What's the analytical benefit to such exercices? Well, admittedly not much. Does that mean it can't still be fun? Not at all.
With that idea in mind, I bring you the 2012 Theoretical Trade Series, in which I'll publish a few articles over the coming days detailing a few blockbuster trades I think should (but know probably won't) happen. Some will be based on rumors I read. Others, such as the one below, will be based purely on my own speculation.
Feel free to comment to agree, disagree, compliment, insult, etc. The debate is often as fun as the speculation itself.
Without further ado, I bring you the first article in this series, in which I trade Jacoby Ellsbury and spare parts for Jordan Zimmermann and a few arms. Enjoy!
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| Adding Ellsbury to the Nationals would make Washington NL World Series favorites. Photo by keithallison. |
BOSTON RED SOX trade Jacoby
Ellsbury (CF), Vincente Padilla
(RP), Kelly Shoppach (C), Pedro Cirriaco (INF) to the WASHINGTON
NATIONALS for Jordan Zimmermann
(SP), Robbie Ray (LHP, A+), Ryan Perry (RHP, AAA)
Underlying Logic
The Red Sox are a sub-.500 baseball team and play their next
eight games against the Rangers, Yankees and Tigers. They could very well be
four or five games under the even point and even farther behind in the Wild
Card hunt by this time next week.
The Nationals, meanwhile, hold a 4.5 game lead over the
Braves, and are proving to be a competitive team a season before most took them
too seriously. Their pitching is their strength, and they’ve been searching for
true center fielder for a while now.
