Comments on: Pete Rose lays it all on the table http://umpbump.com/press/2007/03/14/pete-rose-lays-it-all-on-the-table/ In-your-face baseball commentary Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:44:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sarah Green http://umpbump.com/press/2007/03/14/pete-rose-lays-it-all-on-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-10815 Sarah Green Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:59:33 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/pete-rose-lays-it-all-on-the-table/#comment-10815 Nick, I go on vacay for one week and look what you do! First, Bronson is not a legit No. 2 starter for an AL contender. And you forgot Jon Lester! Don't forget Jon Lester. Also, for Sanchez (Marlins) and Arroyo (Reds) you have to take into account that they are throwing against lame National League teams whereas Beckett is now throwing against the Yankees. As for Johnny Damon, I am convinced that despite media/blog focus on the extra money the Yankees threw at him, what he really wanted was the extra years. The Sox offered him 4 years/40 million, while the Yankees offered him $53 million for FIVE years. Now, given that he will probably sit out that fifth year with some lame injury (or general sucktitude), perhaps you could argue that it's a wash. But the Sox have HOT young (cheap) centerfield prospect Jacoby Ellsbury coming up in the system. If Damon signs a four-year deal, well, so much the better, but after Damon didn't sign, the Sox only needed to buy a couple of years before Ellsbury was ready, so they went out and got Coco Crisp, who is good enough to be an effective stopgap. This strategy, along with the sloooow development of other young talent, is what has annoyed Sox fans griping "The Sox will be great....in 2008." While it's true that Theo and the gang have bartered away some good talent, it's also true that at the trade deadline last year when every team wanted Papelbon, Lester, and Hansen, the Sox stayed pat. Clearly there are *some* prospects they consider off-limits, even if they have parted with others. The fact is that Fenway isn't exactly the most patient, low-pressure environment for newbies to come into, and when Cla Meredith was rushed to the majors a while back, the feeling here was that he might have been spoiled forever. The Sox spent a pretty penny this offseason, but they have some good young talent that is also proven talent. As Greg said, hindsight is 20/20, but no one in Boston wants to ride into a showdown in Yankee Stadium relying on a bunch of rooks. Nick, I go on vacay for one week and look what you do!

First, Bronson is not a legit No. 2 starter for an AL contender. And you forgot Jon Lester! Don’t forget Jon Lester. Also, for Sanchez (Marlins) and Arroyo (Reds) you have to take into account that they are throwing against lame National League teams whereas Beckett is now throwing against the Yankees. As for Johnny Damon, I am convinced that despite media/blog focus on the extra money the Yankees threw at him, what he really wanted was the extra years. The Sox offered him 4 years/40 million, while the Yankees offered him $53 million for FIVE years. Now, given that he will probably sit out that fifth year with some lame injury (or general sucktitude), perhaps you could argue that it’s a wash. But the Sox have HOT young (cheap) centerfield prospect Jacoby Ellsbury coming up in the system. If Damon signs a four-year deal, well, so much the better, but after Damon didn’t sign, the Sox only needed to buy a couple of years before Ellsbury was ready, so they went out and got Coco Crisp, who is good enough to be an effective stopgap. This strategy, along with the sloooow development of other young talent, is what has annoyed Sox fans griping “The Sox will be great….in 2008.” While it’s true that Theo and the gang have bartered away some good talent, it’s also true that at the trade deadline last year when every team wanted Papelbon, Lester, and Hansen, the Sox stayed pat. Clearly there are *some* prospects they consider off-limits, even if they have parted with others. The fact is that Fenway isn’t exactly the most patient, low-pressure environment for newbies to come into, and when Cla Meredith was rushed to the majors a while back, the feeling here was that he might have been spoiled forever. The Sox spent a pretty penny this offseason, but they have some good young talent that is also proven talent. As Greg said, hindsight is 20/20, but no one in Boston wants to ride into a showdown in Yankee Stadium relying on a bunch of rooks.

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]]> By: Greg http://umpbump.com/press/2007/03/14/pete-rose-lays-it-all-on-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-10603 Greg Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:48:37 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/pete-rose-lays-it-all-on-the-table/#comment-10603 I like where you are going here! The problem is that Marte probably would have been dealt for a first baseman - The Sox never saw him as part of the plan. They wanted Youkilis to be playing third and got Marte as trade bait. Marte probably would have been dealt to Colorado for Todd Helton and Marte would either be platooning with Garret Atkins or sitting in AAA. Hindsight is always 20-20 when it comes to trades! I like where you are going here! The problem is that Marte probably would have been dealt for a first baseman – The Sox never saw him as part of the plan. They wanted Youkilis to be playing third and got Marte as trade bait. Marte probably would have been dealt to Colorado for Todd Helton and Marte would either be platooning with Garret Atkins or sitting in AAA.

Hindsight is always 20-20 when it comes to trades!

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