For any of you that don't read MLB Trade Rumors, keeping tabs on the latest wheelings and dealings is a favorite fetish of mine. The most recent grumblings around the league are a shortstop swap between the Mariners and Bucs, Richie Weeks being out for the season, and oh, yes, the Red Sox are interested in Victor Martinez.
What Victor Martinez does is essentially what Mark Teixeira would have done had he not signed with the Empire over the Nation. He gives us a power bat in the middle of the lineup, an option at first to spell Lowell if needed, and the option at DH if Big Poopie can't figure out his swing.
My first thought was that this would give us our "catcher of the future" that we have been looking for. Chad Finn (Boston Globe) stated via Twitter(cheap plug) that he doesn't do a lot of catching anymore with Kelly Shoppach coming into his own. But I still think with some work with the legendary and ageless Gary Tuck, and the master of preparation Jason Varitek, Martinez could be one of if not the TOP catcher in the league on both sides of the ball.
Now the alpha question, What would it take to get it done? You have to assume that AT LEAST one of the Triple B (Buchholz, Bowden, Bard) Attack would be included in the deal plus a minor league bat or two. I personally think that Say Hey Clay would look good in an Indians uniform and you have to think that the Sox are going to try to stay away from dealing (Lars) Anderson unless a big(ger) name (Miguel Cabrera) comes up. The Indians have said that they'd deal Martinez for Young pitching and that is certainly something the Red Sox have a surplus of. This is what I think Theo could propose:
Clay Buchholz, Jeff Bailey, Michael Bowden, Manny DelCarmen and Johnathan Van Every FOR Victor Martinez and minor leaguer to be named later.
Reasons why this makes sense~
1)Insurance~ This is insurance at 4 positions essentially. Catcher, First base, Third base (indirectly), and DH.
2) Middle of the order Bat~ During Spring training David Ortiz said that this team needed a bat in the middle of the lineup…that couldn't be more accurate, I just didn't think it was going to need to fill his void.
3) He owns Boston~ This year alone he's hitting .309 with 3 Dingers. If we can keep him away from that visitors dugout in Fenway it will have been a good day.
If I'm Theo I give them ALMOST anything they ask aside from Nick Hagadone who will be major league ready next year during the summer. The only thing that I MAY wait for is to see if the Detroit Tigers fall out of contention being in one of the most hard hit areas in the country for the current depression their team could go on a fire sale, with Ordonez and Cabrera being on the block for young pitching and young hitting. While I wouldn't give much for an aging and almost powerless Ordonez the ONE person that I would sell the farm for is Cabrera. The guy can flat out rake and at 26 is still a young a budding superstar destined for greatness. If at the end of June the Tigers rotation can't hold up and are steadily descending into the pits of the AL Central Cabrera could very well be a Boston Red Sox.
Stay Tuned
Ryan
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