2 weeks til the trading deadline......

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think that we can all agree that the Sox need another starting pitcher, especially if Wakefiled has to go on the DL with his back.

We could use another lefty in the bullpen, and I pretty sure my grandmother could get out more people than Seanz! I can live with Tavarez as the mop up guy. Timlin looked good last night.

The problem with the pen is that the starters have not been going 7 innings. If you only have to cover 2-3 innings than I think that the Sox are OK with Delcarmen, Hansen, Timlin, and Papelbon, Lopez has been OK in getting a single lefty out, I wouldn't want him pitching too many whole innings.

Youkilis seems to have hit a wall, he was playing out of his shoes, I don't see why Francona doesn't sit him for a day or two, let Ortiz play First, and let's see Willy Mo back in the line-up. It may also be time to put Coco back in the leadoff spot.

p.s. they are saying on EEI that Francona had a closed door meeting with Willy Harris last night which I betting went something like this: "Willy, Pawtucket has some very lovely weather this time of year, would you like to spend some time down there, say until September 1?"

So it looks like they are going to re-activate Willy Mo and send down or relase Harris.

I don't see the Sox making any moves for position players, unless they feel that they can't (or don't want to) re-sign Trot, but even then I think that they feel that right filed will be for WIlly Mo. I was really impressed with his play in centerfield I thought he did a good job there when Coco was hurt. I still would not have traded Arroyo, but I would have hated to see Willy Harris in centerfield for two months! yikes! Soraino is the best position player out there, however judging by the large amount of scouts I've been seeing at the Savannah Sandgnats (Washington's class A team) games, they are going to trade him but I doubt it is going to be to the Sox, I have yet to see any Red Sox's scouts. So I don't see the postion players changing.

The questions now are who to go after and what to pay.
Once again to simplify discussion, I think we can all agree that the following Sox players/prospects are untouchable/and or untradable (due to contracts):

Manny
Varitek
Schilling
Beckett
Tavarez
Clement
Lowell
Ortiz
Youkilis
Papelbon
Lester
Hansen
Delcarmen

I don't think that Theo would trade any of the young arms, unless of course he could get Dontrelle Willis straight up for one of them, then you would have to think about it, but I would not trade two of the four (or more likely the Marlins would ask for three fo the four) for Willis.

If he could land any of these starters without trading Papelbon, Lester, Hansen or Delcarmen it woudl be great...

Jason Schmidt (free agent year)
Barry Zito (free agent year)(highly doubt that Oakland trades him)

What I don't want is another Jeff Suppan, the National League is full of pitchers who can survive over there, but would be killed pitching in the AL East day after day.

Here's one last interesting name, if Houston (currently 4 games back in the Wild card (7.5 behind the Cardinals) falls back, how bout that Clemens guy?


Any deal sugguestions? I just don't see that much out there

 

[zarakotas5]

I apologize for disregarding the many interesting ideas you have written, as well as the circumstances that were involved with this one this past off-season, but what about Tejada? Although the Gonzales/Cora combo has been better than most would have expected, I imagine that Tejada is still available and would now be far less expensive to obtain. Do you think this is a possibility the Sox would entertain?

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I was ready to trade Manny for Tejada in the off-season (only if they "had" to trade Manny). Tejada is obviously not happy in Baltimore, but is Angelos stupid enough to trade him to the Sox? I don't know. Imagine Tejada, Ortiz, Ramirez, 2-3-4, yikes! I honeslty think that Tejada would love to come here and play, a town that has over the last ten years, embraced it's Latin Superstars (Pedro, Manny, Ortiz), plus he would not have to be the "man" in Boston.

Gonzalez has been amazing in the field, and he has actually been hitting well lately, but he is on a one year contract. And I don't think it is even a question as to who you would rather have at Shortstop between Tejada and anyone else in the league.

Now, if ANgelos is dumb enough to want to trade Tejeda to the Sox, who do we give up to get him? The most expendable player is WIlly Mo. I like WIlly and the ball jumps off his bat, but I would trade him in a heartbeat for Tejada, but I don't think that it would be enough for the Orioles. I think we can all now safely say that the Sox are not trading Papelbon or Lester for anyone. I would really hesitate to move either Hansen or Delcarmen either. What do the Oriloes need? If they would take Willy Mo and Gonzalez, and say another minor league pitcher?

 

[Johnny Mac]

I don't want Schmidt. Maybe sign him in the offseason, but I wouldn't be giving up any decent prospects for another NL "ace," especially one with an injury history.

Same with Zito. He's got Boras as an agent, so he's just going to the highest bidder after this season. Unless the Sox think that's them, not giving up anything of value.

These top guys are going to cost too much. I'd rather pray and hope that Wells and Clement can contribute, some how.


They just said on Baseball Tonight that the Sox are talking to San Diego about trading Lowell for pitching. Hmmmm...

 

[scout]

I don't want Schmidt. Maybe sign him in the offseason, but I wouldn't be giving up any decent prospects for another NL "ace," especially one with an injury history.

Same with Zito. He's got Boras as an agent, so he's just going to the highest bidder after this season. Unless the Sox think that's them, not giving up anything of value.

These top guys are going to cost too much. I'd rather pray and hope that Wells and Clement can contribute, some how.


They just said on Baseball Tonight that the Sox are talking to San Diego about trading Lowell for pitching. Hmmmm...

As much as I would hate to see any of our young guns get traded, I would shudder at the thought of Lowell going. This guy saves us games with just his glove. He has the highest fielding percentage of thirdbasemen in the history of baseball. Brooks is second, and he isn't even that close. If we can just buy some time we'll be ok. We don't need another ace or really good pitcher, just someone who'll get us innings. Lets see if this new guy can pick up a win Friday.

 

[milwaukeebeers44]

Why mess around with the infield? Don't fix what ain't broke. It's also quite reasonable to suspect that Tejada may get nailed in some of this steroid **** that's going around.

They need a pitcher, period.

Rumors down here have said that John Smoltz has asked to be traded to a contender. The things that worries me most about that are a) he's older than dirt and b) Bobby Cox has no bullpen, so he's been throwing 120+ pitches every outing- gotta wonder how much gas is left in the tank. Plus, the Braves just traded for Wickman, so it looks like they are going to try for that wild card.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I heard the Lowel thing and then realized that he wasn't in the lineup last night and got worried. I lnow he makes alot of money and I can't see San Diego picking up his whole contract, so why would the Sox trade him? Peavy is the only player that the Sox could possible be interested in, but why would hey trade for Lowell? It makes no sense. WHo would play 3rd?

If I'm Lowell I'd be pissed! Did anyone here think that Lowell would be half this good? I thought that he might hit better at Fenway, but I had no idea he was that good in the field!

I can only hope that they don't move him.

 

[Justice]

I heard the Lowel thing and then realized that he wasn't in the lineup last night and got worried. I lnow he makes alot of money and I can't see San Diego picking up his whole contract, so why would the Sox trade him? Peavy is the only player that the Sox could possible be interested in, but why would hey trade for Lowell? It makes no sense. WHo would play 3rd?

The Red Sox said Lowell had the night off cause he had a stomach bug or something.
But I agree wth the problem about going a man down, if you trade lowell your infield options are:
A) Cora full-time at 3rd
B) Youkilis moving back to 3rd and getting another first basemen (maybe Snow comes back)
C) Youkilis moves to 3rd, Loretta goes to first (he does have some time there) and you call up a guy like Pedroia to play second.
In other words crap, crap or crap.

In addition, if your SD why give up pitching for Lowell when you could get a guy like Morgan Ensburg (suddenly expendable with the Huff trade) or the newly free Shea Hillenbrand for much, much cheaper?