Cafardo's Latest: Hot Stove, Twins, Gordon, Pedro

Boston has a lot of young pitchers that are better now in this stage of their career than Pedro probably is... giving Pedro another deal makes sense if only for 1 year but i doubt it would happen... a rotation of Beckett Lester Matsuzaka Pedro and Wakefield/Buchholz is scary though...

I'd love to have Kapler back in a Red Sox uni. He was always a fun guy.

As for Pedro... makes sense, in a weird way. Though if they're going to bring in an old vet for the 5th starter I'd rather see Byrd back. Less of an injury risk.

Zrosey, can we just assume you want the yankees to buy out every free agent?

I don't see Rocco leaving the Rays. They declined his option because with his disorder (which won't go away) he is primarily a bench player/part time DH/RF, and 6MM for a bench guy is steep.

I think the Rays work something out with Rocco and he signs for less than his option would have been for. And, he is a major clubhouse guy and one of my favorite players in the game.

K-Rod and Maddon would be entertaining to watch. Although it will never happen, for good reason.

Why not just bring back Wakefield as the old vet 4th starter, and let Buchholz/Bowden/Masterson battle it out for #5, with the losers going to the pen.

Lester-Beckett-Dice-K-Wakefield-Buchholz/Bowden/Masterson is nice.

Puts the bullpen at Papelbon, Masterson, Okijima, and try to find one more guy out there.

Buchholz and Bowden in AAA.

Not many teams are going to beat that arranagement.

I would actually like to see Baldelli on the Mets. I know he hasn't been completely healthy in a while and has a fatigue issue but at worst he could platoon with Church in right and maybe get some playing time in Rf.

"just saying..."

Ugh. Poor penmanship. Embarrassing. Tired. Heh.

Just saying [ :) ] - the innings increase would scare me if it was Buchholz, Bowden or Masterson, or most other rookie pitchers, but it doesn't worry me for a guy like Lester who is big, strong, and has been around MLB for a few years.

I think Pedro on a one year incentive laden deal will be a good pickup for anybody. He is due to have a solid season next year. People look at his velocity and say he is done. Wrong. He was throwing 86 and 87 in 2005, and he posted CY young like numbers. He can have success with what he has. The problem was locating his pitches. It was his first season back after shoulder surgery. What is the last thing to come back? Location. Second year back from surgery next year, he will be a much, much better Pedro. I definitely think he is capable of giving a team quality outings, as long as he can stay on the mound.

I like Pedro. As a Red Sox fan, I like him because four years ago to the day the Red Sox were celebrating our first World Series victory in 86 years. However, it just doesn't make sense to bring him back. The Red Sox offered him a deal to stay and he got greedy and left. Once he left, he did absolutly nothing but get injured in New York. Buccholz or Bowden, I think, will be ready toward the beginning of the season. Plus, Pedro probably still wants big money because that is how he has been his whole career.

Four Years ago, Derek Lowe got the win in the clinching game of the World Series. Now this guy makes sense, ya he's getting older, but he doesn't hold as big as a long term injury risk. Also, he showed he can still do it at the end of last year. Lowe was good in the playoffs in 2004 even when his regular season was terrible. That's the kind of guy the Red Sox need. Lester and Beckett can perform in the playoffs (Even though Beckett didn't do spectacular this year) and to add another guy that can perform to the list would be phenomenal.

Next year I see the Red Sox lineup like this:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedrioa 2B
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Kevin Youkilis 3B
5. Mark Teixeira** 1B
6. Jason Bay LF
7. J.D. Drew RF
8. C
9. Jed Lowire SS

BENCH: Julio Lugo, Gabe Kapler**, Kevin Cash, Jeff Baily

STARTING ROTATION
1. Josh Beckett
2. Jon Lester
3. Dauisuke Matsuzaka
4. Derek Lowe**
5. Tim Wakefeild

BULLPEN: Papelbon, Masterson, Okajima, Lopez, Delcarmen, David Pauly, Aardsma, Will Ohman**

What do you guys think?

BoSox Fanatic sees the Red Sox lineup like this:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF (Crisp)
2. Dustin Pedrioa 2B
3. Kevin Youkilis 3B
4. Mark Teixeira** 1B
5. David Ortiz DH
6. J.D. Drew RF
7 Jason Bay
8. A Texas Catcher (Laird, Teagarden, Saltalamachia)
9. Jed Lowire SS

BENCH: Mike Lowell, Coco Crisp, Julio Lugo (Trade for Bull Pen Arm), Kevin Cash, Jeff Baily, Chris Carter

STARTING ROTATION
1. Josh Beckett
2. Jon Lester
3. Dauisuke Matsuzaka
4. Derek Lowe**
5. Justin Masterson

BULLPEN: Papelbon, Bowden, Okajima, Lopez, Delcarmen, Aardsma,
**Will add a bullpen arm or 2 in offseason

BoSoxFanatic

To anwser your question, yeah Mike Lowell has been everything the Red Sox have wanted, and much more, but I just don't see the Red Sox signing him again after his contract is up again. You don't no what kind of numbers he will put up this year, so I think you trade him while his value is high, even though he just underwent surgery.

As trading Lugo instead of Lowell, well I wish that could work out but I wouldn't think that there is 1 team in the MLB that would want the guy.

I would like to see Pedro come back to the Red Sox, but again I dont see it really happening. I agree with getting another arm in the bullpen, maybe a flame thrower.