Winter Meetings Eve

One Night Until The Winter Meetings And Things Are Heating Up.

Well I've given up on my predictions, I have no idea what the Red Sox are doing, but as soon as news breaks -- I usually like it. Coming off the world series I was full of predictions of who would stay and who would go. What we would be looking for in the offseason. But the team with the largest shopping list for the winter meetings, the Boston Red Sox, is looking content on getting what they need, without being pressured into any high priced signings.

In weeks following the world series I was sure that Orlando Cabrera would return, as well as Jason Varitek... and that the Red Sox Carpet would be rolled out for Carl Pavano to enter, and for Pedro Martinez to pass on. But in the recent days it still looks like anything can happen. Refusing to be pressured into what is not necessarily overpaying Jason Varitek, but keeping him in a flawed contract -- is the first of several great non moves by the world champion Red Sox. I am almost positive that this is where Varitek wants to retire, but a no trade clause on a long term deal with a catcher just ain't gonna catch any interest in Beantown.

The Ramiro Mendoza experiment is finally over. The $7 Mil. that the Red Sox blew on Ramiro Mendoza the last two seasons was only enough to break the Yankees bank for $8 Million of which they spent on paying off Mendoza to play lousy in Beantown. You can't tell me that's not a sound theory -- no Yankee to Red Sox transition ever goes over smoothly and you just know that once a Yankee always a Yankee, or rather -- once on Yankee payroll, always on Yankee payroll.

One of the better relievers, and hopefully a much better investment, Matt Mantei has been signed to a one year deal for a very reasonable price, $750,000. He is expected to fill the hardball righthanded setup roll voided by Scott Williamson. Overall a sound addition to the pen that features Mike Timlin, Alan Embree, and Keith Foulke at the back end.

So heading into the night before the winter meetings, where the real wheelings and dealings are set to take place I've decided to take a look at the scorecards of the Red Sox & Yankees. Here are some points:

Yankees Additions:

Felix Rodriguez RHP to replace RHP CJ Nitkowski
Mike Stanton LHP to replace LHP Felix Heredia
Jaret Wright RSP to replace RSP Jon Lieber
Tony Womack 2B to replace 2B Miguel Cairo
John Flaherty C RESIGNED

Yankees Subtractions:

Kenny Lofton CF - Good move dumping contract and making space in center field, but took on a large F-Rod deal.

Esteban Loiaza RSP - Another experiment that went terribly wrong for the yankees, but it doesn't exactly break their big bank. Remember how Jose Contreras was the big Yankee signing (until the A-Rod trade) last offseason, oh how the Yankees can make us forget...

John Olerud 1B - This guy's a class act, one of the only guys on the Yankees I liked on and off the field.

Tony Clark 1B - Wait, who's going to play first?

Travis Lee 1B - This guy had star written all over him, a bit too injury prone.

Enrique Wilson 2B - Probably returning to the Yankees...

Arbitrated Free Agents:

Ruben Sierra OF
Orlando Hernandez RSP
Tanyon Sturtze RHP

all likely to return to the Yankees

Red Sox Additions:

Matt Mantei RHP to replace RHP Scott Williamson
Doug Mirabelli C RESIGNED

Red Sox Subtractions:

Gabe Kapler OF - Sayoonara Gabe

Terry Adams RHP
Ramiro Mendoza RHP
Curtis Leskanic RHP - The bullpen gets a face lift each winter, I've grown used to it.

Derek Lowe RSP - His time of inconsistency has come to an end in Boston.

Ricky Guitierrez 2B - Filled in nicely for a week, but wasn't much of an impact otherwise.

Ellis Burks DH - Happy retirement Ellis, he finished where he started.

Arbitrated Free Agents:

Jason Varitek C
Pedro Martinez RSP
Derek Lowe RSP
Orlando Cabrera RSP
David McCarty 1B/OF/RSP
Pokey Reese 2B
Mike Myers LHP
Pedro Astacio RSP


The Red Sox have their work cut out for them in the upcoming days but have gotten themself into a much more favorable positions than the Yankees thusfar. The Bombers don't seem to have a game plan and have a very large void on the bench, center field, first base, middle relief, as well as on the mound to fill. The Red Sox are searching for a catcher, 2 starting pitchers, another reliever, and a short stop but have been actively searching reasonable options, as well as back ups to each of those options.

Like I have said before, I've given up on predicting what the Red Sox will do, but I will re-interate time and time again. I feel safe having the team in Theo's hands... With the GM spot in Arizona still open its been rumored to have Dan Duquette return to the league, and boy am I glad we're past those days.




Paolo DeVito
Philly's Own Fenway Faithful