Pedroia, Ellsbury Untouchable?

The word untouchable should be reserved for guys with the name Brady or Seymour not to two young 24-year olds. In the words of Beyonce Knowles "I can have another you by tomorrow So don't you ever for a second get to thinking you're irreplaceable." It's those words that separate Bill Belichick from Theo Epstein.

Dustin Pedroia's and Jacoby Ellsbury's come around more often than a Johan Santana. If you have the opportunity to trade for one of the best pitcher's in league you do it. Do you think that Belichick had any doubts trading a fourth rounder for Randy Moss? That fourth round pick could have had a lot of potential seeing that Asante Samuel and Jarvis Green were both fourth rounders in 2003 and 2002, respectively. But Belichick does not act on what can be he acts on what is.

Both Pedroia and Ellsbury have a lot of potential in the future but Johan Santana is proven veteran. There's no major league track record for Pedroia and Ellsbury. Pedroia might come back next year hitting .250 after pitchers have got a full season to know his tendencies.

The law of supply and demand tells you that it is more difficult to find a good starting pitcher, let alone a dominating one, than a second baseman. Any infielder can play second base. The hardest thing about the position is turning a double play, seeing the second baseman has their back to the runner.

Ellsbury is the player I would be hesitant to give upt but would refrain from calling him "untouchable." No one is irreplaceable. Hate to put a flaw in Buck's article. If the Sox want Santana they're going to have to give up Ellsbury. The Twins are in need of a centerfielder after losing Torii Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I do not want to give up Ellsbury, but I would trade him, Pedroia and Buchholz for Santana if I am assured I can lock up Santana until 2010, with a club option for 2011. (Josh Beckett's contract is up after 2009 with a club option, based games started, for games stared. You would not want Santana and Beckett to potentially become free agents at the same time.)

If that was the case I would have, former Minnesota athletes, Randy Moss and Kevin Garnett welcoming Santana to Boston as he steps off the plane at Logan.