Team as we know it is history

What is the price tag of a World Series champion? Why must there be a price on one of the most electrifying New England sports experiences of all time?

Easy. This is sports in the 21st century. Sentiments are nice, but it's all about business. Less than 48 hours after millions lined three-deep throughout the streets of Boston to honor their baseball heroes, those same heroes filed for free agency. The Red Sox have 16 players without contracts, including Ellis Burks, who is expected to retire. The players who could potentially walk include two of their top three pitchers, their starting catcher, their starting shortstop, their fireballing middle reliever, one of their lefthanded relief pitchers, and their key reserve outfielder.

You want the Red Sox to keep your band of "idiots" intact. You want to believe the Derek Lowe who pitched brilliantly in the postseason will be the same Derek Lowe who will show up for spring training 2005, focused and ready to win 20 games again. Your front office decided long ago that scenario is not a realistic one.

You want to believe that Varitek is as wise as you think he is. You want someone to wink and tell you all that posturing by agent Scott Boras is just a negotiating ploy, and that when it is all said and done, and Boras informs Varitek he's got a sweet long-term deal for him in Kansas City, the levelheaded catcher will tell his agent that even though it's not the best deal, the right deal is the one his Red Sox have offered him.

You don't want Pokey Reese to go, even though he made only a cameo in the thrilling postseason march. You can't get those dazzling throws he made when he filled in for Nomar what's-his-name earlier in the season out of your head. The thought of Cabrera leaving makes you nauseous, too. He was the symbol of the New Sox, the fleet-footed, defensive-minded Sox that won it all. So he wants $8 million or $9 million. C'mon, Mr. Henry, you can afford it.

Your reasoning is based on emotion. You want to keep these players who fulfilled your most ardent dreams together. You want these things for sentimental reasons. You should be grateful you are not general manager Theo Epstein, because emotions cannot enter into the equation.