Originally posted by Alpha10
Maybe I'm a little late, but my 2 favorite teams apparently traded a few players. Can someone fill me in on who got traded for who?
Well, if I recall the trade correctly, Nomar went to the Cubbies to ensure the RedSox don't win the World Series this year.
Here's the breakdown - Red Sox wound up with Cabrera and Minnesota first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz while the Cubs got Garciaparra and minor league outfielder Matt Murton. Montreal acquired Gonzalez, pitcher Francis Beltran and infielder Brendan Harris and the Twins got minor league pitcher Justin Jones.
The idea behind this trade, from the Sox standpoint, is twofold.
1. They're getting rid of a malcontent. An All-Star malcontent, but a malcontent nontheless. It was pretty much guaranteed that Nomar would walk after this season was over, so the Sox office decided to deal him now and get what they could.
2. They want to get better on defense. Defense has been the number-one factor in their recent struggles. While the jury is out as to whether Cabrera is a better shortstop than Nomar, he is a lot less erratic. With Doug Mientkiewicz they finally have a legitimate Gold-Glover at first base. Getting Dave Roberts from the Dodgers gives them more speed in the outfield, and probably more importantly, on the basepaths.
Nomar was asked... "How do you feel about being traded from one cursed team to another"?
He said something like, "I didn't think of it that way, I consider myself traded from one great franchise to another".
He's a stand-up guy... I hope he does well for the Cubs. He was offered several other contracts by Boston, but either wanted more, or just wanted to move on from Boston. He was never happy with the Media!
Now Boston needs to do something they will never do. They need to start playing some small ball. No sense in having a fast base runner if you expect to slam him home with a Home Run.... They need to hit and run, bunt... double steals... etc.
Boston won't do that... but they should.
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Originally posted by PhlabibitI think they will. Epstein will insist. He didn't go out and get all this speed for nothing. They set all kinds of offensive records last year, but in the end it's pitching, speed, and defense that gets you to the World Series.
Nomar was asked... "How do you feel about being traded from one cursed team to another"?
He said something like, "I didn't think of it that way, I consider myself traded from one great franchise to another".
He's a stand-up guy... I hope he does well for the Cubs. He was offered several other contracts by Boston, but either wanted more, or j ...[text shortened]... hit and run, bunt... double steals... etc.
Boston won't do that... but they should.
P-