Dan Gould

I'd be very surprised if that happened, and the updates make it seem less likely than initially reported. Aside from a certain amount of durability and predictable mediocrity, what does Blanton bring? Surely on their respective best days, he's no Matsuzaka, and I say that as someone who can barely tolerate the guy. And Blanton isn't replacing Beckett or Lackey. So this deal would make sense only if the Sox want to send Mastuzaka away and see Blanton as pitching depth for that move. And how would Wakefield feel if they created a spot in the rotation and then gave it to Blanton instead? Color me highly doubtful.

Interesting look at the rest of the Philly roster: Let's not pencil the Phillies into the World Series Just Yet Almost makes it out as if they are the Giants, great pitchers but at best a spotty offense. And a classic "we didn't really want him anyway" statement from an "anonymous" Yankee official: NYY official: “Anybody who would leave $50M on the table obviously doesn’t want to pitch in New York. Thank God we found out in time.” — Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 14, 2010 My question is, why would Hank go the anonymous route to get off that bon mot? Did Hal tell him he was an asshole for saying it "behooves" Lee to sign with NY?

The Phils have to be prohibitive favorites now, with three #1s at the top of the rotation, really four when you consider that Hamels would be a number 1 on at least half of the teams in the league. Lee going to the Phils for less money and fewer years certainly is a refreshing change, and for all of those Yankee fans who don't remember when Maddux spurned them, its got to be a kick in the nads to find out that Mystique and Aura with their endless supplies of dollar bills might be turning into aging tarts without nearly as much appeal as they thought they had. I think you'll see Texas go hard for Grienke and get him - they've got the talent, and they've also got a lot of young talent in the majors already. And you heard it here first - the Yankees are going to make a lesser trade for Carlos Zambrano (they did just sign his pitching coach, Rothschild). Zambrano is crazy, and has a crazier contract - I think three years with a makeable option for a fourth year (?) - and he hasn't been the dominant starter he was. But he also straightened himself out last year after that crazy eruption in the dugout, and had an ERA south of 2 for the last 13 starts, I believe. Man it would be awesome though just to see Zambrano flip out at Jeter and A-Rod for letting a catchable ground ball dribble between their geriatric asses. On second thought, maybe the Yankees stay far away from Zambrano? Another option could be a trade for Garza, who is supposedly being shopped. Garza would come in handy against the Sox since he always gives them fits. But to get back to Lee - this has to stick so deeply in the craw of Yankee fans. Not only to spurn the money and ignore Hank saying that it "behooves him" to join the club, but now the Phils are going to be legit World Series candidates for a long time to come. Even if the Yanks make it there before age starts to really impact the on-field performance, they'll face a very dangerous pitching staff if the Phillies get there too.

JH is terrified of jinxing it so he won't be seen until the rumors play themselves out and we find out where Lee lands. :ph34r:

Oh no, I still say he goes for that last dollar. Haven't we established he's a whore, now we're just determining his price? But seriously, my observation wasn't made with the belief that it would impact his decision. Just an observation of what he will encounter once he's committed to the Dark Side.

Fact is, having manipulated the Rangers into making a very sizable offer, more than they said they would, and reportedly with a seventh year as a possible vesting option, going with the even bigger check from the Steinbrenners will paint Lee for all time as a mercenary, a gun for hire, a guy who went to NY to get his ring, and it took every last dollar to sell his soul. He'll be hated everywhere he goes, in other words. If he does stay in Texas though, only NY will boo him. And apparently, the misses is used to that.

Had to check out what my friend Tom put on his BFT. Now I'm not sure I want to be his friend anymore. :P Just kidding. Overall observation is that I kept waiting/hoping for a track with what our old friend Hardbop called "the hard swing". Had to wait for Disc 2 to kick off, and then I really lucked out, even though the swing was latinized, not straight. Having listened to Cedar's Midnight Waltz disc this morning, I dug out his two Astor Place discs and by happy coincidence immediately recognized this as track 2 here. Lucky too that I did hear this earlier today, because I'm sure this one would have driven me nuts otherwise. Cedar rules! On "The Long and Winding Road" and "Smoke on the Water" tracks - these remind me first that I very rarely find that modern pop records can be successfully approached from a jazz perspective. "Road" especially - the theme was saccharine sweet, then when they got to the meat of the improv, it just reminded me of the old complaint about jazz: They play the tune, then they just play whatever they want, then play the tune again. NMCOT but YMMV. As for the rest of Disc 2, would have much preferred the Jon Hendricks lyrics to "Four" - Giacomo Gates performance on Blue Skies always sticks in my mind after hearing it. This, not so much. Its always interesting to see what others regard as unique/special/memorable. Tom told me I might find his BFT more on the "dainty" side and he was right. But I'm still glad I gave it a listen.

Your first post reminded me that while I had no problem downloading disc 1 originally, disc 2 did crap out once. Worked like a charm the second try.

Threw this into an Amazon Christmas order and I'm glad I did. Anyone who digs Cedar in a trio setting should check out this program of all-superlative Walton compositions. Here's what our own Ken Dryden wrote for AMG: Its only available from Amazon as one of those made-to-order CDRs but they do a nice job on the printing, the only difference I can see is that Venus uses that heavy stock paper, and the price certainly is right at under $14. Can't recommend this one highly enough!

Paps may be on to something there. Kinsler and Young are under team control through 2013. All of the other guys who played key roles are all under team control for at least two more years and in the case of the closer and Elvis Andrus, five more years. Josh Hamilton is the biggest name who is closest to free agency, and the team still controls him for three more years. That's a real strong core that won't be reaching free agency for a while. And on top of that the Rangers are supposed to have tremendous talent in their system. Really if they were smart they'd make the deal for Grienke to show Lee that they are committed to getting back to the World Series and aren't just reliant on Lee to lead the way. Imagine if the Rangers had two aces locked up, with those position players under team control? They'd instantly be World Series favorites. There is no reason to wait on Lee before deciding to pursue Grienke.

Good, cause they still aren't making money.

Even then its hardly trustworthy. Red Sox Nation spent several hours last Sunday lambasting their team for failing to make a deal for Gonzalez, and that was reported by two of the most active Twitter users, Heyman and the midget at Fox. Then all of a sudden the deal got done. My rule of thumb is multiple independent sources being reported by multiple respectable media figures. Then I'll believe it. And I refuse to believe Lee won't go to NY in the end. By the same token if the Yankee offer has been out there and he hasn't accepted it, well, the Texas offer is sitting there just the same. In all likelihood he's still playing each off the other to squeeze out that last dollar/guaranteed year. And that's a game the Yankees always win. It will be a staggering blow to the ways of the world for Lee to stay in Texas and I for one am not going to get suckered in to believing that he won't be in pinstripes. I just want them to be in position to really pay for the folly of whatever contract he signs.

You didn't get the memo. Posada has been told he is now a DH.

Mystery solved. Thanks, Bev!

You made me check on Amazon and I agree, the samples sound terrific - particularly "Blue Monk". And there are a lot of new copies available on the Marketplace for under $9.

Thanks guys, I ended up going to Format - > Reveal Format and there it was, Show All Formatting Marks was checked. So glad that thing is gone! :blush2:

When writing in Word 2003, each time I hit the enter key it leaves what looks like an old fashioned editor's paragraph mark at the end of the line - you know, like a "P" but with two lines instead of one. It wasn't like this before, then out of the blue it started and I've never figured out how to switch it back. A way to get rid of this annoyance is most appreciated.

The LD is new to me (never would have guessed he recorded Whiskey Drinkin Woman in the studio) as is the Al Cohn; anyone who doesn't have the George Coleman ought to snap it up now.

Two words: Barry Zito. Been there, done that. ERA+ Last Three Seasons before Free Agency: Barry Zito: 102 113 116 Cliff Lee: 168 131 130 Zito was a stupid signing not for the years or the money but for the fact that he had turned into a barely better-than-league-average pitcher. The last three years, Cliff Lee has been one of the very best pitchers in the majors. Like the money thrown at C.C. Sabathia, it will be money well-spent for at least 4 years, barring injury. Zito's money was just pissed away at a mediocrity.

I've realized one advantage of having so many lefties (including two catchers who are both switch-hitters plus another switch-hitter, Jed Lowrie, as the utility infielder): In their own yard, the Yanks ought to be afraid to throw a righty against Boston. Lots of chances to loft a flyball beyond the little league fence in right. I'd still worry about facing two dominant lefties in Lee and Sabathia in an LCS. Great pitching can nullify great hitting in the post-season. But I agree it should be tough keeping the Red Sox out of the playoffs, crazy shit notwithstanding. Just when it looked like the sell-out streak was running out of steam, with the players currently under contract, the streak could probably go on twice as long as it already has, and they broke the previous record held by Cleveland early last year, iirc.

Amazing that they would make such a move and that things would be so quiet before it happened. And to think I was really hoping that they would go get Magglio Ordonez on a one or two year deal, figuring his bat would play very well at Fenway, and he'd even out the lineup, and most importantly, on a one or two year deal, he becomes Papi Insurance. If the big guy falls completely apart, he steps right in as everyday DH. Obviously any team is improved when it adds a Carl Crawford. Among the negatives I see: Bit of a left-ward tilt to the lineup (all three OFs, Ortiz, Gonzalez) in a division with some pretty tough lefty starters (and one great one about to join the division). I heard Gonzalez hit .400 against lefties last season - which is too good to check - but how does Crawford do? Its a long contract, counter to what Theo has preached all these years. Its basically a Yankee move - only this time they missed the playoffs and went out and acquired the two best position players available. I can never again use the "You can't beat the Yankees and their money, they get what they want" whine ever again. Probably a distinction without a difference, as everyone else already equates the Yankees and Red Sox anyway, but this confirms it. I do like the idea that upon hearing this news, Girardi, Cashman and both Steinbrenners crapped their pants. But that momentary sense of discomfort and "what-the-hell?" will go away, and it is now inevitable that the Yankees will ignore their stated limitations and do whatever it takes, money and C.C. Sabathia's feelings be damned, to land Cliff Lee. Its an absolute certainty - they can't watch the Red Sox make these two huge offensive upgrades and do nothing. If Lee somehow eludes their grasp - which he won't - you'll see a move for Grienke instead. For all the offensive power (no one cares that V-Mart is gone now, huh?) the team still has three pitchers with question marks, little depth behind them (22 year old Doubront and who else? the Japanese pitcher will be a year off of TJ surgery and not close yet, and Michael Bowden is no ones idea of a prospect anymore) and equal question marks in the bullpen. So, yeah, its impossible not to be excited when you sign a Carl Crawford when he's 29. I can only imagine what Zen and Tom R. are waking up to in the middle of Red Sox Nation.

A little excited at the prospect of FSU making Steve Spurrier throw his clipboard again. And a little worried that FSU will lose.

I grew up in that town and my parents still live there and I had no idea it was THE MOST AMAZING MODERN HOUSE. Guess I should have WATCHED THE DOCUMENTARY.

One other thing. Can you be more vague than this "report"? For all anyone knows this could be a Red Sox false-flag operation to spook the Yankees into giving Lee eight years. I'll believe that the bidding has gone to seven years when there is an actual team attached to the report, and when there are multiple reports saying the same thing. Remember, these meetings and late July constitute the silly season for baseball rumors. At least 3/4 of what you hear turns out to be crap.