The Royals feel that Ben Zobrist might re-sign with the team but Alex Gordon “is likely gone,” the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo writes in his weekly notes column. With a possible hole to fill in left field, Cafardo reports that the Royals are considering free agent outfielder Gerardo Parra. Kansas City is more concerned with defense than offense in replacing Gordon, so Parra’s hitting (which has never been his strong suit, apart from a BABIP-fueled outburst in the first half of 2015) may not be a major issue for the Royals. Here’s some more from Cafardo…
- The Royals, Cubs and Mariners were all reported to have interest in Jackie Bradley last week, and Cafardo adds the Mets and “perhaps the Nationals” to the list of teams checking in on the Red Sox outfielder. Despite all this trade buzz, Bradley may remain in Boston since baseball ops president Dave Dombrowski has long had interest in Bradley himself, even exploring acquiring him from the Sox when Dombrowski was the Tigers’ general manager. Dombrowski has already implied that the Sox may be through with big trades for young talent in the wake of shipping four prospects to San Diego for Craig Kimbrel, which would mean that Bradley could indeed be staying put at Fenway Park.
- An NL general manager doesn’t think the Red Sox can get through the 2016 season without parting ways with at least one of Hanley Ramirez or Pablo Sandoval. Dealing either for value looks to be near impossible since both players have large contracts and are coming off rough seasons, but “sometimes you have to cut your losses. A big-market team like Boston can do that,” the GM said. “They have to decide whether having those two players in their clubhouse, in what is otherwise a young, accountable clubhouse, is worth it. You don’t want players tearing down what you’re trying to build. So whatever method was used to acquire those players didn’t work. So now you have to have your own chemistry lesson and determine if you can live with those guys. I would think they’d try to move one or both.”
- Tigers GM Al Avila is upgrading the club’s analytics department from one full-time employee to three, as well as interns and some outside consultants.
- The Braves talked to Chris Iannetta’s agents before re-signing A.J. Pierzynski to fill their need at catcher. Iannetta has been linked to the Mariners in recent days, though there have been conflicting reports as to exactly how close he is to joining the M’s.
Bob Sacamano 310
Is it possible the Red Sox pay majority of their contract for either to play on another team? Do they have enough money to the point where it wouldn’t matter?
mookiessnarl
It wouldn’t be a money issue. That money is already gone. If you get another team to pay 30-40% of it and go with Shaw or Holt instead it would easily be worth it. But that’s if you’re resigned to getting absolutely nothing out of the players. Hanley can still be good with the bat, but if he can’t play first at an average or even slightly below average level they’d be better dealing him. If Sandoval can revert back to his average production, he can be servicable at third. But, if they decide to deal them for esentially nothing, they have players on the roster already that can play the positions. They just have to decide if they’re better of without Ramirez and/or Sandoval all together.
Bob Sacamano 310
Ok as a White Sox fan I was just curious as they’ve had a hole at third for a while. I just wouldn’t want either for the price.
mookiessnarl
No no one would. That’s the issue with moving them.
seamaholic 2
Plenty of teams (mostly AL, of course) would take Hanley for $8-10m a year. Red Sox just need to decide to cut that cord. I’m not sure they do, though, as he can still hit and hit for power, and they have very little power other than Ortiz.
Bob Sacamano 310
If they move Panda could they possibly play him at third? His bat may be able to make up for below average d
Paddy
Yanks should trade headley for Hanley straight up, we will take over the contract. Sox get a much better team friendly contract to play third or 1st. When Hanley is healthy the rest of the AL east need watch out. Now Pablo on the other hand is a freaking disaster!
bruinsfan94 2
What? First off those teams would never make a trade like that. Second where in the world do you expect to play Hanley? Third?
Paddy
Anything is possible but why not move Hanley to 3rd which is an easier transition for a SS than going to 1st. Move panda to 1st where he can do less damage. Before Hanley got hurt he was hitting with power. If Dombrowski moved them the sox would need to eat most of that money thing for sure. How about we trade headley straight up for Hanley and he can play 3rd in the Bronx. We will even take the whole contract. Nobody wants the fat panda though.
mookiessnarl
Because he’s played third and it was an epic disaster. If he can’t handle first base, he’s a DH.
Paddy
Not with big papi and not at $22 mil a yr.
mookiessnarl
That’s the funny thing about David Ortiz. He can’t play forever. I’d bet that next season is his last. I could be wrong, but I’d make the bet. And if he’s not a DH for the Red Sox he could very well be a DH somewhere else. But his ability to play a position is somewhat limited by his very very bad defense.
adyo4552
Am I the only Sox fan who has faith that both Hanley and Sandoval can rebound and have strong years ahead of them still? They wouldnt be the first players to struggle in a new environment only to pick themselves up later. Their track records are too strong for me to think their recent play is the inevitable new normal. You dont hit a wall in the early 30s like this. A decline, sure, but those terrible 2015 stats seem like aberrations that cant possibly be repeated unless your name is Allen Craig.
123redsox
Sandavolhas been trending steadily downhill for about 4 years now. He benefited from being in San Francisco where he was brought up as a player. Ramirez could mash next year in Boston but Sandavol will not improve much if at all and I would think based off of the past 4 or so years of trending down, that he will continue a downward trend. Not only was he an inept hitter but he also was amongst the worst fielding third basemen in the league last year.
mookiessnarl
Oh no, I wouldn’t rule it out, but I like that we have Shaw and Holt as backup plans if it doesn’t work. Hanley can and will hit. If he loses a bit of muscle he may move better too. Sandoval has to come into camp in shape, if he does that I’ll back him in everything he does. There are just some huge question marks about both of them. They have to go into the off season with determination and dedication. I haven’t lost faith in them.
123redsox
I wouldn’t say epic.every position he has played has been a disaste but Left Field was the real epic disaster
Bob Smiley
i would love to see Gordon in Houston or SF.
libertyjewels
I think he should stay in Kansas City……where he belongs.
seamaholic 2
Gordon’s going to LAA. Either him or Heyward. I can see that coming a mile away.
Soxfan912
I’m guessing Heyward after they got rid of Hamilton. Yoenis is possible too.
alex navarrette
Yeah, I’m betting on Heyward coming to Anaheim.
Joseph Anderson
I’d like to see Gordo stay in KC but apparently money speaks louder than loyalty. It always does in professional sports :/
InPolesWeTrust
JBJ to Washington could provide what they thought they’d get out of Span, but comes with control. Taylor could play LF and that makes a great OF combo with Harper and JBJ. Not sure what type of prospect/vet combo it would take the make a deal but the Sox could address the pen.
mike244
The RS already have Kimbrel/Koji/Taz in the bullpen so its already pretty good. JBJ has a lot more value than 1 year of Storen as well. Maybe Gio Gonzalez for JBJ could work?
User 4245925809
Rumors last winter and mentioned in the Cafardo article also was Tom Wilhelmson from Seattle. “supposedly” it was close last winter and Jack Z killed it. Wilhelmson is a really decent, very hard throwing RH guy with closing experience. I’d still be tempted to make that deal from a Sox perspective, watch the M’s pretty often and Big Tom is a really good guy to have in the back of a pen. Bad side is he’s only got 2y of team control left, but if that’s the asking price for JBJ? It’s a pretty impressive reliever, not some run of the mill type.
mike244
As good as Willhelmson is, 5 years of JBJ should have a lot more value than 2years of a good, not great 32 year old reliever.
User 4245925809
I understand the hesitency in giving up JBJ, though wouldn’t let the age thing put anyone off as Wilhelmson still averages 95+ on his FB.
Thing is, for the Sox to go out this early and get Kimbrel and give up as much as they did? Makes me think O’day’s asking price via FA is going to be higher than what many had projected, the 3/22-25m range. Not sure about others, but I don’t see paying that guy any more than that.
Teams like Seattle have a ‘pen full of good pieces that could be targeted.. If a match can be made.. Wilhelmson, Furbush, Farquhar. Doubt they’d move Carson Smith, the guy they have penciled in as closer for 2016, but could ask.
Those 1st 3 I’d ask about. Last 2 had combo of injuries and off seasons in 2015, but solid in the past.
harmony55
Seattle traded Danny Farquhar with Brad Miller and Logan Morrison to Tampa Bay for Nathan Karns, C.J. Riefenhauser and Boog Powell.
123redsox
Strasburg and Papelbon to Boston for Owens, Bradley, Marrero and Coyle? Boston signs Gordon to take Bradley’s spot in the outfield. Boston gets a potential ace and another big time reliever. Nationals unload Papelbon, get a young starter in Owens, an outfielder in Bradley and two quality guys to help fill the gap that Ian Desmond woll leave and perhaps add depth at second base too
Michael Macaulay-Birks
Papelbon? Come on man that’s all we need is another closer controversy i’m excited to see Koji in the eighth and Kimbrell in the ninth The contrast between those two should be fun to watch
bradthebluefish
Still doubt that HanRam or Panda gets moved. July isn’t far away. Might as well see what they bring to the table one more time before making a big decision on moving them for what will likely but shedding some payroll.
bobbleheadguru
Not really understanding the fascination with JBJ. I would not go out of my way to trade for him. Great defender, suspect offense. Basically a clone of Anthony Gose who was great for a 1/3 of a season (just like JBJ), but lukewarm over the entire year.
mookiessnarl
Your obsession with comparing those two notwithstanding, JBJ is an elite defensive outfielder who has hit at every level of the minors. It may never translate at the ML level, but his month of August leaves teams with the hopes that they could have a gold glover who hits around .300 with 15-20 hrs and 15-20 sbs. If you can get that player with 4 years left of team control, you’re doing okay. That’s the obsession with JBJ. Anthony Gose never had similar numbers in the minors so thinking he’s going to have a breakout season isn’t really realistic. Bradley’s MiL splits .294/.391/.460. Gose’s MiL splits .259/.334/.381. So potential five tool player, vs career singles hitter with an okay glove and some speed. It’s not tough to see why teams would get excited about the possibilities of one player vs the other.
christian18cutshaw
Sign Ianetta for Pierzynskis backup, trade Bethancourt with a big package of him and pitching prospects for a bat. Colorado needs pitching. See what it would take for Cargo.
Otto371
Pretty sure the Braves have made it clear they want young players and/or prospects – not older players, albeit good players, like CarGo. That would be counterproductive.
3Tavgreg
I think the Mets should sign Parra. He shouldn’t be that expensive and can platoon with
Lagares in CF. They can then rotate Cuddyer between Conforto, Granderson and Duda
against Lefties while maintaining a strong bench.
jmi1950
Hanley was signed to be Ortiz’s replacement at DH . It would be stupid for the Sox to pay his contract for him to DH for an AL rival and have Ortiz be injured or retired. If Hanley can’t play 1b (or 3b if they trade Panda) they should outright him like they did with A. Craig until DH is open or he proves he can be adequate at an open position. As for Panda they need to take back a bad contract from a team that needs a 3b like the LAD (Turner moves to 2b) or SD; both have OF’s Ethier & Upton owed approx. 33MM for two yrs. Makes Panda about 10 MM a yr — worth the risk. The Sox can use a 4th OF for two yrs so they do not have to rush a prospect.
Backatitagain
Need a trade where Freeman and Teheran go to Boston. Together they have a risidual value of $83 Million and 11 years on contract at around $180 million. It will be very difficult for Boston to match that value with prospects. It will be even more difficult if Ramirez, Sandoval or both are included in the deal.
Start with the bad contracts. Sandoval and Ramirez for Swisher, Bourn and Minor. For Boston 135 million and seven contract years with a negative $40 risidual. For the Braves 40 Million, four years and a negative $10 million risidual. That leaves Boston with $113 Million in value plus eight contract years plus $65 Million to balance out the trade. This would be equivalent to four top young tallents at a residual value of 28 million each.
Boston would need to add Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Henry Owens and Blake Swihart to the deal. Of course the Braves would send back a couple of 15-20 level prospects or one 10-20 prospect to wash out the contract years.
So to summarize an even deal to help both teams would be the Braves get from Boston: Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley, Henry Owens, and Blake Swihart. The Red Sox get Fred Freeman. Julio Teheran, Nick Swisher, Mike Bourn, Mike Minor and Christian Bethancourt.
Nice blockbuster don’t you think.