28 January 2006

Now, We Just Need Captain Crunch and the Trix Rabbit

Well, the Sox got their centerfielder, finally, and it seems like a decent trade. I'm not complaining.

From today's Globe:
Six days after reaching an agreement in principle, three days after Guillermo Mota's underwhelming physical, and one day after the deal teetered on the precipice of collapse, the Red Sox added cash considerations, and a player to be named or further cash considerations, to their offer and got their man: Cleveland's Coco Crisp.

The deal, announced by Red Sox executive vice president/general manager Theo Epstein last night, was expanded to seven players, including the six in the initial agreement.

Crisp, 26, who will succeed Johnny Damon in center field and atop the lineup, 29-year-old righthander David Riske, and 27-year-old switch-hitting catcher Josh Bard are coming to Boston. The Sox' top prospect, 22-year-old Andy Marte, is headed to the Indians, along with Mota, 25-year-old catcher Kelly Shoppach, a player to be named, and cash.


Over at Baseball Musings, David Pinto doesn't seem to think that highly of the deal:
The Indians appear to come out the best in this deal. The replaced their outfielder with a better OBA, picked up a hot prospect who's likely to replace Aaron Boone before 2006 is out, and made an even swap on relievers and catchers. The Red Sox plugged their hole in centerfield with a player who still has some room to improve offensively, and they control for four years. It's not a bad deal for the Red Sox, given their needs. However, if you look at this as Renteria for Crisp, the Sox just plugged one hole by creating another.


I'm not sure I look at this 'plugging' one hole by creating another. With the money they offered, Damon was going to the bastards anyway, and no way Renteria survives another brutal year in Boston. If the Sox sign Gonzalez for short, they come out ahead, even with a lesser bat in the lineup. We REALLY need defense.