Toronto poised for success

Rumors: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/features/rumors?addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Lack of options for John Lackey
Keith Law: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove09/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=4647444&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">The top 50 free agents
Olney: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4684891&name=olney_buster&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Miguel Cabrera market
KEG: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4481536&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Early 2010 look-aheads

Updated: February 10, 2004, 9:59 AM ET

The comparisons between the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots are inevitable.

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By By Jim Baker
MLB Insider

Toward the end of the Pudge Rodriguez-to-the-Tigers saga, we at MLB Insider began to openly pity the poor Detroit writers. Day-after-day, the story was the same: will he or won't he? It's beginning to get that way in Chicago regarding Greg Maddux and the ink-stained wretches are getting restless. Mike Kiley of the Sun-Times says it's time for action

Meanwhile, his colleague Rick Telander takes a stroll down painful memory lane. He fondly recalls Maddux's first stint with the Cubs and wonders "what if?" What if Chicago hadn't let Maddux slip away to the Braves for 13 straight first-place finishes and another handful of Cy Young Awards? What would have been the team's fortunes then?

Beware the Blue Jays! So opines Ken Fidlin of the Toronto Star. He writes that the Jay are ready to pounce should the Yankees and/or Red Sox fall down on the job in 2004. Beyond that, they are loaded for bear for 2005 and 2006.

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