Anyone else have a sickening feeling that the Red Sox are going to destroy the Indians?

1. Joe is definitely gone. Although I think Girardi would be better, Mattingly's going to be the manager next year. Look for a mass exodus from the coaching staff as well.
2. Cashman should be fired. But I suspect he'll keep his job.
3. A-Rod, Posada, Rivera, and Abreu will be back. Pettitte will retire.
4. Some decent middle relief. Maybe a reliable long reliever/spot starter...I'm expecting a starting rotation of Wang, Hughes, Joba, IPK, and Mussina (unfortunately).

I don't care who the manager or GM is - they can't make them HIT.  

And it was a miracle itself that they even made the playoffs........

  I believe that the staff will stay the same, only that Mattingly will be the skipper.
 Cashman stays- he didn't play.
A-rod,Mo, Rivera, Abreu,Pettitte all back.

I really think with this experience and the players the team/farm has there will be no glaring need....

1. Donnie Baseball
2. Yes, Cashman will and should return. The good he's done for this team more than outweighs a handful of bad free agent signings. Without the influence he's had on the way the club operates, Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy would be long gone, traded away for more washed-up power hitters.
3. I say A-Rod, Posada, Mo, Pettitte and Abreu all come back. I certainly think they all should.
4. OK, maybe trading Matsui for Santana was a dumb idea. But I still think he's our best trading chit in that he carries a lethal bat but, because of how important Damon has become and how stuck we are with Giambi, is dispensable. We should trade him for pitching. It's hard to build bullpens because you really never know who's going to be reliable, but bolstering our bullpen has got to be priority number one. We need to call up our best prospects from the minors and add a couple of veterans who can actually anchor the pen. That plus a rotation of Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Joba, Kennedy, with Moose as the long man and spot starter, and we're set up much better for next year than we were for this.

1. Do you think there is any chance they can convince Moose to accept a trade to an NL team, perhaps Philly?
2. Damon or Matsui have to be traded because we are stuck with Giambi's bloated contract. Perhaps Seattle would take Matsui for one of their bullpen guys? If the Soriano trade was any indication, Bavasi can be fleeced.

1. Joe is out, no debate. Mattingly is in, but not a given.
2. Cashman stays, the youth movement is his baby, at least enough of his baby to save him
3. A-Rod will be back at a cost but one I think we can live with in 2008-2011 but the impact on the team in 2012-1015 is more questionable.

Mo? Not as vaulable as he has been, it is more a question of the Yankees doing right by him. If he wants 2 years give him two years but adjust the salary. Try to give him an incentive based package.

Andy? I'd love to see him back, especially on a 1 year deal. That gives you an option when Mussina breaks down, an option that isn't called Igawa...

Abreu? Nope. Melky, Damon and Matsui are good enough for me. If we could lose Giambi sure but we can't

4) Our biggest problem wasn't relief pitching, it was starting pitching. Both in the post season and in the regular season. The starting pitchers lasted 4-5 innings only far too often. That implied a much higher than reasonable call on teh bull penn. Now with 3 young starters lined up (if Pettitte or Mussina doesn't come back) and limits on their innings we really need more relief for 2008, but the underlying problem is starting pitching not lasting long enough. The problem is that relief pitchers aren't reliable in the first place, they don't gove you many innings per dollar. Farnsworth and Vizcaino combined for 140 innings and cost $8.5m. Pettitte gave us 215 innings and cost $16m. Compare the quaility and we can see why spending on relief pitching is a bad idea.