If the Sox couple this with a free agent starting pitching signing such as Oswalt or Kuroda, then I'm alright with this move.

If the Sox don't go this route, then I would have preferred to see the Sox wait out the market and sign Madson, who is a better pitcher and a better bet to stay healthy than Bailey is.

That said, IF and it's a big IF, if Bailey is reasonably healthy and can keep the ball in the park - Fenway isn't Oakland Coliseum, then I'm alright with the price in the deal - at least I think I am.

The question I have is: how good can Raul Alcantara be?  I know in a sense, he's a lottery ticket, but the Sox lack pitching depth in the minors, and I think he was one of their more promising arms?

If he's not the next Pedro Martinez, then I'm alright with this.

Miles Head might be a good fit at 1b down the road for Oakland, if he stays in shape, and Oakland can do well with his bat, but given that the Sox aren't in a position of need for 1b anytime soon, he's the guy (as opposed to a 3b and we knew Vitek was going in a deal) I was happy to see Oakland accept, instead of a 3b.

And as far as Reddick goes, I always preferred Kalish to him.  For awhile, I was hopeful that Reddick was getting the concept of plate discipline - it looked like he was trying, but once he was promoted and hit his first slump, he commenced to hacking.  He was expendable.

I supposed Sweeney holds the fort until Kalish is ready.  Hope he gets healthy soon, because Sweeney is really no better than a #4 OF.  So unless the Sox have designs on Cespedes (doubtful), then I guess they'll platoon Sweeney (and Ryan Ludwick or Andruw Jones or Cody Ross) until Kalish is ready.

So on balance, it looks like a decent trade given that the Sox seem to want to spend $ on starting pitching and not closing?  Bailey's health is the key.

So Bailey replaces Paps as closer
Melancon replaces Bard as main setup man
Bard replaces Daisuke as #5 starter
? replaces Lackey as #4 starter

That's where we're at.  Are the Sox better?  I won't miss Lackey, but it's not clear.  I guess given the constraints of what the Sox want to do budgetwise, Ben is doing as well as he can.