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By Mark Polishuk | at
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Randall
If the Red Sox were willing to deal from their major league OF depth (Jackie Bradley Jr, Yoenis Cespedes, Allen Craig, Daniel Nava, Shane Victorino etc.) could there be a match here?
Richard Hood
Could there be a match? Maybe. But Boston has been vocal about keeping their young pitching to control costs. That plan may change pretty quickly if they get some value on trades but right I would say no.
VAR
The Red Sox have a ton of young pitching. They cannot keep it all. They presumable need a number one and a number two starter as that is what they traded at the deadline this year. That leaves Buchholz as a number 3, Kelly as a number 4 and one spot open for De La Rosa, Workman, Ranaudo, Barnes, Webster, or Wright. That leaves Owens, Johnson and Rodriguez to spend the year at AAA and most likely be ready some time next year or in 2016. All of the guys competing for the fifth spot in the rotation next year are at the point where they are either ready to take the next step or be relegated to the bullpen or AAA. You can’t keep them all, particularly with the Rule 5 coming up. Some of them have to be moved.
Flash Gordon
Bullpen helps keep most of them.
Flash Gordon
I’m not opposed to trading them. I’m opposed to giving them away while holding onto a Weeks or something of that nature.
VAR
Not really. You’re not going to put all five of them in the bullpen. Layne looks like he’ll be in the pen next season, Tazawa’s still team property, Mujica’s signed for another season, that’s half the bullpen right there. If they bring back Koji that only leave two openings, one of which should be for a lefty. So out of the five guys that will not be the number five starter that leaves spots for 2 or 3 in the bullpen (if they don’t resign Koji). No one is endorsing giving players away. We’re talking about packaging a few. and some position prospects in a deal for a legitimate major league starter. And the guys they have to find spots for next year are just the tip of the iceberg, because the real prospects are the three that are playing in AAA next year, Owens, Rodriguez and to a lesser extent Johnson.
Flash Gordon
I know a couple of them are going to be exposed. I certainly want to keep De La Rosa for now. I’m not sure of how I would even prioritize Workman, Barnes, Ranaudo, Webster. I live up in Maine and saw a lot of Johnson and Owens this year and both were excellent. I actually like Johnson’s advanced feel for the game even if he does not have the same “stuff” as Owens. He has excellent command and I am curious how that will translate to AAA and eventually the big leagues.
VAR
None of them in particular will be exposed. They are already on the 40 man roster. The marginal guys in the minors like Travis Shaw, Henry Ramos, who have played professional baseball for four years already and were drafted at 19 or older and guys who have played for 5 years or longer and were drafted at 18 who aren’t on the 40 man roster. Either they make a trade of several prospects for one player or they lose players. But the main concern is there is no point in holding onto all this talent if you’re not going to use it. They have too many young pitchers to use all of them.
Flash Gordon
Agreed, they have to many young arms, I just hope they get included in a deal that brings the Sox back some value. How the 40 man roster works out depends on the rules you put forth. I see them adding Swiihart, Coyle, De La Cruz and Eduardo Rodriguez as they all need to be protected by November 20th. They may look to add Shaw as well.
Stonehands
Didn’t you and I have this debate at the trade deadline and you were opposed to acquiring both a number 1 and 2?
Jim Johnson
Boston is probably a match, but I don’t see how from their OF depth. Bradley is a bust, Craig is a reclamation project, and guys like Cespedes and Victorino have one year left, like the pitchers mentioned in the article, and cost about as much, so the Reds wouldn’t really be saving anything by acquiring them. Sox are going to have to dip into the minors.
ChrisSabo17
Craig hasn’t hit his body weight this year, Victorino is old and slowing rapidly, Cespedes is a free agent after next year, Nave solid player not a impact player, and Bradley has yet to show it in the bigs. I don’t like any of those players not for Latos or Cueto. Maybe Bradley and another prospect for Cueto and Phillips contract. I know you have a 2nd basemen in Dustin P. but the sox could move him for a prospect and eat that contract.
Stonehands
Red Sox could be a match, but it would mean mortgaging off several pieces from the upper minors. If Latos/Cueto was my target, it would most likely take Betts and Workman/Ranaudo/Webster. But if Boston want to keep the big 3 they have in tact, it will probably cost JBJ, 2 of the starters we have in the upper minors/majors and a flier prospect or 2… Both of those are hefty prices but if it means competing next year I would do it in a heartbeat
Flash Gordon
It better be Cueto and not Latos if the offer is Betts.
Portland Micro-Brewers
Because Sox prospects are such sure things that they never bust and their blocked 2nd baseman is worth more than a 26 year old 6 foot 6 front of the rotation work horse.
Flash Gordon
No, that’s not it at all. It’s because Betts has succeeded at every levels with great peripherals like K/BB ratio along the way. It’s been more of the same in nearly 50 games and 200 plate appearances in the big leagues. He looks more like one of the better players on the team as both his offense and defense have graded out well in the big leagues. I hope they do not trade him for Cueto or Latos to be honest. 6 years of cost controlled Betts is better than 1-2 years of Latos or Cueto. The Sox have the money to spend for pitching on the free agent market. Why trade Betts?
peregrintook69
Agreed, Betts is pretty valuable and although Pedroia is at second there is a TON of value in Betts being the next Zobrist. There was a fangraphs article recently on this issue and truthfully I would make Betts untradable at this point and explore the pitching market like Cueto, Latos, and more.
Flash Gordon
I totally agree. I may be a Red Sox fan and I have been extremely vocal about not trading Betts. I read the Cameron article and he raised a number of good points. I just think he is cost controlled with a bright future as a leadoff hitter. I think he might even be able to produce a little more offensive value if he attacks within the zone a little more. Trading him for one year of Lagos or Cuetto makes very little sense to me.
123redsox
Craig, Brentz, Coyle, Swiihart for Cueto……. done deal if im Cherington. With Nava showing he is the same player he was last year (since being recalled) and Victorino coming back and Betts surly going to play RF, Craig wouldnt be seeing much time their and he would just be taking time away from Napoli at 1st and Cespedes in LF. Craig could be that middle of the order bat to play LF for the reds. Brentz is a 25 year old with loads of power and a great arm who may just need an opportunity to play. An opportunity, he wont get in a crowded boston OF. Coyle is slowly becoming one of the top young infield prospects around and well, Swiihart is a young catcher with tremendous upside
slasher016 2
Offensively SS is a major problem, but Cozart is one of the best in the league defensively. They can live with a light hitting elite defender in the 8 hole. What they really need is a left fielder with some pop.
First Bleed
Whatever happened to giving Billy Hamilton the reins at SS? He was basically a career minor league SS and only switched to CF right before the majors, just to get him in the lineup. I think they have to at least look at that as an option but then CF is a hole again. Give/Take.
Aaron Stahl 2
He is much more of a weapon in CF, have you seen the amount of field he can cover?
Flash Gordon
His best defensive seasons are ahead of him should he stay healthy, decent arm, incredible speed. I think he can maintain those skills while his instincts and situational skills improve.
peregrintook69
He’s crazy good in CF, and moving him to SS may not be wise (I’m not sure of his reputation there though). The thing you are worried with him though is hitting. The defensive value can only do so much when his hitting is as bad as it was in the second half.
JMO 3
Reds need a LF with power. Yasmani Tomas should be target #1. Cozart is one of the best defensive SS in baseball, he’s fine in the 8 hole. The keys to the Reds will be HEALTH, Votto especially. Bruce and BP should bounce back in 2015.
Raúl Paz
Nice article, let’s see how it goes
docbot
Isn’t Colorado a tempting trade target. They have a glut of outfielders and no clear major league 2nd baseman. Maybe latosPhillipscash gets a starting outfielder and some high prospects?
DarthMurph
Latos alone is hardly worth a starting outfielder and high prospects.
docbot
Latos is far from driftwood. He is only 26 and his comparables through 25 y/o are: 1.Jake Peavy* (975), 2.Sid Fernandez (974), 3.Steve Busby (968), 4.Don Wilson (965), 5.Chad Billingsley (964), 6.Bob Welch* (963), 7.Yovani Gallardo (963), 8.Scott Sanderson (963), 9.Bill Gullickson (961), 10.Jim Nash (961). *s indicate CY awards.
The Oregonian
Cueto for one of the Cubs’ shortstops?
stl_cards16
I think the Cubs would only be interested if Cueto was willing to discuss an extension before the trade happened. That is possible, though.
peregrintook69
I would like this idea if the Cubs are confident in their team’s success in the near future. As mentioned an extension would almost assuredly have to be part of the trade so that the prospects can come up while he’s there.
bledrules
Straight up??
You’re dreaming,it will take a lot more than a shortstop to get one of the best pitchers in the league
Yamsi12
Angels would probably be in on one, if they had a farm system.
Charlie Burns
Well, they have some outfielders to trade, but the Angels really need to lose the anchor around their necks known as Josh Hamilton, and unfortunately, there is no way they can trade that contract.
Yamsi12
It’s amazing that Hamilton has done nothing of note this season, been “injured” the last few weeks and the halos have excelled.
peregrintook69
The contract looks bad, but there’s many anchors around their necks including CJ Wilson, Albert Pujols, and the aforementioned Hamilton. They haven’t succeeded much in contract talks except for Trout, which was basically guaranteed to be good as long as it got done.
stl_cards16
Reds are a very interesting team to watch this off-season. They are a contender next season as-is. But if they don’t trade some expiring contracts for younger pieces, their window pretty much closes after 2015. A big off-season for the future of the organization.
Flash Gordon
The Red Sox should be interested in Cuetto. Craig does not really fit for them since they already are paying Ludwig the next two years and have Heisey under cost control. I hate to give rid of Betts but if they would bite on Betts and one of Workman, Ranaudo, Barnes, Webster. Given 6 years of cost controlled Mookie Betts is Plenty fair for 2 years Cuetto. Especially when what is likely to be at least a useful pitcher on the cheap for the next few years is involved.
stl_cards16
Cueto is only under control one more season. Can’t picture the Sox giving up Betts for 1 year of Cueto with plenty of pitching options on the free-agent market.
peregrintook69
Every team would be biting on Betts after 2.0 bWAR/1.7 fWAR in ~1/3 of a season and his status as an every position player. I don’t know if I would be good to make a trade for the Dodgers, but I would work on making a package for him. I may even give up Pederson if I feel the stats and scouting reports are in favor of this.