The Pitchers

• Allen Webster continued his dominant season with Pawtucket with an excellent start on Friday. He allowed 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 9 in 6 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.70 and picking up his first win of the year. If a Red Sox rotation member sees any struggles, it will likely be Webster that is called up as he has been great in Triple-A.
• Matt Barnes may finally be starting to rediscover his excellent stuff. He recorded a great start on Wednesday, going 6 innings while allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks with 10 strikeouts. Barnes has been notoriously unlucky to start the year as despite a 27:8 K:BB ratio in 20 innings and an abundance of ground ball outs, he has a 6.75 ERA and .325 batting average against. Hopefully his luck is starting to turn and we’ll see more of the Barnes we saw last season.
• Henry Owens has been great to start his season in Salem, and that trend continued as he allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 10 yesterday. Owens has always had great strikeout stuff, and that has certainly been on display this year as he has 40 in 32 innings, but he has been generally much more effective than he was last year as he has a 2.25 ERA and a .153 batting average against. We could see him in Portland before too long if he continues this.
• Anthony Ranaudo’s marvelous return to form continued in his Thursday start as he allowed 1 run on 4 hits and a walk in 5.1 innings, striking out 4. Ranaudo has been phenomenal this season in Portland for the 23 year old and it’s looking like he’s ready to reclaim his spot as one of the Red Sox’ top prospects.

The Hitters

• Xander Bogaerts is quickly making people forget about his slow start, as he just finished up a magnificent week. He batted .313 with his first 2 home runs of the year and 3 RBIs. He is now up to a .303/.373/.465 slash line with 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, 3 stolen bases, and an especially impressive 11 walks– plate discipline being his main flaw after last season.
  

  Apr 1, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley (44) grounds to the pitcher advancing two men during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Boston won 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

• Jackie Bradley Jr. has finally begun to heat up after a slow start to his season at Pawtucket. Over the last week, he batted .500 (6-12) with 2 RBIs and 2 walks. Strikeouts have been a problem since his brief stint in the majors, but he has brought his overall slash line up to .302/.400/.349 with 0 homers and 4 RBIs.
• Garin Cecchini has continued his hot start in Salem, as he raked for another week, hitting at a clip of .375 with 1 home run and 5 RBIs. So far, he has looked deserving of a promotion as his slash line has been bumped to .394/.466/.636 with 3 homers, 16 RBIs, and 10 steals.

Although it has been just 12 games, the Marlins are already 2-10 and buried nine games back of the division leader Atlanta Braves. Many have resurrected the Stanton trade talks, arguing that the ball club should just finish what they started in the winter. As a result of the intensified whispers, perhaps surprisingly, Marlins officials have recently stated they are “not interested” in dealing the once-in-a-generation slugger.

Mar 26, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) connects for a solo home run in the first inning during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

I find this particularly surprising because it took six months for the Marlins to say they aren’t interested in trading Stanton. If they are so hesitant to trade him now, why the delay? My guess is the Fish just didn’t receive any offers good enough and are trying to smooth things over with him now that the regular season is underway. Even if the Marlins are still shopping him, publicly denying his availability might allow Stanton to focus solely on his game instead of the noise around him. In turn, that could still keep Stanton’s trade value at an astronomical high it is right now.  I still think that, for the right package, Stanton could be dealt shortly.

Among the interested teams, per Peter Gammons, include none other than the Red Sox. With Jackie Bradley Jr. probably being demoted at some point given his slow start and service time issues, an opening in the outfield could emerge for Stanton. From there, the Sox could decide to either stick the physically imposing Stanton (he’s 6’6, 240 lbs) in his natural right field or add Stanton’s name to the list of Hall-of-Fame talents to play under the shadows of the Green Monster. Personally, the allure of Stanton continuing the long list of greatness in left field would be too good to pass up.

A deal for Stanton would be unprecedented in baseball history, given his age, years of team control, and talent. At just 23 years of age, Stanton would be younger than many of the players offered in exchange for him. Contractually, Stanton is playing out 2013 at $537,000 and will be arbitration eligible for the next three years, making him a free agent following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Numbers-wise, Stanton has already lead the league in slugging, as a 22 year old, has had two 30 home run seasons, and is above average defender under most metrics (+10 defensive runs saved last year). He was nearly a six win player (5.5 WAR going by BaseballReference.com) and going by most player aging curves, the sky is the limit for Stanton.

What would it take to acquire the services of such a player heading into his prime? Short answer would be a lot of quality, young talent. Going by Eno Sarris’ work on Fangraphs for acquiring a player of Stanton’s magnitude, it would take roughly four Top 50 prospects, with two being in elite territory (top 10-20 in the game). The Sox system is one of the few that can actually meet those requirements. They have top 20 talents in shortstop Xander Bogaerts and pitcher Matt Barnes; they have quality arms in Allen Webster, Henry Owens, and Rubby De La Rosa; they have intriguing bats in Blake Swihart, Bryce Brentz, Manuel Margot, and Garin Cecchini.

March 24, 2013; Clearwater, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (72) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Networks Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

A realistic package that could woo Marlins executives to pull the trigger on this blockbuster would undoubtedly centerpiece on Bogaerts, a premium power bat at a premium position (at least for the short term). In addition to Bogaerts, I think a group of Barnes, Webster, Swihart, and Cecchini could get the job done. Bogaerts and Barnes would represent the elite talents, Webster would be the other  top 50 prospect (and one with a very high ceiling), and two back end Top 100 types in Swihart and Cecchini.

Obviously, that’s a lot to give up, no matter who the player is. However, under this scenario, the Red Sox would still keep Bradley Jr. to replace Jacoby Ellsbury and his probable departure. Additionally, the Sox would still be able to hold on to gifted arms in De La Rosa and Owens. Of course, they’d also be getting one of the great talents in the game today, at an extremely affordable price, heading into his prime.

It’s a move with epic repercussions for both teams. By trading the only player worth watching, the Marlins could put the final nail into the city’s “baseball coffin.” Maybe, all of the prospects struggle as they climb the minor league ladder, and flame out. Or even worse, both could happen.

It’s a move in which the Sox could deplete their farm system and put themselves in an incredibly vulnerable position in the coming years. Maybe, Stanton fails to make the transition to the pressure cooker that is Boston, and struggle to live up to the impossibly high expectations from the fans and media. Or even worse, both could happen.

It’s a move that could make both teams contenders for years, one under the foundation of a generational superstar; the other under the wealth of talent acquired in the recent multitude of trades.  It’s a franchise changer no matter how you look at it, and one that will be painstakingly scrutinized now, one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now.

At the start of this piece, I was extremely hesitant to trade such immense amount of young talent for one player. The very talent that could make up the next, great, Red Sox team. However, the more I thought about it, the more willing and inclined I would be to pull off such a trade. Basically, Stanton represents the best case scenario for Bogaerts offensively, and given the flame out rate of young pitchers, there is no guarantee any of the arms would stay healthy to even reach the majors, let alone perform at the highest level.  Stanton has already provided huge value at an age when his only comparables are Hall of Fame players. He is a marquee talent already and should only continue to develop as he matures.

Maybe the Marlins wouldn’t accept this exact trade, but it’s one that I certainly think would make its front office listen. If the Marlins are truly listening, the Red Sox should speak up and pounce on the opportunity before someone else does.

Send questions here:  bosoxinjection@gmail.com

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Workman posted a combined 10-8 record and 3.50 ERA on the year over 25 starts between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. The 2010 Draft pick (2nd Round) impressed in his second professional season, finishing among the organization’s minor league leaders in wins (4th) and strikeouts (tied for 2nd). The former University of Texas product threw a total of 138.2 innings on the year, walking 25 while striking out 130 and allowing just 127 hits. While he did receive a handful of starts (five) at Double-A to close out the season, that is likely where his 2013 campaign will begin. Workman was ranked 15th in Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook prior to the 2012 season, so it will be interesting to see how much higher his stock has grown thanks to his 2012 performance.

(Image Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports via US PRESSWIRE)

Bogaerts, meanwhile, has already stepped into the role of the team’s top overall prospect by most accounts and only turns 20 years old today. Over 532 plate appearances between Salem and Portland, Bogaerts batted .307/.373/.523 on the year, adding 20 HR and 81 RBI. Bogaerts finished the season among the organizational leaders in home runs (tied for 2nd), RBI (3rd), and batting average (4th). He was also named to the Carolina League Mid-Season All Star roster and participated in the MLB Futures Game in Kansas City, a game in which he went 1 for 4 as the World team’s starting designated hitter. Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Bogaerts isn’t what he’ll accomplish once he reaches the Major Leagues, but rather what position he’ll ultimately play once he reaches Boston. Many scouts seem to believe that he’ll eventually outgrow the shortstop position and could slide over to third base, but with the presence of Will Middlebrooks at the hot corner that may not prove to be a viable option, barring a move involving Middlebrooks. Bogaerts could end up in a corner outfield spot, potentially, but there doesn’t seem to be any rush to make any significant changes to the plan surrounding his development.

Bradley and Cecchini both also figure prominently in the team’s top prospect lists and future plans, though one is certainly more well known than the other. Bradley is often viewed as a possible in-house replacement in center field after the 2013 season if the team is unable to keep Jacoby Ellsbury under contract. He hit .315/.430/.482 on the year, split between Salem and Portland, while displaying all five tools and the potential for Gold Glove defense. Meanwhile, Cecchini is further back in the organization that the rest of this year’s award winners, having spent the 2012 season with Class-A Greenville. The third baseman hit .305/.394/.433 and added 51 stolen bases.

The Lou Gorman Award is given annually to a Red Sox minor leaguer who’s persevered and worked to overcome obstacles while playing for the organization and Nava is certainly a deserving recipient. His story is one that’s also largely well known by the team’s fan base – he was a standout hitter in college but went undrafted and unsigned, leading to a stint in an independent league, before finally signing an unlikely minor league contract with the Red Sox in 2008. He’d work his way up to the Major Leagues, debuting on June 12, 2010 in historic fashion, becoming just the second player in Major League history to hit a grand slam on the very first pitch seen in his debut at bat. Nava’s spent a fair amount of the 2012 season with Boston’s big club, receiving 300 plate appearances over 84 games in which he batted .246/.356/.373 and played well enough to get himself into the discussion for next season’s Opening Day roster.

Satchel Paige the eternally ebullient, nonpareil pitcher advised: “Don’t  look back.”

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Boston Red Sox shortstop Mike Aviles bobbles the ball at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-US PRESSWIRE

For the past 8 years the Red Sox have had well documented problems at shortstop. The list includes Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez, Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, Marco Scutaro, Mike Aviles, Nick Green, and Alex Cora. My personal favorite was Pokey Reese. That is the 100% truth. So what are the plans for the Red Sox this offseason when it comes to filling the void?

Most likely scenario: Mike Aviles gets arbitration and returns as the starting shortstop with Jose Iglesias serving as the backup.

Is that really what we want? Currently Mike Aviles is batting .252 with a .283 OBP and .392 SLG. He has 11 home runs and 11 stolen bases. He’s out of the top-10 for shortstops in all of those categories except home runs. In his defense, he is 5 out of all shortstops in defensive runs saved over average with 12.

Aviles is only making $1.2M but at 31 he’s most likely peaked.

What would make more sense with these players: Have Jose Iglesias as the starting shortstop next year with Aviles are a util/backup.

In triple-A this year Iglesias is hitting .259/.306./.301/.607. He has 1 home run and 12 stolen bases. Besides the average and steals, Iglesias trails Aviles in all other categories mentioned. However, it is well believed that Iglesias would already be one of the top defensive shortstops in baseball.

At 22, Iglesias still has lots of room for improvement and his bat isn’t that far behind Aviles. As a backup, Aviles can provide support at 2b, SS, and 3b, all positions that has started at in the past. Aviles even played 5 games in the outfield last season.

Best-case scenario: Trade for Elvis Andrus from the Rangers.

Many people believe that Jurickson Profar is the best prospect in baseball and rumors are that he could be up soon. The biggest thing holding Profar back is Elvis Andrus at shortstop for the Rangers. The projected infield (with Andrus) for the Rangers next year is Beltre, Andrus, Kinsler, and Olt. Not a lot of room for Profar. So there is a very good chance that Elvis Andrus will get traded this offseason. The biggest reason that I don’t see Andrus in Boston next year is that the Rangers might not want to trade him to a competitive AL team.

This season the 23 year old shortstop is hitting .297/.367/.395/.762. Andrus also has 19 stolen bases but is 18^th for shortstops with only 2 runs saved above average. Offensively Andrus would clearly be the best shortstop that the Red Sox have had in years and he’s only one year older than Iglesias.

The question is, where would he bat in Boston? For the Rangers Andrus is a top of the order guy, but with Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford on the team, the top of the lineup is pretty full. It’s possible that an Ellsbury for Andrus swap could take place with Josh Hamilton headed to free agency? Or Ellsbury could be dealt in another deal to open up room in the top of the lineup.

Other shortstop options: Some shortstop free agents (or with options that might not get picked up) are Jason Bartlett, Yuniesky Betancourt, Stephen Drew, Alex Gonzalez, Cesar Izturis, Jhonny Peralta, Marco Scutaro, and Ryan Theriot. These are shortstops that could start but I wouldn’t trust them all. The only player here I’d be comfortable with is Stephen Drew.  Drew is an enigma. Every year of his career he’s batted over 15 points different than the year before. Every year with over 322 ABs he’s hit over 12 home runs. Much like the Drew brother that we know, Stephen has had his own injury problems.  When healthy, Drew provides more pop than any other of the shortstop options. If drew was the starting shortstop next year, they’d have to make sure that they have a good backup (Iglesias of Aviles).

One problem with a Drew signing is that it would just perpetuate the shortstop carousel because he’s not a long-term fix. But he could be a hold over.

Long term fix: One shortstop I didn’t mention is Xander Bogaerts, who Conor wrote a piece on. Xander is only 19 and not ready for the bigs. However, he’s hit at ever level that he’s been at. This year in Single-A Bogaerts hit .302/.378/.505/.883 with 15 home runs in 104 games. He’s recently been called up to double-A. In 6 games he’s hitting .385/.385/.731./1.115 with 2 home runs. Bogaerts isn’t going to be big league ready to start next season but by the end of the year call ups he could be called up, and if he performs it could be permanent.

Looking at these options, I won’t be satisfied unless Iglesias or Andrus  is the starting shortstop next year. With almost complete certainty that Ellsbury will test free agency as soon as possible, I’d really try the Andrus/Ellsbury swap. Both teams fill their whole in the field and keep a bat at the top of their lineup.

The Red Sox have something very special on their hands in Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts is still just 19 years old and after having some success last year at Single-A Greenville as an 18 year old, mostly in the power department, but this year has been much different. The guy has shown his true potential as a future star by putting together a fantastic season in High-A Salem before earning himself a late season promotion to Double-A Portland. And since his promotion (I repeat, at the age of 19), he’s put together some fantastic numbers.

Bogaerts has been on a serious roll since being called up to Portland a week or so ago. In 5 games so far, he’s gone .391/.391/.739 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, and 4 RBIs. All this after making the biggest jump of the minors, from High-A to Double-A, he hasn’t been any worse than he was in Salem– where he batted .302/.378/.505 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs, and 64 RBIs. That was good for 5th in the league in OPS, 5th in OBP, 7th in home runs, 10th in doubles, and 11th in runs scored.

It’s really good to see a high-ranking Red Sox prospect putting together a season like Bogaerts has. Plus, there’s always the interesting tidbit that he plays shortstop– a position the Red Sox have lacked depth in since Nomar Garciaparra‘s departure– and hits for power. He actually has put together better numbers in High-A than Hanley Ramirez did when he was a year older than Bogaerts. He’s in Portland two years earlier than Ramirez, who skipped Triple-A, and so far has put up better numbers (in an admittedly tiny sample size).

However, this still prompts the question of whether Bogaerts also could skip Triple-A. It would probably be foolish to try such a thing this year, but by 2013 it would not be surprising to see him as a September call up. Still, though, you never know what the Red Sox may do as they’re not contending in mid August. This gives them an opportunity to bring up some of their younger players, and who knows– it’s unlikely but possible that we may see Xander Bogaerts.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE

Ever since I really got into the Red Sox and major league baseball in general, one part of baseball that’s really fascinated me is prospects. The Red Sox may not have the best farm system in baseball, but it’s certainly an entertaining one. To give all the readers of BoSox Injection an accurate representation of the potential of these minor leaguers, I’ve compiled a full 25-man roster of them. As a whole, this looks like a well rounded and impressive group of top prospects. Fast forward a few years and pretend every current member of the Red Sox is gone, their team may look something like this group I’ve put together.

The Starting Lineup:

1. Garin Cecchini 3B (.301/.383/.426, 4 home runs, 50 RBIs, 32 stolen bases with single-A Greenville)
2. Jackie Bradley CF (.339/.449/.503, 5 home runs, 51 RBIs, 21 stolen bases between single-A Salem and double-A Portland)
3. Xander Bogaerts SS (.284/.358/.466, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, 20 doubles with single-A Salem)
4. Ryan Lavarnway C (.300/.386/.451, 8 home runs, 41 RBIs, 21 doubles with triple-A Pawtucket)
5. Bryce Brentz RF (.274/.340/.444, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 21 doubles with double-A Portland)
6. Keury De La Cruz LF (.309/.356/.526, 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, 6 triples with single-A Greenville)
7. Travis Shaw 1B (.317/.418/.565, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, 30 doubles with single-A Salem)
8. Brandon Jacobs DH (.279/.336/.429, 8 home runs, 48 RBIs, 12 steals with single-A Salem)
9. Sean Coyle 2B (.243/.305/.383, 7 home runs, 45 RBIs, 25 doubles with single-A Salem)

The Bench:

1. Michael Almanzar 1B/3B (.296/.348/.451, 8 home runs, 39 RBIs, 27 doubles with single-A Salem)
2. Alex Hassan OF (.262/.381/.384, 7 home runs, 45 RBIs, 13 doubles with triple-A Pawtucket)
3. Jose Iglesias SS (.260/.305/.298, 1 home run, 20 RBIs, 10 stolen bases between single-A Lowell and triple-A Pawtucket)
4. Blake Swihart C (.268/.316/.402, 5 home runs, 37 RBIs, 4 triples with single-A Greenville)

The Starting Rotation:

1. Matt Barnes (7-3, 2.33 ERA, 110 strikeouts, 89 innings pitched between single-A Greenville and single-A Salem)
2. Brandon Workman (7-6, 3.40 ERA, 88 strikeouts, 95.1 innings pitched with single-A Salem)
3. Chris Hernandez (4-8, 3.12 ERA, 64 strikeouts, 109.2 innings pitched between double-A Portland and triple-A Pawtucket)
4. Miguel Pena (5-5, 2.60 ERA, 68 strikeouts, 72.2 innings pitched with single-A Greenville)
5. Noe Ramirez (0-2, 2.93 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 40 innings pitched with single-A Greenville)

The Bullpen:

1. Alex Wilson LRP/RHP (5-2, 3.41 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 58 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
2. Aaron Kurcz LRP/RHP (3-4, 3.04 ERA, 72 strikeouts, 50.1 innings pitched with double-A Portland)
3. Will Inman MRP/RHP (1-3, 2.48 ERA, 51 strikeouts, 40 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
4. Josh Fields MRP/RHP (3-3, 3.03 ERA, 51 strikeouts, 38.2 innings pitched with double-A Portland)
5. Junichi Tazawa SU/RHP (3-2, 2.55 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 42.1 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
6. Chris Carpenter SU/RHP (0-0, 3.27 ERA, 13 strikeouts, 11 innings pitched between GCL, single-A Salem, double-A Portland, and triple-A Pawtucket)
7. Michael Olmsted CP/RHP (0-2, 2.29 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 39.1 innings pitched with single-A Salem)

There you go, that’s my representation of who I’d pick to be on an All-Red Sox team. Would you have done anything different? Please comment and thanks for reading.

The Red Sox should trade Lester and Ellsbury for “King” Felix Hernandez; so says the Globe’s Nick Cafardo, but are there other Sox players to make a better deal?

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Rather than obtaining a pitcher with a long-term contract [like John Danks], who could quickly go from great to garbage, the Sox might consider renting a Dempster. But, how much are the Sox willing to pay for ONE extra win?

Cubs GM “Thiefo” Epstein is intimately familiar with the value and talents of the Sox prospects and may be keen to deal with his former under-study, Ben, again.

[Previously, the April [21st] trade sent RHP Michael Bowden and LHP Hunter Cervenka to the Cubs for Marlon Byrd. And, Theo gave Ben “The Other” Chris Carpenter in compensation for himself.]

The Cubs have baseball’s worst record (26-49) and are already in re-build mode and want to deal almost any player for prospects, hoping to become a young, competitive team before Bud Selig retires.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that Chicago is willing to pay part of Ryan Dempster‘s $14MM salary in a deal in order to receive better quality prospects in return. Their plan is to accumulate talent, not save money.
Although Dempster, 35, is currently on the DL with a lat strain he is expected back around the All-Star break.

Dempster played catch Friday and could throw off the mound Saturday or Sunday, but he will not be ready until sometime after the All-Star break.

Dempster, on the disabled list since June 16 with a sore right lat, said Friday he’s making progress.

“It won’t take me long once I get going,” Dempster said. “I haven’t said [I'm returning on] ‘This date’ because if I feel good, it could be sooner than that. I’m completely pain free. I just don’t know how I’m going to feel throwing.”

Dempster has pitched to a 2.11 ERA in a dozen starts this season and may be the best value starter on the market. And, Dempster is in the last year of his contract, which makes him a low-risk half-season rental.

If the Cubs were willing to eat half of Dempster’s remaining contract [$7 million], about $3.5 million, and the Sox were willing to deal 1-3 prospects, there is a deal to be made.

Ben may even be willing to part with Jose Iglesias in a 1-for-1 swap, since the Sox have a seven shortstop stockpile from Low-A to Fenway.

The Sox signed #24 overall pick Deven Marrero to a $2.05 million deal.

“Coming into the season Marrero was widely considered a top-10 talent, but the Arizona State shortstop’s stock dropped as he struggled offensively.

Even with the inconsistent offensive production Baseball America ranked Marrero as the 14th-best player in the draft class and ESPN.com rated him 13th, so if the Red Sox believe in his bat they got excellent value near the end of the first round.” [Baseball America]

Theo, no doubt is aware that Marrero is off to a good offensive start in the minors; in his first four games: .375/.412/.563,3 K/1 BB.

Today, the Sox collected another SS:
“The Red Sox have added one of the top international amateur free agents available in advance of the July 2 signing period, getting 18-year-old shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin out of Taiwan for $2.05 million.

The deal was first reported in the Taiwanese press earlier this month and is now official. Lin will still have to complete an investigation from Major League Baseball, but that shouldn’t present a problem.

Though 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, Lin has drawn strong reviews from scouts for his lefthanded bat. Some scouts have projected him as an above-average hitter, capable of hitting better than .300, though he won’t offer much power…” [Baseball America, http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2012/2613618.html]

With Aviles established for 2012 at SS and Punto and Lillibridge as backups, and 19 year-old SS Xander Bogaerts on the Salem Red Sox (A+) team, the Sox are loaded at SS.

Assuming that Theo would want a SS prospect, these other players could also be part of a 1-3 player package for Dempster:

Bryce Brentz, Rank: 1, Portland Sea Dogs (AA), ETA: 2013, Position: OF

Brandon Jacobs, Rank: 6, Salem Red Sox (A+), ETA: 2014, Position: OF

Kolbrin Vitek, Rank: 8, ETA: 2014, Position: 3B

Garin Cecchini, Rank: 9, Greenville Drive (A), ETA: 2014, Position: 3B

Blake Swihart, Rank: 11, Greenville Drive (A), ETA: 2015, Position: C

Oscar Tejeda, Rank: 13, Altoona Curve (AA), ETA: 2013, Position: 2B

UPDATE:

The Pirates have claimed infielder/outfielder Oscar Tejeda off waivers from the Red Sox, the team announced.  To make room for Tejeda, Pittsburgh has also designated left-hander Doug Slaten for assignment.

Tejeda, 22, was designated for assignment by Boston following their acquisition of Zach Stewart and Brent Lillibridge earlier this week.  Tejeda split time between designated hitter and left field this season, hitting .262/.294/.396 in 51 Double-A games.

With the current paucity of pitching, it is unlikely that the Sox will be willing to part with:

Matt Barnes, Rank: 4, Salem Red Sox (A+), ETA: 2014, Position: RHP, Age: 22, Drafted: 2011, 1st (19) or

Anthony Ranaudo, Rank: 5, Portland Sea Dogs (AA), ETA: 2013, Position: RHP, Age: 22,Drafted: 2010, 1st (39)

(Unless Theo would be interested in Chris Carpenter?)

A deal for a half-season rental might get Theo one player in return, like Iglesias or Brentz, or the Sox #1 draft pick, Marrero. If Theo is thinking quantity, he might get a 2-1 deal with some of the other Sox prospects, listed above.

Consider that Dempster might get 12-15 starts and, with a career W% of .491, he might go 6-6 or even 8-7.

What is a break-even or plus ONE game starter worth to the Red Sox?

Jose Iglesias? Brad Brentz? Deven Marrero? Kobrin Vitek?

Or, Chris Carpernter?

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Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE

Entering the 2012 season, there was already uncertainty between whether Jose Iglesias or Xander Bogaerts was the shortstop of the future. In recent weeks, that debate has become even more uncertain. The Red Sox drafted shortstop Deven Marrero in the first round of the 2012 draft and recently signed Taiwanese shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin. It could be that the Red Sox are stockpiling shortstops for a potential trade and I’ve heard that Bogaerts may move to third base, but it’s still very odd for Red Sox management to have all these highly rated shortstops in their system.

Xander Bogaerts is the most highly rated of the above– SoxProspects has him rated as #2 in the Red Sox system. He has drawn comparisons to Hanley Ramirez as he is large for his position– 6’3″ 175 pounds– and has potential for some legit power. The kicker with Bogaerts is that this highly rated shortstop is only 19 years old and playing for the single-A Greenville Drive. After a rough start to this season, Bogaerts has rebounded very well and is currently hitting at .293/.372/.489 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs. Bogaerts is a great prospect, no doubt, and certainly has potential to be by far the best hitter of the bunch.

Jose Iglesias is kind of like the anti-Bogaerts as he’s pretty much the opposite to him in every way. While Bogaerts has potential to be a middle-of-the-order bat, Iglesias probably belongs in the #8 or #9 spot. While Bogaerts has an uncertain future of where he’ll play, Iglesias will almost definitely stick at shortstop as he is labeled as a fantastic fielder. One bright spot for Iglesias is that he’s made progress offensively this season– the 23 year old is currently hitting .262/.309/.308 with 1 home run, 14 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases. The offense may never come for Iglesias, but will his defense make that worthwhile?

After being taken with the #24 pick in the 2012 Amateur Draft, Deven Marrero was officially signed by the Red Sox a week or so ago. He was assigned to short season-A Lowell and has gotten off to a pretty quick start as their shortstop. He’s currently hitting .375 (6-16) with a home run but despite that start, is being labeled as a Jose Iglesias type player. He was also very good at defense playing for Arizona State, and the offense was decent for him but a disappointing junior year let him fall to the Red Sox. The Red Sox hope that he can become a very good defensive shortstop while playing as a fairly good offensive shortstop somewhere in between Iglesias and Bogaerts.

Tzu-Wei Lin is a little more of a mystery than the others. After rumors that the Yankees were going to sign him, the Red Sox scooped him up with the highest ever signing bonus for a Taiwanese player– a $2.05 million bonus. He is labeled as yet another defensive minded shortstop who is lacking on offense. He is just 18 and his signing could be exciting for the Red Sox. However, with Marrero and Iglesias both in the system and both probably going to be better, is it possible that Lin could just be a trade chip.

It’s very hard to say who among these options should be the shortstop of the future. I say that Bogaerts should be the best of the bunch, but the question becomes whether he will move to third. And if he does move to third, what happens to Will Middlebrooks? Iglesias is the closest to the majors so he could probably hold down the fort for a few years until Bogaerts is ready. Again, it’s also fair to trade Iglesias and let Mike Aviles play there while they wait for Marrero (who is expected to be MLB ready in two or three years) or Bogaerts. I personally think that they should go with the latter route: trading Iglesias for pitching and waiting for Marrero, who can keep the seat warm for Bogaerts. David Ortiz probably won’t be with the team at this point, so Middlebrooks or Bogaerts can play DH while the other plays third and Marrero plays short. However, this is all based on projections and for now– this is just a jumbled mess.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro at Wrigley Field. Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

The Cubs today make it aware that they are willing to trade anyone on the big league roster besides Jeff Samardzija. That means that 22-year old star shortstop Starlin Castro is on the block. Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY reports that Castro can be had for two impact prospects. Would it make sense for the Red Sox?

I say go for it and here’s why.  Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez, Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, Marco Scutaro, and Mike Aviles. These are the starting shortstops since the Red Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra on July 31, 2004. Let’s not forget Pokey Reese, Nick Green, and Alex Cora who each manned the position in more of a backup role. Castro would solidify the shortstop position, the first time in a long time, for years to come.

Theo and Hoyer know the Red Sox farm system in and out. I say let them pick any two, as long as one of them is a shortstop.

Theoretically, could the Red Sox get Castro for Jose Iglesias and Matt Barnes? Baseball America ranked Barnes as the 8th best prospect in the Red Sox organization in January. Right now Barnes is pitching great in Salem, but still seems to be a ways from the majors. On the same team is Xander Bogaerts, a shortstop who is ranked number 4 in the system. Ranked 2nd is pitcher Anthony Ranaudo who’s not doing great in AA. These are all relative to Will Middlebrooks being #1, who I consider off the table and on the big league roster for good. So if Theo choses any two of those guys besides Middlebrooks, would that get it done? Would the Red Sox be better off? Since all of them besides Iglesias are far away from the bigs, I’d even throw in a third (good but not top 10) prospect. I think that Iglesias is the type of player who will be better hitting 8^th in the National League.

First of all, Castro would instantly be the starting shortstop and thrown into the top of the lineup. Aviles can move to 2nd until Pedroia comes back and can then be a utility player or traded away. If Youkilis is still on the team, the lineup could be Castro, Pedroia, Adrian Gonzales (rf), Ortiz, Youkilis, Middlebrooks, Saltalamacchia, Ross, and Sweeney. Nava can be moved around in there and eventually we expect to get Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford back. This would make a great offense and make the need for Youkilis even less, and maybe he could be moved for a pitcher.

Castro is under the team control until 2016. The Sox would have Middlebrooks, Castro, Pedrioa, Gonzalez, and Crawford tied up for a while and I imagine they could get Ellsbury and Saltalamacchia signed too. This means the team needs only a right fielder (and I guess a DH) in the future. The rest of their efforts can go towards the pitching staff.

Castro has a career average of .306, an OBP of .341. He doesn’t get a lot of home runs, 10 last season, but he makes a lot of contact and can steal some bases. His WAR last year was 3 and he was an All-Star. His defense isn’t great, but I can live with that. He’s still only 22 so he has room to grow.

Not only do I think this would improve the team, I also think the fans would love this move. A young shortstop who’s fun to watch. My only concern is finding room for him, Ellsbury, and Crawford in the lineup at the same time. That’s a lot of players with a similar style. Two of them will probably have to hit in the lower third of the lineup once they are all healthy. That’s something I’m fine with, but it depends on their personalities as to if it would work. It’s a risk I’d be willing to take.

Somebody did; Chris St. John, over at Steal of Home [http://stealofhome.wordpress.com/]

We will comment on some of the surprises on the Sox list and provide links to the complete body of work produced by Chris.[...spreadsheets...MMMmmm...]

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Baseball America

Taking just the fifteen AL bEAST division players on the list, the raw score is:
Yankees and Jays 4; Sox 3; Rays and Orioles 2 each.

But what slots did these phuture phenoms fall into?

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May 11, 2011; Toronto, ON, Canada; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (76) reacts after striking out in the 7th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jaye beat the Red Sox 9-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-US PRESSWIRE

Jose Iglesias may replace the current Red Sox SS [FILL IN NAME HERE], but it looks more and more like he will quickly be replaced by the new Future Franchise Shortstop, 20 year-old phenom Xander Bogaerts, perhaps by 2014. If this were a WW II video game, Jose would say:  “I’ve got a bogey on my tail!”  Well, Jose, there is someone coming up behind you that might steal y0ur job, so take the sage advice of Satchel Paige: “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.”

If you, dear citizen of Red Sox Nation, are collecting Red Sox Rookie cards for investment, better pass on Iglesias and save your money to buy Xander Bogaerts’ cards.

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By now you may have heard that the Red Sox farm system was rated 18th out of MLB’s 30 teams by ESPN Insider’s Keith Law, but the worse news is that he ranks Boston last in the AL East. Among all 30 MLB teams, Toronto finished #2 and Tampa #3, just behind #1 San Diego, while the Yankees finished 8 slots ahead of the Sox at #10 with the Orioles just above then at #17. And, guess how many Red Sox minor league players made the ESPN Top 100 Prospects: just two!

Law said the “Red Sox are very thin at the top of the minor league chain due to the amount that the organization has spent on amateur players. However, he sees some potential breakout candidates in the single A level.” [NESN]

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