2015 Red Sox Trade Deadline Thread

[a700hitter]

Anomaly is kind of a key word here. With their 2015 'strategy', the Sox may have been trying to replicate a 'formula for success' when in fact they were trying to replicate an anomaly - a formula that usually fails.

Bells, I think that is a great point. They might have mistakenly thought that the anomaly was a sound strategy. I think you might have hit it right on the head. Strong starting pitching is a strategy for sustainable and reliable success. I don't think that there is a credible argument to counter it. Every other pricking staregy is a crap shoot to one degree or another-- and the success of those strategies would be an anomaly.

[a700hitter]

This has been a very active and interesting trading season. We are left out of the fun by being in last place. Our doofus GM has put us in a position where we don't even have good pieces to sell. Imagine landing Tulo and Price in the same week or Cueto and Zobrist. Their fans must really be enthusiastic about their teams chances.

[a700hitter]

Orioles are looking at Parra and Revere. Cubs are in discussions with Cleveland about Carrasco.

[sk7326]

Anomaly is kind of a key word here. With their 2015 'strategy', the Sox may have been trying to replicate a 'formula for success' when in fact they were trying to replicate an anomaly - a formula that usually fails.

 

I don't think the Royals were specifically the blueprint. But the general idea of using strengths to mitigate weaknesses is pretty basic stuff throughout sports. If the supporting elements were better, the weak parts would have had more of a prayer to be successful. Great lineups and defense augmenting so-so pitching has won before, and will win again. Cherington's mistake (and you've deftly noted this before) was on the first two fronts more than the third.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox are rumored to be interested in Carrasco

[a700hitter]

I don't think the Royals were specifically the blueprint. But the general idea of using strengths to mitigate weaknesses is pretty basic stuff throughout sports. If the supporting elements were better, the weak parts would have had more of a prayer to be successful. Great lineups and defense augmenting so-so pitching has won before, and will win again. Cherington's mistake (and you've deftly noted this before) was on the first two fronts more than the third.

it will be the extremely rare situation where a team will have success that a team can compete in the post steroid era with a team ERA over 4. Only the Tigers have done that in the last 3 years and their team ERA was 4.01.

[sk7326]

Additionally - and this was Cherington's big miscalculation - the Royals bullpen or starting have been ok (9th in AL fWAR), but the run prevention has been driven by brilliant defensive performance (1st by a mile). The premise that the Red Sox would be able to provide a positive defensive contribution, that was the misfire on the run prevention side.

 

Remember entering the season, the question was really whether Bogaerts was any good. Sandoval was an average to above average defender at 3B and Ramirez was moving to the easiest position on the diamond (besides 1B, and that is debateable). Between the Vasquez injury, and the two FAs none of that came to pass, alas ... despite Bogaerts actually being perfectly good.

Edited July 31, 2015 by sk7326

[a700hitter]

Additionally - and this was Cherington's big miscalculation - the Royals bullpen or starting have been ok, but the run prevention has been driven by brilliant defensive performance. The premise that the Red Sox would be able to provide a positive defensive contribution, that was the misfire on the run prevention side.

 

Remember entering the season, the question was really whether Bogaerts was any good. Sandoval was an average to above average defender at 3B and Ramirez was moving to the easiest position on the diamond (besides 1B, and that is debateable). Between the Vasquez injury, and the two FAs none of that came to pass, alas ... despite Bogaerts actually being perfectly good.

Our catching has been okay defensively. A defense full of Paul Blairs, brook Robinsons and Ozzie Smiths were not going to save this pitching staff. He was wrong about the starters. He was wrong about the relievers. He was wrong about the defense, and he was wrong about the offense. He was wrong about all of it, Edited July 31, 2015 by a700hitter

[reYoukilis]

Additionally - and this was Cherington's big miscalculation - the Royals bullpen or starting have been ok (9th in AL fWAR), but the run prevention has been driven by brilliant defensive performance (1st by a mile). The premise that the Red Sox would be able to provide a positive defensive contribution, that was the misfire on the run prevention side.

 

Remember entering the season, the question was really whether Bogaerts was any good. Sandoval was an average to above average defender at 3B and Ramirez was moving to the easiest position on the diamond (besides 1B, and that is debateable). Between the Vasquez injury, and the two FAs none of that came to pass, alas ... despite Bogaerts actually being perfectly good.

I agree. I thought the red sox were rebuilding to be strong defensively to help pitching, this way we could save on paying for high price pitchers. I'm not seeing how Sandoval and Ramirez fit this strategy.

[sk7326]

I agree. I thought the red sox were rebuilding to be strong defensively to help pitching, this way we could save on paying for high price pitchers. I'm not seeing how Sandoval and Ramirez fit this strategy.

 

Well, first both of them were replacing absolute zeroes in our lineup, 3B and LF. So just by having a breathing major leaguer there you hoped it would be a significant improvement. Also, Sandoval was an average 3B and Ramirez was moving from the hardest position on the field (where he was below average) to the easiest, so you'd like to think those were plusses. Throw in the fact that the Red Sox were 3rd in the AL defensively last season (h/t/ fangraphs) nd the ingredients were there for a positive defense. And what has happened is that by going from ++ to ok (Vasquez to the others) at catcher, and then Sandoval and Ramirez being well below any reasonable projection defensively, the team has fallen. (6th in the AL, but worse on an absolute basis than last year).

[Kimmi]

To avoid repeating everything again, and to save myself the time and energy, I'll just say that I agree with everything that SK posted.

[Bellhorn04]

Well, first both of them were replacing absolute zeroes in our lineup, 3B and LF. So just by having a breathing major leaguer there you hoped it would be a significant improvement. Also, Sandoval was an average 3B and Ramirez was moving from the hardest position on the field (where he was below average) to the easiest, so you'd like to think those were plusses.

 

Is left field in Fenway really the easiest position on the field? I know it's small real estate-wise, but it seems to me there have been a colossal number of plays butchered out there over the years, by us and opposing teams alike.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox are reportedly interested in Tyson Ross and Kimbrel.

[NativeBostonian]

Red Sox are rumored to be interested in Carrasco

 

If we have to give up a lot for him, I don't like it. He's not #1 starter. He's a good #3.

[mvp 78]

Is left field in Fenway really the easiest position on the field? I know it's small real estate-wise, but it seems to me there have been a colossal number of plays butchered out there over the years, by us and opposing teams alike.

 

Well, if Greenwell could play there adequately, I'm sure any schlub with a modicum of athleticism could do so if they put in the effort.

[sk7326]

I think fenway LF might confound metrics - Crawford is a good LF who was bad there. It is possible that being a good LF at Fenway requires specific things which says nothing about your ability to play LF in general. Rice for instance was for the most part not a good outfielder but handled the wall solidly.

[mvp 78]

Ben needs to save his job today. We'll see if he rages against the dying of the light.

[Spudboy]

The Sox have been very quiet as the deadline approaches.

 

I am curious as to why there has been no movement or even reported interest in Allen Craig.

 

Maybe it's his bargain contract that scares teams off?

 

Maybe the Sox plan on sticking with him as Napoli is either disposed of somehow or his contract just expires.

 

I don't see Graig as a solid replacement option at 1st going forward. Maybe the Sox and some here do?

 

If Craig is being counted on for next year I think that the Sox are making another mistake.

 

Get rid of him if you can.

[Behindenemylines]

Be nice to get a piece for the 2016 rotation. This years staff has been even worse then predicted. So to answer the question, you do need a top of the rotation guy to be competitive.

[RedSoxNC84]

Sox are apparently in on Carrasco and are talking with Cubs and Padres about a three team trade right now.

[mvp 78]

Every source I've read says the Sox are "quietly" shopping for cost controlled pitcher. It's not a bad thing that nothing substantial is getting leaked. I don't remember hearing about the 2012 trade before it went down.

[mvp 78]

Sox are apparently in on Carrasco and are talking with Cubs and Padres about a three team trade right now.

 

@jtomase: Regarding rumored three-way deal between Cubs, Red Sox, and Padres, an official from one of the teams involved says a trade is unlikely.

 

Tomase still sucks though.

[RedSoxNC84]

Who knows what will happen, but rumors are pointing towards Ben pursuing Carrasco and Tyson Ross right now. Hopefully something happens today even if this season can't be salvaged.

[Spudboy]

I guess that you guys are all over this story already but I have copied it from MLB TR anyway!

 

Padres, Red Sox, Cubs Have Talked 3-Team Trade

By Jeff Todd [July 31, 2015 at 12:18pm CDT]

 

The Padres, Red Sox, and Cubs have discussed an unspecified three-team deal, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweeted earlier that there was industry speculation of discussions between the clubs, noting that there were many potential fits between them.

 

The parameters of a deal remain unreported at this time, but both Chicago (here and here) and Boston have been heavily connected to San Diego in recent days.

[Behindenemylines]

Who knows what will happen, but rumors are pointing towards Ben pursuing Carrasco and Tyson Ross right now. Hopefully something happens today even if this season can't be salvaged.

 

Yes, they should be looking at 2016. Ben needs to step up on making the staff much better.

[RedSoxNC84]

I'm having a hard time finding how the Cubs would be connected, what do they need besides offloading Starlin Castro?

[a700hitter]

Yes, they should be looking at 2016. Ben needs to step up on making the staff much better.

Yes, this would be a time when he could start building next year's staff.

[Spudboy]

GordonEdes Gordon Edes

Two hours before trading deadline, Red Sox efforts focused on Carrasco or Ross. JBJ could be going

[a700hitter]

Padres are looking to dump a lot of salary like the Red Sox did in 2012. The Red Sox need to get some talent for the pitching staff. There could be a match.

[mvp 78]

@Marc_Normandin: Those 3-team negotiations between the Red Sox, Cubs, and Padres are still kicking, per @jonmorosi