Red Sox and Yankees moves so far
Well the off-season is not over yet but I thought about going through the off-season moves so far that the Red Sox and Yankees have made before the new year.

The Boston Red Sox have named co-general managers, Ben Cherington and Jed Hoyer; they re-signed pitcher Mike Timlin on a one-year contract; released outfielder Gabe Kapler; acquired pitcher Jermaine Van Buren from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later; acquired pitchers Josh Beckett and Guillermo Mota, and third baseman Mike Lowell from the Florida Marlins for infielder Hanley Ramirez and pitchers Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia; signed pitcher Rudy Seanez to a one-year contract; signed cather John Flaherty to a one-year contract, who has been playing for the Yankees the last three seasons; traded catcher Doug Mirabelli to the San Diego Padres for All-Star second baseman Mark Loretta; traded shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Atlanta Braves for prospect third baseman Andy Marte; second baseman Tony Graffanino accepted arbitration so it looks like he may stay with Boston for next season. The Red Sox have lost center fielder to the free agency when he signed with the New York Yankees; reliever Chad Bradford signed with the New York Mets; third baseman Bill Mueller signed with the LA Dodgers; first baseman Kevin Millar will not be back with the Sox; outfielder Adam Hyzdu signed with the Texas Rangers; pitcher Chad Harville signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The New York Yankees declined the club option on first baseman Tino Martinez, making him a free agent; agreed to terms with outfielder Hideki Matsui on a four-year contract extension; exercised the 2006 contract option on pitcher Tanyon Sturtze; signed free agent catcher Kelly Stinnett to a one-year contract; signed reliever Kyle Farnsworth to a three-year contract; acquired infielder Kevin Howard and outfielder Benjamin Himes from the Cincinnati Reds for second baseman Tony Womack and cash considerations; signed former Red Sox reliever Mike Myers to a two-year contract; acquired pitcher Ron Villone from the Marlins for pitcher Ben Julianel; re-signed outfielder Bernie Williams to a one-year contract; signed free agent outfielder Johnny Damon, who had been with the Red Sox, to a four-year contract; signed free agent pitcher Octavio Dotel, who had been with the Athletics, to a one-year contract; signed infielder Miguel Cairo to a one-year contract. The Yankees have lost pitcher Tom Gordon to the Philadelphia Phillies; outfielder Matt Lawton (a steroid user) signed with the Seattle Mariners.

I may have missed a few but the big ones are listed here. We'll see in the new year if these teams will make more moves.

Johnny Damon is now a Yankee
Well if you haven't heard it already, now you will. Free agent center fielder Johnny Damon has signed a 4 year deal for $52 million. Well Johnny all I can say is that you truly are an idiot. You had a city who loved you, who always accepted you, and who respected you. Well by signing with the Yankees you have thrown all of that away.

It is reported that the Boston Red Sox made a 4 year offer worth $40 million to Damon during the winter meetings. This is all about money and all baseball fans know this. This is the typical ball player in these days. No more loyalty to the team you play for. Just loyalty for the dollar sign and how many zeroes are on the check.

Here's what Johnny Damon said to Red Sox fans (from a RedSox.com article): "I just want them to know that I appreciate them and I tried and that's the least I can do. I know they're going to continue to root for the Red Sox, which they should, and I'm going to win another World Series, so that's going to have to be right now. It's going to be tough to say bye to some of the greatest fans in the world. Unfortunately, they had to see this day and it's time to move forward."

Hey Johnny, as long as you play for the Yankees you will never win a World Series. The Red Sox will make sure of that. Have a fun time in New York, finally looking like a man without the mess on your face, but you'll still have that girly weak arm. When you see Big Papi rounding second to go to third, you might as well just hold onto the ball, because you got no shot in throwing Big Papi out.

As Jim Caple put it in his article on ESPN.com, Johnny Damon, you are dead to Red Sox fans. "Despite his role in winning the long-coveted World Series, he instantly becomes dead to Red Sox fans for going over to the dark side."

Johnny, we'll see you during the season and watch out when the first pitch is thrown to you!

Red Sox GM
Now that the Red Sox have a "dual GM", two guys acting as GMs, will this be good or bad? And where does this leave Theo Epstein? There was word that he was helping the Red Sox front office during the winter meetings. Will he be a private consultant, or will he be brought back as Red Sox GM?

Moves that the Red Sox have made
I'm curious as to whether other Red Sox fans out there like or dislike the moves that the Red Sox have done so far this offseason.

Right now I don't like losing Theo Epstein as our GM. I wasn't too thrilled with getting rid of Edgar Renteria, because who else is going to play there. Alex Cora is a good backup utility player, he's not a starter. I don't think the Red Sox should trade Manny Ramirez unless they can get Miguel Tejada or someone of equal value. I really like the Josh Beckett trade. Even though he has been injured a few times the past seasons, I think he is a big time player and great to have on our team. I like Mike Lowell too. Even though last year he sucked, I think he will get back to form this year. And we got G. Mota in that trade too who can close games I believe or be a good setup man.

I heard news that Roger Clemens may come back here, that would be great. Imagine George Steinbrunner's face if he saw Roger facing the Yankees wearing a Red Sox jersey, priceless! Imagine having a rotation with Clemens, Schilling, and Beckett. Wow now that's pitching. Hopefully Schilling can get back to his former self, he'll probably still have some issues with his ankle, but hopefully he can contribute and stay off the DL this coming year.

Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell coming to Boston?
It looks like Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell are coming to Boston. Read the report on ESPN.com. Post a comment on your thoughts about this trade and if you think the Red Sox should do it or not.

Red Sox need a GM and quick!
Red Sox fans, if you could choose a GM (general manager) for the Boston Red Sox, now that Theo Epstein is gone, who would you choose?

Alex Rodriguez wins AL MVP
Well Alex Rodriguez won the American League Most Valuable Player award. I think David Ortiz should have won, what do you think? Would the Yankees have it made it to where they were if they didn't have Alex Rodriguez? Probably in my opinion. Whereas with the Red Sox, if they didn't have David Ortiz, I don't think they would have made the playoffs. Most valuable, most valuable to their team, that is David Ortiz everyone, and you know it!

David Ortiz (Big Papi) should be MVP
I don't care what anybody else says, David Ortiz should be American League MVP this year. The numbers he is putting up are just tremendous. Tonight he just hit a 2-run home run that gave the Red Sox the lead, which the Red Sox won tonight's game because of those runs. Of course you Yankees fans will say that Alex Rodriguez should be MVP because he plays defense. Well I didn't know that MVP can only be won by players that play defense. Look at the stats that count, I would rather have David Ortiz than Alex Rodriguez any day.

Former Red Sox 2B Mark Bellhorn joins Yankees
Mark Bellhorn is now a Yankee and now Yankee fans can see him stand at the plate and take a third call strike and go back to the dugout. Enjoy it Yankees fans. I know I will.

The jerk (Larry Krueger) is finally fired
The radio station in San Francisco finally fired Larry Kreuger, the guy who made racial slurs on the radio about Felipe Alou and Caribbeans. Read more about this on ESPN.com, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2130288

A-holes are still among us
Well if you didn't hear about the ignorant radio host in San Francisco, nows the time to read about it. Read an article on ESPN.com about it.

The a-hole's name is Larry Krueger. He went on the 'Giants' flagship station, KNBR, and went off about the struggling club and its "brain-dead Caribbean hitters hacking at slop nightly." He also criticized Alou, saying "you have a manager in Felipe whose mind has turned to Cream of Wheat." (ESPN.com)'

I can't believe he have morons like this on the radio. There are still people out there that are ignorant and jerks and deserve to be locked away from society for their small minds. And guess what, he only got suspended without pay for a week. What is that? Shouldn't he be fired? Whoever suspended him should be fired as well as Krueger.

Another article on ESPN.com, Station won't fire host after apology

I think this should be talked about more around the US and something should be done to this jerk.

Felipe Alou said, "It really made me sad to know that 40, almost 50 years later I could hear comments like that," who faced racism as a black Dominican minor-leaguer in the South nearly five decades ago. "Especially in San Francisco ... I never heard anything like that here. I heard it in the South and in some other cities, but not here. A man like me and the Latin guys out there, we have to be aware now that it's not over yet. It is coming back."

Alou makes a great point in that, is it coming back? Hopefully not, the world doesn't need this garbage. We are all human, we should all get along and not hate because of someone's ethnicity. Let's get rid of this jerk and others like him.

Schilling, closer for the Sox?
Today on the radio in Boston the major topic is about the Red Sox and Terry Francona's comments about Curt Schilling. It seems that Francona and the Sox will put Curt Schilling in the bullpen when Schilling comes off the DL and back to the Sox. He may be closing with Mike Timlin while Keith Foulke is getting checked out. Do you think Schilling would be better used as a closer rather than a starter? I think he should start, but I guess we'll see what happens. What do you think?

Olerud over Millar?
Watching the Red Sox vs Indians game tonight, should John Olerud be starting at first base over Kevin Millar? Olerud is better defensively and right now seems to be on fire at the plate. What do you think? I think the Red Sox should start Olerud for now and see what he does and if he fails then play Millar.

How our Yankee fans dealing with their sub-.500 team
As of today, the New York Yankees are 30-31 and in fourth place in the American League East. I wonder how Yankee fans are feeling right now about their team. Please respond to this and let everyone know.

Is Barry Bonds racist?
What do others think about the new Barry Bonds semi-"controversy" which is that Ron Kittle says in his book that Barry Bonds said to him "I don't sign for white people" when he asked Bonds to sign some bats for a good cause. What do you think about this? Do you think Ron Kittle made this up or is it the truth? Bonds reply to Ron Kittle's story... was filled with expletives. This is from ESPN.com (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2081489):

"I was married to a woman who was white, so let's get real. I don't even know the guy. Tell him he's an ... idiot. Somebody said he wanted a piece of me. Tell him I'm at 24 Willie Mays Plaza and he can come get me anytime he wants to -- with pleasure. Don't insult my family."

Is Bonds a racist? I've also heard that Bonds has said that he didn't want to pass Hank Aaron in career home runs, he just wants to pass Babe Ruth, but not Hank Aaron. Is that a racist remark? Does it mean he is a racist? If it was vice versa (say a white person has the career home run record and a non-white person is in second place) and another white player says I just want to pass the second place player but not the record-holder, wouldn't that be considered racist?

Tell me what you think. Click on the link "post your comment" just below this to give me your opinion.

I found this board with some good points about this issue, http://p089.ezboard.com/finsidehoopsfrm5.showMessage?topicID=2598.topic

The 2005 MLB Season
This blog entry will be about the MLB 2005 Season, which will have anything that happens during the season. Please post your comments and have others respond to them. Make sure to also visit the Red Sox vs Yankees web site.

The 2004 MLB Playoffs
Post your comments about all of the series going on this year in the 2004 playoffs.

The Division Race
What do you think about the division race? The Red Sox are catching up to the Yankees. Are the Yankees choking? Let us know what you think.

Red Sox - Yankees Rivalry
What do you guys think of the brawl that happened Saturday between the Red Sox and Yanks? I love this rivalry. I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan that hates the Yankees. Go to my web page on the Red Sox vs Yankees rivalry, to see some pictures of the brawl.