Craig Kimbrel trade to Red Sox is FRESH!

It's hard not to like this trade for the Padres.  The team was so bad last season that carrying one of the top closers in the game was of little value.  A.J. Preller did the right thing by flipping him for 4 Boston Red Sox prospects that have upside and can replenish the farm system that he depleted last year.  Time will tell if these prospects will ever reach their full potential but another few years of Kimbrel pitching the ninth is not going to bring this organization any closer to a championship.

I asked Over the Monster's resident prospect guy Marc Normandin (and Padres fan) if he liked the trade from a Padres fan perspective:

I do! It's good for both. The Padres are taking a step back so they can afford to bank on the futures of these three. Margot is the best bet to hit his ceiling. Allen is a long way away but there is real ability there. Guerra's bat is still a bit of a question, but his glove is legit and he should be a big-league shortstop someday because of it. Asuaje can be a helpful player in the majors by 2017 most likely.

Just about everybody liked this move from the media to the bloggers.  These reviews rank 95% fresh on the Tomatometer putting the trade on par with such movies as Nightcrawler and Snowpiercer.  What do you think? Vote in the poll!

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

Red Sox surrender too much for Craig Kimbrel - Keith Law Blog - ESPN
If you're a Boston Red Sox fan, this is exactly the trade you feared Dave Dombrowski would make when he joined the front office, trading away the jewels of the majors' best farm system for veterans who are or may be past their peak values. Craig Kimbrel has been one of the best relievers in baseball history, but this is a big overpay for 60 innings of his services a season when he already seems to be starting to decline.

Padres Get a Haul for Craig Kimbrel | FanGraphs Baseball
For A.J. Preller, this is the kind of move that, if he can repeat a few more times, can undo a lot of the damage that was done last winter, and from my perspective, this marks his first big win as a GM.

Red Sox trade four prospects to Padres for Craig Kimbrel - Minor League Ball
Overall, I think the Padres did well with this package. I'm high on Allen, Asuaje is a nice asset, and both Guerra and Margot can develop into major league regulars. That's a solid return for a guy who wouldn't be in the long-term plan. As for the Red Sox, Kimbrel obviously helps them in the short run and the farm system is deep enough to part with these four without it being a massive blow. This seems like a good move for both teams.

@619Sports
The @Padres traded relievers for prospects. In some cases, high-level prospects. And they'll find/grow some new relievers. Thumbs way up.

@Ken_Rosenthal
Strong return for #Padres. Need to rebuild system, and Kimbrel was a luxury along with Benoit. Can find lesser relievers to thrive at Petco.

@JeffPassan
General consensus: Red Sox paid monster price for two years + option of a RP. CF Manuel Margot and SS Javier Guerra both have huge ceilings.

@BenBadler
Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra are both Top 100 prospects. Might both be top 50 guys too. This is a big, big haul for the Padres.

@JoelSherman1
Preller insisted pieces got last yr retained value, and ability to flip Kimbrel for such a strong package indicates at least some do

@DavidLaurilQA
My first impression of the Kimbrel deal is that Padres may have gotten a steal. Dealt a reliever, albeit a good one, for potential All-Stars

@jjcoop36
Love that haul for the Padres. Guerra is an excellent defensive SS. Margot is a + CF with + hit, Asuaje UTIL who can hit. Allen, young LHP.

@EnoSarris
Hey now, scoring Margot for Kimbrel is a good one. Five tooler in Double-A, so he’s close.

@Jazayerli
It's a year late, but credit to AJ Preller for belatedly realizing that great relievers in San Diego should be sold, not bought.

@CVcrawfordBP
I love this deal for San Diego. Elite defensive ss who isn't bereft of offensive gifts and potential first-division OF for a reliever.

Goodbye to the Jungle | Friarhood
All I can say is, this is a really good first step to the off-season. It gives me comfort believing this organization has a plan, even if it is not evident to everyone. I still have faith in AJ Preller. The guy swung and missed last year, let’s at least give him some more time before we break out the torches and pitchforks.

@RJsFro
Wow, what a haul! Tons of young talent coming to the #Padres there.

@PadresJagoff
The Kimbrel haul, the IPK comp 1st and the free prospects for Benoit totally vindicate AJ for the whole doing nothing at the deadline thing

@Steve_Adler
It should be noted that Red Sox prospects are typically over-hyped. Take any analysis with a grain of salt.  Padres shaving payroll to make moves or line pockets?

@SacBuntChris
Sounds like a strong return, great news about the Kimbrel trade. A great team with a bad bullpen is a very fixable problem.

@VocalMinorityDavid
Okay, I love the Kimbrel trade. I want to make out with it.

@MickeyKoke
Remember, Kimbrel was a luxury in SD this last year they didn't have. So, it's logical to part with him 1st to reallocate money.