Kevin Youkilis hit a career-low .258 in 2011. (AP)

Is it time to trade Kevin Youkilis?

Well, not ideally. We are clearly at the 70 cents on the dollar stage with Youkilis, who had his worst offensive season in 2011, a batting average 41 points below his career number and an on-base percentage 18 points lower than his .391 career mark. Throw in that he played 120 games last season — and 102 the year before — and will be 33 in April and you’ve got kind of a lousy trade chip, no?

But this is where the Red Sox are. I’m not certain they occupy a position of real strength when it comes to trade talks. Has Ben Cherington been cautious in his first three months as GM? You could call it that, I suppose — not sure I would have given up top prospects for Gio Gonzalez (career 1.49 road WHIP) or handed Carlos Beltran a two-year, $26 million deal. No problem with the Sox punting on both.

I have no clue if Cherington (or Larry Lucchino or whoever is calling the shots) is going to be a competent general manager, but I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt for now.

Here’s the problem, though: The Sox have been the third-best team in the AL East each of the last two seasons and right now are no better than the team that walked off the field after Game No. 162 in Baltimore. They’ve basically flipped Jonathan Papelbon for Mark Melancon. Makes sense from a business perspective — no way I’m giving any closer 50 million bucks — but you can’t make the case with any confidence that Melancon has a better year than Papelbon in 2012. What else you got? Nick Punto with his career .327 slugging percentage and intangibles to spare?

Read the rest of this entry »

Gio Gonzalez (AP)

The A’s traded left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals in exchange for a four-prospect package of 23-year-old right-hander Brad Peacock (who reached the big leagues this year) 22-year-old catcher Derek Norris (who spent the year in Double-A), 19-year-old power right-hander A.J. Cole (who spent the season in Single-A) and 24-year-old left-hander Tom Milone (who finished the year in the majors). The trade was first reported by Keith Law of ESPN.com (via twitter)

The deal removes one of the top available starters from the trade market, someone whom the Sox had pursued with the A’s through the end of the process. Indeed, the Sox were one of the last teams with whom the A’s were talking.

Gonzalez is 38-32 with a 3.93 ERA in parts of four seasons. He has emerged as one of the better starters in the American League in the last two years, putting up somewhat similar numbers to fellow southpaw C.J. Wilson (who signed a five-year, $77.5 million deal with the Angels this winter).

In 2010-11, Gonzalez is a combined 31-21 with a 3.17 ERA, with 8.2 strikeouts and 4.1 walks per nine innings, having pitched just over 200 innings and made 32 and 33 starts in those two seasons. He has held opponents to a .229 average during that time, sixth lowest in the AL among pitchers with at least 300 innings pitched over the last two years. Wilson, by contrast, was 31-15 with a 3.14 ERA, 7.9 strikeouts and 3.5 walks per nine innings, a 1.215 WHIP while averaging 214 innings. Read the rest of this entry »

The Giants might consider trading starter Jonathan Sanchez. (AP)

According to FoxSports.com, the Giants are open to trading left-handed starter Jonathan Sanchez this offseason. Sanchez, who turns 29 this month, struggled to a 4-7 record and 4.26 ERA in 19 starts last year, as injuries and command issues (a career-high 5.9 walks per nine innings) resulted in diminished effectiveness.

Even so, the hard-throwing left-hander has struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings throughout his career, and he was a significant contributor to the Giants team that won the World Series in 2010, going 13-9 with a 3.07 ERA and 205 strikeouts (as well as an NL-high 96 walks) that season.

Sanchez earned $4.8 million in 2011. He is in his last year of team control before reaching free agency, and is expected, according to the report, to receive a salary bump to the vicinity of $6 million. Read the rest of this entry »

Peter Gammons

Peter Gammons of the MLB Network and NESN joined Minor Details for the latest episode to discuss the growing importance of player development in baseball and a number of key Red Sox prospects whose springs bear watching. Among the highlights:

–Gammons believes that the cost of acquiring players in free agency, at ages when they are typically entering their decline, suggests that player development and prospects are more valuable than ever.

“The Red Sox couldn’t have made the Adrian Gonzalez deal, and would have had to risk five years on Adrian Beltre in his 30s, with his leg problems, or would have had to wait to try to spend $30 million on [Albert] Pujols,” he said. “Having three really good prospects and getting Adrian Gonzalez so they won’t have to pay him past the age of 35, I think that’s part of it.

“The Yankees, who have done a great job with their development system as well, could end up – if Oakland doesn’t get off to a really good start – they could turn around and go and get one of those young left-handed pitchers. I can see Gio Gonzalez, I can see [Brett] Anderson. It’s going to cost them three pretty good prospects, really good prospects. But that’s better than waiting around for a year and spending a ridiculous amount of money on whoever might be a free-agent pitcher.

“The value to the Yankees of having all those guys is, they’re going to have to give up three of them. Okay, they give up, I don’t think [Jesus] Montero would probably go, but let’s say they give up [Gary Sanchez] and Adam Warren and [Dellin] Betances or one of their young pitchers. If that gets them a guy who’s 25, 26 years old who they can hold onto for four years, it’s worth the weight in gold.”

–Gammons believes that both shortstop Jose Iglesias and outfielder Ryan Kalish are, without question, projected as lineup regulars for the Sox by 2012. Gammons went on to suggest that comparisons of Kalish and former Sox right fielder Trot Nixon might underestimate how good Kalish can be.

“I have great respect for Trot Nixon, but Ryan Kalish is a totally different athlete. He is a great athlete,” said Gammons. “I see him being a guy, he doesn’t swing and miss a lot, who’s going to hit somewhere between .280 and .300, hit 25 home runs, he can run. I think he’s going to be a really exciting player.”

He also noted that manager Terry Francona had to force himself not to judge other prospects against Kalish, whose approach to the game allowed him to fit in immediately in the Sox clubhouse after his July 31 call-up last year.

–The Red Sox have developed a pair of front-of-the-rotation starters in Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, but have not developed a 30-home run hitter under GM Theo Epstein (though it is worth mentioning that Kevin Youkilis developed into one of the elite producers in the game under the current Sox front office after being drafted under former Sox GM Dan Duquette in 2001). Gammons suggested that the Sox are not alone in finding it more challenging to develop middle-of-the-order power hitters than top starters.

“I think it’s more difficult to develop power. I remember in the first year of the full drug testing, in 2005, before the draft, Theo said to me, ‘We better be aware that drug testing is going to change the game, and it’s going to be a new game over the next five to 10 years.’ And they drafted Jacoby Ellsbury. That was the beginning,” said Gammons. “With all their draft choices this year, I’d bet they try to find a couple of guys who can hit the ball a long way. But I think it’s very difficult. … I think finding power is going to become more and more difficult.”

–Gammons said he feels that Lars Anderson could still develop into a power hitter.

“When I first saw him play in Portland, I thought he was born to play in Fenway Park,” said Gammons. “I think this is a critical year for him. If he goes to Pawtucket, uses left-center, right-center, hits 25 home runs, he’ll be on his way to being an important piece. Obviously Adrian Gonzalez is going to be here for six years or so, but Lars could be a DH or he could end up being traded. But I’d love to see him get the chance to be a first baseman/DH at Fenway Park, because I think that’s a natural place for him.”

To listen to the complete podcast, in which Gammons discusses several other players as well as broader issues related to player development, click here.

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Ep. 9: The winding path of Andrew Miller: A look at the unique sets of career choices that the 25-year-old left-hander has run into during his baseball career, and how he ended up signing a minor league deal with the Red Sox.

Ep. 8: Key prospect issues in spring training: Five key spring training storylines of note for Red Sox minor leaguers.

Ep. 7: The Red Sox’ Cuban connection: A look at the talent base that has inspired the Sox to spend heavily on players who defected from Cuba, along with the professional and cultural challenges that those players face once in the U.S. Guests are Red Sox minor league outfielder Juan Carlos Linares, minor league hitting coach Alex Ochoa (who spent 2010 helping prospect Jose Iglesias adjust to professional baseball in the U.S.) and agent Edwin Mejia of Athletes Premier, an agency whose stable of clients includes some players from Cuba

Ep. 6: Why the Red Sox draft football stars, with Red Sox scouting director Amiel Sawdaye and Red Sox minor league outfielder Brandon Jacobs, who was recruited to play football at Auburn and could have taken part in the 2011 BCS title game

Ep. 5: The human side of the Adrian Gonzalez trade, with Padres (and former Red Sox) prospect Anthony Rizzo, Sox scout Laz Gutierrez and Sox farm director Mike Hazen. The episode also includes a discussion with Baseball America’s Jim Callis about the state of the Sox farm system following the trade for Adrian Gonzalez

Ep. 4: Evaluating prospects and making blockbusters, with former Diamondbacks GM/Red Sox Assistant GM Josh Byrnes and former Red Sox manager Butch Hobson (who was Jeff Bagwell‘s manager in the Red Sox system when he was traded to the Astros)

Ep. 3: Red Sox catching prospects, with Sox roving catching instructor Chadd Epperson, as well as a conversation with Arizona Fall League manager Mike Sarbaugh about the Sox’ prospects in the AFL

Ep. 2: Red Sox trade chips with Keith Law of ESPN.com

Ep. 1: Baseball America’s list of the Top 10 Red Sox prospects, with Mike Hazen and Jim Callis

Clay Buchholz

Following Tuesday’s heartbreaking 5-4 extra-innings loss to the A’s, the Red Sox will look to recoup and salvage the three-game series in Oakland during Wednesday’s rubber match. In order for that to happen, Boston will need its offense to turn around. The Sox bats haven’t scored more than four runs in a game since July 10, and with several key position players still on the DL, it will be up to the players currently on the roster, whether they were there for Opening Day or not, to make that turnaround. If not, the Sox arms will need to continue to carry the load during this 10-game West Coast road trip, and for that reason, first-time All-Star Clay Buchholz could not have picked a better time to make his own return from the disabled list as he takes the hill for Wednesday’s matinee. He will square off against young Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez.

This will be Buchholz’s (10-4, 2.45 ERA) first start since he exited Boston’s June 26 game against San Francisco after pulling up lame on the basepaths with a hamstring injury. However before the setback, Buchholz was putting up statistics equivalent to a Cy Young candidate. He was one of the league leaders in wins and ERA and even had Yankee manager Joe Girardi saying that had Buchholz not missed the All-Star game due to the hamstring issue, it would have been a very difficult call as to who would start for the American League between eventual starter David Price, Jon Lester and him.

Buchholz was able to make one rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket before joining the Red Sox Wednesday and allowed two runs over 3 2/3 innings to go along with four hits, two strikeouts and one walk. Not exactly tantalizing numbers, but Buchholz did report afterwards that he felt fine physically and that was his biggest concern heading into the start.

On the other side, although Gonzalez (8-6, 3.63 ERA) may not seem as exciting for baseball fans, he certainly has put up some quality numbers for the A’s this season. His ERA is second-lowest among Oakland starters, and his 92 strikeouts in 114 innings put him in the lead for the team in that category. In four of his last five starts, he’s allowed a run or less with the only blip on the radar being a four-inning, five-run performance against the Yankees July 7. He allowed three runs over five innings in a 9-4 loss to Boston June 1 but ultimately did not factor in the decision. Read the rest of this entry »

John Lackey

After going 18-11 in the month of May, the Red Sox begin June in a better standing in the American League East. Following an April in which Boston went below .500 with an 11-12 record, the Sox picked up their play and closed the gap to five games between them and the division-leading Rays in May. Now, Boston will open up the new month with a three-game series at Fenway Park against the Athletics. Lefty Gio Gonzalez will be on the mound in Tuesday night’s opener for Oakland while John Lackey will look to continue his success against the Athletics from his days in an Angels uniform.

In only his second full season in the majors, Gonzalez is 5-3 with a 3.54 ERA. After going 6-7 last year, he’s only one win away from reaching his victory total of 2009. Gonzalez has been even better in his last three starts, in which he’s 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA, including an eight-inning gem against the Giants on May 22. He outdueled Matt Cain in a 1-0 win, allowing only two hits and one walk.

During a season when he had control issues, Gonzalez walked four hitters in his only start against Boston last year at Fenway Park. He gave up five hits and three runs while striking out eight to earn a no-decision in a 5-8 loss. Gonzalez has improved his control this season, walking 27 batters through 61 innings after allowing 56 free passes in 98 2/3 innings last year.

Opposing Gonzalez will be Lackey, who is no stranger to the Athletics lineup. In 29 career starts against Oakland, he’s 16-4 with a 2.76 ERA — his most wins over any opponent and his lowest ERA against any team he’s faced more than twice. Despite struggling at times this season, Lackey had a solid outing in his last start against Tampa Bay, allowing two runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Prior to his win against the Rays, Lackey was on a two-game losing streak and had allowed 15 runs over three starts. The righty also has had problems finding the strike zone this year and has a concerning walk-strikeout ratio (30 walks, 35 strikeouts). Facing a familiar opponent in the Athletics, Lackey will attempt to find a rhythm and continue a consistent pace through the rest of the season. Read the rest of this entry »