Posts Tagged ‘Huston Street’
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Buyers and SellersJuly 20th, 2008
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Well, it is officially that time of year. With the trade deadline just around the corner, teams are either going to start their pushes for the playoffs or prep for next season. While some teams are always in the same selling mode, there are always a few surprising teams out to buy.
This year’s the surprise buying team is the Tampa Bay Rays. They have seem to come out of nowhere and are contending. They started the second half the season one half game out of first place (behind the Boston Red Sox).
The Oakland Athletics however, look to be in a sellers market. This is a different feeling for the A’s fan. For the past few years the A’s have contended each year.
With all the injuries last year, the A’s were not contenders but they didn’t sell out their player’s mid-season either. But that changed during the off-season.
During the previous off-season, the A’s became sellers. The team was involved in four trades that affected the team this year right away. Read more
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April Farm Report: A Master and His Bard - Part 1May 1st, 2008
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There’s a reason why many Red Sox followers remained hesitant when it came to the discussed but never-to-be trade for ace lefty and change-up king Johan Santana this past off-season.
Just call it prospect envy.
With the success of second baseman Dustin Pedroia, last year’s American League Rookie of the Year, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, a key cog in Boston’s World Series sweep of the Rockies, and right-hander Clay Buchholz, owner of a no-hitter in his second major league start, the fans of the Olde Towne Team are starting to expect similar results from each farmhand that makes his way up to the big club.
Add into the mix shortstop Jed Lowire, who has filled in admirably as a super-sub on the major league roster due to injuries in the Boston infield this season, and right-hander Justin Masterson’s impressive spot start against the Angels last week, and this phenomenon of lusting after the unknown—like the backup quarterback in football—only intensifies.
And fans aren’t alone when it comes to prospect envy.
Ultimately, the Red Sox front office, led by general manager Theo Epstein, felt the price for Santana—four top prospects … and a huge contract—was not one worth paying.