http://riveraveblues.com/2007/11/28/get-your-save-the-big-three-t-shirts/

On pitchers, a tough call, especially with the fragility of arms in general. Which would you rather have: one proven terrific arm or two or three arms that have shown the same potential and are younger but less proven? Any could go tomorrow. Don Gullett was just as overpowering as Santana and younger, and his arm went after one year. Plus there is the NY factor—does anyone else recall a very tough 28-year-old pitcher named Javy Vasquez?

Let’s also keep in mind that Cashman has shown that he’s a very good poker player over the years. His style is patience and calm, waiting for the best time to strike. Sometimes he gets beaten to the punch by a wild move, like the Sox with Dice-K, but it’s hard to criticize him for that one.

We also don’t know what the Sox are offering, but for them to make an offer comparable to the ones people are talking about here, they would have to include Pedroia AND Ellsbury to be comparable to Cano PLUS Buchholz to be comparable to one of our three top pitching prispects. I wish Lester a long, happy and successful life and baseball career, but his trade value simply isn’t there given his medical history. Coco Crisp has negative value as he was beaten out by Ellsbury and the Sox are looking to dump his salary. Frankly, after overpaying for Dice-K, and with a World Champion team already there, are the Sox really primed to pay Santana top dollar unless they can pick him up cheap?

I’m not suggesting that we can get Santana for CJ Henry, but timing may well dictate the best possible price for him—and thus the decision whether to trade or not. And maybe the best outcome would be for him to end up with the Dodgers.

Baseball is a 365 game sport in the NORTHEAST, as you’d notice driving from Boston to NY.

I would change what you wrote:

“don’t tell me baseball is a dying sport or that football has replaced it in the hearts and mind of Americans (in the northeast)”

I love baseball (and hardly watch football or any other sport), but it’s easy to get into when your team is consistently good (as they tend to be in NY and Boston). I would still call “America” a football nation (college and/or pro). If your trip took you out of the northeast, I think you’d hear much different chatter on the radio (conservative talk aside).

Could not agree with you more on this one. Why the heck would anyone want to give up so easy on a 21 year old kid, Hughes, that was hyped beyond belief and in my mind started to come into his own at the end. This kid has some tremendous upside. I’m okay with giving up Melky, Ian Kennedy (who I think is a heady pitcher), Alan Horne and other prospects but make sure you hang on to Jackson and Tabata. Nuff said.