rjortiz

There's definitely some value to fielding a competitive baseball team, and if the Royals can sustain their momentum, they should be able to sell more tickets in September. Although, they've only seen about an 1,000 seat per game attendance spike. However, Myers has a 2.2 WAR in 47 games, compared to Shields' 2.5 WAR over the full season. You also have to factor in that the Royals gave the awful Jeff Francoeur 191 AB's in RF, who managed to be worse than replacement level. It's reasonable to suggest that the Royals probably would have been better with Myers than with Shields, plus they would have had an extra $12 million to spend on another pitcher. They also would have kept Jake Odorizzi and Mike Montgomery who are decent prospects. All of these players would be making the minimum for the next three years. Instead they are going to have to give Shields a massive contract extension to justify the trade, while Wil Myers develops into an anchor in the Tampa lineup for the minimum. This was an awful trade by the Royals, and it looks worse every passing day.

Ty Cobb and Pete Rose. Bonds is up there too.

Although he's slumping, Napoli has been a pretty decent signing for the Red Sox. He's been a good defender at 1B, while giving us average production for the position. He's been worth the $13 million they will end up paying him. Seeing that there's really no alternatives on the free agency market, maybe with the exception of a gamble like Corey Hart, I wouldn't hate to bring him back at 2/24.

Two points: 1) They'd never sit Ortiz for Gomes. 2) Gomes is a brutal defender with awful platoon splits. He's a part-time player who mashes lefties.

C - McCann 1B - Napoli 2B - Pedroia SS - Bogaerts 3B - Middlebrooks LF - Gonzalez CF - Ellsbury RF - Victorino DH - Ortiz C - Ross 1B - Carp INF - Holt OF - ? SP - Buchholz SP - Peavy SP - Lackey SP - Doubrount SP - Lester RP - Uehara RP - Tazawa RP - Miller RP - Workman RP - Britton RP - Breslow RP - De La Rosa Trade Nava and Gomes for prospects or relievers. Trade Bradley Jr., Owens, Ranaudo, and Cecchini for Carlos Gonzalez. (I doubt the Marlins would bite on that offer for Stanton, but if they did trade for Stanton.) Trade Dempster for a used baseball It would deplete our pitching prospect inventory. Hopefully, Webster and De La Rosa can find the strike zone, as we would lose Dempster, Lackey, and Peavy in 2015. Although, I think we can keep Lackey for the minimum, because of his surgery? I'm not sure.

I doubt the Rockies have any motivation to move him, but I'd offer that same package for Carlos Gonzalez.

I have to agree with you. I think the offer is a good start, but I'd bet the Red Sox would have to give up at least two more prospects and it still might not be enough. The Marlins have Marisnick, Ozuna, and Yelich, so Bradley Jr. may not be as valuable to the Marlins as he is to the Red Sox. Owens and Ranaudo are projected second or third starters, and like you said Cecchini has plus-plus contact projection, but not a lot of power, which has to diminish his value a little. Furthermore, one of the bigger holes on the Marlins is SS. Bogaerts would immediately start for them there. Someone earlier in the thread said that he thought that 2012 was an aberration for Stanton, and that 2010, 2011, and 2013 might be his normal seasons. 2010, 2011, and 2013 were/are his age 20, 21, and 23 seasons. He's a beast. Bogaerts has to be in the deal, unless the Cardinals, Rangers, and Red Sox all conspire to refuse the Marlins their top prospect.

That's highway robbery for the Red Sox. Trumbo might be struggling this year, but he's still cheap and has tremendous power. The Angels aren't giving him up plus their two top prospects for a third starter, and a pitcher coming off two down years with only one year of control. The Marlins will get much better prospects for Stanton than that lot. Bradley is a good start, but Cowart has lost a little shine off his status, and Maronde isn't an elite prospect. Hanson is a garbage throw in with no value. Stanton is a monster. He's having a down year, but he's been hurt and plays for the Marlins. He's going to land a massive haul for the Marlins. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to whoever gives up Tavares, Profar, or Bogaerts.

Yeah, that's why I thought he was talking about right now. Bogaerts ceiling is way higher than Lowrie's. I wish they had minor league WAR totals. Even if he had a -20 UZR, he'd still probably be a 5 win player this year. .882 OPS from a 20 year old SS. He's going to be a superstar.

Red Sox are huge favorites tonight at -180.

My mistake. Definitely improves his stock. Did some more research after reading this post. I read that he's a superior defender than Lavarnway, and probably isn't much worse with the bat. Maybe they should have brought him up over Lavarnway. I'd like to see him get some playing time over him in September, although with Ross due back soon, I don't think we will.

Although, he did give Delmon Young 291 PA's. At the very minimum, that should require a visit to the psych ward. Amaro signed him, so he should definitely join him. I think he did the right thing by not settling for mediocre talent for Lee, and signing Utley to a contract extension, but they've got a lot of money tied up to a few players. They need a GM that can find low cost players to complement their stars. Amaro doesn't have that great of a track record in that regard.

Plus, missing the playoffs would require some dramatic surge from the Guardians, Royals, or Orioles. Whatever you think of the Red Sox, it can't be lower than those teams.

Scapegoat, although the Phillies have performed below expectations. I wonder how long Amaro's leash is?

Do you mean right now?

Funny, because SFF was the one telling us at the beginning of the season to believe that the Red Sox were a playoff team. Haha, where did that optimism go? Missing the playoffs is pretty unlikely. BP gives us a 93.7% chance to make the playoffs, and a 66% chance to win the division.

I think he makes the postseason roster as a pinch-hitter over Brock Holt. Although, I'd like to see him starting at 3B right now. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I don't think two months of playing 3B would derail his career at SS.

I'll say the Red Sox finish two to three games ahead of the Rays. Rays/A's play for the Wild Card.

I wonder if Bradley, Owens, Ranaudo, and Cecchini could get it done.

I would look into trading Victorino this offseason. Someone might be tempted to overvalue him based on his UZR. I'm skeptical that he'll be able to replicate those numbers next year.

I think the Red Sox will go with player that brings the most value to the table, regardless of how they do it.

That's correct. They use the head-to-head records to determine home field advantage now.

Crawford and Gonzalez have been good this year, but without Puig and Ryu that trade would look awful.

Very good point.

Second that.