Sox trade Renteria for blue-chipper Marte

Boston - The Red Sox acquired top Atlanta prospect Andy Marte in exchange for Edgar Renteria and cash on Thursday. Marte, 22, could be Boston's third baseman for years to come. However, it is anticipated that he will begin 2006 in Pawtucket unless Boston can find a suitor for Mike Lowell. Some insiders have also rumored that Marte could immediately be spun for outfield or shortstop help. Marte hit 20 home runs for AAA Richmond in 2005 in under 400 at-bats, but struggled was unable to show his full potential during his September call-up. Nonetheless, Atlanta's former top prosect now fills out the space at the top of Boston's prospect list. With an above average glove and high power potential, Marte is a true blue chip prospect, who many scouts see as a future all-star.

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Sox land pitchers, infielder in Rule 5 draft

The Red Sox added pitchers James Vermilyea (Toronto), Victor Ramos (Pittsburgh) and Jason Richardson (Atlanta), as well as second baseman David Bacani (NY Mets) during today's Rule 5 draft. Vermilyea (pictured), 23, split time between AA New Hampshire and AAA Syracuse , going a combined 6-3, with a 3.65 ERA in 101 innings. He was the only player taken in the Major League portion of the draft, and thus would be required to stay on the 25-man roster (or the DL) for the entire 2006 season, or else must be offered back to Toronto. Vermilyea is said to be a "groundball pitcher that commands the strike zone with many different pitches." Ramos, 24, went a combined 3-5 with 34 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work between low-A Peoria, high-A Boise and AA West Tennessee in 2005. Richardson, 25, split time between high-A Myrtle Beach and AA Mississippi while pitching in the Atlanta system. He went a combined 1-4 with 63 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched in 2005. Bacani, 26, split time between AA Binghamton and AAA Norfolk in 2005, hitting a combined .280 with 5 HRs and 47 RBIs while getting on base at a sound .375 clip in AA, but a measly .250 in AAA. The Red Sox lost pitcher Henry Cabrera to Pittsburgh and third baseman Vince Harrison to St. Louis during the course of the draft.

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Sox acquire Van Buren from Cubs

The Red Sox acquired former Cubs minor leaguer Jermaine Van Buren this week for the obligatory player to be named later and/or cash. The move provides the Sox with the additional bullpen depth that the Sox have been looking to shore up since the end of last season. Van Buren, 25, a former starting pitching prospect before he was converted to a reliever in 2004, was named the Cubs Triple-A Pitcher of the Year last season, after posting a sparkling 1.98 ERA with 25 saves. That performance earned him a call up to Chicago in late-August, where he went 0-2 and sported a 3.00 ERA in six appearances. Van Buren is expected to compete for a spot in the Boston bullpen in 2006.

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