Red Sox postmortem

As it grew clear that the Red Sox would not make the playoffs this year, I could not decide whether to call this season a disappointment because it was supposed to be a transition year and they still won 87 games (with the possibility of reaching 90 with a sweep of the Yankees this weekend).

But Theo Epstein and Jon Lester made it clear that despite the rash of injuries, this season was an unacceptable disappointment:

Pitching and defense, the two expected strengths of this Red Sox team when it began play six months ago, were "not acceptable" this season, according to general manager Theo Epstein.

"We didn't pitch like we wanted to, we didn't play defense like we wanted to, and we allowed our opponents to just score way too much," Epstein said during an appearance on WEEI radio yesterday.

Lester, whose rare poor performance cost him his chance at win No. 20, said missing the mark wasn't as disappointing as not getting to compete in October:

"It's more disappointing not making the playoffs," he said. "Would it have been nice? Yeah, I'm not going to lie to you. But regardless of all that we didn't make the playoffs. We didn't meet our goal this year and that's more disappointing."

But even if this season is considered a disappointment, I'm heartened by two things today: 1) This team did not fracture and held together, as seen in Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro's desire to play for Lester:

(Terry Francona) intended to give second baseman Marco Scutaro a night off to rest his aching right shoulder and to use third baseman Adrian Beltre as the designated hitter. Both came to Francona and asked to play their usual positions to try to help Lester.

"After I thought about it, I was really kind of impressed," Francona said. "It made me feel good."

And, 2) That Theo knows the team needs improvement, but not a complete overhaul:

Epstein believes the Sox are "pretty close" to being a championship team again.

"I think this offseason presents us with a lot of challenges, but at the same time it presents us with a lot of opportunities," he said. "You have to sort of be reasonable about everything.

"In a year that ends like this, sometimes there's a tendency to look at all the issues and all the problems, and you think that you're nowhere close to a championship team. Certainly there are elements to a team that are close to championship-caliber.

"We have to completely fix the bullpen. We do have a lot of important position players eligible for free agency. We're going to have to keep those guys or replace them, or some combination thereof. You can't let the way things happened this year cloud your judgment about what you have."

So, forgive me for looking past whether the Phillies should go full bore at the Braves this weekend; I'm waiting for the SoxandPhils 2011 World Series.

Manny traded

I was sad and surprised to read that Manny Delcarmen was traded to the Rockies. I always rooted for the guy, a Boston boy who demonstrated tantalizing ability at times but never seemed to truly fulfill his potential despite stellar seasons in 2007 and 2008.

I also wondered why and how the Red Sox became sellers. Yes, they're about done, but they're still alive. Theo Epstein still says no surrender:

Asked if there's an appropriate time to waive the white flag, Epstein said, "That's a tough question. It's kind of like the Supreme Court said about pornography: 'You'll know it when you see it.' Right now, we're not eliminated. We're trying to get really hot."

"It'll be difficult, but not impossible," said Epstein. "I'm not going to sit here and assess how difficult it will be. I'll leave that up to you guys. I think, that, as I just said, we need to play better and get hotter than we've been at any point this season. This is not the position we want to be ion. I'm not going to sit here and blow smoke and say where we want to be. We're not."

I'm going to miss Manny (Trent was crying hysterically over the news, or maybe he was just having a bad day), but we felt better after reading this headline on FanGraphs: Rockies Overpay at Second Deadline.

I think Theo made a good deal. From FanGraphs:

The real story here, however, is the guy coming back to Boston. (Chris) Balcom-Miller has had a fantastic season with Asheville in the Sally League, posting a 3.31 ERA in 108 innings backed up by a fantastic 117:19 K:BB ratio. That's a 6.2 K/BB for a 21 year old in his second professional season. Baseball America said prior to the season that Balcom-Miller's ceiling was as a "solid middle-of-the-rotation starter," and one has to think that this season would only improve his stock.

The Rockies might need warm bodies, but that's about all they will get out of Delcarmen. He no longer projects as a productive reliever. Meanwhile, the Rockies will send a very promising starting pitching prospect out of the system for what might be at best a minuscule increase in their playoff odds. It's hard for me to classify this deal as anything less than an overreaction to the Rafael Betancourt injury by Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, and the end result will be a similarly talented (if not worse) team in Colorado and a weakened farm system.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox aren't getting hotter than they have at any point this season, losing to the Orioles 5-2. ... The Phillies play late again in Los Angeles. I stayed up for a good chunk of the game last night. Christine stayed up until Shane Victorino got the Phillies first hit in the 8th. Then, for some reason in the middle of the night, she turned on the TV. A replay of the game was on. We were confused beyond our normal sleep-deprived state.

Ruben beats Theo; Ellsbury bests J-Roll

MLB.com announced today the fan-selected winners of a bunch of cheesy awards.

The Phillies won four categories; the Red Sox won one.

Two of the categories won by a Sox or Phil featured a head-to-head matchup between our teams. Jacoby Ellsbury beat Jimmy Rollins for defensive player of the year, while Ruben Amaro Jr. beat Theo Epstein for executive of the year. And this was before this week's big-time pitching acquisition. Clearly, John Lackey would have pushed Theo over the top.

The other This Year in Baseball Award winners were Jayson Werth for unsung hero (Christine says they're a year late on this one), J.A. Happ for rookie of the year, and the little girl who threw the foul ball her father caught back on the field won for oddity of the year.

Christine was surprised that Eric Bruntlett didn't win anything for his unassisted triple play, but the former Phillie was beat out by potential Phil DeWayne Wise for his great catch that preserved Mark Buehrle's perfect game.

Oh, there's one more meaningless award, this one from the masters of the obvious at the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America. Jon Lester was the best pitcher on the Red Sox last year.

Cliff Lee speaks: He's not happy:

"Disbelief. Shock. Initially I was disappointed," Lee said when asked to expound on his emotions. "Obviously, it was great being part of a team that went to the World Series for the second year in a row and I was looking forward to trying for a third. That's a great group of guys. I enjoyed every second I was there. Now I'm in Seattle and I have to make the best of it."

Good luck, but just please don't make the best of it during the one or two starts you face the Red Sox.

Sitting pretty

Last week was agony at times, wondering whether Roy Halladay was worth giving up Kyle Drabek, or whether Victor Martinez was worth giving up Clay Buchholz. Or whether either of our teams would make a foolish decision about the future that wouldn't even pay off this year.

Ultimately, our teams got the two best players in Martinez and Cliff Lee who moved by July 31 (although Matt Holliday might disagree) without giving up their most coveted prospects and are in good positions to return to the playoffs this year while remaining perennial threats for the next several.

We are pleased.

This SoxandPhils headline on a Tom Verducci column summed up our trading deadline nicely:

Red Sox, Phillies put organizational depth on display

In an era when young players under control are valued more and more, Philadelphia and Boston won the week because of they could draw on fertile farm systems without running them dry. It's a lesson for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets of the world: player development is a key currency in the baseball realm.

And, as we later learned, our teams were prepared to cash in that currency in other deals. Ruben Amaro said so, but there's only speculation as to whom the Phillies were pursuing. Theo Epstein said less, but there are reports he was pursuing a whopper. He offered the Mariners a king's ransom (their choice of five from RHP Clay Buchholz, RHP Daniel Bard, RHP Justin Masterson, LHP Nick Hagadone, RHP Michael Bowden, LHP Felix Doubront, OF Josh Reddick and SS Yamaico Navarro) for King Felix Hernandez.

I'm intrigued at the thought of Hernandez on the Red Sox, but I'd be scared to make that deal. Although, Theo had the guts to trade away Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez and wound up with a better team.

Lugo to go

The perplexing marriage between Julio Lugo and the Red Sox is ending.

No one quite understood why the Red Sox signed him as a free agent in 2006, and no one was surprised it didn't work out.

Lugo wanted it to work out, but doesn't blame the team for jettisoning him:

When you see a good looking girl, you get married and sometimes things don't work out. I gave it my best and unfortunately things didn't work out. This is the best for both parties. I wanted it to work out but it didn't.

I heard on the radio that the Mets are one of three teams interested him. That would be funny - the Mets, who have Jose Reyes, having to field former Sox Alex Cora then Lugo.

Theo Epstein took the blame for the foolish four-year, $36 million contract he wasted on Lugo:

This was one of the free agent signings that doesn't work out. We were paying for past performance, not current performance. That's the true definition of a mistake, and as the decision, that's on me. We'll just move on and be a better organization having gone through it, and we'll make better decisions going forward.

The first game of the post-Julio Lugo era got off to a good start: The Red Sox lead the Blue Jays 2-0 in the 1st inning. Clay Buchholz retired the first three batters.

The Phillies game could be ugly - they're up 2-1 over the Marlins in the 2nd. All runs are on home runs so far.

We're getting closer ...

Players are stirring, reporters have started writing again and a whole mess of chewing gum, T-shirts and baseballs will soon depart from Philadelphia to Clearwater. All that's missing is Jimmy Rollins dissing on the Mets. But J-Roll, who did a conference call on the World Baseball Classic, wasn't interested in talking about the past:

"Being on the same team, you actually get to see and admire what a guy is like when you're in the same clubhouse," said Rollins, who will play for Team USA next month in the WBC. "You're not representing New York or Philadelphia. It doesn't matter who the guy on your left or right is. It's just Team USA. So, as for the Mets, that has nothing to do with the World Baseball Classic. I'll address that in spring training."

C'mon, J-Roll, I'm dying here. Give me something to work with.

Not even Theo Epstein gave me anything to chew on in a radio interview (not that he ever provides good blog fodder).

The only thing we learned today is one possible reason the Red Sox unexpectedly signed Brad Wilkerson - our fifth outfielder/backup first baseman, Mark Kotsay, needs back surgery and will miss at least one month. The season is ruined.

{As for me, I'm getting desperate for baseball to start. I am absolutely not a Led Zeppelin fan, but I listened to all 8 minutes and 28 seconds of Kashmir on the ride home from work, just because it reminded me of being at the ballpark.}

Theo needs a hobby

Why are the Red Sox meeting with CC Sabathia? That one came out of nowhere. I can understand them considering Mark Teixeira's high asking price, but why even bother with CC? He costs a lot and chokes in the playoffs - in other words, he's a perfect Yankee. Let them have him. Maybe it's just another move to drive up the price.

Of course, that brings to mind the time Greg Maddux seemed to be interested in signing with the Yankees long ago, but wound up just using them to get a better offer from the Braves. Not exactly the same situation, but I didn't know how to transition into the fact that Maddux - whose last appearance came against the Phillies in the NLCS and is a brother of former SoxandPhil Mike Maddux - plans to announce his retirement on Monday.

That's kind of sad.

Less sad is that Theo Epstein suggested that it's not an either or whether to resign Jason Varitek or acquire a new starting catcher.

While there haven't been any new developments in terms of a potential deal with Varitek, Epstein did allow that the team could both sign the Sox captain and make a trade for a catcher of the future in the same offseason.

"It's probably broader than people think, maybe not so deep," Epstein said, of the trade market for catching. "If you study all the clubs, there are more teams with a catcher to move than one might think or that maybe is being represented. That doesn't mean that we've found a way to match up yet. We haven't. Probably more teams out there with catching that they can move than anticipated."

Christmas shopping: Last year I got in trouble when I snuck off to Citizens Bank Park to Christmas shop without Christine. This year, I'm taking her along tomorrow - she just has to wait in the car after we browse in case I need to make a purchase for Santa.

{Unfortunately, the tree lighting hasn't happened yet, and Phanta Claus and the championship trophy won't be there until next weekend. But I'm sure that will be madness, so we're not going then. I just hope they're decorated tomorrow, even though they haven't had their official Christmas kickoff.}

Election Day

It seemed tempting, but I refrained from writing in Cole Hamels for president. A local merchant posted that note last week on one of the signs outside of his store; Greg was tempted to stop today and ask if anyone voted for Hamels, but he ran out of time on his way to work. He probably ran out of time because I think he stopped at more than one Starbucks for his free coffee. And yes, he did vote, even though it was no longer required to claim a cup of joe.

A few random thoughts and notes tonight as I await election results.

**Les Walrond's short-lived Phillies career is over. He was claimed today by the Blue Jays. (It is so refreshing to say "Blue Jays" without having the cloud of 1993 hanging over my head anymore.) And yesterday, Rudy Seanez filed for free agency.

**As the 2008 team disperses, I'm reminded of something important that I overlooked the other night. As I was reminiscing about players who will soon be part of the Phillies' past, I forgot to mention Chris Coste. I'm afraid that he's not long for this team. Lou Marson is waiting in the wings, and it's only a matter of time before he's in the big leagues for good. I expect that Marson will start in AAA in the spring, but once he's ready, Coste will probably be expendable. Sadly, he probably already feels that way, as Charlie Manuel made it clear in September and October that Carlos Ruiz is his preferred catcher. Well, whatever happens, Coste will always be welcomed in Philadelphia, and I'm glad that he got the chance to play here and be part of the magical 2007 and 2008 teams.

**Last week, after the Phillies won, I checked the Baseball Prospectus page. I wanted to see it officially say that the Phillies had a 100% chance of winning the World Series. But a little part of me still thought that it would say something like the Phillies only had a 99.2% chance of winning. (OK, so maybe it will take a while to shake away all of the negative thoughts.) Anyway, I love looking at those numbers - on Sept. 30, the Phillies were given only a 5% chance of winning it all.

**Following the Phillies lead, the Red Sox signed their GM. Jeez, what has he done to deserve a new contract? It's not like he's won any World Series lately.

**Crazy Scott Boras thinks Jason Varitek is going to get a huge contract, along the lines of Jorge Posada's 4-year $52 million contract. I think Scott Boras is nuts. I'm not the stats person on this blog, but 2008 was a dismal year for him. Yeah, he can still catch, but he was a liability offensively. Carlos Ruiz was no better offensively, but he's seven years younger than Varitek. Not to mention the fact that Ruiz is making just over the league minimum and isn't even due for arbitration until 2010. If baseball really is going to be feeling the economic crunch, I think the Sox should take a pass on resigning their captain.

**Current Sox and former Phil Mike Timlin filed for free agency today. Actually, barely a former Phil. I forgot that he was with the team for only half a season. It seems like it was longer. I guess because I've had to listen to Greg rave about him for the past six years. And complain about him this year.

I'm off to set up camp in front of CNN until Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert come on at 10 p.m. Let's hope this election is decided earlier in the night than some of those marathon playoff games I endured over the past few weeks.

One team is in first

Despite Charlie Manuel and Brad Lidge causing Christine some angst, the Phillies came back and held on to an 8-7 win and are alone in first place. The ghosts of 2007 are alive and well, helping the Nationals beat the Mets 1-0.

Jamie Moyer had an uncharacteristic bad start. He's earned a pass. But Cholly should have recognized that the 45-year-old who has pitched his body and soul out for this team lost it in the 6th and should have pulled him before he gave up six runs.

No matter: Ryan Howard had his back, knocking in a run with a triple in the 7th and then scoring on a Shane Victorino single. The big guy then gave the Phils the lead with a two-run homer in the 8th. She hasn't mentioned it on the blog, but Christine called the other day that Howard will have a big September and win the MVP again.

It wasn't all smooth sailing. Lidge walked the bases loaded and needed 33 pitches to close out the 9th. We're afraid that this Associated Press story might jinx him soon. Hopefully this is as close as he comes to blowing a save.

Red Sox: After Monday's game, Rays manager Joe Maddon said it's easier to get over a blowout than a 2-1 loss. His Rays proved him right tonight, beating the Sox 2-1, making tomorrow's game a must win if the Sox want to win the division.

Maybe Maddon was right just about the blowout part, not getting past the 2-1 game. I've said it many times, but the ALCS is going to be great - it just seems that the Rays and Sox match up well against each other. If they meet next month, expect a seven-game classic.

Ace Josh Beckett pitched like it's already the postseason - one earned on three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over eight innings. But when the Red Sox score just one run on five hits, even postseason Josh can't pull it out.

We'll get 'em tomorrow: Tim Wakefield vs. Matt Garza. A win and we're back to within percentage points and a tied head-to-head record; a loss and we're two games out and pretty much settling for the Wild Card.

Four more years: OK, they haven't announced terms of Theo Epstein's soon-to-be-new contract, but it looks like we won't be seeing the ape costume this off-season.

Old guys come through

With time running out on the season, two old starting pitchers - neither of whom have been to a World Series - came up big for the SoxandPhils. Younger Cole Hamels could learn something about playoff intensity from Paul Byrd and Jamie Moyer.

Red Sox: I guess I owe Theo Epstein an apology for picking up another druggie. The Red Sox beat the Rangers 7-2, and Paul Byrd is now 4-1 since coming to Boston. Byrd pitched well - no runs with just three hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. He was backed up with a rare homer by David Ortiz and one by Jason Bay. MVP-to-be Dustin Pedroia went a ho-hum (for him) 1-4 with a walk and an RBI.

The Rays lost, so the Red Sox's footsteps must be getting louder - they're 1.5 games out of first, which is the closest they've been since July 28. Oh yeah, if you can strain your eyes that far down the standings, the Yankees are in fourth. The Orioles are 12 games behind them, so the Empire doesn't have to worry about coming in last.

Phillies game 1: Jamie Moyer pitched even better than the Sox cagey veteran, dominating the Mets to a tune of no runs on two hits and three walks. Phillies 6, Mets 2. He was backed by Greg Dobbs who went 2-4 with a double, home run, two runs and three RBI. Pedro who? (That can be for either Feliz or Martinez, who ate the loss today.)

Phillies game 2: J-Moy's win meant the big Cole Hamels-Johan Santana match-up would determine whether the Phils would leave New York trailing by two games or tied for first.

The latter scenario doesn't look likely after young Cole was shelled for five runs in five innings. Christine predicts he will blame his adjusted schedule, even though he pitched on his normal rest. The Phils trail just 5-2 in the 8th, but you have the feeling they were never in it since the first inning, when they had Johan on the ropes but scored only once.

And guess who did most of the damage for the Mets? Another old guy lacking World Series experience. Carlos Delgado had playoff fever tonight, going 3-4 with two runs, four RBI and two homers through seven innings. The ESPN announcers blatantly rooting for him were very pleased.

Fool me once ...

I don't think Theo Epstein read the Mitchell Report, which included this e-mail to Theo from one of his own scouts.

Some digging on Gagne and steroids IS the issue. Has had a checkered medical past throughout career including minor leagues. Lacks the poise and commitment to stay healthy, maintain body and re invent self. What made him a tenacious closer was the max effort plus stuff ... Mentality without the plus weapons and without steroid help probably creates a large risk in bounce back durability and ability to throw average while allowing the change-up to play as it once did ... Personally, durability (or lack of) will follow Gagne

After that e-mail, Theo still gave up three good prospects for a washed-up roider whose appearances down the stretch were downright frightening last year. Today, Epstein traded for another druggie, Paul Byrd. Usually this blog is happy when there's a new induction to the SoxandPhils fraternity, but I remember Paul Byrd standing in Fenway right before Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS answering to a report that he took HGH.

This deal won't blow up like Gagne did, but you'd think Theo would want to avoid players in the Mitchell Report. It sort of took some of the juice (bad pun, I know) from the excitement of 28-year-old knuckleballer Charlie Zink's major league debut.

Tonight's game: I'm sure that Zink won't forget his debut against the Rangers, although he will want to. There have been some who attribute his success this year to the fact that minor leaguers aren't exposed to knuckle balls; they say his stuff won't cut it in the majors. He started off with a perfect 1st, then watched his mates score 10 runs in the bottom of the inning, including two homers by David Ortiz.

The fun stopped there. This in-game musing on the Boston Globe's blog sums it up: "Has a team ever scored 10 runs in the first inning and lost?"

Answer: I don't know, but the Red Sox came too close for my comfort. They actually had to come back to win, 19-17.

Competitors: White Sox won, Rays losing and the Yankees are beating the Twins.

NL: The Phillies lead the Dodgers 3-1 in the 5th. Mets won; Marlins winning.

Back to Bay-seball

Now that the Red Sox are a team again, it's time to refocus the blog back on the field, especially since new left fielder Jason Bay had a memorable debut tonight - scoring both runs in a 2-1, 12 inning win over the Athletics.

{Yes, Greg has been glossing over the fact that before tonight, the Phillies were playing good baseball on the field as a team. It matters only when Boston plays well.}

In the 12th, Bay came up with two outs and tripled. After J.D. Drew was intentionally walked, Jed Lowrie hit an infield single to end the game.

Before the game, Theo Epstein said the players felt like a team again. I'm sure a win like this will only solidify those feelings and let them forget the cloud that has been over them.

The Sox remain three games behind the Rays, but expanded their Wild Card lead to 1.5 over the Twins and 3.5 over the Yankees.

Phillies: Not so good tonight. They couldn't gain ground on the Mets and Marlins, who both lost. They still lead the Mets by one game and the Marlins by 1.5, but on a night when Cole Hamels matched up against Kyle Lohse, the young ace should have been able to beat the guy who is having a fluky good year.

Lohse wasn't dominant but kept his Cardinals in the game while young Cole got knocked around for the second straight start. Cardinals 6, Phillies 3.

We couldn't believe the ovation the Cardinals fans gave So Taguchi. Man, if they love him that much, I'm sure the Phils could have dealt him back.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]

Somehow, the bullpen didn't blow it

I'm hoping that the Phillies have one of their patented offensive explosions on Wednesday because the back end of this bullpen is getting a little beat. Tom Gordon and Brad Lidge made it interesting in the 8th and 9th innings tonight, but they managed to get out of their respective innings with minimal damage, giving the team a 3-2 victory over the Reds.

Neither Gordon nor Lidge was sharp tonight. Gordon allowed a lead-off triple, which scored on a sacrifice fly, before facing pinch-hitter Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey came out to a nice ovation from the fans but didn't hit No. 600, as he walked on four pitches. Flash then managed to get out the next two batters. Lidge also faced only five batters, but it felt like a lot more - maybe because of his 20 pitches, only nine were strikes.

Adam Eaton pitched well again, his third good start in a row. Good thing too, considering that Kris Benson can't stay healthy.

Chase Utley continued his hot streak by going 2-for-3 with a walk, a RBI and a run. Baseball's infatuation with the second baseman is reaching new levels every day; I've run out of adjectives to describe his play right now. He continues to lead the NL in all-star voting and is second in baseball behind only David Ortiz. (Theo Epstein swears that Ortiz will be OK, but he'll still be out for at least two to three weeks and won't be playing in the Philadelphia series.)

[I hadn't considered that aspect of his injury.]

But come on, Phillies fans, where's the ballot-box stuffing for Pat Burrell? He added another two RBIs tonight with his 6th inning home run. He continues to rank sixth in outfield voting, trailing undeserving players like Griffey and his lofty .255 batting average, non-home-plate-touching cheater Matt Holliday, and whiny, unoriginal Met Carlos Beltran. Show Pat the Bat some love (eww, not like that) and throw some votes his way. (Josh Hamilton, too. I'm a sucker for a good comeback story like his.)

The Phillies lead in the division is now 2.5 games, after the Braves came back to beat the Marlins.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox also staged a comeback tonight to beat the Rays 7-4. The Sox now trail in the division by only half a game and are 22-5 at home this year. Which means they're 14-20 on the road. So two weeks from now, there might be some pretty spirited conversations and blogging going on around here. We counted out to the possible starting pitchers - Moyer, Kendrick and Eaton vs. Lester, Colon and Wakefield. Well, it's not as bad as some past pitching match-ups that we've been witness to. Check back later in the week as we reminisce over the last 10 years of Phillies-Red Sox interleague games.

Joh-on, Joh-off

With the Sox in pursuit of perhaps the best pitcher in the game, you'd think he'd garner more than a passing mention on this site from me.

It'd be great to have a 1-2 tandem of Santana and Beckett, two of the top 5 starters in the game. They'd make the Sox a cinch to best the Empire again. And what a pair they'd be in the playoffs, like Curt and Pedro, or Curt and Randy Johnson.

But there's something not right with it. I disagree with those (like Christine) who say the Sox are now the Yankees. I understand the argument, but it's not quite true. This deal, however, would be hard to argue. We don't need him, and last year's championship, unlike 2004's, was more about the future and young, homegrown talent. In 2004, it was an aging powerhouse whose window was closing.

It's been quiet on the Sox end, but that's not necessarily good. Who saw Schilling coming before the great '04 when all the talk was on Javy Vasquez?

Theo, thankfully, said it best last week in the Boston Globe:

"We reached a point with our situation, having most of a world championship club back, having a burgeoning farm system, which I think was just rated the second best in all of baseball, where we feel that we can improve by letting our young players play. We don't have desperate holes we need to go out and fill at any cost. We can pick and choose what makes sense for us, rather than be desperately in the marketplace."

That's not an arrogant GM who thinks a successful club one year will autmatically be successful the next. Just one who also understands the value of a great farm system and young talent like Pedroia, Papelbon, Elsbury and Buchholz.

Hopefully, Theo has been hovering over the deal soley to drive the price up for the Empire, who'll have to pony up to beat any of the incarnations the Sox have reportedly offered.

If they get him, we're still the favorites, and hopefully, they'll send enough of their prospects to hurt themselves in the long-run.

Also making a resurgence is the Mets bid, which still doesn't seem to include Jose Reyes. If the Mets land Johan without losing Reyes, the Phils will have a real tough time backing into the division again. If Reyes goes in the deal, it'll still be tough for the Phils , but should make their prospects better in the long-run.

My apologies: In my brief Johnny Podres post yesterday, I didn't mention that he was a former Red Sox pitching coach as well, responsible for developing pitchers like the pre-roid Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst and Oil Can Boyd. I just found out myself.