According to Jon Heyman of SI the Red Sox are close to signing free agen third baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre was reportedly making his decision soon and as Heyman reports that decision has come and the Red Sox are on the receiving end. From Heyman: adrian beltre is close to a deal with the #redsox, si.com has learned. story should be up soon. 

This deal is an interesting one as it puts the Sox in a position to deal incumbent third baseman Mike Lowell

According to Jon Heyman from SI Jason Bay has rejected the Sox contract offer of four years worth 60 million dollars. They have until Midnight tonight to bang out a deal. Bay's agent has said that they will not get a deal done soon but they will remain in contact. Bay does not seem likely to give the Sox any discount. It seems that the Red Sox have offered him a fair deal. This wouldn't be the first time they have lost out on a player's services because of an unwillingness to go the extra mile though Bay seems a bit selfish here.

9:13 EST According to Ed Price from AOL and Mlbtraderumors.com Red Sox:" have told ppl they are trying to pull off something huge. Bigger than Halladay. Maybe V-Mart and Lee, as Joel Sherman reported"

The Red Sox are reportedly in talks with the Cleveland Indians on a deal that would send Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez to the Red Sox. All this according to a Joel Sherman article in the Post. This is an interesting concept and seems to suit the Sox well considering their need for a bat and an arm. Should make for an interesting week. At least we know their working hard to try and improve the club. Here's the link:  Indians, Sox discussing blockbuster trade

I've been off OTM for a while so let me start off by saying it's nice to be back. I believe the Sox should be active on or before July 31. This team seems to be limp. Yes this feeling may have been triggered by last night's deflating loss to the hapless A's, but I've been seeing this for awhile. The offense seems to be lacking. Acquiring a big power bat would be very nice but I think the chances of that are slim considering the FO's lack of desire to part with young talent. I would love to see a Miguel Cabrera patrolling a corner infield spot. With Mike Lowell seeing a lot of downtime I think that a corner infielder is exactly what the doctor ordered. Boston.com posted a list of possible acquisitions. The list highlighted names like Huff, Johnson, Victor Martinez and even the possibility of a Nomar return (being a huge fan of Nomar I would love to see this; granted I would also love Pedro to end his career with us as well but I don't think there is any chance of that). Victor Martinez may make alot of sense. But the problem with that: the price

Update [2008-3-12 15:34:40 by Allen Chace]: Theo says a no go, via Extra Bases and Amalie Benjamin.

Update [2008-3-12 15:9:21 by Randy Booth]: No word yet if this is confirmed. Also saw a rumor where the Sox could receive Jason Marquis and Sam Fuld.

WFAN out of New York is reporting that Coco Crisp has been traded to the New York Mets for OF Angel Pagon. This deal does not make much sense for Crisp though as he has clearly stated he wants a full time job. Pagon has been playing very well this spring but it is extremely doubtful he would make any sort of impact on the club.

The 2004 and 2007 season brought tears to the faces of diehard Red Sox fans who suffered through the fruitless days of Buckner,Fisk,Armbrister,Dent, Zim, Billy Martin, Spaceman,Duquette,Rocket,Everett, Boone..the list goes on. But there was also a new breed of fans this year the type of fan who call themselves Sox fans because of the teams recent success similar to the Yankee movement of the late 90's. I am seeing more Sox hats and shirts popping up now. I have mixed feelings about this on one hand I say the more fans the better but on the other hand I dont want these band wagoners representing the Nation. Tell me what you think.

According to New York Newsday Roger Clemens wants to make a return to baseball in 2008 and would prefer to return to the Sox. A return to the Sox would all likely just be a PR stunt to help his reputation following the Mitchell Report release but I also think that Red Sox fans would welcome him back if he could win some games and ultimately do what he never did in a Red Sox uniform and thats win a World Series Championship.

Fenway Park is in my opinion (and many others throughout the years)the scariest,most intimidating sports arena in the U.S for opposing players. If we can rattle, scare, intimidate Carmona and the rest of the Cleveland characters tonight and tomorrow then we have this series. David Wells was quoted as saying when as Yankee that he wanted to "push the button" to tear down Fenway Park. C.C Sabathia said Red Sox Nation is gonna be out in full effect. Coco Crisp said "I know how it felt being on the opposing side. It's gonna be tough for them". Lets do it. Lets see if the rich bums (the Sox brass caters to) in our seats will be able to work some magic tonight. I will close with a quote from Jason Varitek "We need these fans 100 percent"

Courtesy New York Post:
By GEORGE KING in Tampa and CASSIE CAROTHERS in New York
October 18, 2007 -- TAMPA - Joe Torre fired The Boss.

In a shocking result, Torre today turned down the Yankees $5 million, 1-year offer to return as the Yankees' manager for his 13th season.

Torre was offered $5 million base package and another $1 million for each the division series, league series and the World Series.

"Joe torre turned that offer down today. We respect his decision. We respect everything he has done but it is now time to move forward," Yankees' President Randy Levine said.

"The goal of this franchise is to win the World Series. All of us get up everyday knowing that that is the goal. Unfortunately we have not met that goal for seven years. It's nobody's fault. All of us are in it together. All of us are responsible," Levine said during a conference call today.

" Joe Torre is a legendary Yankees manager," Levine said.

The surprise decision came after Torre flew to Tampa today to meet with the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee brass.

"Joe was very respectful, he was the dignified man he's been since all of us have known him ... he just declined the offer," Levine said.

Team manager Brian Cashman said it was unclear if Torre had made up his mind before he boarded the plane for Tampa.

"Based on my conversation with him the last few days, he understood essentially the arena we were in. I asked him on the plane down, I asked him on the phone last night, and he honestly didn't know [what his decision would be]," Cashman said.

Torre, wearing a dress shirt with sleeves rolled up, departed from Westchester this morning and landed here in a private jet at the Hawker Beechcraft Services airport at 1:26 p.m. He was accompanied by GM Brian Cashman and Yankees COO Lonn Trost.

SHERMAN: Here's A Game Plan: Go With Joe For 2 More

MORE: Opt In The Air

VACCARO: Games Off Field A Lot More Fun

They were quickly whisked away in a white Cadillac Escalade to Legends' Field, the Yankees spring training complex, which is just a few minutes away.

Torre met there with club president Randy Levine and the Steinbrenner clan. George Steinbrenner arrived at Legends Field at 1:15 p.m. Steinbrenner's sons, Hank and Hal, arrived at the Yankee camp around 1:40 p.m.

Torre left the Yankee facility around 3:20 p.m. and headed back to the airport.

The meeting is the first break in the ongoing saga over the manager's fate. After two highly-publicized days of meetings of the club's top brass here, Cashman yesterday said, "There have been no decisions made. The decision we are talking about is obviously rehiring somebody and there is negotiations if you do so. That's a decision we have to come to if that's the direction we choose to go.''

Torre has managed the Yankees to four World Series titles and 12 consecutive playoff appearances during his tenure in The Bronx. However, the Yankees haven't won the Series since 2000 and the team was eliminated in the ALDS this year by the Indians.

His future burst into the headlines when George Steinbrenner declared he'd have to win the Indians series to keep his job.

"It's taken a number of players to replace me," Damon said of the Red Sox. "I'm Johnny [Bleeping] Damon." - A dumb comment from a dumb man. Johnny Damon has showed us once again how he still is stinging from his departure from the Sox. He is still angry at management for letting him go, if he wasn't he wouldn't be making those comments. And by the way what team has he been playing against because I only recall one player replacing him -- Coco Crisp. You're confusing me Johnny-- yet again.

Lets have Beckett put him in his place tonight.
Who's with me?
Repost:
Drop Johnny!

Finally some breathing room. 6 1/2 you can exhale a little Sox fans. They Yankees lost a grueling game last night and the sox exploded with offense and swept the double header in a 21 run attack. That to me is a big relief going into Sox-Yanks.Im going September 14th Red Sox Yankees. I cant wait. The pitching match up should be Beckett vs Mussina.

The Boston Red Sox have just fallen to only 17 games above .500 thats down from 21 just about a week ago. The Sox have lost 8 of their last 11. They have been playing .500 ball for the last two months. Meanwhile in the Bronx the Evil Empire is surging as they just took five of their last six games . What does this mean? Will the Yankees pull a 1978? The anwser to that is no the Yankees will not take the A.L East. They will though take the Wild Card which might just be worse. In 2004 the Red Sox were behind in the standings (by 7 1/2 games) surged back to 2 and a half games and ended up taking the Wild Card and we all know what happened in 2004. The last four out of five Champions of baseball have been winners of the wild card.

Mark Buehrle is a solid left handed pitcher who could be a great option as a third or fourth man in the rotation for about the next three and a half months. Thats it. If you havent been following the news/rumors lately the Red Sox were the front runners in a deal that would send Mark Buehrle to the Red Sox in exchange for Sox rookies Jed Lowry(SS),Clay Buchholz(SP) or even recovering pitcher Jon Lester. If the Red Sox went through with this deal they can longer hold their heads high as a team that preserves and cheerishes their young talent. The future could be bright for the Sox with the young arms we are bringing up in the system but if we deal to quikly and get a 4 and 5 lefty in return the Red Sox are headed down a path to mediocrity.

A Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year to all of you! Let us all remember the true meaning of Christmas.
P.S buy that special someone some Red Sox merchandise so we can pay off that posting fee.
He,he,he.
Good Luck in '07,
Dan Pesce

BASEBALL NEWS
"Soup's on" for Brewers
The Brewers have signed free agent pitcher Jeff Soupon with a deal that lasts four years.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is one of the newest members of the Red Sox. The media (not Red Sox media) and the rest of baseball are groaning about it.The Mets and The Yankees fans are complaining that we are the little empire. That is wrong.We do not spend our money on old washed up superstars.We spend our money on young promising stars such as Daisuke Matsuzaka,J.D Drew and Julio Lugo. The Red Sox have also spent money on rehabilitating our bullpen (Romero,Donnely,Okajima).So next time I or you hear "Little Empire" give 'em an earfull.

With names like Julio Lugo,Miguel Cabrera, Tori Hunter, Brad Lidge and even Carlos Lee being thrown into the mix how can this not be an intresting winter for the Red Sox? I think the main issue for the sox is the lack of pitching depth but I think lack of offense should be addressed also.I want Trot back but unfortunatly Theo and Company will not bring the veteran Red Sock and dirt dog back. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this off season but one thing is for sure : It will be intresting