El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox

BASEBALL RUMORS…well, RED SOX AND Mother F&*%ing Yankee RUMORS everything else is small potatoes

New York Newsday is reporting.
1) Flash Gordon (one of my all-time favorite players) will sign with the MFY for $7 million over two years. It pains me to think of him in pinstripes. He will be a convict in cell block 137.
2) Paul Quantrill is inked for $6 million for two seasons. He did get a multi-year offer.
3) Felix Heredia will be paid $3.5 million in 2004 and 2005 to be the MFY’s LOOGY.
4) Kenny Lofton is a possibility for the MFY as well.
As most of you know, Gary Sheffield is rumored to have signed a deal with the MFY as well for $36-38 million to play in the outfield for three seasons. Hopefully, these are all just rumors but I doubt it. Sheffield is one of the best hitters in the world. There is little doubt he will add punch to the middle of the MFY lineup and is a huge upgrade over the mercenaries playing right in 2003. (Are MFY fans having doubts about Giambi, too?) But, the real weakness of the MFY is their defense up the middle. They also need to fill three spots in the rotation. Cashman should be addressing these two issues before anything else. More commentary will follow if and when the transactions go final.

Scott Williamson in yesterday’s Herald indicated he would like a chance in the rotation in 2004 if the Sox acquire Foulke or another “closer.” Williamson could do well as a starter. He has had success in the past. Williamson has good command of three plus pitches: fastball, slider and splitter. With that being said, Williamson should stay in the pen regardless of the Sox acquisitions.

If Williamson moved into the rotation, then he would need to throw an off-speed type of pitch to keep hitters off balance the second time through the lineup. Williamson's three main pitches are all of the hard/fast variety. He could definitely develop or get his feel back for an off-speed pitch, but it would be another necessary transition for him to make. The more changes required increases Williamson's probability of ineffectiveness in the rotation. The Sox do not need to take that risk with their current projected starting rotation.

More importantly, Williamson is the insurance policy on Timlin and Embree. Given that Timlin and Embree are both on the wrong side of thirty; it increases their chances of a drop in performance. Aside from the playoffs, Timlin’s only weakness, based on last season, was his inability to keep the ball in the park against LHB. Williamson can pitch to Giambi, Chavez, Nick Johnson, etc. without the fear of the tall jack. Embree could also fill that role, but he has had bouts of ineffectiveness due to velocity and/or health. Williamson would assist in ensuring a stable late relief situation.