Gammons' Latest: Red Sox, Washburn, DeRosa

Perez, Motte and Brett Wallace are untouchable in St. L. Ownership has said "We're gonna build from within and not give a bunch of money to a FA." if they trade away one of those three for a rental there would be mutiny. a few months of Penny or Derosa definitly isn't enough.

1-- Mark DeRosa =/= outfield bat. His bat is merely average in the OF; his primary skill is versatility in the infield.

2-- Something tells me Mozeliak doesn't have half the aggression Jocketty had. Right now, with the Cubs floundering and the Brewers not too strong a team, is the best time for the Cards to add a knockout punch and win the division.

I think it could be interesting if Theo uses Penny to upgrade a prospect. Obviously we're not getting a guy of that caliber for Penny alone, but if we used Penny and perhaps Bowden to get an elite prospect maybe a team desperate for pitching would do that. Too bad none of the Phillies' prospects are uite at the level of Smoak and Laporta.

I'd agree bobmac - but he's consistently finishing 6 IP, which is solid for a team that needs help (and good for a 3-5 spot starter)

That and hes flirting around 94-97, hes using both sides of the plate, etc.

If I was Epstein - you signed this guy to a low risk contract and you have a chance to pull a potential 1/2 level prospect? I'd be grinning while signing off on that deal

I was with you Atobe the entire way, except when you said the Mets would have the worst OF in baseball. I may be biased, but any outfield with Carlos Betlran could never be considered the worst. I agree that Sheffild coming around was lucky, but Church is underated and Beltran is one of the best there is.

"Ryan Church who was an average OF (at best) last year and happened to miss 70 games last year in his oft-injured short career"

yeah ryan church was hitting .311 with 9 hr's and leading the team in rbi's, and from watching the mets last year, he was their best player until he got hurt. He also has very good range and a cannon of an arm.

Boston enjoy getting nothing for Penny cause your on crack thinking you can get Smoak for him.

Ryan Church finished last year with a .785 OPS. While his pre ASB numbers were solid, you have to be a fool to think he could do that over a full season because he never has. He has never had more than 15 HR in a season, and only has ONE season in his career with more than 320 AB's, where he put up a .813 OPS. He's not amazing with the glove either he has a -0.3 UZR this year. He is basically the definition of average.

I don't think the Cards should trade either of those guys either...not for a half year rental.

And as bad as you say the Cubs are "floundering", they are 2.5 games behind the cards, the reds are 2 games, and the Brewers are actually ahead of them. Yes, the Cards have played the best baseball a third of the way into the year, but lets not all act like a Mark DeRosa would be the knockout punch that wins them the division. It probably ensures that they don't fall out of contention, but it certainly doesn't give them the division.

So the Penny posturing continues. Red Sox want everyone to believe that they are happy to go with 6 and let Buchholz languish in AAA with his .75 WHIP

As soon as Smoltz comes back looking right, they will definitely move Penny IMO. He has no value out of the pen (especially in their ridiculous pen), and even if Dice K has to go to DL then they are still covered between Buch and Smoltz, with Bowden waiting in AAA

Why keep Penny, have him miss out on the playoff rotation and then let him walk with no comp? For all the tough talk now, I think they definitely still want to move him.

Maybe John Mayberry Jr could be of interest in a deal, who is doing well in his showcase in Philly. He can do a lot of the same things Spilborghs can

just writing, "unless someone comes up with a smoak, laporta, or wallace (for penny)," is ridiculous. penny is fine, but he has the straightest fastball of anyone not named kyle farnsworth, and zips likes him for an ERA of around 5 the rest of the season. what is it about guys putting on the red sox uniform that instantly makes them overrated? yes i know they don't think they can get an A prospect for him, but put him in a pirate uniform and things are different.

A more fair fetch might be delcarmen for Izturis. I believe they are close in age and length under team control. Mighty Macier can pretty much play all over the diamond and hits for more power than you would expect.

BK: Lowrie is coming back soon and we have plenty of time to evaluate him. Unless he craps the bed upon his return, we don't have an issue with our middle infield.

Even in that case, i'd think we'd be targeting a better player than Izturis. If Lowrie struggles we can't afford to keep marching Lugo and Green out there (Greens done well but it still feels like he's performing above his ability) and Izturis is just adding one more fringe starter to the mix (his defense isn't good enough to justify how weak of a bat he has).

What do people think about Parnell for Penny as Mets do need a SP. I know Boston's pen is already loaded but this would allow them to trade Saito and conyinue hoarding young under team control relievers with power arms. Paps, Delcarmen, Masterson, Ramirez, and Bard all throw at least 95 mph and all are under team control through 2011. Adding Parnell to that list would be a luxury but it is value that counts!

Wakefield has a career postseason ERA of 6.75 over 72 innings. The only post-season he did well was 2003.

Barring a complete collapse from Penny (which is possible given his history in the second half, but it's also worth considering that he's been raving about the Red Sox conditioning program), I'm more comfortable giving Penny the post-season start than Wakefield.

Beyond that Penny isn't pitching like a good 4/5. Maybe his numbers on the year as a whole would suggest back of the rotation, but giving equal weight to his April performance and his performance of late is just illogical. He's posted a 3.71 ERA since April. That's at least in line with an average to good #3, if not a fringe #2.

Bedard just had a clear MRI with no problems. He's scheduled to make a start in the upcoming week, or the week after against the Yankees, I believe.

There is plenty of time for him to reestablish his name as the top pitcher on the FA market.

"A more fair fetch might be delcarmen for Izturis. I believe they are close in age and length under team control. "

So close in age is the criteria now? Why not trade Jered Weaver for Hunter Jones while we're at it?

The Sox might trade Delcarmen, but it won't be for a utility INF like Macier Izturis.

"What do people think about Parnell for Penny as Mets do need a SP."

Because after the past two seasons the Mets are too weary to give up their best relieving prospect, especially on a team notorious for their (lack of) bullpen.

Plus, their main priority is getting a stable OF first.

"Among the contending teams in need of pitching, someone will blink. And when that happens, the Red Sox will nab their 1st or 3rd baseman of the future."

At this point I have to believe it will be Texas that blinks. They're looking over their shoulders watching their lead dwindle to nothing. And unless the Yankees do a total nosedive, Texas isn't making the wildcard. They have to take the division or go home.

Sure if Epstein can get something good for Penny or Saito or Delcarmen he could make the trade. But the Sox like having too much good pitching. Penny might be here for the rest of 2009 and 2010 and beyond. Wakefield and Smoltz are the ones who might not be around long term - due to age. Epstein would love to have too much pitching next year, again.

As a Red Sox fan - I remember watching last year and thinking how INCREDIBLY lucking Dice-K was.

First thing - he worked out of a lot of jams. This was incredible, because he would walk something like 5 batters per 9 IP.

The thing that scared me going into this season was that (and this is just from observation and not fact) he had a scary fly ball ratio and a LOT of this balls were hit right at a fielder.

If you change some of this line drives a couple of feet left or right, you're looking at his BAA going from .212 to maybe around .250.

This year, EVERY pitch is getting hit. The other day Youkilis made a great play in the first inning that could have easily made the game go from 2-0 with 2 outs to 4-0 with 1 out and men on second and third.

He was REALLY lucky. He's not 'too good'

"Amazing at how many people think that they can get a top 8th inning, or possible closer like Delcarmen with 3 years left under club control, for garbage like Macier Izturis."

Agreed, and any attempt to propose a rumor for their 8th inning guys turns into them rattling off the Sox BA Top 10 list as the minimal return.

As for Delcarmen, I wouldn't be surprised if he was dealt after the season in a deal centered around, say Kelly Shoppach.

To me, that wouldbe intriguing. Delcarmen is basically the same pitcher as Ramirez, whom the Sox acquired for Coco Crisp. The Sox traded away Shoppach to get Crisp. Hard to say MLB GMs don't value these guys as equals when they deal them all for the same guy....

"angels fans, would a saito and kottaras and a B prospect for Mike Napoli work for you guys?

Posted by: fgsfsfbbbrd | June 21, 2009 at 12:41 AM"

I can speak for Angels fans and say NO.

lock,

how do you get that from what I said? I simply was trying to rein in RSD who many Red Sox fans admit is a bit over the top.

Lately he does labor to get through the 5th inning. And he did do horrible last year in the NL West which everyone knows has little to no offense the last two or three years.

You can certainly disagree with me but to say that nothing I say is intelligent because it doesn't represent your views is a little narrow minded.

oh and BTW, Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there including Tim a first time father to be.

Oh crap there goes your theory about Phils fans not being classy like the team.

classy to the end RSD as always. Guess that's why your reputation around here is SOO STELLAR.