Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make.
Since the Miami Marlins have made it clear that they are not trading Giancarlo Stanton, then Red Sox fans need not worry that future stars Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. are staying in the Red Sox system.
Each of these two have greatness written all over them.
Let’s start with Xander Bogaerts and the success he has had in this game. In three professional years in the Boston system his OPS went from .819 to .834 to .896. All this done while he was still just a teenager. Each time he moved up a level his numbers increased. He hit 20 home runs in 2012, and was the youngest player in the Eastern League at year’s end.
Add to that the knowledge that he shows from the fact he can speak four languages puts this kid on a lofty platform. This story gives a good glimpse of the next rising star.
His numbers are going to continue improve as his experience increases. Soon he will try a new position, third base, and this could lead to a Boston promotion by the All-Star game, with Will Middlebrooks moving over to first base to accommodate X-Man at third. Xander’s power will keep his OPS near .900 and his game will need to move on to a larger stage.
A 20 year-old star with 20 home runs and 40 RBI will be not bad for a rookie season, especially when you consider he will only play 75 games for Boston.
The other half of this baseball duo is none other than JBJ, the man who led South Carolina to back-to-back CWS titles.
All Bradley does is make the whole team better whenever he is on the field. The only way to describe him is to call him a winner, because teams are better with him on their side.
It could be May 15, or maybe June 21, but soon Bradley will make the jump to Boston, and Red Sox Nation will have a new star to cheer.
When the two rookies combine it will be the best year in Boston for rookies since Jim Rice and Fred Lynn both arrived in 1975.
If Miami calls tomorrow and says they changed their mind, would you want Giancarlo Stanton for Bradley and Bogaerts?
What would be your answer if you made the call?