Pathetic Red Sox, II

Now this is bordering on stalking. According to the AP, Red Sox today emailed the Chunichi Dragons an offer that included "the fees Chunichi paid to the Marlins for Millar, and the services of several players including outfielder Benny Agbayani" for Kevin Millar. The offer was rejected.

Millar is a good ball player, but if they had pursued Cliff Floyd like this maybe they wouldn't need Millar right now. Maybe if they had re-signed Brian Daubach instead of letting him go as a free agent, then they would have had more depth at DH/first base, thereby freeing up newly acquired Jeremy Giambi to play the corner outfielder/DH role that they would employ with Millar. Why not move Manny Ramirez to the DH role permanently, move Trot Nixon (who doesn't seem to be the greatest defensive right fielder) to left, and sign free-agent right fielder Reggie Sanders (or just play Sanders in left like the Padres and Braves did a few years ago).

My basic point is that they had options in the past and still have some options now. Their obsession with the talented non-star Millar is charming in a Play Misty for Me kind of way but unproductive.

Meanwhile, Bartolo Colon has slipped through their fingers after months of wooing the Expos. Now their only option to improve the rotation may be via free agent Kenny Rogers, whom the Yankee fans would love to see pitching again in the Bronx especially if it's for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox have been able to acquire a second starting third baseman in Bill Mueller. That's at least an improvement over the Mets who haven't been able to acquire one. But unless the can convert Mueller into a DH/corner outfielder type or a quality starting pitcher, then what's point in acquiring him?

So far the Theo Epstein regime has produced some small improvements (Walker, the lesser Giambi, etc.) and some rather large mistakes (Floyd, Daubach, Colon, etc.). The Red Sox can't afford to tread water in this division, let alone take two steps backward for each step forward (So, I like mixed metaphors). Meanwhile, Epstein seems to be staying up nights Googling the Dragons (excuse me?) and Millar to plumb the depths of the vast online email, voice-mail, cell phone, beeper, blackberry, etc. listings with one last hope of acquiring the former Marlin. The more things change in Boston, the more they stay the same.