Boston Red Sox

Solat13 wrote:

Wouldn't be the first time. Frank Viola was dealt from the Twins for 5 players to the Mets in 1989 and the Mets let him walk away two years later as a free agent. Not saying I like 5 for 1 but it's not unprecedented.

The Phillies also made a 5 for 1 trade for Von Hayes in 1982. One of the 5 the Phils gave up was the ageless Julio Franco.

I like the way the Twins are playing this. I hope it works out. It's getting time for me to start a "Minnesota Twins 2008" thread.

from espn's winter meetings live blog:

3:28 p.m., from Peter Gammons
• The Twins and Red Sox are getting closer to finalizing a Johan Santana deal. Boston has sweetened its offer by adding a fifth player to the trade proposal -- outfield prospect Ryan Kalish, a ninth-round draft pick in the 2006 out of Red Bank Catholic High School (Shrewsbury, N.J.).

this would be in addition to lester, crisp, lowrie and masterson.

i've only heard of kalish, don't know a hell of a lot about him other than if he was drafted in 06 he's probably a couple years away from the majors.

Fighting Hellfish wrote:

Cashman at least seems to be immune to the press. I don't know about Hank. The only big name free agent I see them going after for 2009 is Teixiera. And maybe an outfielder or 2

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2002/02/2008-09-free-agents.html

teixiera is the only free agent you see the yanks going after?

Bobby Abreu NYY
Carl Crawford * TB
Adam Dunn CIN
Vladimir Guerrero * LAA
A.J. Burnett TOR (may opt out)
John Lackey * LAA
Jake Peavy * SD
Brad Penny * LAD
C.C. Sabathia CLE
Johan Santana MIN
Ben Sheets MIL
Joe Nathan MIN
Francisco Rodriguez LAA

i would figure that anyone with an * (09 option) will get that option picked up by the team if no long term extension is completed before then.

Solat13 wrote:

Scouting Report for Ryan Kalish: Excellent athlete with a solid build, good bat speed, and lots of quickness on the basepaths. Leadoff hitter potential. The organization worked with Kalish to improve his swing and plate patience prior to his 2007 short-season debut, and since then he has demonstrated a very good approach at the plate. Not a lot of present power but does have decent power potential. In the field, he has excellent range, a strong arm, and average accuracy, but needs to work on his decision making. Tough competitor with a mature demeanor. Kalish tends to be a very popular player with fans, and he himself grew up a Red Sox fan from the Jersey shore. Could project as a center fielder or a right fielder. Missed part of 2007 season with a wrist injury, should be fully healed for 2008.

scored 27 runs in only 19 games while batting .368 in A ball - at least a few years away will be 20 next year

Not too shabby.

I'm still not getting the Crisp part of the deal, though.

Fighting Hellfish wrote:

maybe Adam Dunn, but I think they'd go after him OR Tex to play 1st. Not both. Dunn can play the OF, (not well) but I doubt they'd want him for the OF.

if we assume all these guys become free agents, no options are picked up, then Peavy maybe, depending on how Hughes, Joba and Kennedy pitch in 2007 and if Pettitte comes back. But that should be a non-issue as the pods will either pick up the option, sign him long term, or deal him to a team that will sign him long term. Of course if Peavy does hit the open market, the Red sox will be sure to swoop in, and add yet another $100 million pitcher. You know if Santana gets $25 mil per, beckett's not gonna be too happy making some 40% of that)

The Yanks woud obviously have interest in Crawford, but he won't hit the market either, at least not for 2009. The Rays are trading away all theire young OFers, they must plan on keeping Crawford. they can't be THAT stupid, can they?

the yanks (and most every other team in baseball) would want lackey, peavy, burnett, penny, sabathia, sheets, nathan and k-rod if they're out there as free agents. pitching is king in the majors right now. peavy will most likely sign an extension with the padres. no idea what will happen with lackey and k-rod - although i would guess extension. burnett will opt out. penny's option will be picked up. sabathia will break the bank. sheets will move on, brewers won't pay and nathan will either be traded or walk as a free agent. just my opinion.

too bad for beckett. he signed the contract. he could have waited until he was a free agent but i think he jumped on the offer because he was in the middle of his first year in the AL, wasn't doing all that great. beckett will get his deal in 2011. i'm sure he'll get by on the $30-40mil the sox will pay him.

with the rays, i could see them trying to keep crawford, but trading away dukes who was a head case and young doesn't mean much except they were loaded with young OFs.

I won't be losing any sleep if the Sox don't get Santana. The pieces are still in place, and we'll be that much better of a team still with Ellsbury on our side. Go after Haren, I say.

Fighting Hellfish wrote:

Just heard Peavy is close to a 3 yr $52/mil extension. Good for the Padres keeping him around. Wouldn't want Burnett, he's hurt all the time. Penny's overrated. Sheets is good, but he's also hurt too much. I'm also basing my 2009 assumptions on the hoep that the 3 kids pitch well, Wang continues to pitch well and Pettitte's back. If that's the case (and it's a whole heap of wishful thinking, I know) then there won't be a need for any of these guys.

But unless 2 of the 3 kids blossom into bona fide ace material quick, how can the Yanks compete in a playoff series with that rotation matching up against Boston with Beckett and Santana at the top (assuming the deal happens), Detroit with Bonderman and Willis or Cleveland with CC and Carmona. The Yanks may be able to slug their way into the playoffs, but without quality pitching at the top of the rotation, they won't have any shot to advance in the post season.

Fighting Hellfish wrote:

true, but they usually do ok against Santana and beckett. At least since Beckett came to Boston.

The last 2 years Beckett vs. the Yankees:
4-3 6.75 ERA in 46 and 2/3 IP

Santana vs. the Yankees since 03 when he became a starter including the postseason:
4-1 2.50 ERA in 58 IP

So yes, you have handled Beckett, but Santana has had one bad start against the Yankees and that was in the post season.

the latest rumblings from peter gammons is that the sox/twins santana deal might be dead and the twins might hang on to santana.

gue_barium wrote:

It's beginning to look that way. This has taken way too long.

time to move on to dan haren.