How about making a El Camino, Chevy LUV or Dodge M80? There's a lot of room for a smaller pickup truck that isn't this tiny.

Actually, how about we can just buy the Dacia Logan? A little compact truck like that would be nice, even with a gas or diesel. Forget paying the $25,000 premium for electric.

The physical isn't a formality. There's talk that there was some kind of medical thing that caused the Sox to back off when they were talking contract during the All Star break. I still think it's crazy though that Jason Bay is still signing for less money than JD Drew.

The Yankees completely downplayed their interest in Teixiera last season and then waited until Boston made their final offer and then swooped in to get him. There's been no final offer on Holliday or Bay by anybody yet where the Yankees still can't swoop in. The Steinbrenners can change their minds at any moment, and then decide to spend big.

Wow. That's a pretty strong, emphatic statement coming from somebody who isn't even identified and willing to put a name their words. I don't think you can dismiss the fact that Bay or Holliday might take a one year deal, and try the market next year, hoping to see their fortunes improve. You can't rule out the Yankees, especially when they have the opening in the lineup for LF.

The Yanks just check on Zambrano and passed because they didn't like the price. I don't think they'll push for him again. The Yanks don't need to unload what remaining low-cost prospects they have left. Besides, why would the Yankees want to deal for an overpaid, long term contract headcase?

I can't imagine anybody being too interested in either Gaudin or Mitre when there's still other arms available in free agency. Granted, they're project arms like Bedard, Mulder, Sheets and Martinez, but I'd rather gamble on one of those guys than give up anything of any value for Sergio Mitre.

I find it hard to believe the Yankees were reluctant to give up Chamberlain. With all the "Joba Rules" nonsense, the Yankees were completely baffled as to how to handle him. They're dropping the ball on him, they should have sent him to Toronto and let them figure out how to use him.

The Sox have Iglesias in the minors a few years away. They needed a short-term gap filler. They had to pay a little more per year if they wanted him to take a shorter deal. I don't think it's a bad signing. The Sox spent way more than this much on failed pitching experiments and Julio Lugo last year.

Jays24, my thoughts exactly. And I'm a Sox fan.

With the way the Yankees have been mishandling/befuddled as how use Joba Chamberlain, I would think they would love to trade him away and let somebody else figure out how to use him. If Toronto would take a deal with Chamberlain as the centerpiece, I would think the Yanks would lunge at that opportunity.

dizzle, that's probably what ownership was asking when they decided to can Riccardi.

Before we give Epstein too much credit, he did pay over $3 million for 5 weeks of Billy Wagner. Omar Minaya needed to shed that salary so he could lock up Alex Cora.

I really think that Boras may price Holliday out of so many teams' spending limits, that he'll end up taking less money than everyone says. Arte Moreno already said that the Angels aren't going to look at Holliday, but will look at Bay instead. If Holliday signs for $3 million or so more annually than Bay, I think he's a better value, and the Sox probably think similarly along those lines. Holliday turned it on when he had a hitter like Pujols next to him in the lineup, with Youkilis, Martinez, etc, he'd fit in nicely.

The Sox were able to get Josh Beckett because they gave up good young talent AND because they took on Mike Lowell's salary. The Marlins don't have any big salaries that they need to shed, so one of the big factors in helping the Sox make a deal for Beckett, isn't in play in getting a deal done for Ramirez.

The Sox could use Roy Halladay, but if the Sox have a shot at emptying the farm for a player, it'd have to be Hanley Ramirez. If Florida listens to offers for Hanley, the Sox will make a strong play because they need him. Shortstop has been a revolving door of mediocrity since they went after Renteria. The Sox need a bat and a long term solution at SS. Hanley would do all that. Of course, I can't even imagine the haul that Florida would get out of Boston for Hanley Ramirez.

The Red Sox would easily go 10 years/$200+ million if Mauer becomes available. He fits their player philosophy to a T. I'm sure the Yankees would want be ready to replace Posada by next year as well. The Twins need to get him locked up ASAP. And BTW, Hoffman didn't spend his entire career with the Padres before Milwaukee. He got traded to SD from the Marlins.

Saito's numbers are good, but he wasn't leaned on too heavily by the Sox last year. A bigger workload and some bigger pressure situations, and he might not be as sought after. He's still a useful arm, but a multi-year deal would be a huge mistake.

Riccardi blew his shot at the best possible return on Halladay, and now he's out of a job. I think the Jays hold out until after the season starts and hopes that one of the teams that buys a failed project arm will need Halladay. The only player that the Red Sox should go all in for with their prospects is Hanley Ramirez or another elite shortstop. The Sox still need a bat and they need a shortstop.

If the Sox sign Holliday or Lackey, the Jays would get the Sox second round pick. Buchholz, Bard, Westmoreland and Kelly for Halladay? The Sox could get Hanley Ramirez for that.

The great thing is that on 98.5FM, the Sports Hub yesterday, all the talk was about how Theo was saying that this was going to be a "lean" year and that the Sox probably wouldn't be big spenders this off season. And now they're in on everybody via trade or free agency.

I don't know. You might be able to include Beckett as a question mark as well. I think this team is trying to build a pitching staff that will only give up 3 runs a game, with an offense that can only score 4. Let's see how that works out.

I really can't see Detroit dealing Cabrera to the Red Sox without making the Sox take on one of Detroit's bad contracts (Willis, Bonderman, Ordonez, etc). Cabrera is good, and he's got a long term deal. Even if Detroit starts cutting payroll, they can still build around Cabrera. They only way Detroit does it is if they can get rid of some other bad money, or they can get Boston to cough up Buchholz, Bard, Kelly, etc.

I'm convinced the reason the Sox aren't talking about an extension with Victor Martinez is because they're waiting to see what Mauer does with Minnesota. If Mauer is available, the Sox go all out for him. His high OPS and excellent defense are what the Sox want. Granted, all teams know he's an exceptional player, but the Red Sox covet him more than other teams. They'd go over 10 years and over $200 million to land him. If Minnesota locks him up, the Sox will turn attention to Martinez.

I can't see how the Sox get Adrian Gonzalez without grossly over paying. Now that Hoyer is the GM for SD, he won't just take a Lowrie/Bowden poo-poo platter for him. He knows the Red Sox system, and he knows how perfect Gonzalez would be in Fenway. As a result, if Boston gets him, they'll overpay big time.