Trade Rumor #1159
According to numerous baseball rumor sites such as MLB Trade Rumors, a three-way deal between the Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Seattle Mariners is close at hand.
Boston
- Gives: Bronson Arroyo, Tony Graffanino, and a player to be named later
- Gets: Will Ohman and Jeremy Reed
Chicago
- Gives: Ohman, Corey Patterson
- Gets: Graffanino, Raul Ibanez, and cash
Seattle
- Gives: Ibanez, Reed, and cash
- Gets: Arroyo, Patterson, and the player to be named later
Ohman would provide the Red Sox with a much needed left-handed relief pitcher with the departure of Mike Myers. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but in assuming that risk the Red Sox do not have to fully cave to the demands of the inflated bullpen market
Reed is a young, cost-effective option for center field. He won’t provide the offense that Johnny Damon took with him to New York City immediately, but he may eventually and Boston would not be burdened with a long-term contract of an aging marquee player. According to the scouting report on ESPN, he has line drive power to all fields, so he would make good use of the wall. I have visions of Bill Mueller’s 2003 season dancing in my head. I’m not saying Reed would be the batting champion, but he certainly could get a lot of doubles at Fenway Park. Baseball Prospectus projects 98.3 VORP for 2006 to 2009 and 18.8 WARP. In comparison, Damon totals 79.8 VORP and 17.8 WARP for the same period, with 2006 being the only season where Damon would outpace Reed in VORP.
It’s doubtful the player to be named later is a high profile prospect, so I’m amenable to this deal. I would have preferred that Matt Clement were part of the deal instead of Arroyo because the later is more consistent while making less money, but that obviously would not have made sense for the Mariners.
As for the other rumor with various permutations of Andy Marte and Julio Lugo: I choose to ignore them for they put my sanity at risk. Marte came at the price of Hanley Ramirez* and for him to be flipped for Lugo doesn’t seem to show a long-term commitment to maintaining a stream of talent to be promoted into the big league team.
*In my feverish haste, I recalled this trade incorrectly. Marte came from the Braves for Edgar Renteria, of course. Thanks, BlackJack. It was the earlier deal for Beckett that packaged Ramirez that left a hole in the hole, depth chart-wise.
Comments
Hanley went to Florida for Beckett.
Where did you hear the Boston/Chicago/Seattle rumor? I haven't heard that one and it is fairly intriguing.
BlackJack ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 2:46 PM
I also have heard this for the first time...I guess you have mysterious ways! Food for thought, though, but will it be headline news tomorrow? We shall see, and please remain mysterious. It's a huge attraction for us.
peter* ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 3:02 PM
Could be from here, but I can't say for certain what empy may be reading at any given moment. Chances are that whatever it is, it is above my 4th grade reading level.
NU50 ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 3:12 PM
Boston DD refers to this as "NOT HAPPENING." Go to their site for more.
peter* ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 3:27 PM
Sure, I always believe that ever reliable Steve Silva.
NU50, that is exactly where I got the rumor. I'll revise my post to include the link.
Joanna ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 4:02 PM
I am totally in Joanna's head, because I clearly know what she is thinking at any given time. I predict the next Empyreal Environs column will be titled... "My love for NU50: How I came to falling for the world's strongest millionaire."
Of course, while very flattering, it will only be very loosely based upon fact. I am actually a billionaire.
NU50 ∙ 4 January 2006 ∙ 8:10 PM
Then you wouldn't be the world's strongest billionaire, 'cause I heard Athina Onassis made you cry. She might not actually be a billionaire, however, so there's some leeway there.
Joanna ∙ 5 January 2006 ∙ 8:16 PM