Heyman With Gresh & Zo: Latest From MLB Winter Meetings
BOSTON (CBS) - It's been a quiet start to the Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, but things could pick up at any moment.
CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman joined Gresh & Zolak from the Winter Meetings on Tuesday, and said after a busy week last week, a few markets are still waiting to develop.
After losing Jacoby Ellsbury to the Yankees, the Red Sox could make a push for Matt Kemp, but Heyman said a deal with the Dodgers would be difficult given Kemp's injury-plagued 2013 season.
"If he's healthy, or close to healthy, (Kemp) is one of the best players in baseball," said Heyman. "Last year was a rough year; he had an ankle injury, shoulder concerns – there is a lot going on with him. That's why he is such a tough guy to trade, because how can you pinpoint the value?
"I think it will be difficult to make a trade like that, but we said that a few years ago when Boston and L.A. worked out a much more difficult trade, so I don't like to rule anything out."
The starting pitching market has strong arms like Matt Garza, Erving Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez, but they're waiting on Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka to be posted (if that ever happens) to get things rolling on that front. The Red Sox are in a good position to deal away one of their starting pitchers this off-season, with veterans Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy and John Lackey potentially available, but Heyman says they'll have to wait for the starter's market to develop a little more.
"You may have to wait because Garza, Santana and Jimenez are ahead of anyone the Red Sox are offering. (The Red Sox) want to keep their young left-hander [Allen Webster] and the guys at the top in Lester and Buchholz. Dempster is well below those guys, and Peavy, based on his finish, is behind [the available free agents] as well. There could be a wait."
Heyman added that Boston signing Mike Napoli to a two-year deal on Friday was "a great fit for both sides."
Heyman also evaluated the off-season moves made so far by the New York Yankees and talked about the new MLB Hall of Fame inductees:
