Happy Holidays from Theo and the minions

In something that was long overdue, the Boston Red Sox finally made a big move.

They acquired San Diego Padres superstar first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in a trade. The Padres receive three highly-rated Red Sox prospects: pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes.

There will reportedly be another player to be named later in the deal going to San Diego.

Wow, you have to love this move if you care at all about the Red Sox. After a terrible season in 2010 following a terrible off-season, they needed to show their fans and the region that they still care about putting a true contender on the field.

All the nickel and dimeing they've done in the last year plus is quickly forgotten now that they have an affordable, left-handed, 3-time All-Star who is just starting to be in the prime of his career at 28.

Last season in San Diego (at Petco Park, one of MLB's toughest hitter parks) with no protection around him in an awful lineup, he hit .298 with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs. He finished fifth in the National League in OBP (.393), ninth in slugging (.511) and first in hitting with runners in scoring position (.407).

He received 35 intentional walks, second only to Albert Pujols. If that's not enough he's a two-time Gold Glover at first base meaning Kevin Youkilis will slide back to third base (and Adrian Beltre is probably gone).

He's hit 30+ home runs the last four seasons with 99+ RBIs in each one of them.

This is the biggest move the Red Sox have made since they acquired Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell from the Florida Marlins in 2005 for Hanley Ramirez and other prospects.

If they couple this with the signing of either outfielders Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, the Red Sox will put themselves right back at the top of the American League East and all of baseball. This is a hell of a start.