Solution for Right Field

by JAAJ on Jul 9, 2011 10:12 PM EDT

I am the new writer at SB Nation Boston, but I decided maybe to give a FanPost on Over the Monster a try.

The Sox have had some problems when it comes to, what we thought, would be there deepest team ever (at the beginning of the year at least...). One of those main problems come a Right Field. But there are some players from around the league and even in their own system that could be used at Right Field.

Carlos Beltran: According to a story on SB Nation, Carlos Beltran is beginning to get offered around from the New York Mets. This could be an interesting and very good trade if we could pull it off (granted he stays healthy). The thing that the Red Sox organization and I agree on would be that the Mets might want too much in return. I would not be willing to give out multiple prospects like I did trading for Adrian Gonzalez. But Beltran is having a productive season while being voted to an All-Star game. So the question would be if your willing to trade a prospect like Ryan Kalish.

Inside the Organization: This idea is attractive because of not having to trade any of your young and talented players for an older player like Beltran. If the thought is that Ryan Kalish could start producing, then he could easily be moved up to the Major Leagues. The second thing is the fact that he is not fully healthy. So if the Sox think Kalish could come back soon, that could be in the list.

Keep the Players They Have Now: Of course, this is the reason why this column is being written right now, but that doesn't mean that Darnell McDonald and J.D. Drew. J.D. Drew is known for having some big hits once and a while (not this year!). Possibly the thought of trading or moving up these prospects is too daunting for Theo and company and they can stick it out with what they have.

Josh Reddick: Before you yell at me, "BUT HE"S PLAYING RIGHT FIELD", listen to me first. If the inside of the organization thinks Carl Crawford is only a couple weeks from coming back, then they could hang on right now and eventually move Josh Reddick over to Right Field. Francona has mentioned that they don't want to rush Crawford too far ahead so I don't know if he is thinking 2 weeks or 2 months (hopefully not 2 years!!!).

Give an idea I didn't think about: Let's hear it!

Poll

Should the Red Sox trade for Beltran or keep within the organization?

Beltran

38 votes

Organization

151 votes

189 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Beltran would be an expensive half-year rental.

While no one expects Reddick to hang at .400 for long, it is at least obvious that he has learned to see major league pitching. That indicates an improving young player right at the time that a young player generally starts to do so. As such, we should wait to see what his ceiling might be.

Beltran just isn’t certin enough to stay with the Sox beyond this year if we were to get him. Hunter Pence, with lesser stats, is a more valuable RF if we’re looking for Drew’s replacement now because of his youth, cost, health, and the team’s ability to hold on to him.

by dsharp on Jul 9, 2011 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

We might be able to get picks for Beltran when he walks,

so that lessens the cost some, but yeah Beltran has injury concerns and may be expensive. Although, I’ve heard the Mets might take less than expected because of injury concern, age, contract, etc.

Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on Jul 10, 2011 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Only if he doesn't accept arbitration

He can likely get more money in arbitration than he can per year from a long-term contract at this point, so the question is whether he wants the security of a long-term contract from some non-contending team desperate to make themselves relevant or the big payday. Given that he lost much of the last two years to injury and the Sox would be his best option if he wants to win a championship (if that matters to him), I’d be really hesitant to trade away someone like Reddick on the possibility that Beltran will count on some team giving him a multi-year contract for enough money.

Besides, Reddick has a 1.8 WAR in 22 games this year. There’s no way he continues to produce at that level, but seeing as how we need to see if he can handle being an everyday player for us for next year anyway, I’d much rather use the second half as his audition. I don’t think we’re really giving away much if anything anyway by keeping Reddick there instead of trading for Beltran, though I grant you Francona is likely to play Drew over Reddick and Beltran would be an upgrade over Drew.

by RSNexile on Jul 10, 2011 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

no actually

there’s a clause in his contract that he can’t be offered arbitration.

by wolf9309 on Jul 10, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

that settles that then

Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on Jul 10, 2011 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

This team can't add much payroll.

That’s been pretty well documented. And since the Mets most of all would want to trade Beltran for payroll relief, that option isn’t really an option.

by ThePanda on Jul 10, 2011 12:30 AM EDT reply actions

1 kemp 2 j. Upton 3 ethier 4 bj upton 5 cuddyer

The RF problem is as much post-‘11 as it is 2011. I’m not sure which of these guys you can get now or in the offseason or what type of Gonzo package you need to give up to get them.

by cds7c on Jul 10, 2011 8:50 AM EDT reply actions

I'd like to have Beltran

and floated the idea at the beginning of the year, but I don’t think it’s worth giving up anything we have for him right now as a half-year rental. Not worth taking on the payroll.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard

by Bloggy on Jul 10, 2011 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

No trade for RF!

Crawford will be healthy eventually… Reddick has earned a spot for the remainder of this year! Certainly .400 isn’t reflective of what he will do but say he drops .125 pts, he would still be batting .275, which is considerably better than Drew at this point.

Sox aren’t looking to add payroll, so that theory fits even better than it usually would. Why bring on a high salary guy to clog up a position in which you have a few young kids (Kalish and Reddick) banging on the door looking for playing time?

by Chris Sanford on Jul 10, 2011 9:27 PM EDT reply actions

Reddick will be Fine.

by ganset on Jul 10, 2011 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

At some point

you have to go with kids. I would give Reddick and Kalish (when he gets back) a shot.

by flasoxfan on Jul 10, 2011 11:32 PM EDT reply actions

I would say absolutely not for Beltran

I know it’s a big name and RH bat, but it’s not worth giving up a piece of talent like Kalish for an expensive short term rental. Kalish could be a very valuable piece used in a trade to bring in a SP if they run into more issues, or in the offseason to possibly be used for SS (if they don’t like Lowrie/Navarro long term), 3B replacement for Youk (when he goes to DH in a couple years) or C if Salty doesn’t work out long term.

The team is hitting very well, and that is without Crawford (who I think will be somewhere closer to May CC than April CC. Our top five guys are hitting pretty dang good, and Salty/Tek are better than what we thought. Having another RH bat would be nice, but not worth giving up a Kalish level talent.

I don’t think there are enough good LHP in the next two months to be the reason we get out of the playoffs. Out of who I see making the AL playoffs, Sabathia, Price and CJ Wilson are the three big LH’ers I can think of. We’ve beaten CC three times and I think have the ability to beat the other two as is. If all goes very well, and we end up in the World Series, obviously the big two LH’ers where a RH bat would help is Lee and Hamels. To be honest, Lee in the playoffs would worry me having 9 RH hitters, even if he is better against LH. There is also a good chance that against one, maybe both of those guys we will see at Philly in which case that RH bat would probably sit and we would see Gonzo in RF, and Ortiz at 1B.

If anything I would rather get a Jeff Baker who has more versatility, probably cheaper and has less injury concerns than Beltran.

by The Name is Dalton on Jul 11, 2011 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

sigh

I want to believe that J.D. will come out of the ASB and have one of those patented month-long hot streaks where he hits like .380/.440/.585 with 11 homers. I want to believe…

However, I’m starting to feel like Homer waiting for his barbeque pig roast to return.

"Laser show. So relax."
Francona is to McDonald and Jenks as Infant is to Plastic Bags and Matches

by nuthinboutnuthin on Jul 13, 2011 12:33 AM EDT reply actions