YFSF

Missed the Deadline: Sox-Indians Gamer I

I am late to the party, just like Theo. What did I miss?  A solid first inning from David Wells.  Yep, DAVID BLEEPIN' WELLS is pitching for the Sox.  Who says there were no deadline moves!  Comment away.

It's 4:01 and I Know Where Our Prospects Are

Well, the deadline's passed, and nothing's been announced by ther Red Sox, so cue up the "Trade Grades" from all of our big media outlets.  We're guessing the Yanks get an "A" for their efforts, while the mass of mediots will hand the Sox an "F" for not making a move, no matter what the outrageous demands by other teams might have been.  But let's remember two things: first, the Sox aren't in the business of trading a bulk of their future for short-termers, particularly not short-termers who may not be any upgrade over the collection of men currently stocking the roster that they would have to offload.  And they certainly won't mortgage their future by trading three regular players (including a potential top-of-the-rotation guy like Lester) for two months of Andruw Jones.  And two, trades can still happen, and they can have impact.  The waiver wire is always busy. 

So the Sox haven't answered the Yankees big move, but there's probably a very sound reason for that, whether we like it or not.  My guess is most people won't like it.  The Sox lose this round not because they stood pat, but because those around them got better.  Sometimes that's the way it goes.

Deal Day Scoreboard

Let's make this our thread for all of today's hot trade action. Thus far:

Deal #1: Sean Casey to Detroit. (Chris Shelton, Detroit's Mr. April, goes to Triple-A.)

On Deck:
Will the Sox deal Mike Lowell for Julio Lugo and Scott Linebrink in a 3-way with the Rays and Pods?
Will Jason Schmidt go to the Mets?
Soriano anyone? Anyone?!

Your comments on all the day's doings go here.....

Sox-Angels Series Postmortem: Doom and Gloom

I know it's not rational, and I know there's plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Red Sox and their postseason chances (not least of which being that they're still in first place and can easily make up any ground they've lost with the upcoming five-game series against the Yanks.

Still, I'm having a little trouble keeping the panic gnats away. There is little the Sox can get on the trade market that would be useful without mortgaging the future, meaning the Sox we have, for the most part, will be the Sox we have in September. Between the shelling Schilling absorbed last night, the Yankees' excellent trade for Abreu and Lidle, and the overall mediocre play of the Red Sox since returning to American League play, I'm beginning to despair.

Teams often play poorly just before the trade deadline, distracted and unsettled by all the uncertainty. Let's hope that's all this is. But the Red Sox were one David Ortiz away from being swept out of first place by the Angels this weekend. I'm hoping against hope that Theo pulls off a magical 2004-style trade today. I just don't see it happening.

Leading with Your Chin the Twins

We're up in the Berkshires, which means that we're stuck with the New England Edition of the paper of record. It's a bit shorter, and we lose most of the Metro fodder. Sports is condensed. Fine. Condensed we can understand. But we're having a hard time understanding the news judgment that, after a huge trade for the Yanks (along with an afternoon win that puts them in a virtual tie for first), and after a win for the Mets—to say nothing of the Red Sox loss, which came after deadline—chooses to lead the section with...a recap of the Twins-Tigers game. Huh?! We know the Times has a piece of the Red Sox action, but we still don't see how that story can possibly land above the Abreu deal, which certainly has greater ramification for the Sox than an AL Central score, nevermind the Wild Card standings. Not a good way to retain the section's moral authority.

Theo Epstein and the Deadline of Trades: Sox-Angels Gamer III

There is much to like about the 2006 Red Sox -- two 13-game winners, the best 3-4 combo in baseball, one of the best defensive infields we've ever seen, wily veterans, stars in the making.

There is much that needs fixing about the 2006 Red Sox -- two vacant spots in the starting rotation; a bullpen that makes you sweat until the eighth, and sometimes even the ninth; a consistent and frustrating failure to score with men on base, including gaping holes in the fifth and seventh spots of the lineup.

Some say the Sox need to make a big move to shore up the rotation and add a bat. Others say the Sox will shore up the rotation with the return of David Wells, and that the Sox lead the AL East with the second-best record in baseball with the lineup they have. The Yankees, meanwhile, have made a move they hope will do both -- adding Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle.

This could be the last game this version of the Red Sox plays. Trot Nixon, Coco Crisp, Wily Mo Pena, Mike Lowell, Julian Tavarez, Rudy Seanez, Mark Loretta, Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen and Jon Lester all have been mentioned as trade bait. By 3 p.m. (Central time) tomorrow, we'll know.

Meanwhile, the Sox must finish up their series with the Angels. Playing a game the night before the trading deadline I'm sure most players would say is quite difficult. David Ortiz, who apparently read Nick's post about Derek Jeter's and Manny Ramirez' MVP qualifications and got pissed off, carried the Red Sox to one of their most important wins of the year. The Yankees have already won today. The Sox need to win again.

Curt Schilling goes for his major legaue-leading 14th win on ESPN. He's one of the few players we know for sure will still be wearing the same uniform by tomorrow night.

Comment away!

Abreu New World

Forgive the pun. Yankee fans can be proud of their GM today. Leveraging the team's financial power, Brian Cashman acquired on-base machibe Bobby Abreu and a fifth starter (Cory Lidle) from Philadelphia while holding onto the team's elite prospects and blossoming fan favorite Melky Cabrera. The Phillies get the Yanks' top pick in the 2005 draft (shortstop CJ Henry, who hasn't exactly been tearing it up in the minors) along with a middle reliever in Matt Smith, and two other prospects. Better still, solid negotiating means that the Yanks will not be required to pick up Abreu's pricey 2008 contract option. Those wishing to see the glass half empty on this deal will note Abreu's diminishing power numbers, and it has been suggested that the loss of power will have a corrosive impact on his OBP, and that he hasn't always come to the park ready to put out his A-game. We'll see. For the moment, the reality is that he represents a massive upgrade over the present Yankee rightfield option of Bernie Williams/Aaron Guiel. Those competing with the Yanks to reach the playoffs should be duly worried about his addition to the club, and be even more concerned about putting the team away before September, when a potential lineup might read:

Damon
Jeter
Giambi
ARod
Abreu
Sheffield
Matsui
Posada
Cano

With Melky and Bernie on the bench, that would be a serious, serious arsenal. If there's anything to lament about this deal, it's that it probably means that 2006 will be the end of Gary Sheffield's tenure in the Bronx. Probably. Of course, anything's possible. For the moment, we'll see what happens, and hope for the best from our new additions. Will the Sox respond? Add your comments on the deal and its ramifications here.

Shark Cage Rubber Match: Yanks/SatanFish Gamer III

The New York Post reports that the Yankees and the Phillies are close to finalizing the trade for Abreu. Peter Abraham observed yesterday that Abreu has been homerless since June 13th.

All the bats in the world wouldn't have helped New York yesterday as the SatanFish thoroughly devoured Quint, played by Randy Johnson. And Chrissy Watkins, played by Chacon. And Alex Kintner, played by Myers. And anonymous surfer dude whose leg gets eaten and dies just to show it's still not safe to go back in the water, played by Beam. And evened the set while knocking the Yanks a game and a half behind Boston. Today, New York sends Moose out to sea in the role of Police Chief Martin Brody. Or at least as Matt Hooper. James Shields plays the role of Bruce the shark for TBSF. Cue the double bass and post away.

Significance of a Blowout

A loss is a loss. A win is a win. Each only counts as "+1" in its respective column, regardless of the score. Or does it? After today's drubbing at the hands of the SatanFish, New York has been involved in at least six games where pitching was obviously checked at the door. Normally, one may tend to think of such losses as aberrations, and that besides the obvious effect of depleting the bullpen for a day or two, causing havoc with victimized pitchers' ERAs, and giving great cannon fodder for SFs to laugh at YFs, it doesn't really factor much over 162 games. However, New York's number of said losses and especially their recent frequency raises the question about what has come into alignment as of late to allow such demoralizing defeats. Let's turn back the calendar.

Who's On In First? Yanks-SatanFish Gamer II

With the Sox currently losing to the Angels, our Yankees could be in first place before this thread even gets a serious groove on. Anyhow, the Big Unit looks to build on last night's work of sheer genius by Chien Ming Wang, and he'll do it against Mets castoff Jae Seo (who clocks in at 2-9, 5.71). Onward and upward. Comment on all the action here....