Dustin Hermanson - P
	St. Louis Cardinals
	14-13, 4.45
	33 G, 192 IP, 123 K
2000 Salary: $5,333,333

The Deal

Thanks to a surplus of pitching, the Cardinals let go of Hermanson for three low-level prospects.

Boston's Pastime's take:

A good acquistion considering the cost, even better when you factor in that the Sox were thinking about trading Trot Nixon to Montreal for him last offseason before he wound up being dealt to St. Louis. Dan Duquette has announced that Hermanson, who throws in the low 90s, will follow Pedro Martinez as the # 2 man in the rotation, although he fits in better as a 3rd or 4th starter. A durable pitcher who has averaged just over 200 innings the past three years, Hermanson's acquistion should spare us the pain of watching Darren Oliver pitch every five days.

Darren Oliver - P
	Texas Rangers
	11-11, 6.02
	28 G, 154 IP, 104 K
2000 Salary: $7,000,000

The Deal

Acquired from Texas in the long anticipated deal for Carl Everett.

Boston's Pastime's take:

The only truth to Dan Duquette's statement that Oliver is a "quality Major League left-handed starting pitcher" is that Oliver is indeed left-handed. Hard to believe, but Oliver's 6.02 ERA in '01 was a vast improvement over his 7.42 in '00. Oliver was part of the Rangers woefull rotation, but will likely inherit the bullpen roll John "Way Back" Wasdin left behind when he was traded to Colorado. He no more belongs in the starting rotation than Everett did in the starting lineup for Boston in 2002. The truth of the matter is that in order to get rid of the troublesome 5-tool player Everett, Boston had to take in a 5-game winner in Oliver. It doesn't matter, since neither Everett and his attitude nor Oliver and his arm will help the Red Sox win in 2002.

Thanks for the memories
David Cone - P
	Red Sox
	9-7, 4.31
	25 G, 135 IP, 115 K
2000 Salary: $1,000,000

Hideo Nomo - P
	Red Sox
	13-10, 4.50
	33 G, 198 IP, 220 K
2000 Salary: $4,500,000

Boston's Pastime's take:

The Red Sox career of Hideo Nomo will end in a manner reminescent of Mo Vaughn and Roger Clemens, key contributors of Beantown teams past. Through his agent, Nomo stated that he wanted to remain a Red Sox but received no recent offer from the team and he will move on. Boston originally sought to sign Nomo to a 3-year, $20-million pact, but Nomo sought more money and a club option for a fourth year. No other starter the quality of Nomo will come as cheaply so it is a puzzling move. Nomo will be deeply missed, as the Red Sox plug Derek Lowe into his #2 spot and hope that Pedro Martinez rebounds from an injury plagued 2001.

Johnny Damon - OF
	Oakland A's
	.256, 9 HR 49 RBI
	155 G, 27 SB, 108 R
2000 Salary: $7,100,000

Boston's Pastime's take:

The final piece to the 2002 puzzle, Damon's 4 year, $31 million contract may be the last significant move of the Duquette regime with his ouster a near certainity by new ownership. Damon was at the top of the free agent class of 2002 and his signing brings stability to the top of the order and center field, where his attitude and work ethic are a relief from the dearly departed Carl Everett. Damon is coming off a subpar season, but in 2000 he lead the A.L. in stolen bases with 46 while batting a career-high .327. Damon should thrive in baseball crazy Boston after playing his entire career in front of sparse gatherings in Kansas City and Oakland. Furthermore, he fits the "Dirt Dog" profile that embodied what was good about the 2001 team and as such is the perfect outfield neighbor for Trot Nixon.

John Burkett - P
	Atlanta Braves
	12-12, 3.04
	34 G, 219 IP, 187 K
2000 Salary: $1,750,000

Boston's Pastime's take:

Going by the numbers, Burkett was the best free agent pitcher available. His 3.04 ERA was the third best in baseball, behind only Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Burkett, signed for 2 years and $11 million, earned his raise, but the number that causes the most concern is his age - 37. After being cut in spring training in 2000 by the Devil Rays, Burkett figured to call it a career, but signed on in Atlanta, where in 2001 he was the best pitcher on a staff that boasts Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz. Hopefully Burkett will prove that his final season in Atlanta was no fluke. Until this year he hadn't had an ERA below 4.00 since 1994 and at his age it's hard to believe the best is yet to come, but the Sox will count on him in 2002. Burkett is coming off a much better season than either Nomo or Cone had before the Red Sox signed them, and his experience playing on a winner will be a plus.

Tony Clark - 1B
	Detroit Tigers
	.287, 16 HR 75 RBI
	126 G, 123 H, 67 R
2000 Salary: $4,662,500

Boston's Pastime's take:

Is there still resentment over Brian Daubach being a replacement player? Clark puts up Daubach-like numbers for more than ten times the salary. Plus, Clark is injury prone and always gets off to a bad start. A Quivelo Veras like pick-up, albeit Clark has the ability to produce, especially at Fenway Park (.382 lifetime).

Michael Coleman - OF
	New York Yankees
	.211, 1 HR 7 RBI
	12 G, 8 H, 5 R
2000 Salary: $204,000

Boston's Pastime's take:

While with the Yankees last year Coleman had the guile to blame Dan Duquette and Jimy Williams for keeping him in the minors longer than he should have been. Chances are, it's Pawtucket where Coleman is heading when he gets beat out for a roster spot by Izzy Alcantara in spring training. Coleman once had the nickname "Prime Time" in the minors, but Mo Vaughn dubbed him "Part Time" after failed attempts to win a major league roster spot, which he'd better not take away from Lou Merloni!

Jeff Wallace - P
	Tampa Bay Devil Rays
	0-3, 3.40
	29 G, 50 IP, 43 H
2000 Salary: $200,000

Boston's Pastime's take:

Another Duquette reclaimation project, Wallace is a situational lefthanded specialist in the mold of Tony Fossas: he doesn't get to face many batters other than lefties, who hit .161 against him in '01. The biggest downside: in his career he has averaged a walk per inning. He hits 98 mph when he's healthy but is known for a long track record of injuries and inconsistency. If he stays healthy he has a shot to make the lefthanded-thin Red Sox bullpen.