This trade accomplishes a few things, and only one of them is Ramon Ramirez.
1. Cuts salary. Not that the Sox are poor, but if any of the Teixeira or Lowe rumors are to be believed, paying $13M for two years of a backup outfielder might not be the wisest allocation of funds. Also, we’ve got some young guys who are going to be due a lot of money soon, so Coco’s money is likely to be better spent on Papelbon, Youk, or Pedroia.
2. Gives Jacoby the center field job. Ellsbury had a mediocre year on the whole, but his overall numbers were effected by a bad slump in the middle of the year. He hit very well over the last two months and on into the post season. Going forward he is a much better bet to provide above league average production at center field and he can do it for much less money.
3. Ramon Ramirez. After trading Manny, this solves our nobody-named-Ramirez-on-the-roster problem.
Admittedly, I'm in the tank for Theo, but I think the Sox can approximate Coco's overall production (offense + defense) elsewhere, while committing to Ellsbury and directing funds elsewhere.
I agree that on the Sox as a backup Coco is not worth the money. The Sox got a better asset in Ramirez. I just thought the market for Coco was better than a middle RP, which by nature are risky.
I do think Ellsbury is a better option than Coco - salary and upside. But Ells could look like Juan Pierre with better defense.
I'd like to think he is better than that, but it's OK if Jacoby is Juan Pierre with better D, as long as we aren't paying him $9.
I was surprised that Coco only brought a relief pitcher too, but we didn't need Coco next year, so its addition by both addition and subtraction.
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