I'm torn on this one. Between what's best for the team this year and what's best for Little Papi in the long run. I think the Sox are going for it this year with their guns ablazing and Papelbon was the only legitimate closer available. All the other avaialble closers were just not good enough for this team.

I agree with you (how weird is it to hear that?). Panic move because they don't want to pay the cost of getting a closer elsewhere (I still think Cordero would do the trick here and is attainable), either in money or assets (ya think other teams have realized Hansen and Delcarmen are journeymen or are the Sox simply too stubborn to trade them?)

They're banking that Schilling, Dice-K and Beckett are good enough to carry them...and they might just be...as long as Wakefield and Lester can provide mediocre work on the 4th and 5th day (forget Tavarez...that isn't going to last long). However, if Beckett reverts to '06 form and Schilling or Wake break down, you might just end up with a parade of no-names like we saw last summer. Because I can assure you getting a Papelbon-type arm as a starting pitcher is going to cost a lot more than any closer would have.

Food for thought but I still think Papelbon would have been slotted the #4 starter behind Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka so it's not like it's a guy you expect maybe 12-15 wins out of. Any question that Wakefield can provide the same? Then you need to replace Wakefield's 10-12 wins with your #5 guy. Any reason to think that a Lester type couldn't give you that sort of production? I think they can can go out and pick themselves up another starter if need be once some of the other teams fall out of contention but you don't even really need a #5 guy much over the first month or so anyway so better to have Papelbon in his old role rather than the new one. Plus the 'ol Texan is still sitting on the sidelines waiting to start for someone :-)

I don't think the offense will be as great as predicted right off the bat- I think it will take a bit for Lugo and Drew to learn to play in Boston so I think there will be a lot of those 1-2 run games early on.

As for trading... Do you really think teams are asking only for Delcarmen or Hansen or that they are the true centerpieces to deals? Who's to say the Nats aren't saying they want Ellsbury or "No Deal"? They can play the waiting game a lot longer than the Sox could on something like that. There are too many scouts in baseball to ever allow their teams to trade a good, serviceable player for someone else's struggling guy so I find it very hard to believe that is what's stopping a deal- I don't think the front office values them as much as you think.

I agree- if a starter or two breaks down the Sox are in trouble. BUT- tell me how many teams in MLB would *NOT* be in trouble if that were to happen. Half the guys in the majors can't even PITCH these days so throw some of them in as a starter and see what THEY could do if forced into a spot by injury...

I don't think the Sox consider Cordero as a legit closer and neither do I. He doesn't have overpowering stuff and seems to be more of a low end closer, good middle reliever at best. Regardless of what his numbers say while pitching for the Nationals.

Peter Gammons agreed with me on ESPN radio. Thanks Peter.

What does Gammons know about baseball?

As for Cordero, you're right. He's no Delcarmen or Hansen.

LOL. I can't beleive all they wanted was one or both of those guys! Perhaps if you threw in a pan of Mousake, then I would see the logic.