Which prospects are untouchable?

With the recent trade rumors flying fast and furious, a lot of Red Sox fans have had to come to grips that significant prospects will have to be given up to get an impact player. There have been some names that is clear the Red Sox are not willing to move; others that I personally go "eek!" at when I hear their names in trade rumors.

So which prospects should be considered untouchable? I have heard two names that the Red Sox consider off-limits, Casey Kelly and Ryan Westmoreland (also Daniel Bard, but now that he's in the bigs, I no longer consider him a prospect). I would add a third to that as well. Let's take a look.

Fireside Chats #54: Where Daisuke is about to get the Lugo treatment

Hell hath no fury like a Julio Lugo scorned or a Daisuke Matsuzaka questioned as the case may be.  This week's full of talk of Adam LaRoche, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and trade deadline silliness in the follow up to our pre-pre trade deadline show, we bring you our pre-trade deadline episode of Fireside Chats.

This weeks' "Tweet of the Week" from our Red Sox Twitter Tracker:

from @ptesta9

All that and more on Episode #54 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

Cliff Lee to Boston? WEEI reporting a deal is close

MLBTR via Rob Bradford at WEEI is reporting that the Sox could be close to a trade for Cliff Lee.…

7/27: Here’s to you Jim!

Dice-K lost in translation

Daisuke Matsuzaka may be gone...and to many in 2009 forgotten, but the Red Sox have continued to hold out hope that he'll be "in the mix" come September and potentially the playoffs should the team make it into October ball.

This week, the old cliche gone but not forgotten has reared it's ugly head. In an interview with a Japanese media outlet, Daisuke Matsuzaka took some dirty laundry public all but blaming the Red Sox strength and conditioning program for his injury and his struggles this season.

Red Sox trade Kotsay for Anderson

The Red Sox have traded first-baseman/outfielder Mark Kotsay to the Chicago White Sox for centerfielder Brian Anderson.

Anderson has roughly 2.5 years of MLB service, so is under Sox (the red kind this time) control through 2013, if my shady calculations are correct.

Anderson, 27, has 782 career at-bats in the bigs posting a poor .225/.288/.364 line. In Triple-A, he is at .279/.311/.488. He is a gifted defensive centerfielder, but has long struggled with the bat. Earlier, he requested the White Sox trade him so he could get more playing time. That's not happening in Boston. It's unclear the plans the Sox have for Anderson. If I was a guessing man, he's the new starting centerfielder for the PawSox.

Red Sox Trade for Brian Anderson

Brian Anderson isn’t much for hitting, but at least he has an acceptable UZR for a 5th outfielder. Let the…

BOS 8, OAK 3: Beckett bounces back

After a shaky start against the Texas Rangers, Josh Beckett returned to form against Oakland.

Poll: What should Theo do at the deadline?

Sox to get both Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee?

Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse tweets that the Red Sox have told people they are trying to pull off a big deal, bigger than Roy Halladay. Price goes on to speculate it may be a Cliff Lee/Victor Martinez package, as reported earlier by Joel Sherman. The Sox also have been keeping tabs on the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm team. It could be related to this big trade, or the Dodgers might be interested in acquiring a bullpen arm, most likely bringing Takashi Saito back.