We’re going to take a brief break from dissecting the Boston Red Sox’s offseason strategy.
Don’t worry.
We’ll be back soon with an exposé on how current ownership did actually originally trade away its own 1998 first-round pick and lived long enough to see it come back home. It’s one of the stranger trade trees the DBL has produced.
But first, Boston has finally done something they’ve been trying to do for weeks.
Shane Mack is gone.
The Red Sox have traded Mack to the Washington Senators in exchange for infielder Ray Durham and a 1999 fifth-round pick.
Let’s start with Washington.
Because this is exactly the kind of move a contender should make.
Mack is no longer the player he was in his prime, but he still does one thing very well:
Hit.
He’s another high-contact veteran who lengthens an already dangerous lineup and gives Washington even more flexibility. He can start in left field, DH against the right matchup, or simply be one of the better bats coming off the bench.
Championship teams don’t just collect stars.
They collect professionals.
Shane Mack is a professional.
And considering what Washington gave up, this is an easy addition.
There’s also the not-so-subtle GOPI angle.
If any owner in this league pays closer attention to those ratings than everyone else, it’s Washington.
The Senators clearly weren’t thrilled seeing themselves ranked fourth entering the season, and every move they’ve made this offseason has suggested they’re trying to squeeze every last point out of the roster.
Maybe this doesn’t leapfrog Montreal.
Maybe it doesn’t even catch Charlotte.
But it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Now let’s give Boston some credit.
The Red Sox have spent the better part of the offseason publicly announcing that Shane Mack had no place in their plans.
They buried him.
They shopped him.
They made it abundantly clear to all 29 other teams that they wanted him gone.
That’s generally not how you maximize trade value.
Around the league, the expectation was that Boston would eventually have to settle for pennies on the dollar.
Instead?
They walked away with Ray Durham.
That’s a legitimately interesting return.
Durham remains on an entry-level contract, which immediately makes him more valuable than his current production alone would suggest. The bat is intriguing, there’s room for growth, and cost-controlled middle infielders don’t exactly grow on trees.
The obvious concern is the glove.
Right now, Durham’s defense isn’t playable.
At least not if your goal is preventing runs.
But everyone also knows how the development system works.
There’s a very good chance those ratings improve next year, and suddenly you’re looking at a completely different player.
Project forward a season or two and an infield featuring Paul Konerko or David Ortiz at first, Durham at second, Ronnie Belliard, and Edgar Renteria starts to look… interesting.
Very interesting.
For a player Boston openly admitted it didn’t want, that’s an excellent piece to bring back.
It’s easy to criticize the Red Sox this offseason.
I’ve certainly done my fair share.
But credit where it’s due.
This is one they got right.
Trade Grades
Boston Red Sox: A+
When the entire league knows you’re trying to dump a veteran, expectations are usually low. Turning Shane Mack into a young, cost-controlled wildcard like Ray Durham is outstanding business.
Washington Senators: A
Washington adds another quality veteran bat to a roster with championship aspirations without giving up a cornerstone piece. It’s a clean, sensible move for a team trying to win now.