MLB Trade Rumors: Prince Fielder to the Red Sox??

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 9:30 AM EST in Baseball

Listened to Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton's MLB Live show this afternoon while running errands. I caught the tail end of his interview with Baseball Prospectus' John Perrotto. One thing they discussed was a trade rumor whereby the Milwaukee Brewers would send slugging 1bman Prince Fielder to the Red Sox, but no mention who the Red Sox would send to Milwaukee. The assumption would be that the Red Sox would send the Brewers some starting pitching.

Well, in an MLB.com article, Brewers GM responds to a question about whether he would trade one of his young stars-either Corey Hart or Prince Fielder-and tells us what he is looking for:

He added: "We got to where we are today because of our young players. I'm not looking to change anything with that unless there is some good, young pitching available in a trade. Teams hold on to young players and good pitching."

Hmmm....something tells me the Red Sox may have some good, young pitching available now that they have signed Brad Penny, Takashi Saito and John Smoltz.

Prince Fielder for Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden??

Poll

Would offering Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden for Prince Fielder get the deal done?

Yes, with Fielder, Anderson is no longer in the plans for the Red Sox, and the Brewers get the ptiching they so badly need.

50 votes

No, the Red Sox are giving up too much.

187 votes

237 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Never Going To Happen

One reason is that is way too much to give up for Fielder in the first place. Second reason is his agent is Scott Boras. Do you really think the Red Sox are going to give up the farm for a guy that is potentially going to walk in 3 years with no way of signing him to a long term contract? The Sox hate Boras at the moment and probably wouldn’t want to be talking extension with him right now.

Which is also connected to point three, players hate getting their contracts renewed. The Brewers have done that to Fielder the last two years in a row. Do you actually think Fielder is going to give up any chance at free agency, Boras or not? That would be a surprise to me if he did so.

Speaking of extension they just signed Youkilis to a nice 4-year, $41M contract extension so how much of a need or even upgrade would Fielder be for the next three years anyway? I say not much if any.

Another thing to consider, if you are going to shoot your whole……trying to think of a family friendly euphemism here…….if you are going to shoot all your bullets on one player why not the best player in the league? That’s right Albert Pujols. He’s a free agent in 3 years. What is he going to command on the open market? Is there any chance of the Cardinals resigning him? Do they let him walk or get a king’s ransom in return for the best player in the league? Interesting questions. Be fun to see how it all plays out.

Same guy, new name.

by stillredsoxfan on Jan 18, 2009 11:18 AM EST reply actions

ok

what would make sense?3 of those 4 maybe? Anderson would have to be included, no? Fielder may end up as a DH in 3 years anyway.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 11:28 AM EST reply actions

Not Sure

I have a hard time figuring out any scenario where they would even trade for a 1B at all. They have Youk and a decent guy in Lars developing down on the farm. I think they are content with what they have. Maybe they would give up a ton for a young superstar at the position, a guy like Pujols or Adrian Gonzalez, but those guys aren’t getting traded any time soon so that’s a dead end too.

Right now I think they are more worried about getting a catcher and waiting to see how much Mike Lowell has left. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them try and trade for a 3B come spring time. Maybe Jed Lowrie is the short term answer there because no one is going to be knocking down the door to trade for Lugo.

$9M for a utility infielder? Good job Theo. Lugo has a vesting option for 2011 based on plate appearances. I have a hard time seeing the Sox giving him enough playing time so that that thing could kick in.

Same guy, new name.

by stillredsoxfan on Jan 18, 2009 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

why did they go after Tex then?

I think they feel they need another big bat, thus the reason why they went afer Tex. so why would going after Fielder be surprising?

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

Different Scenarios

Yes they might need another big bat. But look at what you are proposing they give up to get Fielder. For maybe only 3 years. What would they have had to give up to get Tex though? A ton of cash and two draft picks? Much less and for a longer period, even though they have to spend a lot more money.

They get the best free agent hitter on the market this year and maybe even next year (I haven’t looked to make sure) in his prime. Not to mention he is a plus defender, unlike Fielder. He’s also a switch hitter so no platoon split to worry about like Fielder. He’s also not a fatty fat fatty, so you don’t have any worries about him eating Dustin Pedroia.

Pluses all around for Tex except for the money part. But you would also have all those players you didn’t have to trade to acquire Tex still around so who knows where you end up in the long run cash wise.

Same guy, new name.

by stillredsoxfan on Jan 18, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

Pujols

he will get A-Rod money in my opinion.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 11:29 AM EST reply actions

$30M To Start?

I can see him getting $30M plus rather easily as long as he stays relatively healthy.

Same guy, new name.

by stillredsoxfan on Jan 18, 2009 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think the Brewers would get enough out of that trade

I think it would take Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Justin Masterson, Michael Bowden, Jon Lester, Curt Schilling, Jim Rice, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Manny Delcarmen.

Of course, the Sox would have to re-sign Schill, and Jim Rice would have to come out of retirement.

And since the Red Sox wouldn’t even give up ONE of those players to get a new catcher, sure….they’d just love to give up four of their best young players to get a lifetime .278 hitter who could break down at any time.

by billnowlin on Jan 18, 2009 11:38 AM EST reply actions

throw in

Ellsbury and we have a deal.wait a minute, I need Beckett too.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

SOLD!

"my goodness"

by BrewHaHeather on Jan 19, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

Crazy Talk?

Honestly, those four seem crazy, but the best major league production has come from Justin Masterson, a 24-year-old pitcher the Red Sox prefer in middle relief this season. Plus, Buchholz will be 25 in August and has not mastering throwing strikes to major leaguers – 5+ walks per 9 IP.

Now, I think the four Red Sox prospects seems like too much, but I have to wonder whether their isn’t a bit of Red Sox propaganda going on about their greatness.

Fake Teams - a proud member of the SB Nation

by faketeams on Jan 18, 2009 8:17 PM EST reply actions

No Propaganda

That’s just the state of baseball today. Nothing is more valuable than good young pitching. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this. Weren’t Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy plus whatever junk added on too much to give up for Johan Santana last year? Why was that?

Not sure what this means to my side of the argument though, since I think the Yankees made a huge mistake not trading for Santana if all they had to give up was Hughes, Kennedy, Melky and some filler.

Let’s look at it another way. What rotation would you rather have in 2009? 1.Santana 2.Sabathia 3.Wang 4.Whomever (Maybe Pettite) 5.Chamberlain (I have Joba in the 5 spot to limit his innings his first full year starting) Or 1.Sabathia 2.Burnett 3.Wang 4.Joba 5.Hughes/Kennedy

I think the first choice is the way to go especially when you consider you would have had Santana all last year too. Does he make enough of a difference to carry them to the playoffs? Who knows. But I’m just waiting for the first time Burnett goes on the DL. What would you say the over/under on the number of his DL appearances for the life of that contract is? I’ll definitely be taking the over.

Same guy, new name.

by stillredsoxfan on Jan 18, 2009 9:58 PM EST up reply actions

Second Paragraph Says it All

These are prospects with no guarantee of being good major leaguers. There is no argument that Prince Fielder is one of those now. Guaranteed.

Once a prospect performs at an acceptable major league level, his value increases, no? Think about the accolades the Rays are receiving for getting RF Matt Joyce for SP Edwin Jackson. Joyce was an off-the-radar minor leaguer last season. Now the Rays made a great deal by trading a cheap major-league average SP for him.

Oops, that plays more into the Rays halo effect right now.

Fake Teams - a proud member of the SB Nation

by faketeams on Jan 19, 2009 10:13 AM EST up reply actions

stupid

This is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever read! Why in god’s name would anybody, let alone an actual intelligent team like the Red Sox, give up that much for a single 1B, when Lars Anderson isn’t going to be that much of a step down from Fielder? This is the worst suggestion I’ve ever heard!

by rmarx01 on Jan 18, 2009 10:39 PM EST reply actions

what would make sense

to you? how about throwing out what makes sense for Fielder. Lee Hamilton discussed the deal withy BP’s John Perrotto, but did not offer who the Sox would give up, so I offered a suggestion. The Red Sox need a power hitter. Lowell is older than dirt, and Big Papi is getting bigger and bigger. They lost out on Teixeira, who, OH BY THE WAY, would have made Lars trade nibblets…..explain why they would go so hard after Tex-a gold glove, switch hitting 1bman, when Lars is soooooo good?
Throw out a better offer…..what makes sense to you RMARX01?

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jan 18, 2009 11:02 PM EST up reply actions