Oh, the Possibilities…

Posted by Adam Hart November 18, 2008 at 6:49 pm

Last week I mocked the Yankees and their ‘throw money at the wall of free agents and see what sticks’ approach. I also said that the Red Sox should limit the moves they make, since they were a couple injuries away from the World Series. But I don’t want to leave Theo hangin’.

Limiting moves only means that the Sox should not perform a massive overhaul, aka signing Mark Teixeira to a monster deal, resulting in a drastic domino effect.  

The bottom third of the lineup was exposed in the ALCS. If the Red Sox choose to re-sign Jason Varitek, the batting order will need to be strengthened at other positions. In particular, David Ortiz would like it if the Sox added a big bat behind him, to bring pitches back into the zone for his at bats. Of course, if he is not fully healed from his knee/wrist injuries, then it will not matter where pitchers pitch him.

The positions where the Red Sox can improve are as follows: catcher, one outfield spot, shortstop, starting pitcher. Because I do not believe the Sox will be improved by shifting Kevin Youkilis to third base and trading Mike Lowell, first basemen will not be included in my search. Sorry.

So here are a few possibilities as the Hot Stove season kicks up:

Ryan Ludwick RF – .299, 37, 113
Under the Cardinals control for the next three seasons, Ludwick, 30, is the right handed power bat for which Big Papi is clamoring. Actually, Ludwick’s numbers aren’t all that far off from those of Manny Ramirez. In 2008, his OPS was .065 lower than Manny’s, but their pre-All-Star numbers are neck and neck.

Ludwick is a player that Cardinals GM John Mozeliak is not shopping around.  That being said, Mozeliak is not closed minded about trading him, should the right offer be put on the table. Say, Jed Lowrie to fill one of two middle infield slots and a starting pitcher from the group of Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden?  If rumors have it that Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar can fetch Ludwick, one would have to think the Red Sox could make a comparable deal should the Braves balk at that trade (or use those pieces to get Jake Peavy).

The only hang up is that Theo Epstein must be willing to part with some big prospects. Maybe he can learn something from Danny Ainge, whose famous motto was ‘accumulate the chips to make a trade‘. It is up to Theo whether or not those chips become major leaguers with the Red Sox, or with another team after bringing a stud bat to Boston. In my view, Ludwick is worth whatever the Cards want (within reason).  When a player like him becomes available, you pull the trigger.

Adding Ludwick would open the door for Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury to be shipped out of Boston. One must need to be retained, though, as the inevitable JD Drew injury would leave the Sox short in the outfield. In this scenario, Drew would shift to center field — something the Red Sox may not be comfortable doing.

Kosuke Fukudome CF/RF — .257, 10, 58
Despite no-trade protection, teams have still put out feelers with the Cubs on Kosuke. In his first season in MLB, Kosuke put up solid numbers in the first half (.297, 7, 36), but tailed off after the All-Star break, and probably put another curse on the Cubs. He would be a much more expensive addition than Ludwick, with $38 million owed to him over the next three seasons. But what he costs in dollars, he would save the Red Sox in prospects.

Another Chicago outfielder the Sox could go after is Felix Pie. Except Boston already has one of those — a top prospect who has yet to live up to the hype. Jacoby Ellsbury is his name. And yes, I’m ready for the wave of criticism from teenage girls across “Red Sox Nation.”

Milton Bradley DH/OF — .321, 22, 77
The Sox already had Carl Everett for a go around, so why not MB? Well, just how much outfield he has left in his legs is up for debate. The DH slot is already set in stone, so Bradley would be forced to play center field. Right field is out of the question, due to the proximity to real live fans. He put up a solid season for the Rangers in 2008, and would add a strong bat to the Sox lineup. Exactly where he fits is the question. I don’t believe for a second that he is a bad guy, either.

Just listen to Bradley after he injured his knee arguing with first base umpire Mike Winters, when Bradley played with the Padres. He’s trying to turn his image around, dang it! 

I think it is unlikely that Bradley signs with the Red Sox, due to a lack of open positions for him.  But stranger things have happened.  Like when Rashida Jones was cut from The Office. You don’t cut an attractive woman like her from a major TV series. You just don’t do that.

Dontrelle Willis SP — (0-2), 9.38 ERA, 18 K’s
Now those are some numbers! Willis should be entering the prime of his career, but has taken major steps backwards over the past two seasons instead. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Sox and Tigers are talking about a swap of Julio Lugo for either Willis or Nate Robertson. According to Cafardo, money issues are what hold up a potential deal. Here’s what each player is owed, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts:

Willis: ‘09: $10M, ‘10: $12M

Robertson: ‘09: $7M, ‘10: $10M

Lugo: ‘09: $9M, ‘10: $9M ‘11: $9M (vesting option, requires 2,400 plate appearances from 2007-10 and 600 plate appearances in 2010… by my count he has 913 plate appearances thus far, requiring 1,487 in 2009/2010, but it’s late and I did the math in my head)

So, I’m assuming the hang up is on Lugo’s vesting option.  If I were Detroit, I would ask that the Sox pay for that 2011 hit should Lugo’s option vest.  And should it apron, then responsibility will be decided by arbitration.

Rocco Baldelli OF/DH — .263, 4, 13
I already wrote about my desire to bring Baldelli back to New England. He could handle the fourth outfielder position, allowing the Red Sox to trade either Crisp or Ellsbury. DH is obviously a fit for him, should Big Papi suffer a setback.  He makes the most sense, if Sox management believes in one of the aforementioned as their everyday center fielder.  Otherwise Ludwick is the choice of a new generation.

Russell Martin C — .280, 13, 69
Mike Giardi touched on Martin earlier this off-season. And not in the way I want to touch on Yvonne Strahovski. Still, it does not appear that the Dodgers are looking to move Martin, meaning Theo would need to offer a pretty sweet pot. I doubt that’s happening. But his addition to a Red Sox lineup would be intriguing.  Martin, 26, is entering the age when catchers tend to blossom, so I’m sure Theo would at least inquire.

Brian McCann C — .301, 23, 87
Not happening. But it gives me an excuse to explain the sign-and-trade rules in MLB. CBA Section XX, B 6 (a):

Any Club signing a contract after the expiration of the elec-
tion period with a Player under this Section B may not assign his
contract until after the next June 15. However, notwithstanding the
foregoing, such contract may be assigned for other Player contracts
and/or cash consideration of $50,000 or less prior to the next June
16 if the Player gives written consent to such transaction.

As with any sign-and-trade deal, the player would need to agree to the move. But it is written in MLB’s CBA as such, requiring consent if a trade is made prior to June 15th in the season that the player signs.

The only way I see this happening — and it would take a lot of chips falling the right way — would be if the market freezes up on Tek. Teams may balk at giving up Type A compensation for a player suffering through an offensive crash. The sign-and-trade would be a way to get around that. Instead, the Sox and the participating team would work out a contract with Varitek. He would be shipped off, along with another piece or two, in exchange for something the Red Sox would like.  Perhaps a younger catcher.  Then that team would keep its first round draft pick.

There is zero chance the Braves trade McCann. Zero. I’m just using him for an example in the case of a sign-and-trade, because, if I could choose any one young catcher to replace Varitek, it would be McCann.  

A Varitek sign-and-trade has a slightly higher .001% chance of happening. And that might be a stretch, seeing as Scott Boras is involved.  But now you know about MLB’s sign-and-trade policy.  You’re welcome.

Jermaine Dye OF – .292, 34, 96
GM Ken Williams is contemplating a trade for younger players, using Dye to acquire them.  The Red Sox tried to trade for him two years ago, but balked at the asking price.  I’ll tell you right now — if Williams is asking for Buchholz, I say do it.  I would not include Masterson or Bowden.  But any other player in the system is free to go.  Dye will be 35 in the 2009 season.  I’ll ship off Buchholz and either Masterson or Bowden for Ludwick, who will turn 31 in July.  But not Dye.  He’s too old.  

The acquisition of Dye would push Drew to centerfield.  Again, something I’m not sure the Red Sox would be comfortable doing.

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So basically, I should have just titled this post “I Want Ryan Ludwick”, drooled on the page and hit ‘publish’. Adding his bat would allow the Sox to keep the pitching staff happy by retaining Varitek. Not to mention the smile it would put on Big Papi’s face.  This lineup needs another feared bat.