And the Brewers first trading partner this week is...

[LouisEly]

... the Boston Red Sox

 

Right now the Red Sox only have one catcher on the roster in Jason Varitek. They also lost their SS Alex Gonzales in free agency. They supposedly are on the verge of losing Man-Ram. And while they signed J.D. Drew, they signed him to play CF, so if Ramirez is shipped out they need another OF. And I don't know if they are ready to turn 2B or SS over to Dustin Pedoria.

 

Brewers sign Graffy and get his permission to trade to Boston (I don't think he will mind being traded to Boston to be their starting 2B) along with Miller and Jenkins for CoCo Crisp and a young pitcher (maybe Lester or Pauley). It might take Hardy instead of or in addition to Graffy to get Lester.

 

I'm not sure of the exact combination of players, but these two teams match up well in terms of needs. It also depends on whether Boston resigns Trot Nixon, but he has steadily declined the last four seasons and hasn't been healthy enough to stay on the field, so they may not want him back at $7.5M+ or whatever they would have to resign him for. It also wouldn't surprise me to see Boston sign Graffy at the last minute and give MIL the comp picks.

[Cracked Bat Collector]

Hard to tell if it'd be worth getting Lester with his cancer or not. I still don't see why so many people feel we will or should get rid of Hardy though.

[GAME05]

I agree with CBC. It's hard for me to imagine a small-market team trading away one of their top young players in JJ Hardy, but I guess stranger things happen.

 

I've always kind of figured Jenkins would end up in Boston. A good defensive outfielder with a little pop would help to make up for if/when Manny leaves; plus it's $7 over only one year instead of $7/3-4 that no doubt Nixon would demand.

 

Do you think they might want Councell more than Graffy, though? Granted, he's no fearsome hitter anymore, but he would fit back into the top of the order and he's great come playoff time.

 

Maybe I'm reaching, but would Piazza be an option in Boston as Varitek's backup? They might have to move second base in about ten feet so he'd be able to actually throw a runner out, but that dude can still hit.

[strawbossisevil]

Counsell can't be traded until June 1st. So, I don't see any deal involving him.

[AJ Love]

History being a guide, Toronto, Texas, and Oakland are possible trading partners...

 

I still think some form of the Mench to Baltimore trade happens for Lopez

[LouisEly]

As I mentioned in another thread, Jenkins and Hardy to Toronto for Wells plus a nugget is certainly a possibility.

 

The reason to trade Hardy is because they have Hall and Perez and lots of teams are in need of a SS.

[GAME05]

"Counsell can't be traded until June 1st. So, I don't see any deal involving him."

 

sorry, you're absolutely right. my mistake.

[AJ Love]

Quote:

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Jenkins and Hardy to Toronto for Wells plus a nugget is certainly a possibility.

---

 

I'd be thrilled if Vernon Wells became a Brewer but wouldn't it take a bit more than Jenkins and Hardy?

[GAME05]

Is Toronto targeting any big-money free agents? Obviously they had the money last year, but maybe could they have neared their spending limit and want to dump a salary like Wells' to make a better FA push?

[AJ Love]

www.realgmbaseball.com/sr..._meetings/

 

Sounds like they want to go into contract talks with Wells after the Winter Meetings

[sbrylski]

Boston makes too much sense. Melvin won't even call them.

 

I'd love to get Pena in Milwaukee just to see how many arguments take place on this board over strikeouts.

[Weirdos19]

I'm thinking that the Crew and San Diego will make a deal.

 

Jenks, Graffy to San Diego for Linebrink and a prospect.

 

 

San Diego gets Dougie off the hot seat. Knowing Graffy would accept arbitration, the Pads have backed off on their two year offer.

 

No doubt Jenks for Linebrink works for both teams. The Pads getting Graffy would fill their void at second base. The Brewers get a prospect for Graffy instead of draft picks.

 

Kinda sounds like collusion, but I could see how Melvin and Towers could have discussed this.

[sbrylski]

Kinda sounds like collusion, but I could see how Melvin and Towers could have discussed this.

 

Would something like this be ethical? Basically they are screwing Graffy out of a year and a couple million dollars. I can't decide if this would be just the way things work or whether or not it could be something that would give Milwaukee management a poor reputation with dealing with its own players.

[LouisEly]

No, it wouldn't be, because Graffy was arbitration-eligible, which the Brewers had every right to offer which they did, and Graffy had a choice whether or not to agree to arbitration, which he did. If Graffy felt like he could get a better deal in the open market, he simply could have declined arbitration. But to say that he got hosed out of a couple of million dollars, one would say all he had to do was decline arbitration.

[TheEndless7]

Well....Imma throw something out there that's unlikely at best. But the thought of it amuses me.

 

Hardy/Miller/Jenkins ((two of the three)) and a prospect, maybe two mid level ones or one upper level one for Manny Ramiriez.

 

Yes, I said unlikely, I know Manny has said he'd block a trade to the NL...but maybe we could bribe him with free sausage?

[UWRyan428]

I know he has long held that belief, but why does he believe that? It has always been my belief that AL pitching is better than NL pitching. Also, Manny's antics would be a welcome change in Milwaukee, especially with our no-nonsense manager. I just have this weird inclination he isn't the gritty battler Ned is used to.

[TheMCG]

It's unlikely moreso because that's an absurd low-balling of the Red Sox with a bunch of mediocrity rather than his unwillingness to come to the NL.

[GAME05]

I'd bet any big-hitting clubhouse-cancer like a Manny or whomever would mark the end of Yost's tenure, not being able to control the team's best hitter. Quevedo and Sanchez were different, because they're easy enough to just cut.

[brettac1]

The Red Sox are going to sign Lugo, so that's going to take care of the SS problem.

[pg44]

Quote:

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Brewers sign Graffy and get his permission to trade to Boston

---

 

They wouldn't need his permission.

[PeaveyFury]

They might need his permission.

 

It's somewhat unclear if they would or not, depending on whether overall rules apply to your own free agents accepting arby.

[Jim Goulart]

The Red Sox spent all last spring trying to trade Graffy, and the issue of MLB rules preventing it was not an issue:

 

www.rotoworld.com/content...mp;id=2218