Boston has acquired COF Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins in exchange for LHPs Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez.
While this appears to be a salary dump for Florida -- Hermida made $2.25 million in 2009, and will probably get $3.5-4 million in 2010, making him a potential non-tender candidate for the Marlins -- they look like they got some talent back. Jones is just a random 25 year old arm, but Alvarez put up good numbers as a 20 year old in the New York-Penn League (although he didn't make the BA League top 20).
Hermida is an interesting guy to take a flyer on, a high school draftee in 2002* who had a strong season in 2007, posting a .296/.369/.501 line while playing in a pitcher's park, but who has regressed the past couple of years. And he's limited to a corner outfield spot, so if he doesn't hit, he doesn't have value.
* Hermida went #11 overall, 1 pick behind Drew Meyer. I was irritated with the Meyer pick because I wanted Texas to take either Hermida or Bobby Brownlie.
But this gives the BoSox a hedge in case Jason Bay walks in free agency, particularly given that there isn't exactly a sterling crop of COF guys out there on the market. And it also allows them to work with a guy who looks like a solid reclamation project, and who is under team control through 2011...if Hermida bounces back strong, he has the potential to be a bargain in 2011.
This is interesting because it is consistent with the philosophy the BoSox have shown of late with guys like Rocco Baldelli, Brad Penny, John Smoltz...if they are going to spend $3-5 million on a player, they'd rather have a high beta guy who might give you nothing, or might give you a whole lot, rather than get the safe, guaranteed mediocrity.