The Boston Red Sox made more waves recently when they were the club to land Cuban teen shortstop Yoan Moncada for a $30 million deal that will cost double because of international taxes. While they'd always been in the mix for Moncada, the rumors surrounding them were more about left-handed ace Cole Hamels.
For weeks Boston has been linked to a Hamels trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. This makes sense because for all of Boston's firepower at the plate, questions remain about whether their pitching staff can hold up in the offense-oriented American League East.
Rick Porcello is in the lead to be Boston's Opening Day starter, and while he was effective in 2014 for the Detroit Tigers as a mid-rotation cog, he's never had the pressure of No. 1 status, nor the stats to compare to top-flight aces.
Last season Porcello was 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. His 5.67 K/9 is unusually low for a rotation's leading man, and in the four years prior to 2014 he'd never posted an ERA lower than 4.32. Because of these questions about Porcello, and the uncertainty of the pitchers behind him, Hamels seems like a natural fit in Fenway Park.
Last year Hamels, pitching for a last-place club, was lights out. He finished the season 9-9 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. He also threw 204.2 innings, marking the fifth consecutive season in which Hamels threw 200-plus innings. Despite all that, Boston isn't in a rush to make a deal.
According to reports, "there's no sense of urgency" to complete a Hamels trade, and it is believed to be because the Phillies' asking price remains too high for Boston's taste. The Phillies are determined to receive a number of young prospects in return for Hamels, while the Red Sox preferred to trade veteran assets. One name involved in the trade was 1B/OF Allen Craig.
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