RealGM

The following names would be thrown out there in trade talks:
Jon Lester
Clay Buchholz
Michael Bowden
Jacoby Ellsbury
David Murphy
Brandon Moss
Coco Crisp
Wily Mo Pena
Craig Hansen
Manny Delcarmen

My thoughts are as follows in discussion of a trade with Oakland:

Harden, like Beckett is a young guy in his own right, so i wouldn't mind dealing away prospects for him. However, the Sox will not deal Jon Lester. Your right the Sox won't trade Ellsbury, the Sox are grooming him to replace Manny. But as you said Moss and Murphy could go. I would love to see Pena go, but trading Crisp could open the door for Pena in Boston. The only pitcher in Triple A i wouldn't trade is Clay Bucholz.

A deal i might do would that would help Oakland the most while allowing the Sox to keep a couple good prospects would be: Moss, Pena, Bowden for Harden

Why god why?

I'd rather just call up Buchholz right now than trade a bluechip prospect for a pitcher who will never go more than 140-150 innings in a season.

Hansen/Moss sounds like a reasonable offer.

The sox didnt inquire first though, did they? I belive oakland called them. Oakland wanting to get rid of harden doesnt really get me excited about the pitcher. I would rather just keep our prospects.

Harden and Beckett are two entirely different cases. Beckett has spent most of his time on the DL due to blister related issues. If memory serves me right, this is his 10th trip to the DL and 7 of them have been related to his middle finger and skin. One was an oblique strain and I want to say another was a quad strain.

Harden missed almost all of last season with lower back and elbow problems. He's on the DL this year because of shoulder strain/impingement. He had to go as far as visiting Dr. Lewis Yocum this season, who is like the Dr. James Andrews for shoulder injuries. He has had structural issues and while he hasn't needed surgery yet, I think there is a legitimate fear of acquiring him and needing to pay the bill for him that have his shoulder scoped. If he was having elbow issues, I might for it. But that shoulder is a tricky beast and when I hear that a pitcher is having issues with his, that's when I start to worry. I'd be all for trading for him but you know that Beane is going to charge and arm and a leg for him so I really don't see the trade being worth it. mahalo
~Chach~

Basketball Jesus wrote:Hansen/Moss sounds like a reasonable offer.

Agreed, my first thought was Murphy or Moss with one of the relief pitchers.