It became official just before midnight on Wednesday night as the NY Yankees won their 27th World Series title...the Red Sox off-season is officially underway.

We'll have plenty of time to get into everything. Theo Epstein was pretty good in talking with us at Josh Beckett's Boston Children's Hospital Champions dinner Tuesday night(and by the way, kudos for Josh and all the remarkable work he's done in a short period of time with Children's Hospital). Theo briefly tough upon Jason Bay and said what we all thought. That this a process and now has to play itself out. In other words, Theo and Jason want to see what the market bears for Bay.

Meanwhile, before we get to all that...I'd like to say "congrats" to the NY Yankees. Job well done. Under the usual Yankee stress, they were able to pull of a win. Yes, they spent a great deal of money in the off-season, but they still had to go out and perform. And they did.

The thing that strikes me about the Yankees is their core group that has been there for such a long time. I love that. Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera. Amazing to watch that group of players as they drive others around them to excel. I love and respect the heck out of that. Always have. And if I had to put in order the Yankees that I respect the most? Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte, Damon. Just good ballplayers that find a way to get the job done.

Five World Series titles for the 4 Yankee mainstays spread out over 14 seasons. Amazing.

Now, I look at the Red Sox and I hope we see the core of players that are there now stay together for a long time. They are those same type of players that the Yankees have had.

Pedroia, Youkilis, Ellsbury, Lester, Papelbon, Ortiz, Wakefield, etc....

I know the last two are a bit different as they are getting older. However, they play the game the right way. They care about winning, respecting the game and their teammates. Add Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and a few others to that list as well.

But, it's Pedroia, Youkilis, Lester, Papelbon, and Ellsbury that can lead this team for many years to come. The yound guys that are just now in their prime. I hear people ripping Papelbon and don't understand it. He's been ridiculous in a Sox uniform and should be here for a long time.

We just watched the Yankees pull off another crown...perhaps the Sox core can do the same several times over the next few years.

It would be fun to watch.