Foulke And RJ News, With A Little Red Sox Sprinkled In....From Me And mlb.com.....

Keith Foulke is set to take his physical for the Cleveland Indians. If he passes, and he will, expect an announcement this week. As for Randy Johnson, the talks between the Yankees and the Diamondbacks are all but concluded. The only issues are those of the monetary kind, for the Yankees will have to pick up some of RJ's salary for next year. And it looks like the Yankees will get those two or three young minor league arms they covet. Expect news on this any day, too.
As for the Red Sox, they are still looking to add a member to the bullpen, maybe not a closer in the true sense of the word but a late inning guy nonetheless. I guess their thinking is that with so many competent arms out there, at least one will shine in the role of closer. Risky business, if you ask me!

Oh,here is an article from MLB.com, the first such since the end of the New Year holiday with any new news in it.......

"Boston's need for a closer who could free Jonathan Papelbon to reclaim his spot in the rotation remains a nagging issue in Red Sox Nation. General manager Theo Epstein is back at work following a brief vacation, but he hasn't heard any post-holiday discounts in the prices of the relievers who interest him -- Derrick Turnbow (Brewers), Mike Gonzalez (Pirates) and Akinori Otsuka (Rangers).
In any case, Epstein's top priority is trying to resolve the status of J.D. Drew, nearly a month after the free-agent outfielder's conditional five-year contract was announced."

Peter here...a nagging issue? Yes, I like the way that was phrased, and it's exactly that: something that will bother and fester us Red Sox fans, especially if the season starts and a one run lead evaporates in the ninth inning of game one. But that won't happen until it happens. It's January 3rd...there are many moons before April 2nd. Many moons to buff our lineup so we that will shine from atop the AL East heap. Shine....I think the Red Sox can do that in 2007. Don't you??? Take care.