Rumors are certainly beginning to fly, as I knew they would, about possible deals involving the Red Sox personnel.

Yes, Manny Ramirez is involved in some of those discussions. One rumor (reported by the Boston Globe) has him going to Anaheim in a three-team deal that would net 3B Troy Glaus from Arizona and Darin Erstad from Anaheim. A deal I wrote about in the past.

I find it hard to believe that this rumor has resurfaced. It makes no sense. If the Sox are talking at all the Angels they must include Ervin Santana or at the very least Casey Kotchmen.

There is another that has Hank Blalock or Alfonzo Soriano coming to Boston from Texas. This would be a whopper although I'd be cautious.

A premiere third baseman not yet in his prime and a so-so second baseman filling a hole. Sounds too good to be true. Because I suspect it is.

Blalock is only 25 and recently signed a 5-year, $15.25 million dollar deal. The Rangers have said as recently as Dec. 4, that they are not interested in moving him. So that leaves Soriano.

Soriano, who's almost 30 and on the last year of his contract had a mediocre .309 OBP last year. He whiffed 125 times and walked only 33 times. He is powerful (35 HR). He is fast (30 SBs). But there's a reason teams want to move him.

I doubt the Rangers are that serious about this deal too. Why? They need pitching. The team has plenty of offense, so moving Soriano in this deal doesn't address their problem.

Yet another rumor (on Rotoworld.com) has Manny going to the Phillies for Bobby Abreu. This I like, but it is doubtful. Manny would have to approve it (Philadelphia fans may be harder on Ramirez than Boston ever would be) and money would have to change hands.
Besides Yahoo's Rumor Mill has Matt Clement packaged with Trot Nixon for Abreau. A deal I would certainly be in favor of.

Newsday reports Johnny Damon close to gone and he may end up clean-shaven. That's right he could be part of that corporate New York image. This would be most detrimental to the Red Sox. Even if they were to acquire Soriano and try and persuade him to play center, Boston would be at a loss.

Damon is easily the best leadoff hitter in the game, aside from Ichiro. According to MLB's Hot Stove Report the Sox are trying hard to retain Damon.

I trust the Red Sox organization to bring bakc their most marketable player.

MSNBC says Edgar Renteria on the block...Why the Sox want to rid themselves of Renteria is beyond me. Are they seriously afraid of the 30 errors? There is no more important position than short. Losing one of the best defensive and offensive players at that position would be a serious oversight. Lugo is not that good. He has put two good seasons together, but even the Devil Rays didn't have them in their plans. They have prospect B.J. Upton waiting in the wings. At 22, he figures heavily in the D-Rays plans.

I know I'm probably in the minority but moving Renteria would be an error.

The Boston Herald's Michael Silverman is on the scene in Dallas, updating his blog regularly. He reported late last night that a Doug Mirabelli for Mark Loretta trade was going to happen. Now, this may be the best deal since, well acquiring Josh Beckett.

Loretta is an ideal second baseman with good OBP. That would be fantastic.

More rumors: Wells to the Dodgers? I haven't gotten that far yet.

So here's the lineup if the deals I like go through:

CF Damon
2B Loretta
RF Abreu
DH Ortiz
C Varitek
SS Renteria
3B Lowell
1B Youkilis
OF (to be named)

Beckett
Schilling
Papelbon
Wakefield
Arroyo

Argh. We need pitching! Go figure.

Side note: Does anyone recognize what the Dodger's owner is doing? Frank McCourt formerly of Massachusetts seems to be trying to acquire all former Red Sox players. He acquired Derek Lowe last year., signed GM Grady Little yesterday and is apparently in hot pursuit of Bill Mueller and David Wells. Hmm.
I guess if you can't buy the team....

Reader comments: What have you heard? What do you think the Sox should do this week?

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