Boston Red Sox

If you have never heard of Aroldis Chapman, or if you have only heard dribs and drabs about him, then you had better get ready—because over the course of the next few weeks and months you are going to hear an awful lot about him.

I first read about him last spring while preparing for one of my fantasy baseball auctions. The rules in one of my leagues provides for a reserve roster, and permits team owners to acquire ANY player for its reserve roster, including players from the NL (notably, those who may become free agents), collegiate baseball, and international baseball.

Back in the late 1930s, I used to observe a tall man, laboriously walking along Mechanic Street. Frank Bird’s affliction was that he was paralyzed on one side. Here was the story that I heard when I was a kid.

The old timers in town said that Mr. Bird had been a big league baseball player in his younger days. One extremely hot day he hit a home run. Immediately after scoring at home plate, he quenched his thirst with a drink of ice cold water. He went into shock and he remained partially paralyzed for the rest of his life.

We all know how much Curt Schilling stirred up emotions in people, but when it comes down to it, the man was a fantastic pitcher, and belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Let's get it out of the way, shall we? Yes, Curt Schilling was an ass. He said stupid things, stuck his nose where it didn't belong and was a generally annoying person.

I think Ed Wade, Phillies General Manger in the mid-90s and classic Schilling nemesis, said it best: "If he wasnt our horse, he'd be out horse's ass."

ESPN.com reports that Boston Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay refused an initial offer by the team and will dive into the pool of free agency to test the depth of its waters.

If the figures mentioned—$64 million over four years—are indeed what was offered by the front office, Bay and/or his agent may prove to be foolish. Large money is becoming much more difficult to demand with the economy suffering as it is.

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly  interested in four different free agents who are represented by Scott Boras.

Two of them, Matt Holliday and Mike Gonzalez, have been rumored to go to the Red Sox numerous times. The other two, Adrian Beltre and Rick Ankiel, have never before been even thought as potential acquisitions.

I don't want a lot for Christmas, I've got pretty much everything I could want. I have a a nice cell phone, an iPod Touch, an Xbox 360 with Xbox Live, and there is a car waiting for me when I get my driver's license in the near future. Recently, I've been spoiled by my sports teams. But I'm not (too) spoiled. I understand the value of hard work. I get that money (technically) doesn't grow on trees. What else could I want?

I won't be asking for a whole lot for Christmas this year, but at my age, I'm a little old to be asking Santy Claus to bring the presents this December.

The Boston Red Sox are considering acquiring a marquee first baseman.

The club is reportedly interested in San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera.

If either one is acquired in a trade, the Red Sox would move incumbent first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third base on a permanent basis.

Sound familiar?

It certainly does to Mike Lowell.

The Red Sox released Kottaras today. The 26-year-old catcher was out of options and couldn't be sent to the minors again.

Kottaras hit .237 last season in only 93 at-bats, an exceptionally small sample size.

Matt Holliday formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jason Bay formerly of the Boston Red Sox are the prize hitters in the 2009 – 2010 free agent market. They are both looking for someone to “show them the money,” to steal a line from Jerry Maguire.  Holliday, according to his agent, is looking for Mark Teixeira money in the range of $22.5 million per year, and Bay is rumored to be looking for about $20 million a year (good luck to both camps on getting that kind of money).

What are these players worth in today’s market?