The Red Sox have accumulated a large number of outfielders and will be on the hunt for starting pitching this offseason, meaning the club could deal from its surplus to address its weak pitching. However, in a piece for FOX Sports, Dave Cameron writes that the Sox shouldn’t consider parting with Mookie Betts (who will frequently be asked for in trade scenarios), even if it means acquiring a front-line starter. Betts’ elite contact rate and low chase rate illustrate that he’s a player who knows his limitations (i.e. he won’t for huge power in the Majors), Cameron explains. He likens Betts to a number of players who fall into that same mold and ultimately concludes that Betts has the makings of a young Ben Zobrist — a strong all-around player with enough defensive versatility that he could be a regular without ever having a set position. Given the frequency with which pitchers are breaking down, betting on Betts’ athleticism and versatility might make more sense than trading him for an arm, in Cameron’s mind.
Here are some more Red Sox items…
- WEEI.com’s Alex Speier spoke with right-hander Burke Badenhop about his unlikely journey to free agency. Badenhop recalls at one point, shortly before he was drafted, weighing a job offer that would have paid him $45,000 a year against the possibility of pursuing his Major League dream. (He notes that he was never interested in pursuing a career as a minor leaguer — “I wanted to play Major League Baseball.”) Badenhop took a $1,000 bonus with the Tigers after a poor pre-draft workout and carved out a role in the Marlins’ bullpen after being sent to Miami in the Miguel Cabrera trade. Badenhop is realistic about his offseason value, noting that some teams may prefer to go with a minor leaguer in his middle-inning role, but he feels some find value in the certainty he could bring. “If you’re signing me to be the best reliever in your ‘pen, you’re probably maybe a little misguided,” he told Speier. “But you shouldn’t sign me to be the worst guy in your ‘pen, either. Somewhere in the middle. That’s where I want to be.”
- Manager John Farrell feels that Will Middlebrooks‘ struggles aren’t solely due to a nagging hand injury, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. “I don’t think he’s been limited any (more) than other players that deal with nagging ailments over the course of a full season,” said Farrell. McAdam writes that the Sox are frustrated with Middlebrooks’ unwillingness to commit to playing winter ball, and his spot on next year’s roster appears in jeopardy. In Thursday’s edition of his ESPN Insider-only blog, Buster Olney writes that it makes little sense for Middlebrooks to decline, as without a strong winter ball showing, he’d likely need a monster Spring Training to force his way onto the roster. Otherwise, he could be ticketed for a large portion of time with Triple-A Pawtucket next season.
- GM Ben Cherington spoke with Jen McCaffery of MassLive.com and noted that the Sox have received inquiries from multiple clubs about having their front office personnel and members of their coaching staff interview with other clubs. Cherington wouldn’t comment on specifics “out of respect for other teams,” but noted that he supported VP of player personnel Allard Baird as a candidate for the D’Backs GM opening: “They asked permission to talk to him and they talked to him. I would certainly support that because he’s an exceptional baseball executive and I’m sure they’ll have good choices but he would certainly be a good choice.”
Maybe Bobby V was on to something with Middlebrooks… What a mess.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
He was right about Youk too… I guess that’s twice.
He also said Bard should not become a starter, and he is the guy who finally helped Andrew Miller become an effective pitcher. I wish we had more “broken clocks” like him in our player development ranks.
Wasn’t aware Middlebrooks had an option left. It’s clear now what he has in store for him unless he capitulates and plays winter ball. Does he have any interest in playing baseball anymore? Perhaps he can demand a trade like Mike Carp. That went well for him.
They can be teammates on the Bridgeport Bluefish.
I was thinking the Sugarland Skeeters. I’m all for giving him a chance to figure it out. As long as that place is the Winter League or Pawtucket. Makes you wonder why there isn’t an ultimatum being offered. Winter ball or Pawtucket Will, it’s up to you. That’s probably the next step.
I wish his trade value was greater than zero so we could just send him away once and for all.
Middlebrooks is on his way to playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters in a year or two if he doesn’t get an attitude adjustment.
I think they used two option years for 2013 and 2014, so he’d have one more for use in 2015 (I don’t think one got exhausted in 2012?)
I’m not sure exactly how it works, I think the first year in the majors just starts your clock, but I looked him up on SoxProspects and he seems to have one left. I think you’re right about 2012, but as to why I can’t be sure. All I know is there are about five people I have to apologize to because I said they couldn’t just send him to AAA in 2015 without someone taking him on waivers. Ooops.
I would hate to lose Betts and an OF of him, Castillo, and Cespedes could be a huge improvement over what they had this year. Especially since Nava and Craig could be really good platooning bench 1B/OF.
Just sign one of the top 3 preferably Lester and one of Santana, McCarthy, Masterson, Liriano. Look to trade Brentz, SP prospects, and other 40 man roster cloggers first.
Let’s be realistic. Next year the Yankees, O’s, and Toronto will be in the playoff hunt. The Sox would have to have a rotation of: Lester, “Big Game James,” Kelly, maybe Buch and the best starter of all the prospects having a sensational season.
Cespy, Betts and SvaVic in the OF, Holt, Xander, Pedroia and a platoon of Nava and Craig at 1 B. They would all have to have a banner season. Ortiz will be finished after next year. Hopefully they will find a suitor for Castillo and Napoli. So these 15 would have to be spectacular. The Yankees, O’s and Jays would all have to have medical issues from Day 1.
Chances of Worst to First again–hard to fathom.
Why would they trade Castillo?
Rev. In my opinion Betts will be better than Castillo. It may take a while for Castillo to show his value unless he can be played in a different position than Betts like 3 B. I think ShaVic is a better player than Castillo when healthy. Perhaps they will move Cespy but I don’t think so. An OF of Castillo, Betts and ShaVic would be so fast and strong defensively. The problem there’s not much power.
There’s a very good chance that Victorino will be moved in the offseason. Cespedes and Castillo aren’t going anywhere.
Victorino is most likly being moved. Castillo isnt going anywhere. And unless its for Stanton or kershaw or maybe Sale, Cespedes is not going anywhere. Napoli isnt going anywhere neither. Having both shields and lester is far fetched. They are both number one pitchers and two of the top three starters on the FA market. They will get one of Lester, Shields anf Scherzer and they will sign a number two starter such as Masterson or Ervin Santana. If they managed to pull that off, getting a one and a two starter would put them favored to win the AL East. I could see Holt and Prospects and Vic for a pitchertoo
Why won’t Red Sox fans get it through their head that Lester WILL NOT be on the Red Sox next year. If they wanted to resign him he would already have a contract extension and Cespedes would still be in Oakland and maybe Oakland still has a shot at the AL West. I think the Red Sox are going to cut payroll this year. Look at the recent contracts they have signed in FA, not international FAs. Not one has been for more than 3 years and I think the most expensive was only like 15 million in AAV. Another reason he won’t be back is because the Red Sox traded him. Granted he said he would consider coming back, but that was a lie so the Red Sox would look like they are the enemy in this case. Look back over the past 30 years or so. Tell me how many stars that have been traded at the deadline, have resigned with the same team THAT offseason. I can’t think of anyone.
Cliff Lee?
Nope. He never played for Philly in 2010. He was traded to the Rangers during the 2010 season and then signed with the Phillies that offseason. I did think of him at first but I looked it up.
I’m of the opinion that Lester won’t be back in Boston, but I’m so tired of the argument that stars who are traded never end up signing with their old team. Usually it doesn’t happen because the trading team is a small-market team that couldn’t afford to retain their star, which is not the case here. There’s not enough historical precedent here to make any claims based on history.
Why in the world would they give that huge contract to Castillo just to trade him?
Matt M–that’s a good question but even after seeing him hit a LCenter HR into the Monster seats then narrowly missing another HR for a double—he’s $11 M a year for 7 years–a team like the White Sox or Phillies may be willing to accept Castillo who may fit their needs as much as Betts in a package. I like Betts more than Castillo. Betts becomes a a super-sub next year. He is blocked in CF, 2B and currently LF by Castillo, Pedroia and Cespedes. ShaVic has one more year on his $13 M deal in RF. That’s $45 M blocking his progress.
You’re judging Castillo’s worth based on 29 PA? And I agree that they need to have a spot for Betts but getting rid of a young, controlled player like Castillo who they just signed is not how you do it. If anyone goes it’s Victorino.
Middlebrooks’ issue is and has always been his poor approach at the plate. He’s always walked little and struck out a lot. He had a hot few months to begin his career and fell off a cliff after pitchers figured him out.
Another reason why I’m pretty skeptical about Javy Baez blossoming in the majors — something that has long been (and still is) treated as an inevitability. Baez’s K/BB ratio in the minors was worse than Middlebrooks’ (and a host of other notable free-swingers, including current Cub Junior Lake).
Betts on the other hand is a solid prospect. I’m not a Red Sox fan, so I’d love to see him traded to a team that has an opening at 2B, just because he has more value there.
I totally agree about Baez. The Cubs will have better luck with Bryant, Soler, Russell and perhaps even Schwarber. I was looking at Baez and Alcantara’s strikeout and walk numbers before either was called up. Although they both have plus skills they just are to much of free swingers. Their K/BB ratios were horrible in AAA and they are horrible in the majors. Although they both are young, horrible plate discipline like that is just so hard to improve. I see them both struggling to get on base at a .300 clip going forward. I hope things work out for Baez as his bat speed is AWESOME. I just don’t think plate discipline that bad can really be fixed. Generally the guys who translate best to the majors from the minors are the guys with decent stats and strong K/BB ratios.
If anyone is still reading the comments on here, maybe they can help explain this to me….
I know that over the years the Red Sox media continues the tradition begun by Peter Gammons of saying that the Red Sox are “interested” in every name player rumored to be available (and often they are the ones starting the rumor). Adding to that, the Red Sox are now officially a moneyball team, meaning that the turnover in the rosters seen in the past 20 years or so has only begun to accelerate depending on the “value” of a player vs. the amount due on his contract. When Ortiz and Petroia go, will the fans be satisfied with temporary help instead of full-time employees – i.e. a core of Red Sox players that fans will be able to identify with?
The movements of players in MLB gets crazier every year. But still many teams have identities – the Pirates and Royals do as smaller market teams, the Cardinals as a mid-market team, and the Angels as a large market team for example. Are Red Sox fans that were raised on an OF of Rice, Lynn and Evans for instance, going to be happy rooting for a fantasy league-type team that has a player draft each year such as the A’s are – where 85% of the roster is turned over every 2 years?
Here is the thing. Most teams out there are “interested” in every player name, that does not mean they have (or are willing to give) the trade pieces to acquire such player. The problem with teams like the red sox and the yankees is that they get so much attention due to their market popularity (I have always said those teams are MLB cash-cows and they do the best in their ability to keep it that way). And to answer your second question, yes and no. Teams are carefuly examining value in players because it is a trend across baseball. And don’t worry your red sox (and most teams out there) will usually have a core of a couple players to root for.
I think you’ll tend to find like it most cities the team name matters more than the players for the hardcore fans. The roster turnover is just part of the game today.
It’s not like there will be a completely new team every year, there will always be some continuity and part of that continuity will be around longer than others.
I’m glad Burke Badenhop made the big leagues. But no minor leaguer wants to make a career in the minors, all of them have the ultimate goal in mind of making the big leagues, it just doesn’t happen for everybody.
Cameron hit the nail on the head with Betts. The Red Sox absolutely should not trade him for an arm. Yes they need pitching and it takes something to get something but Betts is proving he belongs. Maybe he’s not a star but he sure looks like a very useful part of an offense. They should go after a free agent arm or two….maybe Lester and Masterson and pencil Mookie into the leadoff spot next year. If he flops he flops but I’m thinking he will be pretty good on the cheap the next few years.
If Mookie Betts’ greatest upside is equivalence with Ben Zobrist, I’ll be horrifically surprised and disappointed. I’m thinking more like Joe Morgan as his upward limit. Being Zobrist would be a moderate failure for Mookie.
And Morgan was dealt by Houston to the Reds for a bag of chips and a cookie. Hopefully, Boston won’t duplicate that move.
Over the last 5 seasons, Ben Zobrist is SEVENTH in WAR in All Of Baseball. This is his 4th straight year of a WAR of 5.4+
Joe Morgan had 5 years of play where his WAR exceeded +8. Yes, its a high (cathedral-like) ceiling. But he’s a 5-tool player who demonstrates exceptional fundamentals at an extraordinarily young age. I have his ceiling pegged higher than that of Xander, not because of their play this season, but because of the tools evident in each. XB will be a 25-Hr guy, starting next season, but he will never reach +6 WAR in any season. I believe Betts can and very well might exceed +5 WAR in nearly every season for the remainder of his career. We’ll wager a beer on it and see what has happened 10 years from now.
So his upside is one of the greatest players at his position in the history of baseball, and if he puts up 5 straight years as one of the more valuable players in the game you will be horrified? Umm…Ok.
Um yeah. Considering that Joe Morgan is the comparable I chose, and Joltin’ Joe had 5 consecutive seasons of WAR greater than +8, I am saying he has the capacity/tools to become one of the greatest to have played the game. There are lots of variables that determine whether a player can reach his ceiling. Zobrist wills himself to be even better than his tools allow. Similar to Pedey. Betts has all the tools. All of them.
Rich, you just aren’t getting the gist of my prediction. Mookie Betts has the tools and potential to be a Hall of Famer – equal to Joe Morgan. Zobrist does not. I am predicting he reaches that potential. Yes, its outlandish, but that is my prediction.