How the Sox should answer the A-Rod deal

"I hate the f——— Yankees."

"Baseball sucks."

"I want to die."

These are just a few of the cheery instant messages I received from friends back home over the course of the day Sunday as everyone in Red Sox nation tracked the progress of the Alex Rodriguez trade to the hated New York Yankees.

On Monday it became official. George Steinbrenner, or Georgie Porgie as Pedro Martinez and I like to call him, got his man and for the bargain price of $16 million per season (the Rangers are assuming $67 million dollars of the contract).

This deal was just more salt in the wounds inflicted by 85 years of torture.

It hurt more than most Yankee big-name signings for three reasons. First, the Sox had their chance to obtain Rodriguez. All they. had to do was swallow a little more money and the best player in the game today was theirs. Second, in terms of the Yankee payroll, Rodriguez isn't even the highest paid player on the team. That distinction belongs to Derek Jeter. In fact, Jason Giambi will also get more of Georgie's money this season than Rodriguez will get. Third, this is A-Rod we're talking about. He's only 28, is a great fielder and has the potential to be the greatest overall player of all time.

I know it hurts Sox fans, but its time to move on. Much easier said than done I know, and I am struggling to do so myself.

On Oct. 18 of last year I started thinking about the 2004 baseball season. It had the chance to be one of the great ones in history. The off-season war between the Sox and Yanks took off. Boston drew first blood. They signed right-handed starter Curt Schilling and closer Keith Foulke.

Fans waited for the Yanks' response — it came quickly and was tough to swallow. Starting pitchers Kevin Brown and Javier Vasquez, along with outfielders Gary Sheffield and Kenny Lofton were on their way to the Bronx. It seemed like the worst was behind us.

Then came the Rodriguez saga, the complete 180 degree turn from acquiring the best to watching him put the hated name "New York" across his chest.

Add to the fire the potential signing of former Cy Young award winner Greg Maddux — don't even try to deny it, Brian Cashman — and one can understand why Sox fans are reeling and searching for reasons to still care about the upcoming season. What is the Boston organization to do?

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The answer is not to continue to spend money to try and keep up with the Yankees. That is simply impossible. Going after Barry Bonds is not the answer. Even cleats up on every slide into second and third base are not the answer — well, not a moral one at least.

The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is to forget about the American League East crown. Boston needs to focus its attention on the Wild Card and setting up an October matchup with the Yankees. In baseball it's all about getting to the postseason. At that point, the hottest team wins (see the Marlins, Angels and Diamondbacks).

Most people are calling me a pessimist and a quitter but I'm just being a realist. New York is a more talented team and that shows over the course of a 162-game season.

To put themselves in the best position to win the Wild Card the best thing Boston can do right now is to take no action — for now. The Red Sox have a solid lineup and on paper at least have the second best team in the major leagues.

That is not to say there are not weaknesses. The Red Sox still need a more reliable fifth starter along with better middle relief. At second base Boston downgraded from Todd Walker to Pokey Reese. Finally, the team has to be concerned about players like Trot Nixon, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, and Jason Varitek. All four had career years last season and it is unlikely that all four will perform at the same level this season.

Despite these weaknesses and the apparent lack of any weaknesses on the Yankees (would it surprise anyone if Jose Vidro is in pinstripes by April?), Boston needs to do nothing in terms of personnel moves.

Boston has two potential fifth starters on the roster, Bronson Arroyo and Byung-Hyun Kim. Kim would be perfect in the role of a middle reliever. He has already shown that he can't handle the pressures of closing and his sidearm delivery is only effective the first time through an order. However, since the sidearm delivery puts almost no strain on the elbow, Kim is one of the few pitchers in baseball who could pitch multiple innings on consecutive nights. He could be used for situational outs against players who are not lowball hitters.

The Red Sox should take their chances on Arroyo in the first half of the season. If he does not work out they should look to make a trade deadline deal with a team that is no longer in postseason contention.

Since the Houston Astros are a vastly improved team they could very well run away with the National League Central race. The Cardinals could be left behind, and would likely be willing to dump either aging Woody Williams or the injury-prone Matt Morris.

Another possibility is that the Seattle Mariners will be out of the race in the A.L. West with the vastly improved Angels and the always tough A's. Every year the M's put Freddy Garcia on the trade block. This year they might pull the trigger. Jaime Moyer is also an interesting option for Boston.

The 2004 baseball season was shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in recent years. From the off-season battle between New York and Boston, Cashman and Theo Epstein and Georgie Porgie and Larry Lucchino to the resurgence of the Cubs, fans were excited. The Yankees are threatening to extinguish that excitement. It's time for Boston management to do the right thing — nothing for now.

Contrary to what many people believe, the Yankees have not been fitted for their 27th World Series rings.