Oh baby. Wow. It's not official yet but this is huge. A bargain at $4-5M for 2006, but also the ability to sign a franchise type pitcher to a long term deal. The opportunity to sign this caliber of pitcher doesn't come along every day, especially at age 25. He's easily a solid #2 behind Schilling. They have the horses to get it done in Oct again...
The Deal:
Sox Get:
Josh Beckett 25, 15-8, 3.38 ERA. Power pitcher, fastball tops at
97, sinker at 92-94, nasty 12 to 6 curveball. Sox get better and younger. Proven Yankee killer - remember game 6 of the World Series?Sounds like Paul Revere calling...
Mike Lowell - 3B, 32, gold glove, but career lows last yr: .238 BA, 8HR, 58 RBI. Replaces Mueller with similar power numbers and equal defense. Should be able to get closer to last 5 year avg of 20+HR & 90+RBI, especially with Sox lineup. Right handed pull hitter at Fenway? Sounds like a doubles machine.
Cash - Marlins are desperate to dump payroll, but still paying out some of Lowell's remaining $18M over 2 years.
Marlins Get:
Hanley Ramirez - 21, SS, Sox organization's top prospect. Projected to be superstar caliber. Would have seen Boston in midseason the earliest but will start for Marlins. Renteria signing makes a little more sense now if they were looking to trade him.
Anibel Sanchez - 21, Starter, highly touted righthander, strikeout type pitcher. Went 6-1, 2.40 ERA in Single A. Promoted to AA, went 3-5, 3.45 ERA in 11 starts. Probably won't make big club until mid season 2007 at earliest. Sox able to keep prized lefty starter Jon Lester (AA pitcher of year), look for him mid season. Rumored to have better pure stuff than Papelbon. Wow.
Player to be named later: To be determined, but will be a minor league pitcher...
The Outcome:
Sox get the best of this deal by far. A stud #2 or arguably 1-A caliber ace, gold glove 3rd baseman and cash, for 3 minor league prospects. Wow. Sox make the right call trading away their blue chip & another solid pitching prospect. Kudos to the GM Team for getting this one done.
Sox rotation:
Schilling
Beckett
Papelbon
Clement
Wakefield
-
Wells - Trade to SD for relief pitching?
Arroyo - back to pen?
DiNardo - pen in April
-
Lester - start season in AAA, up in mid season?
Alvarez - Sox pen in April?
Other rumors:
GM - Still very much up in the air. Current GM Team did solid job. Will they look internally now that they're somewhat proven? Gammons also reports that Theo might still be in the mix. Our gut says Bowden, but regardless, the organization looks much stronger after the Beckett deal.
Damon - Sox reportedly offered 3 years between $9-10M per. Just a starting point? Boras threw 7yrs and $84M at the Yanks. Where's the middle? Sox should jump on 4yrs $42M.
1B - Now that Sox landed Lowell, look for Youkilis at first. He's a solid defender at 3rd and was working out at first in AAA last season. Love to see Olerud back as platoon. Stay tuned.
Closer - Sox reportedly making inquiries into Wagner. They would have to shell out significant dollars to pry him away.
2B - Mark Grudzielanek - Sox might not be sold on Pedroia just yet. We'll know soon enough if he signs to more than 1 year deal.
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