QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Jul 24, 2016 -> 01:43 PM)
Hello, fellow Sox faithful.
Wild that after that blazing hot 23-10 start, we'd be dealing with an all-but-dead team late July, and, worse yet, a new round of grave concerns about this team's future.
At some point, even this loyal to a fault ownership group must acknowledge that the franchise is broken. Because they're intelligent and successful (at least in their other pursuits), I'm clinging to the hope that there will come a time when reality trumps misplaced loyalty -- if for no other reason than protecting the value of the franchise. Me? I'd jettison Ventura, Cooper, and KW today, and give the keys to the car to RH (without his egotistical backseat driver).
Now, on to the topic of "specific trade ideas." I'm not going to list the various Top-100 guys we should target who are sprinkled throughout prospect lists, but concentrated in the systems of a few teams. Others have done that at length. Instead, my contribution today is simply my own view (shared by others -- very little is original here) of big-picture philosophy. More than a few of us have criticized Sox management of either lacking a coherent overall philosophy and/or failing to properly execute on a philosophy (if they actually have one).
For your consideration:
First time in ages the Sox are in the driver's seat for all sorts of possible deals. If we're going to sell, then MAXIMIZE this rare opportunity.
In an era of sky high prices for a limited pool of Top-20 pitchers, we have a Top-5 guy and a Top 12-15 guy (I'm a huge Q fan), BOTH with way below market price tags and control. Are you kidding? That's gold. Please Rick, treat it as gold. Create an auction environment. Make sure all of baseball understands we're expecting to be blown away because we don't have to trade either of these guys (and not to you ... Red Sox or Dodgers or Rangers or Astros). And Rick, please -- for once, we're not going to be the ones throwing in additional sweeteners to make the deal. THEY pay or we don't play.
Recognize WHO would pay the steepest price for a Sale or a Q and make them pay! For instance, we all talk about how the wealthy teams can take on Sale or Q without blinking. That's true, but it essentially trades just the star player, and not the star player PLUS his insanely below market contract. A team like the Pirates want and frankly NEED a Sale (+ contract) or Q (+ contract) to survive. Accordingly, there is every reason to suspect that in the end they'll pay the most (and they do have a system which will allow for that).
Notice I haven't mentioned the Schlubs. Count me in among those who would only deal with the Cubs if they were literally the last team in all of baseball. And they're not. There are at least 5-6 teams who could provide the same or better return than the Cubs. Do you want Sale or Q pitching for THEM and helping them to achieve something that would sicken many of us? I sure don't, nor do we need to do so since there are so many other alternatives.
We also have a solid and fairly priced closer at a market price. Great value in Robertson to the rich kids on the block. You know the Red Sox would pay to have him as a temporary closer and then a top-tier 8th inning guy (and wouldn't be phased by the price tag). Others might too. Want him? Then pay good value -- not fair value, GOOD value! Above that threshold, best offer takes home the prize.
Frazier? Big value there to for a team that needs a bopper in this power-starved era. 1-2/5 seasons of power and decent defense has value.
Melky? Professional hitter having a really good year. With control for another year at a reasonable contract. Someone will want him and should pay.
I think the philosophy is to construct separate deals for the big-5 (with just a remote possibility of packaging Robertson in a blockbuster of blockbusters starter plus Robertson deal). Trade all 5 and the Sox should net an overall haul that might include a half-dozen Top-50 prospects, another half-dozen 51-100 guys, and likely a young stud or two just removed from that status (Betts, JBJ, Mazara -- no way the Bosox trade Bogaerts). Smoke clears and the Sox have a couple of young stud regulars we could be excited about (position players please, since we're curiously horrible in developing our own), plus 10-12 new super prospects who would likely ALL be in our top-15.
Key is to be professional and closed mouth about what we're doing. Plug the leaks. Negotiate all these deals separately and simultaneously. Announce a flurry of closed deals at the same time before the rest of the teams see what you've done en masse! This CAN be done and it should be done (even if we've never managed to execute on this before).
Use a sweetener -- I'm talking about guys like Duke and Jennings (for heaven's sake, no throw-ins like Fulmer or Adams, but feel free to throw-in a Coats or a Sanchez) -- ONLY to close a super-deal. For once, we should resist having to sweeten. Let the bidders do it!
Intentionally flogging this horse one last time ...
for ONCE we're holding some valuable cards -- an Ace (!) in Sale, a King in Quintana, and various other cards of value.
It's go-time, Rick.
Don't blow it.
Act like your job is on the line.
It is (and should be)!
good stuff cy, especially formatting