Where's the Answer?

Ew.

Here it is. 7 games left in the season and the Red Sox are only 2 games up on the Tampa Bay Rays for that final spot for the MLB postseason. With 1 win and 2 losses to a terrible Baltimore Orioles in this current 4 game series in Fenway Park, things certainly do not look pretty.

There is really only one thing to talk about that is causing this problem, pitching. Starting with John "Dumb as a Rock" Lackey. My goodness is he bad. Finishing his second year in a 5-year $80somethingstupid million contract, he has managed to post a major-league worst 6.49 ERA and is now the worst pitcher in Red Sox franchise history when it comes to an ERA (minimum 150 pitches of course)... but he has 12 wins? Anyways I can't bare to watch him throw in the postseason. Something clearly is not right with him (injury?) or he is really just that bad. Hard to imagine when he was an ace for the Angels just a few years ago in the World Series and a Cy Young candidate as well. My real issue with this guy is his attitude. Sure show some emotion it's all good bro, but when Scuttero doesn't make a play or a ball lands between two outfields don't shit your pants. When you give up 8 runs in 5 innings to the Orioles that's on you dude. Also when your manager comes to pull you out of the game don't stare him down; that's Terry fuckin Francona.

On a positive note for the pitching staff, Clay Buckholtz is on schedule and I actually think he's throwing off a mound today. If he continues this pace, he is scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen for the Sox on their last game of the series in Baltimore. If successful and the Red Sox manage to squeak into the playoffs, he will be a valuable asset for the relief squad. But with Paplebon not coming through in the clutch like he should and other relievers having ERAs close to 5 and above, it's hard to find someone to rely on when the game is on the line. Where's Pedro when I need him god damnit.

The offense looks like they're out of their slump at least. They do have the third best run support in the league so by that stat they should be competing for the best record in the bigs; except their pitching rotation decided to break down and die in the first half of the season so we are scrapping together wins. I have faith in Terry to figure out a master plan and get this team in fighting condition for October.

Surrounded by White Noise

Experiments always have a chance of failure when they are first conceived. If it fails, look back at your process, reevaluate your techniques, and set it for success. The New England Patriots and Bill Belichick took on 2 extensive experiments this offseason in defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. So far one is looking on the upside and the other is about to explode in the organizations face. I'm talking about you Chad. Since you love all the criticism and attention here's my two cents.

If you haven't heard or aren't one of Ochocinco's 2.7 million followers on Twitter, Chad likes to fill in those 140 characters more than the Steelers like to turn the football over. He has somehow managed to turn it into a self-branding and promotion; probably one of the first athletes to start an account as well. The biggest debate over Ochocinco has been if the account is distracting to his game. Ever since he has been on the Bengals it gets brought up once a season at least. Well... Teddy Bruschi has had enough of the Twitterverse nonsense and had to put his foot down on Ocho. After Monday night's performance against the Dolphins, Chad sent out a tweet regarding Tom Brady's stellar performance and the fluidity of the Patriot's offense:

@ochocinco: Just waking up after a late arrival, I've never seen a machine operate like that n person, to see video game numbers put up n person was WOW.

Seems pretty harmless. He hasn't been a part of this offense before during a regular season game. Brad and the offense did look pretty good. This is the full transcript of Bruschi's beatdown on Chad's actions the next day:

"Drop the awe factor, OK, Ocho, Chad, drop the awe factor. You're not a fan, all right? You're not someone who's on another team or watching TV. You're not an analyst. You're a part of it. They want you to be a part of it. So get with the program because obviously you're not getting it and you're tweeting because you're saying, it's amazing to see? It's amazing to see because you don't understand it! You still don't understand it and it's amazing to you because you can't get it. Stop tweeting and get in your playbook. … Close your mouth. Put your hand under your chin and close your jaw. Then open your eyes and watch some film. That's what you need to do. If you're still in awe that means you don't get it because you don't understand it."

Sweet baby Jesus. Talk about going apeshit. Sad part is, Teddy knows probably the most about that organization outside Belichick and the front office. 13-year vet, 4 Super Bowl appearances, 3 Super Bowl wins; that's his resume with this one team. Probably bleeds Patriot colors.

Ocho certainly didn't have a very good game (1 catch, 15 yards, 18 plays on the field). Considering the lockout and when he arrived in the New England organization I would have to give him a bit more leeway than Teddy wants to. But this is what Ocho gets with his type of flaunting personality, lots of attention and lots of criticism. So until he can prove he is worthy of a Patriot uniform, no one will question Bruschi's comments.

I want to tie in one more Patriots story here that happened this week with the beautiful UGG wearing of a quarterback named Tom Brady. He didn't have the hotest media week either. Within the past day or two he had this to say about the fans at their home opener this coming Sunday. When asked if he had a message for the fans this coming Sunday, he responded with this:

"Yeah, start drinking early," Brady said with a snicker. "Get nice and rowdy. It's a 4:15 game, a lot of time to get lubed up. Come out here, and cheer for the home team."

And contrary to popular belief, he isn't talking about water and being properly hydrated. You have officially heard it all people. The prettiest face in the NFL encourages getting hammered. I am all for it. Here's where it ties back to Sir Ocho. Brady says go get drunk and yell a bunch, but because he is Brady it's no big deal. Being one of the most popular players in the NFL kind of earns you that right it seems. Of course he's receiving a bit of criticism for it. But he is right. Gillette Stadium is one of the quieter places within the league. But Chad, being one of the more hated players by analysts and players, can't burp in public without getting chewed out by someone somewhere.

I am going to end with this. Bill Belichick is the man. Master of media control. Expert in player remodeling. This is the message he will be sharing with Ochocinco. As you exit here, read closely the sign hanging by the door. "IGNORE THE NOISE". Who cares what people are saying outside this team and off that field. If you find your way to perform and you start playing football, it'll all go away.

Mom Always Said Practice Made Perfect

The effects are obvious. The dictators of the No Fun League are now seeing the consequences of this past 2011 offseason. After brushing up on my football highlights (long weekend for me) it's clear that the NFL has made the flip from defense heavy to offense heavy due to the lockout. Scores were outrageously high, unheard of offensive weapons were tearing it up, and defenses looked confused and tired, minus you Baltimore.

Here is a tweet from Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) that boggled my mind:
              "NFL teams passed for 7,842 net yards and returned 8 kicks and punts for TDs. Both represent the most in any week in NFL history, via Elias."
Mind you, this includes stats from 2 and a half rookie quarterbacks; Newton, Dalton, and I still consider Stafford one since he hasn't seen a full season yet; that got very limited exposure before Week 1 and didn't include my fifth overall QB Peyton Mannthang. If you take a look at the stats from who I consider the top 4 quarterbacks (fifth being Manning) it sounds like I'm playing Madden on rookie level.

1)Tom Brady- 32 for 48; 517 Passing Yards for a 10.8 Average; 4 TD; 121.6 QB Rating

2)Aaron Rogers- 27 for 35; 312 Passing Yards for an 8.9 Yard Average; 3 TD; 132.1 QB Rating

3)Drew Brees- 32 for 49; 419 Passing Yards for an 8.6 Yard Average; 3 TD; 112.5 QB Rating

4)Philip Rivers- 33 for 48; 335 Passing Yards for a 7 Yard Average; 2 TD; 85.0 QB Rating

These guys were just throwing at will to whomever they wanted and it was working. But stats like these are expected of the elite quarterbacks throughout a season. What if I threw Harvard Alum and professional white person Ryan Fitzpatrick or the Sally-Mae I like to call Tony Romo into the mix? Add an additional 650 yards to the total pot. The biggest surprises have got to be Cam Newton and Matt Stafford though. Newton threw for an outrageous 422 Yards and 2 TD while Stafford had a seemingly easy 305 Yards and 3 TD. Quarterbacks all around really did look top-notch and were controlling defenses as to the direction of the game. ESPN wasn't messing around when they called 2011 the Year of the Quarterback.

(P.S. Don't even try and think Mike Vick is a top 5 QB. One of my favorite players of all time but read this article here by my friend Jay Gildea and educate yourself. #readabook)

The other heavy effect the Lockout had on players leading up to Week 1 and during those games were injuries. Steven Jackson, Dan Koppen, Marques Colston, Nate Kaeding, and Willie Colon all suffered serious injuries resulting in season-ending or long term IR time. I know the purpose of this new collective bargaining agreement was to make the game safer but no one considered the Lockout itself to be detrimental to the players. Nothing really prepares these players for a game-time hit, but training camps certainly do help them get comfortable. The most common injury throughout the league was a surprising one however; cramping. When offenses went to their no-huddle sets and kept the ball moving, defenses were winded, dehydrated, and suffered a lot of leg cramps. The shockers to me were the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins especially. Playing in such hot weather all the time I would have thought the two teams would have been better conditioned.

It should certainly be an interesting 2011-2012 NFL season. After Week 1 I can't even think of playoff let alone Super Bowl predictions. I am rooting for Cam Newton Rookie of the Year though. Hopefully after Week 4 or so teams will start to gain their composure and the league might become more realistic.

It's Official...

The 2011 NFL season is underway and Week 1 of the preseason is in the books. I have to hand it to the players; after dealing with the lockout and having a shortened offseason they didn't look like they missed much. Traded players looked like they were clearly still learning but had the ability to still be a part of plays and the rookies were quite impressive, especially the quarterbacks. Cam Newton, rookie quarterback for the Carolina Panthers and number 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft looked a bit shaky, going 7 for 13 for 134 yards and no scores. Andy Dalton, rookie quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and expected starter for the 2011 season looked consistent going 11 for 15, but a lot of those passes were underneath as he only threw for 69 total yards with an interception. 

The biggest surprise to me came from the rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett; third string quarterback for the New England Patriots. Playing the entire second half, Mallett completed 12 of his 19 passes while racking up 164 yards and a touchdown in his debut. Let's talk about bang for your buck. Mallett dropped into Belichick's lap this past NFL draft and came as a steal in the third round at the 74th overall pick. There's no denying that this kid was a stud in college playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks racking up stats like 16.3 and 14.5 yards per completion while maintaining a 55.8 and 64.7 completion percentage in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Much like Brady, Mallett is strong in the pocket and shows good tempo and command of the offense. He's a huge athlete (6' 7") and not so mobile (even though he did show some moves agains Jacksonville), which means he requires a strong offensive line. If Mallett can continue to perform this strong during the preseason, look for some trades to be offered to the Patriots of players that were drafted higher in recent drafts. 

The biggest effect that the 2011 NFL lockout will have on the preseason and first few weeks of the regular season will be injuries to players. It's only entering week 2 of the preseason and there are teams that don't even have a healthy running back (Houston Texans). Granted injuries during the preseason can be a good thing for a coach because it truly tests your reserves to find out just how deep your depth chart is. However, the starters are the ones that should be taking the reps in practice because they are the ones that will eventually be playing come the regular season. If coaches have to become so focused on finding players that can play for a preseason game, then they lose sight of preparing for the actual week 1. Just doing minimal research I have compiled a list of 20 starters from the 2010 season that are currently unable to play or practice due to injury. Tack on another 5 to the 20 if you include rookies from the 2011 draft class. 

After watching some of the first weeks features, I saw the effects of the new rules implemented by the NFL after the lockout, mainly just two; the new kickoff from the 35-yard line and the review of every scoring play. Let me summarize them for you in one word... SHIT. I felt like I was going to blow my brains out after every called touchdown. Specifically last night during the Houston Texans and New York Jets game. There was one perfect example string of plays that exposed just how stupid this rule is. 

Texans receiver caught a nice pass, tripped, and fell with possession of the ball into the end zone. Referee had a perfect view of the play and ruled it a touchdown. But with this new rule the play had to be reviewed upstairs by off-field officials. They found evidence that the player was down by contact before the ball crossed the plane into the endzone. So they then had to page the on-field official to review the play in the booth. After reviewing it there for a few minutes it was announced that the play was in fact not a touchdown and the ball was placed on the half yard line. Offense and defense set up their plays, Texans running back runs the ball into the endzone. Touchdown. Extra point followed. Commercial break after that. So there is rule one that I have a major issue with. 

Just a side note, another point to consider in regards to this review rule is that coaches no longer have to run the risk of throwing challenge flags on the goal line. The play gets reviewed for them and that challenge can be used on ball spots and complete catches come crunch time.

Rule two comes into effect directly after the return from commercial break. The new ruling for kickoffs states that teams are now required to kick of from the 35-yard line opposed to the 30-yard line.  This rule was put into effect to reduce injuries that occur during kick returns. Granted, it does make sense. Special teams players are often young, unexperienced, and always play to prove something. So stupid things are bound to happen. Now when kickers were place-kicking from the 30-yard line, it was easy for them to reach 4 to 5 yards deep in the endzone. Now move the ball up 5 yards. That easy kick is now reaching 9 to 10 yards deep. For those of you that don't know, an endzone is only 10 yards deep. In 2010, 16.4 percent of kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. With this new rule look for that percentage to double. If you really want to get into the value of a touchback, read this article here and have your mind blown because I honestly did. A thought to consider for the mentality of a coach in this situation is bringing on a cheaper, not as strong kicker to take kickoffs. Think about a non-kicker taking the kickoff. There are plenty of utility players out there (ex. Ndamuking Suh and Ochocinco) who can get the ball down field and in play off the kick. 

Anywho continuing with my example. So Houston scored went to commercial and now for the kickoff. Boom you guessed it, TOUCHBACK. Play is dead offense and defense prepare to come out and my TV is back on a commercial. Return from commercial. So play that entire example out in your head and watch how much time it takes to process the entire scenerio. Then multiply it by 2. That's how long it takes in real life. I felt like at least 10 minutes had gone by. Is this what we are to expect for every close play by then endzone? I hope not. 

The League

As soon as the NFL was unlocked you want to know what the first thought that crossed my mind was? Fantasy Football baby. Now don't get me wrong, I am still fairly new to the game (I've only been playing since '07ish) but when I'm in, I'm all in and want that title as league champion (which I was back to back my first two seasons). This year we decided to change things up a bit with a live draft a month before the first game of the season, have a 12 person league, and some deep rosters. A little risky but it's all we could manage for a time to get everyone together. 

A lot of people don't really understand how in-depth this type of game can get; all the angles to consider. You have to look at team schedules, past performances, projected stats, injury prone players, people coming back from season ending injuries; the list could go on forever. The biggest factor that I have found to consider is time. The lockout has only been over for around 2 weeks and players have been flying all over the map. These trades have crucial impact on individual players. The other time aspect to consider is time between end of lockout and week one. Training camps have taken a huge toll and whats taught to players normally is now crammed into a month's worth of work. Consider this; Donnovan McNabb was traded to the Minnesota Vikings very recently. Something that I would think about that would make a decision to draft him or not could be the timing between the offensive line and him. They have to get used to how a brand new quarterback calls plays, audibles, drops back, and the timing of his release. And they only have a month to do it; ontop of conditioning, individual workouts, and learning a playbook. That's how in depth fantasy football can get. I'm just beginning to realize that the people who are consistently good in multiple fantasy football leagues are pretty smart when it comes to sports. 

So this year I decided I need to really get into the pre-draft research because a live draft takes out a lot of insider resources, a.k.a. the internet and Adam Schefter, and separates the diehards from the wannabes. I've been reading magazines, doing mock drafts, analyzing picks and recognizing patterns, yet I still feel like I am completely hopeless. Why? Because there is a wildcard in every league. The one person that does the completely unexpected and just shits on your draft. Luckily I have a high draft pick so I have some guarantees. 

So I'll provide my readers with a little bit of insite from my brain with some sleepers, busts, top rookies, all that fun stuff. Hopefully it's useful.

NFL MVP: Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings: The addition of McNabb and the loss of Sidney Rice makes A.P. the best option on every down for the Vikings. Expect McNabb to rely heavily on the veteran running back.

Return to Fantasy Prime: DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers: He has a lot to prove after only playing 6 games last season due to injury. With Cam Newton most likely the future of this franchise, I think Williams will want to add his two cents and help get the team off the ground.

Biggest Bust: Peyton Hillis, RB, Browns: So did anyone know who Peyton Hillis was before last season? I know I didn't. The Browns do not have a strong offense and now that opposing defenses know what he is capable of he will become their primary target.

Top Rookie: Daniel Thomas, RB, Dolphins: Ronnie Brown is gone. Ricky Williams smokes a bunch of weed. That leaves a lot of work for Thomas to do and expect him to carry that load well.

Sleeper 1: Danny Woodhead, RB, Patriots: Woodhead solidified a spot amongst the tandem of Patriots running backs with his breakout season last year. He's small, quick on his feet, and strong enough to break a few tackles. 

Sleeper 2: Lee Evans, WR, Bills: You probably know him most for his wide open, game-winning, touchdown... dropped pass. He has a lot to prove still even though he is the first string wide receiver for the Bills. 

NFL Unlocked

Yay I can talk about football again! With the NFL lockout negotiations finally coming to a conclusion after 132 very long days, teams can start negotiations with the unrestricted free agents and can officially sign them this coming Friday. With preseason quickly approaching (first game is August 11th), teams are in a frenzy trying to fill the voids in their depth charts with stars, so rumors are being tracked frequently and acquisitions/trades are happening fast. Some of the biggest names in this year's free agent market include Nnamdi Asomugha, Antonio Cromartie, Sydney Rice, Santonio Holmes, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Braylon Edwards. Now even though the market has only been open for one full day (Wednesday being the second), there have been a lot of well-known players being traded and cut. Vince Young is rumored to be cut come Thursday, Matt Hasselbeck signed with the Tennessee Titans, Donovan McNabb will most likely be signed by the end of today with the Minnesota Vikings, Donte Stallworth signed with the Washington Redskins today, and Takeo Spikes moved from San Francisco to San Diago.

Let's look back at the Patriots 2010-2011 season; great team, great chemistry, QB stud, head coach mastermind. Things like that can only get you through the regular season. Entering the postseason like usual, the Patriots found themselves with a bye for the first round and ended up facing the New York Jets (I really don't like them) in the second. Let's just say the game could have gone a bit better. The Jets exposed a young DB group, a slow offensive, defensive, and linebacker line, a lack of a rushing game, and were able to double short routes because there was no deep threat in the wideouts. Being the smart man that he is, Belichick addressed some of these needs in the 2011 draft by selecting tackle Nate Solder, cornerback Ras-I Dowling, and runningbacks Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley. Unfortunately, most rookies that aren't quarterbacks don't make team changing impacts their first year in the league. That's why the Patriots desperately need to make moves within this market and fast.

Here are my thoughts on possible targets for the New England Patriots within the free agent market:

OLB Matt Roth, Cleveland Browns
Why: He was drafted by Nick Saban back in 2005 to Miami so he would be able to adjust to the scheme that Belichick has easily. Solid OLB who doesn't kill you with speed but finds a lot of holes in offensive lines.

DE Marcus Spears, Dallas Cowboys
Why: Even though he has been a huge letdown since being drafted in the first-round of 2005, Spears is a big boy with quick hands to plug up running lanes.

WR Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings
Why: Tall, lanky, fast. He's a wide receiver who can really stretch the field and provide a deep threat for Brady.

DE Mathias Kiwanuka, New York Giants
Why: From Boston College, Kiwanuka is a bull-rush type lineman who muscles his way through lines to get at the QB and RB.

ILB Barrett Rudd, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Why: A very quick and smart linebacker. Has great coverage and can make changes on the field.

WR Braylon Edwards, New York Jets
Why: Even though I really don't like him and think he is pretty washed up (he's 29), we need someone with his talent that badly. He's a tall receiver with average hands but is always a threat to have a big game (thanks for ruining my fantasy team last season).

S Donte Whitner, Buffalo Bills
Why: Even though the Patriots don't really need a saftey, Whitner is a solid player that flies under the radar. QBs always make sure they know where he is on the field and only throw at him when necessary.

Let's Talk Sox

The Boston Red Sox are hot right now. They've won 3 straight and 9 of their last 10, battled through a 16 inning game Sunday only to launch bombs and flash their bats on Monday scoring 15 total runs; but the Sox can improve. When you go out in an offseason and acquire players like Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, you are making a statement that your team wants the championship; so what steps can be taken to make a great team even greater? The free agent market is pretty weak this 2010-2011 season, which means some bigger names will poke their heads out and sniff the trading winds. There have been talks of Ubaldo Jimenez, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Johnny Damon, Derek Lowe, Hiroki Kuroda, and Aramis Ramirez all being among some of the top rumors in the MLB. So what do the Red Sox need to further complete their team? Do they want to continue building for the future or should they go for it this season and think about next season during the offseason?

The Red Sox pitching has been plagued with injuries to Clay Buchholz, John Lester, Dice-K (who gives a crap),  Bobby Jenks, and Rich Hill are all currently out and John Lackey and Josh Beckett have been off and on with injuries/illness. There is also this player on the Red Sox batting .222 and slugging an AMAZING *ahem* .309 this season, yet is making $14 million this year, which is the third most on the Red Sox fyi... any guess as to who he is? Yup, its the Boston fan favorite J.D. Drew. With his contract having an opt-out clause after 3 years he is already packing his bags.

So no team has bats as hot as the Red Sox right now. I mean this team leads the majors in team average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage; as well as total runs, hits, and runs batted in. Their defense isn't to shabby either; third best in errors and fourth best in fielding percentage. Their stats as a starting pitching squad though could use some help if they want a real run at the World Series, because if you look at the leading team in the National League (the Phillies), they're scary with Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay,  and Cole Hamels making 3 of their 5 starters. It's said that pitching wins games, but bats have been the key to wins for the Sox. The Red Sox currently sit sixteenth in team earned run average and are fifth in opposing batting average; which are acceptable stats when the team can hit like this.

So I think that the Sox have roughly $48 million to play with for this season and I expect them to spend some of it for one solid name to add to the lineup. I would absolutely love to see Jose Reyes in a Boston Red Sox uniform to finish out this season. One of the most exciting players to watch, ranked sixth in player rankings on ESPN even though he's on the disabled list, and batting .354 with an on base percentage of .398 in the 80 games that he has played with the Mets. However, he won't come cheap. He's the face of the Mets along with David Wright. Most likely it would have to be a four or five year deal around $80 million or something along those lines. Another factor that would have to be considered is where to bat Reyes. The chemistry of this lineup is really starting to get its act together after that unspeakable fumble to start this season. You could argue that with Jacoby's power surge this season (he batted DH last night?) that he moves to the six or seven slot but he certainly wouldn't like that. Worth it in the long run but I don't think it would be productive for this season. The other Met that is being talked about like crazy is veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran. The Mets are more interested in player talent than cash for him, as it is rumored that they are willing to pick up his remaining contract. But because his contract states that teams cannot offer Beltran any arbitration (teams cannot gain draft picks off of his worth at the end of the season), he is really just an expensive bat for hire. I would gladly love to see him replace J.D. Drew or at least in our outfield minus Drew, but again being just a bat for hire the move doesn't make sense.

The real focus come this deadline for the Red Sox is going to be a starting pitcher. Their current aces in the one and two slots are Backett and Lackey with a surprising Andrew Miller third. Then you have the aging Tim Wakefield still making batters look silly in the fourth slot. The fifth slot goes to whoever can still feel their arm and throw a ball over the plate. Jimenez and Lowe are among the top names that are out there testing the market. The Yankees are continuing their ways of trying to buy the World Series in scouting Jimenez, but that deal seems to be falling through quickly and the Red Sox just don't have the pitching prospects to make a good enough deal. With Lester and Buchholz on the road to recovery, the Red Sox front office should be looking for a solid three or four slot starter, such as Hiroki Kuroda, Ryan Dempster (maybe a stretch), or Brett Meyers. With the Dodgers in the financial crisis that they are, its time to sell sell sell. Kuroda currently has a no-trade clause in his contract but I'm sure a large chunk of cash for this quiet yet solid starter on a lack-luster team will help the Dodgers front office to convince him to waive that clause. With only a 6-10 record, Kuroda deals a 3.13 earned run average and holds batters to just a .249 batting average. That would absolutely help the Red Sox hold over until Lester and Buchholz make it back to the mound. Then you would have 6 starters total to jumble around in the lineup, assuming Miller stays hot. Another name that is common to Boston fans is Derek Lowe and he could fill that pitching need, but his contract is much too pricey for a fourth slot pitcher. The most realistic deal that could happen within a smaller budget is a pitch (no pun intended) for White Sox starting pitcher John Danks or for Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza in the coming weeks.

What I would like to see: Jose Reyes, Hunter Pence or Michael Cuddyer, J.D. Drew no longer in a Red Sox uniform, and Hiroki Kuroda.

What I think will actually happen: Matt Garza or John Danks and Hunter Pence/Michael Cuddyer/Carlos Beltran (take your pick). Oh and J.D. Drew out of a Red Sox uniform.