Dan why so depressed??? This is a brilliant deal by the Red Sox and it's killing you to say so. Brilliant!! To put this in GodFather terms, Lucchino is settling all Theo business with this housecleaning. Love it!!!

and who is the highest paid pitcher on the staff, i'd like to see his picture at the top of the article, then would would be rid of the horrible deals theo came up with

Don' think for a second John Lackey has a future with this team. They're not done cleaning house.

I love the deal. I'd also like to see worthless Lackey, sourpuss Lester and entitled Ellsbury go and see a moratorium on Scott Boras clients.

This is the best thing the Sox could have done. Get the bad blood out of the clubhouse. Valentine has done a good job given the hand he has. look at the young players and how they have performed. Give beckett a couple of buckets of chicken as his farewell gift!

Theo's legacy. He won with Duquette's players and then left this. And Dice K. No wonder he left town. Before anyone caught on.

Adios Amigos...we hardly knew you'all..it's better to remove the thorn that is the cause of the lion's limp than to hope that it will get better on its own..Smacks of John Henry executing a "stop loss" in his commodity trading accounts.

how do you call two world series champions a failed era

Can't believe we're actually getting players in return.

Better than changing the roster through years of attrition. The final correction will be a long hard look at how these deals came about so this behavior of big contracts for TV ratings ends. Also, the Red Sox need to end their big lie PR strategy. It's very unproductive and very clear where that is coming from. If this deal falls through it will be perceived as just another media blitz for ratings, and there will be no more credibility for Lucchino.

Not sure if this is connected, but a man in a gorilla suit was spotted in Brookline last night.

Why not include DiceK too?

My goodness...Thank God for deep pockets and empty brains in Los Angeles.

Hey Dan--The Red Sox did not TRADE Ruth to the Yankees. The SOLD him to the Yankees for CASH!

From your mouth to God's ear! Lackey is poison.

In the final analysis, the players everyone believed would put the Bosox solidly in the post season thicket (Adrien Gonzalez and Carl Crawford) when they were acquired prior to the 2011 season, simply, fanned in that endeavor. Beckett, of course, is (can be, might be...) a top of the rotation stopper. He has a track record (championships in 2003, 2007), but after the collapse of 2011 and the off year in 2012, management has tired of his antics and realized that- while he might bounce back in 2013- Beckett is poison in the clubhouse and anathema to the fans. As you indicated, Gonzalez, in spite of his prodigious talent is morose and unlikeable. He, also, choked last year when it mattered most against the Rays and Yankees. James Loney is a young, accomplished player and a worthy replacement. While Gonzo may not have been the root of the Sox problems, he was not the answer, either. Crawford was the most disappointing because of how great he had always been. For him, as you intimated, it was fear of failure at the Fens. Better to ship him off far away. Punto, was just a journeyman, so now, Pedro Ciraco, can have a legitimate shot at sticking next year. From among the prospects the Dodgers are sending, if one can be an ace, somewhat akin to the "old" Beckett, it will be all worthwhile. Phew, what a blockbuster!!!

Yes, yes, yes! Now, let's hire a good Roman Catholic priest for the Red Sox and have everyone go to confession. Especially Bobby Valentine and Mr. Lucchino. Being a good person is way more important then winning ball games to this Red Sox fan, and I believe alot of other Red Sox fans feel the same way.

Only time will tell is this blockbuster trade will have been good for both the Red Sox & L A Dodgers It is a surprise and very bold move for both and I see the Red Sox GM regaining some new respect and powers that was being diminished and eroded by ownership

As the great H.L. Mencken said, "I hate all sports as rabidly as a person who likes sports hates common sense." Baseball may be enjoyable, but it's still just a silly game, and it is absurd that there should even be such a thing as professional sports.