Hell yes. Just saw this on NESN about an hour ago, and I’ve been bouncing around the apartment since. This is definitely the end of our winter of discontent. Welcome back, Theo!

Yeah, sweet. Maybe if he could find some way to void Damon’s contract with the Yanks and resign him, then the Sox would have a team this year.

That reminds me, I just got back from the bar with my buddy from Providence, and I totally forgot to give him shit about Damon. Oh well, next time.

Ah yes. The Yankees are paying $13 million a year to some guy who’s gonna hit .260 with 3 homers in three years’ time.

Theo’s arrival is nice and all, but the team still has had an awful offseason. Maybe I should try out for CF or SS.

look, I’m no Yankees fan. In fact, I delight in seeing them overpay (do they ever not?) for a player. But as much as I love to portray every Yankee move as a negative, can you really help but see the Damon signing as a Yankee coup?

It might be better if the Sox had a credible player in CF, but they don’t.

I still think they can beat the outrageously overrated Yanks, but I’m still not convinced that either of them has a chance against the very formidable Metropolitans.

I still think they can beat the outrageously overrated Yanks, but I’m still not convinced that either of them has a chance against the very formidable Metropolitans.

Barring a trade, the Sox’ll be a third-place team this year. Which is fine. Let the kids develop and wait for a stronger free agent crop to come through next year. I’d rather have an off year than spend too much money on contracts that we’ll regret in two years.

86 + 2004 = x

Solve for x

WATB: “Ah yes. The Yankees are paying $13 million a year to some guy who’s gonna hit .260 with 3 homers in three years’ time.”

Steve-

$200 million + no championship = Yankees’ S.O.P.

What a drama queen.

This should give Boston a lock on the honor of losing the ALCS to Cleveland this year.

tg- I’m not gonna dispute that the Sox are gonna suck this year. I’m more worried about the long term. I think Theo puts us in better position to make wise decisions that will have us contending in 2007.

And yes, Cleveland should be good this year if have enough starting pitching. Losing Millwood’s gonna hurt.

I’m not gonna dispute that the Sox are gonna suck this year.

Brad, that’s great! Only 11 more steps to go.

I’m not gonna dispute that the Sox are gonna suck this year.

Brad, that’s great! Only 11 more steps to go.

Steve- por favor, tell me about the Yankees’ terrific long-term prospects. Your best young pitcher has an unorthodox delivery that will inevitably lead to rotator cuff problems. You have a has-been 43-year-old as your ace, a $40 million bust who had a total of one good season, and another has-been pitcher who’s less and less effective every year. Oh, and you also have God knows how much money tied up to that HGH water buffalo of a first baseman. Yeah, I really see you guys winning the World Series next year.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have a 25-year-old stud with a 95 mph fastball who schooled the Yankees in 2003. Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester look like the second comings of Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. The only absrudly huge contract we have is Manny, who at least produces year in and year out unlike that fat fuck fraud firstbaseman.

The Red Sox won’t be good next year, but that’s fine as long as keep bringing top-notch prospects up to the majors. The Yankees’ best prospect is Melky Cabrera, which means they’ll have to keep overspending for washed-up has-beens.

Brad – I think you underestimate the Sox. The Yankees won’t be good, despite a certain turncoat centerfielder, (and prima donna infielders,) because of what you point out.

Their pitching is full of holes. I would take Wakefield or Arroyo over Mussina any day of the week, and he’s supposed to be their number two. And although they have an ace at the back of their bullpen, what else do they have out there? Sturtze?Ron Villone? Dotel with half an arm? A guy who throws 100 but who even Leo Mazzone couldn’t fix?

Even if they trade Wells, the Sox still have depth in the rotation and the pen, and that can be enough to win (and could perhaps help them get a bat in a trade.)

Every year for the past few years the Yankees have had to pull off miraculous recoveries due to crappy starts or massive injuries. One of these years they are going to tank and not be able to right the ship. So why not this year?

Maybe it won’t be the Sox who benefit, but any Yankee defeat is a victory for me.

Dotel gave up a walkoff homer to KEVIN MILLAR last year. Nuff said.

Yeah, unless Theo learns how to play shortstop, I don’t see him helping much. This will be Toronto’s year, at least in the East. They’ll earn the right to lose in the playoffs to the Indians or White Sox.

They’ll earn the right to lose in the playoffs to the Indians or White Sox.

I like a Toronto rotation headed by Burnett and Halladay. It’s been a long time, but they should finally contend again.

Oh, and you also have God knows how much money tied up to that HGH water buffalo of a first baseman.

Only commie pinkos hate water buffalo!

(Ok, he sucks but I’ll try to sneak him some ‘roids before spring training.)

You have a has-been 43-year-old as your ace, a $40 million bust who had a total of one good season, and another has-been pitcher who’s less and less effective every year.

Damn! How’d they win the East?

You guys suck.

Brad:

The Yankees’ best prospect is Phil Hughes. You just don’t know about him because he’s in high A ball.

And I loves me some Theo as much as any Sawx fan, but no love for Arroyo? C’mon!

Cora can play shortstop better than Renterria, and Rent’s VORP probably cost the Sox at least one game (i.e., the AL East title) last year. And once Wells goes to SD for Dave Roberts, we’re golden.

25 days to pitchers and catchers, right?

Steve- for $200 million, you’d BETTER have won the East. The fact that you spent (let me repeat) $200 MILLION only to get knocked out of the first round of the playoffs is astonishing.

Even more astonishing is the fact that the Yankees’ most significant acqusition was a weak-armed centerfielder who just passed his prime. I repeat: no World Series for you again.

Not to mention that they barely squeaked by in the East, which will be much-improved this year.

So how long does the Yankee drought have to go on before we can talk about the curse of A-rod?

Even more astonishing is the fact that the Yankees’ most significant acqusition was a weak-armed centerfielder

Heck, Bernie had a weak arm and he has 4 rings.

I repeat: no World Series for you again.

I can’t argue with this but I will take some consolation in their finishing ahead of the Sox.

I can’t argue with this but I will take some consolation in their finishing ahead of the Sox.

If that’s all it takes to make you happy… well, that’s pretty goddamn sad.

>i>If that’s all it takes to make you happy… well, that’s pretty goddamn sad.

Bucky Dent

Q.E.D.

Bucky Dent

And they won the World Series that year. If they’d just beaten the Sox only to get their asses handed to them by the Dodgers, it wouldn’t have been much of an accomplishment. And in case you’ve forgotten, Mr. Dent threw out the first pitch of Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. Seems like he’s not much of a help anymore.

Try backing up your arguments with facts.

I will miss Damon, but having Theo back is very reassuring.

between Theo and Veritek, I can now trust they are well led.

They’ll probably trade for Coco Crisp too, who doesn’t have as high an OBP as Damon, but is younger and covers more ground in center.

A)Theo was probably the best GM in baseball and the Sox are lucky to get him back.

2) Prospects? The Yankees don’t need no steenking prospects.

Prospects? The Yankees don’t need no steenking prospects.

Fair enough. And you will score like 1000 runs next year. But explosive offense ain’t nothin’ without a solid rotation.

plus, Damon does not have a cereal named after him.

…Yet Ianua. Yet.

I’d be okay with Crisp. He doesn’t suck.

If Santa Theo can bring me Coco Crisp this offseason, I’d be as happy as Bushie beating on a homeless person with a 2×4. Especially if he doesn’t have to give up the 3rd. base prospect from the Edgar R. trade (Marte?).