@Ragman,
Quote:Peavy to Boston in 3-team deal
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox have been discussing a possible trade for Jake Peavy for days
but were unable to find an agreeable match.
It wasn't until they engaged the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Boston general manager Ben Cherington said,
that the pieces finally fell into place. The end result was a three-team, seven-player deal in which Boston
received the 32-year-old veteran starter they were seeking to bolster their rotation for a postseason run.
The Tigers, meanwhile, acquired gifted gloveman Jose Iglesias from Boston as the shortstop they will need
if All-Star Jhonny Peralta is suspended, as anticipated, as part of MLB's Biogenesis investigation. The White
Sox acquired outfielder Avisail Garcia, regarded as the top power prospect in the Detroit system, plus three
prospects from the Red Sox: 100-mph throwing right-hander from Class A Greenville, 20-year-old Dominican
Francelis Montas, righty J.B. Wendelken and infielder Cleuluis Rondon.
Boston also acquired another player from Detroit's 40-man roster, right-handed reliever Brayan Villarreal,
who is currently with Triple-A Toledo and has been sidelined with a sprained thumb. Villareal will be assigned
to Boston's Triple-A team, Pawtucket.
[ snip ]
The Red Sox explored other options, including talks with the Philadelphia Phillies about left-hander Cliff Lee,
but those talks went nowhere, as the Phillies reportedly were seeking a package in return that included top
prospect Xander Bogaerts, the 20-year-old shortstop who is projected to be in the big leagues by next season,
if not sooner.
Iglesias, a Cuban defector who signed a four-year, $8.24 million contract as a 19-year-old in 2009, was
recently praised by Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz as the best fielder he has ever seen, better even,
Ortiz loudly proclaimed in the Boston clubhouse last week, than Omar Vizquel, an 11-time Gold Glove winner
at shortstop.
Iglesias seamlessly made the transition to third base when called up in a utility role by the Red Sox on May
24 and took over the position full-time when Will Middlebrooks was sent down to Pawtucket in late June. He
surprised everyone by maintaining a .400-plus average until July 6, when he went into a 11-for-62 slide (.177)
in which his average dropped from .403 to its current .330. He singled in three at-bats Tuesday.
(espn)
not sure how i feel about this yet.
we got a former CY winner, and trading iggy clears the way for bogaerts to play short next year, with (presumably)
middlebrooks back at third.
but iggy is a special player who learned a new position and who's offense took a quantum leap this year...
