AGRI Biz

As usual, Theo Epstein has effectively overloaded the 2010 Red Sox rotation with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and John Lackey owning the front end and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield, and maybe Boof Bonser competing for the final two spots. The bullpen, led by the still largely dominant Jonathan Papelbon, is not quite so prohibitively predetermined but remains crowded. Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Ramon Ramirez, and Daniel Bard have probably ...

Joe Mauer has his MVP award, looming $100-million contract extension, and the cover of MLB The Show 2010. Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek form a formidable backstop platoon for the 2010 Red Sox. They all started somewhere. These are the outsiders looking in who get to catch guys like John Lackey and Josh Beckett for a month before being tendered a contract and hoping for more or getting the cold shoulder and ...

While watching those Spring Training games minutely on a work computer or catching them here and there on the MLB Network, some Red Sox fans may wish the commentary focused more on who these non-roster players are. Who's that guy pinch running for Jacoby Ellsbury? He can't possibly get the starting job, so why is he there? As with my previous article on non-roster invitee infielders, now I offer you a little run ...

Much has been made of the 2010 Red Sox and their defensive prowess, or potential. JD Drew, Mike Cameron, and Jacoby Ellsbury comprise a formidable outfield. Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Adrian Beltre are all Gold Glove Award winners. But how do these players match up, position-by-position, with the greatest Red Sox defenders of all time? Would any of them make such a "glovely" squad? Debate where you see fit, ...

Beyond Hanley Ramirez and the mammoth 2005 deal that sent the slugging shortstop to Florida in exchange for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and Guillermo Mota, who are the best former Red Sox toeing the rubber and flashing their leather today? You know some of these, but some may surpise you. Who else in your fantasy draft was once a Red Sox? Who should have called Fenway home, but Fenway shut the ...

The Red Sox franchise leads the American League with 19 No Hitters, second only to the DodgersÆ Major League best 20. Cy Young was a Red Sox and pitched the first Perfect Game in the modern era. Among the likes of Roger Clemens, Lefty Grove, Dutch Leonard, Pedro Martinez, Mel Parnell, Babe Ruth, Curt Schilling, Luis Tiant, ôSmokeyö Joe Wood, and Cy Young, who is the best? Even more ...

The Mets have signed Jason Bay. Dismayed that Theo Epstein failed to retain the popular left fielder but relieved that Brian Cashman has not acquired in him another Johnny Damon, Red Sox Nation releases a long-held breath. Still, the Red Sox could go outfielder crazy and seize the available, affordable and vastly superior Matt Holliday. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Cardinals believe themselves well-positioned to re-sign their goatish protection for Albert ...

According to The New York Daily News' Adam Rubin, Jason Bay's agent, Joe Urban, has been MIA for the last few days.áSounds like classic dating trouble.áThings were getting interesting, but now she's not answering the phone.á"She's just not that into you," may apply. Meanwhile, WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that the Red Sox are considering another offer to Bay.áSounds like Bay went looking for something better, realized he was throwing away a ...

We've already covered Brandon League, and I've tried to soothe Seattle's uncertain ego by establishing his rising value. But what about this other guy, Johermyn Chavez? Chavez is a 6' 3", slugging outfielder whose 220-pound frame will turn 21 on Jan. 26, 2010. Kid can't even buy a drink yet. An undrafted righty, Chavez was signed into the Toronto organization in 2005.á In four years in the Blue Jays' farm system, the young Venezuelan ...

According to ESPN's Keith Law, David Ortiz was the biggest free agent acquisition of the decade, and arguing otherwise would be futile and ignorant. However, Law also contends that the biggest trade of the decade occurred on February 5, 2008 when Baltimore sent ace Eric Bedard to Seattle for outfielder Adams Jones, lefties George Sherrill and Tony Butler, and righties Chris Tillman and Kam Mickolio. Clearly the Orioles virtually swindled the ...