There’s a report that Eric Hinske is going to the Red Sox.
It was not immediately known what the Red Sox sent the Blue Jays in return for the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year, a left-handed hitter who has played the corner positions in both the infield and outfield.
Hinske, who has become a part-time player this season, was pulled from the Blue Jays’ lineup shortly before the start of Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He wasn’t told why he was pulled, but was informed he wouldn’t play at all Wednesday night.
“That’s usually a sign something is probably going to happen,” Hinske said. “I’m just kind of waiting around to see what’s up and see what happens. That’s all I can do.”
My question is, where is Hinske going to play? The obvious place would be in a platoon with Lowell at third base. Look at the production at the position since the All-Star break. Averages of .234/.300/.387 isn’t exactly getting the job done. If you look at Lowell by month, he’s slowly returning to his 2005 form. Hinske is their insurance in case that continues.
I’m very surprised the Jays are willing to help out a division rival like this. I guess Toronto considers itself out of the race.
They are also helping themselves out by moving his contract.
I think Hinske is on the books for $5 plus mil next year, and if they are not going to play him, why not move his money? I do believe though that the Jays are eating some of the contract, but JP has displayed this season that if he has money to spend he will spend it. Now he has just a bit more to play with.
I believe hinske will be used mostly in a RF platoon with Wily Mo Pena, though I suspect he’ll move all over the diamond.
Hinske is a competetor and he should do well in Boston. And, for a LHB off the bench who can pop into all the corner positions is very valuable in the playoffs. Not to mention he’s hitting home runs at a 35+ HR rate if he played full time. Nice pop from your bench.
Tossing our Loogy and now Hinkse says JP is cleaning the useless salary for next season. Both players traded yesterday will help their new homes and are not going to be really missed in Toronto this season. This just makes things easier for JP as well… now he can get Adam Lind and Ricky Romero up for a cup ‘o joe right away.
Let’s see how he performs this weekend against the Yanks in the pre ALDS. He his Yankees well enough… gonna be wierd to see him in a Sox uniform though…
He may not platoon with Pena. Wily Mo actually looks more comfortable in CF than RF with the Sox, so maybe he spells Crisp there from time-to-time with Hinske in RF. The Sox need more offense, that’s for sure.
Still, a weird trade. I’ll be curious who they gave up for him. Shouldn’t be much, since he’s not a particularly valuable player, especially at his salary level.
“Let’s see how he performs this weekend against the Yanks in the pre ALDS. ”
Umm…one thing we know the ALDS *won’t* be is Yankees vs. Red Sox (or White Sox vs. Tigers, either).
Geeze dude… you knew what I ment.