The Advanced Scout – Arizona Diamondbacks
Brett traverses into the snake pit and wonders why he can't feel his face anymore.
Category: Miguel Montero
Why didn’t Theo give up Bowden or Buchholz for Montero or Saltalamacchia?
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| Salty - phillenium49 |
Today, I want to tackle why Theo Epstein didn't pull the trigger on acquiring Miguel Montero and/or Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Don't kid yourself: the ability was there for Theo to do just that. Far too many news reports have reported that a Montero for Michael Bowden or Saltalamacchia for Clay Buchholz deal would have occurred had Theo said yes.
The dream of 9 league-average hitters is dead
Jason Varitek, you ended my dream. It may have been a long shot, but it's over. And although having you back at least fills the backstop, it does crush my desire to have nine league average hitters in the Red Sox lineup.
Was this a longshot? Yes. Having nine hitters be either average or better than average probably isn't likely. Had the Red Sox acquired a catcher via a trade, they would have been counting on three young players to achieve their goal.
Not Sold on Montero
The Red Sox are balking at the idea of trading Bowden, but in the end I am not convinced he will be the reason the Sox do not get Montero. I'm not sold on that premise of Montero being the "catcher of the future".
Sox’s recent additions don’t mean young pitchers will be dealt
The Boston Red Sox have made a few sensational low-cost, high-reward moves lately, bringing in Rocco Baldelli, Brad Penny, Takashi Saito and John Smoltz.
This has led several people to posit that the Red Sox may now be more amenable to dealing Michael Bowden, Clay Buchholz or Justin Masterson for a catcher such as Texas' Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Taylor Teagarden and Arizona's Miguel Montero.
Really?
Don't be so quick to assume the Sox may be more likely to ship out some of their younger pitching because of these deals.
Peter Gammons checks in with Fire Brand
Peter Gammons stops by Fire Brand to answer a few questions. He cautions not to write off David Ortiz and muses about an Eric Byrnes and Miguel Montero to Boston trade.
Notes: Josh Beckett, Derek Lowe, Texas catchers
Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed the Red Sox approached the Rangers in July about two catchers. Expect the Red Sox to make overtures again.
Apparently not only was Derek Lowe interested in Boston, Boston was interested in Lowe.
Josh Beckett apparently "struggled" to put his shirt on prior to the game and would have needed another cortisone shot had the Red Sox advanced.