The 35th Street Review

It’s easy to complain.

It’s easy, almost natural to ask why the Sox still have Juan Uribe taking up precious bench space. To ask why it took so long to dump Scott Podsednik and Alex ‘Absolut’ Cintron, aka Cin-Tron 3000. To ask how trading a pitcher from whom you know what to expect for a decent shortstop will improve the team.

One might be inclined to ask why it is the Twins making those power play trades for Devil Rays outfielders, not only more than replacing the departed Torii Hunter but also making sure the price of acquiring pipe dream Carl Crawford just went through its third roof. Or why the Sox are suddenly in a position where South Side hero Aaron “second comin’-a-Ditka” Rowand won’t consider coming back on anything resembling the Sox’ terms. Or why the Linebrink deal (read: gamble) is raising the ire of of GM’s around baseball. Or why the South Siders, in the space of one month, have already lost two bidding wars. Or why Johan Santana leaving the Twins might lead to an even worse situation where the Sox are concerned than Johan Santana staying with the Twins would have presented.

But that would all be counter-productive, and there are always pictures to remind us of the things we want to scream out loud.