The Red Sox are mulling over options after losing Jacoby Ellsbury for an unknown amount of time with a sublexed right shoulder, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). He notes that it is tough to make an impact trade in April, so a lesser move is more likely. Earlier today Rosenthal speculated that guys like Scott Podsednik, Clete Thomas, and Brett Carroll could be fits.
As well, the Red Sox could enter into talks with the Cubs to acquire center fielder Marlon Byrd, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. The North Siders have been trying to trade Byrd "for months," Wittenmeyer reports, and the front offices remain relatively close due to the presence of former Boston executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer in Chicago.
With Ellsbury and Carl Crawford (wrist, elbow) on the shelf, the Red Sox will use Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, and Darnell McDonald as their primary outfield for the time being. Defensive specialist Che-Hsuan Lin has been called up to fill Ellsbury's spot, but he owns a .230/.322/.296 batting line in 402 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. Red Sox ownership indicated a willingness to add payroll under the right circumstances earlier this month, and an injury to the MVP runner-up likely qualifies.
Too bad Damon just got gobbled up.
that’s actually the good news here
“Gobbled up?” That seems to imply that there was an urgency to sign him as if he were a savory treat. I’d think of him more as a french fry that was found under the seat of a car or a bitter tasting medicine.
What about Marlon Byrd?
I could see someone like Byrd being an option if Ellsbury were going to be out long-term, but where they are talking 6-8 weeks I’m not really sure they’ll go out and get anyone. The options mentioned above aren’t any better than what they have, and options like Byrd and Crisp wouldn’t have any place to play once Ellsbury comes back (and they wont necessarily even be available before he comes back).
True, true. Good point
I can’t see any of those guys actually being an upgrade over what they have in the outfield already.
Exactly.. They are not.. Even Repco would probably serve them better than Pods and he is the best of the named lot.
They have it more or less covered and several of us went over it in the other top regarding Ells injury already.
Anyone who can even hit right-handed pitching a little bit is at least a viable platoon partner for McDonald.
If they’re looking for someone to play a corner outfield spot (whether it’s full time or platoon) they don’t need to look any further than they’re own farm system. What they need is someone who can cover CF every day (so they can move Ross back to RF and platoon Sweeney with McDonald).
Oh god, our outfield is disgusting now…
That’s “subluxed,” not “sublexed.”
Would there be any interest by Boston to trade 3B Middlebrooks and C Lavarnway for Ethier right now?
I figure now would be a good time to deal Ethier and get the 3B and C prospects we need.
probably not because Middlebrooks is slated to take over for Youkilis once he leaves after this season (The Sox won’t be signing him). Plus…the Red Sox are smart enough not to overpay for someone just because they’re desperate.
Oh, and Lavarnway is slated to replace Ortiz after this season. I could see one of those two in a deal but not both. Not sure what your first base situation looks like but you could have Youkilis considering he’s a good first basemen just can’t stay upright at third.
they won’t be resigning youkilis, but they will be exercising his 2013 club option
Okay, how about a Youkilis and Lavarnway for Ethier and a bullpen arm like Kenley Jansen?
Sox can promote Middlebrooks to play 3B and they get a power bat in Ethier and also a power reliever in Jansen to help out their thin bullpen.
look at this from the perspective of the Boston Red Sox. their CF just went down; they’re scrambling. Why would they give up two future stars in Middlebrooks and Lavarnway for a Free Agent to be LF playing in CF. They’re not dumb enough to pay out the nose right now. Ethier is someone I’d like in a Sox uniform but now is not the time to do it. and definitely not for Lavarnway AND Middlebrooks. That’s just insanity.
you’re jumping the gun on “future stars”
that said, i agree you don’t make that trade
how about “potential future stars”? sorry, I am just enthusiastic about what Lavarnway & Middlebrooks will do. Lavarnway is in the minors only to work on his catching, and Middlebrooks is their future at the hot corner. Youkilis–I still like the guy, when I met him he was courteous and signed a hat for my kid brother–but he’s missed an average of 30 games over the past few seasons, and it’s been a serious of odd injuries (thumb, sports hernia, etc) that have hobbled him. I don’t think he’ll be back in 2013, and he could be gone as soon as during this season considering he has a reasonable contract.
” Would there be any interest by Boston to trade 3B Middlebrooks and C Lavarnway for Ethier right now?”
There would be no interest in trading either for Ethier, a FA after
the season for a C/DH who is only in the minors to hone his catching
skills and already carries an offensive force/power bat and Boston’s top
prospect and 3b of the future.
No….just no.
No, Boston needs someone who can play CF and Ethier should really be in LF. He’s also no where near the offensive player he was once, and you don’t trade two top prospects for a 3.0 WAR player (especially not one with less than a year of control left who is owed $10M).
Wouldnt be shocked at all to see Crawford take over in CF until Ells gets back.
I talked about it a little in the previous thread, but I wouldn’t be too surprised either way. He is definitely their best option for CF while Ellsbury is out, but they may not want to do it because they want him to be comfortable when he comes back so he can get back into the groove of things and be successful, and moving him to a new position may make that more difficult.
”
He’s also no where near the offensive player he was once, and you don’t trade two top prospects for a 3.0 WAR player (especially not one with less than a year of control left who is owed $10M).”
Ruben Amaro and Hunter Pence say, you don’t know what you are talking about.
that’s how you know you’re right
First of all, Pence is a plus defender in RF, not a well below average one (Ethier has even been below average when he’s played LF). Second, he had a year and a half of control left, not less than a year. Third, Pence has only had one year worse than Ethier’s best year (and only .3 WAR worse at that).
But yeah, I totally see the connection…
pence had 2.5 years of control left at time of trade. huge difference from Ethier in 2012 with less than a year.
You’re assuming the Dodger’s season is already over?
Best fit I see is for Boston to just trade for Coco Crisp. Crisp is a CF who has been displaced by Cespedes, and is vocally angry about it. And he’s been in Boston before.
If Crisp is available now (meaning they wouldn’t need to wait until the deadline) and would come cheap, I could see it. But if they would have to wait until closer to the deadline, or they would have to give up much to get him, there really isn’t any chance of it happening.
Crisp is on a 2/13m deal now and looked pretty slick in the 2-3 A’s games have seen him in this year.. Doubt they will be looking to unload him.
You know how much have always wanted him back anyway and would love for Boston to find a way, probably the only guy out there would like for them to give a prospect up in fact, but Crisp left in the 1st place to get that playing time he deserves and he comes back and it’s 4th OF all over again for him.
I haven’t caught any A’s games yet this year, is Crisp starting for them or is he on the bench?
Starting LF. Cespedes has been the CF and he has looked pretty good. Their announcer said one of his shots (think was game 2??) I watched went 460′ to LC.
Crisp has been his normal, king of the small ball so far and looked very good in LF and been slapping the ball all over and doesn’t appear to have lost a step.
Cespedes is a strikeout machine…
he’s starting LF, and to me, the most surprising thing is he’s actually taken a few walks so far!
he really belongs in CF, cespedes has made some horrible reads there, but there’s no way beane is moving him off CF. I think crisp would accept a deal to boston as well (he has to give permission on a trade before june something)
Knowing that he would be a bench player in Boston once Ellsbury comes back (he’s not displacing Crawford or Ells and he doesn’t have the arm for RF and probably wouldn’t displace Ross anyway) I’m not sure that he accepts a trade to Boston.
Crisp is better than any of Ross, Sweeney, and McDonald. When Ells and Crawford ame back, he would be the RF or whatnot, with the others benched.
Ummm. Where have you been looking at the other posts today, not to mention YEARS here regarding Crisp leaving Boston??
Crisp left Boston because he wanted a FT job to start with, not because he didn’t like the city.
I have wanted Crisp back in Boston since the very day he left.. Obvious reasons.. He is one of the most hustling players on the planet, who will do ANYTHING to win.. Legally that is.. AND Brings that winning mentality with him.
He platys 3 positions in the OF, GG caliber.. Runs very well, nobody can bunt better, hits behind runners as good as anyone (hence king of the small ball) gap power.. The only thing he really cannot do is throw.
Could almost certainly trade for Crisp in a deal involving Lars Anderson. Billy Beane has an infactuation with Lars for some reason. Lars plus an arm could get Crisp, but wouldn’t he have to approve since he just signed over the offseason?
Crisp wouldn’t be cheap because they signed him to a 2-year deal this off season. If the Red Sox wanted him, they would have to eat the entire contract plus a couple players.
He’d have to be cheap player wise was my thinking, partially because of the two year contract (which was by no means a “deal”)
i could see a crisp for someone like drake britton maybe, with the a’s picking up a fair chunk of the salary, maybe vitek?
Yes, the A’s overpaid Crisp for sure.
I don’t know that I’d exactly call it an overpay, but it certainly wasn’t any better than fair value.
he would be fairly cheap if boston picks up most of his salary
And people laughed at me when I said the Red Sox had injury problems, especially singling out Ellsbury…
right, his rib injury from 2010 weakened his shoulder such that it couldn’t even withstand a 6’3”, 200 lb shortstop falling on top of it
you warned us!
I’m still laughing at you, but now it’s because you’re suggesting that you foresaw a freak injury and are acting like it couldn’t have happened to anyone else, only a Red Sox player because “they have injury problems.”
Some people freak injuries seem to follow around, then it’s because they go all out and ask for it.. Freddie Lynn was like that.
Think of how both of the injuries to Ells happened.. Running in ASAP to where few would have made it for Beltre to knee him in the ribs and the hard take out slide at 2b.
Lynn’s freakish injuries were crashing into an (unpadded) wall, hard slides into the dirt in the OF.. Examples..
Agreeing with you there.. Freak injuries happen because players go out and play the game hard…
It’s true that players who play hard (like Ells) tend to get injured more often, but it’s not like we’re talking about a bunch of Jed Lowries out there.
Freak injuries happen, but it just seems like a ton of them happen to Boston players. They took a good gamble on Bailey who’s an injury risk and unfortunately he didn’t make it out of spring training, but I think they still would have made the deal.
A lot of it is bad luck, but guys like Ellsbury who play all out can tend to get a little banged up. A long term deal with him is now a tricky situation. And 5 more years of Crawford under contract won’t make it easier to find another outfielder either.
Bailey was an obvious gamble and everyone recognized it at the time, but to suggest that the whole team is at risk for injury is way overdoing it. And if Brignac doesn’t have trouble getting the ball out of his glove that play never happens, so you really can’t suggest that Ellsbury is prone to injury even because of the way he plays the game (2010 his injury is because they have him in LF instead of CF – he has unusual range for a LF and Beltre has unusual range for a 3B – normal circumstances and that doesn’t happen, same with yesterday’s injury – normal circumstances that doesn’t happen).
I wonder if Kemp, J Upton, or Victorino are available?
Oh wait, those rumors were last year…
Seriously though, what about a guy like Bay? Could he be available?
They really need someone who can play CF, which Bay most certainly can’t do, they also wouldn’t want to take on the rest of his contract only to have him be a bench player once Ellsbury comes back (there’s no way they put him in RF, and with Crawford and Ellsbury in LF and CF respectively there’s no where for him to play).
As much as believe Bay could actually resurrect his career in a more friendly offensive stadium? There are a couple of reasons he just isn’t a fit at Fenway:
First, they don’t need a corner OF and he really is a extremely limited LF at best anyway, something they have as it is.
Second? His enormous amount of salary owed. NY would have to eat his entire salary (or 90% at least) of the 35m left of his remaining salary and that includes the 3m buyout on 2015. Shame lackey is owed a bit more, at 46.5m or they could just swap out as think Lackey could be a well above average NL pitcher when he returns from TJ next season.
As a Phillies fan, Victorino should be on the block. I have no interest in bringing back a player for the duration of his mid-30’s, when his game is predicated on speed. That said, it would be best for the Phillies to get something for him now, rather than get nothing for him when he leaves.
On the other hand, Amaro seems to think its still 1995, and that player in their late 30’s will still hit you 40 HR’s, so Vic will likely be handsomely rewarded with a multi-year deal, while Hamels walks.
That said, it would be best for the Phillies to get something for him now, rather than get nothing for him when he leaves.
I must be missing something… because to me, it isn’t a smart idea for a contending team to trade arguably their best offensive player with no replacement closer than two years away…
If Hamels walks, it’s because of years, not money.
and replaced by who? Dom Brown should already be on the mlb roster- in LF.
What about Franklin Gutierrez? He started the season on the DL but I think that he is ready to start a minor league rehab and could be ready soon. Once healthy, he is great in CF
Could make sense from Boston’s perspective, but would Seattle be willing to trade him at this point? And if he doesn’t go back to hitting at at least 2010 levels would he really play any different of a role than Lin?
Not worth the gamble from Boston’s perspective more than likely. Just looked over his salary obligations and he is owed 10m until 2013 and has been on a huge downward spiral for 2 consecutive seasons. The only things remaining constant are his glove and massive amount of K’s and low OBP.
Rajai Davis for Jon Lester
Done!
Why not? Twins thought they could get 1 year of Santanna for lester a few years ago and then there was those Rangers and Ryan thinking they could get Bucholz for Salty..
We get comedy from GM’s all the time? AA might as well jump in with his own version this year with ur Jays Lunchbox 🙂
What if we throw in Middlebrooks too just to even it up?
final offer
The BoSox must have someone the Bucs would be interested in for Nate McLouth. Bucs could move McClouth, drop Tabata to 4th OF and bring up Marte. Nate can play CF at Fenway.
Rumor has it that Lucchino and the Red Sox have called up the Cubs, demanding compensation for Ellsbury’s injury.
/sarcasm.
Down the road, this seems to lessen the Sox’ desire to sign Jacoby long-term. The guy cracks like an egg. Missed 144 games with broken ribs, and now we get to see how long he’ll be out with the shoulder injury.
Doubt it, if it has any affect it makes him cheaper and probably more likely to sign.
did you actually see the beltre collision that broke his ribs? did you see the brignac play? this has nothing to do with fragility and everything to do with holy crap that sucked is he going to be okay
and just like last time, yes he will be. when he heals from an injury literally every human body would likely suffer in the same situation
Carlos Lee and Brett Wallace for Brandon Jacobs , Jack Bradley Jr. , Garin Cecchini , and Bryce Brentz and the Astros pay the 7 mill left on his contract . Sounds fair for both teams .
Please stop. All these discards from teams for the Red Sox better prospects is making my head hurt today.
I’ve got to say, I’ve looked completely wrong about Morales so far. I hope he proves me wrong all year.
Hear ya and me too. 95-96? Where DID that wicked curve come from and he learn to throw all strikes all of a sudden in 2012??
We have to keep this in perspective.. 3 games throw so far…
It’s really not even just to start this year, he’s been a completely different pitcher since coming to Boston. But yeah, he could very easily revert to the old Morales at any time.
well, the old old morales was really really good. people forget he was a top 30 prospect in baseball for a couple years (even top 10 in 2008)
that was back when he was a starting pitching prospect, mind you, but his stuff has always been pretty electric
theo is so overrated though
That’s true, I had actually forgot that he was ever rated that high as well, hopefully he has re-found a little bit of that.
And yeah, what did Theo ever do for Boston?
Also, since when does Aceves throw 97?
Didn’t the radar show 97 in Detroit even for him once? Not that it was a really great thing the way he imploded there, but like you said.. He has been consistently 95-96, even hit 97 couple times that have noticed even myself this year and the oddballs who are down are lester and beckett.. lester has been LOW 90’s, same with beckett and that is scary.
Have you noticed either even hit 93 so far?
I hadn’t noticed Aceves any higher than 95 before, but that could just be me not paying enough attention I guess.
I’m still not convinced that Beckett’s thumb isn’t an issue for him right now, which I think would explain his drop in velocity. Lester though has started a little low on velocity every year other than ’10, and he’s only half a mph lower than his average from last year at this point, so there really isn’t anything to even think about with him.
Not anything to do with Boston really.. but watching the Fish and their ‘Great Hope” Zambrano that Guillen was so charged up to acquire from the Cubs..
In the 3rd inning (so far) he has already walked the bases loaded (one time) and his top velocity have seen has hit 89mph and then he has been mostly 87-88.
Back to lester.. After he finally overcame the Lymphoma wasn’t he mid 90’s to occasionally touching 97, then last year it seemed like his velocity had really taken a dip to sitting 93-94 and rarely touching 95.
He used to touch 96-97 on rare occasions, and hasn’t in the last couple of years, but that could be by design (better control of 93-94), and it’s also pretty common of pitchers his age (pitchers velocity peaks at around 25yo). He has never averaged any higher than 93.5mph, was 92.6mph last year, and 92.2mph so far this year (he was 91.8mph in both 2007 and 2008 for what it’s worth).
Yeah, no.
Why not inquire the Blue Jays about Travis Snider? Even with a really good Spring (11 R, 4 HR, 16 RBI) he lost the CF/LF race in Toronto, and is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball in AAA currently. He’s young, decent D in CF, and can hold the fort until Ellsbury comes back.
Just checked Snider’s AAA stats so far in 2012…hitting .429 with 3 HRs, 8 Runs, and 15 RBI in 35 ABs.
The Red Sox can have Marlon Byrd for a bag of baseballs for all I care. I just wanna see Brett Jackson as the Cubs everyday CF.
” What’s certain for now is that the Cubs continue to look for ways to
acquire pitching, particularly proven, durable relief pitching”
Just curious how they are supposed to find that in the Boston rotation? Is Epstein after on the those veterans Cherrington has stashed away at Pawtucket?!? I really cannot see Boston giving him anything valuable prospect wise for Byrd and then paying him 6.5m, much less simply paying the 6.5m salary alone, even as “valuable” as he is… See Cody Ross signed at 3m and there is an excellent example of what Byrd is worth and one can get my point…
Now.. Can see where if Epstein is really wanting one of those patchwork veterans Boston has stashed at Pawtucket, say Cook, Ohlendorf.. Even Andrew Miller who is just about ready to come back from his rehab stints and also is willing to pay some of Byrd’s remaining salary? Then maybe Boston would be interested in Byrd, but not at 6.5m for exactly what they are getting from Cody Ross at less than half of that price.
Maybe Boston can take Alex Rios off the White Sox’ hands.
“Maybe Boston can take Alex Rios off the White Sox’ hands.”
I can think of nobody who would be willing to even contemplate taking him, even if Williams ate the entire amount.
Rios has a huge “no deposit, no return” tag written all over him and is yet another reason Kenny Williams should have long ago been fired for acquiring him in the 1st place.
what about Tori Hunter. or even Abreu, and have him play lf and crawford in cf.
Once we get CC back I will feel much better about the injury. I don’t think Ells will be out past the 6-8 weeks. So once we get CC back throw him in left use Ross early in games for CF then replace him late with Lin to provide better D. Have Sweeney start most games in right (He is hitting well to start the season) throw Darnell a start now and then.
The Twins are down on Ben Revere and his poor attitude in the clubhouse…he is already acting like he is a superstar and he’s barely a platoon player. Maybe something like Revere for Lavarnaway? Twins get more offense since Parmellee will stop hitting and Willingham, Morneau and Mauer and Doumit are too injury-prone.
The Red Sox top prospect and heir to Ortiz for a person you are calling troubled and barely a 4th outfielder? Ummm…no.
Lavarnway isn’t going anywhere. Have seen his name pop up all over this board (for good reason) as every team is wanting a catcher who has hit no less than 22+ HR each of their 3 seasons in pro ball and last season 34.
Ryan will end up being the Sox C/DH, probably next year when ortiz leaves and maybe even FT catcher if he ever gets the ball blocking aspect down good enough.
It’s hard to not be intrigued by someone who has not been the Sox farm leader (or shared) in HR and grinds out AB, plus hits for average as well, but he isn’t going to go anywhere, especially not for filler pieces and have seen his name mentioned half a dozen times (at least) over the last couple of days for people just like Revere that there is -0- chance Boston would move him for, just like have seen proposed moves of Boston moving Middlebrooks for.
The league will be getting reacquainted with Lavarnway again soon.. That small September sample he got last year was just his break in to the league and his 1st 2HR the 1st couple of many, many more to come.
Okay I’m just gonna say it- Red Sox fans have turned into the worst kind- entitled. These trade ideas are ludicrously one-sided and privileged. He’s injured- it sucks, I know- bring a guy up from the minors or off the bench- but you can’t simply poach a rival teams’ player. Be realistic and not entitled.
Is this a really bad attempt at sarcasm?
This whole comment section has been fans proposing B grade players for the cream of the BoSox prospect crop.
No Red Sox fan I noticed mentioned a trade in this entire thread. Fans of other teams mentioned really bad ones like the one above you but no Red Sox fans. They have all been realistic and most have said don’t trade just use what we have in the minors.
You’re right… they are one-sided with people trying to rob the Red Sox blind. Lavarnway’s only in the minors to work on his defense at catcher. His bat is major-league ready and they’re just trying to boost his value. Why the hell would they trade him for some other team’s offal?