Tag Archives: Trade Deadline

Worst Deadline Deals in Red Sox History

Following up my article covering the best trade deadline deals in franchise history, this article goes over the worst ones the team has ever made. The top worst trade can probably be guessed, as it is an iconic trade, but what comes after that?

1. Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen

With the Red Sox in the playoff hunt, they wanted to shore up their bullpen. So, they acquired Larry Andersen from the Astros in August. Larry Andersen was a good reliever, going 5-2 with a 1.95 ERA for Houston before the trade. Andersen did his job in Boston, pitching to a 1.23 ERA over 22 innings pitched as the Red Sox won the division. In no way does he deserve the bad name recognition that came with this trade, he did his job exceptionally well.

The problem is, Jeff Bagwell became a Hall of Famer. August trades don’t usually yield that much value, yet alone a prospect like Bagwell who was ranked 32nd in baseball at the time. He was walking a bunch and hitting a lot of doubles in the cavernous field at Double-A New Britain. Bagwell had an .880 OPS as a 22 year old at the time of the trade.

Here’s the worst part; the Astros asked for several other players before getting to Bagwell. Pitching prospect Kevin Morton, who had a fantastic Major League debut, was one. He never did much after the debut. Scott Cooper was another third base prospect the Red Sox for some reason preferred to Bagwell; oops. At least Mo Vaughn became a fan favorite and an MVP winner. But Phil Plantier, Daryl rvine and Dave Owen are others the Astros were rumored to maybe have taken in return.

2. Freddy Sanchez for Jeff Suppan

This trade doesn’t get as much publicity as some of the other bad moves, but it’s arguably worse. The deal also had more moving pieces, but it was essentially Freddy Sanchez and cash for Jeff Suppan. A little over a week earlier, the Red Sox had traded Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez to the Pirates for Mike Gonzalez and Scott Sauerbeck.

When a problem was found in Brandon Lyon’s physical, the two teams tried to work things out to make it right. Lyon and Martinez were traded back to the Red Sox along with Suppan for Sanchez, Mike Gonzalez and cash. They essentially just swapped everyone back, with cash replacing Scott Sauerbeck. If you included those pieces in with the trade, it would get even worse for the Red Sox, as Mike Gonzalez had a better career than anyone the Sox got.

As for the main pieces, Jeff Suppan was having his best season to date, pitching in the National League Central. However, reacquired by the Red Sox who he had started his career with, Suppan’s pitching reverted back to where it was during his first stint with the team as a youngster. He posted a 5.57 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and only 4.6 strike outs per nine innings over 10 starts and one relief appearance for the Red Sox. He wasn’t even used in the postseason.

Freddy Sanchez, who was the Red Sox top prospect at the time of the trade, went on to become a batting champion. He hit .291 as a rookie in 2005, then led the league in hitting in 2006 with his .344 average. He was an All-Star in 2006, 2007 and 2009. Meanwhile, the Red Sox kept shuffling through shortstops and second basemen for a few seasons after the trade, both positions Sanchez could have played.

Freddy Sanchez won the batting title in 2006 and made three All-Star Games in a four year stretch for the Pirates. Jeff Suppan fared so poorly he didn’t pitch in the postseason.

3. David Murphy, Kason Gabbard & Engel Beltre for Eric Gagne

This is mostly due to how bad Eric Gagne was for the Red Sox, as two of the players traded didn’t do a lot. It is kind of surprising they had to give up this much though, as David Murphy was a former first round draft pick and Kason Gabbard, although he didn’t possess great stuff, was 4-0 with a 3.73 ERA for the Red Sox that season. Including the season before, Gabbard had a 3.65 ERA over 11 starts and three relief appearances for the Red Sox. He didn’t pitch as well in Texas however, going 4-4 with a 5.14 ERA over 20 starts the next two seasons.

David Murphy turned into a solid outfielder in Texas. From 2008-2013, his average season was .283 with 14 home runs and a .795 OPS over 425 at-bats. He often didn’t play against lefties, leading to the average of just 425 at-bats. 2012 was his best season, as he batted .304 with 15 homers and an .859 OPS.

Eric Gagne was coming back from injury that season, having thrown just 15.1 innings over the previous two seasons. He was pitching well in Texas, going 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 16 saves. It all came unraveled in Boston, and it never came back. In 20 games the rest of the way, Gagne pitched to a 6.75 ERA and 1.88 WHIP over 18.2 innings. He gave up three more runs in 4.1 postseason innings. Generally, you could count on him to give up a run or two.

Boston, MA – 08/14/07 – Sox reliever Eric Gagne enjoyed little to no success in Boston. (Barry Chin, Globe Staff) Section: Sports, Reporter: Amalie Benjamin, slug: 15redsox.

4. Ty Buttrey & Williams Jerez for Ian Kinsler

The 2018 Red Sox, historically great as they were, had a need for some relief help. It was odd they had a guy like Buttrey, throwing 100 and dominating in Triple-A, left down in the minors while others got turns to help the bullpen. It was more baffling still when he was traded, along with another minor leaguer, for an over-the-hill second baseman.

Buttrey was called up to the Angels pretty soon after the trade. Since getting the call, he has been used in late innings by the Angels as one of their top setup men, sometimes going more than an inning at a time. His blazing fastball has led to 10.7 strike outs per nine innings pitched. The Red Sox could certainly use a guy like him in their bullpen.

Williams Jerez should have been almost enough for an aging free agent. He had a 3.63 ERA and struck out 69 batters over 52 innings in Triple-A. He’s pitched three innings at the big league level so far this season. Jerez and one other guy of lesser talent should have done the trick for Kinsler, who was an unnecessary add anyways.

Ian Kinsler was 36 years old at the time of the trade. He had batted .236 in 2017, and was hitting .239 for the Angels in 2018. His bat speed was gone, which was painfully noticeable in the playoffs when he swung and missed at fastballs all postseason long. He hit .242 with a home run for Boston in the regular season, then batted .206 with 14 strike outs in 34 at-bats in the playoffs.

Yes, the Red Sox won the World Series, but they would have won it without Kinsler. He didn’t add anything. They would have cruised to victory with the guys they had been going with, or with Brandon Phillips, who they had signed midseason. In fact, they might have swept the World Series with a different second baseman. His error in the 13th inning of game 3 directly led to a blown lead in an eventual loss. This is one of their worst deadline trades.

Ty Buttrey seems to have hit a wall of late, which can happen to rookies often. However, his ERA was well below 3.00 a week ago as he was pitching in dominant fashion.

5. Curt Schilling & Brady Anderson for Mike Boddicker

This trade is much higher on most people’s lists, but I think it is judged unfairly. It is one-hundred percent, long-term hindsight that makes this a bad trade.

The Red Sox traded for Mike Boddicker in 1988 on their way to a playoff appearance. He went 7-3 with a 2.63 ERA for them the rest of the way. Boddicker would spend two more years as the Red Sox number two starter behind Roger Clemens. After winning 15 games in 1989, Boddicker went 17-8 with a 3.36 ERA over 228 innings pitched in 1990 while winning the Gold Glove. He was a good pitcher for Boston. His totals in Boston were a 39-22 record with a 3.49 ERA.

But, they gave up Curt Schilling, who should be in the Hall of Fame and is one of the all-time greatest postseason performers in the history of the sport. They also gave up Brady Anderson, who was a good prospect putting up some high on-base percentages in the minor leagues. Steep price to pay, but for a top starter that’s generally the price.

Here’s the other kicker for me, the part that makes this unfairly judged. This trade took place in 1988, neither Schilling nor Anderson broke out until 1992, four years later. Boddicker was already gone from the Red Sox. At the end of his tenure in Boston, this trade would have been considered a big win.

From 1988-91, Anderson batted .219 with 10 home runs in the big leagues. He broke out with 21 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 1992 and went on to a fine career that saw him hit 209 home runs and steal 307 bases for the Orioles. But by 1992 when he broke out, who’s to say the Sox wouldn’t have traded him in another deal by then?

As for Schilling, he was traded again, twice! After showing nothing for two years, Schilling had some success in 1990 out of the bullpen. He was then traded to the Astros before 1991, where he was mediocre in relief. He was then traded again, straight up for Jason Grimsley of all people. It’s then, with the Phillies, where he broke out in 1992. That season he had a 2.35 ERA and led the National League in WHIP.

At the end of the day, this is on the list, but in the last spot, because of the players Schilling and Anderson eventually became. This trade catches way too much flak though.

Mike Boddicker was 39-22 with a 3.49 ERA over 2.5 seasons for Boston.

Feature image from HouseofHouston.com

Best Deadline Deals in Red Sox History

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As trades begin to happen across baseball with the trade deadline in a few days, I decided to look into some of the best trades the Red Sox have ever made at the deadline. I also plan to do one about the worst trade deadline deals they have made in the next couple days. These articles will include August waiver trades as well.

1. Heathcliff Slocumb for Jason Varitek & Derek Lowe

This is a no-brainer at the top spot. This trade was always baffling, but continually got worse with each passing season as Varitek and Lowe paved their way in the big leagues.

The Mariners were desperate for relief help, as this wasn’t the only move they made for a relief pitcher. One is left to wonder why they thought Heathcliff Slocumb would help shore up a struggling bullpen though. Slocumb had a solid season in 1996, posting a 3.02 ERA and 31 saves, but his saves were often nerve-wracking, as he posted a 1.48 WHIP. In 1997 it all came apart. At the time of the trade he had blown five saves, posted a 5.79 ERA with an unsightly 1.97 WHIP. That means he essentially put on two baserunners each inning! Over the next season and a half in Seattle, Slocumb went 2-9 with a 4.97 ERA and 13 saves.

Meanwhile, Jason Varitek became the first catcher ever to catch four no-hitters. He was the eventual captain of the Red Sox, and is the second best catcher in franchise history. He was a three time all-star, a Silver Slugger winner and a Gold Glove winner.

Derek Lowe made two All-Star Games with the Red Sox. He led the American League with 42 saves in 2000, then two years later went 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He also won the clinching game of the ALDS, ALCS and the World Series in 2004. Without this trade, the Red Sox do not win the World Series in 2004, and who knows where the franchise would be.

As most Red Sox fans probably were at the time, I was just happy to be rid of Heathcliff Slocumb. Getting two important pieces back in return? Trade deadline gold.

2. The Nomar Deal

At the trade deadline in 2004 the Red Sox were in the playoff race, but needed to change things up to really make a run. Franchise icon Nomar Garciaparra was unhappy in Boston by this time, missing games with injury and not playing to his usual standards. The infield defense was sloppy and Theo Epstein decided the defense had to get better.

It wasn’t surprising when the Red Sox traded Nomar, a lot of people knew it was time, but it was bittersweet. The Red Sox sent Nomar and Matt Murton to the Cubs in a four team trade. Coming back to Boston were shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. Both were good fielders to help shore up the infield defense.

Although Mientkiewicz couldn’t hit a lick, Orlando Cabrera proved to be a a sparkplug. He batted .294 with six home runs the rest of the season, while playing a steadier shortstop than Nomar . The team went 40-20 over the rest of the regular season. Cabrera then batted .379 in the seven game ALCS with the Yankees. I’ve never understood why the Red Sox let him leave after the season; he seemed to fit right in with the team personality-wise, clearly could handle Boston and the big stage, played a good defense and could hit.

The Red Sox went 40-20 after making the trade for Orlando Cabrera in 2004.

3. Rey Quinones for Dave Henderson & Spike Owen

This is one of those August deals I referred to in the beginning. The Red Sox wound up sending three other players to the Mariners later on as players to be named later, but none did a whole lot. Mike Brown and Mike Trujillo at least pitched some for them at the big league level. Quinones, who had been hitting just .237 for the Red Sox in his rookie season, did even worse over the rest of the season. He actually had a solid season in 1987 before his offense tailed off and he was out of baseball following the 1989 season. His batting register on baseball-reference.com is fascinating, popping up in Independent baseball in 1999 after having nothing listed since 1989.

Dave Henderson actually didn’t do much in the regular season for the Red Sox. He hit .196 with 1 home run over 51 at-bats. However, he hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history in the 1986 ALCS to avoid a series defeat to the Angels. In the World Series, he would bat .400 with two more home runs. Imagine his status in Boston had they not choked.

As for Spike Owen, he stayed with the team for each of the next two seasons as well, and was their starting shortstop for 1987 and half of 1988. He also had a big postseason in 1986, batting .429 in the ALCS and .300 in the World Series.

Dave Henderson came up huge for the Red Sox in the 1986 postseason.

4. Santiago Espinal for Steve Pearce

I’m going back to just last season for this one. The Red Sox got the eventual World Series MVP for a prospect not on the radar for prospect lists. You never know how someone will develop, but at the moment this one looks like a steal. This trade happened about a month before the deadline, but it counts.

Pearce posted a .901 OPS for the Red Sox following the trade. He went all Jimmie Foxx on the Yankees in early August, hitting three home runs one day and another the next day. In the World Series he batted .333 with three home runs. In game four, he hit a home run off closer Kenley Jansen to tie the game at four in the 8th inning of an eventual 9-6 victory. For the clinching game five, he hit a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw to open the scoring in the 1st inning, then homered again in the 8th inning, which was the dagger. For his efforts, he won World Series MVP.

Steve Pearce homers in the 8th inning of game 5 of the World Series.

5. Henri Stanley for Dave Roberts

We all know why this one is on the list, and it all comes down to just one play. The Red Sox picked up Dave Roberts on July 31, 2004 for Henri Stanley (who?). The idea with Roberts was to add some speed. He batted .256 with 2 home runs and five stolen bases over the rest of the regular season. In the playoffs, he was on the team to pinch-run. That was it. The rest, as they say, is history.

Honorable Mention: Mike Stanley

Mike Stanley gets an honorable mention for two trades. Stanley posted excellent offensive numbers in 1996 and 1997 for the Red Sox, but the team was well out of the race in 1997 so they moved him in August. In sending him to the Yankees, the Red Sox received Tony Armas Jr. in return.

Why is this trade so notable? Well, that offseason, the Red Sox were battling the Indians to trade for Pedro Martinez from the Expos. The Red Sox won out, sending the Expos two pitching prospects in Carl Pavano and, you guessed it, Tony Armas Jr. This Mike Stanley trade is very underrated in history, as it brought the Red Sox an important trade chip back to get possibly the best pitcher of all-time.

The very next season, in 1998, with the Red Sox back in the race again, they brought Stanley back at the deadline, sending Peter Munro and Jay Yennaco to the Blue Jays for him. Munro made the Majors, but didn’t do much to speak of. Yennaco never made to the show. Mike Stanley batted .288 with an .888 OPS the rest of the 1998 season. In 1999, he was their starting first baseman more often than not, posting a .393 on-base percentage while hitting 19 home runs. Stanley was also an excellent guy in the clubhouse, becoming a bench coach quickly after his retirement.

Mike Stanley was a great trade for the Red Sox both in dealing him (1997) and acquiring him again (1998).

Feature picture from sportsonearth.com

#NERevs Sign English Defender Michael Mancienne

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It’s the moment Revs fans have been anticipating for weeks. Who will the Revs sign to make a playoff push? Rumors were coming from left and right. There was speculation they were interested in Brazilian Felipe Pires and Nigerian Godfrey Oboabona. The big one that stuck out was Bojan. Rumors came out that the Revs talked to Bojan in the offseason and that talks could still be going on. While the Revs didn’t sign Bojan, yet, they fulfilled another much-needed position in a center back.

Michael Mancienne

While he might not be the man everybody was hoping for, Michael Mancienne is a great player coming from some great teams. Mancienne started his career in the Chelsea youth system back in 2006. The now 30-year0old defender spent 2006-2011 going out on loan to QPR and had a few spells with the Wolves. His time in Chelsea came to an end in 2011 when German team Hamburger SV paid $2.5 million for him, where he went on to make 49 league appearances. From there he went back to England in 2014, joining Nottingham Forrest, where eventually he made his way here with the Revs

With a Market value of $1.5 million, Michael Mancienne comes into the team as the highest valued player on the roster, so the pressure will be on him to live up to his value. The fact that the last few big money signings haven’t lived up to their value (Kouassi, Dielna, Angoua, and Nemeth), it’s easy for fans to be optimistic.

What’s Next for the Revs?

With this signing, Brad Friedel has hopefully fixed their problem at center back, and will hopefully get the back line to be more consistent as well. But, there are still holes to be filled with a need for a playmaker and a left back. While the Revs still have five days left to sign someone else, it likely won’t happen. Brad Freidel has said it’s possible another signing happens, but with the team out of international spots, there most likely won’t be a big name.

It’s important for the Revs to use their new signings and quickly get them into the system to try and put an end to this summer slump. It’s crunch time for New England as they enter the most crucial and most difficult part of the season. The Revs will try to stay in a playoff position and climb the standings.

Why the Red Sox Need to Make a Trade Now

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Our Boston Red Sox are 51-26 and one game back from the Yankees as of June 22. We have the most wins in the MLB and first place is well within our grasp. Everything sounds like it is going swimmingly, right? I wouldn’t say so. After dropping two games to the Twins and the Mariners each on the road, there is room for concern. The Red Sox pitching has been good, not stellar, and our offense (before the last two games) was struggling. Here’s why they need to act now:

Trade Season May Be Now

Per Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, “As … trade season picks up, the Red Sox have an eye on adding a reliever and a right-handed bat, a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking said.” Drellich makes a great point in saying that trade season is starting to pick up. We have already seen a couple noteworthy trades happen, with Kelvin Herrera going to the Nationals and Alex Colome and Denard Span (noted Red Sox destroyer) now Mariners.

These trades are noteworthy because they initiate the theme of this trading season: late inning relievers. With the Astros, possibly the Indians, and our Red Sox looking for relief help, these teams will be opening up their prospect-wallets and paying up for the available relievers. Some of the relievers expected to be available are Brad Hand of the Padres, Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Brad Brach of the Orioles, and Blake Treinen of the A’s among others. As you can see, the elite options are not plentiful, and it’s crucial to act before the other teams.

The Early Trade Pays Off

According to history, trades in early July and late June tend to pay off. Last season, the Cubs traded for former White Sox starter Jose Quintana on July 13, and this caught the MLB world off guard. At the time of the Quintana trade, the Cubs were 5 1/2 games back from the first place Brewers. The Cubs ended up winning the NL Central, and advanced to the NLCS, where the Dodgers defeated them in five games. That is a drastic improvement for the Cubs, and just imagine what that would for the Red Sox.

Rewind to the 2016 season. On July 14, 17 days before the 2016 trade deadline, our Boston Red Sox traded for former Padres starter Drew Pomeranz. At this point in the season, they were two games back from the Orioles, who were in first place. This was just the boost they needed, as they had a big void in that rotation, for we did not have Chris Sale yet. Sure, the Red Sox were swept in the ALDS that year by the Astros, but again, improvement.

A Trade Idea for the Red Sox

(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

One idea for a trade is with Andrew Benintendi’s hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. They are at a pitiful 30-45 record, which is good for last place in the NL Central. Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston said they are looking for a reliever and a right-handed bat. The Reds have closer Raisel Iglesias and infielder Eugenio Suarez, who would be great fits.

Iglesias, so far this season, has a 2.30 ERA in 31 1/3 innings pitched with 12 saves. He is 28, so he is in the midst of prime, and is known for his sinker, which would be great weapon for situations with runners on base. Suarez is primarily a third baseman, but can move over to shortstop or second. This would help give Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts days off.

Eugenio Suarez would also help immensely against left-handed pitching. The Red Sox have a weak .685 OPS against left-handed pitching this season, which is 8th worst in the MLB. Suarez has been stellar against left-handed pitching, hitting .357/.486/.679/1.164 against them. This would be a huge boost to the lineup.

The package going to the Reds would be a bit pricey, and I recommend they offer them catcher Blake Swihart, pitcher Bryan Mata (Red Sox No. 4 prospect)*, first baseman Sam Travis (Red Sox No. 5 prospect)*, and shortstop CJ Chatham (Red Sox No. 10 prospect)*.

Happy trading!

*All prospect rankings come from http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018?list=bos

Why the Red Sox Are Unlikely to Make a Big Deal

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Most Red Sox fans want them to make a deal, like most fans of every team. Around the trade deadline, all teams are considered buyers or sellers. “Buyers” trade prospects for big league talent and “sellers” trade big league talent for prospects. The Red Sox are 49-24 and could win their third straight division title. This means they are buyers, and they should make a trade, right? Well, not so fast, and here’s why:

The Farm System

According to Bleacher Report, the Red Sox have the 27th best farm system in the big leagues. Also, their top prospect Jay Groome is out with Tommy John surgery. Their number two prospect, Michael Chavis, got popped for PEDs, so even their top prospects have huge question marks. Other than that, they do not have anyone special that could get a big name back like Brad Hand or Manny Machado. Since their farm system is blah, the Red Sox would have to trade major league talent for a star. The Padres want Rafael Devers for star closer Brad Hand. I think if you asked ten Red Sox fans if they would do that trade, all ten of them would laugh in your face. Manny Machado rumors have been swirling, but the trade is unlikely to happen. Chris Cotillo said that “the clubs are reportedly not matching up”, and I interpret that as the Orioles thinking that the Red Sox have little to offer, and they are right. Like the Hand deal, Sox fans would be reluctant on giving up big league talent considering Machado is a rental.

Their Rivals

The Astros are 13th, Yankees are 10th, and the Indians are 16th in the Bleacher Report farm system rankings. These are the three biggest threats to the Red Sox, and they all have significantly better farm systems. If I was the general manager of the Padres or Orioles, I am dealing with these teams, not the Sox. These teams are more likely to improve their teams at the deadline, making them better than the Red Sox if they aren’t already. If the Yankees acquire a big name such as Jacob DeGrom, they will most likely win the division. This would leave the Red Sox in the Wild Card game, which no team wants a part of.

The Red Sox will likely make an acquisition, but nothing special. They can get a middle reliever or utility player for nothing, but I highly doubt they will be able to make a big upgrade at the deadline.

Possible Trade Deadline Moves for the Red Sox

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Anybody that has been watching the Red Sox know that their offense can be frustrating sometimes. Betts, Martinez, and Benintendi cannot continue to be solely depended on in order to keep winning games. The Sox lead the majors in runs scored, average, total bases, hits, and extra base hits. They also rank second in other pivotal categories such as OPS, home runs and RBIs. They have reached this level of performance while carrying a lot of dead weight at the bottom third of the lineup.

Collectively, the 7-9 hitters are hitting a measly .221 with 60 RBIs, 178 strikeouts with a .608 OPS. Don’t get me wrong, this offense is special and can do a lot of damage when this season is all said and done. The fact is, the top of the lineup won’t bring the city of Boston another championship single-handedly.

Inevitably, the Red Sox will be active around the trade deadline. They won’t make a big splash, but they will most likely add a piece (maybe two) in order to complement the offense in a big way. Here is who they might go and get:

Wilson Ramos

It should not be a surprise that Red Sox catchers have been woeful at the plate. This season, catchers are hitting .226/.270/.319/.589 with 18 RBIs and 47 strikeouts. Sox catchers also have a league worst -1.1 WAR, so upgrade to the catcher depth is a no-brainer. With all this being said, Wilson Ramos would be a match made in heaven for the Red Sox.

Ramos is slashing .284/.327/.446/.773 with eight home runs, .327 BABIP and a 115 wRC+. In short, if I told you he was the fourth best hitting catcher in baseball, I’d most likely have the numbers to back up my claim. The Rays, meanwhile, are 13.5 games out of first and will be trending in the wrong direction faster than they already have. They began their rebuild when they gave away Evan Longoria in December of 2017, and will most likely look to continue just that. Ramos is a free agent in 2019, so he would be a rental. But it’s so worth it.

Nicholas Castellanos

Nicholas Catellanos is really starting to turn into a top-tier hitter in his young age. Castellanos has played a majority of his professional career at third base, but is now an everyday outfielder. In his last three seasons, he’s hit .285/.331./.492/.823 with a 117 wRC+, which is pretty darn good. He’s 26 years old and will be under team control until 2020, so a trade would have to yield a lot more than the Wilson Ramos scenario.

However, the already struggling Tigers just lost their franchise first baseman in Miguel Cabrera for the rest of the season and will be forced to be sellers at the deadline. If this happens, the only logical way to make it work is to give up Jackie Bradley along with some others. The problem with this move is that Castellanos will be a hot commodity with other teams, and the Sox may not have enough to offer when it comes to competition. Regardless, the club should be active in inquiring for the 26 year old.

Mike Moustakas

No, this is not a recycled paragraph from the past off-season- bear with me here. Just because Moustakas signed a one year contract (with a second year mutual option) doesn’t mean the Royals can’t move him. The Royals are 23 games under .500 and this would probably be the best move for both organizations.

You may be wondering, “But what about that Devers kid?” Rafael Devers has not been playing the best baseball so far in 2018. Devers has the lowest wRC+ figure among qualifying third basemen in the league. He may still need some time platooning with a more experienced third baseman or possibly even going back to Pawtucket. Let’s get one thing straight: I am not saying give up on the kid. What has to be remembered is that he is still only 21 years old and may need some more time to sharpen his skills and adjust his swing.

Moustakas is having a pretty good year, batting .263/.317/.483/.800 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs. He definitely can pick up the pace even more, especially if he was inserted into the Red Sox lineup. On top of that, his .973 fielding percentage is way better than Devers’ (.931), and he has extensive postseason experience. It’s a win-win all around.

@ELJGON

The Hunt for a Better Bullpen

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If you watched Red Sox baseball this past week, you should have seen a trend forming. All week great starting pitching was followed by the bullpen crapping themselves. The stats in the last seven days can support this claim, as Sox starters have had a 3.11 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP. Sox relievers have had a 6.06 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP. This has been frustrating to watch and almost makes us forget about Jackie Bradley Jr.’s woes at the plate.

Better Numbers are Ahead

The full season’s numbers don’t paint the same story, however. Sox relievers in the entire season have posted a 3.76 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Starters also going on to average 3.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Clearly, we can justify this by saying the obvious: The Red Sox bullpen had a bad week. They were not clutch and they did not throw quality strikes. More was expected from this quality pitching staff.

The only way from here is up and the quality is ahead of us, folks. We have seen this bullpen do tremendous things when they try. Carson Smith is finally turning the corner, posting a 1.04 ERA in the last 28 days (11 games) with 12 strikeouts and one earned run. In the same sample size, Joe Kelly has posted a 0.77 ERA with 16 strikeouts and one earned run.

Reinforcements are Incoming

Don’t forget, more help is on the way. Tyler Thornburg is set to begin his rehab assignment in Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday 5/14. Steven Wright is also slated to join the Sox on the same day. A much needed depth will be added to this bullpen, but what can we expect from the two? Thornburg hasn’t pitched in a major league baseball game since 2016. Even then, I’m sure Cora will be using him sparingly since he’s apparently made of glass. Even Wright, who has recovered fully from his left knee injury and served his 15 game suspension for domestic violence, will be a mixed bag of results.

Also, at some point, Bobby Poyner should be getting called back up as well. Poyner posted a 2.25 ERA in seven regular season games with the Sox, and even has a 1.42 ERA in six games with the PawSox. If anybody outside of Brian Johnson slips up, expect to see Poyner in the big league bullpen for the majority of the season.

Dealin’ Dave at it Again?

What if this all doesn’t pan out the way we expect? There will be trade activity around the time of the deadline (or even sooner) and the Red Sox will be involved one way or another. Kelvin Herrera and Jeurys Familia are two names that will probably finish the 2018 season with a different team and are two pieces that can really bring a bullpen to the next level. Yes, both are closers and both are eligible for free agency in 2019, so they would be rentals. However, the Sox obviously wouldn’t dare move Craig Kimbrel from his job in the pen.

The Mets and the Royals both seem to be trending downward quickly and I would be shocked if they were playoff contenders this season. Also, both teams could use an outfielder which could potentially prompt a JBJ trade. Familia is known for his sinker which averages at 97 mph and Herrera for his 89 mph changeup. Also, they have been in the spotlight before as they actually faced each other in the 2015 World Series. That last part is something the Sox bullpen lacks: clutch factor.

Overall, these two players will find another home this season acting as rentals. The New York Yankees are also in the same boat as the Red Sox for the fact that their bullpen hasn’t been the best either. Also, going off of last year, the Astros bullpen may not be the best as well. All in all, the Sox won’t be alone when it comes to bolstering their relief pitchers, but hopefully this bad week has been a wake up call to the front office.

@ELJGON

Bruins Interested in Ryan McDonagh

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The New York Rangers have made it clear to the other thirty NHL teams that they will be looking to sell at the deadline. Rick Nash has been the main focus of must trade rumors due to his expiring contract. However, over the weekend Elliot Freedman reported that the Bruins may be in on Ryan McDonagh. The 28 year old defenseman has one year remaining on his contract, and by far is the biggest name on the block right now.

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Should the B’s Be Interested?

This question is genuinely laughable. Of course they should be! Outside of Hank Lundqvist, McDonagh is the Rangers’ best player. The Rangers captain is one of the best and most dependable defensive defenseman in the NHL. In more than half of his NHL seasons, the veteran defenseman has received Norris consideration (five out of eight). In his eight seasons McDonagh has never had a negative plus minus and has never finished with anything below a +11. Any team who looks at themselves and genuinely believes they have a shot at a title should be blowing up the Rangers’ phone. At the young age of 28 McDonagh is the exact type of player a contending team needs. A tough grind-it-out defenseman with offensive capabilities and great leadership qualities.

What Is It Going to Take?

Now the real question about Ryan McDonagh is what is the price to land him. It has been reported that the Rangers would be willing to trade their captain but at the right cost. From what I have been hearing the Rangers are going to have to be blown away by a team. Which means at minimum a first round pick, a high level prospect, and some cap compensation can be expected to make the money work. For the Bruins that would be roughly their upcoming first rounder, and a player like Jake Debrusk to get the deal done. Someone like Adam McQuaid would probably go in the deal to balance some of the money. As well as clear a spot on the backend for McDonagh. Unlike most players who are traded at the deadline.

McDonagh is signed for another year after this one which makes him a very valuable asset for a contending team. The Tampa Bay Lightning are expected to make a very strong push for the veteran defenseman. The Lightning are all in and may be more willing to pay the lofty price. It is going to be up to Sweeney to try to compete with the Lightning both on and off the ice in this case.

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Verdict

Don Sweeney should call and get a feel for what the Rangers are doing. They may be asking high but will be expected to accept less. But Tampa Bay has shown great interest, and there seems to be some traction there. So it seems unlikely the B’s are going to be able to get McDonagh for anything less than full price. In that case I want nothing to do with that deal. The cost is just too much for a team in the B’s that still has some growing to do. Plus another defenseman would be nice, but is not a necessity. I would lean towards the smaller trades such as Patrick Maroon, who seems to be the guy right now out of Edmonton. Sweeney needs to realize that the plan is the next five years, not five months.

Will the Celtics Make a Move Before the Trade Deadline?

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The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching. Teams have until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday to make any player transactions, before locking their rosters in for the remainder of the season. For some teams, like the Warriors and Rockets, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, less fortunate teams, like the Cavaliers, are scrambling to save their season by attempting to bring in fresh faces. Adversely, few teams, like the Clippers and Grizzlies, are planning ahead by moving pieces for future assets. They know their season is dead, and instead of trying to acquire All-Star talent, they are the ones dealing it.

Where are the Celtics in all of this uproar? Sitting at the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the C’s are virtually carefree. Well, for the most part. Thus far, they’ve had what it takes to assert dominance over some of the league’s best squads. The talent of Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and more, have rocketed the Celtics to a commanding record. That being said, there are a few loose ends that could be addressed this week before the trade deadline.

Offensive Rebounding

The Celtics have done a much better job with crashing the board, compared to recent years. From two seasons ago to last season, Boston’s offensive rebounding ranking dropped from fourth to twenty-second. GM Danny Ainge attempted to address this problem by bringing in center Aaron Baynes from Detroit, to add center depth. After Gordon Hayward’s injury on opening night, Brad Stevens moved Al Horford to the four, and moved Baynes off the bench into the five slot.

Baynes’s job is to crash the boards, while the other four guys do their thing on offense. However, his abysmal rebounding numbers have only hurt the team. Baynes averages 1.4 offensive boards a game, and 3.8 on defense. Those shouldn’t be starting center numbers. With the lack of rebounding on offense, Boston has only advanced to the twenty-first spot in the league rankings this season.

Enter Greg Monroe. After playing twenty games with the Phoenix Suns, his contract was bought out. About a day later, he found himself signing a contract with the Celtics. In his seven season career, Monroe averages 2.9 offensive rebounds a game, and 5.8 defensively. Monroe isn’t washed up, he just needs a team where he can be under the rim on both ends of the court. He will fit nicely in the role Brad Stevens sets up for him.

Will signing Greg Monroe cause some competition with Baynes for minutes? Yes. Will Aaron Baynes be subject to trade sometime before the deadline? Probably not, but he could be a valuable asset in a multi-man trade.

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Secondary/Bench Scorer

Kyrie Irving is Boston’s true primary scorer. He wanted his own team to lead, and the Celtics have embraced that in every fashion. But after Kyrie, who is the Celtics’ second best shooting option? Jaylen Brown has been in a sophomore slump, and Jayson Tatum is still learning the ropes of the NBA. Gordon Hayward was supposed to be Kyrie’s running mate for scoring options, but without him there is a little confusion as to who’s in that role now. Brad Steven has done a masterful job of getting production out of every player.

However, some nights have resulted in losses because Kyrie wasn’t able to get a hot hand. That should not be the case. Someone needs to step up. There have been flashes of brilliance from different players on different nights. One night the bench could be hot, and other nights they could be quiet on offense. Terry Rozier is the latest to get hot in the past few games.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Boston to add some depth at guard to have more consistent scorers. Rumors have linked the Celtics to the Grizzlies’ Tyreke Evans, and the Clippers’ Lou Williams. Williams, a valuable sixth man, hasn’t really found a role for the Clippers, who are trying to clean house. Both teams want to make moves before the trade deadline.

According to the Boston Globe, the C’s have recently become less interested in Williams as a trade option. This leaves the opportunity to trade for Tyreke Evans up in the air. The Grizzlies have made it clear that Evans will be traded, after last week when the front office decided to take him out of games until the deadline. Evans has averaged a career high 19.5 points in Memphis, and 31.1 minutes per game. He can make a difference on Boston’s bench, and can be inserted into the starting lineup more often than not.

The only question for Boston is if the asking price is right for them. Boston has announced that they are willing to trade Marcus Smart for a first round pick before the trade deadline. Danny Ainge has been quiet lately, but as the deadline comes down to the final hour the Celtics might pull the trigger. There are reports that the Celtics might just mull over the buyout pool after the trade deadline anyway.

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Three Team Trade

I’m not a NBA GM, nor will I probably ever be. If the Celtics want to move Smart and acquire someone like Tyreke Evans, they certainly have options. The Nuggets are reportedly interested in Marcus Smart, so a three team trade might be in place. Boston could exchange Smart to Denver for a first round pick and flip it to Memphis for Tyreke Evans. It seems unlikely, but it doesn’t seem too unrealistic. Regardless of what happens the Celtics will still be a deep playoff contender.

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Should Boston Express Interest in Rick Nash?

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News has recently come out that Rick Nash being placed on the trading block. Earlier today it was reported that Nash submitted a list of twelve teams that he would approve a trade to. While Nash could still be potentially traded to any of the other eighteen teams he would have to waive his no trade clause. With the trade deadline coming up on the 26th of February you can expect quite a few teams to kick the tires on the 33 year old left wing. But should the surging Boston Bruins be one of the teams to make a call?

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Track Record

Do the Bruins have a need for Rick Nash? Not particularly considering the production that they have been receiving up and down the lineup. However, adding a veteran forward with plenty of playoff experience under his belt is never a bad move. Nash is his 15th NHL season originally drafted number one overall in the 2002 NHL draft. The veteran left winger is one of the most respected players in hockey. This should make his transition to another team even a rival pretty smooth.

In 1041 career games Rick Nash has put up 431 goals and 736 points for Columbus and New York. In eight of those seasons Nash posted 30 or more goals. It is pretty safe to say the winger is capable of putting the puck in the net. His production began to fall off after a monstrous season in 2014-2015 where he netted 42 goals. In each of the past two seasons Nash has not been able to eclipse the 40 point mark. Even with Nash beginning to decline the veteran left winger still possess a special scoring touch.

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Why the Bruins Should Look into a Trade

When you have a team that is as hot as the Bruins it can be tempting to leave things as they are. But Sweeney should still be looking into making a key trade to give the Bruins a better chance at a title this season. If the cost is right of course. Although the Bruins have a great mix of youth and experience on the roster, adding a player with Nash’s postseason experience could only benefit the team. Rick Nash has played in 77 postseason games and has posted a solid 41 points. His stats do not jump off the screen he is definitely battled tested.

Thanks to the excellence of the forward group if the Bruins were to acquire Nash he would be able to play with very little pressure. As the games get tighter and become more physical the young players may begin to struggle. Even if that does not happen the depth that Nash could provide matchup wise is very valuable. Of course this is all based on if Rick Nash would be willing to even come to Boston. If the cost is not to high this is definitely the type of player that could help the Bruins in May and June.