harmony

The Red Sox need a first baseman; the Baltimore Orioles have several. The Orioles need pitching; the Red Sox have several pitchers. Chris Davis for Drew Pomeranz? Who needs numbers when the needs are met?

Back on the old Boston Globe forum Houston was criticized for a baseball-low $44.5 million payroll in 2014 despite receiving revenue-sharing funds from other clubs. Critics contended the Astros should not receive revenue sharing if they weren't going to spend it on personnel. I drew the analogy to the person who sets aside savings instead of living paycheck to paycheck. Those savings come in handy at the proper time. Houston was in a position to acquire Justin Verlander (and Josh Reddick, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran) when many other teams weren't.

The Angels have signed Justin Upton to a five-year contract: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/11/angels-extend-justin-upton.html

Sports Illustrated called it in this 2014 cover story: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/10/mlb-world-series-astros-sports-illustrated-cover-2014

In the down years the Astros resisted the temptation to sign veterans to attain transient mediocrity and instead planned for the future. Houston has been rewarded for its deferred gratification.

I would never use the word "ugly" to describe a human being. Although this discussion has turned ugly.

Randy Johnson was 6 foot, 10 inches. Hack Wilson, who drove in a record 191 runs in 1930, was 5 foot, 6 inches tall. Wilson played in the 1924 and 1929 World Series. Yogi Berra and Joe Morgan, who each stood 5 foot, 7 inches, combined for 18 World Series.

Hey, it might work if the Cubs added Jason Heyward to the deal.

Kyle Schwarber and Andrew Benintendi are clearly different hitters but I would note that Schwarber has posted 1.1 bWAR and 3.3 fWAR in 200 MLB games while Benintendi has posted 3.1 bWAR and 2.8 fWAR in 185 games.

FanGraphs Depth Charts has posted these early WAR projections for 2018: Andrew Benintendi: 2.2 WAR in 150 games Kyle Schwarber: 1.7 WAR in 100 games Javier Baez: 1.4 WAR in 111 games Ian Happ: 1.1 WAR in 147 games Kris Bryant: 6.1 WAR in 160 games Mookie Betts: 5.6 WAR in 163? games http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=17901&position=OF Benintendi had a solid rookie season, ranking seventh among rookie hitters in fWAR, largely on the strength of his extensive playing time: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=2&team=&rost=&age=&filter=&players= Benintendi entered the season ranked first, first and third on prospect lists at Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus, after narrowly maintaining his rookie status with 105 at-bats in 2016. In contrast, Houston infielder Alex Bregman, who is three months older than Benintendi, missed the cut with 201 at-bats in 2016. Bregman, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, posted 3.8 fWAR and 4.1 bWAR this year while Benintendi, the No. 7 pick in the 2015 draft, posted 2.2 fWAR and 2.6 bWAR this year. Each has five years of team control. FanGraphs Depth Charts projects 2018 WAR of 3.7 for Bregman and 2.2 for Benintendi. The Cubs may be interested in Benintendi but we don't know how much the Cubs value the 23-year-old outfielder.

The Cubs should just trade Javier Baez, who this year posted 2.2 fWAR and 2.9 bWAR in 145 games, for Andrew Benintendi, who this year posted 2.2 fWAR and 2.6 bWAR in 151 games. Baez can cover second base until Dustin Pedroia returns before filling an important utility role. However, Benintendi comes with five years of team control while Baez has only four years of team control.

I would not trade Andrew Benintendi for Kyle Schwarber but I responded to the comment that "It would depend on what Theo thinks about Benintendi's potential."

True. Theo Epstein may think five years of Andrew Benintendi is worth no more than four years of Kyle Schwarber to the power-needy Red Sox.

Three years of Mookie Betts, who has posted 4.9, 7.5 and 5.3 fWAR the last three years, won't land four years of Kris Bryant, who has posted 6.5, 8.3 and 6.7 fWAR the last three years.

Bingo.

Kris Bryant ranked fourth on FanGraphs trade value list in July: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2017-trade-value-1-to-10/ Andrew Benintendi ranked No. 26 on the list. Bryant remains under team control for four more seasons after posting 6.5, 8.3 and 6.7 fWAR the last three seasons. Benintendi, who is two-and-a-half years younger, remains under team control for five seasons after posting 2.2 fWAR this year. I highly doubt the Cubs would have any interest in one-for-one swap.

Michael Chavis was the lone Red Sox prospect selected to play in the Fall Stars Game despite posting a modest .269/.316/.423/.739 line in 52 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League: https://www.overthemonster.com/2017/10/31/16580212/michael-chavis-arizona-fall-league-all-star-game http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=656308 Peoria Javelina teammate Eric Filia was left off the Fall Stars roster despite posting a .410/.500/.641/1.141 line in 39 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.

The Miami Herald reports that the Marlins have Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon and Martin Prado on the trade block: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article181739531.html

The Astros' first overall picks were Carlos Correa in 2012, Mark Appel in 2013 and Brady Aiken in 2014. Other highest picks for Houston included Delino DeShields No. 8 in 2010, George Springer No. 11 in 2011 and Alex Bregman No. 2 in 2015.

I don't see a match for Nelson Cruz, who has only one year and $14 million remaining on his contract after the 37-year-old designated hitter posted 12.8 fWAR, valued at $102.4 million, in the first three years of his four-year, $57 million contract with Seattle. I've suggested a trade of Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr. to Seattle for reliever Nick Vincent, but that does not address the Red Sox need for a power hitter. However, the deal would free up funds for the Sox to pursue J.D. Martinez and other sluggers.

This Sons of Sam Horn column includes this paragraph: http://sonsofsamhorn.com/baseball/majorleaguebaseball/al-east/boston-red-sox/giancarlo-stanton-newest-red-sox/ That's not my understanding of how the AAV is calculated for luxury tax purposes.

http://www.weei.com/media/audio-channel/danny-picard-could-red-sox-make-trade-bryce-harper-10-28-17 https://www.fishstripes.com/2017/10/18/16485278/the-miami-marlins-and-boston-red-sox-are-destined-trade-partners-stanton-ozuna-yelich-jackie-bradley https://bosoxinjection.com/2017/10/15/potential-red-sox-trade-target-jose-abreu/ http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2017/10/jennings_red_sox_offseason_shopping_complicated_by_expected_2018_free_agent https://www.boston.com/sports/sports-q/2017/08/15/should-the-red-sox-try-to-trade-for-giancarlo-stanton http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2017/10/silverman_red_sox_need_power_but_not_at_giancarlo_stantons_price https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2017/10/26/jimmy-kimmel-asked-giancarlo-stanton-like-play-for-red-sox/sGoNwPdgkNbW6nb3ygo0kL/story.html http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2017/10/boston_red_sox_potential_trade.html

Another blogger calls for a trade of reliever Carson Smith, first baseman Sam Travis and third baseman Michael Chavis to Detroit for relievers Shane Greene and Alex Wilson, utility player Andrew Romine and outfielder Alex Presley: https://motorcitybengals.com/2017/10/25/detroit-tigers-make-trade-boston-red-sox/ The blogger contends the Tigers should make that trade. Well, duh. I'm not sure why the Red Sox would further deplete their farm system for that return.

That's possible, although the Red Sox may be sellers as well with Craig Kimbrel, Drew Pomeranz, Joe Kelly, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Robbie Ross (and Rick Porcello, David Price and Hanley Ramirez if a market develops for them).

With a solid core of young players in Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario, the Minnesota Twins will be looking to overtake the Red Sox next year after advancing to the postseason this season. I don't see the Twins trading away their veterans. In contrast with the Red Sox, the Twins have prospects ranked No. 26, No. 29, No. 63 and No. 70 at MLB Prospect Watch: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=prospects