ESPN’s Steve Phillips is reporting that the Red Sox are in conversations with the Arizona Diamondbacks surrounding a Julio Lugo for Eric Byrnes swap. Byrnes is due $11 million dollars in 2009 and 2010 and would be brought in to replace Coco Crisp in the fourth outfielder role. He could also, in theory, provide some coverage in the outfield in 2010 should the Red Sox and Jason Bay part ways after this season.
This deal would likely not involve the Red Sox absorbing any of Julio Lugo’s contract. Lugo is due $9 million dollars in both 2009 and 2010.
With the Red Sox apparent waning interest in Rocco Baldelli and their desire to move Julio Lugo, I think this rumor has merit.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Arizona catcher Miguel Montero added to this mix in a larger deal involving a young Red Sox pitcher.
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This Byrnes thing could be good but here are two key points:
1. He’s on the books for $11M… Lugo is only owed $9M.
2. He finsihed the ‘08 season on the 60 DL. I wouldn’t call him injury prone, but the 4th OF in Boston will need to be capable of posting 300 at-bats… something Byrnes has only done 4 times since 2000.
Just food for thought.
About 2 minutes after this appeared at MLBTR they posted a story that Arizona signed Filipe Lopez and that he would probably play 2B for them.
LOL
Just saw that myself…
Guess we’re gonna be stuck with Lugo.
Rather have the wife-beater than Byrnes. He’s sooo annoying.
Coming through now that Yankees agreed to send CF Melky Cabrera to Brewers for Mike Cameron.
Unfortunately that seems like a good deal for the Yankees. Melky doesn’t look like he has much potential left, so they get one year of a solid centerfielder and then he’s off the books.
If this is a part of a larger package to land Montero, then I like it. If we don’t get a quality catcher you can count me out of the list of Theo’s supporters. Catcher is the absolute priority for me.
If Theo is fine with paying Julio’s $9M instead of AC’s $4M, I am OK with Lugo as IF/OF backup, as he has much to prove and his speed will be valuable and he can be veratile.
I am also just as happy to keep J.Bay in LF for several more years. We will know more about how he adjusts to AL pitching, etc. in a few months. I can’t see any reason to want to get rid of a .290/30-35/100 good glove, good speed, good hustle, good guy.
I am not happy that Rocco is fading from view. He would be a super 4th OF, with his off days and disease covered well by Bailey (1b/OF) and Julio (or Thurston or Bloomquist), and a very, very deep reserve of Van Every, Carter, etc. The Sox are perfect for Rocco, and his bat and glove could make a huge difference off the bench.
Also, too bad re: Montero. He looks good.
No, you got it wrong. It’s “Logo” not Lugo they’re trading. They have no use for the old logo now that they’ve switched to the hanging sox, so they hope to at least get something for it rather than let it go as a free agent w/o any compensation. Hey, times are tough ya know.
Cameron, CC, AJ, Wang, Posada, Marte . . . the Yanks are reloading big time for 2009, with more moves to go.
RRam, Littleton and Tazawa are good signings for the Sox, but where is Teixeira, Shoppach, Salty, Sheets, Lowe, Penny, Baldelli?
Not Byrnes. Not McAnulty, Not Bloomquist. C’mon, Theo.