Best CF Option?

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Hmm....

 

EDIT: Remember, this is taking into account both the present and future.

[schillingouttheks]

Jeremy Reed. Tremendous upside, great defense already. Possibly a future leadoff hitter once he gets some help. With the coaching staff Boston has I think he'll be very successful. Also, we could get him for possibly just a Clement or Arroyo (Clement, preferably). He'd come easier. Cleveland would ask for too much, I think they expressed that they wanted Marte as well.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Jeremy Reed. Tremendous upside, great defense already. Possibly a future leadoff hitter once he gets some help. With the coaching staff Boston has I think he'll be very successful. Also, we could get him for possibly just a Clement or Arroyo (Clement, preferably). He'd come easier. Cleveland would ask for too much, I think they expressed that they wanted Marte as well.

 

 

I voted for Reed too.

[RedSoxRooter]

I'd like to see Payton back.

 

Reed gets too much hype.

 

Coco Crisp would cost too much

 

Jacoby Ellsbury is the future

 

Dave Roberts is the past

[bigpappi2004]

It really depends what you look for in your CF. If you want a fast defensive guy, go to roberts. You want a better hitting CF go for payton. For this reason I will not vote because i am torn between these two

[Beckett95]

Ill got out on a limb and vote for Ellsbury. He's very fast, plays excellent defense, and has shown a great ability to get on base in the minors and college. He also has pretty good gap power. He has the same ability as someone like a Reed but is 2 years younger. In 2 years, Ellsbury will be the same if not better than Reed was last year. He is a great leader and i think he can come pretty much right out of college and help the team (like a Huston Street or Ryan Zimmerman who will probably play this year). Hes 22 which is starting to become about the average age for a good prospect to start playing in the majors.

 

We don't necessarily need a lead off hitter. We just need someone to play good defense and having speed would help. I could see him hitting around .275 in the 9th spot with a .340 obp in his first year. He could also steal 40 bases. Ive heard people say that he might loose confidence if he struggles in the pros, but i think thats all rumor. They dont say this about Craig Hansen. Hes a team leader, who loves the game and will always be very confident in what he does. He was a baseball all-american and his college stats are ridiculous...

 

[u]age   g   ab     r    h   2b  3b   hr  rbi   tb    bb   so   sb   cs   avg    obp[/u]    
19   53   206   56   68   10   3   7   33   105    26   33   14   4   0.330  0.510          
20   49   196   56   69   8    2   3   20    90    30   17   20   4   0.352  0.459        
21   58   244   56   99   19   3   6   48   142    36   21   26   8   0.406  0.495

 

Ellsbury Interview back in July

[riverside sluggers]

Im perplexed, but will say Payton for now as he could be a stopgap until Ellisbury is ready for the majors, like 2007/2008

[guapo34]

As far as proven major league player Crisp is the best player on the list. Ignoring what it would take to get him, he's the best player. Ellsbury could be better, but thats far from certain, or even likely.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Ill got out on a limb and vote for Ellsbury. He's very fast, plays excellent defense, and has shown a great ability to get on base in the minors and college. He also has pretty good gap power. He has the same ability as someone like a Reed but is 2 years younger. In 2 years, Ellsbury will be the same if not better than Reed was last year. He is a great leader and i think he can come pretty much right out of college and help the team (like a Huston Street or Ryan Zimmerman who will probably play this year). Hes 22 which is starting to become about the average age for a good prospect to start playing in the majors.

 

We don't necessarily need a lead off hitter. We just need someone to play good defense and having speed would help. I could see him hitting around .275 in the 9th spot with a .340 obp in his first year. He could also steal 40 bases. Ive heard people say that he might loose confidence if he struggles in the pros, but i think thats all rumor. They dont say this about Craig Hansen. Hes a team leader, who loves the game and will always be very confident in what he does. He was a baseball all-american and his college stats are ridiculous...

 

[u]age   g   ab     r    h   2b  3b   hr  rbi   tb    bb   so   sb   cs   avg    obp[/u]    
19   53   206   56   68   10   3   7   33   105    26   33   14   4   0.330  0.510          
20   49   196   56   69   8    2   3   20    90    30   17   20   4   0.352  0.459        
21   58   244   56   99   19   3   6   48   142    36   21   26   8   0.406  0.495

 

Ellsbury Interview back in July

 

 

 

Holy shiznickians! .406 avg.!

[Redguitar985]

Reed has the most potential, so I voted for him. But I did like Roberts and Payton too.

[jsinger121]

I like payton for the short term and I want ellsbury for the long term

[Beckett95]

Reed has the most potential, so I voted for him. But I did like Roberts and Payton too.

i think ellsbury has more potential than reed

[Redguitar985]

i think ellsbury has more potential than reed

 

Where can you find stats for Ellsbury?

[Beckett95]

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/ellsbury-jacoby.htm

 

ive been trying to find stats on jeremy reed but all i can find is his MLB stats

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Where can you find stats for Ellsbury?

 

Did you see his college stats posted above?? They're ridiculous.

[ORS]

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/ellsbury-jacoby.htm

 

ive been trying to find stats on jeremy reed but all i can find is his MLB stats

TheBaseballCube.com

 

Click that link, it's a great resource. MLB and MiLB numbers for just about every player.

[Beckett95]

thanks

 

reeds college stats his senior year-- .339 avg .433 obp and 19 sb

 

he did tear up the minors with a minor league total batting avg of .337 and obp of .401 and averaged about 15 sb a year

[Redguitar985]

Yeah, Ellsbury's numbers are pretty good.

[elsrbueno]

I'm all about Jeremy Reed.

 

At the very least, he's a gold glove fielder in center for the forseeable future. One of the few available players who's an instant upgrade defensively from Johnny Damon. His cost is reasonable (a starting pitcher ala Clement or Arroyo) and his upside is worth it. His offense was down last year, but some things to consider:

 

He's just 25

It was his first season in the majors.

He was playing his home games in Safeco field (a pitchers' park)

He's got a good eye.

 

Jeremy Reed is a player who can step in right now and play everyday. He's a young kid who will improve offensively and remain a force with the glove. His minor league numbers don't necessarily suggest he'll develop power, but minor league numbers don't always show everything. Look at Steve Finley, a slick fielding center fielder who started hitting for power when he was 30. He sustained that power for a good 7-8 years.

 

Of course, with any player who develops power contrary to the normal curve there will be questions asked about whether or not they got that power legally and healthily (you all know what I'm talking about), but even if Reed doesn't develop power, considering he will be moving into a hitters park I could easily see him sporting a line like .270/.350/.380 and hit 7-10 homers and drive in 50 runs. He can do all that and steal 15 bases, with the potential for more in future years.

 

They've got a couple young guys like Ellsbury and Murphy who could be contributers in a few years, and if both of these guys reach their potential (and soon), one of the trio can be traded, and one can be shifted to right field because Trot Nixon may not be with us in a couple years.

 

Jeremy Reed makes the most sense right now AND for the future.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

His cost is reasonable (a starting pitcher ala Clement or Arroyo)

If this were true, I think this would clearly have been done long ago. There must be a sticking point with regards to value from our end.

[Plumpamania]

If this were true, I think this would clearly have been done long ago. There must be a sticking point with regards to value from our end.

 

Well from what I last heard about the Reed deal, is that Seattle wanted Lester or Papelbon. Which is a def. no!

 

Anyways I think Ellsbury isn't ready yet, he only played in the NYPL. Stern and Murphy and Ellsbury however should be given the shot to compete for the starting job.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Valid points, my conern is basically for a multitude of reasons the Sox have backed themselves into a a weak bargining postion. Their needs are well known. Add in the PR factor ( yanks rivalery ), front office confusion ( dual Gm's, Theo gone, but might comeback in "another capacity" ), and the floated trades real or rumored ( none of us are privy to the real proposals ). We can get by with the current talent to fill the SS problem. But it's well known we're pretty much screwed as far as our CF defeciancy is concerned. Your correct in that we could try the kids in SP. However, that leads to the mental pressures that will be put on kids that aren't ready. This would lead to two detrimental effects. One, potentially ruining a young prospect ( or at least retarding their growth ) and two, putting us in an even worse negotiating postion.

[elsrbueno]

Well from what I last heard about the Reed deal, is that Seattle wanted Lester or Papelbon. Which is a def. no!

 

Anyways I think Ellsbury isn't ready yet, he only played in the NYPL. Stern and Murphy and Ellsbury however should be given the shot to compete for the starting job.

 

Really good point Plump and SFOC. It seems that if the Red Sox could get something done involving Arroyo and Read it'd already be done.

 

Reed is not worth giving up Lester or Papelbon for, but what are our other options?

 

Jacoby needs more time (IMO), plenty of players dominate the New York Penn League. I've got a hometown team from that league and it's almost always guys just out of college. Frankly I would have been a bit dissapointed if he didn't dominate down there. It would be ideal to start him in Portland and see how he does.

 

David Murphy really JUST started hitting in the minor leagues. He was drafted in 2003, he had some injury issues in 2004, so this was really his first full professional season. I'd advance him to AAA with caution, but I'd have a real hard time believing he could produce as a full time big leaguer.

 

Adam Stern is another guy who really hasn't done much above AA. He's got pretty good potential to become a Dave Roberts kind of guy, but again his offensive production would suffer.

 

Any one of these 3 would be able to play great defense in centerfield, and if we didn't already have weak hitting players at shortstop and first base, I'd be a little more receptive to the idea of an all-field, no hit centerfielder.

 

If the price for Reed doesn't come down to something reasonable the Red Sox will probably be faced with having a battle in spring training. As things currently stand, who's the team's 4th outfielder? Brandon Moss?

 

Someone from outside the organization has got to be brought in. Here's MLB's list of free agents: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/hot_stove/y2005/free_agent_tracker.jsp?fastatus=unsigned&subscope=pos&teamPosCode=O

 

None of these guys are everyday players, which leads me to believe some trade has to happen to bring in a right handed hitting outfielder. It looks like if Payton can be had for Wells that might be the best available option for us.

[Plumpamania]

Wells for Payton would be done in a three way deal. However I'd assume that would include Wells to the Dodgers, someone from LA to OAK and Payton to Boston.

 

I agree that it could hurt all three. I think Stern and Murphy should be given the more idealistic chance to compete. Ellsbury needs to play at AA. I saw him play against the Hudson Valley Renegades several times and was VERY impressed, but he surely needs more time.

 

And personally I wouldn't call Kevin Youkilis a weak hitter. He is projected to have a .400 OB. I think with pure defense in CF and at SS we'll be fine. Afterall if we go by winshares, Cora would almost pretty much equal out Renteria.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

None of these guys are everyday players, which leads me to believe some trade has to happen to bring in a right handed hitting outfielder. It looks like if Payton can be had for Wells that might be the best available option for us.

Aside from the potential / real bad blood between Payton and the Sox, there is the issue that Bean what's to fill a need, and / or stock pile prospects or picks. Which entails a three-way ( or more ) trade ( LA the most recent ). Even if the complexities of a three-way trade could be consummated, I don't see Payton consigning himself to another temporary situation, remember last year. From that, I'd conclude that Payton is not the answer. My guess ( and that's all any of the trades are ) there will definitely be a deal completed that probably has not even been brought up yet.

[Plumpamania]

Payton is in a spot now in OAK where he probably won't be starting again. Swisher, Bradley and Kotsay would all start over him. And then there is also the spot of Dan Johnson playing 1B and Daric Barton with an ETA of mid season.

 

Payton's 'bad blood" came from the fact that he wanted to be a starter. And with Ramirez/Damon/Nixon from left to right, he didn't have a shot. Now he does. All Payton wants to do is start.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Payton is in a spot now in OAK where he probably won't be starting again. Swisher, Bradley and Kotsay would all start over him. And then there is also the spot of Dan Johnson playing 1B and Daric Barton with an ETA of mid season.

 

Payton's 'bad blood" came from the fact that he wanted to be a starter. And with Ramirez/Damon/Nixon from left to right, he didn't have a shot. Now he does. All Payton wants to do is start.

True, he also was in the last year of his contract, ie. he wanted to "display" his talents. When he went to the A's he got the opportunity to get significant playing time ( due to injuries and a "hot streak" ). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the A's signed him for two years. Occasionally, I go to one of the A's sites : http://www.oaklandfans.com/discus/messages/board-topics.html.

Yes, I agree that he'd be a great fit, especially in our current situation, it's a question of, at what cost ? On an aside, everyone has been throwing out the same names : Clement, Arroyo, Wells, etc. Then there's the untouchables: Pap, Lester, Hansen, etc. All of these real or proposed deals have not been completed. One name I haven't heard mentioned is Manny Declamen ( sorry if I have butchered any spelling my eyes are starting to give out from tax work ). He could be the wild card in any of these deals.

 

Edit : Still trying to figure out why the Sox are trying to sign Arroyo to a three year deal ? Is it for the Sox benifit or to complete a deal ?

[Plumpamania]

Personally I'd rather trade Meredith before Declarmen.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Personally I'd rather trade Meredith before Declarmen.

So wouldn't I ! But I think the quick promotion last year really hurt him and his trade value.

[Plumpamania]

Possibly but if we could get away with Meredith I'd much rather that