Red Sox' Efforts To 'Buy' Prospects From Padres Seen As Unlikely

More than 15 years ago, at a time when their farm system had been thinned by years of bad drafts and trades, the Red Sox approached the Reds with an idea: They wanted to buy a prospect. Cincinnati was receptive, but ultimately it was more of an idea than a reality, since the Commissioner’s Office signaled that it was unlikely to approve such a deal.

Boston Globe