Blockbuster deal with Red Sox and Dodgers

Since last September the Red Sox are over 20 games under .500, time to blow it up. Free up payroll and have money to spend again. Crawford will never be what he was in St. Petersburg. Becket is past his prime. Gonzalez is the only current superstar caliber player in the deal. The big names make it a lopsided trade but the Red Sox did just fine in dumping payroll and getting quality young arms.

Originally Posted by Clyde

Boston dumped $260M in salary obligations.

Red Sox gave them $12M. Wow.

What in the world are the Dodgers thinking?

Sands is younger than I thought. I just remember him coming up last year, and not showing much. The pitchers look pretty good. Not as bad a deal as I originally thought as far as the players Boston is getting back.


The Dodgers pulled De La Rosa off waivers Friday after the Blue Jays claimed him. That means that, if the Red Sox were to trade for him, he couldn't be acquired until after the season, and likely for a player to be named later. But De La Rosa wouldn't be the only arm in the deal. Right-handed pitcher Allen Webster, 22, may also be part of the trade. Webster has blossomed into one of the impact prospects in the team's minor league system, posting a 3.55 ERA and racking up 117 strikeouts in 27 starts in Double-A. Webster is known as a ground ball pitcher, but he's been coveted before -- Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein is said to have wanted him in exchange for Ryan Dempster. If Epstein was eyeing Webster, it's likely Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington is familiar with him, too. Another notable name in the trade would be Jerry Sands. Once the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2010, the 24-year-old was somewhat surpassed by other youngsters in the farm system earlier this year. Despite a lackluster stint in the majors this year -- Sands hit .174 in nine games -- he has been raking in Triple-A Albuquerque, launching 24 home runs and 101 RBIs in 109 games. A change of scenery and an opportunity could be beneficial for the outfielder.
Read more at: Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster Would Bring Youth, Talented Pitching Arms to the Red Sox - Boston Red Sox - NESN.com

Deal is done.

Dodgers payroll for 2013 currently stands at $199,000,000.

Bizarre ... we've never seen such a salary dump on one team in a single trade. The Dodgers must think they're going to rake in the bucks with new ownership and a potential postseason run. How much you bet ticket prices go up at Chavez Ravine next year?

Crawford was a bad contract from the beginning ... he's a good player, but never developed the power or on-base ability he needed to improve and was really overrated at the end of his Tampa Bay tenure.

Gonzalez is a fine hitter, one of the better ones in baseball, but it's hard to get much equity with his contract. Same with Beckett, who's really good when he's good but he's 32 and throws some clunkers in there every now and then.

Originally Posted by Clyde

You say they got nothing. I say they freed up $260M.

Agree and they will turn around and spend in the offseason.

Originally Posted by westsider

Crawford was a bad contract from the beginning ... he's a good player, but never developed the power or on-base ability he needed to improve and was really overrated at the end of his Tampa Bay tenure.

Gonzalez is a fine hitter, one of the better ones in baseball, but it's hard to get much equity with his contract. Same with Beckett, who's really good when he's good but he's 32 and throws some clunkers in there every now and then.

Those guys will love the NL and love the NL West even more.

Originally Posted by SSC

Those guys will love the NL and love the NL West even more.

They're going to love playing in pitcher friendly parks all the time?

Wowzers

Originally Posted by dmderringer10

They're going to love playing in pitcher friendly parks all the time?

I think he was being sarcastic.

Gonzalez with a 3 run HR in his first AB as a Dodger.

I hated to see Gonzalez go, I really liked him. I am thrilled that the Red Sox got rid of Carl Crawford's contract and even Beckett's. I liked Beckett a lot at the beginning of his tenure with the Red Sox but he has been a brooder the last 3-4 seasons. Even Gonzalez's contract was a bad one. He was a .300 hitter in his time with the Sox but he didn't display the power that he had shown in San Diego and they were paying him too much to be Todd Helton. The two minor league pitchers look to have good arms and good strikeout rates but even if they don't pan out getting rid of those contracts means a lot. I just wish they could have added John Lackey to the trade somehow.

Originally Posted by dmderringer10

They're going to love playing in pitcher friendly parks all the time?

Josh Beckett will. Gonzalez loves getting back to California. He even mentioned that. Crawford wanted to go to the Angels bc he wanted to be on the West Coast where the media isn't crazy but the Sox blew him away with a deal. All 3 will greatly benefit from playing inferior competition. Ie...AJ Burnett

Beckett gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Tyler Colvin, bottom of the first in Colorado.