After Theo Epstein broke the bank for Adrian Gonzalez, the Boston Red Sox had essentially pushed their chips to the center of the table.
When you give up a good chunk of your prospect base to land one of the best players in baseball, it handcuffs your moves during the regular season. Boston doesn't have the strongest farm system, but it still has plenty of assets, only the club isn't willing to part for them.
The Red Sox have been linked to the Ubaldo Jimenez talks, but it has become obvious that Epstein isn't willing to further dilute his prospect base with another massive trade before the deadline. Peter Gammons tweeted that Colorado will not be able to get the club's top three-or-four prospects for the star pitcher, and it is a brilliant move from the young executive.
What has made the Red Sox great is their ability to team huge spending with responsible baseball, and Epstein isn't going to break that, even if it would get top pitcher. The Red Sox need to strengthen their farm system, and wildly trading prospects would not benefit the club in the long term.
Yes, Boston is tantalizingly close to another World Series, but the club's window stretches into the foreseeable future, and what has made the Red Sox so deep is their ability to cultivate quality prospects and turn them into Major League talent.
Jimenez is an intriguing prospect for a team like the Red Sox, who could really use another power arm in the starting rotation, but Epstein isn't going to break the bank and scuttle the farm system to do it. Boston has to be responsible, and it is doing that by avoiding serious talks regarding the Colorado pitcher.
Right now, the Red Sox need to focus on getting a bat to bring off of the bench, and stabilizing what has been a rather weak bullpen for most of the season. Boston has the tools to get those deals done, and wouldn't have to give up a king's ransom to fill those needs.
Jimenez would steal headlines, but it wouldn't help the club in the long term. It is extremely hard to win championships without a strong farm system, and Epstein is protecting his prized prospects in order to cultivate the next generation of Red Sox talent.
Diane Kruger Dido Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain
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