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SHAPE OF THINGS
2003-11-29 14:47
by Alex Belth


It's windy and cold here in Vermont this morning, but there are many happy Red Sox fans in these parts regardless. The Red Sox have pitching! This is a moment that should legitimately make Yankee fans nervous. For the better part of 85 years, Boston is a team that has been defined by its offense. If only they had pitching, if only...Well, adding Curt Schilling sure is a good place to start. Buster Olney sure thinks so:


Throughout the Yankees' dynasty of 1996-2001, they viewed the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles as sleeping giants, dangerous franchises that were operated incompetently. But now the Red Sox are being run effectively, efficiently, and they are starting to win some of the battles the Yankees always won in past years. They'll have their next chance on the field in the 2004 season.

Dan Shaughnessy, a writer who has a lot invested in the Red Sox being good but not champs, says this move makes Boston the favorites in the American League East. He also raises an eyebrow over how the Yankees were squeezed by Arizona:


Truly there is something about this deal that does not make sense. In their talks with the Yankees, the Diamondbacks wanted Alfonso Soriano and Nick Johnson in exchange for the 37-year-old Schilling. Dealing with Boston, Arizona settled for Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, Jorge de la Rosa, and a minor leaguer to be named, likely Michael Goss -- four players who do not equal one Nick Johnson.

Conspiracy theorists believe the Diamondbacks stuck it to the Yankees in retaliation for New York snatching David Wells last winter after Wells made a handshake agreement with Arizona. Look for the Yankees to go after Bartolo Colon now that the Red Sox have Schilling. And brace yourself for New York's eventual signing of Gary Sheffield.

"I guess I hate the Yankees now," said Schilling last night after the deal was announced.

Fortunately for Yankee fans, there are some silver linings here. Let's talk Turkey. We hope that Schilling starts to break down. We hope that he gets in trouble with the press, and that the antiquated Fenway Clubhouse isn't big enough for both Pedro and Schilling. (Fat chance.) OK, I'm bitter. These might be flimsy hopes, but you got to start somewhere. Meanwhile, Schilling admits that he hasn't always been kind to Prince P:


"The one thing I know about being a visiting player is that I hated the fans," he said. "And I think there's a lot of disliking players until they're on your side. A guy like Pedro, I think I was quoted in the middle of the playoffs when that situation occurred [involving Karim Garcia and Don Zimmer] as calling him a `punk.' I can't take it back. I felt that way at the time, and I've played with guys that have done the same thing and I thought it was pretty sweet as a teammate. It's going to be different from anything I've ever done on a consistent basis and it's going to be a challenge."

As Gordon Edes notes, the Red Sox should not pop open the champagne just yet:


Of course, it's a great deal for the Red Sox. But adding Curt Schilling, as good as he is, guarantees nothing, except an over-the-top response from the Yankees, who are virtually certain to add either Bartolo Colon or Javier Vazquez while returning Andy Pettitte to a rotation that will be missing Roger Clemens and possibly David Wells in 2004. In the euphoria that followed his successful pursuit of Schilling last night, Sox GM Theo Epstein acknowledged as much.

...Before planning on that parade down Boylston Street that Schilling was imagining in his musings during last night's press conference, remember this: The A's, with their fabulous threesome of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder, have yet to play in a World Series. The Yankees, despite their rotation of impeccable pedigree, have not won a World Series since 2000.

The Sox led the AL in starters' ERA by a wide margin over the Bombers in 2002 and didn't even make the playoffs. Same thing in 2000.

I think it is fitting to end today's entry with the Red Sox Don, Peter Gammons, who gives the lowdown on the deal, and aptly praises Boston's GM, Theo Epstein.

 

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Infielders:
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R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
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B. Gardner BR E MLB mi
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi

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M. Mussina BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E

15-day DL:
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E
P. Hughes BR BP BC E
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC
H. Sanchez BC mi

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J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

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AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi DL
J. Miranda BR BC mi
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
S. Patterson BR BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi DL
AA
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
High-A
F. Cervelli BR BC mi DL

Designated for Assignment:
O. Perez BR BC mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
E. Duncan BC mi
B. Broussard BR mi
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR mi
N. Green BR mi
J. Lane BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
G. Porter BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J.D. Closser BR mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
A. Aceves BR mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
D. McCutchen BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. White BR BC mi
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi DL
R. Peña BC mi
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
J. Tabata BC mi DL
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
P. Coke (L) BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
M. Melancon BC mi
A. Claggett BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi DL
K. Whelan BC mi DL

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi DL
J. Gil BC mi
Z. McAllister BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi DL
W. Arias (L) BC

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
D. Betances BC mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

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2008 Yankees:
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB

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C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD

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J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT mL
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN mL
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL mL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
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R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
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M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL mL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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