If I was Brandon McCarthy

If I'm Brandon McCarthy, I'm wondering what the hell is going on right now.

The deal is complete, El Duque, Vizcaino and Chris Young are sent to Arizona for Javier Vazquez and $5 mil cash.

The Sox lose $6 m in salary, but take on Vazquez's contract. Near as I can tell, that means the Sox payroll actually increases by about $1 million with this trade. The cash the Diamondbacks are sending will help pay Vazquez for the next two seasons.

So that gives the Sox 6 starting pitchers, and two holes in the pen.

I'm sure Contreras is sad to see his countryman leave. Cubans in MLB are a rare breed indeed.

Sounds like Don Cooper is going to have his hands full with Vazquez.

Young becomes 3rd Sox prospect dealt in the past few weeks (the other two being Gonzales and Haigwood).

I guess I'm going to have to trust KW here, I'm just wondering how the starting rotation shakes out after this development.I don't think McCarthy will be traded - KW has had plenty of offers and chances in the past year, and he's held onto him. Maybe something is up with one of the other starters? Nah. None of those guys are trade bait.

On paper, the Sox just seem to get stronger.

There is definately a part of me that is sorry to El Duque go... during the 1st half of 2005, it was a pleasure watching his masterful delivery. Then, there was that 6th inning of game 3 of the ALDS...

Vizcaino, well, see ya... Jury is still out on Young. He could get hit by a bus tomorrow... But as I said before, with Rowand gone, the Sox don't have a whole lot of depth in the outfield.. more, or less, so now...