that have never been north of the Bronx.

SG got it spot on.
Tex was never going to sign with Boston.
The yanks were waiting till the best offer was on the table from the sox, then with the heads-up from Bora$$ they topped it.
The posters saying the FO blew it, just don't understand what went on.

I cant imagine that anyone in Boston was surprised that the Yankee came out of the shadows to swoop down on Teixeira, it is in their DNA. They either pick up players that the Red Sox have dropped or sneak around in the shadows to swoop down on free agents at decision time. And the Yankees expect each and every one of them to bring the World Series to New York...Damon, A-Rod, now Teixeira. And lets not forget how many of free agents they got after the 2004 World Series. Now they are depending on a 300+ pound pitcher and an injury prone pitcher and Teixeira.....pressure, pressure....pressure.

It makes you sick what the Yankees are doing? would you have reacted the same way if the sox had signed Tex for $170 million? Was it OK to post 51.1 million for Dice-K and then throw another 50 million at him? Is it OK that the sox outspend 27 other teams in major league baseball?

What is GROSS is the hypocrisy of losers such as yourself

All I'm going to say is listen to how some of his old Braves teammates and what they really think of Tex.

He's overrated. You'll see.

Theo and company were wise to save the money, invest it in the farm system, and sign a few other much cheaper pieces.

I'm gonna LOVE to HATE Tex now!! Sure, I would have loved to have him in a Sox uniform for the next 8 years, but instead I've now got another Yankee to HATE for that time period!
I say we go to Boras and offer him 2 years/$15 million for Varitek and give him 48 hours to decide and then go for Joe Mauer at the end of next season!
How a trade for Jake Peavy?? Ben Sheets could be a steal, but could be as big of a bust as (I hope) AJ Burnett turns out to be!
Anyway, I still love the Sox and I always will! It wouldn't be fun to a Sox fan if we didn't have the Yankees to hate every year!!!!!

JoJo. As a New Yorker living outside of Boston I would have to agree that Boston is a better place to live than NY.

People have to remember that Cashman set up all those contracts to come off the books at the same time so that they could have money to spend this offseason. They didn't offer arbitration to their free agents also to ensure the $'s really came off the books. The Yankees also have (roughly) 34 million coming off the books next year too. They did not play in the Santana sweepstakes last year because of the free agent's that were going to be on the market this year. They grabbed Tex this year because of how poor the free agent class is next year (and they needed him also).

People in Boston need to take a deep breath. If you weren't concerned for (poor) St. Louis when you beat them for the championship, you can't feel sorry for yourselves today.

Chad...on the money with the Tex process. Only one of these
"new Sox fans" would think the Yanks were not going to outbid the Sox for Tex. Again Cashman and the Brenners played the free agent money game perfectly like they always do albeit with mixed results.
As for Sheets no way..guy is always injured. I say put a package together and get Peavy over here. Lowe is gone to the Mets and who wants to pay that guy 16 million and give up a first rounder.
Beckett-Lester-Peavy-Dice K..now that will counter the Yanks!

Please folks remember one thing....
The Yankees are having a stadium built for them on the Public cash..... and they have still asked for some $400million + in further public bonds outlays. Don't kid yourself, that team (and all others) is feeling the crunch of the recession... it is just that NYC fools are willing to continually accept dolling out more cash for these MONGERS! YOU would think that given the scams that the A-holes on Wallstreet played on us all, the people of NY would refuse to give more bailouts to another group who have scammed them (no championships) for the last ten years..... But alas, NO...... Keep forking over the money. It is easy to keep spending like the Yankees when you just have to request more money from the "Sheep" of NY and it is given to you.

People all I hear is throwing all this money on a player is absurd. Were not paying for the player and the team CAN afford to spend it so why not! Being fans we should want to upgrade at almost any cost. This is why we spend so friging much to go to a sox game. Do you honestly think paying 190 million for tex will hurt this team over the next 8 years..NO. I want Boston to have it all...and we should.

To those saying Teixeira is only a marginal upgrade over Youkilis, you need to remember that he wouldn't be replacing Youkilis, he'd be replacing Lowell. And yes, Teixeira is an upgrade over Lowell, especially an injury depleted Lowell. He is better than a Lowell at full strength too. I like Lowell as much as the next, but the Sox will finish 3rd or worse this year without a bat to protect Ortiz; and Youkilis can't do it, as good as he is.

The Sox need to reload by doing the following:
1) trading for San Diego's Peavy or Houston's Oswalt and/or
2) A trade for Matt Holliday and/ or
3) A blockbuster trade for Joe Mauer or
4) SighTek to a two year contract and trade for one of Texas's top prospect catchers
5) sign Ben Sheets
6) pray that Lars Anderson matures sooner then later

Yankees ruin baseball by BUYING wins. They do not know how to develop a farm sysytem. MLB should have a salary cap to take this board game non sense away. I want any team to win the World Series except the Yankees - may bad luck follow the yankees for the rest of man made time !!!!!

Let's have Theo and the gang pull off the deal of the off-season: Bucholtz, Bowden and a few other young guys for Peavey! Pitching, folks! Think about it: Beckett, Peavey, Lester, Dice-K, and (Wakey? Penny? Smoltzie?); with the upgrade in the bullpen, with the re-emergence of our offense, (Bay is gonna be a stud), we can beat the half a billion dollar Bankees and their GM CASH-man. Let's get Jake!

I don't think the Sox BLEW it,by not signing Teixeira.The only thing that can spoil 2009 is if Lowell is not in good health.The IF is set .Around the horn looks good.The biggest factor,for my money is Ortiz.Yes,they need a catcher.Yes,they need backup in the outfield.Yes,they certainly could use another arm (Randy Johnson?).I can't figure Wakefield.Why did they sign him.Do they still need someone to catch him,or are they going to put him in the pen (my suggestion) to save arms in blowouts.But, down the road,when teams are dumping high salary players at discount price (it will happen) there will be plenty of help

hey, chad,
don't be so whinny, it's so unbecoming.
it's obvious that tex didn't select the yanks because of money, since the difference in dollars was insignificant. the fact is that he just preferred the opportunity to play in new york over the chance to play in beantown, so just suck it up and grow up.

Love the authors arrogant jab at the "miserable overpaid lackeys at the YES network". What's the matter Chad, jealous that you are stuck writing for a second class paper in a second class town about a second class franchise with the worst owner and GM in baseball, and, to top it all off, fantasizing about a woman on a television show that wouldn't look at you sideways? (by the way it was a really stupid joke and not funny, I bet I can tell you who is not "overpaid").

Another whiny, jealous Sox sycophant. Pathetic.

Soxcane says no way to Sheets because of injury issues, but then says put a package together for PEAVY? That's just nuts, his elbow will down around his feet by the time this season is over, he has terrible mechanics, and he's going to be one of those Bret saberhagen "one good year/one bad year" guys the rest of his career, however long that may be (not trying to junx the poor guy here). In Chads blog with his prediction, I also said I was ready for the disappointment when the Yanks signed Tex, I saw that coming a mile away, and was actually more perturbed that Theo and John spent all that time on Tex, and not on getting the increasingly alarming catching situation nailed down.

First of all, sometimes real life trumps even the Red Sox. So, in that regard, with the economy tanking and 2009 looking far, far worse that 2008, who freakin cares where Texeira signs?

Second, for those who are living in dream land and really care, the Sahx still have a plan. It is a high-risk plan, but has a reasonable chance of success: Get into the playoffs and bet that Beckett, Dice K, Lester, Masterson, Okijima, Bucholtz (maybe), Ramirez, and Paps can beat the Yankees 4 times in a series.

NOt a big as stretch as it appears.

YOU HAVE TO LOVE THE YANKEE FANS WHO SPEND THIER TIME ON A BOSTON NEWSPAPER PAGE...LOL - THESEPEOPLE MUST HAVE NO FRIENDS AND NEED ATTENTION.....WAS MOMMY NOT ATTENTIVE ENOUGH?
JUST LIKE A NEW YORKER......ONLY NEW YORKERS LOVE NEW YORK.

SG is on the money and I'm sure this was John Henry's greatest fear,and Scott Boras' want.Henry knew if he upped the ante,it would only make Boras richer.And believe me these signings are about Boras and not the product.Boras does not care about who he represents.He's not a Big Brother figure.Teixeira had his eyes on the APPLE all the time.Now, the animals at the zoo will have to learn how to get along.Personally,I think,there are way too many big names to not have conflict.....ANOTHER BOOK......."BRONX ZOO 2"...Best seller.....Now,the Yankees have to win.They are EXPECTED to win and the whole world is watching.....LOL!!!

Absolutely needed Tex? This makes no sense whatsoever. Youkalis' offensive numbers are comparable and he is a better first baseman. Mike Lowell, last I checked, still has a better fielding percentage than anyone else at 3rd base. In fact, he has a higher fielding percnetage than Brooks Robinson! Oh yeah, he is good for 20 homeruns as well. Pedroia is the MVP and Lowrie doesn't make errors. Varitek is still good behind the plate and will come back. The outfield is above average on both D and O. Our starting roatation and bullpen is excellent and we will likely add another quality starter with Bucholtz and Bowden in AAA.

Question?? is Tex realy that much better than Youk?? Look at they're numbers
you will see they are realy close, and Youk did win a gold glove to.
Lets all relax and know the Yank Dogs were going to pay the most in the
end. Tell Borass 1-yr for Tek and move on.
Go Sox! Go Pats!Go Celts!

Classless writer - won't print criticisms. How utterly predictable.

Everyone take a deep breath. Didn't Tampa win the division last year? Its not about the salaries - its about the talent on the field. It's not about 26 WS championships - its about an ongoing process that allows your team to be competitive and be in a position to win every year. The Yankess have the money to fill gaps vioa free agent signings, while the Rays have to use their farm system and draft well, while the Sox have to use a hybrid of both. Its all about how MLB is set up.
Tex is a good player and would have been a nice fit for the Sox but they can survive without him. The Yankees couldn't. The Rays - like everyone else, needs some more pitching, but they don't have any glaring holes.

As Yankees fans tend to have short memories regarding Yankee shortcomings, I'll remind them here. Your defense up the middle is EXTREMELY shaky - Jeter, Cano, Posada & Cabrera aren't cutting down many runs with the leather. Posada is old and coming off of shoulder surgery- not good for a catcher. Matsui is old. Damon is old. Wang is a ground ball pitcher who needs a solid defense and he's just got a slow one. Your outfield arms are pop-gun at best. Rivera is 1 year older - closers hit a wall at some point and it usually isn't predictable. CC Sabathia is facing AL lineups- not NL so he'll have elevated pitch counts to deal with and not be able to take hitters 6-9 off. CC Sabathia is fat. AJ Burnett is Carl Pavano redux. There are no bonus wins when you bludgeon a team 10-1 and then lose the next two games 4-2 & 5-3. A-Rod has yet to hit in the clutch ever and we have to see how Texiera can handle the AL East media pressure. Lets see how he does when he goes 0-4 against KC on a Wednesday and the media and fans are in his grill about it. This doesn't mean they aren't contenders, it simply means they are back in it after finishing in 3rd place last year.

Barring injuries, it'll be a 3 team race all season and I'll take my chances on Beckett, Dice-K & Lester. Its all about pitching. If our pitching holds up, we're in every game. A full year of Lowrie eliminates all the Lugo rally killing at bats, a medicore offensive catcher hitting .250 gains us 30 percentage points off of Varitek.

The Yankees are never going to change their plan for how to assemble a team. They will always overpay to fill a need because thats what they can do. The lack of success ( by their own definition) of that plan is evident by their dry spell of championships. The Sox' current ownership group knows this, acknowledges this and plans accordingly. Until baseball changes the revenue rules, the Yankees will always play and be built like a fantasy league team - just as they will always hold the record for the greatest collapse in sports history in 2004. Millar, Roberts & Mueller's salaries combined didn't add up to Rivera's in Game 4 yet who won?

Final prediction - Rays win division, Sox wild card, Yankees 3rd place Girardi fired because its always easier to blame the manager.

As a paying consumer I've been burnt way to many times by high priced ball players to don't return our, fans, investment in them. Notice my use of the term "fans," which doesn't not include paid fans like sport writers. We are about to see four everyday players enter their prime; Pedie, Youk, and Oregon boys. Most of our pitching staff is just entering their prime.

Nah, when you think about this sox team their best days are ahead of them not behind them.
Sining the " Yankees fight song" is a very old tune, it doesn't sound right anymore. They've been well stocked for years and they haven't delivered. Jeter and ARod are aging stars whose talents while still good to great are fading. Adding Tex and they arms they did adds at best a 10 wins and a division title, it doesn't make them world series champions.

Joe Gomes - hysterical analysis befitting another Sux fan trying to save face by rationalizing not getting the "player you really wanted". You obviously don't watch the same baseball other more educated fans do, tell me what team would not want Jeter and Cano up the middle? Whose your shortstop? Ours is a first ballot hall of famer and lifetime .300 hitter. And you ignorance saying Cabrera isn't getting it done with the leather is astounding, he has a great arm and excellent range. The most absurd thing you said is comparing Pavono and AJ. Not even worthy of commenting on that. Another jealous Sux fan - that's all.

ProfTom, if you're going to say A-Rod and Jeter are fading, you simply have to say the same about Lowell and Papi. A-Rod and Papi will be 34 this season; Jeter and Lowell will be 35.

As for 26World Championships, it's nice to have a stereotypical Yankees fan in the room. I'm assuming you're old enough to remember when they won one of those 26 championships. After all, it has been awhile.

Through it all
I Love New York
but
I hate the Yankees.
It's the same old story
it's the same as it ever was:
you can't root for David (Roberts)
unless there's a (Gotham) Goliath
to take down.

Listen, all of you "would be" GM's and owners out there in Red Sox Nation....KUDOS to John Henry for figureing out that we essentially had no shot after visiting with Boras and Texiera last Thursday. I think our "brain trust" has done a great job over the last few years. These guys do this for a living and are "quite good" at it . Look at the record for G--"s sake !

It amazes me the number of fans who come to this site, thinking that the Sox brass are Bozos! They somehow think that Theo and company have not gone through all the scenarios. They think that this group of owners is somehow "without a clue" as to how to address the needs of this team. Hello! Isn't this the same group of owners who have brought this team it's first 2 W.S. rings in 86 years?! Isn't this the same group of owners who have preached not spending wild amounts of money, and realizing that solid pitching, good fielding and a great farm system are the keys to extended post season trips. Look at this team and the players they have added. They consistently find the J.D. Drews, Bill Muellers, etc that most fans would not want, and use those talents to build a championship team. And many need to be reminded, that the A.L. rep last year in the W. S. was lowly Tampa, who built a team with good pitching and solid team players. My prediction is that Tex will have a good year with the evil empire, but the Sox will still finish ahead of the yankees. Team chemistry, solid pitching, good fielding will do it.

Something sticks in my mind about reading how Henry wanted to stay true to the Commissioner's desires that spending on free agents not make the game non-competitive. If true, apparently the same message was either not sent along to the Yankees, or completely ignored. Kinda harkens back to the stories of how the League stepped in to keep the Sox from signing Bob Feller after his first contract with Cleveland was voided on a technicality. Tom Yawkey, who had bought every player he could think of [not smartly in many cases] was dissuaded by the AL President from grabbing Feller on the grounds that league competitiveness [code: the NY Yankees] would be hurt.

Face it! In tough economic times, sports need the drawing power of their storied franchises. In the midst of this tough economic period, the Yankees go out on a limb and spend huge sums on a new stadium. This is great for MLB as a business. MLB simply cannot afford for the Yankees to risk all of this and be anything but a top-draw. Also, I think there's an interesting correlation between teams winning championships either in the last year of play at a storied home field, or the first year of a new field. I actually thought, early in the 2008 season, that things would just somehow work out whereby the Yankees would win it in the last year of the old park. That not being the case, things certainly appear to have just "aligned themselves" to ensure that they will win it in the new Stadium. I suspect that the Sox brass new this was coming [read the code words in the Commissioner's wishes] and have decided that there's no need to spend big this year in order to get a 2nd or 3rd place finish.

People talk about how small was the difference between the RS offer and the Yankees offer, but that's not the point. WHATEVER the RS offered the Yankees would have bid more. The Yankees have no limit, which means that in any year, and in any free agent market, the Yankees can sign whomever they want. Whatever free agents sign with other teams, now or in the future, those teams will simply be picking over whatever the Yankees decided they didn't want. Every year, the cream of the free agent crop will go the Yankees, and the rest of MLB can pick through the leavings.

The Red Sos had to draw the line:

-If Texeira had been paid $23 million, how much would it cost to sign Jason Bay?
-Do the Sox need Texeira more than Bay?
-Texeira wanted a no trade clause
I think next year Bay will provide the bat needed behind Ortiz and other positions such as SS, Catcher and pitching are much more important. The Sox manage their team, the Yankees throw money at it. the last six years have shown which is best. The Sox should go for Michael Young and Saltalamacchia in one trade.

Lets all remember who tore the Marlins to pieces. Do you need any hints? I'm a little worried it may begin here. The Red Sox are so slow to pull the trigger. What do they have for power in the outfield. Only Jason Bay. Thay need to forget how great they are and get on with it now

i'm glad we did not get texeira,a healthy mike lowell will be good for a few more years,and he and youk are both 30 homers 120 rbis in their last full years...if we get more production from lowrie and jd drew offensively we will be alright...efff boras and varitek,his agent played the organization that he supposedly loves... send him to kc/tex or better yet back to 100 loss seattle...in a couple years lars andrson will be at first base and youk will be back at third...build the farm system and be preemptive before our players become free agents...burnett and cc will be on ir by the 4th of july..tex ,may the a-rod karma be with you

26 world championships- youre laughable. I'm a baseball fan first and foremost. I picked the Rays to win the division- I think that shows I'm far from blinded by team loyalty. Cute name calling by the way- its spelled Sox not Sux and that was a CHOKE by the Yankees in 2004 in case you can't spell that.

What face is there to save? The Red Sox & Rays made the playoffs last year so the Yankees had to overpay to contend. Did the Yankees make the playoffs of did I miss that ? The same team who fired their manager for making the playoffs every year because THEY said not winning the WS was unacceptable? The Yankees will always assemble a fantasy team because its within the rules to do so. Failure to win the WS is a failure based on the standard the Yankees have established for thier team - no one else.

I live in CT so I see as many YES games as NESN and I'll take Lowrie/Pedroia defensively over Jeter/Cano everyday primarily because Cano is mercurial at best -lackadaisal at worst. If Cabrera is as good as you say, why was he is AAA last year? The Yankees didn't need him? Have you seen Burnett pitch before his contract year last year? Has Wang suddenly become a strike out or fly ball pitcher? He's your teams ace by the way- not Sabathia. Was I watching a different NL where every 6-9 hitter was hitting .250 and less? Has CC dropped 50 pounds? Have AL East teams stopped working pitch counts? Has Tampa stopped being young and quick and fundamentally sound? Has Evan Longoria stopped being a 5 tool player? Has Rivera gotten younger and not had shoulder problems? Do the Yankees 4 & 5th starters have as much going for them as Kennedy & Hughes had last year when the fans had them winning 20 games each?

Past accomplishments don't win championships in the here and now. Jeter of 2009 is not the Jeter of 2000 so saying he's slowed doesn't diminish his past but it doesnt gain me any wins this year. I didn't diminish Tex's signing- I simply pointed out the other holes and questions the Yankees have this year. If your case is past stats- congratulations. A-rod is statistically going to be a pantheon level hall of famer. In the past 5 years though, the Sox 3rd baseman has 2 WS championships and a WS MVP award. Get out of the past - Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig aren't coming through that door. Melky Cabrera, Xavier Nady
and Nick Swisher are.

The Sox didn't need Teixeira. He would have certainly made them marginally better over the next two years, but would have displaced Lowell, Youk, Lars, maybe Papi, team cohesiveness and fan loyalty. Nor did Sox fans see him as worth that kind of Boras-induced money. He's a very good player, but most Sox fans remained loyal to Youk, Lowell, Lars and Papi. It's a Boston thing.

Let Teixeira be the end of trying to compete $ for $ with the Steinbrenners, or Yankee fans who have come to believe that the highest priced team of mercenaries deserves to be called champions (although this approach has yet to be proven successful). Let MLB follow the Rays rather than the Yanks.

Develop the best farm system and best scouts, to find and develop the best players for the long term. It was Sox scouts, for example, who first identified Teixeira who, if treated right by the FO of the time, would now be a Sox minor hero on a generous but reasonable contract. How high can Tazawa climb, or for that matter Youk, Pedroia, Lowrie, Ellsbury, Bailey, Masterson, Buchholz, Bowden, Oki, MDC, Hansack, Jones, Bard, Zinc, Anderson, Reddick, Kalish, Diaz, Expo, etc.? One of the greater joys of baseball is watching them grow and develop.

This doesn't mean the Sox should ignore FA's and trades, just that we are Boston, we are smarter, and we will no longer get sucked into the webs of NYY&Boras. The Red Sox are intent on improving an already highly successful team. The Yankees so far have merely replaced, with relative success, Mussina, Pettite, Giambi, Abreu on a team that finished 3rd in 2008 and hasn't made much of a noise in this century. Not much progress for nearly a half-billion dollars.

I still feel that the Red Sox were never in the plan for Tex. Whatever that number was the Yankees were going to add 1 or 2 million a year to get him in pinstripes. So for anyone to say that the Sox were going to get him if they had just beat out the Yankees bid is kidding themselves. This is Boras at his finest, he's done it with Damon, and he did it with Drew.

As for what the Red Sox need to do stay away from Varitek like the plague. Does anyone want see him strike out or hit a week pop to the infield 80% of the time just for nostalgic purposes? Stay away from Lowe, he is going to be a $15 mil a year 40 year old pitcher. In fact stay away from any Boras client we don't need the drama.

The Braves mad e a statement with tthe Tellem group and the Sox should do the same with Boras.

On another topic the whole free agent system needs to be fixed the Brewers and the Blue Jays get totally jobbed with the conpensatory picks (after the Tex signing the Brewers pick for CC fell to the second round and the Jays pick for AJ went to the Third). Rather than giving out draft pickes what if a team losing a type A free agent would be able to select anyone from the signing teams farm system who is not on the 40 man roster?

Whatever you do, don't grow up and get over your man-love for professional athletes.

the sox' were only a means to an ends in the tex negotiations....their role was simply to help drive up the price that the yankees would ultimately pay....to suggest that john henry was naive or arrogant is not even close...i suspect that he no longer wanted to be used as a bargaining chip and drew a line in the sand in texas...i'm also not sold on the idea that the sox shouldn't look for a possible 2nd tier offensive replacement.....abreu is lifetime .300 and tejada is .286....teixeira is .290....and i think either abreau or tejada improve in a sox' lineup....imo, another key is to get a decent catcher who can hit...if the sox sign tejada and get a catcher with a bat, the net result over 2008 would be addition through subtraction....

Interesting definition of "need" used here. The Sox "needed " Texeira to be undeniably the strongest team in baseball., because they would then have two excelent thirdbasemen to go with their Gold Glove slugger. But that's not "need'...that's wanting a best case scenarion. The Yankees NEEDED him-they had no firstbaseman, really, have an aging line-up and were the worst dfensive team in baseball, AND didn't make the play-offs. Their need was greater, they had more money to spend, and of course Boras was going to ultimatelt go to Cashman and ask, "Will you top this offer? If not, we're going to Boston." And I'm sure Theo had the same opportunity. Nobody was brilliant. The Yankees still have big holes. The Sox still have Ortiz and Lowell, and still were one game away from the Series last year.
Get a grip!!!

What do you think Sosa for 4th outfielder?

I like what you've written, here, with one exception. The part where you wrote "Brian Cashman played this brilliantly". I'm sorry, but my 5 year old daughter could have said "Scott, tell me what the high offer is when Mark is ready to sign and we'll beat it by over $1 million per year, throw in a $5 million signing bonus and a no-trade clause." Seriously, Brian Cashman wants to build a team from within, but clearly he and the people he has hired are not good at evaluating talent until it has established itself in the major leagues. The Red Sox have one team to worry in order to make the playoffs. They are better than the all the teams out west and in the Central So, 3 teams are fighting for 2 spots in the East. Go Sox!

Gotta love you 26WorldChampionships. The epitomy of Yankee world. Talk about hypocrasy. What the hec are you doing reading the column of a 2nd class newspaper, in a 2nd class town? Nothing better to read in your 3rd class town from any of your dozens of 3rd class newspapers? The fact is, it's more interesting here, more exciting and more education. In NY you're just a dime a dozen. No one cares. MadDog didn't even want to stay. And he's a punk. How many sell outs in Yankee stadium last year? Even when the Yankees were a few games out. You have fake fans, fair weather and stupid. You have no idea about baseball. Go back to reading the NY Inquirer.

26WorldChampionships, another NY educated dope. "whose"?? Who's. dope. "You ignorance"? dope. "Pavono"? Pavano, dope. I love it when NY fans blog Boston.com. It's the most entertaiment money can buy. Keep writing, we welcome your wit.

The fact that Texeira and his wifey did not want to consider Boston is a slap in the proverbial face...on the level of Ramirez not fulfilling his contract. The common denominator might be money; independence. Apparently, these types of players are bigger than the system which supports them...so they believe.

How to beat the team that bought most of the all-stars from both leagues? I would offer that it's pitching, defense, and timely hitting. Of course, the first two are quite plausible. The Sox need a better bullpen so that they don't waste good starts and/or get sunk, before they can get to the finishing crew. However, who is to say that timely hitting won't come from JBay, Pedey, Youk, Lowell, JD, Papi, et al?

Enough with the crockadile tears. Teixeira signed with a team that desperately needed an upgrade at 1B. They needed a bat to plug into the Abreu hole and didn't make the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons.
The Angels had the inside track on this guy and they needed him more than any of the teams that went to the playoffs in 08. It was basically the Sox against Mark Teixeira in the ALDS. Was anyone else in that Angel line-up frightening? How do you think the Angels feel?
I think the Manny snub says it all! It isn't about Manny, it's about Boras.
Manny should sit the season out and be Manny! That will teach everyone a lesson!

Hey, Yankee fans! How many World championships have the Yanks won in the new century? The Red sox have won 2!! So shut your arrogant mouths!

Give me a break. Look at the lineup, the rotation, and the bullpen. We'll be competitive this year and the key factors will be team chemistry, injuries, player development and luck (ie other teams' chemistry and injuries and player development).

Will we be the favorites? No. But this is a good team to root for as underdogs. And if I were Theo Epstein I'd rather have Mike Lowell, Lars Anderson, a first round pick, and $160m than just Mark Teixeira, who is ***not*** an elite talent.

Poster #34:

Dan "Douchebag" Duquette is a lot of things - aloof, arrogant, stubborn - but don't think for a moment that HE had to tell a single major league team that Mark Teixeira had an "on the table" offer to attend Georgia Tech - much less had any inside information as to his signability out of high school.

After reading Teixeira's recent account of what transpired during his negotiations with the Red Sox, I was ASTOUNDED by his undiminished NAIVETE and RANCOR over something that occurred ten years ago under a different regime. Before learning of his meetings with Cashman, boy crush on Mattingly, or family connection with Bucky F***ing Dent, I feared that his deep-seated vindictiveness toward the Sox just might result in this.

Are you sure the Sox "needed" him, or is it just a case that he was the best player available and anytime a premier player is available a team that is capable of landing the player should do due diligence? Don't get me wrong, he would be a great pick up and would certainly help... but helping and "needing" are two different things to me. I think they should have offered the 180 million, at that point what is the difference? But then he may truly have wanted to be a Yankee all along, and maybe we were only upping the price for the Yankees, or maybe Scott Boras actually *hurt* the money he was offered and he would have been offered more by us and Yankees had he had a trustworthy man representing him.

A starting catcher is a need. Youklis is a great first baseman, we have Lowell for a few more years. He would have been a tent-pole, but so could Jakey Peavey, so could Joe Maur in a few years... so could a lot of players. It just means we go in a different direction... big deal.

C'mon all you bitchers and moaners, the Red Sox have done a lot for you this off season. Just think about those pretty, new uniforms they've designed. The uniforms even have pink sox to match those lovely hats some of you fans wear.Latest rumor is Yanks signing Manny too, AND trading some excess players for Jake Peavey. BUT, you genius' are probably right that we don't stand a chance against the big, bad Red Sox. Hope Big Pop Gun can hit over 240 with no Manny.

Hey! Cool your jets and look at this rationally. Were the Yankees splashy offseason moves really enough to go from very mediocre to WS champs? Don't look at ESPN, look at stats. The Yanks added:

1) one excellent hitter who hit 33 HRs (960 OPS) in 2008 to replace a guy who hit 32 HRs last year (900 OPS) against much better pitching, 2) one excellent pitcher who didn't really want to play in NY and has a disastrous record in playoff and all-star games (ERA over 10 in three post-seasons!) to replace a guy who won 20 games last year and 3) one good but always injured pitcher who hasn't proven a whole lot against good hitting. Where's the immediate gigantic improvement over last year?

Their outfield is not very good, and, in a post steroid era, the Yanks have only average defense and baserunning, and rely entirely for offense on a bunch of guys in their 30's. In response to CF. Yes, the Sox are aging, too, but we aren't relying on the old guys to carry the team anymore the way the Yankees are.

The Sox still have better pitching. In a playoff series, would you really bet on Sabbathia-Wang-Burnett over. Beckett-Lester-Dice-K? I don't think so. And Chamberlin/Rivera vs. Masterson/Papelbon is a wash at worst.

Hitting? Neither Bay nor Youkilis has dated Madonna or makes 25 million a year, but their recent combined stats are not all that different from A-Rod/Tex - and they're clutch hitters in big games. Who would you take? Pedroia vs. Jeter? Banged-up Matsui vs. Aging Papi? Ellsbury vs. Damon at this point? When Drew is healthy he's one of the best hitters in the game. So is Lowell. If those guys are even remotely healthy, where's the Yankees' edge? I don't see it. I see a lot of big names and big contracts.

Who runs the bases better? The Sox. Who has a better defense? The Sox. The Rays are still the team to beat.

Why do some of you say that some of us will say we didn't want Teixieira are
lying, and then the next thing one of said is now Alex Rodriguez will be the second most hated player on the Yankees? Being hated alone is all I need to hear to confirm why I didn't want him here. The Sox want team chemistry. it's why they teach all their farm systems to prepare them to play like they do at Fenway. They want a team, a unit playing to win, and if you have hated players on your team, it can ruin the chemistry. That's why I didn't want him, and yes he is not a GREAT player like Barry Zito, making all that money and ended up a flop. Teixeira is very good, but he is no franchise player especially if his attitude is as I have heard.

Joe Gomes---I think I like your style! (although you DID pick the Rays, and Johnny Gomes of the Rays DOES have a brother Joey who was ALSO drafted by the Rays---coincidence???)

I just want to add that I find it pathetically hysterical that since the Yanks signed three guys, they have already booked the World Series for 2009 in the Bronx. I'll take ANY of our #1 thru 6 starters over any of the Yanks best 4, Mussina won 20, and Yanks fan call CC an upgrade over him. Does ANYONE think CC will win 20, let alon OVER 20? In the AL? I rest my case

All you bos globe reporters are a #$#$ joke!!!!!!!!!!..you guys normally write b,s. or just post old news stories, like how the red sox were still believed to be the favorites--that dragged on for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!! being linked to the red sox, you donkeys at the globe should of seen this coming--meaning the yankees!!!!..howy come foxsports suspected it, espn suspected it, but not the hometown bos globe--just brutal!!!!!!!!!!..you guys should be embarrassed!!..you giys probably wont post this,,and thats fine--i understand, the truth hurts!!!!!!!!!!

Forget Peavey. We are not on his wish list and he wants to stay in the NL. If he goes east, it will be the Mets.

Forget Peavey. We are not on his wish list and he wants to stay in the NL. If he goes east, it will be the Mets.

Like the Sox need a first baseman? What about Youk. His performance speaks for itself. The assumption seems to be that Lowell is not as good as Youk if Youk had shifted to third when Tex joined the Sox. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, Sheets may be the best addition the Sox can make, along with an all-around good catcher who catches knuckleballs.

Like the Sox need a first baseman? What about Youk. His performance speaks for itself. The assumption seems to be that Lowell is not as good as Youk if Youk had shifted to third when Tex joined the Sox. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, Sheets may be the best addition the Sox can make, along with an all-around good catcher who catches knuckleballs.

Smile! Why do I come here? Are you kidding me? The entertainment value is stupendous. I particularly love the sux fan above who comments about the lack of Yankee sellouts. Forget about the fact they drew more than 4 million fans last year. Forget about the fact it's easy to sell out a ballpark with only 39,000 seats. The bottom line is you are hypocritical whiny losers. You wanted A-Rod and Teixiera as badly as anyone else and you lost so you badmouth them. A-Rod is the best player in all of baseball, ask any scout or genereal manager and they will tell you that. You also think it's clever to talk about wins this century - conveniently omitting the fact that the century is only 8 years old and that in the last 90 years the scoreboard reads Yankees 26 - Sux 2. You're losers - never forget it. Buckner and Dent and out!

The big difference now with the Yankees is that the new guys are in their prime. CC, Texiera, are only 28. Joba is 24 and Wang 29. Their defense with Texiera is light years better than with the dancing bear Giambi. Expect that they will have younger more athletic outfielders than last year. And they didn't give up any of their prospects. Instead of just spending money, they are spending it more wisely. That could mean lots of headaches for the Sox.

Pasta Shuuutta has officially out-stupided 26Championships.

Your serve, 26.

(Regarding baseball stuff -- trading for Peavy is a bad idea, I like the idea of Sheets, anyone who thinks the Sox are better off with Lowell than Teixeira is clueless.)

Okay, carry on . . .

Impartial journalist are we Chad? Care to discuss facts and only facts then? Like Ortiz being a broken, washed up relic? Like Wakefield being no better than a little league pitcher? Like Cashman schooling Theo, Henry and Luchino on how to play like a grownup? Or perhaps you are a betting man Chad? Care to bet on Pedroia hitting lights out again? Or Youkalis keeping his temper in check long enough to hit .285? Or Lowell playing in 60 games? Or on who is going to catch for the Sux? Or on how confident you are in your at best mediocre shortstop Jed Lowrie? Or who is going to replace Manny's numbers? Or on how bad Bucholz really is?

Frankly, I'm not really disappointed that the Sox did not sign Tex. He's a very good ballplayer, but does it make sense to spend $25 million for a 4th person to help occupy slots that already include Papi, Youk & Lowell?

I don't want to sound sanctimonious, but the idea of throwing around huge sums of money to put a bunch of mercenaries in the same uniform just doesn't have much appeal to me. Let the Yanks spend half a billion. They'll either end up holding a trophy they overpaid for, or will end up with zilch and will be the laughingstock of all baseball.

Who will speak of the significance of the NO Trade clause in this transaction? That had to be the sticking point, not 2 million bucks. The Sox stuck to their guns and did not sacrifice the organization for a trendy signing. They acted the same way with Manny too. Integrity is often overlooked in this business but we fans must respect it and applaud it! Great teams are grown from within, like ours is now. Tex was not the charm for the Angels, he might not put the third place Yanks over the top either!

pasta shuuuta told the truth...boy....that you reporters were hung ho on the sox being the leaders in the tex sweepstakes--theres no such thing!!...tell the truth in your blogs, and that is, they got outsmarted by the evil empire---why dont you write about our supposed great gm--and all the gaffes he has made!!!!....signing renteria???....lugo?????...overpaying for nancy drew???...did someone say overpay???...geeee, we surley couldnt of doen that with tex, right?...you guys are to scared to right the truth...so be it.........but we can....and im glad peopel on this thing,are, doing just that...so go insult someone else!!!....i couldnt care less that you write for the globe, im older then you,a nd have more knowledge of the red sox then you will ever have!!!!....as the negotiation sfor tex dragged on..i was getting flashbacks of the a-rod fiasco...and guess what, same type of thing happened here--they got outrumped!!!...never mind this notion that he eand wife dident want tocoem to boston---MONEY &%%$ TALKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just ask cc..just ask aj...neither probably not to eager to wear pinstrips...but hey, guess what, they are............

and another thing...boy...........comment on other posts as well--not just mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!take your pick on..there are lots of posts taking shots at the crap you write!!!....the sox got cheap on all of us!!!...thats the cold truth----might as well face that and accept it....lars anderson??...........rrrrrrrrrright.....lets wait and see if he can hit triple a pitching before we make him the next teixeira!!!....lets see, theo, gives away manny, ultimately blowing any shot at us winning a 3rd title this century...then he fails to deliver tex---in the meantime, his counterpart, cashman, signs 3 big name free agents...at least the yankees arent stupid enough to spend 51 mil just to talk to someone(dice)...the sox mgmt makes no sense whatsover--just wait another year or two, when they bail...(and its coming folks)...probably get a new owner in here, who wont spend!!!--can you say "another curse ready to start"

...And lastly.........theo , show some balls, and walk away from tek, if you really want to stick it to your so called buddy, who loves sticking it to you!!!....trade for one of the texas catchers...and sign a veteran backup....but why do that , right?....that would make to much sense...........as for the nyy, dont be shocked if they still sign manny...ya, manny!!!..they are looking to unload matsui and possibly, damon....news that finn wouldnt know....but i will gladly share with you peeps......
im outta here...."In theo we DONT trust".......cheers

I see your not posting anymore of my stuff..no worries, like i said before, the truth hurts, right, boy?......so be it....like i care...

"Yesterday was the past.
Tomorrow will be the future.
But today is a gift - that's why we call it 'the present' ".

If Yankee "fans" want to cling to their 26 WS Championships, go-ahead! But from personal encounters with many contemptible Yankee blow-hards, I've noticed that most clinging to this magical number haven't even been alive for 85% of those championships! And many more became "fans" when they were winning in the mid-late 90's.

I could actually respect the Yankee approach of the mid-90's (build from within and add free agent role players where needed - sounds familiar, doesn't it?). But taking the route of over paying to get every free agent you desire, just doesn't seem to work (see recent history). However, that approach does make October that much sweeter for everyone else, when the Yanks are sitting at home!

Here's the reality check:
- CC is a quality pitcher...BUT, his late season numbers were vastly over-inflated due to pitching in the NL Central. Take a look at his AL numbers (and particularly his post season woes).
- Burnett is an injury waiting to happen (see Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, etc.). He has pitched exactly two full seasons in the last SIX - great track record!
- Tex is a SOLID player. He gets on base, can hit, field, and is a serious upgrade over Giambi's "stash" and his alligator arms. However, the dollars committed to Tex should only be reserved for the upper echelon of MLB talent (A-Rod, Pujols, dare I say Manny, etc.). Tex has never finished better than 7th in MVP voting, never won a championship and only reached the playoffs for the first time last year. While I would have loved to have him playing 1st base for the Sox, the money he commanded is better served locking up our young talent to long-term deals!

So I ask this question to Yankee fans:
What have the Yankees done in the present - other than commit big dollars to three over-priced free agents?

See you in April!

This article is the typical reaction from any Red Sox fan every time the Yankees sign a big name player. It happened with A-Rod, Damon, and now Teixeira. Because the Yankees signed a big free agent, all of a sudden, they are "scumbags," the YES Network reporters are "scumbags," and the Yankees are "gross." In fact, its you Red Sox fans that are the scumbags, because you can't stand when another team is successful.

If the Yankees win the 2009 World Series, it will be about as delightful as watching the former CEO of Lehman Brothers win the lottery. The Yankees and their fans, of course, don't care about being liked (that seems pretty clear from some of the comments here). They care about winning. Which begs the question: Why do they think the failed strategy of building a team with a bunch of extremely high priced free agents (that's NOT how it was done from 1996-2000) will work this time?

So let's see exactly what the Yankees have really done. The signing of CC merely replaces the 20 wins Messina posted last year. Status quo. AJ is a pitch away from the DL and could very well be the contmeporary version of Carl Pavano. Combined total of championships won by A-Rod and Tex totals a big fat ZERO!! Give me a healthy Lowell, a revitalized Bucholtz and the current lineup and I'll take my chances of having a pretty competitive team. Not to mention the potential help from farmhand hurlers and the eventual emergence of Lars at first base. All is not gloom and doom in Red Sox Nation..

Good to see some truth telling here - calling the Sox fans and management out for being the hypocritical whiny babies that they are. By the way Ireland74, already setting up rationalizations and excuses to minimize the thrashing the Yankees are going to give you in 09? You need to grow up little boy, baseball on the Major League level is a business not the little league (despite your little league ballpark) -- in big business, a company tries to maximize profits and a "good" business instead of hording their money puts it back into the company by hiring the best employees they can afford to make them as successful as they can be. It's called smart, it's called professiona. Sux fans are the least knowledgeable; the worst in baseball, period.

You make some good points. Would he make them better? Absolutely, but I'm still not buying that they needed him. The Sox still have better pitching. I'd prefer to build a homegrown team and supplement, so this is not the end of the world.

It stinks that they lost him - and to the Yanks of all teams, but life will go on.

The Yanks NEEDED him. The Sox wanted him. Big difference.

As a Yankee fan I think we should all remember that all baseball players are overpaid. There are owners willing to spend money to improve their team and those who aren't, even though they can afford it just as easy as the Yankees. Maybe the owners who like collecting the luxury tax and the extra revenue generated when the Yankees and the Sox come into town to play should be the ones we criticize. Baltimore and Minnesotta come to mind. Also all the talk of the Rays being successful without spending money ignores the fact that they have had the number one pick in the draft for the last 10 years.

As a Yankee fan I can take a realistic look at the Red Sox and see the holes in their team. First, their catcher can no longer hit from either the left or right side. Second they have very little offense coming from the shortstop position regardless of which one they play Lugo or Lowrie. Third, they can't be sure of how well Lowell will come back from injury. Fourth, they don't know if Ortiz will be OK with his wrist problems, and you can't deny that he is not the same hitter without Ramirez batting behind him. In right field you have Drew who has a habit of getting on the DL every year. And finally you have Elsbury who is a very good hitter but does not have the power you normally associate with an outfielder. Ergo, all is not perfect in Sox land just as all is not perfect in Yankee land.

The moves the Sox made *during* 2008 season are going to benefit them hugely in 2009: they will have Masterson for a full year - remember how bad the bullpen was before he arrived, Jason Bay is already under contract at (relatively) low dollars, Bucholtz and Bowden got a taste of the majors. I would be concerned with the debt load for the Sox if they signed Texeira: could they resign Beckett and Papelbon if they had Tex for an inflated baseline? I'd be ashamed if the state had to spend a BILLION dollars on a park for a billion dollar organization.

Ben Sheets? C'mon you know Henry and the boys won't go far enough to actually do it! How many times do we have to watch this movie before we know the ending by heart? Oh they will due their so called due diligence and then make their customary "just barely not good" enough offer but in the end we'll watch yet again when he signs with another team. Could be the Yankees again. Why not, and why not Manny too? They still have plenty of taxpayer money leftover given to them by noneother than Rudy Giulliani in a sweetheart deal for the new stadium just before he left office. Does it get any more repulsive than this!

26, only ignorant, uneducated and bitter people post the way you do. How about listing some stats to back up your claims as a bunch of Red Sox fans have done to back up theirs? And personally, while I LOVE the Sox-Yanks games, I'll take a trip to the post season even if it means losing to the Yanks every time. And correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't the Yanks won the season series every year since 04? And in that time span, who has more WS titles? More postseason apperences? More total wins? More young talent? And perhaps most important of all in this economy, lower payroll? Also, on a side note, Fenway is and has been a much better staduim than the old Yankee staduim for YEARS now. Wasn't just 2 or three years ago when a steel I-beam fell onto some box seats there and took part of the roof with it? Personally, I'll take a 100yr old ballpark with charm, charisma and history over a new park any day of the week?

You want stats? Ok, how about the only stat that matters. Twenty six World Championship in the past ninety years as compared to two. Everything else is meaningless, that's how franchises are measured. Your stadium is a pathetic, old, little league park that can't even accommodate the fans that want to see the team. Yankee Stadium was and is the most famous cathedral baseball has ever known, Your a joke.

I read the above comments with a scale of irrelevance hoping to find the insight to understand what went on those fateful days before XMas. I sincerely believe Teixeira signed in NYC because it was closer to home than Boston. I also believe John Henry was told the Yankees were part of the bidding as our hometown journalist has conveyed to us all. John simply knew Tex was not worth the money it would take. I also believe the Yankees are a team to beat. NYC has two things going for baseball, people and money. The Red Sox fans have to set their faith on the management which has produced a couple world series championships in four years. Baseball is not all money; Tampa Bay proved that this year. Let us believe in ourselves and not return to the old line of negative thinking "wait till next year". Teixeira is a fine player. Youkilis is a fine player as well. Sign him now! Show loyalty to the young players in the minors. Lastly if you trade then trade for player in the middle of the field.... Catcher and Pitchers. Our players need only to make the playoffs. A WS is very possible. Go Red Sox from a long time Bruins fan.

I think it will be a toss up between the Yankees and Mets to see who gets Manny Raminez and or Derek Lowe. I expect the Red Sox to sign Adam Dunn to bat after Ortiz and eventually they will also sign Ben Sheets but limit the number of innings he can pitch. Do any clear thinking Red Sox fans have any predictions about future signings or do they all think the team is solid all the way around now and there is no need for improvement?

I am sorry but big Tex is getting too much credit here.....this guy was just the best bat this year folks.....he is overpaid. This guy is not a 20 mil plus caliber player. I am glad the yanks snatched him up.

You guys are forgetting one thing, the soxs loss so many one run games, it was almost a record. And though the pitchers pitched vary well loss even more games three to one or two. They need two solid hitters that get on base.

The Yankees are not going to sign Ramirez or Lowe, not a chance. When are you guys going to demand a new ballpark by the way? Respectability is within your grasp sux fans, just keep pluggin' along. Just imagine though with Ortiz guaranteed to miss half the season probably, you have no legitimate 3 or 4 hitters. All you have are role player 2's, 5's and 6's like youkalis, bay and drew. Pretty sad and with Dicek pretty much being owned by the Yankees and Bucholz and Wakefield disasters, you have a pretty mediocre staff compared to CC, AJ, Joba and Wang. It's going to be a ong year sux fans.

What's that, seven or eight comments in the last day or two, 26? Sure looks to me like someone's obsessed with the Red Sox. Been a rough century, eh?

Feel free to keep coming back with your sad wisdom -- we appreciate the amusement -- but since I'm a nice guy, I figure somebody ought to warn you: Amy Fisher's about to shoot your wife.

CF you confuse obsession for disdain. Any self respecting baseball fan who appreciates the historical glory and spectacularly rich complexity of baseball should feel the same. The Red Sox have always been an embarrassment to the game, a second class franchise with third class fans and ballpark. A plethora of choke artists and unattractive mutants who defile the memory of Abner Doubleday and every professional ballplayer who ever put on the uniform. . . . . "So the winning run is at second base, with two outs, three and two to Mookie Wilson. A little roller up along first... behind the bag! It gets through Buckner! Here comes Knight, and the Mets win it!"

Wait, are you a Mets fan or a Yankees fan? Because it seems to me a Yankees fan would be more likely to remember this quote:

"The 1-0 pitch, swing and a groundball to second base, Pokey Reese has it, he throws to first and the Red Sox have won the American League Pennant."

I imagine I don't have to tell you the year, Joey.

The Red Sox will finish 3rd this year behind the Yankees and the Rays. This is because of their arrogance about how good a team they have. They have a number of areas where they need to get younger and injury free, and they are kidding themselves if they think that everyone hurt last year will make a complete comeback in 2009. As a Yankee fan I welcome the bury your head in sand approach the Sox are using this year,

A FAN writes: "But You insist on repeating the notion that you would still hire him as your agent because he is so mighty. I think there are several agents who are both decent and savvy who could do the job for you, no? Does it not say something about the character and priorities of the player, once he hires Boras? If Jason "Team First" Varitek insists that the team madly overpays for him, doesn't he implicitly acknowledge(sp?) that he is hurting the team's chances to compete, if they have to pay superstar money to a backup catcher?"

A Million times THANK YOU for writing what I've been saying for years--especially about Veriteck. It's simple, if you sign on with Boras then IT IS CLEAR what kind of person you really are---a greedy one. It comes down to a simple question to me---How much money do you really need.? At what point does it become about more than the money. I stay at my job because I'm well p;aid AND there are several other factors that make it the right p;lace for me even though I could get a new job tomorrow for more money! Why do more ballp;layers not think that way????????? And why don't more writers call these greedy players out for what they really are????

Curious how you feel about Jason Bay, Scott. He's a Boras client who's already given an indication he wants to re-sign with the Red Sox, which would likely be a cheaper rate given what he might make as a free agent.

Also, enough with the "Why don't writers do such-and-such . . . " crap. Go back about a month and you'll find a piece I wrote about Varitek's greed.

26 - if you're going to talk about least knowledgeable fans, get your "FACTS" straight before you post! The Sox have won SIX championships in the last 99 years, not two as you quoted. I know it doesn't compare to your favorite number, but I do believe that number has been stuck there for 8+ years, while the Sox have added to their total!
I think it's comical that you love spending time in a Sox blog to share you lack of baseball knowledge and poor grammatical prowess.
And if you're going to re-hash the past, why not actually recall events you remember without Googling! Like say, losing a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning and blowing a 3-0 series advantage to cap off the biggest playoff CHOKE in baseball history!
Why don't you take your Yankee-loving POV along with your guinea tee and copious amounts of hair gel, and head over to the Post or Times to blog about how great the Yankees SHOULD be this year!

Who will catch if Jason is not resigned? I guess Rodriquez is available but I don't think he is more of a solution than resigning Varitek. Perhaps Epstein can catch?

Reality-Check, thanks for making my post for me. Like you said, 26 titles are all well and good and congrats to Yanks on buying, er winnning, that many. But what have they done lately? I mean really, for all the talk about how great the Yanks are, They really only had a five year strech where they were truly dominant and the best team in the leage (96-01). They were awful for YEARS b4 that and since then have only been to the WS once. Don't get me wrong, the yanks are still a good-great team, but since 04, the Angels have had more success and they've done that with half of NY payroll. BTW, 26 where do you get that the Sox are an embaresment to MLB? They are seen as a model franchise! They develop they're own talent, make SMART trades and have the ability to sign any FA they want. And before you bring up Tex, read Mazz's colum. The Sox wanted him, but were not desprete for him. They drew a line in the sand and said this is it, take it or leave it. Any FA they were desprete for, they have simply given them an offer they couldn't refuse before anyone else was even talking seriously with them. As for Fenway, you obviously have not been there in the last 5 yrs. It is the nicest ball park in the league. The fact that the Sox now own the record for consecutive sell outs should tell you something. And don't bother saying how easy it is to sell out 39k seats compared to 55k. NY is the second largest city in the world. You're telling me that the Yanks can't get 55k people out of 20 Million to come and watch the Yanks-Royals? Thats one quater of one percent of the population of the city! It must really be sad that the only stat you can mention has absolutly nothing to do with modern day baseball. Those 26 titles make for great history. But thats it. OT, 26 are you sure you want to call a Marine Corp Staff Seargent a joke? Thats not the healthiest thing you can do.

Dear USMCSSGT,
You sound like just your average every day bitter Red Sox fan. Well get ready because things are going to get a lot worse for the Sox. They are about to be called the kings of third place in the AL East. Unless the Rays slip in which case the Sox will be the kings of second place in the AL East. Good luck with the injured players in 2009. They will be drawing lines in coloring books as well as the sand next year.

Dear USMCSSGT,
You sound like just your average every day bitter Red Sox fan. Well get ready because things are going to get a lot worse for the Sox. They are about to be called the kings of third place in the AL East. Unless the Rays slip in which case the Sox will be the kings of second place in the AL East. Good luck with the injured players in 2009. They will be drawing lines in coloring books as well as the sand next year.

The Yankees dropped a boatload of money although Texieria is the only one that makes real sense, Sabathia is a risk with his weight and playoff ineptness, Burnett has had big injury problems, if the Yankees want to go that way, let them do it. How much better will the Yankees be this year? Maybe suprisingly not much at all, they still have a lot of key players aging, Posada, Rivera, Damon, Matsui, they will be injury plagued again this year, plus Texieria is just one player albeit a very good one, they had a very average offense last year, we had a +151 run differential with a subpar Beckett, Beckett is reportedly in very good shape as opposed to last year, with Beckett, Matsuzaka, and Lester at the top, we'll still be in great shape, we were just one win from the World Series, and the Rays will be back next year, hungry again. So please, we've got every reason to be optimistic!

The Yanks and there $250 mil payroll wasn't talented enough last year to make the playoffs? Please. You had the blueprint of a dynasty and ripped it up b/c of your own arrogance. You've watched the Sox become the most successful franchise in baseball and learned nothing from it. Your ownership, management, team and fans are all a bunch of clowns. I can't wait to see next year's 1 and done in the playoffs w/ Sabathia and A Rod shatting in their pants, DL Burnett not able to go, I've never Wang a big game and Pettitte longing for prune juice and Murder She Wrote reruns. I love Teix's approach to hitting and his d at the easiest position to defend in the sport but realistically he is not a superstar and he's getting paid like one. Same with Sabathia, who also incidentally doesn't take care of himself and has thrown a ridiculous number of innings over the last couple of seasons. Instead of worrying about the Sox you should be worrying that Sabathia is fat and overworked and Giambi was a better player walking in the door than Teixeira is. How did that signing work out?

You know the saddest part of "Yankee Universe"? They are so out of touch with reality that facts are to be discarded just like one of their 40 million dollar busts (Pavano?) The Red Sox had the second highest payroll last year, not every year. There payroll the year before was fourth and next year it looks like it won't be in the top 5. So to lump the Yankees and the Red Sox as the two major spenders is an erroneous depiction of the philosophies and revenue streams of the two rivals. Yankee fans do it to justify their own gluttony. The Yankees opening day payroll will be nearly twice that of the Red Sox and 50 million more than the Red Sox and Rays combined. And for those "free market capitalists" out there who says it is their money and they deserve the right to spend it anyway they want, you're right, to a point. It is not a free market, I didn't see Texieria on eBay, major league baseball is a monopoly, so recognized by Congress, and the Yankees have to remember that if they employ unfair or non-competitive business practices then Congress and/or major league baseball has a right to review the current economic landscape-- which I believe they will do in 2011.

Why on earth would we want another player who does now want to be in Boston? Didnt we have enough with Manny? Dont you think at some point his wife's dislike of Boston would cause problems for both him and the team?. He is just as guilty as Boras for playing the Red Sox. He probably figured he would play the Red Sox and the Yankees against each other until he got one of them to the 200 Million that he really wanted. Too bad for Teixeira and Boras that the Red Sox were smarter than they are!! Personally, I like Lowell being on the team, he is more of a team player.

Loius, I'm not an embittered fan. Granted, I was dissipointed that the Sox didn't make the Series, its just a game. I don't live and die with the Sox (as blasphemous as that may sound). Maybe you didn't read my post, but I admited that the Yanks will be a good to great team this year. However, the Rays and Sox are just as good, if not better than the Yanks. Look how the rotations line up: Beckett-Sabathia (see '07 ALCS how THAT match up worked out), Dice-K vs. Burnett (wash when Burnett is healthy), Lester vs. Wang (Lester any day of the week, can you say no-no?), Penny vs. Chamberlain (wash again, Penny needs to prove he's back in top form and Joba has yet to prove anything) and finailly, Wake vs ? Since you yet have to come up with a fifth starter, I'll leave it blank. If it turns out to be either Hughes or Kennedy though Wakefield by a sliver. I'll take the Sox.