Bailey to the Sox

[NHUConnfan]

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story...ailey-traded-oakland-athletics-boston-red-sox

The Boston Red Sox have acquired Oakland closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney in a trade that sends outfielder Josh Reddick to the Athletics, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. To complete the deal, the Red Sox will also send first baseman Miles Head, 20, and 19-year-old pitcher Raul Alcantera to Oakland, according to sources.

This is pretty much Josh Reddick for Andrew Bailey straight up. Bailey is under team control until 2013. This is a downright steal for the Sox. Billy Beane must be getting old.

 

[sinkhole]

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story...ailey-traded-oakland-athletics-boston-red-sox

The Boston Red Sox have acquired Oakland closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney in a trade that sends outfielder Josh Reddick to the Athletics, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. To complete the deal, the Red Sox will also send first baseman Miles Head, 20, and 19-year-old pitcher Raul Alcantera to Oakland, according to sources.

This is pretty much Josh Reddick for Andrew Bailey straight up. Bailey is under team control until 2013. This is a downright steal for the Sox. Billy Beane must be getting old.

Why would a smart baseball guy like Beane trade Bailey for such a small return? Maybe the answer lies in Baileys elbow.

 

[zyron]

This is pretty much Josh Reddick for Andrew Bailey straight up. Bailey is under team control until 2013. This is a downright steal for the Sox. Billy Beane must be getting old.

I don't think he is a FA until 2015. Good deal if his arm holds up.

 

[NHUConnfan]

I don't think he is a FA until 2015. Good deal if his arm holds up.

Yeah, I may have misspoke. I think you are right. 2015.

Why would a smart baseball guy like Beane trade Bailey for such a small return? Maybe the answer lies in Baileys elbow.

Maybe, or they desperately need an OF and Josh Reddick is a decent OF with potential but not a project the Sox want to work on anymore. Either way, the Sox really made the better on this deal.

 

[Danzz]

Why would a smart baseball guy like Beane trade Bailey for such a small return? Maybe the answer lies in Baileys elbow.

What is Bailey getting, something like $450K? Really not much of risk while he Sox aquire another young arm. If they were going to pay big $ for a closer then they should have paid Papalbon so this trade makes sense. This probably means that it will Bard to the starting rotation and that is a bigger gamble than the trade. I keep thinking about Chamberlain.

 

[mauconnfan]

Either billy is getting old or you sox fans are still stupid? lol
Worth the risk reddick isnt much to give up when desparate for a closer.

 

[Danzz]

Yeah, I may have misspoke. I think you are right. 2015.

Maybe, or they desperately need an OF and Josh Reddick is a decent OF with potential but not a project the Sox want to work on anymore. Either way, the Sox really made the better on this deal.

They need a RH or SH hitting outieldfielder but they are not desperate for one.

Yeah, I may have misspoke. I think you are right. 2015.

Maybe, or they desperately need an OF and Josh Reddick is a decent OF with potential but not a project the Sox want to work on anymore. Either way, the Sox really made the better on this deal.

They need a RH or SW outfielder and Sweeney bats left. Sweeney can play all OF positions so that is a bonus. He bats LH and hits about .280 without much power; not exactly what is needed. Maybe they see Sweeney as a 4th outfielder.
Either they think Kalish can play RF or they will sign sombody.

 

[NHUConnfan]

They need a RH or SH hitting outieldfielder but they are not desperate for one.

They need a RH or SW outfielder and Sweeney bats left. Sweeney can play all OF positions so that is a bonus. He bats LH and hits about .280 without much power; not exactly what is needed. Maybe they see Sweeney as a 4th outfielder.
Either they think Kalish can play RF or they will sign sombody.

I meant that Oakland needed OF help. Sox will sign a RF, there are plenty on the market - and ones that won't take a huge contract either.

 

[doggydaddy]

I meant that Oakland needed OF help. Sox will sign a RF, there are plenty on the market - and ones that won't take a huge contract either.

Milton Bradley (34)
J.D. Drew (36)
Kosuke Fukudome (35)
Willie Harris (34)
Brad Hawpe (33)
Ryan Ludwick (33) - Type B, no arbitration offer
Xavier Nady (33)
Magglio Ordonez (38) - Type B
Cody Ross (31) - Type B, no arbitration offer
Ryan Spilborghs (32)

Which one are you interested in for the Sox?

 

[Cheddie]

The lower level prospects may pan out. Per the Globe: "First baseman Miles Head hit 22 home runs last season. But with Adrian Gonzalez around, his future was as a trade chip. RHP Raul Alcantara has a 2.72 ERA in two seasons and is 19. He has a fastball people notice."

Oakland is simply not a financially viable franchise in that city.

 

[60'sfan]

Interesting trade. The A's get an outfielder (Reddick) with potential but who is somewhat undisciplined at the plate and the Sox get a closer (Bailey) who has had good numbers but who has has health issues and tends to balloon up. Sweeney is still young but has no power at all for a 6' 4" 224 pound guy. The key for the A's may have been the potential for Alcantara. Head had no future with the Sox at first base.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Milton Bradley (34)
J.D. Drew (36)
Kosuke Fukudome (35)
Willie Harris (34)
Brad Hawpe (33)
Ryan Ludwick (33) - Type B, no arbitration offer
Xavier Nady (33)
Magglio Ordonez (38) - Type B
Cody Ross (31) - Type B, no arbitration offer
Ryan Spilborghs (32)

Which one are you interested in for the Sox?

Ludwick, Nady...those guys are fine. But really...any on the list (maybe except Magglio who's only a DH now) since I expect Kalish to start in RF by the end of the year.

 

[dsturdy5]

I like Kalish...but then there is this.

 

[Danzz]

I like Kalish...but then there is this.

Shoulder surgery for a right fielder is tough. Kalish has to make those long throws to 3B and you really need a good arm in RF especially at Fenway.

 

[bpo57]

Either billy is getting old or you sox fans are still stupid? lol
Worth the risk reddick isnt much to give up when desparate for a closer.

Desperate? LOL you're in mid-season form, Mau.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Shoulder surgery for a right fielder is tough. Kalish has to make those long throws to 3B and you really need a good arm in RF especially at Fenway.

I'm ultimately not worried. It wasn't like the Red Sox have gotten anything out of RF for a while

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm sorry bpo did I miss something? Did they sign somebody prior to Bailey? You do know Papelbon is a Phillie right?............

 

[bpo57]

I'm sorry bpo did I miss something? Did they sign somebody prior to Bailey? You do know Papelbon is a Phillie right?............

You might have missed something, Mau. Prior to Bailey they had Melancon, Bard and Aceves as bullpen options. Not sure that classifies them as desperate.

 

[mauconnfan]

You might have missed something, Mau. Prior to Bailey they had Melancon, Bard and Aceves as bullpen options. Not sure that classifies them as desperate.

no i didnt miss any of those guys........like i said....

 

[doggydaddy]

You might have missed something, Mau. Prior to Bailey they had Melancon, Bard and Aceves as bullpen options. Not sure that classifies them as desperate.

Weeks ago the Sox stated that Aceves and Bard would be stretched out to compete for a starting role. So, while desparate might have been a little harsh, they certainly were in need of a closer. Melancon is a good set up man, but I doubted they were going to have him close.

 

[bpo57]

Weeks ago the Sox stated that Aceves and Bard would be stretched out to compete for a starting role. So, while desparate might have been a little harsh, they certainly were in need of a closer. Melancon is a good set up man, but I doubted they were going to have him close.

The Sox could have elected to go with Bard as a closer and then just try to find another starter. They had options. Desperate people don't have options.

 

[doggydaddy]

The Sox could have elected to go with Bard as a closer and then just try to find another starter. They had options. Desperate people don't have options.

Clearly, Bard wasn't going to be the closer after his poor late season performance. They appeared to realize that he wasn't closer material.

Mau used "desperate". I was just arguing the timeframe of when they decided to revamp the bullpen and put Bard and Aceves in the rotation.

 

[kibblesnbits]

That's not clear at all. Bard had 11 very good to great months over the last two seasons and one horrible one. His problem wasn't that he couldn't handle high leverage game situations - he'd already performed tremendously in such situations for nearly two seasons - it was mechanical. The Red Sox were not going to judge his future role based on that one month over the other eleven.

Bard is being tried as a starter because it is easier and cheaper to find late inning, even closer talent, than it is starting pitching. Compare the acquisition costs for Andrew Bailey versus Gio Gonzalez. Similarly, see that relievers like Ryan Madson are still available and will undoubtedly go for far less than comparable starters. Yankee fans have a distorted view of the market because Mariano Rivera is a freak of nature. He's worth far more than any other closer, even outstanding ones, because he's more consistent and more durable as he delivers history making performance levels year in and year out. Look at the career stats and even all-star level closers often have a year or two that are down significantly from their norm. Perhaps 2007 was Rivera's, where he (gasp) had a WHIP slightly over 1, an ERA slightly over 3 and only 30 saves, but that's a great year for most closers. One of these days Rivera's going to lose it, but he's well into his 40's and it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Danzz]

That's not clear at all. Bard had 11 very good to great months over the last two seasons and one horrible one. His problem wasn't that he couldn't handle high leverage game situations - he'd already performed tremendously in such situations for nearly two seasons - it was mechanical. The Red Sox were not going to judge his future role based on that one month over the other eleven.

Bard is being tried as a starter because it is easier and cheaper to find late inning, even closer talent, than it is starting pitching. Compare the acquisition costs for Andrew Bailey versus Gio Gonzalez. Similarly, see that relievers like Ryan Madson are still available and will undoubtedly go for far less than comparable starters. Yankee fans have a distorted view of the market because Mariano Rivera is a freak of nature. He's worth far more than any other closer, even outstanding ones, because he's more consistent and more durable as he delivers history making performance levels year in and year out. Look at the career stats and even all-star level closers often have a year or two that are down significantly from their norm. Perhaps 2007 was Rivera's, where he (gasp) had a WHIP slightly over 1, an ERA slightly over 3 and only 30 saves, but that's a great year for most closers. One of these days Rivera's going to lose it, but he's well into his 40's and it hasn't happened yet.

Rivera has been a rock for the Yankees and clearly the best of all time. He isn't as dominent as he once was when he was breaking a dozen bats per outing but he is still very dependable and consistant.
Bard to the starting rotation is a big gamble and from my perspective and it may not be successful. The one thing I noticed about Bard is that if he pitches 2 or 3 consectutive days he isn't as effective as the first day.Not sure how this translates to a starter but it appears that he may not be effective in mid to late innings after he has been through the lineup. We'll have to see. I can't help thinking about Chamberlain who had the best slider I've ever seen before they made him a starter and now he is an average pitcher at best.

 

[bpo57]

Clearly, Bard wasn't going to be the closer after his poor late season performance. They appeared to realize that he wasn't closer material.

Mau used "desperate". I was just arguing the timeframe of when they decided to revamp the bullpen and put Bard and Aceves in the rotation.

That seems like quite a leap to say Bard was not closer material. The guy was pretty solid most of the year and nobody debates his stuff. I think the Sox will miss Papelbon a lot but you could do a lot worse than having Bard as a closer. I actually think it's a gamble to try to to stretch him out as a starter and am not all that optimistic that it will work out well.