New Look Sox

So the Sox are looking to sign both John Smoltz and Rocco Baldelli. Smoltz is reported to be around $5.5m with incentives that can bump it up to $10m. Combine Baldelli and Smoltz with the recently signed Penny and the Sox have a lot of little risk high reward players.

The Sox haven't signed the big names that the Yankees have, but they came into the offseason with a better roster. On paper the Yankees are still better I'd argue, but if these 3 signings work out, and they all have the potential to do so, the Sox will clearly compete in the toughest division in baseball. The top of the Yankees rotation is unquestionably better, but they have zero depth. That was the Sox strength and they just added on to it. Beckett, Lester, Matsuzaka, Smoltz, Wakefield, Penny all should start with Masterson and Buchholtz being two younger guys that could/should be starting on most teams.

I don't like to speculate (just kidding I love it) but I'd bet this means some trade could be in the works. It's hard for me to see how the Marlins would trade Hanley Ramirez when they have a chance to literally go to the World Series, and I know there is no such thing as too much pitching, but who needs 8 starting pitchers with a few more waiting in the minors? A team that's looking to do a trade that's who. To get Hanley would cost a boat load of prospects, Ellsbury Buchholtz and probably more. That's where the Baldelli signing gets interesting if the Sox are high on him he could make Ellsbury expandable and Buchholtz is already expandable with their pitching depth, add in another minor leaguer or two and suddenly the Sox have one of the most dynamic players in baseball. The Sox make a big deal about looking towards the future, trading away prospects in this case isn't trading the future. Hanley Ramirez isn't trading for Manny Ramirez at the deadline, Hanley is a top 5 player in his prime. I'm not sure if those rumors are legit juicy or just talk, but it's pretty cool to think about.