Report: Coco Traded For Reliever

Kansas City Radio station WHB-810 is reporting that Coco Crisp has been traded to the Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez. In 71 games Ramirez had an ERA of 2.64 with K.C. last season.

UPDATE: The deal has been confirmed.

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Mark Kotsay Could Be Headed To the Red Sox

ESPN and the Atlanta Journal Constitution are citing sources as saying a deal is in the final stages:

A person familiar with the situation said the Braves were close enough to a trade that they didn’t want to risk Kotsay getting hurt playing on the rain-soaked surface at Turner Field.

This will give the Red Sox another outfielder who can play all three spots with solid defense. This is a sign that they are worried about J.D. Drew. Landing Mark Kotsay would give the Sox another lefty at the plate.

UPDATE: Gordon Edes is reporting that the deal is done.

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Let's Make a Deal

Does Red Sox whole world lie waiting behind door #3? With teams making deals as the deadline quickly approaches, Theo has been awfully quiet. There were the comments made to Fox about the possibility of trading Manny but I don't see that right now. I think Theo was just sending a message to Manny and Boras that the left fielder had better be a team player on an off the field if he is going to return.

The '08 team has most of the players from the '07 champion team so you have to ask: why make a change? There are some players struggling right now like Tek, Ellsbury, Crisp, and most of the bullpen but there is no reason why they should not be able to bounce back. Theo wants to keep the prospects for the long term and not go after a pricey free agent. When you look at what is out there it is hard to find much that will help the Sox in the short term for the price they are willing to spend.

We only have 2 games to judge the Masterson bullpen experiment but the last one did not go well. The Sox do not have the luxury of a wait and see attitude towards Masterson because the deadline is just 4 days away.

Look for Boston to get some bullpen help but not make a major deal before the deadline. One possible target is Will Ohman of the Atlanta Braves.

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Something big is going to happen

I can just feel it. Can you feel it? With Aardsma going on the DL, and the rest of the middle relief guys having rollercoaster seasons, I have this feeling that Theo is going to do something big and unexpected. There are only 10 days left before the trade deadline, and let's face it, Hansen, Delcarmen, Okajima, Timlin, and Lopez are not having the seasons they had last year. They've been surprisingly sub-par for most of the season. They've had their good moments, no doubt, but as a whole, they've been disappointing.

Theo is up to something, I just know it.

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The Sox Are Not Going To Trade Youk For Teixeria

Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe said that Theo was throwing around the idea of a deal with the Braves sending Youk and Hansen for Teixeria. Here's why it won't happen:

Teixeria is a free agent next year and the Sox would have to spend big money to keep him while Youk is a relative bargain.

Youk's numbers are just as good as Teixeria's, so why would the Sox even have to throw in Hansen?

SPLITS Teixeria	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Season	93	347	54	94	23	0	17	69	55	64	0	0	.271	.373	.484	.858
Career	840	3187	518	906	205	13	187	624	400	665	11	3	.284	.371	.533	.904

Youk Season	88	328	56	103	25	4	15	63	32	61	3	4	.314	.381	.552	.933
Career	496	1712	290	490	120	8	52	262	247	350	12	10	.286	.383	.457	.840

Youk is a much better fielder and can play 1st and 3rd. This is just one of those silly rumors that comes up when beat writers need to fill some space during the All-Star Break

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Cubs Want Coco Again

The Coco to Chicago trade rumors are heating up again. From today's Chicago Tribune:

General manager Jim Hendry sent special assistant Ken Kravec to scout Boston this week in Cincinnati and Philadelphia. The Cubs still are interested in Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp,and now may be willing to include Rich Hill in a multiplayer package.

Rich Hill was born in Boston, he started 5 games this season and has a 4.12 ERA. Here is what the Daily Herald had to say about Hill last week:

Hill was plagued by control problems all through spring training. He broke camp with the Cubs but was sent to Iowa on May 3 after lasting only two-thirds of an inning the previous night at St. Louis. An 11-game winner last year, Hill figured prominently in the Cubs' plans for this year. Now, however, he looks to be a long way from returning.

With Moss able to be a backup and Coco becoming more attractive to the Cubs, the Sox may pull the trigger on this soon. I know the Sox can find value in players and you can never have too much pitching especially since Schilling now looks done for the season.

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Sox in Trade Talks With Padres

San Diego Padres centerfielder Jim Edmonds is going to be sidelined for a while with a strained calf. The Padres are going to try using Scott Hairston in center, but that may not be ideal. According to the San Diego Union Tribune, Padres GM Kevin Towers isn't ruling out a trade for a center fielder.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Theo got in quick contact with Towers to discuss a possible trade deal.

The Sox would move Coco to the Padres. The Sox are reportedly interested in either Chase Headley or Matt Antonelli.

Towers told the San Diego Tribune, “We won't give up either of those guys.”

Keep an eye on this one folks, it could be a real opportunity for the Sox.

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