The Red Sox should trade Jacoby Ellsbury

[TheKilo]

For the Braves' Jarrod Saltalamacchia

 

• In Atlanta, multitalented rookie catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has started taking ground balls at first base as the Braves try to figure out his future with the trading deadline approaching. "We have our franchise catcher [brian McCann]," GM John Schuerholz said. "So who knows what will happen? We could find another place for Salty to play. Or somebody else could want him and make us an offer where we say to ourselves, 'This is a deal that makes sense for us and for him and for everybody.'"

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2887921

 

Yep. Trade Ellsbury and a mid-level pitching prospect (Delcarmen? Gabbard?) to the Braves for Salty.

[TheKilo]

Do people think Crisp/Bowden for Salty would work, then call up Ellsbury?

[riverside sluggers]

Id do Crisp/Bowden in a heartbeat to get him over to Boston

[schillingouttheks]

I have no idea what this guy is capable of...any insight would be great. Thanks.

[riverside sluggers]

Baseball America

 

We talked to a National League scout who followed Saltalamacchia at Double-A Mississippi, to break him down:

 

“He sometimes gets on the side of the ball a little bit with his throws and they can kind of hang out there,” the scout said. “He’s got plus arm strength, but his arm action can get a little iffy at times–he’s not compact and the arm action gets a little long. Or he’ll drop the arm some and his throws will sail right or sail up.

 

“But the bottom line is you want the bat in the lineup. I wouldn’t care about the defense so much because I think he can get by and be OK back there now. I think the bat is already ready.

 

“He’s a better hitter from the left side, where he’s much quieter with his actions–quiet hands with good leverage to his swing. From the right side, he’s kind of got that (Gary) Sheffield waggle when he gets in there with movement to his hands and his timing is a little different.

 

“But again, that doesn’t matter because the guy’s not a doubles gap-to-gap hitter. This is a big-time power guy all the way. The righthanded swing has major juice to it, but it’s not quite as fluid as from the left. He kills balls down and in and when i saw him they just kept throwing it there for some reason. He scuffles a little bit with balls in up around his hands, but that’s something I think he’ll learn to lay off of.”

[TheKilo]

I'd trade Ellsbury if that's what it took. Honestly they need to have a capable C in the organization once Tek leaves. Salty fits the bill

[yeszir]

I oppose simply on the basis of not wanting to say this guy's name over and over.

[Beckett95]

id trade Jacoby but i dont think Crisp is the long-term answer in CF.

 

If we planned on signing Hunter in the offseason, then this trade would be awsome.

 

Jacoby, Kris Johnson for Salty ??

 

Crisp and Bowden for him would be much better though, but don't know if ATL think thats enough

[Rdsxmbnt]

I remember someone at Soxprospects project a potential .300/.370/.500 line out of Salty. If you can get that kind of production out of your C you definetly trade Crisp and Bowden for him. Id like to keep Ellsbury but Id probaly deal him for Salty also. But Crisp/Bowden makes more sense since it fills ATL CF hole and gets them a top SP prospect in the game. Plus for the Red Sox Ellsbury would take Crisp's place and we already have two inexperienced prospects on the verge of breaking in.

[TedWilliams101]

I'm not sure I would want to give up Ellsbury. I really like his play and I don't want to lose another great farm guy. I still miss Hanley (it was a great deal though). I'd trade Coco and Bowden for Salty. I just really want to see Ellsbury play for the Sox.

[TheKilo]

Do you do Crisp/Buchholz?

 

I'd have to think about it....but I think I would. I think the move makes both teams better but fills a need the Sox desperately have.

[riverside sluggers]

id trade Jacoby but i dont think Crisp is the long-term answer in CF.

 

If we planned on signing Hunter in the offseason, then this trade would be awsome.

 

Jacoby, Kris Johnson for Salty ??

 

Crisp and Bowden for him would be much better though, but don't know if ATL think thats enough

 

Kris Johnson has s*** the bed thus far this season, it would have to take a better pitching prospect

[BoSox34]

Kris Johnson has s*** the bed thus far this season' date=' it would have to take a better pitching prospect[/quote']

 

The least we all can do is pitch in and buy the man some new sheets.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Do you do Crisp/Buchholz?

 

I'd have to think about it....but I think I would. I think the move makes both teams better but fills a need the Sox desperately have.

 

definetly no from me

[TedWilliams101]

No way Buchholz. He's going to be a beast. Him and Ellsbury should never leave the not-available list.

[example1]

Do you do Crisp/Buchholz?

 

I'd have to think about it....but I think I would. I think the move makes both teams better but fills a need the Sox desperately have.

 

Absolutely not. I don't give up Buchholz for another minor leaguer at this point. Honestly I don't give up either Buchholz or Bowden for Salty. I understand the drive to do so, but I really think both of these guys will be superior MLB pitchers within 3 years and for the price that they are going it will be easier to deal some other player or just spend the money to get a + catcher.

 

I probably don't deal Ellsbury either, unless he's part of a deal for a proven MLB star. I love the idea of building around a catcher, but I think you can get better than Salty (at a different position) for a Sox package including Ellsbury.

 

I have said 'no' to every 'trade ellsbury' scenario thus far, but this one is very, very close. I think I have a personal attachment since he's from Oregon and that's where I live. He's also a hell of a player and very dynamic. If the Sox made a deal like this I would completely and totally understand and probably praise it, in that it would be a safe play to ensure that the core positions on the team was in place for the next few years. They will obviously need to replace Varitek sooner than later.

[TheKilo]

Absolutely not. I don't give up Buchholz for another minor leaguer at this point. Honestly I don't give up either Buchholz or Bowden for Salty. I understand the drive to do so, but I really think both of these guys will be superior MLB pitchers within 3 years and for the price that they are going it will be easier to deal some other player or just spend the money to get a + catcher.

 

I probably don't deal Ellsbury either, unless he's part of a deal for a proven MLB star. I love the idea of building around a catcher, but I think you can get better than Salty (at a different position) for a Sox package including Ellsbury.

 

I have said 'no' to every 'trade ellsbury' scenario thus far, but this one is very, very close. I think I have a personal attachment since he's from Oregon and that's where I live. He's also a hell of a player and very dynamic. If the Sox made a deal like this I would completely and totally understand and probably praise it, in that it would be a safe play to ensure that the core positions on the team was in place for the next few years. They will obviously need to replace Varitek sooner than later.

 

Fair enough. Atlanta has a glaring need at CF once Jones leaves.

 

I'd love to see them jump on Bowden/Crisp, but I just don't think that's going to work.

 

I think one of the B's gets dealt because there's going to be a logjam at pitcher in a few years.

[mtbykr]

I'd rather give up crisp as i believe JE is the future here, and i don't see them dumping him now.

[TheKilo]

Well duh of course everyone wants to give up Crisp.

[TedWilliams101]

Could we do a package? Crisp and Lugo for Salty and Renteria? lol. I want him back!

[example1]

Fair enough. Atlanta has a glaring need at CF once Jones leaves.

 

I'd love to see them jump on Bowden/Crisp, but I just don't think that's going to work.

 

I think one of the B's gets dealt because there's going to be a logjam at pitcher in a few years.

 

The logjam appears to be that of Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Buchholz and Bowden by my estimation. Am I missing someone?

[Seldini]

Wierd. I traded for Salty in my MLB 2k7 franchise today...

[vet 68]

there is now way to make these two trades. First off you don't trade a good young pitcher like Bowden nor do you trade Ellsbury. Since when did the FO say it was a sure thing with Hunter signing. If you are going to trade anyone trade wiley Mo and CoCo, Hansen. This makes more of a good thing for both teams.

[BSN07]

Bowen, Crisp and one of the following Hansen/Delcarmen/Snyder/Gabbard...

 

A minor league SP with big time promise, Veteran OF that prolly would perform better away from Boston and a young RP with some ML experience I think would be a nice deal for 1 prospect with minimal ML experience but also big time upside...

[jacksonianmarch]

Salty will be near impossible to get. So many teams need catching and so few good ones are available that this kid is worth his weight in gold. I would think that if the market on catchers was stable, the Coco, Bowden, fringe guy deal would work. But when the catching is this thin, you'd have to think they'd nab more.

[EvilDonut]

What about Jeff Clement? The Mariners won't be needing him anytime soon with Johjima (sp) and he has a lot of potential. Here in Iowa I recall, he broke the national HR record. He's struggling as of late, and probably won't be ready for the Majors until 2009 but I think he'd would be cheaper then Salty.

 

Any thoughts?

[mtbykr]

Could we do a package? Crisp and Lugo for Salty and Renteria? lol. I want him back!

 

 

I don't, i don't want to have to buy anymore remotes! (i remember chucking the remote accross the room everytime he would make an error---and that was alot) I am happy with Lugo or getting ocab back

[elsrbueno]

Salty's minor league numbers are very impressive. Good power, good K:BB rates, good age. I can see the desire to put this guy in the lineup and just watch him hit.

 

Are we dealing with a first base prospect though? Based on the scouting report above it sounds like he's best off getting out from behind the plate. Not that I'd be against this guy as a first baseman because it looks like his bat will play there.... he's just not as valuable if he's not catching.

 

I'd love to see Ellsbury hit the majors with the Red Sox because based on everything I've read he'll be an exciting player. I know the Braves expressed interest in Coco and Hansen last year for Andruw Jones and that'd be IMO a better package from the both sides. The Braves are contenders now and they can't possibly be thrilled with Willie Harris as their everyday left fielder...

 

P.S. are we giving up on George Kottaras? I know his production's way way down this year and he's advancing in age (24) but he's also been a bit unlucky (.244 BABIP this year in AAA). The thing that worries me is his dropping walk rate and rising k rate since the trade....

[elsrbueno]

What about Jeff Clement? The Mariners won't be needing him anytime soon with Johjima (sp) and he has a lot of potential. Here in Iowa I recall, he broke the national HR record. He's struggling as of late, and probably won't be ready for the Majors until 2009 but I think he'd would be cheaper then Salty.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Jeff Clement's another guy who probably won't last behind the plate. They were questioning his ability to stay there even before he was drafted, and he was drafted for his bat.

 

That having been said, his bat doesn't look bad. In his second year of AAA this year his AVG is down but his SLG and OBP are up. He's doubled his walk rate and his strikeout rate is a tiny bit lower. His BABIP so far is .263 which tells me his .240 average is bound to improve once luck is on his side.

 

Again, his future is probably at first base but I'd still take a flier on him. The Mariners are a horribly run organization so there's a chance he could be had.

[BSN07]

Who cares if he ends up playing 1B. Youk can move to 3rd. This guy is a potential 30 HR hitter.

 

Jacko normally I would agree with the catching being thin deal. But Atlanta already has there franchise catcher, and a 1B. Everyone knows they have no where to put the guy. I think this fact would equal out any advantage Atlanta would have by saying catching is fairly thin threw out the league.

 

 

Salty at 1st and we could still see Kottras as catcher. And if he doesn´t work out the Salty can be the catcher.

 

I think you have to make this deal, Crisp,Bowen one of Hansen,Delcarmen,Murphy,Cerrano, Gabbard, Johnson, I believe a combo of these could and should get it done. Now only if we could make Theo think this as well....