This is awesome news. It was a nice surprise after spending an hour in traffic on my way home from work.
While I'm disappointed to see both Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez go, and I'm double-dog disappointed about taking on Mike "Shoot 'Em Up" Lowell, I'm totally sold on Beckett. Much like the Pedro deal eight years ago, we are giving up two top prospects for a young ace coming into his prime. Beckett's got stuff, numbers, make-up, and pedigree. And based on his attitude in the World Series two years ago, I doubt we'll be seeing him wilt under the pressure of Boston baseball. Provided that Beckett keeps up the good work, he can give us that 1A/1B look at the front of the rotation alongside Curt Schilling. Furthermore, despite Lowell's suckage, the Sox appear to have upgraded at first base, without breaking the bank, and have not precluded themselves from bringing back Billy Mueller at third. Best of all, the Beckett acquisition means the Sox won't go after so-obvious-it's-hilarious contract-year-confidence-man A.J. Burnett... and also that the Yankees may have no choice but to pursue him themselves. Wouldn't THAT be a hoot! Rule of thumb: do not trust any man who goes by his initials. Nice job.
So why does it seem so weird?
1. First Trade Made By Top-Secret GM
Having made this deal without a GM in place strikes me as somewhat insane. Sure, you can't let the offseason pass you by, but doesn't it make you wonder whose brilliant idea this was? Without having heard all the facts yet, it sounds like the person who pulled the trigger is not someone whose job is to make baseball decisions.
2. Prospects Are Fun
The Marlins got two stud prospects from the Sox. Hanley hasn't lived up to expectations quite yet, but is quite definitely the goods, and Anibal has been inconsistently brilliant. So while they didn't give up the whole farm, and definitely could have given the Marlins more than they did, it's still a little sad to see talented youngsters get traded. The most recent homegrown prospect to make it to Boston was Trot Nixon, so it's been a while since the Sox had a phenom to pin their hopes on. I'm really looking forward to seeing Boston become a prospect garden, but that can't happen if we trade kids for veteran talent from other teams. Sox fans have been waiting for Jon Papelbon, Jon Lester, Ramirez, Sanchez, Lenny DiNardo, Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen and company to emerge since last season; now two of those guys are gone, in exchange for an established front-line starter (Beckett) that nobody can really argue about, and a suckbag (Lowell) whose #1 job will be to become the new whipping boy for the Fenway Faithful and deflect attention away from Edgar Renteria and Keith Foulke. Listen, people... Mike Lowell sucks. Which brings me to my next point...
3. Mike Lowell Sucks
Have I mentioned this yet? See, here's the thing about Lowell.... he sucks. I thought the Sox were done with this kind of guy. The whole situation stinks like a two-week-old upper-decker. In fact, it stinks of Dan Duquette's handiwork. (Could he be acting as GM on an interim basis? Dear Lord, I hope not. That would be enough to send me running back to the Catholics.) I hope playing at Fenway helps him get back on track offensively, cause he's gonna need all the help he can get.
4. Potential WEEI & Globe Sports Implications
Lowell's arrival is the best news Dan Shaughnessy has received since the disastrous playoff run last year. Why? Because in the same way that the White Sox manufacture runs, the Red Sox just manufactured a sports radio P.R. blitz for next May. The Sox took a 99.99999% no-lose situation (Kevin Millar's departure) and turned it into a loss by acquiring a guy who hits as badly as Millar, has no publicly-appreciable personality, and makes four times as much money. Cause, you know, the offseason wouldn't be interesting enough with only three no-win situations (Unhappy Manny, Free Agent Johnny, Goodbye Theo), so why not make it an even four? If you think I've said "Mike Lowell sucks" a lot in this blog post, just wait until the media gets a load of him. Of course, this whole premise of Lowell < Millar is kind of a stretch, but I think it's kinda funny.
In summation, the Sox have improved themselves in a big way, but there's still plenty of risk. The more $$$ Florida kicks in for Lowell, the more sense it makes for the Sox.
While I'm disappointed to see both Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez go, and I'm double-dog disappointed about taking on Mike "Shoot 'Em Up" Lowell, I'm totally sold on Beckett. Much like the Pedro deal eight years ago, we are giving up two top prospects for a young ace coming into his prime. Beckett's got stuff, numbers, make-up, and pedigree. And based on his attitude in the World Series two years ago, I doubt we'll be seeing him wilt under the pressure of Boston baseball. Provided that Beckett keeps up the good work, he can give us that 1A/1B look at the front of the rotation alongside Curt Schilling. Furthermore, despite Lowell's suckage, the Sox appear to have upgraded at first base, without breaking the bank, and have not precluded themselves from bringing back Billy Mueller at third. Best of all, the Beckett acquisition means the Sox won't go after so-obvious-it's-hilarious contract-year-confidence-man A.J. Burnett... and also that the Yankees may have no choice but to pursue him themselves. Wouldn't THAT be a hoot! Rule of thumb: do not trust any man who goes by his initials. Nice job.
So why does it seem so weird?
1. First Trade Made By Top-Secret GM
Having made this deal without a GM in place strikes me as somewhat insane. Sure, you can't let the offseason pass you by, but doesn't it make you wonder whose brilliant idea this was? Without having heard all the facts yet, it sounds like the person who pulled the trigger is not someone whose job is to make baseball decisions.
2. Prospects Are Fun
The Marlins got two stud prospects from the Sox. Hanley hasn't lived up to expectations quite yet, but is quite definitely the goods, and Anibal has been inconsistently brilliant. So while they didn't give up the whole farm, and definitely could have given the Marlins more than they did, it's still a little sad to see talented youngsters get traded. The most recent homegrown prospect to make it to Boston was Trot Nixon, so it's been a while since the Sox had a phenom to pin their hopes on. I'm really looking forward to seeing Boston become a prospect garden, but that can't happen if we trade kids for veteran talent from other teams. Sox fans have been waiting for Jon Papelbon, Jon Lester, Ramirez, Sanchez, Lenny DiNardo, Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen and company to emerge since last season; now two of those guys are gone, in exchange for an established front-line starter (Beckett) that nobody can really argue about, and a suckbag (Lowell) whose #1 job will be to become the new whipping boy for the Fenway Faithful and deflect attention away from Edgar Renteria and Keith Foulke. Listen, people... Mike Lowell sucks. Which brings me to my next point...
3. Mike Lowell Sucks
Have I mentioned this yet? See, here's the thing about Lowell.... he sucks. I thought the Sox were done with this kind of guy. The whole situation stinks like a two-week-old upper-decker. In fact, it stinks of Dan Duquette's handiwork. (Could he be acting as GM on an interim basis? Dear Lord, I hope not. That would be enough to send me running back to the Catholics.) I hope playing at Fenway helps him get back on track offensively, cause he's gonna need all the help he can get.
4. Potential WEEI & Globe Sports Implications
Lowell's arrival is the best news Dan Shaughnessy has received since the disastrous playoff run last year. Why? Because in the same way that the White Sox manufacture runs, the Red Sox just manufactured a sports radio P.R. blitz for next May. The Sox took a 99.99999% no-lose situation (Kevin Millar's departure) and turned it into a loss by acquiring a guy who hits as badly as Millar, has no publicly-appreciable personality, and makes four times as much money. Cause, you know, the offseason wouldn't be interesting enough with only three no-win situations (Unhappy Manny, Free Agent Johnny, Goodbye Theo), so why not make it an even four? If you think I've said "Mike Lowell sucks" a lot in this blog post, just wait until the media gets a load of him. Of course, this whole premise of Lowell < Millar is kind of a stretch, but I think it's kinda funny.
In summation, the Sox have improved themselves in a big way, but there's still plenty of risk. The more $$$ Florida kicks in for Lowell, the more sense it makes for the Sox.
posted by Jeff at
1:04 AM
4 Comments:
I’m not totally sold on A.J. Burnett as a con man.
He’s had essentially three injury-free seasons, and has posted pretty similar lines in each (200-210 IP, 200K, 3.5 ERA). So unless you’re worried that because of the contract year he pitched through minor injuries and ruined his arm, I think it’s ok to pursue him.
That said, the Yankees (or O’s, I assume) will pay WAY too much for him. He’s never proved himself an ace. He’d slot in very nicely as a #3 man (after R.J. and the decomposing husk of Mike Mussina, and before the Small Wang Experience). If I could get him for three years at 18 million, I think I sign that deal. Of course, the Yankees will give him four years and 50, at which point he’ll put on 30 pounds “working out” with Roger Clemens and Orca Wells, and go on the disabled list.
Plus, your “never trust a guy who goes by his initials” comment is simply asinine.
If you have a moment, B.A. Baracus would like a word with you, fool.
By
Alex, at 9:29 AM
That's some fuzzy math right thurr. He's hit 200 IP twice, once in 2002 and again in 2005. He followed the 2002 campaign by spending almost all of 2003 on the DL. Now he's going to have to recover from a) 200 IP and b) a new contract that he won't deserve. All for a guy who's never won more than 12 games. That's right, he's looking to get paid $1 million for each win. What a joke.
I see Burnett as a poor man's Mark Prior. Prior has had several devastating injuries to his arm, but when healthy he is unstoppable. That unstoppability (?) makes a long-term deal viable despite the injury problems. The upside for Burnett, meanwhile, is 12 wins and gaudy stats. Sure, he's got electric stuff, but if he can't win then who cares? Darren Dreifort has electric stuff too, but I don't imagine that does him much good right now.
Kris Benson is another good comparison. Tons of injuries, tons of potential, still hasn't had a good year yet, and yet somehow marketed himself into a big contract.
And I don't want to hear none of this jibber-jabber about B.A. Baracus.
Speaking of initials, can I just say how ludicrous it is to be talking about $8m per season for B.J. Ryan?
By
Jeff, at 11:15 AM
Unless the $8 million includes unlimited free B.J. Ryans, it is indeed ridiculous. How long before teams start realizing that there are about 100 flamethrowing kids in the minors too dumb to get rattled in the majors, and call them up to pitch the 7th inning routinely, put in 80 appearances a year, blow out their elbows, and return to obscurity?
I seriously think this is the way to go, bullpen-wise for a big money team.
Where would I find Burnett's run support stats?
You're right to be worried that he won't hold together for the long term, just as I'm right to hope that Beckett comes down with a blister come mid-September. Just kidding- I love Beckett. I just wish he could keep his pitching hand out of the sticky icky of the bad bush between his mama-san's legs.
By
Alex, at 1:34 PM
I dunno about actual run support stats, but I have factoids taken from his game log to suggest Florida didn't give him much help:
* Only three of his 12 wins were by more than three runs; a fourth went down as a no-decision.
* 6 of Burnett's 12 losses came despite a "quality start" (6+ IP with 3 ER or fewer) from Burnett.
So he had a really good year, despite collapsing at the end with a 7-game losing streak and a season-ending nutty.
I think my main point is that I'd be looking for a guy with that history of instability to have been more impressive. Burnett had a better season statistically than Beckett did, but I'd rather have Beckett because his resume is better. Also because I have a blister fetish... ohhhh they're hot.
I dunno. It's not like Beckett is Mr. Reliable either... he has his fair share of implosive outings on his resume, and he's suffered from a lack of run support just like Burnett has. But I feel more comfortable when the questionable guy has such outstanding intangibles, not to mention the whole World Series MVP to his credit. When a guy's questionable, it's nice when an actual, honest-to-God accomplishment is on his resume.
By
Jeff, at 3:13 PM
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