Should the Sox attempt to trade for Felix Hernandez?

[Donoghus]

If we're giving up Buchholz I think we need to get the bat for the middle of our order. Personally, I think the player to target is Hanley...some think Mauer, but I'm not convinced he's leaving MIN.

Hanley in the middle of this lineup would do wonders....Pedroia, VIctor, Hanley, Papi, Bay...that's an insane hitting lineup..

Hanley's not going anywhere.  I'd said it before and I'll say it again. 

He has a very team friendly contract with the Marlins and the Marlins need a face for their franchise as they move into a new ballpark in an effort to sell season tickets and luxury boxes.  Hanley is one of the main driving forces from a Marlins standpoint in this endeavor.

They can't get rid of him.

[winsomme]

If we're giving up Buchholz I think we need to get the bat for the middle of our order. Personally, I think the player to target is Hanley...some think Mauer, but I'm not convinced he's leaving MIN.

Hanley in the middle of this lineup would do wonders....Pedroia, VIctor, Hanley, Papi, Bay...that's an insane hitting lineup..

Hanley's not going anywhere.  I'd said it before and I'll say it again. 

He has a very team friendly contract with the Marlins and the Marlins need a face for their franchise as they move into a new ballpark in an effort to sell season tickets and luxury boxes.  Hanley is one of the main driving forces from a Marlins standpoint in this endeavor.

They can't get rid of him.

but that team needs pitching desperately....I think they'd go for a package built around Buch....who will be locked for a while as well...it's not liked they would have to pay Buch big money...

Hanley is exactly what the Sox need. I would overpay to get him.

then go and grab a Ben Sheets in FA to take Buch's spot in the rotation...

[winsomme]

If we're giving up Buchholz I think we need to get the bat for the middle of our order. Personally, I think the player to target is Hanley...some think Mauer, but I'm not convinced he's leaving MIN.

Hanley in the middle of this lineup would do wonders....Pedroia, VIctor, Hanley, Papi, Bay...that's an insane hitting lineup..

Hanley's not going anywhere.  I'd said it before and I'll say it again. 

He has a very team friendly contract with the Marlins and the Marlins need a face for their franchise as they move into a new ballpark in an effort to sell season tickets and luxury boxes.  Hanley is one of the main driving forces from a Marlins standpoint in this endeavor.

They can't get rid of him.

Don, I hear what you're saying, but the team hasn't made the playoffs since they won the WS in '03..

how much can they sell a team that's not good enough to make the playoffs...

IMO Buch + a couple more top Sox prospects is actually a good deal for FLA too..

[winsomme]

how about add in Youk to take Han's spot in the order for FLA...he's locked up for pretty fair money..

[Brickowski]

I see he's a FA in 2011.  Wait until then. He won't stay in Seattle.

Yeah, he'll end up in New York.

So?  If you trade for him he might end up in NY anyway.  He's still a FA in 2011 unless you can sign him long term. You think he'll take less to take himself off the market? LOL.

Meanwhile you have given up very good players for a one-year rental.

[Donoghus]

I see he's a FA in 2011.  Wait until then. He won't stay in Seattle.

Yeah, he'll end up in New York.

So?  If you trade for him he might end up in NY anyway.  He's still a FA in 2011 unless you can sign him long term. You think he'll take less to take himself off the market? LOL.

Meanwhile you have given up very good players for a one-year rental.

You trade for him now and you do what they did with Pedro back in '97 (albeit different regime) when they traded for him.  Negotiate extension right away so it never gets to free agency.

If you let this thing go to free agency in 2011, the Yankees (or Mets) are going to throw ridiculous amounts of money at him that I'm guessing will outpace the Sox offers.  Between the new ballparks and those local tv deals, those teams will have the resources. 

Why risk that very realistic possibility in '11?

[Donoghus]

If we're giving up Buchholz I think we need to get the bat for the middle of our order. Personally, I think the player to target is Hanley...some think Mauer, but I'm not convinced he's leaving MIN.

Hanley in the middle of this lineup would do wonders....Pedroia, VIctor, Hanley, Papi, Bay...that's an insane hitting lineup..

Hanley's not going anywhere.  I'd said it before and I'll say it again. 

He has a very team friendly contract with the Marlins and the Marlins need a face for their franchise as they move into a new ballpark in an effort to sell season tickets and luxury boxes.  Hanley is one of the main driving forces from a Marlins standpoint in this endeavor.

They can't get rid of him.

Don, I hear what you're saying, but the team hasn't made the playoffs since they won the WS in '03..

how much can they sell a team that's not good enough to make the playoffs...

IMO Buch + a couple more top Sox prospects is actually a good deal for FLA too..

I just think that trading away the face of the franchise for Bucholz and a bunch of prospects isn't exactly going to get the Marlins fanbase racing to get themselves to the ballpark.  If they see their team trade away their best player who happens to have a reasonable contract, its not going to reinforce their confidence there.

They need Hanley or a another big time name there as they head into that new ballpark. 

how about add in Youk to take Han's spot in the order for FLA...he's locked up for pretty fair money..

I don't think Youk gets it done.  Wrong side of 30. 

[winsomme]

If we're giving up Buchholz I think we need to get the bat for the middle of our order. Personally, I think the player to target is Hanley...some think Mauer, but I'm not convinced he's leaving MIN.

Hanley in the middle of this lineup would do wonders....Pedroia, VIctor, Hanley, Papi, Bay...that's an insane hitting lineup..

Hanley's not going anywhere.  I'd said it before and I'll say it again. 

He has a very team friendly contract with the Marlins and the Marlins need a face for their franchise as they move into a new ballpark in an effort to sell season tickets and luxury boxes.  Hanley is one of the main driving forces from a Marlins standpoint in this endeavor.

They can't get rid of him.

Don, I hear what you're saying, but the team hasn't made the playoffs since they won the WS in '03..

how much can they sell a team that's not good enough to make the playoffs...

IMO Buch + a couple more top Sox prospects is actually a good deal for FLA too..

I just think that trading away the face of the franchise for Bucholz and a bunch of prospects isn't exactly going to get the Marlins fanbase racing to get themselves to the ballpark.  If they see their team trade away their best player who happens to have a reasonable contract, its not going to reinforce their confidence there.

They need Hanley or a another big time name there as they head into that new ballpark. 

how about add in Youk to take Han's spot in the order for FLA...he's locked up for pretty fair money..

I don't think Youk gets it done.  Wrong side of 30. 

Well, not Youk alone for sure...but Buch + Youk + prospect...

I agree they might take some heat early losing Hanley, but I think they would win more games  with Buch and Youk and that's what really will get people to the ballpark...

they haven't made the playoffs in 6 years and IMO that's the biggest impediment to getting people in the seats...

Hanley is the face of the franchise, but they need to get better and IMO a deal with the Sox that brings in a top of the rotation guy like Buch and a hitter that could slide right into Hanley's spot in the order would make them a better team.

[Donoghus]

Marlins were in the playoff hunt much of the season and still managed to put up a very respectable 87-75 record while only finishing 6 games behind in the NL East and 5 games back in the wild card race.

The promise illustrated by last season alone should spark interest in the team in '10 and put some more people in the seats.  Trading Hanley risks alienation of the fans.

You could argue that a piece here or a piece there could put them over the top and into the playoffs in 2010.  Address this through free agency or small level trades.

No need to blow it up and send your franchise player away, IMO.

[winsomme]

Marlins were in the playoff hunt much of the season and still managed to put up a very respectable 87-75 record while only finishing 6 games behind in the NL East and 5 games back in the wild card race.

The promise illustrated by last season alone should spark interest in the team in '10 and put some more people in the seats.  Trading Hanley risks alienation of the fans.

You could argue that a piece here or a piece there could put them over the top and into the playoffs in 2010.  Address this through free agency or small level trades.

No need to blow it up and send your franchise player away, IMO.

i guess part of it depends on how good you think Buch will be. personally, I think Buch would tear it up in the NL.

and if Youk puts up Hanley-like numbers, all you've really done is gotten better in the pitching department. I think FLA would be right away a better team with Youk and Buch. add in another nice prospect from the Sox and they've more than made up for losing Hanley.

also, don't forget that the Mets and the Cubs are going to push back into the hunt next year and will be in the FA market with more money to spend than the Marlins...

If the Marlins aren't careful they could end up with a team out of the playoff race next year and that would IMO would be much worse than losing the face of the franchise as far as filling a new ballpark.

[Jon]

I agree with the sentiment that the big bat is what this lineup lacks.  Sure, Bay hit for power, but he wasn't what Manny or Papi was to this team in years past.  We need someone who scares the crap out of other pitchers and makes teams pitch the entire lineup differently.

Pitching wasn't a problem.  Lester and Beckett weren't great, but they certainly weren't bad.  What's more, they're capable of being dominant.  Combine that with Buc, Dice-K (who I believe will bounce back and at least be as good as he was two years ago), and Wake and the rotation is fine.  While another ace wouldn't hurt, it also wouldn't solve what happened this past series. 

[yall hate]

for the record, at the trade deadline we supposedly offered:

Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Michael Bowden, Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, Josh Reddick, Yamaico Navarro and Felix Doubront -- and told the M's to pick any five of the above eight.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/119752?eref=sircrc&eref=fromSI

Now, Hagadone and Masterson are no longer here (VMart trade).

you'd likely have to restock the list with top guys like Lars (who struggled), Kelly (who dominated), or the toolsy young guys like Westmoreland or Kalish.  But on the flip side - Buchholz was better, much better in the second half here, so maybe the list would be smaller?  just some things to think about when thinking about the price

[jasail]

I'd love them to trade for Felix.  He takes Beckett's place in the rotation when JB files for FA plus next year they would have a dynamic 1-2-2. 

But there is nothing but homerism that would lead me to believe that the Mariners would trade him.  In the same breath as I want Theo to get Felix I also want him to trade for Crawford, AGonz and Hanley. 

Point is there are no reasons for those teams to trade us those players (sans Crawford but the Rays if they do trade him won't do it inside the division). 

IMO the Sox's make marginal adjustments and hope for better health.  At the end of the next year they get out of their contracts and they begin the rebuilding process. 

If they do make a trade I doubt it would be for an all-star.  Trade for the aforementioned guys you give up a ton (Buch, Paps +) and the difference maybe a huge upgrade at the position you trade for but it takes 25 players to win a championship.  So if a trade occurs I see it being for a plus player as opposed to an all star caliber player.

FWIW in this market for closers I do not think Paps has that high of a value.  Him being on the block shows they are dissatisfied with his performance and it would take away their leverage. 

I'm a huge Sox's fan and I'd love to see them make a huge splash this offseans, but I just don't see it this offseason.

/blog