Boston Red Sox CF Rumors

[riverside sluggers]

If Sox go after outfielder, here are some possibilities

Does Trot Nixon's injury (he'll likely be out with an oblique strain much longer than 15 days) mean Theo Epstein will go after an outfielder before Sunday's trade deadline? If so, the Boston Globe has a list of possibilities: "Lefthanded-hitting outfielders that could be available include Arizona's Jose Cruz, Baltimore's Larry Bigbie, Kansas City's Terrence Long, Minnesota's Jacque Jones, Tampa Bay's Aubrey Huff, Pittsburgh's Matt Lawton, and the Dodgers' Ricky Ledee. However, it's unlikely Baltimore would deal Bigbie within the division. The Red Sox, furthermore, have little interest in parting with a top prospect or assuming a significant salary. Cruz is a possibility because he was designated for assignment yesterday. He hit just .213 in 64 games with Arizona but compiled a .347 on-base percentage and hit 12 home runs while knocking in 28."

 

personally I just think it would save time and money to stick with Gabe Kapler when he comes back to the Red Sox on Saturday, in 136 games last season he had picked up nicely when Trot was on the DL. Though somebody like Matt Lawton or Aubrey Huff would supply more of a bat persay then kapler, at least when kapler comes back Saturday, I think they should either release hyzdu or send him back to the minors

[GabeKaplerluver19]

personally I just think it would save time and money to stick with Gabe Kapler when he comes back to the Red Sox on Saturday, in 136 games last season he had picked up nicely when Trot was on the DL. Though somebody like Matt Lawton or Aubrey Huff would supply more of a bat persay then kapler, at least when kapler comes back Saturday, I think they should either release hyzdu or send him back to the minors

 

I think You're right. just let Kapler be the Right fielder so they can save money and not lose anyone. and I think they should release Hyzdu, he's not very good.

[riverside sluggers]

Hyzdu in the field he has made two errors, and has not had a hit in his first 8 at bats with the Red Sox. Besides he's tearing it up in Pawtucket, he'll supply the offense needs with Trot being gone

[GabeKaplerluver19]

that was confusing:dunno: . You mean Hyzdu has made the errors and hasn't hit, and Kapler is "tearing it up" in Pawtucket, right?

[elsrbueno]

I really do like Gabe Kapler and wouldn't mind seeing him get a fair amount of playing time with the Red Sox come Saturday.

 

That having been said, be careful with your expectations for Gabe. He'll probably hit .270, hit a few homers, and steal a few bases while playing great defense in right field. He's a great 4th outfielder, but Detroit, Texas, and Colorado gave up on this guy becuase they didn't think he was an everyday player.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I really do like Gabe Kapler and wouldn't mind seeing him get a fair amount of playing time with the Red Sox come Saturday.

 

That having been said, be careful with your expectations for Gabe. He'll probably hit .270, hit a few homers, and steal a few bases while playing great defense in right field. He's a great 4th outfielder, but Detroit, Texas, and Colorado gave up on this guy becuase they didn't think he was an everyday player.

 

I agree, Kapler is a great guy to have on your team...but he's really just "average" when it comes down to it. No problem having him on the team and I would be ok if he split time with someone even. The offensive numbers will just not be there in the end. Love having him back though

[riverside sluggers]

well true thats what he did last season, and the sox did fine with those average numbers in 2004. That being said the Sox are looking for an everyday outfielder ??! which means what will happen when Trot gets back, that everyday outfielder will then have the "Jay Payton syndrome" and be moved as a backup outfielder, which would also then put in doubt of Adam Stern, a guy Red Sox are touting as one of their future outfielders and who is through 2005 under Atlanta's Rule 5 draft. Its really best to keep Kapler on, save some money, save propsects because that what it would also cost, and hold on to a commodity such as Adam Stern is right now

[elsrbueno]

well true thats what he did last season, and the sox did fine with those average numbers in 2004. That being said the Sox are looking for an everyday outfielder ??! which means what will happen when Trot gets back, that everyday outfielder will then have the "Jay Payton syndrome" and be moved as a backup outfielder, which would also then put in doubt of Adam Stern, a guy Red Sox are touting as one of their future outfielders and who is through 2005 under Atlanta's Rule 5 draft. Its really best to keep Kapler on, save some money, save propsects because that what it would also cost, and hold on to a commodity such as Adam Stern is right now

 

Personally, I'd like to see the Red Sox go after a right fielder who can also play first base. Why? Because that'll push out Kevin Millar when Trot Nixon comes back, no Jay Payton syndrome necessary.

 

Adam Dunn? Aubrey Huff? Guys like that.

 

If they're looking for a low risk addition, how about Jose Cruz Jr? Not going to tear up the league with his bat, but he's very solid at all 3 outfield positions and is decent offensively. More power than Kapler, and I think I heard he was DFA'd by Arizona which could mean acquiring him cheaply. He's a switch hitter who's better against lefties than righties, so perhaps he could be in a straight up platoon with Kapler until Nixon comes back? Just a thought.

[bigpapi349]

adam dunn, dimitri young, aubrey huff - either one would be a nice fit but i think dunn is to expensive

[riverside sluggers]

very true, I was just expecting guys like Aubrey Huff and Terrence Long wouldnt ease into a backup role if Trot were to somehow come back this season, so far Im thinking september will be the earliest. That is a good idea plus there is Dimitri Young an outfielder also capable of playing first base. His career stats hitting in Fenway Park is .308 batting average

[riverside sluggers]

adam dunn is a powerhitter but would become at same time the new bellhorn for the sox, last season he led the majors with 195 strikeouts

[BigPapiEnFuego]

But at least Dunn produces.

 

But they should stick to a Kapler/Stern platoon. My god its last season all over again.

[riverside sluggers]

kinda weird how things worked out with gabe kapler coming back to the sox right when they needed him to

[riverside sluggers]

*cough* *cough* i think im right about kapler has the offense sox need,

Kapler will join Sox on Saturday

Gabe Kapler is expected to join the Red Sox on Saturday, when his 15-day DL stint ends. Wednesday night in Pawtucket, he was 4 for 4 with a triple. Trot Nixon's injury will mean a lot more playing time for Kapler, who is currently hitting .625 with six RBIs in four games with the Triple-A PawSox.

*cough* *cough*

[soxie thefangirl]

Let's hope he keeps it up here.

[GabeKaplerluver19]

that is pretty wierd. I was thinkin that the other night. :dance: this is cool.

[bigpapi349]

according to the herald, matt lawton would love to play for the redsox. i think he'd be a pretty good choice. hes batting .275 with 10 hr and also has 16 stolen bases.

[elsrbueno]

according to the herald, matt lawton would love to play for the redsox. i think he'd be a pretty good choice. hes batting .275 with 10 hr and also has 16 stolen bases.

 

Not a bad choice, especially if the Red Sox can convince the Pirates to take on part of Matt Lawton's contract. The Pirates and Red Sox have a history of making deals, and we made the deal right when they complained about Brandon Lyon's arm a few years back, so we should have a good relationship with them.

 

Matt Lawton's overall numbers are decent, and he's very clearly a better hitter against righties (.290/.398./.469) than he is against lefties (.235,.331,.363), but that would work out perfectly with Gabe Kapler coming back to hit against lefties.

 

Plus, Matt Lawton is capable of swiping a bag. He's 8 for 8 in July. He's way overpaid for what he brings to the table ($7.75 million) but he'd be a decent option as a platoon right fielder for the Sox.

[riverside sluggers]

Rays Scouting Sox; Huff, Baez Boston-Bound?

 

Jerry Beach - Scout.com

July 28, 2005 at 5:27am ET

NEW BRITAIN, CT-Torrential rains Wednesday night forced the postponement of the Eastern League game between Portland and New Britain and delayed Anibal Sanchez' audition for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.Sanchez, a hard-throwing right-hander whose stock has risen dramatically this season, is one of at least three Portland players being tracked this week by a Devil Rays scout. Sanchez was scheduled to start Wednesday; instead, he will start today's game against New Britain at 11:30 a.m.

 

Left-handed pitcher Jon Lester and infielder Kenny Perez are also being scouted by the Rays, who are on their way to another last-place finish in the AL East. But that ineptitude could pay dividends before Sunday's trading deadline: The Rays are one of the few "sellers" in a jumbled trade market and several of their players are drawing interest throughout baseball, most notably closer Danys Baez and outfielder/first baseman Aubrey Huff.The Sox have obvious needs for another late-inning arm and, with Trot Nixon on the disabled list and Kevin Millar failing to produce at first base, another bat in the lineup. And the perpetually rebuilding and cost-cutting Rays could use youngsters such as Sanchez, Lester and Perez.

 

Baez, 27, has 19 saves for a team that's won only 36 games, and he's often used for more than three outs by Lou Piniella. When Keith Foulke was healthy and effective last season, Terry Francona often relied on him to get more than three outs. Baez' contract runs through this season, but there's a team option for $4.million for 2006.Huff is recovering from a slow first half (.256 with eight homers and 45 RBI) with a vengeance: He's hit two grand slams in the last six days and four homers overall since the All-Star Break, including a solo shot into the right field seats at Fenway July 20. David Wells , the pitcher that served up the homer, was so impressed by it he doffed his cap in the direction of right field.

 

Like Millar, Huff is a jack-of-all-trades in the field who is probably better suited to DH duties. But Huff, 28, is five years younger than Millar and signed through next season at $6.75 million, and his acquisition by the Sox would solidify a position with no clear heir apparent to Millar, who is a free agent after this season.However, as much as the Sox could use Baez and/or Huff, there's no guarantee they'll pay the price necessary to end up with either player. No general manager in the game is harder to trade with than the Rays' Chuck LaMar, who regularly makes outrageous, one-sided offers. But he's emboldened after fleecing the Mets for Scott Kazmir in exchange for Victor Zambrano last July 30.

 

In addition, Theo Epstein is determined to build from within, and no pitching prospect in the organization has a higher ceiling than Sanchez, who is 7-2 with a 2.21 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings for Wilmington and Portland this season. Some believe Sanchez is one of three near-untouchables in the chain along with Portland infielder Hanley Ramirez and Pawtucket right-hander Jon Papelbon.In addition to Sanchez, the Rays scout is also eyeing Lester and Perez. Lester, a 21-year-old the Sox drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft, has lasted just 4 2/3 innings in each of his last two starts, but he's been outstanding the rest of the time for the Sea Dogs (7-4 with a 2.51 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings). Perez (.289 with four homers, 28 RBI and seven stolen bases in 65 games for the Sea Dogs) delivered the game-winning hit in the Eastern League All-Star Game July 13, but the 23-year-old's path to Boston is blocked by the likes of Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia .

[ORS]

Trading any combination of Sanchez, Lester, Papelbon, Pedroia, and Ramirez for Huff and Baez would be a huge mistake in my opinion. We killed Baez in our last series in Tampa. The rest of the East will as well at some point. He is the shiny kernel of corn in the steaming pile of s*** that is the 4A Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Huff can get hot, but he's still only hitting .266, and he's a defensive liability. In other words, he's Kevin Millar with a little more pop in his bat. That sounds like just what we need! We already have the best DH in baseball, we don't need another one.

[bigpapi349]

none of the top six prospects are worth baez or huff

[Tek4pres]

*cough* *cough* i think im right about kapler has the offense sox need,

 

*cough* *cough*

 

Let's note that he's only done that in four games though. Kapler may be the answer, but he is also the same player who was hitting under .200 in Japan where I imagine he didn't face the same caliber pitcher he'll face in MLB (of course this presupposes that the Yankees don't place anyone else on the DL and have to sign the starting rotation of the Long Island Babe Ruth league champs just to fill out the staff.)

 

If it looks like Nixon is going out for a while, you have to protect against getting Japanese Kapler instead of 2004 Kapler. If you can find another player cheaply, do it. If not, we ought to consider calling up Petagine and playing him at first with Millar in RF against righties and on the road and Kapler in RF with Millar at first against lefties and when the Sox are home. Petagine I'll remind you tore up Japan much like he's been doing in Pawtucket all season long with a .1089 OPS.

[riverside sluggers]

The loss of outfielder Trot Nixon, who is on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle, could point the Red Sox toward a player the Yankees have been targeting -- the Mariners' Winn. Unlike the Yankees, the Sox wouldn't need Winn to play center field, a position where most scouts believe he is a poor fit. The Devil Rays' Aubrey Huff also could be a possibility for the Sox. . . .