Cubs Send Aaron Kurcz to Red Sox to Still Not Complete Theo Compensation

Back when Chris Carpenter was announced as being sent over to the Boston Red Sox for Theo Epstein, I mentioned that the deal still can't properly be evaluated because there were still 2 players to be named later involved. There was some talk that it was just a logistic move, that the Red Sox had to send a player  to the Cubs besides an executive and the two players would be non-news. Well that turned out to be B.S. Today the Cubs announced they're sending RHP Aaron Kurcz to the Red Sox and we still don't know who the Cubs are getting. Temples were built in less time.

As for Kurcz, he's hardly a nobody, a matter of fact I was going to put him around #15 on my prospect list I was hoping to get out for Monday. He was a teammate of Bryce Harper at College of Southern Nevada, but beyond that coincidence, he's a 21-year old power righty reliever with a 9.9 whiff rate to go with a 3.7 BB/9 ratio. He might not be the quality of Chris Carpenter, but certainly not someone to just dismiss.

As the baseball world turns...

Tags: 
Cubs Roster Moves
Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 6:16pm
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Comments

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:17pm

Cubs pitchers gave up 16 hits and walked six vs. the Diamondbacks. Jeff Beliveau walked two batters with the bases loaded to force in two runs and then served up a grand slam to Paul Goldschmidt in a seven-run seventh.

didn't take the demotion too well

DeWitt hit on hand, X-rays pending. Stewart out a few days with sore quad, Barney d2D with tightness in left side.

Bunting Final 4 tomorrow
Coleman vs. Maholm
DeJesus vs. W. Castillo

Submitted by johann
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:17pm

So here's my question: I feel like #15 on a prospect list IS nothing but I've never sat down and studied prospects turned into decent to good in the majors. Outside of the 1 in a 1000 chance teams get, is there some sort of study looking at how far down the prospect list you can go before the chances of someone ever being worth anything to a team fizzles out (again outside of the rare event)?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:23pm

I don't know about the study and I doubt anyone will end up too upset over 2 guys whose upside is late-inning reliever. But also, probably a better chance they have some semblance of a major league career over a starting pitcher or barely top 10 position player, since they are relievers with allegedly good stuff.

if that makes any sense....

the ceiling may not be as high, but the floor is probably higher too. Let's compare to Flaherty who I would probably had around the #10-#12 range. While he still could end up being a decent regular, I could also see him doing absolutely nothing of note in the majors. While Carpenter and Kurcz would surprise me a little if they dont' spend a few years in the pen and quite possibly solid late inning relievers.

Submitted by johann
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:32pm

Yeah the reliever thing makes sense for sure and I've always felt overpaying for relievers vs getting them from the minors is a bad idea. I've just seen a lot of prospect lists where I've felt like once you get past #10 or something what's the point in talking about them. I'd just be interested to see an actual look at what those prospect #s tend to mean relative to the majors.

Submitted by Charlie
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:39pm

Doesn't this seem to suggest that the Cubs might be getting a player back that they sort of like, albeit not a player with a very high ceiling? If that's not the case, I don't understand what's going on.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 7:47pm

you would think, but who the fuck knows at this point.

Submitted by superjimmer
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 8:11pm

Aside from baseball reasons, it would be AWESOME if the Cubs got a guy worth a damn. Not because it would make the Cubs better, but ultimately JUST to watch that BoSox journalist have an epic spaz-out! Here's hoping whoever we get is a player for that reason alone . . .

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 8:29pm

top 20 list of Red Sox prospects

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/12/13/263...

whomever the Cubs get, Nick Cafardo will complain about it.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 11:23pm

T-O-R starting pitcher prospects have more value than do late-inning relief prospects, BUT, a bullpen is VERY important, and it should be possible to build the pen on the cheap from within the organization.

However, after trading Andrew Cashner to SD for Anthony Rizzo and sending Chris Carpenter to Boston as the front-end of Theo Compensation, Aaron Kurcz, Kevin Rhoderick, and Tony Zych were the three young near-MLB ready power RH relievers left in the Cubs system.

So losing both Chris Carpenter AND Aaron Kurcz as Theo Compensation is not good.

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 7:38am

Unless we get a power pitcher relief prospect in return from Boston?

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 11:08am

Fri, 03/16/2012 - 6:38am — SheffieldCornelia

Unless we get a power pitcher relief prospect in return from Boston?

=================================

SHEF: That would be nice, but I kind of doubt it.

The report was that there are three players on the list, and the Red Sox get to choose the player.

That makes it sound to me like the PTBNL might be a choice between the three LHRP on the Sox 40-man roster who are out of minor league options:

Felix Doubront
Andrew Miller
Franklin Morales

And the Cubs get whichever one doesn't make the Red Sox Opening Day roster (which would make it the Red Sox "choice," in that sense).

Submitted by John Beasley
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 8:05am

Agreed. We ended up giving away an awful lot of MPH for a suit.

Submitted by Seamhead
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 11:49am

Would you rather still have Hendry's sports shirt?

That thing was outrageously expensive at times.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 11:56am

I'll happily bet anyone that Theo/Hoyer have a greater impact on the Cubs winning over the next 5-10 years than Carpenter and Kurcz though.

Nonetheless, the Red Sox certainly got 2 useful players out of it.

Submitted by Charlie
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 2:25pm

I agree--I'm happy to shake up the front office and try to get the best guys available there, and I'm thrilled to see the organization take the idea of rebuilding seriously.

This seems like a damn good return on a GM, though. Will the Cubs ever be sending some sort of compensation for Hoyer?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 2:58pm

list has been agreed upon, supposed to be taken care of by end of spring training.

"low level minor leaguer" seems to be the only clue, something about not being on the 40-man

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 11:59am

to minor league deal

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 12:00pm

That makes it sound to me like the PTBNL might be a choice between the three LHRP on the Sox 40-man roster who are out of minor league options:

Felix Doubront
Andrew Miller
Franklin Morales
========
Can you provide any insights as to these three? I know most about Andrew Miller because he was in the Cameron Maybin-Miggy Cabrera trade and was supposedly a high end prospect at that time (but has underachieved ever since). I kind of remember Morales from his days with the Rockies. Hopefully Doubront doesn't remind me of Felix Heredia.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 12:10pm

hanging out at the SABR conference, apparently grew up a Royals fan.

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