I don't like the idea of Bernie as our only backup CFer.

Bernie as back-up CF is not that good, though it was part of his original role this year, sort of. If you keep Bubba as a pure defensive player, then all the other dead wood has to go (perhaps including Cairo). Now I can't believe I am going to say this, but maybe better to keep Cairo than Bubba. Then, make Melky the CF on days when Damon does not play. (Can Thompson play any CF? If so, then swap Bubba for Thompson)?

Too bad Guiel gets axe--it's not really fair. Maybe keep Guiel over Andy? Or, make the radical decision to go to 11 man staff (gasp!).

Cashman has really rocked on these moves. Major kudos to him.

Don't know the depth of what the Sawx tried to accomplish, but heard it stated they feel they have enough to win as is. Objectively speaking, it's hard to say the Yanks moves did not tilt the odds a bit.

Does Nick Green still have minor league options?

Guiel does have minor league options still. I bet he'll be back when the rosters expand in September.

The Yankee management love Crosby ( for some unknown reason) and will probably keep him around to nbother us.

Bernie as back-up CF is not that good, though it was part of his original role this year, sort of. If you keep Bubba as a pure defensive player, then all the other dead wood has to go (perhaps including Cairo). Now I can't believe I am going to say this, but maybe better to keep Cairo than Bubba. Then, make Melky the CF on days when Damon does not play. (Can Thompson play any CF? If so, then swap Bubba for Thompson)?

Too bad Guiel gets axe--it's not really fair. Maybe keep Guiel over Andy? Or, make the radical decision to go to 11 man staff (gasp!).

I like Cleveland's chances. Wells throws strikes and Cleveland can score runs with the best of 'em. Go Tribe!

[11 Pitchers, because we DON'T need 12.]
1. SP - Randy Johnson
2. SP - Mike Mussina
3. SP - Chien-Ming Wang
4. SP - Jaret Wright
5. SP - Cory Lidle
6. RP - T.J. Beam (He will be the mop-up man/blow out pitcher)
7. RP - Kyle Farnsworth
8. RP - Mariano Rivera
9. RP - Scott Proctor
10. RP - Mike Myers
11. RP - Ron Villone
12. C - Jorge Posada
13. C - Sal Fasano
14. 1B/OF/DH - Craig Wilson
15. 2B - Robinson Cano
16. IF/OF - Miguel Cairo
17. SS - Derek Jeter
18. 3B - Álex Rodríguez
19. 1B/DH - Jason Giambi
20. 1B/OF/DH - Aaron Guiel or Andy Phillips
21. OF - Bernie Williams
22. OF - Kevin Thompson or Aaron Guiel
23. OF - Melky Cabrera
24. OF - Bobby Abreu
25. OF - Johnny Damon

We can carry 12 pitchers this way if we want, and we may need to to deal with Wrights starts.

He hasn't been playing the OF much lately. His range isn't great, and his arm is weak.

Does Andy have any options left? I have a feeling he could be next on the chopping block once Cano comes back.

Bubba is not optionable.

I think Andy is out of options as well.

Nick Green may still be optionable.

I think Wilson replaces Phillips at 1B (as has been said), while being available for other roles when needed.

Sing it with me:

We wish you a merry, Cashman, we wish you a merry, Cashman, we wish you a merry, Cashman, and a happy new team!

Season's beatings, Red Sox! Christmas in July! God bless us, everyone!

(Sorry Shawn, enjoyed your ride last year, but you've turned back into the pumpkin.)

You are a wise man, Mr. Burgundy, the wisest of all anchorman. Patience, as you have taught us, is a virtue. And if patience fails, stick it to 'em!

Sing it with me now:

Jingle bells, Theo smells, Cashman all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride..

Best of luck to him and thanks for the great job in '05... I'll just remember that Chacon and leave it there ;-)

/sarcasm

Just one more reason we need to pick Sheff up. We need a hitter that strikes the fear of God in opposing pitchers, and without Sheff, we don't have that.

I cannot believe Sox Nation is blaming the Yankees and their money for the Abreu deal. Are you kidding me? The Red Sox don't have 4 minor leaguers better than the ones we gave up, give me a freaking break. Don't blame the Yankees because your GM can't ever pull the trigger. With Manny and Ortiz sitting in the middle of that lineup, if I'm a Sox fan, I still like my chances.

Go Casey Blake! Hit another one off Boomer's kneecap!

Lay in right in there Boomer.

Sutcliffe must be drunk, he thinks Abreu will lighten the load on Rodriguez.

Beat on the Boomer, Beat on the Boomer, Beat on the Boomer with a baseball bat. Oh Yea, Oh Yea!

>> Still, there was a part of me that was hoping the Yankees would pass today's 4 p.m. deadline without making a sound.

That this was a team that somehow has found a way to hang around in the hunt against all odds all season and eke out wins no matter what and didn't need a thing to possibly sneak into the postseason.

That they've already discovered the trick to playing nearly .600 baseball without Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano, despite Randy Johnson's all-too-frequent blowups and Alex Rodriguez's all-too-ugly all-around funks.

That messing with the special chemistry that's developed in that clubhouse this year, even a smidgen, would screw it all up.

I still worry about that.

But when you have a chance to get something for nothing, if not a lot for nothing, you go for it.<<

Just say you're a pussy and be done with it Theo. Maybe he was crying himself to sleep over Mel Gibson's comments to police. He could use that excuse too I suppose.

I agree, and that is just one more reason I think the Yankees should just pick up Sheff's option NOW. Take any and all possible ditractions off the table. It's only 13 mil. for God's sake! Those on BBTN and on the Banter who think we should just let him go are diluting themselves.

Classic!!!!!!!!!!

Ooops, I forgot which infield defense the Sox are facing. Not your fault Byrd.

Like I said!

More Red Sox Fans than Indian Fans + Biased Commentary = More ESPN Viewers and More Revenue for Disney.

>> Coco Crisp seems like a swell guy and he tries hard, but what four months of baseball has shown is that he's about 60 percent the player Johnny Damon was. And is. <<

Yup, I think they're regretting letting him walk...

http://tinyurl.com/r5jec

====

``What are we doing?" asked Boston designated hitter David Ortiz. ``Abreu is a great player. He can hit, man, and people forget he's a Gold Glove outfielder. Lidle is a good pitcher. When he's on, he can be nasty, man. What did they give up?"

When told, Ortiz's face dropped. ``That's all?" he said. ``Hey, that's a good deal."

That was the reaction across the Red Sox clubhouse.

=====

I'm telling you, Ortiz and Manny are enough to keep this race close right until the end.

John Henry's cock.

I hope so.

By the way, Paul Byrd sucks.

Awful call.

That bastard.

The fact that he got a job after the havoc he wreaked with us is upsetting to me, smarmy irritant. I'm sorry to see Reynolds fired just because he would actually tease Phillips about Kazmir.

I dont watch BBTN anymore. Not since the Arod fiasco. Firing the only decent guy they had just solidifies my decision.

1. Johnny Damon, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jason Giambi, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, LF
6. Gary Sheffield, DH
7. Bobby Abreu, RF
8. Jorge Posada, C
9. Robinson Cano, 2B

No holes, I tell ya. No holes...

What is Francona thinking keeping Boomer in the game? He is already out of shape and he is obviously laboring.

Bklyn,

Me too! I am a little befuddled by all the proposed lineups having Sheff 6 or 7. If he comes back healthy he has to be 3rd. A healthy Sheff is better than Giambi, better than Arod this year, why would he be 6th?

In terms of the order, you can just about pick those numbers out of a hat and it would work.

I understand. I just don't see keeping Arod cleanup if Sheff comes back. For the good of the team, you have to bumb Arod down to 6 or 7, especially with Mats in the lineup. I support Arod, but he isn't a cleanup hitter this year.

Only the sox fans could cheer Fatty Wells as he exits giving up 8 runs. Nice comeback.

What will they do if 'Tek is down ? A little taste of what the Yanks have been challenged with all season...

But dayum — if the pitching holds up their end of the bargain, we're gonna be OK!

Varitek sounds day to day at first reports, but myself, I hope he's OK. Nothing would be sweeter than taking the title with Boston generally at full strength all year while we held it together with alternately slumping vets, kids and castoffs.

Now let's go Tribe!

Right now, it doesn't appear to be the case. ;-)

With me, the scoreboard watching begins in April '-)

Well's line:

IP: 4.2, 8 hits, 8 runs (all earned), 2 walks, 3 K's, 2 HRs, Season ERA: 11.08

Also, the man has worn many many uniforms: drafted by the Twins, traded to the Brewers and Mets before his debut, and was then scooped in Arizona's expansion draft. Then he went to Tampa, Oakland, Toronto, and Cincinatti before Philly.

Savior? Nu-uh. Fifth Starter? I hope so...

'Flurry of deals make it busy trade deadline'

'Inactivity at deadline is biggest news'

???

That great-hitting back-up catcher of the Sawx is hitting .188.

191 Guess I called it. Welcome back, Wily Mo K-ena!

Russo's managed to tick me off in the first 30 seconds by calling it the 'Lidle trade'..

Idiot.

Ohshit. Please don't make it another Ortiz moment....

(And what if Ortiz GDP? What will ESPN do? Suck their thums?)

ESPN is on FULL PAPI MODE for the next 72 Hours.

ESPN is on FULL PAPI MODE for the next 72 Hours.

seriously though, Papi really is a stud!

And — oh, yeah — no ESPN tonight for any self-respecting Yankees fan...

Personally, I can't wait to go into Fenway and demonstrate what a REAL team with a REAL bullpen can do.

But wins like this don't make me lose sleep at night. If they win more close, well-pitched games against top-notch competition, maybe I start watching the scoreboard more closely.

But let's take care of our own business and see where the teams end up in the standings when all is said and done.

Nate Silver ran through various permutations matching up several teams with the potential acquisitions of Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee and Abreu to see which ones improved which team's Postseason Odds the most (nice visuals of the day-by-day Odds change by a BP fan here). Conclusion: the Yanks' addition of Abreu was a 14.2% upgrade -- the largest bump possible of the 21 scenarios he evaluated (he neglected to include Texas, whose chances with Lee must have jumped 10-12 percent) and that's without considering the effect of Lidle.

http://tinyurl.com/ld6w5

For all of us here at the Evening News Team,
I'm Ron Burgundy.
You Stay Classy, Bronx Banter.

Hats off to Ortiz, though. Even a bad pitcher doesn't give up many like that.

The Sox keep their honor against yet another sub .500 team. Everybody talks about the Sox having a losing record against winning teams, but they're up in the standings because the Yanks spit the bit playing a solid month of inferior teams during interleague play.

While the Sox did their jobs, the Yanks played .550 ball against the clowns in the NL East.

I really only trust Moose and Wang to take games in Fenway. Hopefully Schilling gets lined up opposite Wright or Lidle, so there's less of a chance the Sox pinch a win off one of the two really good pitchers. I'm not being optimistic about Randy, because I don't want to be crushed by the disappointment.

Overall, 5-4 in the second half season series, with two games of damage in the standings being done in Sept.

Pretty good for a close-fought affair.

That said, it would be nice if when these teams rolled over and die for the Sox, that it wouldn't seem so scripted!

----------

Waivers just might be the most complicated single aspect of the rules. In the rule book, a waiver is defined as "... a permission granted for certain assignments of player contracts or for the unconditional release of a Major League player ..."

If a player placed on Major League waivers is not claimed by another team during the three business days after waivers have been requested, then the players is said to have "cleared waivers," and the team has secured waivers for the remainder of the waiver period.

And what does that mean? Essentially, the team can do with the player's contract as it pleases. This generally means one of three things:

(1) They can send him to the minors (subject to his consent, if he's a "Veteran Player," more on that below).

(2) They can release him, which makes the player a free agent and thus available to sign with any team.

(3) They can trade him to another team, even if the so-called "trading deadline" has passed. Any trades made after July 31 may only involve players who have cleared waivers.

If a player doesn't clear waivers -- in other words, if he's claimed by another team or teams -- the club requesting waivers may withdraw the waiver request.

If the club doesn't withdraw the waiver request, the player's contract is assigned in the following manner:

(A) If only one claim is entered, the player's contract is assigned to that claiming club.

(B) If more than one club in the same league makes claims, the club currently lower in the standings gets the player.

(C) If clubs in both leagues claim the player, preference shall always go to the club in the same league as the club requesting waivers.

There are other, more esoteric rules involved here. For example, during the first 30 days of the season, the previous season's final standings are used to determine claim order, rather than the current standings.

Source: http://espn.go.com/mlb/s/transanctionsprimer.html

When a team designates a player for assignment or otherwise releases him, and he doesn't have a minor league option, all the other teams (from worst to first) have a shot at claiming him and adding him to their roster. If nobody bites, the guy winds up in the minors, or on the free agent market. See Hee Seop Choi.

The non-waiver deadline is important because a good player is A) rarely released or DFA'd, and B) if he were, the first team to have a shot at he in waivers would likely snap him up, so if you're not at the front of the line, you're outta luck.

There's another month until the waiver deadline, and waiver wire talent is decidedly a cut below non-waiver wire talent. Teams use it to fill some holes and shore up the bench, mostly. Waiver deals are rarely impact deals.

Thanks though.