Christian Vasquez as a Trade Candidate

From a logical standpoint I get the idea of retrieving value for Vazquez, but they really don't have any surefire backstop that projects as a regular catcher in the minor leagues. Ramirez has the best shot at being a regular catcher, but odds are he won't be as good as Vazquez. Wong is seen more as a utility type.

Then there's the possibility that Vazquez continues to play well and is willing to re-sign with the Red Sox for a highly reasonably amount. Vazquez has made it clear multiple times that he really only wants to play for the Red Sox. He wants to be a Red Sox lifer. I'd say that's the case with him and Chris Sale and possibly Xander.

I guess I'd say if you have a guy who is pretty good, certainly among the better catchers in the league, better than what your best catching prospects in the minors would project to, doesn't look like he's declining very soon, is willing to take a reasonable contract extension because he truly wants to stay with the team, I'd say that might be a guy you want to hang onto.

I mean, he could go out and be pretty mediocre this year, and what I posted could look real silly, but as of this moment, I think he's valuable, even if he does eventually become a backup catcher assuming he signs a reasonable home town discount extension.

I wouldn't want CV moved personally. Couple of reasons. 1, is not many combo of good hitting/catching and throwing receivers in the game as it is and 2. Vazquez is one who likes it in Boston, saying multiple times he wants to remain, which means he may take a slight discount in terms of $$ and years to remain in any extension.

Should Bloom look to move him, which his name was rumored to have come up last year's trade deadline, I expect the price to be quite expensive, as in a player ready (or nearly) to step right into the lineup/rotation and more is so rare catcher's of his ilk, with 2y of control being paid so little.

All depends on his trade value. If you can get value in return that makes it worth moving him, I'd be in. A Plawecki/Hermann tandem from midseason on wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

I get that the catcher of the future isn't necessarily coming up, but I'm not sure betting on one of Wong/Pereda/Hernandez developing is a worse bet than relying on Vazquez at age 32 and onward.

It's interesting to imagine how you would put someone like CV on the market and how a negotiation would play out.

Let's start with a comparison to DD. He took over, as I remember, a last-place team, but one that was on the way up. He identified established, high-level big-leaguers as targets to fill pitching needs: Kimbrel, Pomerantz, Sale, and pursued them. I imagine that in this situation, as the determined pursuer of high-end talent, DD made the first offer and, in consequence, paid a higher price than might seem necessary. In essence, DD paid in prospects to rebuilding teams, SD and the W Sox, to be good now while they were building for the future. Both teams, because they had different goals, could see a deal of this sort as a win-win: I get better today; you get better tomorrow.

CB is in essentially the opposite position from DD. He holds the established player that other teams are apparently pursuing. What gives him leverage is that this is not an obvious trade for him to make. CV is a good player at a difficult position to fill, and his contract is good for two years (I think) and relatively inexpensive. How much is such a player worth? My guess is that Bloom let's it be known that he is listening to offers, and he sits back and waits for them to come. They'll establish CV's value to other teams. If offers don't come, that's fine. He's happy with what he's got.
Eventually, though, a hypothetical, the Angels come and offer Marsh and Rodriguez. It's tempting: they are good prospects who might fill positions of need for the Sox. CB says, "No." He wants more. I don't see CB making a counter-offer at first. Patience and silence are virtues here. Maybe, who knows, after years of disappointment, the Angels will feel some desperation and so come back (the Red Sox dream) and offer to substitute Adell for Marsh ... If they don't, then, as imagined in the beginning, CB is happy to hold on to CV and wait for a better offer.

It seems to me that the negotiations for Beni worked out in something of this way. CB listened to a number of offers but none of them were good enough until KC came along.

I think CV is staying, but if he does go, my bet is that the trade will be a good one for the Sox. CB holds all the cards here.

To echo something Chris mentioned above: Jhonny Pereda is an under-the-radar catching prospect who might not be that far away. He seems ahead of Wong and Hernandez in development and to have played very well this winter.

My guess is that they'll always listen, but there are some guys they are in no hurry to move ...

I doubt he’s going anywhere. CV, at his best, makes pitchers better:
bosoxinjection.com/2020/01/06/red-sox-catcher-christian-vazquez-joins-elite-class-position/
lastwordonsports.com/2016/04/21/christian-vazquez-value-pitch-framing/

Even if the Sox are sellers at the deadline, replacing him with an inferior catcher would lower the value of the journeyman relievers that are Bloom’s chief trade currency.