breaking News: team dumps payton

[sarasoxfan]

from the globe:

 

Busy Sox designate Payton, trade Vazquez

Team reportedly designates backup outfielder for assignment

By Boston.com Staff *|* July 7, 2005

 

The Red Sox have had a busy day, reportedly designating outfielder Jay Payton for assignment, calling up Adam Stern to take his place, and exchanging utility infielders with the Guardians.

The Payton move, which was first reported by the Hartford Courant, means the Red Sox have 10 days to trade or release him. According to Boston sports radio station WEEI 850 AM, Stern was recalled from Pawtucket to take his place.

The Red Sox also today dealt recently demoted Ramon Vazquez to the Guardians for Alex Cora, who was hitting .205 in 49 games this season. The team announced the deal, but hasn’t commented on the Payton or Stern moves.

The Sox will almost surely try to trade Payton as he has been vocal about his desire to be a starter. He has played in 54 of the team’s 83 games, hitting .263 with five homers and 21 RBIs.

"I was here half a season," Payton told the Courant, "and did the best I could without trying to create a scene about wanting to be somewhere else and getting the opportunity to play more."

According to the Courant, Payton took a flight to Boston from Texas while the rest of the team boarded a plane to Baltimore. The Red Sox begin a four-game series with the Orioles tonight.

Stern, who was acquired by the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft, was hitting .303 in 18 games with the PawSox. Because Stern was a Rule 5 pickup, the Sox would have had to eventually make a decision to either promote him or return him to the Atlanta Braves.

Stern injured his thumb earlier in the year, and later hurt his hamstring while rehabbing from the thumb injury.

The Red Sox acquired Payton from the Padres in the offseason in a deal that sent Dave Roberts to San Diego. The Red Sox will likely try to deal Payton to another team in exchange for relief help.

The 29-year-old Cora, an eight-year veteran, is expected to join the team in time for tonight’s game in Baltimore. He is a career .243 hitter.

Vazquez was acquired from the Padres in the same deal that sent Payton to Boston. He batted .197 with a pair of doubles, four RBI and six runs scored in 27 games for the Red Sox this season before being optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.

[elsrbueno]

Sounds like they're none too thrilled with what they got back for Dave Roberts. It seemed great at the time, but Vazquez didn't work out and Payton couldn't handle being a bench player.

 

This makes me wonder if the Sox will step up a persuit of Gabe Kapler?

 

Alex Cora seems to be pretty much the same player as Ramon Vazquez, so this seems like a wash.

 

What can the Sox get for Payton?!? Relief pitchers, prospects, a first baseman?

[RedSoxRooter]

What can the Sox get for Payton?!? Relief pitchers, prospects, a first baseman?

Nothing.

 

What team would trade for him when they know the Sox will release him in 10 days and have to eat his salary?

[elsrbueno]

Nothing.

 

What team would trade for him when they know the Sox will release him in 10 days and have to eat his salary?

 

I dunno. The Padres gave up 2 pitchers (albeit struggling ones) for Paul Quantrill... so it's possible.

 

I've got to think Theo has a plan here..... if they let Payton go for nothing they basically got Alex Cora and Dave Pauley (minor league pitcher) for Roberts.... it seems like they could have held on to Payton long enough to make a trade...

 

Could he have been upsetting the clubhouse? Why didn't they designate Kevin Millar?!? Payton's a WAY better player.

 

Who's going to play right field when the Red Sox face lefties? I can't stand watching Millar play the outfield.

 

Payton is way too good a player to let him go for nothing. I can't accept that.

[Sizzlin22]

I was looking over SOSH and there are rumors that this may be a part of an A.J Burnett deal.

[riverside sluggers]

Adam Stern has been called up from triple AAA to become th fourth outfielder--he will be in the dugout for tonights game--i read a rumor that adam stern might be a temporarily fix while theo tries to get kapler back from tokyo, would love that so much if it happened--and hey besides id like to see trot out there against lefties, since hes batting .300 against lefties this season

[elsrbueno]

I was looking over SOSH and there are rumors that this may be a part of an A.J Burnett deal.

 

This certainly would be a nice chain of events... however there'd have to be a hell of a lot more than Payton involved to make that happen

[riverside sluggers]

i sure hope so, guesss whos in the mixx now to get aj burnett--mother friggin chicago white sox, haha thats all we need, theyre already in the playoffs as it is

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I dont think Burnett would go to Chicago....

 

Burnett knocked out 14 hitters in 6 innings....the guy is awesome and would dominate for the Red Sox....I sure hope that rumor is right

[ORS]

I dont think Burnett would go to Chicago....

 

Burnett knocked out 14 hitters in 6 innings....the guy is awesome and would dominate for the Red Sox....I sure hope that rumor is right

That kid could turn into a lights-out closer

[CrespoBlows]

Peter Gammons on WEEI, reported that Jay Payton might be traded to the A's, or the Dodgers. RemDawg annoucned that Payton had already been traded in a "hand shake" deal for a player on the DL.

[whereisnomar]

I don't think that Remy was right, I mean why would Theo make a deal with a hurt play?

[Sox fan in Tex]

Gammons also reported today that one of the reasons Payton was designated for assignment was because Francona and Payton had a verbal argument after last night's game was over on how Francona lets Olerud play and not him. Gammons is a pretty good source, as well.

[CrespoBlows]

Yep, were getting Chad Bradford, check it out on espn.com/mlb

[YanksHater213]

Eh. I dont really know if I like this. He reminds me way too much of BK Kim. Hopefully he can be good and help out a bunch though.

[elsrbueno]

Eh. I dont really know if I like this. He reminds me way too much of BK Kim. Hopefully he can be good and help out a bunch though.

 

I'm with you. As a matter of fact, BK Kim had BETTER numbers in Arizona before coming to Boston. As a matter of fact, Kim was a DOMINANT closer turned decent starter... Bradford is a situational righty who's 30 years old, and has already had 2 back surgeries.

 

I don't have a good feeling about this deal, Bradford seems WAY too risky.

[CrespoBlows]

He gets RH out, so he can be effective against RH batters with Myers getting lefties.

 

As for the risk factor, it seems the only thing we can take for Payton.

[CrespoBlows]

Good Numbers from Bradford, not counting '04

 

2000 Chicago White Sox 1 0 1.98

2001 Oakland Athletics 2 1 2.70

2002 Oakland Athletics 4 2 3.11

2003 Oakland Athletics 7 4 3.04

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

biggest difference between Kim and Bradford....

 

Bradford has been pitching in the AL while Kim was in the NL

 

More games against good teams like the Angels, Texas....he throws a hard sinker which is perfect for pitching in fenway....the ONLY question about him is his health.....I thought Mantei would be great but his injury has apparently damaged him completely

[Tek4pres]

Don't ask the question about whether or not we could have gotten better for Payton. Ask it like this, is the cost of relief pitching so high at this point that giving up Payton only gets you a guy recovering from two back surgeries? Imagine what you need to get a Wagner, Baez or Guardardo.

 

Also, regards to the Bradford hard sinker at Fenway. I've always hated the sinker at Fenway because when it doesn't sink it generally goes a very long way. Look at Derek High and Deep. It seemed like every fly ball he gave up went out of the park.

[elsrbueno]

Don't ask the question about whether or not we could have gotten better for Payton. Ask it like this, is the cost of relief pitching so high at this point that giving up Payton only gets you a guy recovering from two back surgeries? Imagine what you need to get a Wagner, Baez or Guardardo.

 

Also, regards to the Bradford hard sinker at Fenway. I've always hated the sinker at Fenway because when it doesn't sink it generally goes a very long way. Look at Derek High and Deep. It seemed like every fly ball he gave up went out of the park.

 

You make a really good point. I mean, relief pitching might be costing so much right now that the price of a Chad Bradford is a guy like Jay Payton.

 

I'm just not sold on Bradford. He was very good before 2004, but seeing as how 2004 was the most recent season, and the fact that he's missed the whole season so far after back surgery (which I read was his second such surgery) makes you wonder: How much of a contribution are you really going to get from this guy?

 

If he's able to come into the game and compliment Myers from the right side, then he'll be a huge help. To me right now, that seems like a HUGE if.

 

And even if Bradford comes in, is a dominant situational righthanded pitcher, I still think the Sox need another good quality setup arm out of the bullpen.

 

Like I said, I'll hold off on judgement until the official deal is announced, but I'm skeptical of this to say the least.