前往襪襪的新秀速覽 - 美國職棒

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

A Look At The Prospects Headed To The Red Sox
By Mike Axisa [August 25 at 12:57pm CST]

The Red Sox and Dodgers completed what is arguably the biggest trade of the
MLB Trade Rumors era today, a nine-player swap featuring Josh Beckett, Adrian
Gonzalez, and Carl Crawford moving to Los Angeles. The Dodgers clearly made
the move with the intention of improving their chances to win both now and
during the next several seasons, but for the Red Sox it was all about a fresh
start.

襪襪跟躲人完成了自有MLB TRADE RUMORS網站以來最大的交易。
躲人很清楚地，是為了增加他們在此刻與可預見的未來幾年奪冠的機會，
而對於襪襪而言，則是希望有一個全新的開始。

As reported earlier, the Dodgers will assume all but $12MM of the
approximately $271.5MM in contracts coming their way. Boston is getting what
amounts to a financial fresh start, as their three highest paid players
coming into the season (in terms of average annual value) are now off the
books. After a disastrous end to last season and a disappointing 2012 season
overall, most clubs would have been happy just clearing that much future
payroll. Red Sox GM Ben Cherington did one better and acquired some quality
prospects as well.

襪襪只吃下送過去球員271.5M薪水中的12M，
送走了本季球隊平均薪水最高的三個人，藉此獲得了財務上的彈性。
在上賽季災難性的結束與令人失望的這個賽季之後，俱樂部樂意見到薪資空間被清出來，
而GM Ben Cherington同時也藉此獲得了一些有品質的新秀。

The four-player prospect haul is highlighted by two right-handers: Allen
Webster and Rubby De La Rosa (pictured). The Cubs asked for the 22-year-old
Webster in exchange for right-hander Ryan Dempster prior to the trade
deadline but were rebuffed. Baseball America ranked him as the number two
prospect in Los Angeles' system before the season, behind only Zach Lee.
Webster was also ranked as the 95th best prospect in baseball before the
season by the publication. He's pitched to a 3.55 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 4.2
BB/9 in 22 starts and five relief appearances at the Double-A level this
season, and Baseball America spoke to one team official who described him as
a future number two starter in the Derek Lowe mold.

獲得的四名新秀中以Webster和De La Rosa為中心。
小熊曾經在之前Dempster的交易中向躲人開價Webster，不過被拒絕。
BA在季前新秀排名把他列在躲人系統中的no.2，只在Zach Lee之後，
他同時也是BA百大新秀中的第95名。

本季在2A的22場先發跟5場後援出賽中繳出3.55 ERA、8.7 K/9和4.2BB/9的成績，
BA認為他的天花板是投球型態類似Derek Lowe的二號先發。

De La Rosa, 23, just returned from Tommy John surgery. He threw a dozen minor
league rehab innings before making one relief appearance with the Dodgers
earlier this week, but was sent down to Triple-A last night so he could be
included in the trade as a player to be named later. Reports indicated that
the Blue Jays may have claimed him off waivers, so pulling him back and
waiting until the offseason to officially include him gets around that
obstacle. De La Rosa made ten starts and three relief appearances for the
Dodgers last year, pitching to a 3.71 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 60 2/3
innings. PitchFX confirms that he can run his fastball into the upper-90s and
triple digits. Although Rubby was not eligible for this year's prospect
lists, Baseball America considered him the third best prospect in the
organization and 90th best prospect in the game prior to 2011. Like Webster,
they called him a potential number two starter down the road.

23歲的De La Rosa剛剛開完Tommy John，這星期在小聯盟投了幾局復建賽，
在昨晚被下放3A，也因此可以以PTBNL的方式被放進交易包裹內。
有消息指出藍鳥在waivers上claim了他，因此技術上必須先將他撤下waivers，
季末再正式把他送到襪襪。

De La Rosa去年在躲人先發十場跟後援三場，
在60 2/3局中繳出3.71 ERA、8.9 K/9、4.6 BB/9的成績。
PitchFX的資料顯示他的速球能夠飆到三位數。
BA在2011年把他排在躲人系統的no.3、百大新秀第九十名。
跟Webster一樣，BA認為De La Rosa在未來有機會成為二號先發。

The Red Sox have developed two above-average starting pitchers in Jon Lester
and Clay Buchholz in recent years, but they whiffed on free agent contracts
to John Lackey and (to a lesser extent) Daisuke Matsuzaka. Only two of their
top ten prospects coming into the season were pitchers, and number four
prospect Anthony Ranaudo has only thrown 37 2/3 innings due to injury this
summer. They surrendered Casey Kelly to acquire Gonzalez last offseason,
however 2011 first rounder Matt Barnes has since emerged as one of the best
pitching prospects in the game. Boston's starting rotation has pitched to a
4.88 ERA this season, fourth worst in the AL and fifth worst in all of
baseball. Not all prospects work out, but adding Webster and De La Rosa to
Barnes gives the Red Sox some much-needing top-shelf pitching depth in the
upper minors.

最近幾年襪襪已經養出Lester、Buchy兩位平均以上的先發，
但他們也在發球機、Dice-K的合約上嘗到了苦果。

農場季前的top 10中只有兩位是投手，
排第四的Ranaudo因傷本季只投了37 2/3局，
儘管11年第1輪Matt Barnes已逐漸成為最好的SP新秀之一，
但襪襪在上季的A-Gon交易中也付出了前農場頭號SP，Casey Kelly。

襪襪本季的先發投手群繳出了4.88的ERA，是AL倒數第四、全聯盟倒數第五。
不是每個新秀都能長出來，不過加入Webster跟De La Rosa之後，
襪襪農場前段輪值的深度獲得了良好的填補。

The two other pieces of the trade - Jerry Sands and Ivan De Jesus - project
to be role players. The 24-year-old Sands is a right-handed hitting corner
outfielder/first baseman who has hit .244/.325/.376 with four homers in 251
plate appearances with the Dodgers over the last two seasons. His big
Triple-A numbers (.291/.363/.557 since last year) are somewhat inflated due
to a hitter-friendly park in Albuquerque. Like De La Rosa, Sands was not
prospect-eligible this year but Baseball America did consider him the team's
sixth best prospect prior to 2011. There is some concern about his ability to
hit right-handed pitching long-term - .589 OPS vs. RHP and .904 OPS vs. LHP
in his limited big league time - but Fenway Park should boost his offensive
output. He'll give the Red Sox some flexibility at three of the four corner
spots.

交易裡的配菜Sands跟De Jesus則被預期是role player的角色，
24歲的角落外野手/一壘手 Sands，過去兩季在躲人的251打席中打出.244/.325/.376，
他傑出的3A數字（.291/.363/.557）部份得益於打者天堂Albuquerque的加持。
Sands在11年被BA列為躲人系統的no.6。

在Major的短暫時間裡，對右投.589 的OPS與對左投.904 OPS有很大的落差，
但Fenway Park對打者有利的特性可以提昇他攻擊上的產出。
他能夠在角落位置給襪襪一些陣容上的彈性（譯按：作為Salty在1B的Platoon夥伴？）。

De Jesus, 25, missed the start of this season with an oblique injury and has
been up and down the last two years. He's hit .231/.282/.277 in 72 big league
plate appearances and .301/.354/.416 in over 1,200 Triple-A plate appearances
since the start of 2010. Again, those minor league numbers are inflated a bit
by the offensive environment in Albuquerque. Baseball America ranked him as
the team's 26th best prospect before the season in their Prospect Handbook,
where they noted his ability to play three infield positions. With Nick Punto
on his way to Los Angeles and Will Middlebrooks injured, De Jesus will
provide some infield depth for the time being.

25歲的De Jesus因為斜紋肌手術錯過了這個球季初，在這兩年也顯得沉寂。
在大聯盟的72個打席中只繳出.231/.282/.277的成績，
不過從10年開始，在超過1200個3A打席中打出.301/.354/.416，
同樣的，他的3A數據部份得益於打者天堂Albuquerque的加持。

BA在本季將他列為躲人系統的no.26，他能夠守內野的三個位置（2B、3B、SS），
在Punto被送到LA、中川受傷的情況下，他能夠提供一些內野的深度。
（譯按：國外鄉民說他其實就是年輕便宜版的Punto）

The big prize for the Red Sox is all the freed-up payroll, but the trade was
not just a pure salary dump. Webster and De La Rosa have the potential to be
impact big leaguers and both Sands and De Jesus should be able to carve out a
niche at the Major League level. Three of four prospects figure to see time
with Boston next month, and Webster should be in consideration for a job at
some point next season. The Dodgers were able to swing all of their midseason
trades without surrendering Lee and 2011 first rounder Chris Reed, a benefit
to their willingness to absorb money. Boston essentially hit the reset button
financially, all while adding some quality prospects in the process.

對於襪襪來說，這筆交易的最大收穫是解放了薪資空間，
但這筆交易並不是純粹的salary dump。

Webster跟De La Rosa都有機會成為具影響力的大聯盟球員，
Sands跟De Jesus則有機會在MAJOR層級作出一些貢獻，
其中Webster更有機會在明年球季中就上來觀光。

躲人在有能力吃大合約的優勢下，沒有動到Zach Lee跟11年第1輪 Chris Reed，
就完成了全部的季中交易（Hanley、Chaote、Victorino、League跟這筆），
而襪襪基本上是在按下重新啟動按鈕的同時，也在過程中獲得了一些有品質的新秀。

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