While 2014 was certainly a low point for the Boston Red Sox, one of few bright spots was the emergence of Brock Holt. Take David Ortiz out of the argument, and it can be argued that Brock Holt was the most important batter in a lineup that struggled all season, not to mention his knack for playing almost any position on the diamond was crucial for the injury plagued Sox to get through day-to-day. However, with all of the shuffling the Red Sox have done this winter, Holt seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Could Holt be a valuable utility man/replacement player on a Boston team looking to bounce back? Absolutely, but with his value at the highest peak of his short career, Boston should look to deal Holt to bolster their pitching.
The offseason for the Red Sox has centered on the loss of Jon Lester and the additions of a variety of starting hurlers to try to round out their rotation. The consensus on the new-look pitching staff, whether the front office has finished tweaking it or not, is that it seems rather bland, middle-of-the road or just plain, old average. If Ben Cherington can’t somehow pry away a top-of-the line starter on the trade market, then Boston will certainly need to make sure their bullpen is up to the task.
The 2014 season saw the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles have a good deal of success by utilizing average-to-good starters with some of their best pitching coming out of the bullpen. This could be a blueprint that the Red Sox will use for this upcoming year. If that is the case, Brock Holt could certainly draw some interest from teams and possibly bring back a valuable arm for late inning backup.
There were rumors in last couple weeks that the Angels were interested in discussing a move for Holt, however those talks sputtered out after they indicated that Boston’s asking price was too steep. The Red Sox should try to revisit those talks as soon as possible. I may be dreaming, but if Cherington’s crew could get Joe Smith in return for Holt, that would be a huge move to solidify the overall pitching staff. Huston Street would also be a nice return, but I highly doubt the Angels would want to part with their successful closer. Also, Street is coming into the final season of his deal which is actually a team option year.
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Joe Smith signed a three year contract worth 15.75 million dollars last offseason and was very reliable for the Angels all year. Smith tossed 74.2 innings with an ERA of only 1.81 and added 68 strikeouts. The thirty-year old righty allowed only 45 hits and 4 homeruns, while also earning 15 saves.
This is the kind of pitcher with great value that the Red Sox should be looking to add if they cannot lock in on an “ace”. Granted, the Angels may not want to part with Smith, but this is merely a suggestion of what they should be looking to do with Holt. Also, Boston could possibly add in another low-level prospect to sweeten the deal. Before Brock comes back to earth and loses at-bats as well as value in Boston, they should look to move him. They need arms, and they need them quickly.