But Ramirez also flourished with the Marlins

It will be very interesting to see how good Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford do when they enter the NFL next year. . The Boston Red Sox traded one of their top prospects, shortstop Hanley Ramirez , to the Florida Marlins during the 2005 offseason.In the deal, Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell came to Beantown, and both produced for the Red Sox.They helped bring the franchise a championship in 2007.But Ramirez also flourished with the Marlins.He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2006 by hitting 17 homers, 46 doubles, 11 triples, while driving in 59, swiping 51 bases, and scoring 119 runs.The following season, he had 29 homers, 48 doubles, 212 hits, 81 RBI, and hit .332 with a .386 on-base percentage. In response to his departure, they expressed interest in free agent Marco Scutaro. They also spoke to the Arizona Diamondbacks about the availability of Stephen Drew.Evidently tired of searching for average shortstops, they have turned their attention to the 25-year-old Ramirez.Their former top prospect is due nearly $50 million over the next five years, relatively inexpensive given his talent-level.But the Marlins, with a payroll well under $30 million, simply may not be able to afford to hand out that kind of cash.This is where the Red Sox come in.In need of a shortstop, they are a franchise that can easily dole out millions upon millions...just like candy. They contacted the Marlins, and the porous franchise apparently listened intently.Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes that "the Red Sox are reportedly engaged in talks with Florida about reacquiring the All-Star shortstop."This is music to my ears.Ramirez is only 25 and he is the best shortstop in baseball.He would sure-up a hole that’s been gaping since Nomar Garciaparra left in 2004, and bolster an already formidable lineup.Can you imagine a Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, and Ramirez threesome atop the Boston lineupTo make this happen, the Red Sox would have to give up major league-ready talent, which means starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, and a few of their top prospects most likely three in a group consisting of shortstop/pitcher Casey Kelly, pitchers Michael Bowden and Daniel Bard, and outfielders Ryan Westmoreland and Josh Reddick.The package would have to be pretty overwhelming, and would presumably deplete their farm, but if they could somehow get the Marlins to take Kelly, Bowden, Westmoreland, and another prospect not named Reddick, Bard, or Buchholz, I would pull the trigger.Ramirez is a rare talent with power, speed, and plate discipline.The Red Sox have players with power, speed, and plate discipline, but not one with all three attributes.Their roster is old, which could keep their management from giving up an array of touted prospects, but Ramirez’s youth and talent would help them in the short term and, given they would still have plenty of players roaming on the farm, allow the Red Sox to stay extremely competitive longterm.Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein and Owner John Henry watched arch rival New York win the World Series.This offseason, they have sought out to improve in order to overtake the Yankees.They want to celebrate next year just as New York did this year.Hanley Ramirez could help them achieve their goal. This article is also featured on Swamigp's Sports Blog.

(Updates with information on solar equipment company stocks,paragraphs 11-16) Stocks By Jasmin Melvin WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Proponents of alternativeenergy and energy efficiency were elated on Thursday byPresident-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus speech, butsome analysts warned his energy agenda could hit turbulence inCongress or from the slow economy. Boone Pickens said Obama's planwould help kickstart the slow economy. "Investing in alternative energy, focusing on conservationand rebuilding our power grid to deliver that energy to everycorner of our country are critical components of this effort,"Pickens said in a statement. "President-elect Obama's prescriptions will address thetwin challenges of an ailing economy and the threat of globalwarming," the League of Conservation Voters said. Some analysts questioned Obama's ability to boost spendingon higher-cost renewable fuels during a recession. "It will be more difficult to meet the alternative fuelgoals if oil prices keep falling and we are in a recession,"said Phil Flynn, oil analyst with Alaron Trading in Chicago.

It will take political finesse to implement the plan, saidTim Evans, an energy analyst at Citigroup in New York. "All of the details of whatever policy he wants will beheavily negotiated in the legislative arena," Evans said. SOLAR EQUIPMENT STOCKS SOAR ON SPEECH Solar stocks climbed after Obama said his economic recoveryplan would result in more jobs building solar panels. First Solar Inc (FSLR.O) rose 4.6 percent to $155.36, LDKSolar (LDK.N) closed 5.2 percent higher at $14.50, and SunTechPower (STP.N) was up 6.3 percent at $12.75. The solar industry is ready to create jobs as soon asfunding from the stimulus plan comes through in hard-hitmanufacturing areas like Ohio and Michigan, said Rhone Resch,president of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

"The reality is what President-elect Obama is talking aboutare policies and incentives that will create jobs in all 50states," Resch told Reuters Not everyone cheered Obama's plan. Private companies coulduse domestic energy resources like oil and coal to create jobswithout the hefty price tag for taxpayers, said Thomas Pyle ofthe Institute for Energy Research, in a statement. "The road to economic recovery will be paved with privatesector investment, not government-sponsored asphalt," he said. (Reporting by Jasmin Melvin; additional reporting by RobertGibbons and Joshua Schneyer in New York) Stocks. Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo has come a long way. He used to be an assistant coach under one Jud Heathcoate, a coach who was victorious in the infamous 1979 NCAA championship game in which Earvin Magic Johnson defeated Indiana States Larry Bird. After seeing the nuances of the game in a different light, Izzo became Heathcoates successor.