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Jayson Stark on D&H: Red Sox could deal Jacoby Ellsbury 12.14.10 at 7:02 pm ET
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ESPN's Jayson Stark feels that the Cliff Lee deal could impact the trade market. (AP)

Jayson Stark of ESPN called into the Dale & Holley Show on Tuesday to discuss the Phillies’ signing of Cliff Lee and what that means for the Yankees and the Red Sox.

With Lee now heading to Philadelphia with a five-year, $120 million deal, the Phillies have an abundance of starting pitching at a high price. Sports Illustrated reported on Tuesday that the Red Sox and Phillies had a deal in place for Joe Blanton. Stark was asked if Blanton would make sense for the Red Sox.

“Not particularly,” said Stark of Blanton, who has two years and $17 million left on his contract. “I think the Red Sox were willing yesterday to do anything to help the Phillies make this [Lee] deal happen. They would have been a very accommodating trade partner. Joe Blanton doesn’t fit for them. Think about the last time Joe Blanton set foot in Fenway Park. Daniel Nava can tell you all about it. I don’t see Joe Blanton as an AL East kind of guy.”

What is the next move for the Yankees, who now appear to be reeling after missing on Lee? Stark suggests that the Yankees are still trying to figure out what the next step should be, but a move made on Tuesday could lead to a bigger deal down the line.

“The Yankees really haven’t even formulated Plan B,” said Stark. “They were so obsessed, so fixated on Cliff Lee that they were willing to basically put all their resources into him and worry about what happens if they don’t get him later. There’s no doubt that the Russell Martin deal gives them ammunition to make a trade later. Catching is the strongest, deepest part of their system and now they have catching to deal. So I don’t think these deals are disconnected … I think it’s more likely than ever that they’ll make a big deal before the deadline.”

In contrast to the Yankees, the Red Sox have had an extraordinarily productive off-season, adding Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Stark was asked if the Sox could make another high-impact move.

“I don’t think there’s a whole lot more for the Red Sox to do,” Stark said. “They’re in the tweaking stage right now. I think they are going to listen on Mike Cameron. I don’t think they’re likely to trade him because if you start to look at that outfield and start thinking about how likely it is that Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew play 140 games each, you’ll see that it’s not that likely. So Mike Cameron still fits for them but he’s an interesting chip. But they’ve spent their money well and they’ve thought and looked over the horizon as they always do and it really showed.”

Is there any chance that the addition of Crawford means a possible deal involving Jacoby Ellsbury? Stark believes the Red Sox are happy with the team they have but won’t shut the door on a potential Ellsbury trade.

“I think it opens that possibility,” said Stark. “No doubt about it. The sense I get is that they are very content with how their team and outfield shapes up right now. But they’ve got four everyday outfielders and an everyday DH, so any time you are sitting in that spot it’s a great place to be. They’re in the driver’s seat now, they can totally call their own shots here and control where their off-season goes from here. Anything they do now, they do from strength. That’s not the case with the Yankees.”

To hear the entire interview, check out the Dale and Holley audio on demand page.

Read More: Cliff Lee, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jayson Stark, joe blanton Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • http://juan.com juan

    Ok. this is a dumb headline. He said that they are “open to trading him.” The headline makes it sound like the Sox are shopping him. They are not. Cameron and Drew are both gone after this year and to trade Ellsbury for anyone not named Hanley would be ridiculous.

    Also, Francona has said dozens of times in the past week, “Our team is best when Ellsbury leads off.” Pencil him in to start at CF and bat leadoff. Cameron will be 4th OF.

    • http://Enteryourwebsite... ryan

      If They could swing a trade with Arizona to bring Justin Upton to Boston I think they would do it. Upton is locked up for the next five years at a reasonable price and ellsbury will be difficult to sign after his arbitration years because of Scott Nora’s being his agent.

  • Chris

    And how do you figure that Jacoby is not likly to play 140 games? in his first two full seasons he played 145 & 153 games. He was hurt last year because a train hit him in left field. I think its for sure that he will play more then 140. JD prolly wont tho.

  • WICKEDSOX

    just please get bulpen help….cause we need it. i’ve heard the name joe blanton abit so maybe someting there…i’ve also heard about a couple of relief pitchers foem the blue jays,i really think that all is left is to get the bulpen straight and pray that beckett and lackey have a strong year….

  • dave

    Juan is right on. This headline was just a bad tease to get readers. Ellsbury might get traded; but it would be a year or more away when he nears free agency, has had a better year and when a suitable replacement is ready or obtainable. Not this year!

  • flag waiver

    I agree with Ryan,,,,,,Jason Upton would fit real nice in Boston. Theo knows this. He’d be the frosting on the cake. Better move quickly. Sox have the most to make this deal happen.

  • Dano50

    They are NOT getting Upton. Ridiculous. They’d have to include a lot more than Ellsbury. Like add Buchholz, Bard and Iglesias. The only way they trade a talent like that is if they get totally bowled over by something crazy like that.

  • Russ Pepin

    I have loved the Red Sox since childhood and have suffered for 65 years as they floundered around until 2004 when we won our 1st modern era World Series. During the past 10 yeasrs, we have enjoyed the likes of Youkalis, Pedroia, Ortiz, Beltre, even Manny, but the most exciting fielding player of this past decade has got to be Jacoby Ellsbury.
    I for one would be absolutely distraught if I didn’t have our future teams with him in the lineup.
    If management feels the need to get rid of an outfielder, make it Drew…..we’re used to eating salary for the good of the team (i.e, Manny).
    Let’s not decimate the team but ridding ourselves of one of the most exciting players in baseball. KEEP JACOBY!!!

  • jake

    Chris, Ellsbury is still feeling the effects of his injuries from last season. Theo and Tito have both confirmed this. There is no guarantee he will be ready for the beginning of the season.

  • Adam

    Blanton is a downgrade from any pitcher in our pitching staff and he certainly won’t help the bullpen.

  • Paul

    Blanton was NEVER going to be a Sox,Philly called Sox before taking lee,about taking Blanton,they said “yea maybe” Philly thought they were unloading $17 mil.Philly signs Lee Sox decide they were “only kicking the tires” brilliant move by Sox

  • http://catholicbook.com mascmen7

    Red Sox were leading in the 7th inning 30 times last year but lost all of them as well as most extra innings games as their bullpen stunk and three of their starters can not go longer than 5 innings. Sox have replaced MVP Beltre and All Star Victor Martinez so are equal there but lost a hitting catcher and a great Bill Hall who played everywhere and had pop so team is still a mess as the pitching still stinks. Lowell, Dice K and Varitek are Boras clients as were others of Red Sox so stop assuming anyone who has Boras has to be traded.

  • jayd808

    An amazing stat Mascmen7. Having listened to many of those games, I thought the off season would be devoted to plugging those horrendous gaps in the team: namely the bullpen and starting pitching.

    Do they assume that their SPs will have “bounce back years?” On the contrary last year was “defining years” for many in this group. We learned that Beckett is nothing without his fastball, another Texan meathead who doesn’t know how to PITCH. Daisuke has not adjusted to MLB play, period. Lackey is an innings eater, a median back ender on the staff, not the number 2 envisioned by his contract. Don’t get me started on the bullpen.

    So outside of Lester and Bucholtz, this team is going nowhere. Granted they will score 6 or 7 runs and may take the AL East, but this is a one and out team in the playoffs.

    They need to trade Daisuke to a west coast team and pray that Ellsbury has enough good games so his trade value returns to what it was before.

    dj

  • http://na Mickey

    I got it… trade Matsuzaka, Michael Bowden, Daniel Nava, and the #1 pick we got from Detroit for… Zach Grienke… And I can’t believe we can’t find a spot for Bill Hall… what gives?

  • big daddy

    Who wants Ellsbury? Hurt all the time, has no heart, bad on base % and zero power. Sounds like a great fit for baston redsuks if i ever heard one

  • madrasmike

    big daddy has an awfully short memory. If it wasn’t for Jacoby being so accommodating he would not have been injured last year. He should have been in centerfield all along. Did you already forget 2008 and 2009. Give him the contract he deserves and get on with it.

  • Athas

    you can’t honestly think someone who has an anxiety disorder that prolly can’t play in New York can any more play for Boston. The press conference alone will send Greinke back on his meds.

  • Robert

    If you wanted to trade Ellsbury, you could probably get Mi

  • Robert

    Sorry. Napoli from the Angels for Ellsbury could be done. He is a rh hitting catcher with 20 plus homer a year history. He can play 1st and DH against lefties.A move that could really help the Sox. I would only do this deal if I knew Cameron was healthy and if I wasn’t sure about Ells. Right now, they are not sure about either.

  • wylie

    isn’t helpinh another team sign a FA collusion? I would thing MLB needs to investigate

  • Mark

    TRADE:
    Jacoby Ellsberry, Jose Iglesias, Felix Doubront, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia for Zach Grienke.
    K.C is looking for a CF, SS, C, and pitching in return.

  • John

    Mark…put the drugs down. You can’t be serious.

  • Joe

    Thanks John… Mark KC isn’t going to get major talent like the players you suggested, maybe two of those names and two A ballers with upside.

  • DJ

    yeah mark we should just give them the Red Sox starting line up while we’re at it.

  • DJ

    You don’t trade Ellsbury for Mike Napoli.

  • Robert

    And I wouldn’t without having some doubt about Ellsbury coming back with his full skill set. There is some serious doubt right now.Ideally, I would like to see a full season of CC and Ells,healthy and together.They could do some incredible damage. Still would love Napoli’s bat in this lineup.Maybe a healthy Cameron could get it done. They (Angels) really need an outfielder.

  • D-Mill

    I actually really like Ellsbury, or at least the idea of the potential Ellsbury could bring to the top of the order and outfield. If he’s healthy, that outfield is ridiculously good. Everybody knocks J.D. Drew, but he’s not too bad; he just gets paid way too much for what he’s worth, which is a solid fielder and slightly above-average hitter.

    Oh, and Papelbon may have his best year yet, too.

    Let’s not forget how injured this team was last year and the potential of our own return players returning to form, in addition to the likes of Crawford and Gonzalez.

    Look out, cookout!

  • craig

    Every time I hear of someone wanting to get rid of Ellsbury I think of the same nuts who wanted to get rid of Buchholz early last year. Russ Pepin on 12/15 was right about Ellsbury. I’ve watched the Sox since 1941 being a station to station team with little or no speed. Finally we get some and people want to trade him. Every time he gets on base it’s a potential double. That in addition to the fact that he’s around a 300 hitter and how many of those are around. The Sox medical staff mis-diagnosed his injuries and sent him back to play too early exascerbating those injuries and for that people are down on him. When he did come back, he stole four bases in one game. Who else on the Sox does that? Fans frustration should directed at the Sox medical staff not Ellsbury.

  • Robert

    I agree with you. If he is the Ellsbury of old,he and Crawford will terrorize pitchers.But,because of the inept medical team, there are real questions as to whether he will make it back this year. Might be the biggest question facing the Sox..At least we have Cameron to play center, as long as he is healthy.It is hard to believe they won as many as they did,while losing two fine players for the whole year,not to mention Pedey and Youk and Martinez for shorter periods.

  • Genivive

    Make it back? Are you kidding? He had a few rib fractures not cancer. He will be fine. BTW there is NO treatment for rib fractures except pain pills and sympathy. You deal with the pain (He couldn’t)until they heal and that is it.
    The Sox medical staff did just fine. Jacoby was looking for a quick fix and kept going to different doctors until one made him happy. I suspect said doc just agreed with everything Jacoby said. It doesn’t mean the doc did anything.

  • Robert

    Looking at some of these old posts makes me think that V Mart should have been brought back. For less then 50 mill,we could have had him as DH and in the field,if they had jumped right on it two years ago.Papi’s 12 mill could have been dumped this off season while V-Mart did most of the DHing. Had they signed Jason Bay that 1st year,they might of had him at 50 mill for 5 years.60 at the most. He was perfect at Fenway.Now,it’s 144 million for Crawford. Is there that big of a difference in production.No. In fact, Bay is a much more productive hitter,though lacking CC’s intqangibles..The point of the post is this.They could have had a much lower payroll today.They are guilty of not being proactive at signing the good players they get.They are guaranteed to pay alot more by letting them get to free agency and always lose them anyway.Which means they pay alot more when replacing them. They insult the player along the way by not trying to tie them up,and the players, of course, tell other players.about trying to negotiate with Boston.This is a teribble, arrogant management style of the Sox, and it hurts them in the wallet everytime. Nothing against A-Gone and CC. The should be great players,and I am glad management were willing to spend to get them.However,they pay a huge cost for misjudging the players they already had.

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