The Red Sox’ outfielders are attracting interest, and the Indians have been trying to strike a deal with them, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes. The problem, however, is that the Red Sox aren’t likely to trade Mookie Betts or Jackie Bradley, Jr. Rusney Castillo could be available, but the Red Sox would probably have to take on salary to make a deal possible. Castillo is signed through 2020 at a total of $56MM. The Red Sox will be without Eduardo Rodriguez for the beginning of the season and could probably use another starting pitcher, although if Dave Dombrowski considered the situation desperate, he might have already made a move. Still, some scouts aren’t impressed with the Sox’ rotation after David Price. Here’s more from the AL East.
- Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki left the Blue Jays’ Grapefruit League game today after getting hit in the hand by a pitch, but the Jays have announced that Tulowitzki’s X-rays were negative. He has a bone bruise on his right knuckles and is day-to-day.
- Jays righty Roberto Osuna prefers closing to starting and wants to close this year before moving to the rotation next year, John Lott writes for VICE. “I like to be in those situations,” Osuna says. “I’m not saying it’s easy to close games, but it’s easy to be out there and you got on your mind that you’ve only got the ninth. So you can have the time to prepare yourself for the ninth inning. You’re watching the game. You kind of know what you’ve got to do when you get in the game.” The Jays face plenty of uncertainty in 2017, with the potential departures of R.A. Dickey and a number of other key players, and Osuna says that his own plan (and likely the Blue Jays’ plan for him) involves moving to the rotation next season, probably on some sort of innings restriction to minimize the health risk. He says he enjoys closing more, however.
- The Orioles pursued outfielder Hyun Soo Kim this offseason because they were impressed with his on-base ability, Dan Connolly writes for Naver in Korea (scroll down for English). “His discipline at the plate is exemplary,” says Orioles exec Dan Duquette. “And, of course, he uses the whole field, and last year he showed emerging power.” The 28-year-old Kim posted a .438 on-base percentage for the Doosan Bears last season, drawing 101 walks while striking out only 63 times. The O’s, meanwhile, finished 12th in the AL in OBP last season (.307) and 13th in walks (418). It still isn’t known how Kim will hit in the Majors, but Duquette says he’s optimistic, particularly after Jung Ho Kang’s success with the Pirates last season.
Mark 20
I say give Osuna the closer role and let Storen/Cecil set up (barring sanchez’s role with the team.) This should be a great year for the blue jays. such a complete team. Offensively, defensively, great bull pen, and decent starting pitching. Id say we are world series favourites at this point.
theo2016
Idk about “decent starting pitching”. But i dont believe in estrada repeating, stroman might need his innings limited. Bullpen is good not great.
DAKINS
Jays’ SP doesn’t have to be great for them to take the division. Their offence is so stacked that barely passable is good enough for them to still win the division.
As for the BP, Storen, Osuna and Cecil are about as good a BP as you will find.
jdubs346
Estrada will do it again regardless of what you think, stroman will be on no kind of inning limit, he still threw while rehabbing his knee last year,
and everyone is so quick to say how the Jays starting rotation is their weakest point
and it may be but like dakins said, all the Jays need is an average rotation, Sanchez will more than likely be the 5th starter and he is looking nice so far , also added 25 pounds of muscle this offseason
stymeedone
I love when they say that “some” scouts are not impressed with Boston’s rotation after Price. I am waiting for them to say that even one scout is impressed with their rotation after Price. Also, Duquette saying he is optimistic about Kim, because of Kang’s success, is like saying Rusney should be successful because Cespedes is, or any pitcher from the Japanese leagues should do well because Nomo did well. Makes no sense whatsoever. They are different players. How one does, has nothing to do with the other.
User 3218710645
Pretty sure he is just saying as far as transitioning form Korea to the MLB. He also talked about his Obp, using all fields, and increased power. But you apparently skipped right over that and read it as he will have success because Kang did.
stymeedone
No, I read all of it. I just found his remark concerning Kang to be ridiculous and somewhat insulting. Kim’s numbers in the KBO are certainly legit reasons. Saying one Korean player can, because another did, is not. If he was saying a player from the Negro leagues will succeed because Jackie Robinson did, it might be considered racist.
User 3218710645
Insulting? Haha wow. If you were insulted by his comments you really need to grow up. The Negro Leagues ended 65 years ago so your hypothetical situation of him talking about someone transitioning from the negro leagues to MLB is beyond ridiculous. Where as the KBO is still in existence, therefore talking about a players transition and comparing other players transition is very apt. He said nothing anywhere near racist. You are really reaching. If anyone should be insulted, it is the people reading your ridiculous shortsighted comments. Well except the part about the Red Sox rotation beyond Price.
User 3218710645
sportsonearth.com/article/168294032/korean-players…
Do you find this article insulting and racist as well? Give me a break….
mstrchef13
I believe that what Duquette was saying was that Kang showed that it is possible to make a successful transition from KBO to MLB. Unless I am forgetting people, Kang was only the second Korean to make that jump (after Choo). No one, not even the most ardent orange Kool Aid drinker thinks Kim will match his homer totals, but if he goes 275/360/440 with boatloads of walks and doubles and doesn’t embarass himself in LF we will be ecstatic.
bradleybaseball
Choo did not play in the KBO. Kang was the first position player to do it.
bravesfan 7
Currently waiting for bigpapi4ever’s terrible Rex Sox trade suggestion
MB923
Castillo and Panda for Kluber and Carrasco (Red Sox don’t pay anything)
Ken M.
How are they going to trade Carrasco when he’s been traded for Brett Gardner?
MB923
Wut? lol
Bobby Sweet
That is what a lot of Yankee fans posted during the offseason. I think that was his point. bigpapi4ever makes terrible, one-sided offers, but many other teams’ fans do, too.
MB923
Actually you’re right, I did see that posted, however it was not a Straight up trade. Gardner + prospects for Carrasco. Not a good trade for Cleveland unless it’s a top prospect, but it’s not a horrible offer, unlike as you said, bigpapi4ever’s tarde (he still thinks Cecchini is with the Sox lol)
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Oh don’t you it’s going to be Salazar and Carrasco for Sandoval and Castillo with Cleveland eating all the salary lol
Ken M.
You know BigPapi is actually a yankees fan posting as a sox fan? Reread his comments.
qbass187
Exactly!
How people react thinking he’s a legitimate Red Sox fan is hilarious.
MB923
I’ve read them and he’s shown no signs of being a Yankees fan. Just an ignorant troll.
T_Rexx2
I don’t get it
Bobby Sweet
Now that you mention it, it’s certainly possible that he is. If that’s the case, I could begin to see the humor in the gimmick.
MB923
RAB Commentor, based on comments I’ve seen from You, I am tend to believe you are a Red Sox fan with a Yankee user name (for those who don’t know, RAB = River Avenue Blues which is a Yankees blog site).
Mark 21
lol He already made a dozen ridiculous comments today. It is possible he is already sleeping as it is a school night. I am sure his mom gave him milk and cookies already.
start_wearing_purple
You people realize if you stop feeding the trolls they’ll go to other sites to get their attention fix. This is one of the times that ignoring a problem will make it go away.
lwashisaliveandwell
These people are worse than him purp. You cant fix bullies.
MB923
At one point his comments were being deleted and he whined about it. Other commentators and Steve Adams had to explain why, and he hasn’t stopped, except for limiting his Red Sox talk to Red Sox posts for once.
bigpapi4roids
TBH, I feel that Price, Betts, and Moncada should be traded for Andrew Bailey (was gonna be better than Mo Rivera when he was a Sox), Jeremy Hellickson, and Ryan Howard. I have no faith in the Sox and they should be dead last with a 0-162 record in 2016 IMO.
Soxfan912
I love how much real estate that guy has in all of your heads. It is a guarantee at this point that if the Red Sox are involved in the post, someone is commenting about him, usually before he even says anything.
mike156
Realistically, the smartest approach is to let him talk himself out.
eggy
U forgot that the Indians have to throw in Lindor and prospects
eurokrisbryant
Something like Sandoval ( eat 40MM), Velasquez, JBJ for Kluber will get done.
Ray Ray
Of course he prefers closing. Would you rather pitch 60 innings in a season or 200 innings? Closers only have to get three outs, starters usually have to get at least 15-21 (maybe more). People say closers always pitch the pressure-packed innings, but I’m pretty sure that every major league inning is pressure packed. Closing is easier than starting for most pitchers with some exceptions. I know Tom Glavine always did very poorly in the first inning, but became dominant after the first. Either way, taking ego out of the equation, I would bet that most pitchers if given a choice would choose closing over starting.
obviouslywow
No, pitchers prefer to start because even mediocre starters make more money than any relievers. Which is what makes Osuna’s comments interesting.
bradford5375
I would like to see Panda packaged with a prospect or two and the slate wiped clean leaving the Sox with the ability to take on money at some point or dole out an extension for a Boegarts or Betts to evenly distribute salary over the years. Gives the sox 17m to play with. It would take something like Panda, Brian Johnson, Marrero and some top lower tier prospects to rid entire salary and start year with Shaw and Holt and groom Devers / Moncada for the spot late this year / next year.
bradford5375
Panda, Brian Johnson, Devon M and 2 low A mid tier prospects in a complete salary dump start year clean slate with Shaw and Holt have the 17m to play with in season if you need it or use to extend one of Boogy/Betts. One of Devers, Moncado vies for spot next year with Shaw or Allocate funds for Baitista to play 1b next year when Hanley slides to DH. Utilize some prospects who are blocked to help salary dump and preserve flexibility throughout the year.
lwashisaliveandwell
Honestly all you baseball snobs hating on bigpapi4ever are FAR worse than he is. Seriously I saw some articles where he commented and sure he is misinformed but he is also 16 years old. The fact that you all continue to pile on like a bunch of school bullies is pretty pathetic and honestly you are all the worst part of this site. You can ignore a few comments but to see a wall of what i expect are grown men picking on a kid is a really sad indicator of where we are in the world today. You all should be ashamed of yourself. Why not point out respectfully what you feel he is wrong about his ideas/comments? Oh you must be the “classy” fans of those other teams….right thats cute. I would take a 100 people who are excited about the sport trying to find their grasp of it over a single one of you pretentious baseball snobs any day of the week. Congrats on being baseball smart and life stupid. Maybe evaluate some statistics to develop less petty personalities. And shame on MLBTR for not shutting this bullying down earlier. You are all worried about censorship banning people for no reason and your letting a kid get attacked in every post on here for weeks on end even when hes not around. Maybe keep these cowards on topic Tim hahaha.
Sincerely Leonard Washington
Leonard Washington
adyo4552
Sox trade Castillo Owens Kelly and Benintendi for Carrasco a reliever and a player tbnl
A good compromise is where each party is dissatisfied
dlevin11
I would trade Owens and Castillo for
Carrasco or Salazar but Kelly must stay and Benintendi is a future star. Maybe throw in Devers
Soxfan912
Wait you would throw in Devers but not Kelly?? That is madness.
norcalguardiansfan
I can see where you guys get your reputation.
adyo4552
God forbid we speculate on trades on mlb trade rumors.com . Dont like it GFYS
norcalguardiansfan
A little sensitive, there.
I have no problem with speculation, but come on. Why would the Indians sign off on those trades? They don’ t make any sense.