Baseball writers all over America are struggling with this question: Is the acquisition of
Craig Kimbrel for four really good prospects a
wicked bad deal or just the setting of the new marketplace for relievers? There really isn't a simple answer—
yet.
Dave Dombrowski gave up two
elite prospects and two more
pretty darned good ones for
one relief pitcher under control for just three years. That's
wildly over-paying in the old market. In fact,
FanGraph's Matthew Kory points out
that's the price you'd expect to pay for a good starter. But then Kory concludes that—based on Kimbrel's
previous trade—Boston paid about the right value. We disagree. Only time will tell whether this deal (in conjunction with others to come) will lead us back to the promised land or give us another dose of
Jeff Bagwell/
Anthony Rizzo angst.
