Hey Boston -- STOP TRADING SANCHEZES!!

I'm just a lowly prep writer/Pirates' fanboy, but based on what I've read, Walker could eventually switch positions (3B, OF).

Personally, I'd use Paulino as trade bait (with Jack Wilson and/or Jose Castillo) this offseason and make Ryan Doumit the everyday catcher until Walker is ready. Then again, Doumit's hammys might pop at any moment.

 

Dead on about Doumit. His hammys will never allow him to be an everyday catcher.

 

The amazing thing was that they were going to put Randa back in the lineup when he returned, even though Sanchez had been batting over .300 since the second he took over at third!

Gotta love the Pirates shuffle at catcher this year. Doumit is our starter. No wait, it's Paulino. Doumit's gonna play first base now. Now Doumit's gonna play center field.

And the move to send Duffy down to the minors after Tracy and his staff tried to mess with his swing was amazingly stupid (though it didn't come back to bite the organization in the ass).

I don't understand why some people consider Jim Tracy this guru-like manager. Helen Keller could better manage a pitching staff.

 

That's because the local preps guys covered the heck out of the kid all through high school... and he seems to be a good kic. He got started working on the interview skills very early.

 

I had heard some rumblings that Walker could switch positions. His major upside is in his bat, not his catching skills.

 

Actually, it's not just the Sanchezes that have flourished once the Red Sox traded them away since 2005 ...

P Anibal Sanchez, Marlins: no-hitter, 7-2, 2.89 ERA
P Bronson Arroyo, Reds: 12-9, 3.33
P Cla Meredith, Padres: 4-1, 0.79
SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: .283, 13, 49, 104 runs
SS Edgar Renteria, Braves: .298, 12, 58
C Josh Bard, Padres: .321, 7, 34
3B Freddy Sanchez, Pirates: .344, 6, 73
OF Johnny Damon, Yankees: .298, 22, 75, 103 runs

 

Yeah, he could move to 3B, OF.

However, if Walker changed positions he'd lose some value. A switch-hitting catcher with .300-25-100 potential could be an all-star. Put up the same numbers as a third baseman/outfielder, you're nothing more than above-average.

 

Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena.

It may work for Boston down the road, but the Reds certainly got the better end of it this year.

And next year probably, too.

 

I don't think you can really slam them too much for the Renteria deal (though they should have held onto Marte rather than trading for the 06 version of Renteria, Coco Crisp) or the Bard deal because they needed to get Mirabelli back for Wakefield. All of the other moves: pretty damn bad. Theo's goldenboy status is showing a little tarnish.

 

I won't slam them for the Freddie Sanchez move, either. Granted, Suppan was a bust, but it's not like Sanchez stepped right into the lineup. Hindsight's always 20/20.

 

How have the 1948 champion Indians done since Manny left, again? Oh and thanks for running Belichick out of town. Good move.

 

Red Sox Nation probably wouldn't take this season well, would it?