harmony

We're also comparing trades a decade apart. The difference in years of team control -- two years for Josh Beckett vs. four-and-a-half years for Julio Teheran -- should offset any slight difference in prospect rankings. If I were the Atlanta GM I would make the trade if Nick Markakis were included. As the Boston GM I would make the trade because it could address immediate and long-term needs. I don't see an impact starter coming up through the Red Sox farm system in the near future. Teheran's modest contract would not raise luxury tax issues that a free agent starter could (if an impact free agent starter were available in the offseason).

So far Andrew Benintendi and Anderson Espinoza have topped out at No. 15 and No. 19 on Baseball America's preseason Top 100 prospect list (and at No. 9 and No. 15 on BA's midseason list released today), while Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez topped out at No. 10 and No. 40 on BA preseason lists. All four were highly regarded prospects.

A good trade should benefit both teams. Despite this year's disappointments, this trade could still produce the desired results in the end.

I like the symmetry of a trade of Anderson Espinoza, Andrew Benintendi and a lower-level prospect for Julio Teheran and Nick Markakis. Benintendi reminds me of a young Markakis, another lefthand-hitting, lefthand-throwing outfielder taken with the No. 7 pick of an MLB draft (with a Mediterranean-sounding surname to boot). The Braves get younger versions of their traded players while the Red Sox get an All Star starting pitcher and another option in the outfield.

At the time of the trade, nearly 32-year-old Mike Lowell was owed $18 million over two years coming off a 0.1 fWAR season. Today's equivalent might be 32-year-old Atlanta outfielder Nick Markakis with an annual salary of $10.5 million through 2018 and an fWAR of 0.3 so far this season.

Julio Teheran is one day older today than Josh Beckett was in November 2005 when the Red Sox traded top prospects Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez (and two others) to the Marlins for Beckett, Guillermo Mota and the then-underwater contract of Mike Lowell. Beckett came with two years of team control while Teheran remains under team control for three-and-a-half years at a bargain rate with a team option for an additional year. Here are the stat lines for Beckett at the time of the trade and for Teheran today (with all stats compiled while pitching for a National League East team): JB 106 G, 103 GS, 609.0 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 118 ERA+, 10.7 bWAR, 13.7 fWAR JT 120 G, 117 GS, 746.0 IP, 3.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 113 ERA+, 12.0 bWAR, 8.5 fWAR In 2006 Baseball America ranked Ramirez and Sanchez No. 30 and No. 40 on its Top 100 prospect list after ranking Ramirez No. 10 the previous year. Given the comps, especially the years of team control, the Braves would not be unreasonable in demanding a top Red Sox prospect or two in exchange for Teheran.

Moments ago from a Seattle Mariner beat reporter who is a former president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America: I've asked the Seattle front office to forward to general manager Jerry Dipoto my email inquiring whether the Red Sox gave the Mariners the choice between Wade Miley and Clay Buchholz. I don't expect an answer.:D

It probably does not matter ... I suspect Atlanta will get better offers for Julio Teheran and Arizona will get better offers for Brad Ziegler. The proposal's inclusion of shortstop Mauricio Dubon is puzzling because the Braves have Dansby Swanson and Ozhaino Albies, shortstops ranked No. 10 and No. 21 in the Baseball Prospectus midseason ranking of prospects. https://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=29756

Of course speculation provides a basis for discussion. I was speculating when I wrote "I suspect Seattle preferred Wade Miley over Clay Buchholz because the lefthander is younger, more durable, less expensive and under team control for more years. ... If the Mariners had a choice between Miley and Buchholz, the decision was a no-brainer." I simply take issue with the erroneous statement that "it was reported widely (we've had this discussion before) that the Mariners were offered one of Miley/Buchholz in the deal."

That's why an astute poster will frame the issue as "If the Red Sox offered a choice ..." rather than "The Red Sox offered a choice ..." A meaningful discussion can follow.

I suspect both teams would "still do the deal today."

I've read no report that the Red Sox offered Clay Buchholz to the Mariners. Buchholz suggested that his name came up in discussions but I don't know the source of his information. Did Dave Dombrowski tell Buchholz that he had offered the righthander to Seattle? Or did a friend call Buchholz leaving the wrong impression after reading the Ken Rosenthal tweet? Or something in between?

According to WEEI, Clay Buchholz reported that his name came up in the Red Sox negotiations with the Mariners. That may be true although I don't know the source of Buchholz's information. What has never been reported is that the Red Sox gave the Mariners the choice between Buchholz and Wade Miley. Again, I have been consistent in posting that, if given the choice, I suspect Seattle preferred Miley over Buchholz. I have never wavered on that opinion.

Thank you for offering my previously provided links to reports, none which state Seattle was given the choice between Wade Miley and Clay Buchholz. To state that the Red Sox offered the Mariners Miley or Buchholz might be accurate ... or not. I have seen no information to confirm that one way or the other. To state that it has been widely reported that the Red Sox offered the Mariners Miley or Buchholz is wrong. I have been consistent in posting that I've seen no report that the Red Sox offered the Mariners the choice of Miley or Buchholz. I have been consistent in posting that, if given the choice, I suspect Seattle preferred Miley over Buchholz.

I have never stated that the Mariners were offered Clay Buchholz ... quite the opposite. I have consistently posted that I've read no reports that the Red Sox offered Buchholz to the Mariners. Again, I welcome evidence to the contrary.

I have consistently posted that in my opinion the Mariners would prefer Wade Miley over Clay Buchholz if given the choice. I welcome evidence to the contrary.

Some might call it cagey while others would call it precision writing. I merely corrected this misinformation: I've seen no report that Seattle was "offered one of Miley/Buchholz in the deal" but I remain open to yet-undisclosed evidence.

My posts have consistently corrected the misinformation.

Probably not with the Marlins only 2.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race. That offer in the offseason would be a different story.

To be clear: The first Miguel Cabrera extension came three-and-a-half months after Cabrera's trade to Detroit.

Dave Dombrowsi once traded Baseball America's No. 6 and No. 10 prospects -- Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller -- and four other prospects for two years of then 24-year-old Miguel Cabrera and two years of nearly 26-year-old lefthander Dontrelle Willis coming off a dreadful season.

Well, Dave Cameron did recently move to Oregon, where marijuana is legal (and I believe Cameron grew up in Washington, which has legalized pot as well). But I live in Oregon and I don't get high. On pot. I doubt either of us does prescription drugs recreationally (although each of us is married to a doctor).

I don't doubt Seattle preferred Wade Miley to Clay Buchholz (IF given the choice) but I would note that Miley and Buchholz share the same ERA+ of 77 this season. Advanced metrics give the edge to Miley: WM 15 G, 15 GS, 87.1 IP, 5.36 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 0.0 bWAR, 0.2 fWAR CB 18 G, 13 GS, 80.2 IP, 5.91 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, -0.9 bWAR, -0.5 fWAR Neither has provided desired results.

For what it's worth, Dave Cameron does not drink. And neither do I.

It was not widely reported that Seattle was offered one of Wade Miley or Clay Buchholz It was widely reported that the Red Sox and Mariners were in negotiations while the media speculated that Miley and/or Buchholz were discussed. Google "Mariners Buchholz Miley." https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=mariners+buchholz+miley