Tavarez Tossed into 'Pen

Edes: Sox Get Reliever Julian Tavarez

"This guy pitches four days in a row," Tavarez's agent Scott Boras told the New York Daily News in December. "He provides a very strong, durable arm. He can protect a closer like Wagner or Mariano Rivera. They don't need to get every save. This guy has been a save guy, and he does it at a ratio that's almost 80%. That ratio for a setup guy is very, very high. That may be very helpful to guys you want rested for the postseason."

Sox Sign Tony Graffanino to One-Year Deal

What's Up the Middle?

Sox Still Have Big Holes to Fill

"Pennant-winning teams are supposed to be strong up the middle, and if the Red Sox opened the season today, they would watch a lot of balls go through the hole at shortstop and others fall for hits in center field." -- 1.11.06, Murray Chass, New York Times

Announcement on Theo Soon?
Manny Wasting Precious Time?

"'I said that we were going to keep a light on in the window for him,' Lucchino said Sunday. 'I didn't specify a number of days. If he wanted to come back, it would make us a better front office. I don't want to comment further until we have an announcement to make. We may have an announcement sometime soon.'"

"'We've tried to keep faith with the understanding we reached with Manny and his agent,' Lucchino said. 'It has consumed some time.'" -- 1.11.06, Murray Chass, New York Times