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November 21, 2005 BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - Even in the absence of a general manager, the red sox apparently have pulled off a trade for righthander Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell
ESPN is reporting the Red Sox have acquired Beckett and Lowell from the Florida Marlins for shortstop Hanley Ramirez, righthander Anibal Sanchez and a player to be named.
The deal reportedly hinges upon all players passing physicals.
Operating without general manager Theo Epstein, who resigned on October 31 and has yet to be replaced, the Red Sox apparently have obtained the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 World Series and the reigning Gold Glove-winning third baseman in the National League.
Beckett, the second overall pick in the 1999 draft, pitched a five-hit shutout against the New York Yankees in Game Six to clinch the Marlins' second World Series title. The 25-year-old has gone 24-17 with a 3.57 ERA in two seasons since then but has suffered from chronic blister problems.
Aside from winning his first Gold Glove Award, Lowell endured a disastrous 2005 season. The 31-year-old batted just .236 with eight homers and 58 RBI this past season despite entering the campaign as a career .277 hitter with an average of nearly 25 homers and 95 RBI over the previous five years with the Marlins.
The Marlins have maintained that teams must take on the contract of Lowell, who is scheduled to make $17 million over the next two seasons, if they were to acquire Beckett. The Texas Rangers recently were interested in dealing slugging third baseman Hank Blalock and a minor league pitcher for Beckett and Lowell, but the Marlins elected to go in a different direction.
Ramirez, who will turn 22 in December, has been regarded as one of Boston's top prospects since he was signed as a free agent in July 2000.
the red sox are already a formidable team but with one extra gun on their pitching roster, fuck!
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