Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports kicks off his latest column with a look at Alex Rodriguez's $30MM worth of home run incentives. The chase isn't generating the buzz the Yankees anticipated when they re-signed A-Rod. On to Rosenthal's rumors…
- Talks are on again between the Red Sox and Rockies regarding catcher Chris Iannetta. The Rockies would want to improve their big league club with an in-season deal, so perhaps we'll hear heightened Iannetta buzz during the offseason if Miguel Olivo is retained.
- The Nationals do not seem to have chosen a course with Adam Dunn in terms of trading or extending him now.
- The Athletics have no intention of trading Coco Crisp or Mark Ellis, as both players have club options for 2011.
- Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli is "a frequent trade target of rival clubs," but the team likes having depth at the catcher position.
- As part of the Yunel Escobar–Alex Gonzalez talks, the Braves and Blue Jays discussed Jose Bautista. For now, the Braves still have time to evaluate Nate McLouth's recovery from a concussion. MLB.com's Mark Bowman wrote today that the Braves have considered David DeJesus, Cody Ross, Corey Hart, and Josh Willingham as potential trade targets.
I didn’t think the Rockies would trade Ianetta but damn if they want to I hope the Sox get him
I wondered why the Braves didn’t get Bautista in the Escobar trade.
Because the Jays would obviously ask for much more than Escobar especially if they are also giving up Gonzalez.
Please. You guys got a steal in that trade and you know it. If Bautista had of been included at least it would have then been a fair trade.
I wouldn’t say it’s steal. It’s a win-win for both teams. Braves get Gonzalez who can help them currently and they get 2 decent prospects.
If Braves asked for Gonzalez + Bautista for Escobar, then AA would hang up the phone immediately.
Its way too early to say definitely one way or another but it does look like a win for the Blue Jays. Maybe its win-win but bigger win and bigger upside for the Jays
I didn’t mean to “like” that. I hit the wrong button, however the notion of Bautista, Gonzalez, Collins and Pastornicky for Escobar and Reyes made me laugh. Do you really think Anthopolouos is incompetent?
I would be in favor of the Sox sacrificing this season, if necessary, in order to get the catcher of the future. I don’t see a .220 hitter as the catcher of the future.
If you are referring to Ianetta you obviously must be having problems with sample sizes. Ianetta is a good bat with pop
I don’t understand why the Sox would need to sacrifice the season to get a “catcher of the future”. This isn’t the NBA or NFL.
Because any team willing to trade a catcher that good is doing it because they need a piece to “win now”. Which means a high quality starting player (or more) in return. If the Sox lose any more such players, they’re done for the year.
My premise is, that would be worth it to get the catcher of the future.
I don’t think that is true at all. The A’s would love to pick up some minor league talent and they have Kurt Suzuki who would fit the mold of “catcher of the future”
You should acquaint yourself with the concept of secondary skills.
So convince me. What fabulous secondary skills does Ianetta have to make up for a .225 average over the two most recent seasons and how will that make him a starter in the AL East?
Patience, power, and defense. Last season, even with the .228 BA, he put up a .344 OBP and .460 SLG. Both well above average for a catcher, even once you adjust for park effects. While he stunk on the road last year, he has a history of doing fine there (in 2008, he put up a .280/.400/.497 line away from Coors). This year he was sent down early, even though–again, despite his low batting average–he was putting up a .330 OBP and a .484 SLG. He never put up high or even average BABIP numbers, but the last two years they’ve gone from low to cartoonishly low. He’s also continued to put up fantastic numbers in Triple-A when they’ve sent him down (again, even if you adjust for the park). He’s been unlucky, he’s been solidly good despite the bad luck, and the Rockies haven’t given him a full chance. Even if the batting averages are really low, the walks and power make him valuable as a catcher. In fact, it’s the same reason Miguel Olivo has always been employable, only with lots of added walks.
lars anderson/chris ianetta swap? afterall, the sox want adrian gonzalez or prince fielder as their 1B of the future
Free Chris Iannetta already! The Rockies will never put full confidence in him, and more than 20 teams don’t have a better answer at catcher (including the Rockies).
…the Rockies “better answer” is someone by the name of Miguel Olivo. To me, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade Chris Iannetta when he’s at his lowest value of his career, having struggled through virtually all of the first half. Having seen his great promise as a power hitter, which is so valuable at the catcher position, I feel like the Rockies ought to wait for his stock to rise again with improved performance instead of getting rid of him now and only being able to acquire a couple of mid-level propsects.
1) Olivo has a .390 BABIP, extra insane for a catcher. When it comes back down to Earth, his batting average will sink right back down to where it’s always been and he will no longer be the better answer.
2) Iannetta’s value won’t recover if they don’t play him in the majors. He hasn’t had anything to prove in Triple-A in years.
Don’t you think it is a little ridiculous to bench the best statistical catcher in all of baseball this season for a reason like that? No team in baseball would do that. The Rockies are playing the hot hand like they should in the middle of a playoff race. BABIP has been known to stay inconsistent for years at a time, so counting on a drop in BABIP for Olivo over the course of the remaining months of this season is naive.
Counting on it to remain sky-high is even more naive. I’m not saying they should bench Olivo, but they should be ready with Iannetta. It can also be simultaneously true that they should keep playing Iannetta while he’s hot, but also that they haven’t given Iannetta a fair chance.
Well you just made a post complaining about how the Rockies don’t have confidence in or play Ianetta, which is what I was responding to. I never said they should trade him either, only that there is no reason for Ianetta to be playing over Olivo right now, so you shouldn’t be upset with the Rockies like you seem to be.
Fair enough. My problem is that they should have given him the job three years ago and never looked back. They never should have yanked him from the starting job this year. The fact that Olivo has had a fluke career year is a fortuitous coincidence, but the process that had him starting in the first place was a foolish lack of confidence in Iannetta. But you’re correct about this situation.
Both Crisp & Ellis’s options are for WAY above market value though. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Just who is running the A’s these days?
they have the $ and nobody wants to play in oakland… i wish they’d just give suzuki a new deal and maybe lock up cahill and mazarro… rather take a chance on them than pay crisp. ellis has always been a team player and i think he deserves the money (which isn’t that much)
who would the sox trade for ianetta?
i really don’t know what the Rox would want from the Red Sox. If this trade happens this year, how about Iannetta and Hawpe to the Red Sox. The Red Sox kick in prospects to the Marlins and the Marlins ship Uggla and Anebel Sanchez to the Rockies.
do anybody read my comments? lol
chris iannetta for lars anderson
you already know the red sox will sign one of prince fielder or adrian gonzalez, with youkilis already at the position. the rox need a 1B for the future, as the sox need a catcher of the future. to me, this makes total sense, or maybe because its coming frim me
I’m ignorant about him, but what about his numbers makes him that much better than say Joe Koshansky whom the Rox let walk (granted the timing with Helton’s health is different)?
Joe Koshansky was an old prospect scouts never particularly liked who was vastly inflated by his minor league park environments. Anderson was considered a huge prospect two years had a down year last year, and destroyed Double-A before getting promoted this year, and he’s not even 23 yet.
Anderson alone isn’t enough.
true but iannetta is the rox trash and another teams gold the rox have miguel olivo, wilin rosario, michael mckenry amongst others. bottom line: there are plenty of options at catcher
While they never give him a full chance to play, the Rockies seem to have some idea of his value. Olivo’s going to come crashing back down to Earth after a ridiculously unsustainable BABIP in the first half. McKenry’s no great shakes, is worse than Iannetta, and isn’t ready yet. Rosario’s not ready yet.
Anderson and an arm for Ianetta works for me as a rockies fan. My question is what arm woud you suggest. Ramirez? Bucholz? I dont no enough bout sox to say
Let’s not get silly here. Buccholz is destroying the AL East as a 25-year old starter. I meant a non-top flight prospect.
I know he’s out of reach, he was the only starter not completely untouchable (lester) or beat up/old/ Expensive (Beckett, Wakefield, Lackey and Matsuzaka)
I reckon he’s completely untouchable now unless a superstar is on the table. I’m talking about minor leaguers here.
what i was asking with the arms was if there was a decent pitcher in AAA who was MLB ready
Bowden has moved to the pen, but he should be ready soon.
I like the marlins idea however that won’t work because florida won’t give up Uggla so…. Hawpe and ianetta for Nava Ramon Ramirez and Jorge Cantu and maybe sanchez too, but that might be too much, but that seems like the best matchup because of all the talks between colorado and florida separate from their talks with boston about ianetta
Nava is a 27-year old rookie and indy league refugee. He’s a nice story, but his trade value is non-existent.
Nava definitely doesn’t have “non-existent” trade value. He would be a decent 4th OF as he has aptly shown in his time with the Sox this season.
Fine, he has exactly as much trade value as any other unproven 27-year old rookie fourth outfielder. It’s more than non-existent, but he’s not going to garner you much in trade. He’s got a .400 BABIP that’s bound to come down, too.
Well obviously he is going to regress or we’d have a future star on our hands here
I don’t think the Rox would want Nava. Seth Smith is twice the player he is and Spilborghs is probably much better too. Nava caught that Boston Mojo that just about everybody gets when they play for them. He is nothing too special, IMO.
I’ve always felt that Iannetta would be much more suited at 1B. He has a great bat, and has demonstrated it before, but he needs consistent playing time for it to work. He just isn’t that great when he plays twice a week. It’s too bad, because the last 2 years he has been benched mostly because of mediocre catchers playing way way over their head. I hope, with Helton possibly gone for a long time, that they get Iannetta some consistent playing time at 1st.
Iannetta is a perfectly good catcher. It would be ridiculous to chop his value into little pieces by moving him to first just because they don’t have the stones to commit to him.
Well, Olivo is going to be there for a while, and Rosario will be knocking on the door soon. 1st, it will give him a chance to actually play, and play a position that is less harsh on the body, so it is actually adding to his value in a way. 2nd, The Rockies don’t have anything close to long term at 1B, so it makes sense.
His bat isn’t that great when you move it to first. It’s outstanding at catcher and he’s viable defensively. If the goal is to find a first baseman, you’re better off trading him for one. If the Red Sox would trade Anderson or Rizzo with a pitcher for him, that might make sense. Assuming you’re going to ride Olivo until Rosario’s ready.
I think his bat can be good enough to play 1st. It is at least better than the bats that are currently playing first. Keep in mind how amazing he was in 08. I still believe he has that in him.
I do too, but if you’re not going to make use of the HUGE value boost that comes from him playing catcher, you should trade him to someone who does. If you reduce him to just a bat, there are first base prospects who can outhit him.
Rosario and Pacheco are very good prospects and Ianetta is very tradeable. We have nothing at 1B so Anderson would be a great centerpiece. Then our 2011 or 2012 lineup looks like
C Rosario (backup Mckenry or Pacheco)
1B Anderson
2B Herrera
SS Tulowitzki
3B Stewart
UTIL: Young, and Gomez
LF: Gonzalez
CF: FOwler
RF: Parker
OF: Wheeler, Blackmon
SP: Jimenez, Matzek, Friedrich, Chacin, Rogers
RP: Bettis, Weathers, Daley, Street, Corpas
Looks good to me.
It does look good, but why don’t you let Parker appear in the minor leagues before you pencil him in?
Even better, why don’t i make sure he signs. I was looking way ahead and giving our best prospects the spots. Of course some will bust. I was just showing how much potential this team has.
Lars Anderson doesn’t impress me much as a prospect. He is more of a product of the BoSox.
why do u say that? he’s one of ur 5 best prospects
I think the Rockies have stones for NOT playing him. It would be easy to ignore the hot hand of guys like Torrealba and Olivo and play the golden boy Iannetta. Surprise!!! The Rockies have a manager and players that actually want to win games.
I like Iannetta, and he may have all the potential in the world, but you can’t sit around waiting for it to blossom when you have 2 work horses and self made men like Olivo and Torrealba.
“self made men like Olivo and Torrealba”? Are you that in love with the proven veteran? Most of what they’ve made in their careers is outs. Torrealba was decent at the plate last year and has otherwise been an overpaid, out-making road block for Iannetta. Meanwhile, Olivo is having extraordinary luck on balls in play, which is the only reason is on base percentage isn’t below 30% like it normally is. Even when he’s disappointed, Iannetta has been better than that. But the Rockies would rather ride the fluke.
I had Nava to replace Hawpe in the outfield, this trade was centered around Cantu, a guy who we really wanted anyways, and Ramirez who will provide a solid arm for the streaky rockies bulpen. If Sanchez could be included as a reliable starter we’ve made our team much better. We would’ve traded a backup catcher, and an expensive 30 yr old RF with a .270 BA for a mid-rotation starter, 4-5th outfielder, top utility infielder, and solid bullpen arm. (This is an ultra positive view, I no it is not that lopsided of a trade)
Can someone with Rox knowledge tell us what their needs are? Then we can start to speculate about crazy trade scenarios š
We need a good young first baseman, could use a bullpen arm but unlike some contenders dont need it enough to overpay. Same goes for SP. A utility infielder (preferably righty) would be HUGe. We don’t really like to cough up a lot of cash or top prospects but are system is loaded so we can sacrifice enough guys to make a lot of deals. o ya, and we have an OF logjam. That should be enough………….
How about Lars Anderson for your good young first baseman, Yamaico Navarro for your righty utility IF, and somone like Kris Johnson, Kyle Weiland or Randor Bierd for the SP? Would that get it done?
i’m assuming that you wanted Chris Ianetta? If so i think that you would have yourself a new catcher
Yup, Ianetta. I think the Sox might do a trade like that as long as the SP wasn’t somebody we care too much about..
Anderson would be a BIG acquisition because of heltons recent failures and Hawpe is not our 1st baseman of the future. ANderson has enough potential to be that guy
Dude if the Rockies want Lars Anderson for Chris Ianetta i dont know why Ianetta isnt a Sox already, Lars Anderson is a lifelong minor leaguer, he hasnt had a single september call up that i can remember, i know hes a first baseman but they should of at least called him up to give Youk a rest just to see if he can hit major league pitching
The rockies need a first baseman. We have NO need for a catcher. Ianetta has worn out his welcome in Colorado. Anderson might’ve been called up if your current mess at 1B/3B (Lowell, Beltre, Ortiz, and Youkilis sharing two positions) we have no such issues.
are you saying as a Rockie fan you would take Lars Anderson for Chris Ianetta?
on a serious note, how is Ianetta’s defense? hows his arm? the Sox need a catcher that can actually try to throw out a base runner
His defense is very good i’m not sure about his arm, however it certainly isn’t attrocious
Arm is overrated Rays are still going to run successfully on them no matter who they got back there. They survive with Varitek all those years and he had times when he wasn’t that good throwing out runners.
Yeah im talking about other teams, the Rays have to be the best base running club in the majors, they just do everything right, and with them you have to assume and keep in check and still you blink and they stole a base to get in scoring position.
Why arent the braves looking into either Adam Jones or Chris Young? They both seem to be better fits than either of the ones listed above i mean Hart is good too but i would rather see any of them in a braves uni than none of them
The Braves probably missed the boat on Chris Young, he probably could have been had resonably last yr when he was sent to AAA, but now as an ALL STAR, he value probably is too high. Besides the Diamonbacks have few long term answers at muliple positions and I suspect they would want to keep Young. As for Adam Jones, I agree with you that Jones would be one I would target, however Balitmore is going to ask for a haul for him considering they gave up Bedard to get him and dont have any immediate need to trade him.
I would suspect names like Jurrgens, Hanson, Mike Minor might be a few of the names the O’s might want in return.
I call BS on any serious talk about acquiring Cervelli.