Red Sox assets that should be off limits in trade talks
By Sean Penney
The Boston Red Sox could explore the trade market to find the power bat they need but some assets should be considered untouchable.
Dave Dombrowski has never been shy about making a blockbuster trade. In his time as president of baseball operations for the Boston Red Sox, he has swung a number of deals to improve the major league roster at the expense of the minor league system.
The farm isn’t completely barren but it has been depleted over the past couple of years. Some of that can be attributed to the organization’s top prospects being promoted to the big leagues, yet Dombrowski’s wheeling and dealing has played a significant part.
It’s time for Dombrowski to reign in his instinct to empty the prospect cupboard. The Red Sox desperately need a power bat to anchor their lineup but there are ways to go about finding one without surrendering the few appealing prospects left in the system.
No asset is ever truly untouchable. For the right price, anyone can be made available. If the Los Angeles Angels call offering Mike Trout, Dombrowski should be ready to give up anyone they ask for. Sadly, that isn’t going to happen.
When assessing realistic trade scenarios, there are various levels of how attainable the Red Sox should view their assets. For the purposes of this exercise, we’re only looking at prospects, rookies and other cost-controlled young players with limited major league experience. We can safely assume that Mookie Betts and Chris Sale aren’t on the trading block and other teams won’t be foolish enough to ask for them.
Teams may be bold enough to ask for the top young assets in the Red Sox organization but which ones should they resist surrendering?