The Red Sox are playing hardball. The prices for pieces will change in the next 28 hours – that’s how long we have until the non-waiver trade deadline – but for the moment, the Boston Red Sox are definitely playing hardball in talks with teams to move their best pitching assets.
Hearing #redsox are asking for teams' best prospects for Andrew Miller. Might have to drop price to make a deal happen.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 30, 2014
Earlier, reporter Bob Nightengale wrote this in his USA Today column:
"The asking price for Lester is two Grade A prospects, according to executives involved with the Red Sox talks."
Seriously?
Air Alamo
Okay, yeah: Miller is the best relief pitcher – left- or right-handed – that is known to be available.
Jon Lesteris having a
Cy Youngcaliber year.
Now I am a realist: the price to obtain the services of either of these players should be significant. But if you make a deal, they’re both only guaranteed to be there with your team for two months.
So does the ranking go – as Nightengale reports – one best prospect for Miller, two for Lester, and three for David Price? If those are my choices, I’d opt for Price every time: instead of maybe 11-ish starts for Lester, you’d be in line to get about 43-45 from Price since he’s under control for all of 2015.
So – wow. Maybe somebody will bite on that formula, but don’t bet on it. The Braves certainly would like to have Miller – but not at that kind of cost. So for those suggesting that these trades are “imminent”… nope… not until the Red Sox dial it down quite a bit. You just can’t cut off the very top of your farm system for a 2 month rental.
No wonder Atlanta is investigating other possibilities.