Friday, July 11, 2008
NO COCO THE MONKEY
The emergence of Jon Lester being a consistent Robin to Josh Beckett’s Batman likely made the decision to fold on trying to hit the open ended straight draw known as Rich Harden that much easier. Even though the price was right, it didn’t warrant potentially missing the final table when the Sox still have a very good shot at glory anyway. (Given the current market, it would seem Billy Beane got taken, but the A’s always try to stay ahead of the curve – a theme of Moneyball. As with the Haren deal, Beane wants quantity over quality. The A’s have collected a ton of assets - i.e. Show ready players making the minimum. It will be interesting if he tries to turn him into a superstar this winter a la Danny Ainge.) Baseball Operations’ focus is now on finding help for the pen.
Even though I think two out of the Masterson, Oki, Buchholz/Colon, Delcarmen foursome will “get it” and Big Papi will return, it surprises me that the Coco Crisp is not coming up as possible trade bait. Brandon Moss, Bobby Kielty and of course, Jacoby Ellsbury makes him expendable. With no true free agent centerfield on the market, Crisp could be out of town by the end of the month in a package, if plan A1 and A2 fail. And he will certainly be traded over the winter.
The emergence of Jon Lester being a consistent Robin to Josh Beckett’s Batman likely made the decision to fold on trying to hit the open ended straight draw known as Rich Harden that much easier. Even though the price was right, it didn’t warrant potentially missing the final table when the Sox still have a very good shot at glory anyway. (Given the current market, it would seem Billy Beane got taken, but the A’s always try to stay ahead of the curve – a theme of Moneyball. As with the Haren deal, Beane wants quantity over quality. The A’s have collected a ton of assets - i.e. Show ready players making the minimum. It will be interesting if he tries to turn him into a superstar this winter a la Danny Ainge.) Baseball Operations’ focus is now on finding help for the pen.
Even though I think two out of the Masterson, Oki, Buchholz/Colon, Delcarmen foursome will “get it” and Big Papi will return, it surprises me that the Coco Crisp is not coming up as possible trade bait. Brandon Moss, Bobby Kielty and of course, Jacoby Ellsbury makes him expendable. With no true free agent centerfield on the market, Crisp could be out of town by the end of the month in a package, if plan A1 and A2 fail. And he will certainly be traded over the winter.
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Thank you - Red Sox!
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