Rocky Mountain Low

As of right now, the Helton deal isn't going to work out. No big deal. The Sox didn't NEED him, he just would have rounded out a KILLER offense (well, if everyone stayed healthy). What really s*cks about the whole thing played out. The media may say there are no hard feelings between the Rockies and the Sox, but common. There was already bad blood because of the Larry Bigbie deal that never happened. And now:

"This is Todd Helton we're talking about," Rockies owner
Charlie Monfort told the Associated Press today. "We're not just
going to give him up for nothing".

To that I say:

Dear Mr. Monfort,

Todd Helton is a great baseball player, but lets face the facts. He's past his prime. He is not a baseball God. In fact we'd be giving up two strong players in both Mike Lowell and Julian Tavarez for your one, Mr. Helton. To insist they are nothing is a slap in the face not only to them, but to the Red Sox as an organization and to RSN.

You say that you need to build up young talent? You're right, you do. As does every other team in MLB. So trading Helton for young prospects benefits us this year, maybe the next year....but you for years in the future. Why would we do that? We don't play for the short term strategy. You stated Mike and Julian can help you in the short term, but you need more. Ummm....right.
You're asking the Sox to do something you publicly stated you wouldn't. I don't get it.

Moreover, Dear Mr. Monfort - there was no need to leak Lowell and Tavarez's name to the media. Now, not only are their egos bruised by your "nothing" comment but the Sox are going to have to smooth over their relationships with these two players. We were trying to make a deal with your struggling organization. Baseball is business to the front office, right? We weren't playing gossip trash-talk with the media.

Please get over yourself, and try not to come in last in the NL West this year.


Sincerely,
Soxy Lady

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And as for all of this Schill Thrill talk, here's the way I see it. Curt, I love you dearly, but you won't get a contract before the 2007 season even starts. Let's see you go out there, knock 'em dead a while and then draft something up. If you've still got the goods, we want you back. I love to hear you say you wouldn't go to NY if things don't work out with the Sox next season. Stick to your word, Schill - if you don't your political career in MA is dead before it even started.

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What the Hel(ton)?!?!

The possible Todd Helton acquisition has thrown me for a bit of a loop. It could make for a lights out offense for the Sox, presuming everyone stays healthy. Rumor has it the Rockies are willing to pick up a big chunk of Helton's $90M contract and in return they want Lowell, Tavarez and someone else...that someone else according to some is ether Manny Delcarmen or Craig Hansen. The Sox, it appears, are trying to get them to agree to Matt Clement. I am pretty OK with all of this. What I am NOT OK with is the rumor they also want Triple-A center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (according to FoxSports.com).

Ellsbury was the Sox first round draft pick in 2005. He's been compared a lot to Johnny Demon..and while we (alright, I a speaking for myself here) sill may not like him, we can't argue his work ethic, great defensive ability and strong lead-off status. Coco hasn't instilled a lot of confidence in RSN, Wily Mo has a way to go, Manny could be "Manny" at any given time and want to be traded yet again, and Drew (oh yeah, we finally finalized the Drew deal, yawn) has a lot to prove and needs to stay healthy. The only confidence I had in the Sox outfield for the future were with Ellsbury. I have to admit, part of the reason I like Ellsbury is that he is a Cape League alum. I got to see him play in the 2004 Cape League Championship game against my Y-D Red Sox. The Sox with my host brother, Brett Harker, beat Ellsbury's team, the Falmouth Commodores.

Moving on...I'm a bit disturbed about the news that Fenway Park may be serving sushi this coming season. There are apparently a couple of reasons 1) it caters to those fans who have requested healthier food at Fenway and 2) it will help fans get 'in sync' with Dice K. Now honestly people, you don't go to a ball game and expect to get healthy food. You get peanuts, cracker jacks, Fenway Franks and fried dough. If you don't want that "cr@p" food then eat before the game, bring in your bottle of water and deal. Hey, I have nothing against sushi, I just don't think it has any place in a ballpark. And if they take the Dice K reasoning...hello, we don't serve tostones and habichuelas to please Dominican fans. And you can't tell me that Papi and Manny don't deserve that respect.

Lastly, I couldn't write without mentioning how great my boyfriend is. After 5 1/4 hours in virtual waiting rooms yesterday, and incessantly calling the Red Sox ticketing agents he finally got two tickets to the Red Sox game on May 28th, which is Trot's return to Fenway Park!!!!! Granted, our seats are in the upper bleachers (ha!) but hell they were only $12 each! It is an early Valentine's Day present to me. He has also purchased tickets for the April 25th game at Camden Yards as an early 20+10 birthday present to me! Even though the game is 10 days after my birthday I am so excited to go back to Camden Yards, and to Baltimore to see friends and family. He also said we could go to the Cal Ripken museum, YAY!!!! And seriously, this is all HUGE because believe it or not, Soxy Lady's boyfriend is NOT a baseball fan!!

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