Carl Crawford

[iamshack]

I'm going to bump this thread a bit. Crawford's name has been mentioned by various teams, Ana in particular as teams look to upgrade this yr at the deadline. The sox may not be able to add the pitching. So why not look to upgrade the defense and offense? With Pods basically needing a platoon and even has been replaced in the field with MAck, a shakeup at the top could let the players know KW and Ozzie are serious. When Pods needs to share time with Pablo Ozuna, its time to upgrade in LF.

 

Plus, Crawford plays with the intangibles Ozzie seems to love--speed, bunting [Carl's regarded as one of the best bunters in the game], stellar defense, avg. Getting Crawford would set the sox offense and defense up for yrs to come. Trading the top prospects in the system makes sense for a 24 yr old with Crawford's talent.

 

TB needs starting pitching. But they also need some power bats. They don't need an ace with Kazmir. They need dependable SP for sure. The key is what would it take to get him. Few teams will part with a young "ace" to get Crawford. Most teams will hold onto those, and would rather deal a bat.

 

The price may be steep--Fields [upton has been tried at 3b, but his power numbers aren't there; also, Fields could DH or play 1b; the key for TB is getting the best hitter available. Fields is one of those and plays a premium position]; Lance Broadway; Haeger; Phillips; and one of either Lucas Harrell or Adam Russell.

 

If the sox unload top prospects, it shoudn't be for rental players. It should be for a guy who fits in with the long term makeup of the club, who can also help in the short term.

 

Pods could be dealt once the Sox acquired Crawford, for a prospect or two. ATL needs both a LFer and a leadoff man, and could be a partner. Langerhans and Thorman aren't cutting it

 

I love the idea of getting Crawford, but his name hasn't been mentioned as of late, and I think the DRays maybe rethinking the idea of dealing him since he is having a "breakout" season, and additionally because of the relative troublemaking habits of Delmon Young, Elijah Dukes, and even Josh Hamilton. From what I have read, they view Gomes as a DH type, and not an OF, and Baldelli obviously has injury concerns.

 

With all that being said, Crawford alone won't get them where they want to go, and so I could understand them cashing in on him to get multiple solid pieces. Additionally, Scott Kazmir is slowly replacing CC as the face of that TB franchise.

 

The question for me is can he be had without surrendering McCarthy?

 

I don't particularly love McCarthy as much as some others do, but I view him as essential to our rotation for no reason other than we need a starter who isn't making $9 millon per.

 

If we could somehow cash in Garcia for some pitching prospects of TB's liking, and then combine that bounty with Fields and perhaps any pitching prospect in our system not named Lumsden, I would be more than willing to part with that to acquire Crawford.

 

Pods, then, as you said, could possibly be dealt to someone like the Giants or Cardinals for a few B level prospects.

 

It's all a pipedream, but it's my pipedream, and I am damn entitled to it.

[DBAHO]

I actually think Ryan Sweeney would be a must inclusion if I'm the Tampa Bay Brass. The problems of Young and Dukes have been well documented. Like iamshack said they are starting to view Gomes as a DH, which long - term makes the most sense.

 

Baldelli is also not a good bet to stay healthy throughout the length of his contract. So I could see them being interested in a guy like Sweeney.

 

It looks like Upton may be up soon with the big club;

B.J. Upton went 3-for-5 and hit his seventh homer Wednesday for Triple-A Durham.

Upton also stole his 40th base, and while he did commit his 29th error, the reports on his defense since moving to third base last week have been encouraging. He could join the Rays after another 7-10 days in the minors.

So maybe you wouldn't have to involve Fields in the deal.

 

Tampa Bay want good young pitching though. They're on the right track with the young players they've brought in like Navarro, and that should continue.

 

But if they ask for B-Mac, I look elsewhere. We control B-Mac's rights for about another 4 and a bit seasons, most of that will be pretty cheap. And that's crucial with our payroll, offering you the flexibility to make moves to upgrade the teams elsewhere.

 

If you can get away with a Broadway, Sweeney + more prospects deal for Crawford, by all means do it. Whether the D-Rays would do that, when they rejected Ervin Santana, unfortunately I don't think so.

[iamshack]

If you can get away with a Broadway, Sweeney + more prospects deal for Crawford, by all means do it. Whether the D-Rays would do that, when they rejected Ervin Santana, unfortunately I don't think so.

 

I agree with that last sentence.

 

They wanted Santana + Wood.

 

That's why I think we would need to cash in Garcia to add to anything we might offer.

 

Still though, it's probably an offseason trade for TB, and Crawford's value keeps going up-up-up.

[WCSox]

You didn't ace logic class, did you?

 

You didn't read Soxtalk's rules of conduct, did you? There are plenty of baseball sites where you can get away with acting like an obnoxious 13-year-old, but this isn't one of them.

 

You implied the Mets don't like "aging" arms with large contracts. And if you don't think guys can have "aging arms" and have rough years and bounce back, See: Tom Glavine, first year with Mets.

 

There was never any comparison to Pedro or Glavine's stuff, or their style of pitching. The point was made to disprove your premise that the Mets had no interest in veteran pitchers.

 

The risk of declining skills for a power pitcher in his 30's vs. that of a finesse pitcher of the same age is very different. I thought that everyone knew that, but apparently not. Therefore, your comparison of Freddy to Glavine and Pedro is a poor one.

[iamshack]

You didn't read Soxtalk's rules of conduct, did you? There are plenty of baseball sites where you can get away with acting like an obnoxious 13-year-old, but this isn't one of them.

The risk of declining skills for a power pitcher in his 30's vs. that of a finesse pitcher of the same age is very different. I thought that everyone knew that, but apparently not. Therefore, your comparison of Freddy to Glavine and Pedro is a poor one.

 

Let it die, man. You aren't seeing my argument.

 

That was from 3 days ago.

 

We differ widely on the worth of Garcia.

 

We'll just wait and see what happens.

[WCSox]

Let it die, man. You aren't seeing my argument.

 

That was from 3 days ago.

 

You throw out a personal attack and then tell me to "let it die" when I respond. Um, sorry, it doesn't work that way.

 

We differ widely on the worth of Garcia.

 

We'll just wait and see what happens.

 

Agreed.

[beck72]

I actually think Ryan Sweeney would be a must inclusion if I'm the Tampa Bay Brass. The problems of Young and Dukes have been well documented. Like iamshack said they are starting to view Gomes as a DH, which long - term makes the most sense.

 

Baldelli is also not a good bet to stay healthy throughout the length of his contract. So I could see them being interested in a guy like Sweeney.

 

It looks like Upton may be up soon with the big club;

 

So maybe you wouldn't have to involve Fields in the deal.

 

Tampa Bay want good young pitching though. They're on the right track with the young players they've brought in like Navarro, and that should continue.

 

But if they ask for B-Mac, I look elsewhere. We control B-Mac's rights for about another 4 and a bit seasons, most of that will be pretty cheap. And that's crucial with our payroll, offering you the flexibility to make moves to upgrade the teams elsewhere.

 

If you can get away with a Broadway, Sweeney + more prospects deal for Crawford, by all means do it. Whether the D-Rays would do that, when they rejected Ervin Santana, unfortunately I don't think so.

 

Upton could come up at SS when Lugo is dealt. 29 errors at 3B? Good grief. That doesn't seem his spot either

 

Sweeney IMO is untouchable as viewed by the sox brass. If the sox haven't given up on him yet w/ his lack of power I don't see them giving up now. BMac's not going anywhere. But any other pitching prospect could be dealt.

[fathom]

Upton could come up at SS when Lugo is dealt. 29 errors at 3B? Good grief. That doesn't seem his spot either

 

Sweeney IMO is untouchable as viewed by the sox brass. If the sox haven't given up on him yet w/ his lack of power I don't see them giving up now. BMac's not going anywhere. But any other pitching prospect could be dealt.

 

Almost all of Upton's errors were when he was at SS. He makes every play look like a tough play.

[iamshack]

Almost all of Upton's errors were when he was at SS. He makes every play look like a tough play.

 

Agreed. Apparently he is getting better defensively at third.

[Chisoxfn]

Almost all of Upton's errors were when he was at SS. He makes every play look like a tough play.

Upton is a great athlete, but he's a relatively over-hyped prospect, imo. I know the talent is there, but the production hasn't been as good as it could and should be when your talking about a prospect of his caliber.

[witesoxfan]

Josh Fields has been discussed as moving to LF in the past. By trading Crawford, the DRays would be opening up a hole in LF. Please tell me I'm not the only one that sees the correlation.

 

Any trade for Crawford is coming in the offseason, not this season...you want to send a message to the club, you don't want to completely rip this team apart.

[iamshack]

Josh Fields has been discussed as moving to LF in the past. By trading Crawford, the DRays would be opening up a hole in LF. Please tell me I'm not the only one that sees the correlation.

 

Any trade for Crawford is coming in the offseason, not this season...you want to send a message to the club, you don't want to completely rip this team apart.

 

Half the point of the Rays dealing Crawford though is that they have their fair share of talented OF's already.

[EvilJester99]

Bruce Levine was on Carmen and Silvy last night saying he thinks KW is going to try and trade for Carl Crawford...but of course didn't go into any detail. Of course TIFWIW since it was Levineline saying it.

[witesoxfan]

Half the point of the Rays dealing Crawford though is that they have their fair share of talented OF's already.

 

Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young aren't exactly choir boys though either. With the trouble those two have had, I wouldn't be completely surprised if they were available for the right price.

[GoodAsGould]

Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young aren't exactly choir boys though either. With the trouble those two have had, I wouldn't be completely surprised if they were available for the right price.

 

Maybe Elijah Dukes but yeah unless your willing to give the world and that would include young major leaguers as well as top prospects you arent getting Young.

[fathom]

Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young aren't exactly choir boys though either. With the trouble those two have had, I wouldn't be completely surprised if they were available for the right price.

 

Duke is available, but Delmon isn't going anywhere!

[beck72]

Bruce Levine was on Carmen and Silvy last night saying he thinks KW is going to try and trade for Carl Crawford...but of course didn't go into any detail. Of course TIFWIW since it was Levineline saying it.

If Kenny makes any kind of big deal involving the Sox top prospects, he'll want a young impact guy who's locked up for a few yrs [ala Crawford, Willis]. It's a long shot to get one of those deals done but it's worth a shot

 

One thing is for sure, the sox seem intent on upgrading their lineup in at least one position--LF. But there are few guys who can play good defense, lead off and steal bases who play LF.