Red Sox sign Adrian Beltre

[Cman]

without giving up any top prospects

Good point.

[nickagneta]

I think part of this Beltre trade is to save as many prospects as possible for a mid season trade. I think they definitely know what it's going to take to get Gonzalez out of San Diego and I think they have a tremendous idea what it would take to get Mauer out of Minnesota.

This short term move for a high quality defensive player with a chance for a bounce back offensive season is a brilliant move to keep alive the possibility of a franchise changing trade later this year for a player that some small market teams won't be able to afford to keep. really, right now if a team wants to deal for prospects from either the Yankees or the Sox, the Sox can "out spend" the Yankees in quality young talent by a wide margin.

[Fan from VT]

At one year it's a very good deal because it is certainly a temporary upgrade that keeps our prospects AND shouldn't stand in the way IF a major acquisition is on the table. In other words, knowing it's only one year allows the sox to overspend their budget to take on a bigger name player if the opportunity arises, unlike with a long term Bay deal or something.

[bucknersrevenge]

Do people think this team is better offensively than last year?

I'm still not sure of that.  Still some "what-ifs" out there.

I think Vmart over V-tek is huge.  Didnt v-tek have the worst batting average in baseball over the second half?

that is far and away a bigger difference than the Bay->Cameron Downgrade. 

Also I think you upgrade offensively in Beltre and Scutaro.  

I think batting numbers may be similar for lowell and Beltre but his ability on the basepaths is hugely greater than lowells at this point.

In Beltre and Scutaro I think they upgraded both offensively and defensively. Consider that Nick Green who by far played the most games at short last year was the 21st offensively ranked SS in the AL. 21st!! There's only 14 teams in the AL!! That's takes a special kind of talent to do that. Even Scutaro with his lifetime .721OPS would be an improvement offensively, not to mention Green's glove was mediocre on his BEST days. Scutaro is certainly an above-average defender.

As far as Beltre goes, he had shoulder issues for much of last year but if he is back to normal, and hitting now in the "friendly confines" I could see him hitting 20-25HRs this year with GG caliber defense. Definitely a step up from Lowell who(god bless him) is ready for the glue factory.

Add to all this the baserunning element these 2 add to roster with now increasingly athletic players capable of running the bases well. Not enough is being spoken of this element and if Tito is smart he'll take advantage of this during the season.

[bucknersrevenge]

Do people think this team is better offensively than last year?

I'm still not sure of that.  Still some "what-ifs" out there.

I suppose they could be, with a full year of VMart, a hopefully better Papi, an upgrade at short, etc.  However, I wouldn't bank on it.

In terms of run prevention, though, they should be much better, both in terms of defense and the pitching staff.  I don't think that's enough to win in the playoffs, but in the regular season I think they'll be good enough to win the wild card again.

Exactly. Well said.

And 1.

Consider the net effect a competent defense has on a pitching staff. We saw how it vaulted the Sox in '04 to the Series. As I said earlier our staff was 2nd in the AL last year in K/9 but our defense was 3rd last in all of baseball in defensive efficiency. Basically our pitchers had to strike everyone out because if they let a batter put the ball in play chances are something bad was gonna happen. How much pressure does a good defense relieve a pitcher? It makes good pitchers better pitchers, and it makes better pitchers, dominant pitchers in some occasions.

And with our arms now better pitching allows our offense to be more opportunistic. We can use our legs more to take chances and create scoring opportunities. We may not be a mashing team but there should be some gap to gap power here that we can take advantage of.

[Brickowski]

What prospects do the Sox have to give up?  They have none in the high minors at all.  Their two tradeable commodities are Ellsbuty and Buchholz, and it will take those two players plus a good prospect from the lower minors (e.g. Kelly) to get Gonzalez.

[Big_Matt34]

What prospects do the Sox have to give up?  They have none in the high minors at all.  Their two tradeable commodities are Ellsbuty and Buchholz, and it will take those two players plus a good prospect from the lower minors (e.g. Kelly) to get Gonzalez.

Well AA is considered the high minors since AAA is basically for stashing vets and AAAA players, Kelly will start the year in AA, Kalish put up a .950 OPS in AA after the all star break, Redick had a .871 in AA last year, Iglesias wont be traded but he likely will be in AA sooner rather than later, Luis Exposito had a .860 OPS as a catcher after getting called up to AA late last year. You have guys like Bowden, Tazawa, Lars Anderson who still have some value.  Then you have Ryan Westmoreland who many feel is the Red Sox best prospect, it doesnt matter if he is in A ball next year, scouts are drooling over him.

Sox have plenty of depth in the minors, its true a good amount of it is in the lower levels but they have some good ones in AA and AAA.

[Chris]

What prospects do the Sox have to give up?  They have none in the high minors at all.  Their two tradeable commodities are Ellsbuty and Buchholz, and it will take those two players plus a good prospect from the lower minors (e.g. Kelly) to get Gonzalez.

My guess is they would actually prefer only one of Bucholz and Ellsbury, because both are on the road to arbitration, and then would be looking for at least two more top prospects, even if they are 2 years away.  My guess is they would be asking for something like Bucholtz, Kelly, and Westmoreland. 

[Evantime34]

This is an unbelievable signing. 9 Million for a gold glove calibur 3rd baseman that averages about 25 hr and had a 48 hr season.

We have no holes in our line up anymore. Maybe we don't have as many great hitters as the Yankees but everyone on the Sox can hit and we will score our share of runs. Our defense should be much improved over last year amongst the best in baseball. Our pitching will be improved although I'd like to see us get one more bullpen arm.

I predict the sox win 100 games next year.

[twistedrico]

Red Sox sign another mediocre juicer. Not impressed.

[KJ33]

Isn't getting to the postseason in the first place the initial goal?  Sounds like some have jumped right past that lamenting how weak the lineup will be in the playoffs.  Sounds like a spoiled bunch.  It is very hard to be one of the 4 teams in the AL to even get there over a 162 game grind, if they do, that is very successful in and of itself, the recent years success not withstanding.

If they do get there, any # of things can happen, worrying about how the lineup will perform in the postseason in January, when not a single game has been played is a bit much for me.  The Sox will now have Gold Glove caliber infielders at every position and 2 in the outfield, a strong rotation, and a deep pen.  All those ingredients are necessary to put up the requisite number of wins to even make it to the playoffs.  Worrying about a feared hitter is far too premature at this stage.  Suppose they get that hitter, but win 85 games and stay home in October?  The goal is to get there first, and it looks like the Sox are assembling a team capable of that.

[steve]

Red Sox sign another mediocre juicer. Not impressed.

Subtract his possible juice year of 48 home runs and you still have a 25 home run hitter who could possibly be the best 3rd baseman, glove wise, in baseball. 

This is a good plan B that keeps plan A possible for mid season.     

[yall hate]

sox also just traded for bill hall.  more of a salary dump then anything (kotchman goes...), but hall can play all over the field and at one point was a pretty exciting guy who looked to be headed towards good things.  he didnt make it, but if he can have a bounce back year that would be nice.

[Donoghus]

sox also just traded for bill hall.  more of a salary dump then anything (kotchman goes...), but hall can play all over the field and at one point was a pretty exciting guy who looked to be headed towards good things.  he didnt make it, but if he can have a bounce back year that would be nice.

Bill Hall is garbage.  Guy had a career year back in 2006 and that's about it.

However, I understand the move from the Sox standpoint in regards to it being a salary dump.

[Rondo2287]

sox also just traded for bill hall.  more of a salary dump then anything (kotchman goes...), but hall can play all over the field and at one point was a pretty exciting guy who looked to be headed towards good things.  he didnt make it, but if he can have a bounce back year that would be nice.

Bill Hall is garbage.  Guy had a career year back in 2006 and that's about it.

However, I understand the move from the Sox standpoint in regards to it being a salary dump.

Are we sure how much money the sox are getting back from the M's? Hall made over 8 mill last year.  Kotchman was around 3 right?