As it stands, are we better now than we were last year?

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=9364:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:20 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Jan 6 2009, 11:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9349:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:01 AM:name=sleepyhead)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sleepyhead @ Jan 6 2009, 11:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9345:date=Jan 6 2009, 10:53 AM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Jan 6 2009, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->If you want a righty with pop for the bench, I think we already have him - Jake Fox.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'm not really worried about a bench bat, but we better have one more big cog coming in the form of a trade or the DeRo deal will piss me off all year.
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I don't think you're alone in feeling that way. <b>At the same time, I'm waiting for Hendry to give the old line about the team still having the flexibility to do another deal to improve the team during the season, and that we just have to wait and see how it plays out.</b>

You know that the ownership change is going to be the #1 excuse for not going after Peavy. It makes sense to worry about payroll during this transition, but I'm just wondering why we could sign so many other long term contracts, yet not have the financial leeway to acquire Peavy.
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At least we have confidence in Hendry at the deadline though. He seems to always get his #1 target, and it's possible we have more money to work with at that time right? This ownership situation is just an absolute distraction and it's obvious Hendry can't operate quite how he wants to.