I'm new to starting topics, so please forgive me if this is inappropriate.
I want to discuss the future of the Red Sox as far as 3B goes.
What's prompting this is the feeling that I can't shake that one of our future 3b will be going to Oakland in a deal for Andrew Bailey, among other prospects, of course. My sense is that the Sox and Oakland have discussed plenty of parameters regarding Gio Gonzalez and that the Sox probably know what it would take to land Bailey, and given that the Sox aren't inclined to spend money this offseason, it's obvious that the trade route is how they'll go, or else they would have offered Madson a 3 year $27 million deal or something like that by now.
That said, this situation reminds me of a situation in late 1990 when the Sox had Wade Boggs nearing the end of his contract, Tim Naehring already up, playing SS, with a bright future ahead of him, although most everybody knew that future would be at 3b. Behind him was Scott Cooper, a good fielder with a strong arm who could hit some, and behind him, a great hitter stuck in a huge ballpark which depressed power numbers and this guy of course had a questionable future as a 3B - of course I'm referring to Jeff Bagwell. And of course, Bagwell was the one who was dealt for Larry Andersen during the heat of the 1990 pennant race when it looked like Jeff Reardon was lost for the season and Jeff Gray started to struggle and the rest of the bullpen was in shambles.
So now here we are, possibly on the precipice of another deal for a reliever, albeit a younger one who would have more seasons under contract and impact the Sox more.
And here are the Sox with Kevin Youkilis, whose contract should be expiring soon, and likely on the downside of his career, Will Middlebrooks not too far from the big leagues, and the promising bats of Xander Bogaerts and Garin Cecchini and even Kolbrin Vitek following behind Middlebrooks.
I defer to the knowledge on this board of others regarding the minor leagues. Which of these guys should be the future of the Red Sox at 3b and untouchable in a deal?
I'll offer my opinions on what I think of these players and correct me if I'm wrong.
Will Middlebrooks seems like a guy who if he doesn't command the strike zone at all will wind up like Brandon Inge but with a better glove. If he commands it somewhat he could possibly be a young Mike Lowell perhaps? I guess it depends upon if he can improve that awful BB/K ratio. What do people around here think? Will he improve his dreadful BB/K ratio to something decent down the road? Would he be somebody to give up in a deal for Bailey? Or is he somebody to balk at including?
The prospect that I think will be a big-time player is Xander Bogaerts. I think he will hit for more power than Middlebrooks, who I think can reach 25 homers in the majors eventually, and I think given that he's not a hacker at his early age has a real shot and controlling the strike zone, and of course, nobody thinks that he'll stick at SS, and that his future resides at 3b, or possibly even RF. I'll give my opinion here without hedging - he's the one Red Sox prospect I don't want to see packaged in a deal - at all unless we're getting a young superstar in his prime in return, and I don't see any guys like that available. Of course Bogaerts could fizzle, but I'm very bullish on the prospect that he doesn't and that he blossoms into a .280 - .300 with 30 homerun power and a decent to good OBP.
Garin Cecchini strikes me as the guy with the most advanced hitting approach of the group and I think that this guy could be one helluva a hitter, but again like Bagwell many years earlier - can he play 3b? The Sox didn't consider Bagwell for 1b, because the Sox had a strong feeling that the future of 1b was named Mo Vaughn. A move to 1b wouldn't do Cecchini any good (unless Gonzo DHs) as we know that the long-term future of 1b is Adrian Gonzalez. Can Cecchini play defense well enough to be a 3b to the point where you'd prefer him to be the 3b of the future because of his bat (maybe Bogaerts would wind up in RF to accomodate Cecchini's bat down the road?)
I'll mention Kolbrin Vitek, who I think has a good approach at the plate, but I question if he'd hit for the power a corner IF or OF needs. And from what I understand his defense is questionable, I'd give him up for Bailey in a heartbeat.
So I ask: Who is the guy you want patrolling 3b for the long-term future? Who would you be willing to include for Bailey (assuming Beane wants a higher caliber 3b prospect than Vitek which of course he will)? Which 3b would you draw the line at?
Please discuss and hopefully soon, because I think between Billy Beane and Ben Cherington that we'll see our answer pretty soon.
I want to discuss the future of the Red Sox as far as 3B goes.
What's prompting this is the feeling that I can't shake that one of our future 3b will be going to Oakland in a deal for Andrew Bailey, among other prospects, of course. My sense is that the Sox and Oakland have discussed plenty of parameters regarding Gio Gonzalez and that the Sox probably know what it would take to land Bailey, and given that the Sox aren't inclined to spend money this offseason, it's obvious that the trade route is how they'll go, or else they would have offered Madson a 3 year $27 million deal or something like that by now.
That said, this situation reminds me of a situation in late 1990 when the Sox had Wade Boggs nearing the end of his contract, Tim Naehring already up, playing SS, with a bright future ahead of him, although most everybody knew that future would be at 3b. Behind him was Scott Cooper, a good fielder with a strong arm who could hit some, and behind him, a great hitter stuck in a huge ballpark which depressed power numbers and this guy of course had a questionable future as a 3B - of course I'm referring to Jeff Bagwell. And of course, Bagwell was the one who was dealt for Larry Andersen during the heat of the 1990 pennant race when it looked like Jeff Reardon was lost for the season and Jeff Gray started to struggle and the rest of the bullpen was in shambles.
So now here we are, possibly on the precipice of another deal for a reliever, albeit a younger one who would have more seasons under contract and impact the Sox more.
And here are the Sox with Kevin Youkilis, whose contract should be expiring soon, and likely on the downside of his career, Will Middlebrooks not too far from the big leagues, and the promising bats of Xander Bogaerts and Garin Cecchini and even Kolbrin Vitek following behind Middlebrooks.
I defer to the knowledge on this board of others regarding the minor leagues. Which of these guys should be the future of the Red Sox at 3b and untouchable in a deal?
I'll offer my opinions on what I think of these players and correct me if I'm wrong.
Will Middlebrooks seems like a guy who if he doesn't command the strike zone at all will wind up like Brandon Inge but with a better glove. If he commands it somewhat he could possibly be a young Mike Lowell perhaps? I guess it depends upon if he can improve that awful BB/K ratio. What do people around here think? Will he improve his dreadful BB/K ratio to something decent down the road? Would he be somebody to give up in a deal for Bailey? Or is he somebody to balk at including?
The prospect that I think will be a big-time player is Xander Bogaerts. I think he will hit for more power than Middlebrooks, who I think can reach 25 homers in the majors eventually, and I think given that he's not a hacker at his early age has a real shot and controlling the strike zone, and of course, nobody thinks that he'll stick at SS, and that his future resides at 3b, or possibly even RF. I'll give my opinion here without hedging - he's the one Red Sox prospect I don't want to see packaged in a deal - at all unless we're getting a young superstar in his prime in return, and I don't see any guys like that available. Of course Bogaerts could fizzle, but I'm very bullish on the prospect that he doesn't and that he blossoms into a .280 - .300 with 30 homerun power and a decent to good OBP.
Garin Cecchini strikes me as the guy with the most advanced hitting approach of the group and I think that this guy could be one helluva a hitter, but again like Bagwell many years earlier - can he play 3b? The Sox didn't consider Bagwell for 1b, because the Sox had a strong feeling that the future of 1b was named Mo Vaughn. A move to 1b wouldn't do Cecchini any good (unless Gonzo DHs) as we know that the long-term future of 1b is Adrian Gonzalez. Can Cecchini play defense well enough to be a 3b to the point where you'd prefer him to be the 3b of the future because of his bat (maybe Bogaerts would wind up in RF to accomodate Cecchini's bat down the road?)
I'll mention Kolbrin Vitek, who I think has a good approach at the plate, but I question if he'd hit for the power a corner IF or OF needs. And from what I understand his defense is questionable, I'd give him up for Bailey in a heartbeat.
So I ask: Who is the guy you want patrolling 3b for the long-term future? Who would you be willing to include for Bailey (assuming Beane wants a higher caliber 3b prospect than Vitek which of course he will)? Which 3b would you draw the line at?
Please discuss and hopefully soon, because I think between Billy Beane and Ben Cherington that we'll see our answer pretty soon.
