Saturday, June 18, 2005
Red Sox Hub: June Trade Rumor Central
About Schmidt:
The Red Sox have been looking for pitching and have talked to the Giants about Jason Schmidt, although they do not like what they see from Schmidt, even in Friday night's shutout victory over the Tigers.
Jay Payton has whined about his lack of playing time to the media and formally asked to be traded, and Boston is trying to oblige him; curiously, the Braves had no interest. The Red Sox think that 25-year-old minor league free agent Chip Ambres might be able to fill the role of fourth outfielder.
The Red Sox also have Rule V'er Adam Stern and there is a good chance Gabe Kapler will return from Japan. In fact, Craig Shipley, assistant to GM Theo Epstein, is in Japan scouting, and one front office executive says he is working on a deal for Kapler's return.
-Gammons
Cubs, Bosox: Prior Trading Partners Talk Deal??:
"I have heard that this year's squad will be aided by a major change in the outfield sometime soon.
Whether that means Corey Patterson will be traded or a leadoff outfielder like Johnny Damon or a slugger like Carlos Lee could be acquired, who knows?"
-Telander
Johnny Damon to the Cubs rumors have been milling in Chicago. The Sox would never trade a star free agent to be to the Cubs at the deadline...Oh. The talk even includes the injured Mark Prior, who would seem untouchable. Hanley and Damon for Prior and Patterson??? Sounds like a fit to us. -THE HUB
Where else does Epstein find help, especially with Mike Myers the only reliable lefty left in the pen until/if Alan Embree reinvents himself as something other than the apparition who has been hideously ineffective for nearly a month? The pickings are admittedly slim, though the lefty reliever whose name is in play, according to several scouts, is Jeremy Affeldt of the Royals, who is arbitration-eligible for a ballclub that hoards its nickels.
-Edes, Herald
Affeldt is a lefty with closer stuff; he would be a great pickup in both the short and longterm for the Red Sox bullpen. -THE HUB
Kotchman's Sweet Swing Made For Fenway:
The list of available veterans (including Cincinnati's Sean Casey) doesn't interest the Red Sox much. A number of younger, unproven first basemen remain possibilities -- Anaheim's Casey Kotchman, Texas' Adrian Gonzalez and Arizona's Conor Jackson (an outfielder who could be converted to first) -- but those are deals that make more sense in the offseason.
A number of Red Sox prospects -- including Hanley Ramirez and Jon Papelbon -- are virtually untouchables, but the Sox would move Kelly Shoppach, who is stuck behind Jason Varitek, in the right deal. -McAdam, ProJo
Kotchman is a top prospect but is blocked by the logjam of outfield/first base types in LAA Land. He is a patient hitter with a line drive swing that is developing power. Translation: Fenway Hitter. -THE HUB
About Schmidt:
The Red Sox have been looking for pitching and have talked to the Giants about Jason Schmidt, although they do not like what they see from Schmidt, even in Friday night's shutout victory over the Tigers.
Jay Payton has whined about his lack of playing time to the media and formally asked to be traded, and Boston is trying to oblige him; curiously, the Braves had no interest. The Red Sox think that 25-year-old minor league free agent Chip Ambres might be able to fill the role of fourth outfielder.
The Red Sox also have Rule V'er Adam Stern and there is a good chance Gabe Kapler will return from Japan. In fact, Craig Shipley, assistant to GM Theo Epstein, is in Japan scouting, and one front office executive says he is working on a deal for Kapler's return.
-Gammons
Cubs, Bosox: Prior Trading Partners Talk Deal??:
"I have heard that this year's squad will be aided by a major change in the outfield sometime soon.
Whether that means Corey Patterson will be traded or a leadoff outfielder like Johnny Damon or a slugger like Carlos Lee could be acquired, who knows?"
-Telander
Johnny Damon to the Cubs rumors have been milling in Chicago. The Sox would never trade a star free agent to be to the Cubs at the deadline...Oh. The talk even includes the injured Mark Prior, who would seem untouchable. Hanley and Damon for Prior and Patterson??? Sounds like a fit to us. -THE HUB
Where else does Epstein find help, especially with Mike Myers the only reliable lefty left in the pen until/if Alan Embree reinvents himself as something other than the apparition who has been hideously ineffective for nearly a month? The pickings are admittedly slim, though the lefty reliever whose name is in play, according to several scouts, is Jeremy Affeldt of the Royals, who is arbitration-eligible for a ballclub that hoards its nickels.
-Edes, Herald
Affeldt is a lefty with closer stuff; he would be a great pickup in both the short and longterm for the Red Sox bullpen. -THE HUB
Kotchman's Sweet Swing Made For Fenway:
The list of available veterans (including Cincinnati's Sean Casey) doesn't interest the Red Sox much. A number of younger, unproven first basemen remain possibilities -- Anaheim's Casey Kotchman, Texas' Adrian Gonzalez and Arizona's Conor Jackson (an outfielder who could be converted to first) -- but those are deals that make more sense in the offseason.
A number of Red Sox prospects -- including Hanley Ramirez and Jon Papelbon -- are virtually untouchables, but the Sox would move Kelly Shoppach, who is stuck behind Jason Varitek, in the right deal. -McAdam, ProJo
Kotchman is a top prospect but is blocked by the logjam of outfield/first base types in LAA Land. He is a patient hitter with a line drive swing that is developing power. Translation: Fenway Hitter. -THE HUB
