Shin-Soo Choo and Justin Masterson

I actually like the sound of this trade if they would accept it. Fills a couple holes and gets rid of some 40 man roster clutter and a head case.

I think if you want them both you're going to have to give up at least one of the non-Xander blue-chip prospects (Barnes, Bradley, Webster, De La Rosa) or Doubront, and then almost certainly top-10 prospects beyond that (Brentz, Cecchini, Swihart, etc). Remember-- no team is going to trade established major league semi-stars for second-tier prospects.

I agree, if we want Choo just wait a year and all this Masterson coming back talk has been going on since he left. The cost would be too high and if you take into account the prospects that you'd be keeping going after a Jackson is a better deal than trading for Masterson.

i hate that the sox are trying to win next year. it will take a few years to rebuild. i would not trade for either of those guys. i wouldn't sign any old guys that are fat and can't hit anymore like Napoli. what make anyone think that coming off down-years, they will rebound in boston? if the indians are getting two potential very-good big leaguers, why not hold on to them? the sox probably wouldn't have choo or masterson for more than a year, so they are better off holding on to their prospects that are under team control for a long time if they pan out. BOTTOM LINE: DO NOT TRADE ANY PROSPECTS! THE SOX NEED TO REBUILD! DON'T SIGN ANY OLD AND FAT GUYS LIKE NAPOLI! DON'T TRADE FOR GUYS IN A CONTRACT YEAR THAT ARE 30! FOCUS ON REBUILDING THE FARM SYSTEM AND COMPETING IN 2014!

I've heard some people say that its the fan base that doesn't want a rebuilding year. We have won for quite some time and we expect them to win so rebuilding would get be tough on the fans. I don't agree with that at all. I think the sox should sign a napoli for two years. Sign a ross or hunter for two years. Like I said before I only think they should go for Masterson and Choo if they can give up no significant prospects. That probably won't happen. I like a lot of our prospects and think that they should hold on to them. This year I think with the right signings we can win 80-85 games. But thats without injuries and under performing and such. 2014 I think is when everything will come together. Brentz, Bogaerts, Bradley Jr, Webster and De La Rosa should be there as well. This year they need to focus on bringing in guys who are productive and are good clubhouse guys. These younger players need veteran guys who can teach them and be good role models for them.

jpaul1210 I second your motion. I am not for quick fix and instant gratification. Go back to the drawing board and re-tool the machine top to bottom. Come back bigger, stronger, faster.

[/quote]So I assume you were not in favor of signing old fat guy David Ortiz.[/quote]


Ortiz is a truly great player and does not block any prospects.

I'm in agreement with the guys above, i don't mind rebuilding. it is evident that signing big free agents and unloading the farm system for "names" does not work. that is why the sox are where they are. the best GM strategy is to "draft and develop." There is no doubt about that. Just think, if the sox had stuck to never trading any prospects, look at what the team would look like:

C: Lavarnway
1B: Rizzo
2B: Pedroia
SS: Hanley
3B: WMB
LF: David Murhpy
CF: Ellsbury
RF: Reddick
DH: Papi

SP: Lester
SP: Buchholz
SP: Anibal Sanchez
SP: Masterson
SP: Kelly
SP: Doubront (I think Doubront will develop into a #3 starter)

I know the hanley ramirez trade gave them a world series, but this is just showing what the sox would look like if the went with a "trade no prospect" policy

Uh... is this team supposed to be super impressive? It's not exactly a juggernaut World Series contender on paper. It's really not even that much better than what the Red Sox have going into 2013. The only real upgrades are Rizzo, H. Ramirez, Reddick, and A. Sanchez. Fair point on Reddick, but Hanley is overpaid and Sanchez is a free agent. As for Rizzo, he indirectly got us Webster and De La Rosa, which is a reasonably even swap I think.

"Never trade away prospects" is an idea that gets tossed around a lot here, which I guess makes sense because this is a prospect-oriented site.

Realistically, this philosophy is, well, insane. I get that what people usually mean is "Never trade away prospects in stupid trades" but this idea that homegrown players will always turn out better than everyone else out there, and will always be more valuable if held on to, and especially this belief that they will always reach their developmental ceiling, it just isn't true.

Becoming too protective of homegrown talent is just as damaging as being too willing to part with it.

So I assume you were not in favor of signing old fat guy David Ortiz.


Ortiz is a truly great player and does not block any prospects.

I'm in agreement with the guys above, i don't mind rebuilding. it is evident that signing big free agents and unloading the farm system for "names" does not work. that is why the sox are where they are. the best GM strategy is to "draft and develop." There is no doubt about that. Just think, if the sox had stuck to never trading any prospects, look at what the team would look like:

C: Lavarnway
1B: Rizzo
2B: Pedroia
SS: Hanley
3B: WMB
LF: David Murhpy
CF: Ellsbury
RF: Reddick
DH: Papi

SP: Lester
SP: Buchholz
SP: Anibal Sanchez
SP: Masterson
SP: Kelly
SP: Doubront (I think Doubront will develop into a #3 starter)

I know the hanley ramirez trade gave them a world series, but this is just showing what the sox would look like if the went with a "trade no prospect" policy[/quote]It doesn't change the fact the he's old and fat. And, btw, I'd take a few more like him on my team anyday.

As for lamenting the loss of prospects for veterans in trades have you considered how the Sox have replenished their farm system?

Matt Barns thanks to Victor Martinez
Henry Owens, thanks again VMart
Bryce Brentz thanks to Billy Wagner
Blake Swihart thanks to Adrian Beltre
Jackie Bradley, Jr. and big thank you again, Adrian
Anthony Ranaudo thanks to Jason Bay

So you lose some in the hopes of improving your team for post season success, as happened in 2004 and 2007. And you recoup your losses by schrewd player analysis to gain draft picks, and by effective scouting.

I see where you are all going, I know that it is very appropriate to trade prospects in some situations. But I don't see the point in unloading the farm system for for one player. With the Pedro trade, Pedro was already truly great and they sox only gave up one good prospect for him. I just think that the sox should just focus on rebuilding for one more year. I'm not saying never to trade a prospect, but I think it is better to hang on to the very good prospects and trade the quality prospects only if you are getting good something in return, and in my opinion, Choo and Masterson are not good.

Also, I'm not saying that the team that I laid out had the red sox never traded any prospects is desirable, I'm just proving that the Sox are always bringing up good players and sometimes its a good idea to hang on to them.

They don't?