The Red Sox want to trade Carl Everett, but who else wants him? He's going to making $16.9 million over the next two years. Based on his 2001 performance, he's not worth it. In fact, even based on his excellent 2000 campaign, it's a close call. But his difficult personality and tendency to get injured make it not worth the risk of taking on that much salary. Unless....

Unless the Red Sox would take another overpaid player in exchange. I'm not quite sure who that would be. Brian Jordan of the Braves? Not really worth it, because Everett has even less value if he does not play center field, and he won't displace Andruw in Atlanta. How about Darren Dreifort? He's overpaid. And he's a risk. Everett would be an upgrade in centerfield for the Dodgers. But I'm not quite sure if the Dodgers want to have a line-up with both Gary Sheffield and Carl Everett. And I don't know who the Red Sox would play in Everett's absence? Darren Lewis? Another possibility is Marvin Benard, if the Giants have the cash to take on Everett's salary. Seems reasonable to conclude that Everett will keep a lid on his outbursts playing for a manager like Dusty Baker. But is Marvin Benard an upgrade over Darren Lewis? Maybe. But he's surely not as good as Everett.

Because no one is going to give Boston a fair exchange of talent for Crazy Carl, I'm willing to predict that he will, in fact, be back in Boston in 2002. In a best case scenario for the Red Sox, Everett stays healthy mentally and physically until the end of July, at which point maybe they can find a team desparately in need of a CF for the stretch drive, willing to trade a few decent youngsters for the rights to Everett. (Note: I don't think a physically and mentally sound Carl is possible -- but, of course, if it were, that would be the best case for Boston.)