Justin Upton heading to Boston?

Arizona Diamondbacks 23-year-old outfielder Justin Upton has reportedly been made available in trade. Not surprisingly, the phone lines began to ring with aggressive suitors.

Upton has five-tool talent and is under team control for four more years after signing a five-year, $51.25 million deal last March. He hit .300 with 26 homers, 86 RBI, 30 doubles, and 20 steals in 2009, his first full season. He had a setback this past season due to a nagging shoulder injury, yet he still hit 17 homers, drove in 79, and is still drawing comparisons to a Reggie Jackson-Ken Griffey Jr. hybrid.

The Toronto Blue Jays showed immediate, “strong” interest, and 14 other teams have put their name in the Upton sweepstakes since. One of those teams is the Boston Red Sox, which needs to do something. They won 89 games last year despite being injury-riddled. They would contend next year without making a splash. Their current team could challenge the Yankees and Rays.

That “something” should not be free-agent Jayson Werth, but Upton certainly would suffice. It is puzzling to me that the recently hired General Manager of the Diamondbacks would be willing to part with such a talent, but Boston can take advantage of this interesting decision. The problem is the cost. Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman suggested offering speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who missed all but 18 games this season with four broken ribs, and closer-in-waiting Daniel Bard to turn a phone call expressing interest into serious discussions.

Ellsbury is fast, can get on base at a solid clip, steals bases, and plays a Gold-Glove worth center field. His 2010 season was lost, but, like Upton, he was incredible in 2009.

He hit .301, stole 70 bases, only struck out 74 times, compiled 188 hits, scored 94 runs, and drove in 60 more. The injury to his ribs affected his ability to rotate at the plate (hurting the fluidity of the swing), which is why the injury suffered nine games in put him on the shelf for all but nine more, and may have made him tentative on the basepaths (he returned for a nine-game stint in August, which only worsened the injury).

Four years older than Upton, Ellsbury may be worth parting with. And if it takes adding Bard to get a deal done, the Red Sox should pull the trigger. Why? Because Upton has everything a team pines for in a hitter, and his powerful swing from the right side is made for a hitters park like Fenway, especially with the Green Monster no more than 320 feet away.

Ellsbury’s speed and overall impact would be difficult to lose, but Upton is capable of swiping his fair share of bases and having a similar effect. With his power and speed, manager Terry Francona would be given a lot of flexibility; he set the table or anchor the middle of the order.

Bard’s dominance as a set-up man to Jonathan Papelbon would be missed, but middle relief is not hard to find in this day and age. And with the success the Red Sox farm system has had, a successor to Papelbon could be groomed.

I would much rather have Upton than Adrian Gonzalez, whom the Red Sox also salivate over. Gonzalez, San Diego’s power-hitting first baseman, could be had, but it would take Ellsbury, Bard, outfielder Ryan Kalish, and possibly a top-prospect like Casey Kelly.

That move would give the Red Sox a first baseman and would allow Kevin Youkilis to move to third, but the team would two outfielders, their closer of the future, and a talented young pitcher. At least if Kalish and Ellsbury were traded for Upton Boston would only be out one outfielder.

It’s the old adage: to get someone good you have to give up someone good. In this case, Boston would be giving up multiple players. But they can’t pass up on the chance to acquire such a talent as Upton.