With the Yankees and Red Sox facing off for the first time this evening, now seems like a good time to reflect to put a nail in the coffin of any discussion regarding the winter hot stove season. 

Why now?  Because this will be the first time the Sox play the Yankees with Mark Teixeira wearing the New York pinstripes.  And while we can debate whether his initial appearance at Fenway while being part of The Rivalry is worth of crazy A-Rod esque booing or not, there is one thing that should not be forgotten.

Mark Teixeira never wanted to play for the Boston Red Sox. 

And his wife never wanted to live any place other than New York.

First, he wanted to play for the highest bidder.  Second, he wanted to play for the Yankees.  It just so happens that those two goals were in easy alignment.  The Yankees were more than happy to sign Teixeira for the highest price and I’m sure at some point in the offseason process the Yankees got word to Scott Boras – “Let us know what your highest offer is at the 11th hour and we will add around 10% to that and get this done.”

In retrospect, it’s pretty clear that John Henry saw the tea leaves on this and got out before being a patsy in the Boras game plan.  Kudos to him on that.  Teixeira claiming that Henry’s public proclamations turned him off on the Red Sox?  Totally bullshit. 

The Sox Plan B was actually pretty good.

No doubt Teixera would have been the perfect addition to the Sox roster.  But that roster needs to be filled with guys who want to be here.  Paying someone $200 million who would rather be somewhere else regardless of how well he can rake makes zero baseball sense. (See: Ramirez, Manny)

So in the end the Sox went out and added low risk, high return players.  John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Baldelli, and Saito.  All signed to one year deals at a cost below what Teixeira will make this year.  Four players instead of one.  Perhaps this should have been Plan A all along?

The trade of Coco Crisp for Ramon Ramirez?  I predict that will be a winner.  Ramirez will be the 7th/8th inning guy we always wanted Manny Delcarmen (or Craig Hansen) to be.  The guy who can come in before Papelbon and blow the ball by hitters.

Varitek?  Had to resign him.  Just had to.  He’s the captain after all.