The injuries keep coming for the Red Sox and so do the rumors. Here's the latest on Boston's options behind the plate, now and in the future:
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com notes that the Red Sox could have interest in Kevin Cash if Victor Martinez goes on the DL. Cash, now in Houston's system, has experience catching many Red Sox pitchers, including Tim Wakefield. He would probably be available for a small return.
- Cash could become Boston's immediate solution, but today they moved closer to adding a backstop who could help them in a couple years. Cuban catcher Adalberto Ibarra took his physical today according to the catcher's agency on Twitter. Speier notes that the deal should become official once the results of the physical are available. The Red Sox agreed to a $3MM deal with the 22-year-old in April.
- Red Sox 2010 draft pick Anthony Ranaudo is returning to form in the Cape Cod League, according to Jason A. Churchill of ESPN.com. Ranaudo's stock fell as the draft approached and elbow issues surfaced, but he has considerable upside, as MLBTR's Mike Axisa explains in this post.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
lol this is ridiculous 3 straight days an all star gets hurt, never seen anything like it, hopefully vmart doesnt go to the dl, but cash played ok for us two yrs back so he would be a good emergency pick up.
we NEED to get a real starting cather, vmart is too fragile and bad at calling games for it and his bat is way better when he can platoon at 1b/dh
ELPinchy
No cash isn’t a good idea.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
and what other options do we have? all our mlb ready AAA guys are on the
dl, gustavo molina is worlds worse than cash and varitek cant handle the
full load behind the plate.
if vmart is going to miss 3 weeks lets says cash is exactly the kind of guy
you bring in, hes not an all star but hes familiar with our staff and can
fill in for a few weeks splitting time with tek.
better this than overpay via trade, and I’m pretty sure sazuki, mauer and
mccann, etc aren’t getting traded any time soon, so we really have little
options here………
ReverendBlack
Victor has some pretty strong incentive to play hurt right now, so I expect if he hits the DL it will be because it’s not an injury he could effectively play through.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
I agree, and he said he wont be out long himself, but i expect he hits the
15 day and they bring in a veteran journeyman, cash, or whoever is out
there, I just dont see him being able to catch at all with a broken thumb at
least for a week or 2
User 4245925809
Don’t forget both Dusty brown AND mark Wagner at AAA are both on the ML DL list as well. When it rains, it pours..
Would just as soon see rifle armed and defensive whiz Exposito from AA as a backup for the short term over Kevin cash, who can’t hit and is pretty much useless behind the plate anyway. At least Exp can be counted on to throw out runners attempting to steal and block balls and Boston can get a sneak peak at him now, rather than the projected late September call up.
ELPinchy
Not to mention that Jose Iglesias would have been great to call up for SS/2B for essentially the same situation as Espisito but guess who also fractured a finger.
User 4245925809
it is awful at all the injuries the last 2-3 years in the Sox farm system and even Major league team. Hagadone= Tommy John, Drake Britton= Tommy John, Junichi Tazawa= TJ as well. All top prospect starting pitchers and this year it reached to iglesias, hit Wagner, backup C Brown at AAA. Top Sox prospect Westmoreland with a life threatening medical condition earlier this season. it is just a weird last 2-3 seasons that has to leave you wondering “what happens wrong next” medically.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
have you heard anything else on his condition? I havent heard anything about him since spring training……… so tragic
User 4245925809
There was a 3 way interview with him, Epstein and the reporter posted on the Boston globe a couple weeks ago that had him talking a little bit. he seems to be looking forward to ‘hoping” he can play once again, but it will be a long, long way ahead from the way it sounded.
Forgot about Zach Daeges and jed lowrie also missing last couple of years from injuries. Daeges broke a bone in his foot 2 years ago and has been pretty much lost ever since, a really gifted OF/hitter that could really be used right now and was at the AAA level when 1st injured. Everyone knows of the various injuries/medical issues that have besieged lowrie since he broke onto the MLB scene a couple years ago. Yet another promising career that cannot get on track and one that would solve a problem “IF” was healthy.
ReverendBlack
God I hate Kevin Cash so hard. I will turn it off during every one of his at-bats I swear to god.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
LOL bro we literally have NO OTHER OPTIONS at this point, and he would probably only play 2 games a week
ReverendBlack
Ok but if Houston wants more than a backrub from Heidi Watny, no deal.
Lets_Go_Red_Sox
hahahaha heidi will take one for the team, I’m sure š
jwredsox
If Ibarra looks good in a week stint in AAA I say give him a chance. Reports on him are that he has a pretty much ML ready bat but little is known about his defense (though his throwing times are way better than average) plus I think he has a MLB contract.
jwredsox
If Ibarra looks good in a week stint in AAA I say give him a chance. Reports on him are that he has a pretty much ML ready bat but little is known about his defense (though his throwing times are way better than average) plus I think he has a MLB contract.