Friday, November 25, 2005

Trade Official

Well at long last, the trade between the Sox and the Marlins is official. The Red Sox receive
(those guys at MLB.com sure work quick!)

while giving up on
The late additions of Mota and Garcia are - depending on whether your glass is half full or half empty - clever brinkmanship from the Sox to get a useful bullpen arm, or to compensate for the balky shoulder of Josh Beckett revealed in his medical data.

The Sox have picked up a lot of pieces in this trade as well as a lot of money - time will tell whether all the pieces are on the 25 man roster come next April. As for whether this is a good trade...

We will need even more time to make that call than next April. The Sox have picked up a strong power arm, which if healthy, can significantly help the Sox for a number of years. Equally, they have given up the best "tools" SS in the minors - but significantly, one whose numbers have never really matched the hype... so far...

There have been quite a few posts on regular media, and blog, sites, that this is the start of the end of Theo's much vaunted minor league system, but I don't buy that type of hysteria. The Red Sox, and Yankees for that matter, are never going to be the type of team that runs out a team of guys that have all been developed in the minor league system. To make it from the minors in these teams, and stay, the prospect is going to have be quite special - otherwise, they will do exactly what has happened here - be used as chips to get plus talent from teams who have more pressing salary issues.

posted by Neil Hay @ 11:46 pm   2 threw a strike

2 threw a strike:

At 9:29 pm, Blogger Insignificant Wrangler said...

I agree that the Red Sox farm system is in good shape. Ramirez wasn't going to beat out Renteria, and as you say his bat is questionable (271 with six homers and 52 RBIs in AA ball). Its not like they got rid of Papelbon, Youkilis, or DiNardo, all better "prospects" than what we shipped to Florida.

Unfortunately, I think this trade ensures Bill Mueller's departure--no way they pay Mike Lowell 9 million to sit. Too bad, I liked Billy Muelly.

 
At 5:20 pm, Blogger Neil Hay said...

Marc,

I agree on Billy M - sadly I think one of the Sox problems at the moment (and for the last couple of years)is that we have a few guys that are in the 'one more year' category.

What I mean by that is that would I give Billy M a one year deal - yes, would I give him two - not sure - and I think the "market" will give him the longer deal. Same issue with Graffanino (1 and 2), same issue (although in a different context) with Johnny D (3 and 4... or 7!), and the same issue last year with Pedro - that one extra year can be the painful one (see Williams, B for all the evidence you need).

 

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