Would the Red Sox trade Lester?

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 5:41 PM CST

This deal would be predicated on two things:

the red sox actually sign Matsuzaka
The Cubs pick up Lugo (yes, I know Mike, call you old fashioned, but you don't like wifebeaters on the Cubs)

If the Red Sox sign Matsuzaka, they will have 7 starting pitchers (although one is injured):
Schilling
Papelbon
Matsuzaka
Beckett
Wakefield
Lester
Clement - injured

Even with Clement hurt, that still leaves them with 6 healthy pitchers. Since they have a surplus, why not try to swing a trade:

They have two major needs:

a closer
a starting shortstop

If the Cubs pick up Lugo, we can fill those two needs with Dempster/Eyre/Howry and Izturis. If the Red Sox need the deal to be sweetened further, we can send Scott Moore: We have our third basemen locked up for several years now, blocking Moore, and the Red Sox would definitely be happy to have a young (just turned 23 last month) power hitting 3B prospect who fits into their mold by posting solid OBP numbers (and he's a lefty), and Lowell is getting into his mid-30s.

I don't know why I haven't heard more talk about the red sox trading a starter. If they do sign Matsuzaka, it seems highly unlikely that they would actually go into the season with 7 starters when they have other needs. [editor's note, by Thelonious Drunk] I checked, and apparently he IS still fighting cancer. So clearly, I now look like a dumbass for making this suggestion. However, I do think that the Crisp trade proposal IS a good idea.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Is Lester...

... past the health problems he suffered at the end of last season?

by Al Yellon on Dec 3, 2006 5:37 PM CST reply actions

I don't know

I haven't heard anything (and I actually remembered that after I posted this, so maybe that is the reason more trade rumors haven't circled)

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 5:45 PM CST reply actions

This was supposed to be a reply...

to Al's comment above

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 5:45 PM CST up reply actions

i think

they'd try to rid themselves of clement, and keep 6 starters. lester is a question mark, and they can always use papelbon in the pen if they need to (though i know they want him to start). having injury-prone guys like schilling, beckett and clement on your staff (as we well know) necessitates having a surplus of starters.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Dec 3, 2006 5:46 PM CST reply actions

I do suppose...

... we might be able to get them interested in Dempster. Could he be part of a deal for Crisp?

by Al Yellon on Dec 3, 2006 5:51 PM CST reply actions

Another option

After we sign Lugo, we could trade them the same guys (minus Moore--Dempster and Izturis for example) and ask for Crisp. Then we could trade Jones for pitching elsewhere without worrying about our offense. The Red Sox would probably have to sign Lofton if that trade happened to cover their center field next year.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 5:51 PM CST reply actions

this would be the smartest move...

that Hendry could make, IMO.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 5:53 PM CST up reply actions

Better give em more than Dumpster

and Izturis for Crisp. Dumpster's an albatross.

SORIANO! YESSSSSSSS! JIMBO!!!

by CubFaninCA on Dec 3, 2006 6:52 PM CST up reply actions

Fine....

give them either a better bullpen arm than Dempster, or give them a prospect to go along with it.

Getting Crisp to open up Jones for trade bait would really help this team out.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 7:02 PM CST up reply actions

Eyre would be better, but

I don't see why they want to deal off Crisp. Didn't they give up Marte for him?

I'd deal em Izturis and Dumpster in a second for Hinske. The Cubs need versality and that would open up some money for Lugo...

SORIANO! YESSSSSSSS! JIMBO!!!

by CubFaninCA on Dec 3, 2006 7:15 PM CST up reply actions

I wouldn't

Hinske isn't a fair deal for Izturis and Dempster, when the Red Sox are in a seller's market and definitely have those two needs. I would concentrate on getting Crisp. If they need to sweeten the deal, I would still advocate trading Moore. He is blocked in our system, and he really is a decent prospect. If the Red Sox wanted one of our young pitchers instead, I would still do it.

Moving Izturis and Dempster would be huge. We could free up more money, and use it to sign Lugo. Then, with Crisp, we could probably turn Jones + young pitchers into a SP through a trade.

Therefore, we would essentially turn Izturis, Jones, Dempster, and some of our young pitchers into a better shortstop, a better centerfielder, and a starting pitcher without adding that much salary.

Its all a bit convoluted, but this would upgrade the Cubs significantly.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 7:32 PM CST up reply actions

Still haven't explained why

they'd trade Crisp...

SORIANO! YESSSSSSSS! JIMBO!!!

by CubFaninCA on Dec 3, 2006 8:46 PM CST up reply actions

For the same reason...

that we would trade Dempster/Eyre, Izturis, and any other prospects as the dealmaker. It would be nice to keep them, but we have other, more pressing needs. The Red Sox like Crisp, sure, but they really need a shortstop, and a closer/bullpen help. The Red Sox are going to sign Drew, so they should have plenty of output from their outfield, so they would be fine with signing lofton for a year if they want a legitimate center fielder.

What the Cubs should really do is snatch Lugo now so that the Red Sox will be more desperate for a shortstop. Izturis starts looking much better when there are few other options.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 10:49 PM CST up reply actions

I honestly think

Matsuzaka isnt gonna be in Fenway next year which would leave them with 6 starters, balancing out to 5 healthy, so i would say no to trading Lester

Soriano+ DLee + Ramirez = 1 Damn Good Meat of the Lineup AND Zambrano +.....(We're gettin there)

by LilLPLancer23 on Dec 3, 2006 6:00 PM CST reply actions

Does anyone know offhand

how many more days the Red Sox have to sing Matsuzaka? Seems like they might be getting down the wire. . .

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 3, 2006 8:14 PM CST reply actions

december 14

according to the official sox site

by cashcowsquirtingsourmilk on Dec 3, 2006 8:17 PM CST up reply actions

That was fast

No how about telling me who won the Punic Wars and why?

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 3, 2006 8:29 PM CST up reply actions

"Now" how about telling me. . . .

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 3, 2006 8:29 PM CST up reply actions

ask Gaius

by cashcowsquirtingsourmilk on Dec 3, 2006 8:52 PM CST up reply actions

n/t

rome
almost hannibal and carthage, but rome
and finally, rome

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 10:43 PM CST up reply actions

Carthago delenda est

ROTHSCHILD!

by Perkins on Dec 4, 2006 7:48 AM CST up reply actions

Well done

There was a great History Channel show on the Punic Wars a few weeks ago.

Yes, I am a nerd.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

yeah I watched that too

I can at least match your nerdiness. Maybe we need to have a "nerd off"

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 12:10 PM CST up reply actions

Bring it

I spent 45 minutes trying to TiVo something that was on the Science Channel the other night as I was falling asleep about how 75% of the universe is missing. I spent most of last night watching "Complete Cosmos." Can you match that?

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

is that the Carl Sagan Cosmos

Because I own every episode.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 1:21 PM CST up reply actions

if either of you...

tight rolls their jeans
snorts when they laugh
wears a fanny pack
tucks your swaeter/sweatshirt into your pants

...the i declare that person the winner of the nerd off.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Dec 4, 2006 2:33 PM CST up reply actions

It's the new, updated Cosmos

I also watched a two-hour special the other night about things that have sunk to the bottom of the Great Lakes. How they got two hours out of that, I'm not sure, but I was riveted.

I also love Mega-anything on the Science Channel: Mega-Tsunami (my favorite), Mega-Quake, Mega-Tornado, etc. Also, anything that talks about Ancient Crete or anything that discussed what's going to happen when Yellowstone blows. Oh, and all dinosaur stuff.

Sorry tomas, I try to keep my nerdness under wraps.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

Dark Matter

Is assumed to make up the missing 75%. Supposedly they can prove it with charts and graphs and such, but I haven't seen anyone actually define what it is. If you find out, I'd be interested in knowing.

by Scott @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Dec 4, 2006 5:14 PM CST up reply actions

Thank you for giving me a topic...

to let me take a shot in this dork-off (pay attention julie).

Up until recently, dark matter (and dark energy) were just inferred from different phenomena (gravitational lensing, and the fact that the orbital speed of objects in galaxies did not correspond to the amount of mass present from the visible matter alone, among other reasons)

They aren't completely sure what makes up dark matter, but it is thought to be some combination of the hypothetical particles known as WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles), and certain types of neutrinos (which interact so infrequently with matter (only through the weak nuclear force and gravity) that scientists estimate that 3 trillion neutrinos pass through every square centimeter of earth every second, and it would take about a lightyear of lead to block half of the neutrinos emitted by the sun--however, they are not zero mass particles), and some other particles (but they don't know what dark matter is for sure).

Earlier this year, they supposedly found direct empirical evidence of dark matter (proving its existence), but I forgot what the evidence was.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 5:41 PM CST up reply actions

Wikipedia

;)

Actually, the show I was watcing was a bunch of professors debating the existence of dark matter/dark energy. Like I said, I feel asleep, even though I was WILLING myself to stay awake (stupid nyquil).

Maybe one of you nerds can answer this question for me: If the universe is constantly expanding, what is it expanding into? Or do I just have a different definition of "universe" than cosmologists do?

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 5:50 PM CST up reply actions

actually..

my info comes right from my freshman year astronomy 100 class.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 6:04 PM CST up reply actions

the best analogy...

for the expansion of the universe is a piece of dough with chocolate chips/raisins inside. When the dough cooks, the chocolate chips/raisins move farther apart as the bread inbetween expands.

The amount of matter/energy in the universe is exactly the same as it has always been. The distances between things has just expanded. Galaxy clusters are moving away from one another at an increasing rate.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 6:10 PM CST up reply actions

n/t

dough bakes, not cooks. My mother would smack me.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 6:11 PM CST up reply actions

Thank you

that's been bugging me for a while.

BTW--I diagram sentences for fun. . . .

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 6:11 PM CST up reply actions

first

i thought you said cosmotologists.

i think the matter in the universe is expanding.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Dec 4, 2006 8:28 PM CST up reply actions

incorrect

matter doesn't expand. The separation between matter is expanding. Expanding matter would violate the law of conservation of mass/matter, I believe

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 8:45 PM CST up reply actions

Lester is battling cancer

Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I READ YOUR BOOK !!!

by BlueMike on Dec 3, 2006 8:22 PM CST reply actions

yeah

I remembered that after writing this up.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 10:41 PM CST up reply actions

Red Sox are NOT trading any SP

It is their biggest problem ( ok next to the BP) They
would stash 10 suppossed SPs before trading them

I love the ballpark. I love the city. I love the fans. Aside from how we've played this year, there's nothing not to like about Chicago." Greg Maddux 7/29/06

by jessica on Dec 4, 2006 12:23 PM CST reply actions