Sale to Boston - Huge Return for the White Sox

[danzig6767]

And, the Red Sox agree to pay the $31.2 million left on Moncada's contract, too?! Crazy

I think this is a great trade for Boston. Get an elite starter on a cheap contract for three years. Moncada is a top prospect, but does strikeout quite a bit and while Kopech has a special arm, he's only thrown 130 minor league innings and for now at least, walks a lot of hitters.

 

Boston prints money. Plus, that 31 million is easily saved by how little Sale is being paid.

[JosephC]

I definitely don't see Boston giving up Benintendi, Devers or Groome in a Braun deal. Prior to this trade I figured the only way Boston would move any of their top 5 (previously mentioned three plus Moncada and Kopech) would be for elite MLB starting pitching, and Sale definitely qualifies as that.

 

I actually like this deal a little better from the Red Sox end mainly because Kopech scares me a little. Players like Chris Sale rarely make it to the market when factoring in talent and contract situation. One could easily make the argument that Sale has been one of MLB's 10 best starters in each of the last four seasons. He turns 28 right at the beginning of next year and could easily continue his high level of performance through the next six seasons. He is under team control for three more seasons at an absolute bargain 39.5 million dollars. Even if Moncada's money is rolled into this equation it's a 70.7 million dollar commitment from the Red Sox for 3 years of Sale, and 23.57 million per season is still a below market rate for a pitcher like him.

 

Moncada...no issues with him. There is a reason he's considered to be the #1 prospect in all of baseball. Should be a great player. Kopech is the definition of a high ceiling, low floor player. As much natural talent as any pitcher in the minors, but there still are a lot of questions regarding his control and secondary pitches. It seems like he still has some significant improving to do if he's going to stick in a MLB rotation. Basabe could be one to watch, five tool guy who has been knocked for his strikeout rate and his OBP was down this year, but in past seasons his OBP was pretty solid (.368 from 2013-2015). Seems like a legitimate top 10 organizational prospect. Diaz is the big armed reliever throw-in, 1.49 WHIP as a 22 year old in A ball raises some questions. How good Kopech becomes probably determines who got the better of this trade. But it makes sense for both sides and certainly doesn't seem lop-sided in any way.

[JosephC]

Almost forgot. If the Red Sox decide their rotation no longer has room for Eduardo Rodriguez, he's a player I'd love to see the Brewers get.

[Eye Black]

The Nationals reportedly offered Victor Robles, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez for Chris Sale. I think that would have been a much safer return with not much sacrificed in terms of upside. I think the White Sox are going to ultimately regret turning that offer down, but it will at least provide an interesting trade retrospective in about 5-7 years.

[MrTPlush]

The Nationals reportedly offered Victor Robles, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez for Chris Sale. I think that would have been a much safer return with not much sacrificed in terms of upside. I think the White Sox are going to ultimately regret turning that offer down, but it will at least provide an interesting trade retrospective in about 5-7 years.

 

Yah, when I heard Giolito/Robles were being offered I figured the Nationals were going to get him. Considering that deal also included Lopez I would have easily picked that offer.

[3and2Fastball]

The Nationals reportedly offered Victor Robles, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez for Chris Sale. I think that would have been a much safer return with not much sacrificed in terms of upside. I think the White Sox are going to ultimately regret turning that offer down, but it will at least provide an interesting trade retrospective in about 5-7 years.

 

Maybe. It'll be interesting to see. I think Moncada will be a superstar. One of the Top 5 players in the game very soon

[sveumrules]

Hoping some of the more economically inclined posters who were chiming in on the financial ramifications of the Thames deal can maybe help me with this question.

 

So the reason Sale was so valuable in the first place is because he's been a consistent top 5-10 starter in MLB for five years in a row & has an extremely reasonable contract. Doesn't factoring in the $64 million acquisition cost the Red Sox paid for Moncada into the equation kind of cancel out the extremely reasonable contract portion of Sale's value?

[MrTPlush]

Hoping some of the more economically inclined posters who were chiming in on the financial ramifications of the Thames deal can maybe help me with this question.

 

So the reason Sale was so valuable in the first place is because he's been a consistent top 5-10 starter in MLB for five years in a row & has an extremely reasonable contract. Doesn't factoring in the $64 million acquisition cost the Red Sox paid for Moncada into the equation kind of cancel out the extremely reasonable contract portion of Sale's value?

 

Anything already paid is a deadweight loss and shouldn't be considered for future decisions. What they are paying for future salary should be considered and does take away from the great deal he is. Still pretty cheap though as only approx. $10mil should be left to pay.