Sox Offenders

The rollercoaster ride of the Johan Santana sweepstakes seems to be over for the moment, as both the Red Sox and the Yankees exited the winter meetings sans Johan. For the Sox, Santana was a nice-to-have. He was the frosting on the cake, the happy ending. Another ace in Theo’s hand that already holds a pair in Beckett and Schilling. Maybe even three-of-a-kind if Dice-K matures in his second season. Acquiring Santana would have been the death blow to the Yankees and the rest of the AL for years to come. But so far, it hasn’t happened. And that’s OK.

It’s OK because for the Yankees Santana was a must-have. And they didn’t get him. All because Hank Steinbrenner or Brian Cashman wouldn’t part with Ian Kennedy. Genius. Barring any blockbuster deal, they will enter the 2008 season with a starting rotation that pales in comparison to the Red Sox starting five. Their big off-season deal to date was adding LaTroy Hawkins to their bullpen full of tired arms.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have turned their attention closer to home. The new target: Baltimore’s Erik Bedard. If O’s president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is dumb enough to trade within the division, Bedard would be a nice runner-up prize for the Sox. Seriously, Santana is a two-time Cy Young winner, a lock. But Bedard is solid. It’s like losing out on Angelina Jolie but ending up hooking up with Charlize Theron. You could live with it.

The hot stove has officially gone cold. Everyone is getting busy decking the halls and donning their gay apparel for the holidays. Hanging stockings and trimming trees and digging out the Festivus pole and constructing ginger bread Fenway Parks. It’s just not the time for deals. And before you know it, we’ll be rocking in the New Year with the annual hammock party. Don’t ask, the point is it will be January. Gateway to spring training. All the talk of equipment trucks and pitchers and catchers is just around the corner.

Ignore the friggin’ icicles that are hanging off of everything. Ignore the crowds that are everywhere. Grab the 2007 World Series DVD and hunker down. Watch the 2004 stuff: Faith Rewarded, Still We Believe, it’s all good. Hell, watch Fever Pitch. It’s Red Sox, right? Spring is coming.

Red and Denton appear daily at www.survivinggrady.com, but you already knew that…