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For those of you worried the Red Sox would have to shell out $16mm a year to re-sign Jason Bay, relax, he isn't going to hit .400 this year.  I predict a 4 year, $44mm deal sometime before the end of the year.

I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoy Dennis Eckersley as an analyst.  He is blunt, raw and very funny.  I appreciate his every-fan approach, something the Red Sox tried with billionaire Jack Welch (perhaps sub-billionaire given GE stock over the past year) a few years back.  Eck says what's on his mind.  He is far more open to letting you know when a Red Sox has not done the right thing.  Surely this kind of candor will catch up with him as the players might start giving him heat, but until he is named the everyday analyst, I suspect he'll get away with his honesty.

More than anything, Eck just cracks me up.

I wonder if when Jerry Remy is ready to return NESN will consider a 3-man booth or a rotation of sorts?  I like Eck in the booth.

Without getting too excited, David Ortiz has been showing a bit more of late.  He is hitting .289/.372/.579 over his past 12 games, but what I like most is that every ball he has hit, including outs, have been hit hard.

With Jed Lowrie semi-close to returning, I think Nick Green will hold the SS position until Lowrie returns.  As for Julio Lugo, I expect a release (or a swap of cruddy salaries with another team).  The Red Sox have not properly addressed the SS position since, well, quite a few years.  Lugo has been creaming the ball of late, but that won't last, right?

The Red Sox drafted a familiar name last week selecting Michael Yastrzemski with the 1098 pick in the 2009 amateur draft.  Carl's grandson was taken out of St. John's Prep (Danvers, MA).  He has committed to Skidmore College, er, wait, Vanderbilt University, so the Red Sox have a somewhat slim chance of landing him (ok Michael, here's $10,000 from us, the Red Sox, or a full-ride to Vanderbilt worth 4 x $37,005 annual tuition, room and board and a good education equaling $148,020.  Your call).

The Red Sox badly need some power to percolate through the minor leagues.  AAA Pawtucket Red Sox Aaron Bates is making a name for himself with his new low/no-kick stance and Lars Anderson at AA Portland could be a late season helper, but there is no definitive power hitter just waiting to break through.

Lastly, the Red Sox face a decision with John Smoltz set to return this Thursday.  A NESN interview suggested he was ok with one more AAA start, but beyond that the Red Sox have to either decide who to send to the bullpen (Beckett, Wakefield, Matsuzaka, Penny or Lester) or they need to trade someone.

Most feel Penny is the odd man out as he really doesn't represent a long-term commitment and doesn't figure into the Red Sox long-term plans.

Until David Ortiz can convince Red Sox brass that he is all better, I bet we might be see a 6-man rotation for a few weeks.

At home at Fenway for a stretch starting Tuesday.