Padres decline Mackowiak's option. (I know, big surprise)

[love_that_reefer]

The Cards have already contacted Schilling and they need pitching more than most.

[FmrFresnan]

What I find interesting is, Schilling doesn't think he'll be back in Boston next season, but I read his blog on his website and he's making it known to the teams that have called him, that he wants to finish his career in Boston.

So which is it?

[BoSox34]

Well there will be a handful of teams that will inquire and could certainly use his services. Still very early in the whole FA process. The Astros have also been known to have some interest although Schilling doesn't have them listed as one of the teams he would like to go too.

[BoSox34]

What I find interesting is, Schilling doesn't think he'll be back in Boston next season, but I read his blog on his website and he's making it known to the teams that have called him, that he wants to finish his career in Boston.

So which is it?

He does want to finish his career in Boston but it's whether or not Boston is going to throw him an offer for what he is going to want, which I'm sure he will be looking for a one year deal for around $13 million which is what he made last season.

[FmrFresnan]

For what he brought to the Red Sox in the World Series, twice, I can't imagine that $13M would be too steep a price, do you?

I think he makes any pitching staff better, including San Diego. If you have 2 veterans in Maddux and Schilling, working young guys like Peavy, CY, Clement and Hensley, it makes that rotation that much stronger.

I don't think a 1 year $13M deal is that outrageous, or am I off base?

[BoSox34]

Well, I think the Red Sox feel that with their current pitching rotation and young pitching coming along very nicely that they may be able to find a better way to spend that $13 million. With Beckett, Dice-K, Buccholz, Lester, and Wakefield all going to be on the roster next season, that stands a good chance at what our rotation may look like. Buccholz may be the only question mark and will depend on what kind of spring he has, although after his performance in September, I say he has gotten off to a good start.

What you can not replace however is how much he has meant to the Red Sox in the playoffs, although if you watched Game 2 it took him a while to get going. He doesn't have the fastball he used too, but I'm certainly not apposed to bringing him back for one more season. But, I can understand if the Red Sox don't and would rather use that money else where.

[FmrFresnan]

I can certainly understand the reasoning behind finding better uses of $13M. I think, as far as the Padres are concerned, that it would be a good investement.

[BoSox34]

I can certainly understand the reasoning behind finding better uses of $13M. I think, as far as the Padres are concerned, that it would be a good investement.

Ohh I agree with you in regards to the Padres... Schilling would give the Padres a nice 1-2-3 punch to go along with Peavy and Maddux. Not to mention the extra impact Schilling would make on your all's young pitching to go along with what Maddux has done with them.

[FmrFresnan]

The only reason I can see the Padres not going after him is, if they pick up Maddux's option for next season and add Matt Clement. At that point, the Padres have Peavy, Chris Young, Greg Maddux, Clay Hensley and Matt Clement. If you sign Schilling, you have to decide what to do with Clement and Hensley and which one you put to the bullpen.

[padrefanforever]

First of all..........our 123 punch wouldn't include Maddux.........it would be Peavy, CY, Schilling.......Maddux would be bumped to the #4 spot......

Second........pitching isn't our biggest issue here by a long shot......and since our funds are limited and need to be spent wisely........we have other issues to address long before that 4th rotation spot.......If we don't focus on those we're not going to be in the hunt next year..........

OFFENSE is, and should be, our #1 focus

[BoSox34]

First of all..........our 123 punch wouldn't include Maddux.........it would be Peavy, CY, Schilling.......Maddux would be bumped to the #4 spot......

Second........pitching isn't our biggest issue here by a long shot......and since our funds are limited and need to be spent wisely........we have other issues to address long before that 4th rotation spot.......If we don't focus on those we're not going to be in the hunt next year..........

OFFENSE is, and should be, our #1 focus

Comin out with the heat, huh? For some reason Chris Young slipped my mind, but further more Schilling would only help the cause but then again I doubt he will end up in SD any how, just a discussion regarding the potential impact he would have on your alls staff.

Now regarding your teams offense, it has been rumored that along with the Braves, White Sox, and Rangers, the Padres are also going to be a team potentially in the hunt for CF Coco Crisp being that Cameron has filed for Free Agency. With Ellsbury surely in the fold to man CF next season, I'm almost certain Crisp will be dealt.

[padrefanforever]

I'm on the Crisp bandwagon and have been for a while...........but only under the condition that we also add another bat like Fukudome to our OF.........otherwise we need to be in the running for Rowand or make some deal to bring in a stud CFer like a Crawford, though I highly doubt he's gettable

[BoSox34]

I'm on the Crisp bandwagon and have been for a while...........but only under the condition that we also add another bat like Fukudome to our OF.........otherwise we need to be in the running for Rowand or make some deal to bring in a stud CFer like a Crawford, though I highly doubt he's gettable

Your team would have to pay an arm and a leg in talent to land Crawford.. Although he certainly be a wonderful get, I've been a huge fan of his for quite some time.

[FmrFresnan]

Hey BoSox, staying on the topic of Schilling for another post here, since it seemed like the Sox had both offense and pitching, what was more important? Was the rotation of Beckett, Schilling, Dice K and Lester the bigger factor over having guys like Lowell, Manny, Ortiz and Youk?

From the pattern I've seen over the last 7 years, and with the way the Padres have built their team recently, I'm a firm believer in pitching and defense. That's been the one reason I would definetely add Schilling. Kevin Towers said it himself, he's probably going to have to fill open positions by trade and not free agency.

[BoSox34]

Pitching and defense is the main component of wanting to win a championship in this day and age. The Red Sox were a solid defensive team last season and had a solid staff to go along with that.. But having consistant and clutch hitters such as Ortiz, Manny, Youkilis, Pedroia, and Lowell certainly help the cause in a huge way. So I say for the Red Sox, things leveled themselves out. But I do believe the key to success is a solid rotation, bullpen, and defense first and foremost.

But, as was mentioned in another thread tonight and being reported on ESPN that the Red Sox are close to retaining Schilling for one more season. So looks as though the possibility of Schilling to SD, even though I doubted it would happen any how, isn't going to happen.