Sonny Gray to the Redsox

[rockondlouie]

R. Fitts

6th RD Yankee pick in 2021 out of Auburn

14 MLB GS/15 GP

3.97 ERA
1.29 WHiP
6.7 SO9

Looks like he may have trouble w/giving up the long ball

[craviduce]

Per Jeff Passan:

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Boston Red Sox receive: Sonny Gray and cash

St. Louis Cardinals receive: LHP Brandon Clarke and RHP Richard Fitts

I can't believe we got Clarke

There must've been a small bidding war going on to land Clarke. Just outside most Top 100 prospect lists. LHP strike out machine....60 K's in 38 IP last year...kept the walks acceptable

Clark should land 5th or 7th on our Top 10 list....this will be interesting where all the pundits put him.

Color me excited about this one....unless I"m missing something with some sort of new injury.

I don't know anything about Fitts.

27 walks in 38 innings is acceptable? That is problematic.

it's not problematic.....you need to understand the context....he was jelling at a very low Walk Rate last year, until he started dealing with a persistent Blister Problem that ended with a DL stint in Mid August....it started right off the All-Star Break, but he continued to pitch through it...his walk rate soared b/c of it

I'm not concerned with that walk rate....it'll be lowered by quite a bit going forward. Pray for callused, healed fingers

[VegasVinny]

I’m excited to see Dick Fitts in Busch.

[mattmitchl44]

All-in-all, it sounds like the Cardinals get the kind of ML-ready, higher floor/if lower ceiling prospect (Fitts) that I thought they would get for Gray, and a somewhat lower floor/higher ceiling prospect (Clarke) who is maybe a couple of years away.

I like it overall.

On the surface appears to be an outstanding potential return + salary relief!

Just the kind of prospect I was hoping for when Bloom dealt Gray.

Now lets get another one, maybe even a major league starter w/years of control left, for Donny.

They should definitely get more value for Donovan, whatever form that value comes in.

I’d be preferable to a major league starter with years of control.

My "wish list" is Nolan McLean from the Mets.

I have seen Noah Cameron mentioned as well.

McLean is a MUCH higher upside choice than Cameron. FG has McLean right now as the #12 prospect in MLB. Cameron topped out at #88.

Cameron is basically almost identical to another Matt Liberatore, who was #87 the last time FG ranked him back in 2023.

[smilinjoefission]

More arms means less Roycroft and Raquet, you know, these two pitchers so important we had to leave off a potential stud of the 40-man.

[craviduce]

it's a good trade....face value, early indications. I'm elated. Of course you grade much later (several seasons), but again, early indications, we did well here.

[Banner29]

All-in-all, it sounds like the Cardinals get the kind of ML-ready, higher floor/if lower ceiling prospect (Fitts) that I thought they would get for Gray, and a somewhat lower floor/higher ceiling prospect (Clarke) who is maybe a couple of years away.

I like it overall.

On the surface appears to be an outstanding potential return + salary relief!

Just the kind of prospect I was hoping for when Bloom dealt Gray.

Now lets get another one, maybe even a major league starter w/years of control left, for Donny.

They should definitely get more value for Donovan, whatever form that value comes in.

I’d be preferable to a major league starter with years of control.

My "wish list" is Nolan McLean from the Mets.

I have seen Noah Cameron mentioned as well.

McLean is a MUCH higher upside choice than Cameron. FG has McLean right now as the #12 prospect in MLB. Cameron topped out at #88.

I would prefer McLean as well. However I don’t know if Donny can reel you in a #12 prospect. Fine player. But not that fine

[smilinjoefission]

I’m excited to see Dick Fitts in Busch.

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE likes Dick Fitts in Busch...I want DickieThon...hours and hours of DickieThon in Busch.

[Cusecards]

I’ll defer to other posters...such as Duce....who are much more knowledgeable on prospects than I am.
Since the Option on Gray for 2027 would not be picked up it makes total sense to move him now.
Rotation:
Libby
McGreevey
then???
Sounds like Leahy might be in the picture?
Pallante possible but I see him to the BP.
Mathews certainly gets a look in ST.
With more moves to follow(Arenado?) that will save some $$ I would expect Bloom to sign a vet for the rotation(maybe two?) on a one year deal.

Should be an interesting Hot Stove Season.

BTW- If Bloom signs Mikolas as the one year vet I expect CT to implode from within.

[rockondlouie]

it's a good trade....face value, early indications. I'm elated. Of course you grade much later (several seasons), but again, early indications, he did well here.

Ditto

We don't know the final cash BDWJr sent but could be as much as $15M(?) in payroll savings that he could let Bloom re-invest!

[mattmitchl44]

All-in-all, it sounds like the Cardinals get the kind of ML-ready, higher floor/if lower ceiling prospect (Fitts) that I thought they would get for Gray, and a somewhat lower floor/higher ceiling prospect (Clarke) who is maybe a couple of years away.

I like it overall.

On the surface appears to be an outstanding potential return + salary relief!

Just the kind of prospect I was hoping for when Bloom dealt Gray.

Now lets get another one, maybe even a major league starter w/years of control left, for Donny.

They should definitely get more value for Donovan, whatever form that value comes in.

I’d be preferable to a major league starter with years of control.

My "wish list" is Nolan McLean from the Mets.

I have seen Noah Cameron mentioned as well.

McLean is a MUCH higher upside choice than Cameron. FG has McLean right now as the #12 prospect in MLB. Cameron topped out at #88.

I would prefer McLean as well. However I don’t know if Donny can reel you in a #12 prospect. Fine player. But not that fine

I'd add pieces - Romero, Henderson, Pages/Crooks - something - to get that done if need be.

[craviduce]

it's a good trade....face value, early indications. I'm elated. Of course you grade much later (several seasons), but again, early indications, he did well here.

Ditto

We don't know the final cash BDWJr sent but could be as much as $15M(?) in payroll savings that he could let Bloom re-invest!

around $20M if I'm reading it correctly. Boston on the hook for 15M this year. I wonder if they had to pick up the Option for the Trade to go through?

[VegasVinny]

I’m excited to see Dick Fitts in Busch.

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE likes Dick Fitts in Busch...I want DickieThon...hours and hours of DickieThon in Busch.

If there isn’t a Dick Fitts chant every time he enters the game, we’ve failed as a society.

[82birds]

it's a good trade....face value, early indications. I'm elated. Of course you grade much later (several seasons), but again, early indications, he did well here.

Ditto

We don't know the final cash BDWJr sent but could be as much as $15M(?) in payroll savings that he could let Bloom re-invest!

20MM per MLBTR

[smilinjoefission]

I’m excited to see Dick Fitts in Busch.

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE likes Dick Fitts in Busch...I want DickieThon...hours and hours of DickieThon in Busch.

If there isn’t a Dick Fitts chant every time he enters the game, we’ve failed as a society.

"the hometown crowd is chanting something...can't quite make it out"

[Rosie's Rule]

Word of caution on Fitts - spent the last month of the season on the IL with “arm neuritis” bicep issues.