The Cardinals need a replacement for the injured Furcal, who will miss the entire season, in the last year of his contract.

Alexei Ramirez has a fairly expensive contract, and the Sox have Carlos Sanchez as a possible replacement.

10 of the Cardinals top 15 prospects are RHP. If the Sox could land one of the better ones, in exchange for Ramirez, and clear some

salary for a potential signing of a big left handed bat(Grady Sizemore in June), would that make sense?

We are not going to cripple ourselves to help St Louis.

I was with you until you called Grady Sizemore a "big left handed bat" and acted like he would cost anything.

 

If you make this type of move, it's a season punting move, so talk to me if we roll out of the gate 15-30 or if the Cards give us a major league piece.

The realities are we're built for win now. So Carlos S. for Alexei goes in the face of that.

 

Plus it's a sell-low moment for Alexei, so there are a few angles not to like on it.

 

As with all things of course, for a legit haul there's obviously some point where we wouldnt say no.

I was with you until you called Grady Sizemore a "big left handed bat" and acted like he would cost anything.

 

If you make this type of move, it's a season punting move, so talk to me if we roll out of the gate 15-30 or if the Cards give us a major league piece.

 

If you trade Alexei, there is no reason to sign a guy like Sizemore.

I just really like Sanchez and would like to see him get a shot. I know that he's very young, but the scouting reports say that he can play.

 

I just really like Sanchez and would like to see him get a shot. I know that he's very young, but the scouting reports say that he can play.

 

The problem is that I don't think any of his tools grade out as better than Ramirez.

I just really like Sanchez and would like to see him get a shot. I know that he's very young, but the scouting reports say that he can play.

He will get a shot, it just might not be this year. And it shouldn't be this year, at least not with a team wanting to be competitive.

 

He's got a very good chance of taking Beckham's spot next year.

I just really like Sanchez and would like to see him get a shot. I know that he's very young, but the scouting reports say that he can play.

 

I think Carlos Sanchez is going to pan out too, but he's not even 21 yet. I'd love it if he played 130+ games at Charlotte this year. Get more PA's against good pitching and be ready to come up in September to give the Sox something to think about for 2014.

You'd have to get more than Alexei is currently worth on the market given he had a horrible season last year. If the Cardinals want to pay what he's worth if he regresses, then you can think about it. But the team would revolt, too. It's an obvious downgrade for this season.

Let's just hope that Alexei can improve on his OBP. I understand that he was dealing with a very sore wrist after the collision with de Aza, but

how does that explain taking just 16 walks, and having an OBP of .287?

Let's just hope that Alexei can improve on his OBP. I understand that he was dealing with a very sore wrist after the collision with de Aza, but

how does that explain taking just 16 walks, and having an OBP of .287?

 

I saw a stat on Fangraphs that had Alexei as among the worst in the Majors last year at swinging at pitches out of the zone.

There is still $26.5 million remaining on Alexei's 3 year contract, and his play last season was not close to that value.

He's getting pretty old to expect much improvement, but I hope that I'm wrong.

 

A big intangible in Sanchez' favor is that he is an ideal #2 hitter, something the Sox lack. Keppinger is currently slotted there, but that is not

where he batted last year, in his best offensive season.

By contrast, Alexei is not capable of hitting in the two hole, and doesn't really profile especially good in any spot in the lineup.

Edited March 7, 201313 yr by Lillian

There is still $26.5 million remaining on Alexei's 3 year contract, and his play last season was not close to that value.

He's getting pretty old to expect much improvement, but I hope that I'm wrong.

 

 

Yes, you are wrong.

8-1 Sox over Cubs in the 9th!

Yes, you are wrong.

8-1 Sox over Cubs in the 9th!

 

I wish I had your confidence.

The problem is that I don't think any of his tools grade out as better than Ramirez.

Well his hit tool and plate-disipline project better, but the difference in power and defense is signicant. Having said, the player Carlos Sanchez projects to be down the road is not who you'd be getting this year. Sanchez in all likelihood would be a serious downgrade this year, so trading Ramirez makes no sense if you don't get a major league piece back that can help you in another area.

I think Carlos Sanchez is going to pan out too, but he's not even 21 yet. I'd love it if he played 130+ games at Charlotte this year. Get more PA's against good pitching and be ready to come up in September to give the Sox something to think about for 2014.

Unless he improves the major league team, there is simply no reason to rush him. Like you said, he's extremely young and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. Let him continue to develop in AAA for at least half of season and then see what the Sox's needs are. If he can help at that point, then maybe you throw him into the fire. Otherwise, wait until September. Either way, he gets some more time to polish his game before coming up to the big leagues, plus you'd delay his arbitration clock another year.

 

Also, I would love to see Sanchez play SS everyday. Him & Semien split 2B & SS last year, but that shouldnt be an issue now. If Sanchez could somehow stick at SS, he'd be incredibly more valuable. I don't think it's very likely based on the scouting reports I've read, but there is no harm in playing him there while he's at AAA.

The point that Sanchez is too young to be brought up is well taken. I hope that he demonstrates the same skills at AAA, and affords the Sox

an opportunity to trade Alexei in the off season. I just don't think that Ramirez is a $10 million player.

 

The Cardinals may be looking for a SS to replace Furcal next year as well, as his contract is expiring, and they still have a plethora of RHP,

something the Sox minor leagues lacks. Floyd will likely be gone after the end of the season, if not sooner, and the starting staff is unusually

weighted with lefties. I'm not sure any right hander in the minors projects to be an effective starter.

The point that Sanchez is too young to be brought up is well taken. I hope that he demonstrates the same skills at AAA, and affords the Sox

an opportunity to trade Alexei in the off season. I just don't think that Ramirez is a $10 million player.

 

The Cardinals may be looking for a SS to replace Furcal next year as well, as his contract is expiring, and they still have a plethora of RHP,

something the Sox minor leagues lacks. Floyd will likely be gone after the end of the season, if not sooner, and the starting staff is unusually

weighted with lefties. I'm not sure any right hander in the minors projects to be an effective starter.

Apparently you have never heard of the great Pete Kozma

The point that Sanchez is too young to be brought up is well taken. I hope that he demonstrates the same skills at AAA, and affords the Sox

an opportunity to trade Alexei in the off season. I just don't think that Ramirez is a $10 million player.

 

The Cardinals may be looking for a SS to replace Furcal next year as well, as his contract is expiring, and they still have a plethora of RHP,

something the Sox minor leagues lacks. Floyd will likely be gone after the end of the season, if not sooner, and the starting staff is unusually

weighted with lefties. I'm not sure any right hander in the minors projects to be an effective starter.

 

It isn't the kind of move you make after resigning a guy like Jake Peavy. You make a move like this if you were melting down the team and starting over.

Here's another possibility:

 

If Keppinger can handle SS defensively (he has in the past), trade Alexi, keep Carlos at AAA, move Keppinger to SS, and start Gillispie. We wouldn't lose a thing. The offense would actually be much improved.

 

Under the above scenario, you could dump Alexi's contract for nothing.

Here's another possibility:

 

If Keppinger can handle SS defensively (he has in the past), trade Alexi, keep Carlos at AAA, move Keppinger to SS, and start Gillispie. We wouldn't lose a thing. The offense would actually be much improved.

 

Under the above scenario, you could dump Alexi's contract for nothing.

We'd be going from a very solid defensive SS to a below average defensive SS.

 

I could understand why you'd do it, but again, I need a solid major league return as a reason to do it (and a healthy Morel would be huge as well).

Love to get rid of Ramirez's contract, Cardinals wouldn't take it though.

Here's another possibility:

 

If Keppinger can handle SS defensively (he has in the past), trade Alexi, keep Carlos at AAA, move Keppinger to SS, and start Gillispie. We wouldn't lose a thing. The offense would actually be much improved.

 

Under the above scenario, you could dump Alexi's contract for nothing.

We'd definitely lose quite a bit defensively and I'm not sure how much we'd really gain offensively. Yes, Alexei sucked last year, but his walk rate completely plummeted and he lost most of his power. I just didn't see anything physically to suggest he's going to be that bad of a player going forward. Worst case scenario, I think he'll rebound with the bat to some extent this year.