Can we finally lay these Julio Lugo rumors to rest?  According to the Boston Herald, the deal created in the minds of sportswriters might be dead:

Industry sources report that momentum for such a swap has slowed.  The possibility of a deal is now considered remote.

No word as to what may have killed whatever momentum the trade presumably had.  The headline of the Herald article says the Tigers lost interest in making such a deal, but the rest of the article doesn't detail why.  Was there any attempt by either side to complicate the deal with additional players or contract provisions?  

The idea of a challenge trade with Lugo's remaining $18 million of salary going to Detroit for either Dontrelle Willis's $22 million or Nate Robertson's $17 million seemed intriguing, as it would allow the Tigers and Red Sox to shed unwanted contracts.  But ultimately, neither team would seem to benefit in such an exchange. 

Could the Tigers get a better shortstop (at a cheaper price) than Lugo?  Could the Red Sox get a better starting pitcher than Willis or Robertson?  With the answer such an obvious yes for both sides, why make such a trade, if for no other reason than Dave Dombrowski and Theo Epstein said they made a deal this winter?

So what's next?  San Diego says they don't anticipate trading Khalil Greene now, though perhaps Kevin Towers is just waiting for the shortstop market to clear up.  There's also talk the Tigers could now be interested in Orlando Cabrera, though he doesn't seem to fit the short-term criteria they're looking for.