Tagged: Clay Buchholz
Red Sox Rumors: Mike Aviles and Erik Bedard
Mike Aviles Filled in for a Dizzy Marco Scutaro in Last Night
The Red Sox didn’t pull off a blockbuster, like they have in years past, at the trading deadline this year. Boston’s biggest needs were a shortstop, a starting pitcher, a left-handed reliever, and a right-handed hitting outfielder. The emergence of Josh Reddick took the Red Sox out of the outfielder market.
On the other side, with left-handed batters hitting just .195 off of Alfredo Aceves and improved pitching from Matt Albers and Dan Wheeler, they took Boston out of the reliever market.
That left shortstop and starting pitching as the two needs for Boston. Boston acquired utility-infielder, Mike Aviles for Kansas City for Yamaico Navarro and Kendal Volz. Aviles can play third, second, as well as shortstop and is also a good base runner as he was ten for twelve in stolen base attempts, while with the Royals.
Fielding wise, Aviles’ best position is probably second base, followed by shortstop and third base. However, career wise, Aviles has spent the majority of his time in the field at shortstop. Yet, this season, he has spent the most time in the field at third base. Clearly, Alviles is an experienced utility man despite only being in the big leagues since 2008. Manager, Terry Francona has said that he wants to try and play Aviles in the outfield. Aviles hasn’t played the outfield since college, but is willing to try.
However, the Red Sox gave up to much in my opinion. According to Alex Speier of WEEI, “A talent evaluator recently suggested that he (Yamaico Navarro) was ready to be an everyday third baseman for a second-division team in need of offense right now.” Navarro is never going to be a Kevin Youkilis or an Scott Rolen, he could end up being similar to Brewers third baseman, Casey McGehee.
Kendal Volz was a ninth-round pick by Boston back in 2009. This season, he was moved to the bullpen and is now pitching in high A ball for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Volz is twenty-four years old and attended Baylor University.
Boston also made two moves just before the deadline. First, Boston traded Minor Leaguers Tim Federowicz, Stephen Fife, and Juan Rodriguez to the Dodgers for Trayvon Robinson. The Red Sox then traded Robinson along with Chih-Hsien Chiang to the Seattle Mariners for Erik Bedard and Josh Fields.
The best part about this deal is that Boston didn’t have to give up a whole lot for Robinson, the cornerstone of the deal, who is now the Mariners number four prospect according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Robinson hit twenty-six home runs in a hundred games for the Albuquerque Isotopes (he Dodger’s AAA affiliate), but struck out a whopping 122 times. Robinson also stole eight bases, walked forty-five times, and hit .293 for the Isotopes. In his first game in the Seattle Mariners organization, he went one for three with a stolen base, a run scored, and a walk.
Since Clay Buchholz is most likely out for the season (even though Terry Francona says there is a chance he could start before the season is over) with a stress fracture in his back, Bedard if healthy, should be able to fill Buchholz’s role with no problems. However, Bedard has an injury history of his own, but if the Red Sox were scared of by Rich Harden, than Bedard must be healthy. Bedard, is a lefty who was A.L. East experience when he pitched with the Baltimore Orioles from 2002-2007.
Since it appears he is healthy, the only reason Bedard should struggle is his dislike of well, attention. According to Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald, “Bedard doesn’t like the media. He doesn’t like crowds. He doesn’t like attention. He doesn’t like day games. Some people wonder if he even likes baseball.” You can read the rest of the article here and after reading that article, Bedard seems like a jerk in my mind.
According to Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald, "Bedard doesn’t like the media. He doesn’t like crowds. He doesn’t like attention. He doesn’t like day games. Some people wonder if he even likes baseball."
Anyway though, this season, Bedard is four and seven and an ERA of 3.45. Yet, if you take out his horrible start on July 29 against the Tampa Bay Rays when he gave up five earned runs in 1.1 innings, Bedard’s ERA is 3.00. The bad news though, is that that was Bedard’s first start off the D.L. and his last in a Mariners uniform.
The other player Boston acquired from Seattle is twenty-five year old reliever named Josh Fields (not to be confused with Josh Fields, a former White Sox and Royal who recently signed with the Yomiuri Giants). Fields was the twentieth overall pick by the Mariners in the 2008 MLB draft. Fields has split time between AA Jackson and AAA Tacoma. In thirty-nine innings, Fields is one and two with a 3.92 ERA and a WHIP of 1.54. In a few years, it’s very possible that Fields could be the best player Boston got in this trade.
Yet, personally, I think Boston will regret both trades. Navarro should become a starting third baseman somewhere in the majors and Boston should have just held on the Robinson. As for Bedard, it’s a toss up on how he will pan out in Beantown.
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*Also thanks to everyone for making Soxoholics the twenty-eighth most visited fan blog during the moth of July.
Red Sox Rumors: Ubaldo Jimenez
Could Ubaldo Jimenez Play For The Team That Cost Him A World Series Ring Back In 2007?
Ubaldo Jimenez
Unlike Hiroki Kuroda (Another starting pitcher that the Red Sox have been rumored to be interested in), Jimenez’s contract could last anywhere from 2012 to 2014. You see, Jimenez has team options for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, with one million-dollar buyouts both seasons. His salary for the 2013 season could be increased from $5.75 million-dollars depending on Cy Young results. In 2014, his salary would be eight million-dollars, but unlike the 2013 season, the “Cy Young bonus” could be voided if Jimenez is traded.
It has been reported that there are four main players in the Ubaldo Jimenez sweepstakes. One of those teams, is the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are supposedly the furthest along as they have already talked prospects. The Rockies are reportedly interested in starting pitchers Homer Bailey, Mike Leake, and Travis Wood, all have major league experience. Another player the Reds are looking at is twenty-four year old, Yonder Alonso.
With Joey Votto locked up until 2013, the Reds decided to move Alonso to left-field. When the Reds traded Jonny Gomes to the Nationals the other day, they made it clear, at least to me, that Alonso is untouchable. Mild-infielder Billy Hamilton and catcher Devin Mesoraco are also supposedly untouchable.
According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, Mesoraco is the Reds number one prospect, followed by Alonso and Hamilton. Also, according to Mayo, Mesoraco is the second best catching prospect, Alonso is the third best prospect at first-base, and Hamilton is the second best prospect at second-base. But, with the Reds now 6.5 games behind the Brewers in an already crowed National League Central, this deal might be more focused on the future than the present.
Another team that has interest in Jimenez is the Detroit Tigers. Yet, it doesn’t look like that they are willing to trade starters Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello. The Rockies have inquired about both players. It looks like Detroit is more likely to go after someone like Erik Bedard or Jeremy Guthrie.
The third team looking at Jimenez, is none other than the New York Yankees. The Yankees have the first, fourth, and sixth rated catching prospects in Jesus Montero, Gary Sanchez, and Austin Romine. Therefore, it makes since to trade one of them.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reports that the Yankees won’t trade Manny Banuelos (the fourth rated left-handed pitching prospect in MLB according to Mayo), Dellin Betances (the eighth rated right-handed pitching prospect in MLB, also according to Mayo), and rookie Ivan Nova, who was recently sent down to AAA, but had an eight and four record in sixteen games started up in the big leagues. Unless the Yankees part with a pitcher, Jimenez won’t be wearing pinstripes.
The last major player for Ubaldo Jimenez are none other than the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately for Boston, it doesn’t look like Clay Buchholz will be back soon. Yet, Boston is more likely to trade for a rental player, as their first four starting pitchers for next year are set (Beckett, Buchholz, Lackey, and Lester) and Felix Doubront, Andrew Miller, and Tim Wakefield (Unless he retires) will battle for the fifth spot until Dice-K returns. A Major League executive said that the Red Sox are most likely to trade for Kuroda followed by Guthrie and Bedard.
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Red Sox Rumors: Hiroki Kuroda
With The Dodgers 13.5 Games Behind The Giants, It Makes Since For Them To Trade A 36 Year Old Starting Pitcher With An Expiring Contract.
Hiroki Kuroda
According to ESPN Boston.com, “Boston Red Sox more likely to make small deadline deal than blockbuster.” Shortstop, right field, and a lefty reliever are all desires. A starting pitcher though, is a necessity. Even when Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester come back, either Tim Wakefield, Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Miller, or Kyle Weiland will still be in the rotation. Wakefield has a WHIP of 1.33, Aceves is more valuable in the bullpen, Miller is averaging a walk every 0.71 innings, and Weiland is just a rookie.
Kuroda on the other hand, has a record of 6-11 (which isn’t his fault as the Dodgers have averaged just 2.18 runs per game in his starts), an ERA of 3.13, a WHIP of 1.20, averages a walk every 0.25 innings, and made his professional debut in 1997 as a member of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan’s Central League. Kuroda has been pitching in MLB with the Dodgers since 2008. Kuroda like Jose Reyes and Ryan Ludwick has an expiring contract and is due about $4 million for the rest of the season.
One thing to take into consideration is that Kuroda has a complete no-trade clause in his contract. However, according to reports, Dodger management has contacted Kuroda about waiving his no-trade clause. Yet, Kuroda hasn’t given the Dodgers a list of teams that he’ll accept a trade to and each day it starts to look less and less likely that Kuroda will waive his no-trade clause. One last thing to note on his no-trade clause is, that there is a rumor the Kuroda won’t accept a trade to an east coast team.
Kuroda has mixed postseason numbers. In 2008, he went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings. Yet, in 2009 in a start against the Phillies, he gave up six hits and six earned runs in just 1.1 innings pitched. Despite his horrible start back in 2009, there is no reason that Kuroda shouldn’t be able to pitch in the 2011 postseason like he did in the 2008 one.
With the Dodgers’ current financial state (for starters, Manny Ramirez, Juan Pierre, and Andruw Jones are owed a combined $15,033,333 at the season’s start), they might try to trade every player they can in order to dump salary, as owner Frank McCourt has barely met payroll according to reports. Kuroda is the second highest paid player on the Dodgers behind Rafael Furcal, the only players in eight figures.
Depending on the availability of Ubaldo Jimenez, Kuroda is probably the best starting pitcher on the market. Kuroda is also one of the most likely players to be traded to the Red Sox. The Indians, Tigers, and Yankees are also looking at Kuroda just to name a few teams.
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Red Sox Rumors: Jose Reyes
Could Jose Reyes Be Playing In A Red Sox Uniform In October?
With the trading deadline less then two weeks away, leading up the the trading deadline, Soxoholics will be taking a look at some guys the Red Sox reportedly have their eye on.
Jose Reyes
Even though according to various sources it is looking less and less likely that the Mets will be trading their star shortstop, an all-star with an expiring contract on a sub .500 team can never be counted out until August 1st. Jed Lowrie has been on the disabled list for a month now and he’s, “. . . growing stronger, may swing bat soon,” who knows how long he’ll actually be out. Every American league team at least five games back has a better shortstop than Marco Scutaro (no disrespect). Derek Jeter (NYY), Asdrubal Cabrera (CLE), Jhonny Peralta (DET), Alexi Ramirez (CWS), Elvis Andrus (TEX) and Erick Aybar (LAA) are all significantly better than Sctuaro.
Now, even though a trade like this is highly unlikely, what would the Red Sox have to give up in order to get Reyes? Well, if the Mets demanded that they get a shortstop in return, the trade would be completely off as the Red Sox see twenty-one year old, Jose Iglesias as their shortstop of the future. After that the Mets would probably ask for either Stolmy Pimentel or Drake Britton. Lastly, the Red Sox might “toss in” Lars Anderson now that his path to Fenway Park has been blocked do the the Adrian Gonzalez trade. That’s the Red Sox’s first, fourth or sixth, and their fifth ranked prospects. Obviously, that is probably a little too much which is why people negotiate.
One thing to take note on Reyes is that he was placed on the disabled list with a strained hamstring on July 7th. While it isn’t anything serious and he is due to come back within the next few days, it is just a thought that General Manager and Executive Vice President, Theo Epstein should have in the back of his head.
If the Red Sox do decide to go all in and acquire Reyes, their lineup would feature a player with all-star experience (including four players this year, not including Josh Beckett and Jon Lester) at every position with the exception of Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Personally, combined with Josh Beckett, a hot John Lackey, and hopefully a healthy Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester, I can’t see how they could be stopped.
However, with so many all-stars in one lineup, what would the lineup look like? This is what I have in mind . . .
1.) Jacoby Ellsbury: CF
2.) Dustin Pedroia: 2B
3.) Adrian Gonzalez: 1B
4.) Kevin Youkilis: 3B
5.) David Ortiz: DH
6.) Carl Crawford: LF
7.) Jose Reyes: SS
8.) J.D. Drew: RF
9.) Jarrod Saltalamacchia/Jason Varitek: C
It’s essentially the same lineup the only difference being Reyes. Crawford and Reyes as well as Drew and Saltalamacchia/ Varitek are interchangeable in my mind. And if Pedroia or Ellsbury begin to slump Reyes could bat first or second. This trade is most likely not going to happen, but if it did, it would take the Red Sox to the next level in my mind. A level that right now, no one is on.
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