offseason moves

[Beckett95]

pretty funny article on ESPN

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2261063

 

I like the proposed Yanks-Cards deal

[jimmycarter05]

Something about the Os offering Damon a 6 year deal

 

http://www.nypost.com/sports/58861.htm

[ORS]

Something about the Os offering Damon a 6 year deal

 

http://www.nypost.com/sports/58861.htm

From the second paragraph....

While the Orioles haven't offered Damon a six-year deal, which was rumored yesterday, they are in play.

[26 to 6]

ROTOWORLD

 

what was the point in signing huckaby then??

Dod you guys in fact get Huckaby? I remember reading that it was close, but never heard that it was done or agreed to. Let me know,and if someone could provide a link I would appreciate it. I need to know for my list in the general baseball forum.

[ORS]

Boston Globe

 

Backup catcher Ken Huckaby has agreed to a minor league deal with the Sox that includes an invitation to spring training, according to his agent, Kevin Kohler.

[riverside sluggers]

Boston Globe: Both Ortiz and Francona will engage in contract negotiations for extensions after Jan. 1. Both are represented by Patrick Rooney, who yesterday said he's been assured by Sox CEO Larry Lucchino that both clients will have a negotiating session. Ortiz has one year (at $6.5 million) and an option for 2007 ($7.75 million) remaining on his deal. Francona is due to earn $600,000. Only five major league managers make less money.

[Beckett95]

The redsox are not the front runner to sign Alex Gonzalez (according to rotoworld, an unidentified team has advanced in front of the Sox in negotiations) and JT Snow is also not likely to come here because of the same reason as Gonzalez.

 

Rudy Seanez and Octavio Dotel are both probaly going to sign within the next few days.

Seanez's possibilities are RedSox, Braves and Dodgers

Dotel's are RedSox, Mets, Rangers, Yankees and Astros

[yankeessuck013]

The redsox are not the front runner to sign Alex Gonzalez (according to rotoworld, an unidentified team has advanced in front of the Sox in negotiations) and JT Snow is also not likely to come here because of the same reason as Gonzalez.

 

Rudy Seanez and Octavio Dotel are both probaly going to sign within the next few days.

Seanez's possibilities are RedSox, Braves and Dodgers

Dotel's are RedSox, Mets, Rangers, Yankees and Astros

 

i heard padres are the front runners for gonzalez's services, maybe if they get them we could swap wells and another player (alvarez?) for gonzalez and a RP

[yankeessuck013]

Red Sox closing in on deal for Seanez

 

Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com

Posted: 1 hour ago

 

The Red Sox, moving to fortify their late-inning relief, are closing in on a deal with free-agent right-hander Rudy Seanez, FOXSports.com has learned.

 

Seanez, 37, is expected to sign a one-year deal with an option for a second year. He likely would be used in a setup role along with right-hander Mike Timlin, and would give the team added protection if closer Keith Foulke again faltered.

 

"We're quite close to getting something done with Boston," said Seanez's agent, David Schwartz of CSMG Sports. "It's looking very good that something likely will get done at some point in the next few days. In principle, we're almost there."

 

Seanez posted a 2.69 ERA for the Padres last season, holding opposing batters to a .222 average while striking out 84 and issuing only 22 walks in 601/3 innings. The Braves were among the teams that had been pursuing him.

[ahhchon]

I think that the Mirabelli-Loretta trade was bad for us. <_>

 

you have much to learn my young padawan.

 

john

[riverside sluggers]

you have much to learn my young padawan.

 

john

 

True, when you are able to trade away a backup catcher for an everyday 2nd baseman with a career .301 batting avg and former all-star... There is no thinking involved to pull that one

[riverside sluggers]

Boston Herald: Graffanino will try arbitration

By Tony Massarotti/ Red Sox Notebook

Monday, December 19, 2005 - Updated: 01:02 AM EST

 

Tony Graffanino has until midnight tonight to accept salary arbitration, but all indications last night were that the infielder already has made up his mind. For now, at least, he will be staying with the Red Sox. According to sources, Graffanino will inform the Sox today that he has accepted their offer for salary arbitration. The decision effectively takes Graffanino off the free agent market and binds him to the Sox entering spring training of 2006. A 33-year-old veteran of 10 major league seasons, Graffanino earned $1.1 million last season in the second year of a two-year, $2.2 million deal. He finished the year with a .309 average, seven home runs and 38 RBI in time split with the Sox and Kansas City Royals, meaning he could be in position to earn roughly $2 million in arbitration.

 

Just the same, salaries earned through the arbitration process are generally non-guaranteed, meaning the Sox could cut Graffanino during spring training and be responsible for only a fraction of his salary. Because the Sox do not regard Graffanino as a candidate to play shortstop, he is not expected to impact the club’s pursuit of other options at that position. As things stand, the Sox could have Graffanino, Mark Loretta and Dustin Pedroia at camp vying for jobs at the second base and utility positions.

 

Center fielder Johnny Damon, who similarly was offered arbitration by the Sox, will decline that offer before tonight’s midnight deadline. By doing so, Damon will effectively set a Jan. 8 deadline for re-signing with the Red Sox. If he is not signed by that date, he cannot negotiate with the Sox until May 15.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I think that is excellent news. I'm happy to have Graffanino back and think he can really contribute to our success this season. He will be an excellent utility infielder and could even be a possible SS starter if we can't find anything worth investing in.

[Cityofchampions33]

Maybe since he's back we can shift Loretta to SS? Or vice versa, I think Graffy is a better option then either having him sit or getting a Gonzalez to fill a middle infield spot.

[riverside sluggers]

Im all for this myself. Gonzalez will command more money, and Tony has proven to be more solid at D and have more effective pop in his bat like hitting when there's RISP. I look forward to hopefully seeing him still as #10 in the Sox lineup.

[Cityofchampions33]

1) *Damon, cf

2) Loretta, ss

3) Ortiz, dh

4) Ramirez, lf

5) Lowell, 3b

6) Nixon, rf

7) Varitek, c

8) Youkilis, 1b

9) Graffanino, 2b

 

I really like that lineup, good balance of power and contact and almost no holes as of now. That's 6 people who have hit .300 in their careers (off the top of my head).

[riverside sluggers]

This move would also be setting up the Sox infield to decrease the defensive woes we had this past season. Mike Lowell at 3rd, Loretta or Tony G shifting to SS, and Kevin Youkilis at 1st base.

 

Backups--- Alex Cora provides a solid backstop for shortstop and 2nd base. Also what I hope gets done is that the Sox are in the running to try and acquire 1st baseman JT Snow. Would fill the void left by Olerud, hence his 4 gold glove awards.

[elsrbueno]

I really like the idea of bringing Tony Graffanino back, and if he accepts arbritration, it seems to me the Sox will go into spring training with Cora, Loretta, and Graffanino as the 3 guys fighting for 2 spots, with the loser becoming a utility man. The advantage is that all 3 of these guys have played a bunch of roles in their careers. The disadvantage is that none of these guys are superstars offensively (albeit all of them are very solid with the glove) and handing the starters' job to 2 out of that trio really puts an emphasis (IMO) on keeping Manny Ramirez and resigning Johnny Damon.

 

Although, Graffanino offensively is better than Alex Gonzalez offensively and probably on par with Rich Aurilia. Plus, we know what Graffanino is capable of in Boston (he handled playing here very very well).

[empirestrikesback26]

Damon's a yankee!

[a700hitter]

http://cbs4boston.com/sports/local_story_354222357.html

 

Is there any confirmation of this story?

[schillingouttheks]

Damon's a yankee!

For some reason, I knew you would come here, and this would be the ONLY thing you post. Please don't turn into the Empire of old.

[Soxfan1]

This is coming out of nowhere but how about Steve Finley or Jeff Davanon. Davanon is a FA and Finley is not being used by the Halos. He could be involved in a Manny deal.

[Beckett95]

This is coming out of nowhere but how about Steve Finley or Jeff Davanon. Davanon is a FA and Finley is not being used by the Halos. He could be involved in a Manny deal.

 

they both suck and manny is not being traded

[jimmycarter05]

This is coming out of nowhere but how about Steve Finley or Jeff Davanon. Davanon is a FA and Finley is not being used by the Halos. He could be involved in a Manny deal.

 

 

 

Haha no for me. Finley is making 7 million a year and batted like .220 with 11 HRs this year. Part of a Manny trade? No thank you.

[ksushi]

Lets trade for a 41 year old who hits like a girl scout, as a matter of fact lets deal a hall of famer for him. Great.

[riverside sluggers]

Boston GlobeAs for Wells, the Sox approached their talks with the Dodgers with some urgency, trying to find a match with new general manager Ned Colletti, who has warmed to the idea of having the 42-year-old lefthander join a rotation that goes four deep in veterans but lacks someone with the big-game cachet of the Boomer. Derek Lowe? He did it for one unforgettable month. Wells has 15 years' worth of high-tension success on his r?sum?, though he surely would like to take back the hanging curveball he threw to Tadahito Iguchi this past October in the game that dashed the Red Sox season.

 

The Dodgers appear to have replaced the Padres as the most likely landing spot for Wells, who is insisting on a trade that will put him back on the West Coast. Colletti has done a masterful job of hanging onto the Dodgers' top prospects while adding nearly $70 million in new free agents, including Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, and Bill Mueller. But the Sox, who gave up two pitching prospects (Anibal S?nchez and Jesus Delgado) in the Josh Beckett deal, no doubt are asking the Dodgers for young arms such as Edwin Jackson, Jonathan Broxton, and Chad Billingsley or third baseman Andy LaRoche in return for Wells, who turns 43 next May.

 

The other track the Sox could take would be to add another reliever, and with Eric Gagne expected to be healthy again, the Dodgers could dangle either Yhency Brazoban or Duaner Sanchez, with Colletti probably more inclined to part with a setup man than one of his kids. But as of last night, it appeared the Sox were insisting on prospects, as well, with the possibility that they'll use a player or players acquired from LA in another trade for another player in which they have interest, Tampa Bay shortstop Julio Lugo. But so far, the asking price for Lugo has been more than the Sox are willing to accept for a player who they'd have under their control for just one season.

 

The latest round of talks with the Padres, according to a source, had GM Kevin Towers reviving his offer of center fielder Dave Roberts and righthander Woody Williams for Wells. But the Sox appear to have little interest in Williams, who is scheduled to earn $5 million next season.

 

thank god the sox are shying away from woody williams, and what a surprise that tampa bay is still acting like their s*** dont stink and require a handful of great prospects for an average shortstop who has just 1 season left on his contract at $5 million.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

thank god the sox are shying away from woody williams, and what a surprise that tampa bay is still acting like their s*** dont stink and require a handful of great prospects for an average shortstop who has just 1 season left on his contract at $5 million.

Agreed, 5 million and ML player/ prospects no way.

[jsinger121]

tampa bay is still acting like chuck lamar is running the team. they have been idiots all off season so far. they value there players too high especially the average ones. they should take what they can get on them before they all become free agents and walk.

[Soxfan1]

The St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports that the Sox also have interest in signing C/1B/DH Matt LeCroy.

[yankeessuck013]

I think we possibly should look at Erubiel Durazo.