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Perrotto's Latest: Red Sox, Mets, Burnett, Blalock

By Steve Adams [October 26, 2008 at 1:48pm CST]

John Perrotto over at Baseball Prospectus has his weekly column up... let's take a look at what he has to say:

Couple of notes about the Red Sox: Perrotto expects Theo Epstein to re-sign Jason Varitek to a two-year deal in the $16MM range. This seems like drastically overpaying for what Varitek has become, in my opinion, but as Perrotto points out, there's very little on the free agent market. Epstein will then look to trade for a young catcher who can become the starter in 2010 or 2011. Additionally, he'll try to move Mike Lowell to open up a spot for either Mark Teixeira or Garrett Atkins, but that won't be an easy task most likely. On a Manny-related note, Terry Francona said the last couple months of 2008 were the "most fun he's ever had" in Boston, calling them "tremendous." He didn't mention Manny specifically, but does he really have to?
Perrotto says the Mets have decided to pass on Francisco Rodriguez, and will instead pursue Brian Fuentes, as well as Derek Lowe. The Red Sox may also make a strong pitch for Lowe.
The Padres will likely take some gambles on rehabbing pitchers for 2009. Perrotto lists Mark Mulder, Matt Clement, and Mark Prior as candidates.
Toronto's interim president Paul Beeston is making A.J. Burnett the organization's top priority, and Perrotto feels that Burnett wants to stay. Personally, I'm in the other camp and see Burnett opting out and cashing in on a big payday.
The Rangers will almost certainly pick up Hank Blalock's $6.2MM option for 2009.

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Comments

I've been saying it..Give Fuentes 3 years Mets. Give Lowe 2 or 3 years also and re-sign Perez for 4 or 5 years. Forget Manny now and let Daniel Murphy play LF with Evans. Sign Orlando Hudson for a few years to play 2nd base and trade Luis Castillo for 2 or 3 relievers

Posted by: StevezMets2009 | October 26, 2008 at 02:05 PM

Lowe and Fuentes will be getting 4 year deals each. Luis Castillo will get you 1 reliever, maybe 2. Not a chance at 3. The 2 you will get will not be great either because Castillo batted .245 last year and he's played over 135 games 1 year in the past 4 years. The number of games he's been playing in have been going down along with his average and OBP. Castillo is a bad player, and will get you nothing. I'd ask for a prospect or 2 in a trade.

Posted by: Arod188 | October 26, 2008 at 02:20 PM

"trade Luis Castillo for 2 or 3 relievers"

As long as you don't mind no name AAA relievers who were about to be released...

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | October 26, 2008 at 02:21 PM

1. Lowe won't come on 2-3 years.

2. The Mets won't get Lowe, Perez, Fuentes, AND Hudson. Fuentes won't fix the bullpen, as it has been stated 93859385 times on this site.

3. Why can't Murphy play 2nd? Sign a good super-sub/bench player to back up and act as a defensive sub, and give Murphy the reins? Why trust an injury prone player?

4. Why not Manny? Extra slugging in LF would be nice

Posted by: melonis rex | October 26, 2008 at 02:21 PM

your out of your mind if you think your gonna get 2 or 3 relievers for castillo. your not gonna get 1 decent one, nevermind several

Posted by: theMATTador | October 26, 2008 at 02:24 PM

StevezMets2009

So basically your solution is to sign the #1 or #2 free agent in all of your positions of need? HOLY CRAP, someone call Omar Minaya and tell him that we've found his long lost illegitimate son.

Hurry and sign those free agents before they realize that the deals you're offering them suck or before other teams get it in their head that they have the right to competitively bid too.

Keep going kid, you have a bright future in this league!

Posted by: TheChairman | October 26, 2008 at 02:31 PM

StevezMets2009 has really inspired me. Here's my Angels outlook for 2009.

Sign Dunn/Sabbathia/Tex for 1 year deals at $5m/year. Have club renewable options that extend forever at $5m/year.

Trade GMJ to the Giants for both Lincecum and Cain. Have the Giants pick up all of Matt Cains remaining contract.

Contact the Cards about Albert Pujols. Maybe a deal built around Justin Speir would work.

Reach out to the Brewers about Ryan Braun and JJ Hardy. We would be willing to give up Aybar/Izturis/Willits.

That would leave my Angels with a lineup of:

Dunn (DH)
Tex (3B)
Pujols (1B)
Braun (LF)
Guerrero (RF)
Hardy (SS)
Hunter (CF)
Napoli (C)
Kendrick (2B)

We still would have Figgins on the bench to come in a sub for anyone.

Our rotation would then be:

Sabbathia
Lackey
Lincecum
Cain
Santana

That would leave All-Star starters Saunders and Escobar available in case of emergencies.

This would be a good team.

Posted by: bjsguess | October 26, 2008 at 02:42 PM

bjsguess, that's just absolutely ridiculous... we both know Manny will make a better DH than Dunn and you should trade Wood for Peavy, but make sure the Pads pick up the bill.

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | October 26, 2008 at 02:49 PM

I don't subscribe to BP so I can't read the full article. Does he cite where the "Epstein will try to move Lowell to make room" information comes from?

Posted by: Aaron | October 26, 2008 at 02:56 PM

this would also be a good place to get more info on that "no trade clause" thats been mentioned in previous lowell topics as well.

Posted by: elmedius | October 26, 2008 at 03:19 PM

Lowell has according to Cots 'no trade protection' - not a no trade clause.

Knowing how the Red Sox work regarding trade protection (against it) and looking and Drews contract as a guide, Drew can block trades to about two teams, I would guess Lowell can block trades to no more than 6 teams, and odds are those 6 teams would be teams wouldn't be in on Lowell anyway.

Posted by: quintjs | October 26, 2008 at 04:19 PM

bjsguess yeah right rediculous team there.. Sorry i ment to say trade Castillo for 1 or 2 relievers.Even if there minor leaguers boy would i love to have Chad Bradford back. Omar i think will go after Perez and Lowe maybe. I think he'll persue Fuentes aggresively hes just as good as K-ROD and could be had for cheaper. Omar even said he like to add Hudson to this team. Melonis Rex The Mets wont go for Manny becuase he wants 2 many years and he'll cost way 2 much money.

Posted by: StevezMets2009 | October 26, 2008 at 04:28 PM

I'm thinking about trading Melky for Longoria, Pena, Shields, Garza, and Upton. Think the Rays would do that?

Posted by: Jeteristheman | October 26, 2008 at 04:36 PM

Like i stated earlier the Mets should add Lowe and Fuentes both are upgrades to this team in needed positions... but if Minaya feels that these moves are the only moves needed to make this team a contender then he would fail as GM once again... In order to address the Mets they need 2 starting pitchers... maybe 3 (a reclamation project who will come on the cheap add depth and work in the pen here and there) 2 solid bullpen arms Fuentes and Affeldt come to mind both valuable lefties...nd leave Evans/FA signing (Juan Rivera) in LF while trying to ship Castillo for whatever you can get and moving Murphy to 2B...

Posted by: BaseballFanatic40 | October 26, 2008 at 05:25 PM

Signing Lowe makes sense for the sox. He's reportedly interested in coming back to Boston, not that it'd significantly lower his price.

Wakefield is gone after next year, Bowden is still only 22 and Buchholz has struggled. Lowe would round out an impressive 1-4.

Posted by: Kenan and Kel | October 26, 2008 at 05:34 PM

A rotation of Santana,Lowe,Maine,Pelfrey,Niese/Parnell sounds pretty good. Colon or Freddy Garcia could be used as insurance for the fifth spot.

Also a bullpen of Fuentes,Feliciano,(sign)Beimel,Smith,Sanchez,Stokes and (sign) Ayala is an improvement.

Trade away Schoenweis, Heilman and stay away from Ollie.

Posted by: shaddix | October 26, 2008 at 06:58 PM

The Mets will either spend alot of money this off season or very little or none.

Posted by: StevezMets2009 | October 26, 2008 at 08:40 PM

"StevezMets2009 has really inspired me. Here's my Angels outlook for 2009.

Sign Dunn/Sabbathia/Tex for 1 year deals at $5m/year. Have club renewable options that extend forever at $5m/year.

Trade GMJ to the Giants for both Lincecum and Cain. Have the Giants pick up all of Matt Cains remaining contract.

Contact the Cards about Albert Pujols. Maybe a deal built around Justin Speir would work.

Reach out to the Brewers about Ryan Braun and JJ Hardy. We would be willing to give up Aybar/Izturis/Willits.

That would leave my Angels with a lineup of:

Dunn (DH)
Tex (3B)
Pujols (1B)
Braun (LF)
Guerrero (RF)
Hardy (SS)
Hunter (CF)
Napoli (C)
Kendrick (2B)

We still would have Figgins on the bench to come in a sub for anyone.

Our rotation would then be:

Sabbathia
Lackey
Lincecum
Cain
Santana

That would leave All-Star starters Saunders and Escobar available in case of emergencies.

This would be a good team."

bjsguess:

tex is no good at 3rd.. u should trade him to the yanks for arod and joba..
god what r u thinking..

Posted by: GoSoX | October 26, 2008 at 09:29 PM

"Forget Manny now and let Daniel Murphy play LF with Evans. Sign Orlando Hudson for a few years to play 2nd base and trade Luis Castillo for 2 or 3 relievers"

Murphy is a 3B and Evans is a 1B. Neither will have any playing time in the OF in 09. Unless Minaya signs Alou to another contract. Manny is probably the best bet for the Mets on a short term deal while FMart gets ready. I dont think most teams would trade a third string catcher for Castillo, even though I think the Mets should trade him away and in order to do that they would have to eat some contract and accept pretty much nothing.

Posted by: shaddix | October 26, 2008 at 09:52 PM

Varitek is washed up. Off point, but it was ridiculous that Francona made him a part of the AL All-Star team this year. If Epstein has half a brain he will try and engineer a trade with the Giants for Benjie Molina.

Posted by: spliff(TONE) | October 27, 2008 at 05:47 AM

To: bjsguess

Sorry bjsguess but this isn't a video game. There is no way in hell the Angels get all of these guys(Texeria, Hardy, Sabathia, and BRAUN, Cain, Pujols, and Tim Lincecum) Sorry, I had to comment on that. IT WAS JUST TO STUPID TO EVEN THINK ABOUT

Posted by: redsoxbaseball | October 27, 2008 at 03:57 PM

To: bjsguess

You are joking right?
(Texeria, Hardy, Sabathia, and Braun, Cain, Pujols, and Tim Lincecum)

Is this for your fantasy team or what?

If you were a Steinbrenner it may make sense. Maybe with this team they might even beat the Sox for the AL title...Tex will be in Boston he wants to win now he knows the Sox will get him there. (Angels, Yanks possibility)

Posted by: BoSoxFanatic | October 27, 2008 at 07:31 PM

I think bjsguess was being sarcastic in reference to stevemets2009 comments on the top of of the page.

Posted by: shaddix | October 27, 2008 at 10:02 PM

I wonder if the Red Sox are playing with fire continually looking to deal players that signed below market deals.

Posted by: walkoffblast | October 28, 2008 at 12:05 AM

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Perrotto's Latest: Red Sox, Mets, Burnett, Blalock

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