El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox

Baseball transactions and rumors. It is time to heat up the Hot Stove for the winter.

I will be addressing the big Billy Wagner deal tomorrow in its own post. I apologize for all five folks looking for it today. Enjoy.

• Julio Lugo, SS, Tampa – one-year option exercised for $1.75 million. Lugo is coming off his best season. He demonstrates decent plate discipline without any pop at the plate. He is not a bad option at SS for Tampa. The move ends the possibility that Antonio Perez (who came from Seattle with Sweet Lou) will become the future shortstop. Perez should start as the Rays second baseman in 2004 and beyond.

• Rick Peterson, Pitching Coach, Mets – Peterson is reunited with Howe and going home to Jersey. Peterson is given some credit for the success of the A’s staff and most notably keeping his young pitchers healthy based on the latest biomechanical teaching from Dr. Andrews. The interesting part of the transaction is that no compensation was asked for by the A’s. It makes me wonder how much Beane thinks of Peterson. The Oakland organization is focused on processes or systems. Is it more the system or Peterson? This is assuming that Beane and Peterson did not have a gentlemen's agreement allowing him to walk if a New York team called. Either way, comparing the Mets and A’s ability to keep their pitchers healthy over the next few years will be a topic for discussion.

• Frank Thomas, DH/1B, Other Sox – exercised his $6 million option. Good for Frank, Other Sox fans and ownership.

• Travis Lee, 1B, Tampa – club declined to exercise one-year $2.5 million option. Lee is an average first baseman. Many other similar players will be out on the market after all of the non-tenders. Lee and Lee types should command between 750K to $1.5 million for one year if last season is any indication. The Rays made the right choice.

• Paul Quantrill, RHP, Dodgers - player voided his final year worth $3.1 million and is a free agent. Quantrill has been one of the most effective set-up men since coming over from the Jays a couple of years ago. Assuming that Quantrill will try to play back-to-back low ERA seasons into a multi-year deal similar to Mike Remlinger, this is a very risky move; it is a very volatile market. A mult-year deal is possible but buyer beware. In Quantrill’s two highly successful seasons in L.A., his K/IN is slightly over a half which is not good for a reliever who is expected to get out of someone else’s jams. Quantrill’s K/BB and HR rates are good, but he will be 35 and has thrown a ton of innings out of the pen over the last four year totaling 319.

• Estaben Loaiza, RHP, Other Sox – club exercised option at $4 million. It is amazing what a slight change of grip to a baseball can do to for a man’s career. Nice job by Loaiza for learning the cutter and the Sox staff for teaching it. The Sox are rewarded for taking a risk on Loaiza last season. Loaiza’s signing last season was a smart low risk – high reward deal. Sometimes they work out and sometimes (Jeff Suppan) they do not.

• Russ Ortiz, RHP, Atlanta – club exercised option at $5.7 million. Ortiz is a typical number three starter on a playoff team. He is probably worth the one-year option.

• Sammy Sosa, RF, Cubs – player exercised option at $17 million. Good for Sammy. Good for Cubs fans. Good for baseball. Okay for the Tribune Company, but who really cares about them.

• Tony Pena and Allard Baird received two year contract extensions from the Royals. What a big difference one lucky year makes. Rob Neyer does a very nice job evaluating the Royals for espn.com.

• Jason Bere, RHP, Cleveland – signed a minor league deal. If healthy, which is a big IF, Bere can be the innings eater the Indians are looking for with their young starters. A nice low risk acquisition for a rebuilding club that fits a need.

• Fernando Vina, 2B, St. Louie – club declined option for $8 million. Vina's performance has suffered and in a changing market place not even Jackie Childs could agrue that Vina is worth $8 million. The Cards have Bo Hart (the Hitman’s other brother?) a cheaper double play partner for Renteria. The decision was an easy one for Jocketty. Vina will find a job, perhaps in Boston, for around a couple million in 2004.

• The Pirates are cutting ticket prices by 30 percent. PNC Park is the best place to watch a ballgame. It is not only my opinion but the folks over at espn.com agree after surveying all 30 MLB park. So why are they cutting ticket prices to attract customers? Because winning teams bring in the fans and revenue not new parks over the long haul. The notion that an owner needs a new publicly financed park to increase revenue to increase payroll to be competitive is a load of crap. Are you hearing me Miami?

• Edgar Martinez, DH, Seattle – signed a $3 million + incentives one-year deal. Like Sammy and Chicago, Edgar belongs in Seattle. Unlike the Sammy transaction, this deal works for everyone even the Mariners owners.

• David “insert insult” Wells, LHP, MFY – club decline $6 million option. Wells could be resigned and I would bet on it. The Wagner deal (Hidalgo should not need to go too) should pave the way for Andy P. to pitch at home in Houston. The MFY will need an eighth starter and Wells should come cheap for the MFY. He loves them. The MFY also declined options on White and Heredia and indicate they would like to re-sign both.