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| Carrasco (L); Quintana (R) |
As the trading deadline looms just four days away, there is renewed talk that the Red Sox are still one of the teams in on
Cole Hamels. With
Johnny Cueto snatched up by Kansas City, the asking price in prospects has probably jumped on Hamels—not to mention his recent no-hitter. So, in our view,
Ben Cherington should
not deal away any of the youthful core for a guy who will be 32 next
Opening Day—even one as good as Hamels. Instead, we would suggest two "lesser" deals that would net two much younger starters—26-year old
José Quintana of the White Sox and 28-year old
Carlos Carrasco of the Indians. Both have big-league experience (Carrasco 6 years, Quintana 4 years) and both have decent stats (Carrasco 4.29 career ERA—10 wins this year, Quintana 3.52 career ERA—5 wins this year). Both are considered solid, and apparently available from two clubs that are going nowhere in 2015. Both Cleveland and Chicago could use a re-stocking of young prospects—but the demands would be far less than what the Phillies would ask for Hamels. So, let's still go after talented starting pitching—just younger and cheaper to acquire.
