Was trading Mike Lowell the best thing for the club to do? Not if they are planning on signing Adrian Beltre. Theo talked about a “bridge year” for the Red Sox this season but trading Lowell goes against that plan. Beltre will want at least a 3-year deal for a good chunk of change, and having him at third ties Theo’s hands for 2011. Want Adrian Gonzalez at the trade deadline? You’ll have to trade Youk or Beltre. What about Albert Pujols or Joe Mauer who become free agents after next season? The money from Lowell coming off of the books will be mostly taken up by Beltre. When you consider that Boston will pay $9 million of Lowell’s salary next season signing Beltre could be a very expensive ordeal.
If this is truly going to be a “bridge year” Theo needs to lay off of signing Beltre and make do with Youk at third and Ramirez/V-Mart/Kotchman (if they keep him) at first. This will put the Sox in a great position to land one of the big free agents next season. If the Sox want to win this season then they need to bring in Adrian Gonzalez.
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