Dye-ing to Know Why

ESPN's Jayson Stark and other media outlets have the Red Sox looking very intently at White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye, in hopes that the addition of his bat will give the offense the extra thump it's been looking for. For the record, I don't think Boston is going to pay Chicago's reportedly high asking price (likely Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester or Clay Bucholz), and I don't blame them.

Dye has a whole boatload of negatives dragging down his value. First of all, he's 32 years young. Additionally, he's not quite as good as everybody thinks he is. 2006 was by far Dye's best year, posting .315/.382/.622 and swatting 44 home runs for what was every fantasy player's wet dream of a successful season. Unfortunately, his next best season came with fewer power at .321/.390/.561 back in 2000 with Kansas City.

Any one of the top three prospects in the Sox system is more valuable in the long run than Dye as a plug for a righthanded outfield platoon player.

Here's hoping for an inexpensive Mark Kotsay.