Finally back

Yikes - I just realized I hadn't blogged in over ten days! Between the Thanksgiving break and getting back into the swing of things, wow.

I spent Thanksgiving up in CT - enjoying family, food and NESN! It poured rain on turkey day - 2-5 inches! - but the rest of the weekend was lovely. We spent two days on Block Island - so beautiful and desolate in the off-season.

The hot stove is heating up! The Baseball Winter Meetings are next week - and already rumors of deals, deals, deals.

• This week, the Sox signed Hideki Okajima - a left-handed reliever from the Japan leagues. A wing man for Matsazuka?
• Speaking of - only 13 days left to negotiate. Gammons said this morning that he's convinced a deal will be made - but it might not be inked until the very last minute. I must say that I am really in favor of this deal. I know it seemed ludicrous to bid so much for the negotiating rights, but if it gives us another ace pitcher, it could be worth it. It certainly is adding a dash of diversity to our team!
• Today's Globe says that Trot is going to accept arbitration from the Sox - meaning he'll probably be back next year. I know he's not very reliable, and injury-prone - but I love that Dirt Dog. I can't picture him anywhere else.
• Millar signed a one year deal to stay with the Orioles. Yeah!
• The Sons O'Sam have an hysterical thread right now called "The urge to post anything." Some funny stuff - I love this one from "Oil Can Dan:"

How about a rotation of:

Sundays - Clemens
Mondays - Matsuzaka
Tuesdays - Schilling
Wednesdays - Papelbon
Thursdays - The 100th person to enter the park that particular game gets to start, but must have the pen ready for relief. Either this or sign Zito.
Fridays - Beckett
Saturdays - Wakefield

As for the rotation - it's unusual, but these guy should be able to get into the 8th innings seeing as how they're only pitching once a week. And if there's no game on their day, they get two weeks off. Huzzah! That'll be especially good for Papelbons' shoulder, right?

What a fantastic idea - except for Thursdays...

• Oh, Manny. You know, I think the guy is awesome - Hall of Fame bound. And I have enjoyed him so much over the years. But this fall, I hit my limit. We all know how he dogs it sometimes, and plays up the Manny-being-Manny angle to his great advantage. But the way he shut down in September just about killed me. If he WAS injured, then maybe we need to act fast and ship him out. And if he WASN'T really injured, then maybe we need to act fast and ship him out. There are some outrageous contracts being signed out there (Soriano?), so maybe someone would make a deal for some pitching. And if we can't ship him, what can we expect from him, from someone who clearly doesn't want to be in Boston or to play in Boston - and who has maybe said it one too many times for the average fan to tolerate? Look what happened to Burger King boy Foulke...I wonder how the Manny show will play in Kansas City or Tampa Bay?