No Helton For You

I can't help but laugh at those that think the Colorado Rockies were asking for too much in their trade talks with the Red Sox. Imagine if you will:
Theo Epstein: "Hey Colorado. I hear Todd Helton is on the market. He's arguably one of the most prolific hitters in the past 10 years. What do you say we trade you Mike Lowell, who's nearing the end of his career and is in the final year of his contract, and will likely leave you after 2007. And we'll also throw in journeyman reliever Julian Tavarez. He's no spring chicken, and he might not be playing with a full deck, but he'll no doubt excel in the friendly confines of Coors Field, the greatest pitcher friendly park in the Majors. And maybe in addition to Helton, you pay us half of his remaining salary. Want me to announce the deal??"
The Red Sox basically wanted to trade the Rockies garbage in exchange for one of the game's greatest hitters. This makes me laugh. It's like the guy in my Diamond Mind league that offers up Paul Maholm in exchange for both Mariano Rivera and Moises Alou. Yeah, I'll get right on it. In what world is the trade of Helton for Lowell and Tavarez a fair deal? You expect to trade 2 aging players for one of the game's best? Anybody with half of a brain when it comes to baseball knows you have to include some young talent when you talk these deals. And yes, I know the financial aspect changes things, but asking for a pitching prospect wasn't an excessive request in my opinion.
"They weren’t willing to give us a player compatible for what we felt we needed. It didn’t work out. When you are talking about a Todd Helton, you need to get someone back who is going to be an impact player." - Charlie Monfrot, Rockies owner
Well duh. Here's what I see as one of Boston's problems: Theo Epstein doesn't want to get burned again. The Sox could be sitting pretty if they didn't trade away Anibal Sanchez, Bronson Arroyo, and Hanley Ramirez. What did the Sox get by landing Wily Mo Pena, Josh Beckett, and Mike Lowell? If you said a 3rd place finish, you're right. I think the Sox are a little gun shy in trading Delcarmen or Hansen, as they don't want to see them pan out to be superstars. Sanchez throws a no-no. Ramirez was the NL ROY. Arroyo was an all-star. And again, Boston's acquisitions landed them a 3rd place finish.
In the end, I think this trade will still happen. The Red Sox appear to be jaded after finishing 3rd and I can see them ponying up the prospect b/c they think Helton will help them win. I still think Theo is a little shell-shocked at the loss of Damon, the failure to land a big bat at the trade deadline, and finishing 3rd. I said a few months ago that the Red Sox were becoming a lot like the Yankees and I think their failures in 2006 are the main reason why. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
J