(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
The Boston Red Sox were one of the busier teams leading into today’s 4pm trading deadline.
In a major deal, the Sox acquired Cleveland Indians All-Star catcher Victor Martinez, and, in a minor deal, they swapped first basemen to get Casey Kotchman from the Atlanta Braves.
Martinez is the biggest offensive pickup of the 2009 trading deadline. Martinez had a injury-plagued 2008 season that lead to mediocre numbers, but he has picked it up again in 2009 and reestablished himself as one of the best offensive catchers in the game.
A switch-hitter, he gives the Sox excellent versatility in the lineup and on the field. While not official, it is expected that he will play predominantly at catcher and designated hitter. He is better as left-hander, and that will allow the Sox to rotate Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek in the lineup against lefties.
The Sox gave up RHP Justin Masterson, who had been splitting time between the bullpen and rotation and minor league pitchers Nick Hadagone and Bryan Price.
Masterson was a solid cog in the Red Sox team, but he was often the odd man out.
The Indians will probably utilize him as a starter, which is where most scouts see him headed, but the Sox were never in the position to give him a chance to develop as a starter.
Hadagone was the biggest chip the Sox gave up. A left-hander in class-A Greenville, Hadagone underwent Timmy John surgery and recently returned from the disabled list and was impressive.
Price is a right-handed pitcher who also played in Greenville.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Boston Red Sox articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
5 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete