More on that Gagne Trade One of those minor leaguers the Sox sent to Texas for Gagne is apparently extremely promising:

The key to the deal was Beltre, a 17-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic signed last summer by the Red Sox for $700,000, one of the largest bonuses given to a Dominican teenager. Baseball America, not sparing the hyperbole, wrote this winter that Beltre's "lean body and tools have elicited comparisons to Barry Bonds and Darryl Strawberry.

Here's a difference between Boston and New York sports media: If the Yankees had made that deal, there'd be at least a couple of columns in various papers questioning the wisdom of adding a two-month rental—Gagne becomes a free agent when the season is done—at the expense of a 4-0 pitcher and a minor leaguer you paid $700k-plus to sign.

Whereas the Globe headlines this column, "Red Sox land top reliever, set title course."

Boosterism, much?  ¶ 7:00 AM