Let's get productive!

OK, it's been the better part of a month since SHK graced us with the eternal optimism of his last post.

Let's kick this into gear here on the precipice of Christmas and the looming silhouette of the new year on the horizon.

What Christmas presents (and/or miracles) do we want to see from Omar under the tree?

My two cents (which was once worth $0.37, by the way):

Offer Ben Sheets a big contract that is incentive-laden. I've got no problem throwing him $12M but he's gotta earn it--let's say full value vests with 200 IP, 30 starts...if he can do that you can reasonably expect 17-18 wins and an ERA in the low 3's. We could also try the same with Eric Bedard but at much lower costs--after all, the guy is fresh off surgery and hasn't done any throwing yet (unlike Sheets, who has been rehabbing for the last 6-8 months).

Try to trade for Gil Meche. Rumor has it that this is in the works but I can't find anything confirming talks, much less progress. Carlos Zambrano is another option but the Cubs seem less likely to deal (especially now that they're unburdened by Bradley's contract--although they're now saddled with Carlos Silva's fat deal).

Give Matt Holliday a big offer. If Bay wants to sit on his hands and play the waiting game, screw him. Looks like the Cards are the only solid suitor for Holliday right now. If Omar can lure him, fine. If he drives up Holliday's price for the Cards, hooray. If it lights a fire under Bay's ass (and his agent's as well, who may have priced his prize client out of the best offer he was going to get), terrific. Seems like a no-lose to me.

And pull the same move on Molina--sucka thinks he's still worth 3 yrs at $6-7M a pop? Riiiight. Guy's OBP is lower than his weight and he is clearly the inferior of the 3 brothers behind the plate at this point. Give Rod Barajas a call (let's avoid the Torreabla drama again, please) and force someone's hand. This waiting crap is getting old. BE PROACTIVE, B-E PROACTIVE!!!

And the 1B problem can go down one of 2 ways--give Delgado a low-base, high-incentive deal to come back for one more year or go get LaRoche.

Finally, let's do anything with Luis Castillo other than ink him in as our starting 2B. Whatever must be done, go for it. Then get Orlando Hudson before he signs with the Nationals, too. BTW, where the hell are the Nats suddenly coming up with all this coin?

And in the Christmas miracle department, let's trade whatever we need to do get Carl Crawford. This solves a lot of the previously stated issues but I don't think we have anything to really tempt the Rays. Oh, well--the guy IS a FA next season...

With my plan, we could be looking at:

SS Reyes
2B Hudson
3B Wright
CF Beltran
LF Bay/Holliday
1B Delgado/LaRoche
RF Francoeur
C Barajas/Thole/Santos/Coste/Blanco/whatever

Santana
Meche
Sheets
Pelfrey
Maine (who might be needed to get Meche so then Perez--ouch)