What happens when you become one of the most feared hitters in baseball? If you want to find out, just ask Giancarlo Stanton. The 24 year old Miami Marlins' right fielder is crushing it at the plate, and a team that likes to do business with the Marlins is starting to take notice, and wants to rebuild their roster around him.
According to news out of Boston, the Red Sox have their sights set on Stanton as they see their chances of making the postseason this year take a nose dive. As the Red Sox consider how to rebuild a roster that's only a year removed from a World Series title, they want to add Stanton more than any other player, according to the Boston Herald's John Tomase.
Stanton currently leads the National League in several categories. He is setting the mark in home runs with 31, RBI's with 82, total bases with 249, and walks with 73. His big bat has kept the Marlins close all season, and he shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. The Marlins are currently 59-60, and are only six games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East.
As you consider what it might take to get Stanton into a Red Sox uniform, remember the Sox are pretty good at plucking talent from the Marlins. Remember back in 2005 when the Marlins wanted desperately to keep Josh Beckett, but couldn't afford to keep him? Well, that is basically the same scenario with Stanton. The Marlins ended up trading Beckett and brought in a nice catch of their own: All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez and 2013 American League ERA leader Anibal Sanchez.
Most believe that the price for Stanton will be much higher than that, but it seems the Red Sox are ready to make a deal. The Red Sox have a strong farm system, particularly stocked with pitching prospects. There is little doubt they will be able to come up with some combination to suit the Marlins, and the two teams have historically been able to pull off deals of this caliber.
