If Everyone Jumps Off a Cliff: Thoughts on a Potential Trade

that if you dont extend him youll probably get a pretty good compensation pick just for picking him up for the last half year. If he stays healthy and competitive enough to keep him than you have an awesome pitcher that could boost your staff for a couple more years. It seems like a win-win idea to me.

“GET HIM” as soon as Dice-K hit the DL. But it’s not worth it. Giving up such a promising prospect for a half year of a (admittedly great) pitcher who we won’t re-sign doesn’t seem worth it to me. If these injuries keep up, I could certainly see them making a move for a pitcher who would cost less, but I think Lee’s cost will be prohibitive.

In a straight 1-for-1 trade, I’d take 6 years of cost controlled potential top of the rotation starter over a half year of Lee.

This is such a conditional thing. Dice-K did just go on the DL, but both our 30-something starters haven’t done so well this year. Do we really want to add another $15-$20mil a year starter into the rotation after what’s happened with Lackey and Beckett this year? I don’t want to give up Kelly for a few months of Lee and hope that one of the comp picks turns out as good.

I wouldn’t mind adding a back of the rotation starter for a much lower price, but we still need massive bullpen help.

The Sox don’t need another starter, not even an elite one. Unless you think Beckett’s done for the year.

playoffs. This pen can’t win a championship, so why not start fixing it now?

This is not a Theo/Sox-type move; I just don’t see it happening.

The starting pitching should be good enough, and it has been very good even without Beckett and Lackey off to a slow start. Lackey has looked good recently, and there is no reason to believe he won’t be a major contributor along with Lester. The Dice-K injury appears to be minor, and they are certainly going to see what Beckett looks like. Remember, the Sox are very careful with their pitchers, especially early in the season.
Yes, the real need is in the bullpen. The trouble is, that is where teams really overpay; Jeff Bagwell anybody?

However, I’m not sure that would be the case. Really, how could you pass up that deal. Kelly won’t contribute here for several years, Lee turns a very good team into a juggernaut.

Kelly for Lee? Hell no.

Is he their closer? After Gagne I would be reluctant to bring in a closer and move him to setup, althogh Wagner was decent last year for a shot time.

I just think we can get more value if we trade him.

It might take him a while, but don’t forget about Westy.

I don’t think there’s any chance Theo trades for him, though if the M’s called and offered him for Kelly straight up he’d do it fast before Jack Z sobered up. No risk, all reward, and Kelly could almost certainly be replaced with equal talent by the 2 picks after Lee signs elsewhere. Does anyone really think Casey Kelly is the best return the M’s could get for Lee? The Dodgers, Mets, Angels, and Rangers are all in winnable divisions and really need a front line guy. Their particular situations notwithstanding, there’s a much better package out there waiting to be offered up for a guy who could well push a good team to greatness.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/06/dan-haren-trade-destination-poll-.html

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/06/heymans-latest-lee-oswalt-white-sox-nady.html

and Lee will sign a reasonable extension, this is EASY! Yes you make the trade.

Cliff Lee DOMINATED the playoffs and the Yankees last season. With Lee you have three top tier arms for the playoffs and three starters who have had success against the Yankees and Rays which is really all that matters.

Im not gonna get into a prospect v. proven veteran argument over this rumor, but before everyone says “Hell No! Look at the Buchholz situation.” Just remember the guy the Sox could of gotten for Buchholz was Haladay a guy who is dealing and threw a perfect game, so there are positives and negatives to holding onto prospects.

Haladay and Lee are the kind of pitchers that change playoff series. Is Kelly worth more?

Its an opinion argument, personally I would rather have a guy who can beat the Yankees NOW v. potential latter.

But the keys are what Seattle really wants and the $$$ Lee wants so I doubt its just an even swap.

I love watching Cliff pitch:
His windup is pure poetry
He throws strikes and work fast
He’s always smiling! You don’t believe me? Look at the picture of this article or this gif
" >
But…
Cliff Lee is 32 years old pitcher looking for a blockbuster contract, meaning he’ll sign with the MFY which will give, us as South Coast Ghost pointed out (BTW you should post more buddy: I feel like this place is turning into HaloHeaven without Buzzy, DD and the rest of the level headed, empirical and knowledgeable posters) lower picks than you think.
Cliff Lee missed the month of April due to a lower abdominal strain: Go to the online injury tool and plug in “Cliff Lee” and you’ll get some unpleasant results. In 2003, Lee strained his right abdomen in camp and missed a bunch of time, only making 23 starts on the year between AAA and the bigs. Then, in 2007, Lee again strained his right abdomen in camp and missed most of April. That’s a history, and when there’s a history, one becomes worried.
The fact that people consider a Kelly-Lee trade is beyond me: Kelly flat out dominated hitters 3 years older than him last year in Salem, the organization thinks so highly of him that they invited him to ST and placed him in AA making him the youngest pitcher in his league (actually, THEY WANTED HIM TO STRUGGLE: Those of us who follow the farm system closely know that Kelly mentioned several times last year that pitching was easy to him and by the agressive promotion they wanted him to learn so don’t read too much in his numbers)! Trading a top notch prospect who you could have under team control for 6 years to get a 3 months rental in an area where the need is not glaring is just dump! As dump as last year idea of trading Roy Halladay for Buchholz: Sure Doc is the better pitcher but he comes with a 20+ millions price tag and Clay is payed the minimum, This is a lot of value! How? You could allocate those “saves” to cover critical, glaring needs!

I live in AZ, and the D’Backs are definitely going to be broken up. Would the Sox be interested in acquiring Haren and Jackson? Jackson, with the Monster, would probably be pretty good in Boston.

1 – We don’t have the room (Lester, Buchholz, Beckett, Lackey, Wakefield, Dice-K, and Lee would = 7 starting pitchers for 5 slots.) It would take a rest-of-the-season-long injury plus Wakefield in the bullpen to make it happen. We’d also have to lose someone else off of our 25-man active roster. Cut Lowell for nothing?
2 – We can’t afford to allocate additional funds for what is essentially insurance Starting Pitching, especially when we could invest those funds for something we need more – like signing bonuses for draft choices, or making mid-season trades more viable.
3 – Starting Pitching isn’t our highest priority right now.

I was wondering what (if any) bullpen guys you would be willing to trade. Is there any specific need/prospect you would like from our system?