Christmas comes early for Red Sox Nation

I really can't believe that the Sox acquired Adrian Gonzales - their hearts' desire - from San Diego for three prospects.  This is huge, a bona fide 3 or 4 hitter who's not yet thirty and had averaged over 30 homers and 100 RBI playing half his games in the spacious and pither-friendly Petco Park.

Of course they traded their two best prospects, Kelly and Rizzo, and Fuentes has to be in their top ten.  And, rumor has it, there will also be a PTBNL heading San Diego's way.  But still, it looks like a real steal from where I sit.  Gonzales is virtually an identical player to Mark Teixeira, who the Sox ardently wooed before he signed with the Evil Empire in Gotham.  Tex is a switch-hitter and his numbers are slightly better, but he's played in better lineups and MUCH more hitter-friendly parks for the past five seasons.  But AG may be an even better fielder, which is no small feat; at least he seems to have superior range although that is hardly the most important attribute for a first baseman.

Of course, the reason AG was available is that he will be a free agent after 2011 and he's looking for a contract comparable to the one the Yankees gave Tex.  I have little doubt that the Sox will pony up, probably before the weekend is over.  They want this guy - they need this guy - Theo Epstein has been dreaming and scheming how to get this guy - and they're not going to let him slip away over a measly difference of ten or twenty millions of dollars.

Meanhile they're not done - they could still re-sign Adrian Beltre if they were intent on leading the league in Adrians, and there is some speculation that they might do so with an eye toward moving Youk temporarily to left field - egad!  Sort of a Yaz-in reverse - everyone remembers that Yaz was a superlative left fielder who became an decent first baseman, but not so many remember (and those of us who do would prefer to forget) his monthlong stint at third at the end of the '73 season, after he volunteered to fill-in for the injured Rico Petrocelli.

Youk is a decent third baseman who has made himself into a superlative first baseman but whose brief stints in left field were reminiscent of Yastrzemski's efforts at the hot corner.  Really gives one some appreciation for guys like Steve Lyons, Tony Phillips, Ben Zobrist, et al; who the manager can plug-in just about anywhere knowng that they won't embarrass themselves or the team.  But I digress.

I'm still a little woried about the catching situation - in Salty we trust, and let's hope they keep a good supply of Geritol onhand for Tek - and they need some major help in the bullpen, but this one move does a ton to solidify the batting order for 2011 and many years to come.

Can't wait for Spring Training!