Willl Rival Suitors Grab Gio Gonzalez Before Red Sox Make a Move?
By Earl Nash
If the Red Sox are serious about adding Gio Gonzalez to their rotation, Ben Cherington had better make a move soon, before the LHP is “Gee, oh, gone?” Gonzalez.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Nationals are “pushing hard” to acquire left-hander Gio him from the Athletics.
"In today’s Boston Globe: “The Red Sox have been in contract with Oakland. But to get Gonzalez they might have to dig deep into their prospect inventory and dangle somebody such as Will Middlebrooks.” Our sources say that Middlebrooks was the deal-breaker, when Cherington met with Beane at the Winter meetings."
Let’s see what kind of package is being required by Oakland and suggested by Washington to give the GM Cherington a clue about what it might take to bring Gio to Boston.
Assuming The Beane Team will be moving to a new stadium in San Jose in about 3 years, Mr. Beane will be in the “star starting player for package of prospects” mode,” with a wish list likely to include a LHP, 1b, OF, 3b, SS.
"NATS WILL OFFER:LHP: Sammy Solis1b1b: Chris MarreroOF: Eury Perez3b: Anthony RendonSS: Rick Hague"
[SEE below for an in-depth look at these prospects.]
WHY BEANE MIGHT TAKE THE OFFER:
It fills his position list.
3b
The key for Beane is Anthony Rendon [Rice], who has All-Star potential. He has recovered well from his injury and would be ready for 3b in next year; comparisons to David Wright are not an exaggeration.
C
He will put Derek Norris as the back-up for Suzuki, who lacks the power potential of Norris.
LHP
Solis is a So. Cal. Player and fills the LHP future slot as “potential replacement” for Gonzalez.
1b
Marrero profiles as a power hitter and Beane wants more runs scored.
SS
Hague played on the left side of the Rice INF with Rendon. If he can recover from his shoulder injury to his throwing arm, he might surprise; he is not the deal-breaker here.
If Gentle Ben Cherington wants this proven LHP in the Sox rotation, he may want to take that Beane Want List, by position, and see how he can fill it with Red Sox prospects, before it’s “Going…going…GONE-zalez…”
[SEE below for an in-depth look at these prospects.]
LHP Sammy Solis
Rank: 4 (Nats’ prospects)
Potomac Nationals (A+)
ETA: 2012
Age: 23, Drafted: 2010, 2nd round (51 overall)
The 2010 second-round Draft pick has a chance to be a solid big league starter. The San Diego product has a good three-pitch mix, with a plus changeup and impeccable command of his fastball. He performed well in the Arizona Fall League in 2010, which served as a good stepping stone to his first full season. A future middle-of-the-rotation innings-eater, Solis had to hang back in Florida to start the season because of a groin injury, but headed to Hagerstown at the end of May and earned a promotion up to Potomac a month later.
1b: Chris Marrero
Rank: 7 (Nats’ prospects)
Rank: #4 (Top 10 1st Base MLB Prospects)
Tigres del Licey
ETA: 2011
Position: 1B
Age: 23
Bats: R, Throws: R
Drafted: 2006, 1st round, (15th overall)
It’s been a slow climb for the 2006 first-round Draft pick, but after a solid Double-A season in 2010, he was added to the 40-man roster and had a strong showing in big league camp. He has plenty of raw power that he’s still learning to tap into. He’s a below-average first baseman, though he’s worked hard to become acceptable. A good showing in winter ball might have been a good springboard for the 23-year-old who spent most of the 2011 season in Triple-A before getting an August callup to D.C., where he finished the season.
OF: Eury Perez
Rank: 6 (Nats’ prospects)
Leones del Escogido
ETA: 2013
Position: OF
Age: 21
Bats: R, Throws: R
Signed: April 13, 2007
Perez’s 64 steals in his first full season were the second most in the Minor Leagues, but as great as his speed is, that’s not all he is. He’s a very good defender who has a strong arm from center field. He improved tremendously with the bat in the second half of 2010, learning the nuances of being a leadoff hitter and showing that he not only is fast, he knows how to use his speed efficiently on the base paths. He spent the 2011 season in Potomac, where he stole the second most bases in the organization.
3b: Anthony Rendon
The projected top pick in the MLB 2011 draft most of the year, a shoulder injury limited his time in the field and raised questions. He’s still the most polished bat in the draft. The Nats were pleasantly surprised that he fell into their lap at #6.
Baseball America’s Aaron Fitt raves about Rendon:
He is a special talent who can do everything. He has an upside where he could hit .320 or .330 in the big leagues with 20 to 25 homers and he plays really solid defense.
The comparison we have gotten in the past is Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright. He is that kind of player. He could be that kind of player; he has special makeup, too. He is a joy to talk with and a joy to play with. He has it all figured out.
He is not a guy who is playing with a nagging injury. If he can stay healthy, he can be an All-Star.”
SS: Rick Hague
Rank: 10 (Nats’ prospects)
Potomac Nationals (A+)
ETA: 2013
Position: SS
Age: 23, Bats: R, Throws: R
Drafted: 2010, 3rd round (83 overall)
Has a good bat and could hit for power.
Hague entered the 2010 season as one of the better college shortstops in the Draft class. His performance during his junior year at Rice didn’t match the expectations, allowing him to still be around when the Nationals picked to kick off the third round. He shook that off by hitting .317/.385/.477 across 49 games during his summer debut. Thought of as a solid defender earlier on as an amateur, the struggles he had with the glove at Rice last year continued as a pro. Still, the Nationals thought enough of him to send him to Class-A Advanced Potomac to start the 2011 season, though he was shelved with a shoulder injury very early on.
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