The State of the Red Sox

"Ladies and gentlemen...the State of the Red Sox is...better than it was yesterday!"

"Hooray!!!"

(Wow, even Tom is clapping...)

All the clapping has to be for the report out of the Boston Herald that the Sox filled their most visible hole in coming to terms with SS Alex Gonzalez. The free agent shortstop and the Red Sox agreed to terms yesterday on a one-year deal worth $3 million, according to the Herald. Gonzo only had 16 errors at short last year. He is a .245 career hitter with a career on-base percentage of just .291. Gonzo had a relatively strong year last season with the Marlins with 31 walks, two off his career high, shaved his strikeout total from a career-high of 126 in 2004 to 81 and upped his on-base percentage to .319 with a .264 batting average.

"I told them I'd sign, just keep Wade Boggs away from Camilla..."

At some point don't be surprised to see 2nd base prospect Dustin Pedroia take a stab at short, as the revolving door at short will surely keep moving into 2007.

So where does the Sox lineup rank at this point compared to going into spring training last year?

• CF: Coco Crisp In, Johnny Damon Out...Better off
• RF: Manny Ramirez still here...
• LF: Trot Nixon still here...Worse off
• 1B: Kevin Youkilis/JT Snow In, Kevin Millar/John Olerud Out...Better off
• 2B: Mark Loretta In, Mark Bellhorn Out...Better off
• SS: Alex Gonzalez In, Theo's Rent-a-wreck Out...Worse off
• 3B: Mike Lowell In, Bill Mueller Out...Worse off
• C: Jason Varitek still here...
• DH: David Ortiz still here...

"Okay, we're going to have to cut away from the President's remarks for breaking news. This just in to CNN, the Saddam Hussein trial has been postponed. And thank goodness since he's really not a bad guy."