RED SOX HUB DIGEST September 24, 2005




There have been discussions in the Cubs organization about the possiblility of Nomar Garciaparra re-signing with the Cubs and moving to the outfield in 2006, as the club seems committed to highly touted shortstop prospect Ronny Cedeno, who ironically is on the D.L. for the rest of the season. If Nomar wants to play shortstop, Seattle and Arizona are good possibilities. Nomar’s brother Michael is still in the Mariners organization…If 3B Bill Mueller chooses the home cooking of the West Coast over Boston as is being predicted, Cubs will be free agent second baseman Todd Walker would be a nice low budget fit as a third baseman, a position for which he is better suited and has played well in the past. Walker would provide insurance at 2B, in case phenom Justin Pedroia flops there in 2006. Tony Graffanino is a free agent and likely a player rental unless he is willing to take a short deal and agree to a utility role with the Red Sox…

Johnny Damon’s nagging injuries shouldn’t discourage the Sox from signing the sparkplug to a 4 year deal, but should increase the offseason urgency to move Manny Ramirez, which would allow Johnny Rockstar to move to a much less taxing Fenway left field. A deal with the Mets that includes Mike Cameron and top prospects makes sense, although ultra phenom Hanley Ramirez is still likely to move to center field…WEEI morning show conservatives Dennis and Callahan have been taking sound bytes of Tito Francona out of context in embarrassing fashion; embarrassing for them, that is. Francona appears on the mid morning show with Dale Arnold and Michael Holley, who have criticized the morning pair for their low brow antics. The morning boys don’t have the gajones to do anything but smooch between the cheeks of their regular guest pet, Sox President and part owner Larry Lucchino…Francona is getting ripped by fans and morning hacks alike, but is really doing his best management job ever in 2005, keeping a porous team, (No #1 or #2 starter, the worst bullpen in baseball (E.R.A.), no closer, a first baseman that hit like Jackie Gutierrez for most of the season, and a slugging left fielder who doesn’t respect the game and will shut it down if confronted), in contention and actually in first place for most of the season. If you want to rip anyone, look upstairs in 2005. No, not God, and not "Dubya"...this one can't be pinned on the one man in America who graciously accepts more blame than Terry Francona...