In a four team deal - the Red Sox recieved Orlando Cabrera from the Expos and Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins. Nomar gets sent to the Cubs (along with minor leaguer Matt Murton). The Twins get minor leaguer Justin Jones and the Expos get Alex Gonzalez from the Cubs plus minor leaguers Francis Beltran and Brendan Harris.
Offense was never a problem with the Red Sox - so losing Nomar's bat won't hurt that much (I hope) but did the team really improve that much on defense? Sure Mientkiewicz is a Gold Glove caliber glove but is he really that much of an improvement over Dave McCarty (either offensively or defensively)? Couldn't the Red Sox have snagged Mientkiewicz without trading Nomar?
The second guessing of this trade has already begun.
Cabrera is a free agent (so I understand) - so couldn't the Red Sox have made him an offer at the end of the season? If they kept Nomar - they could have offered arbitration and if (and when) he walked - they would have had 2 draft picks in return. What happened to targeting Edgar Renteria?
I'm a big "In Theo We Trust" guy - so I'm assuming that there is more to this than meets the eye. On the surface it's not a great deal for the Red Sox but maybe:
- Nomar was more of a clubhouse distraction than was previously known
- Maybe the Red Sox feel they can sign Cabrera lomg term (three years now qualifies as long term) and maybe they feel he is the type of batter that will blossom in Fenway ala Bill Mueller
- Mientkievicz is known as a GREAT clubhouse guy
Hanley Ramirez - the door is now open for you.
SoSH will be jammed the next two days with Internet traffic from accross the country (especially from Illinois).
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