Look on the bright side, Dan. The Renteria trade was very good for the Braves, in desperate need for a shortstop after the Dodgers paid crazy money to Rafael Furcal. Marte was never going to play in Atlanta as long as Chipper stayed healthy, but for a couple of years he was touted as the No. 1 prospect in the Atlanta system, better than Jeff Francouer or Kyle Davies. So he might work out in Boston.

Mostly, Red Sox Nation is worrying too much. Youkalis can play first just fine, and get on basee a lot. Loretta, Graffanino and Pedroia all have experience at short. None of them are particularly good over there, but the Sox pitching staff doesn't give up a whole lot of ground balls anyway. Center field is the only real hole the Sox have, and it should be fixable by trading for either Jeremy Reed if you're lucky, or Jason Michaels if you have to.

What's truly puzzling about the Damon trade is that Damon and Boras were "only" asking for 12 million, but Steinbrenner is giving him 13. Q: What's the extra million for? A: His soul.

Not that I'm sorry to see him go, or any of the other turnover for that matter (though much of the specifics defy logic, as you point out). Last season he was a damp squib compared to the fireball of both years preceding.

It's funny, but I just can't seem to generate much interest in the team since they won the World Series. Any fellow feeling out there in "Red Sox Nation" or is it just me?

Realistically, we could be looking at another long drought for the Beantowners. I think I'll stick with the White Sox, they're closer and look better prepared to come back fighting.

Its my understanding that its an odd market year, where there is not a lot of good talent available and the price for mediocore talent has gone high. Another words, its a good year to sell.

I'll remind Boston fans that there's another team across town that has seen nearly perpetual turnover of star players -- and has won three of the last four Super Bowls.

Further, you don't need to score 950 runs a year to win the World Series. Just ask the Marlins, Angels and White Sox, none of whom had anything like the offensive firepower of the 04/05 Red Sox, and all of whom won a title just the same.

Leave the overpayment for past performance to the Yankees. The Red Sox are getting younger, hungrier, and most importantly, have taken huge strides to improve their pitching. Viva la revolucion.

A big part of the story -- and a tiring, "what else is new" part of the story -- is the financial gulf between the Yankees and everybody else. The Bosox were willing to gamble $40 odd million on an aging and increasingly injury-prone (albeit terrific in his last few seasons) center fielder. But they weren't willing to gamble $50 odd million on the same. But for the Yankees, it's not really a gamble -- there's not really any financial risk involved. Because if Damon underperforms, they Yankees' ability to sign superstars and pay big salaries in the future won't be hampered in the least. But the Red Sox, as wealthy an organization as they may be, aren't in the same financial situation.

If there is anything positive about the Bosox' situation right now (and as a Bostonian I've been wildly grasping at straws to find reasons for optimism), it is that they could well have a dominating pitching staff in '06. I certainly like their arms better than the Yanks' at this point. The Bosox can't possibly hope to compete offensively with New York next year, no way, no how. They certainly need another bat, and I hope they sign a first class hitter. But with regard to Manny, if I were them I'd try and use him to acquire yet more pitching. As a long-suffering Red Sox fan, it's a simple article of faith with me that you can NEVER have too much pitching, especially when you don't have a prayer of matching your arch rival's offensive potency. More often than not, it comes down to pitching in the end.