A Third Third Baseman--updated

I've been out of the internet and blogging scene for about a week now due to finals, and other commitments, but I recently checked in on Worcester, MA's Tellegram and Gazette , and in five minutes, I've caught up with the Red Sox. The good, old T&G spared me of the endless editorializing of the Boston Globe, as well Dan Shaughnessy's trademark ramble at the opening of his columns, and his general disdain for Boston sports. Note: the T&G online is only free for those with subscriptions, but we have people working to get it distributed freely on the net (thanks HW).

The Red Sox just traded their shortstop, Egar Renteria, for the Braves third baseman and young prospect, Andy Marte. We can add Marte to the list of thirdbaseman which includes Kevin Youkilis, Bill Mueller, and Mike Lowell. To deal with this glut of 3B-man, we may rename 1B and 2B, 3Ba, and 3Bb. However, the second base situation is not unlike that at third. We had plenty of second baseman (Alex Cora, prospect Dustin Pedroia, Tony Graffanino) yet we traded our best backup catcher and Wakefield specialist, Doug Mirabelli, to the Padres for another 2B-man in Mark Loretta.

Thus the net transaction of recent months is basically a gain of Josh Becket and Marte, and a loss of Renteria, Mirabelli and Hanley Ramirez--all and all not too terrible. Although it’s possible H. Ramirez will eventually wear a foreign uniform of a consistent contender like the dreaded pin strip, as the Marlins won't hold onto him if he proves himself. The free agent situation is totally up in the air, but judging by our habit of acquiring third basemen, Bill Mueller may be moving. Also we have to find someone else who can catch a knuckle ball.

There's been some worrying talk of bringing back Nomar. I'm not sure if he's the kind of veteran that can pull together a young team of strangers. I might regard his reacquisition as not unlike a drunken hookup with an ex girlfriend. Familiar, certainly fun, but not altogether right in its own way. (No need to question how this analogy reflects on me.) We also lost guys like Harvey Garcia and gained guys like Guillermo Motto. I won't even pretend to have a clue what that means. Do some of these trades feel more like managment is trying to prove they can make moves without Theo, rather than a real plan for the future of the organization?

Nothing is new with Oil Can Boyd on either the film, book, or trial scene; though I continue to scour the internet for updates.