Is Clay Buchholz Possible Trade Material??

Peter here on Saturday morning, the start of the first weekend of 2009. I hope this post finds you well. I came across a piece in the Friday Providence Journal entitled CLAY BUCHHOLZ A TOP TRADE PROSPECT FOR BOSTON. It was interesting, to say the least. Here's a bit of it and then I'll be back with a few syllables. First up is Theo Epstein with a comment on the young righthander who has already pitched a no-hitter in the majors...

“In our minds, he’s a top-of-the-rotation starter who we control contractually for six years,” said Epstein. “He’s very high-priced, and we value him tremendously.”

How much time does Clay still need to define and refine his pitching skills in the Boston farm system at the Triple AAA level and in Arizona's Winter League? The Sox farm system directer Mark Hazen said this...

“He’s dealt with failure for the first time, and figuring out ways to respond to that,” Hazen said, adding that he expected Buchholz to come in and compete for the major-league roster in the spring."

Peter here. I hope the Red Sox do not include him in any kind of trade...yet. His name was already linked with Jacoby Ellsbury's in the Hanley Ramirez aborted dealings with the Marlins. I think Boston should wait and see...they have five starters with another free agent pitcher (Derek Lowe) possibly joining the club. That's a slim chance, however. Theo & company should watch him carefully in spring training...Buchholz is said to have redeveloped his signature off speed curve and sharpened his 95 plus MPH speedball. Give him a chance, Boston, unless the player coming into town if he is traded will be an essential cog in the 2009 Boston Red Sox puzzle, a puzzle almost completed. More than anything right now, Boston needs a power bat. Yes, believe it or not, that's exactly what they need. It's not life and death if the guys in their five man rotation arrive and stay healthy...it is if one of them goes down. With more than six weeks to go until pitchers and catchers (another Boston essential need) report, the Sox have some time. I hope they will use that time productively and tweak this team into a post-season threat. Right now, I'm not so sure they are...New York and Tampa Bay will be right up there near the top of the AL East.

OK, that's enough from me for now. Your comments are welcome and if you click on this post's title, you will be redirected to the original PROJO article. Thanks so much for stopping in and as always, BE WELL. Shalom. L'chaim. Good health. Have a great weekend and a great year.