Guardado To Be A Free- Agent

[yankeessuck013]

Mariners: Guardado headed to free agency

 

The Mariners are expected to decline their 2006 option on closer Eddie Guardado, a source told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The move (or lack thereof) would allow Guardado to become a free agent. The team wants the veteran to return, but they'd rather he exercise a $4.25 million option rather than the franchise invoking their $6.25 million option.

 

Eddie is coming off an outstanding season (36 saves, 2.72 ERA), and it's not difficult to think that some club would offer the 35-year-old lefty more than $4.25 million to pitch for them in 2006. In other words, we expect Guardado to test the closer-heavy market this winter, and if so, we'll have to wait and see who the M's might turn to as their closer next year.

[Soxfan1]

Better jump on this quick.

[Manny Goes Boom]

I don't like Guardado to close for the Red Sox, hes getting advanced in age and Hansen is in the wings, waiting for his shot and is close to being ready to close games for us.

 

And didn't Guardado have a s***** season in '04? I wouldn't want him, he's aging and is a risk IMO.

[jimmycarter05]

i think he'd be a good alternative if we don't get bj ryan

[Ray10]

I don't think the Sox should go after him he's too old and not worth signing for a year. Hansen will be ready withing a year or 2.

[26 to 6]

I wouldnt mind having everyday Eddie as a lefty guy out of the pen. Probably would be an upgrade ove Embree.

 

...But then again, anybody would be an upgrade over Embree. Even I would be an upgrade over Embree in the lefty role...and im a righty!

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

Doesnt he have a tear in his rotator cuff? Plus he is 35 years old. That is a big risk.

[element1151]

I'd wouldn't want Eddie on the Sox. There is a reason the Mariners aren't willing to take the risk, because they figured out this was a 'carrer year' for him, and it is not likely that it will be repeated. The Red Sox shouldn't take the risk either.

[26 to 6]

Doesnt he have a tear in his rotator cuff? Plus he is 35 years old. That is a big risk.

What are our other alternatives?

 

Obviously the best lefty out there is Ryan, but if we got him I would want to use him as the setup man, I wouldnt thinkof bringin him in to face a lefty ni a 4-4 game in the 6th inning.

[He Hate Me]

I personally think the Sox should goto one of those young arms they had late in the regular season. They were pretty impressive, though I'll admit not many youngsters start as full time closers with the exception of afew

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Guardado is old, unreliable, and too expensive. Pass.

[riverside sluggers]

sox should in 2006 have a platoon of Timlin and Foulke, or if able to get BJ Ryan or Scott Eyre have either of them platoon with Foulke just to have him on a short leash. Anything again of what we saw this season through the all star break, Sox should definitely explore trading him

[ksushi]

Foulke is done, I really think that he just doesn't have it in him to be a dependable pitcher anymore, and Timlin as a closer? Thats your emergency option, not your first choice, I'd like Guardado, Eyre or Ryan to get signed to do those duties for a year, either that or use them as setup, these are bullpen pitchers, you don't HAVE to have them close if you sign them, they could get signed and be used as setup and have Hansen close if hes up to it. We need bullpen and the sox probably arent going to be too picky choosy about who they get and what their job is, they need guys who can stay healthy and get outs no matter what their role is.

 

Also, what would you get for a crappy and expensive keith foulke on the trade market? You can't just trade away guys you don't want and get things in return, I think that if foulke sucks this year, he'll get the big DFA.

[He Hate Me]

sox should in 2006 have a platoon of Timlin and Foulke, or if able to get BJ Ryan or Scott Eyre have either of them platoon with Foulke just to have him on a short leash. Anything again of what we saw this season through the all star break, Sox should definitely explore trading him

 

I thought Hansen or Papelbon was going to get a look. DiNardo also looked pretty good out there when I saw him. Had good composure, he might have the best mental makeup to handle the closer job.

[ORS]

Papelbon will most likely be a starter next year. They were worried about his inning total this year, which is why they didn't keep him in the rotation even though he pitched well in his 3 spot starts. The FO's philosophy is to use their young talent to fill holes in the lineup/rotation rather than shop for it. With Wells asking to be traded, and the possibility of Arroyo being dealt too, you have to figure at least one rotation spot will open up.

 

Hansen is likely to start out in AAA (depending on offseason development and spring training performance), but even if he starts with the big club, he'll most likely be used as a 7th/8th inning set-up reliever. I wouldn't give him any save opportunities until after the ASG, and only then if he was pitching very well.

[riverside sluggers]

DiNardo has the best makeup to serve as the long reliever, what he did in the month of September being the pennant push alone showed he can handle pressure. He has great stuff as well to be a starting pitcher (an asset in case one of the starters gets injured or whatever)

[ORS]

I would offer Miller arbitration, give him April and part of May to rehab in the minors, and test DiNardo's usefulness as a starter. Bring Miller up if he's pitching well, and move DiNardo into the BP regardless of his performance. Best case scenario, they have an effective Wade Miller, and an attractive trading chip in DiNardo (no sense keeping him with lefty Lester waiting in the wings to take a rotation spot).

 

EDIT: Worst case scenario, Miller isn't able to regain his form, and DiNardo tops out as a long relief guy in the BP. Even if that is the case, they haven't wasted money on any of the starters available in what is IMO a weak FA pitching market.

[elsrbueno]

I would offer Miller arbitration, give him April and part of May to rehab in the minors, and test DiNardo's usefulness as a starter. Bring Miller up if he's pitching well, and move DiNardo into the BP regardless of his performance. Best case scenario, they have an effective Wade Miller, and an attractive trading chip in DiNardo (no sense keeping him with lefty Lester waiting in the wings to take a rotation spot).

 

EDIT: Worst case scenario, Miller isn't able to regain his form, and DiNardo tops out as a long relief guy in the BP. Even if that is the case, they haven't wasted money on any of the starters available in what is IMO a weak FA pitching market.

 

I agree I'd rather take the risk on Miller than spend big money on Burnett or Millwood.

 

Papelbon should be given a spot in the backend of the rotation and Miller/Arroyo can battle for the final spot.

 

I would not be opposed to spending the bucks on a sure-fire top of the line pitcher, but there just isn't one out there. The best choices are (in no particular order) Washburn, Millwood, Burnett, and Morris, and all of those guys are really #3 starters at best IMO. Burnett and Morris have never pitched in the AL, and Millwood is VERY inconsistent. Look at his career numbers, he tends to follow up a good year with a mediocre one-- even when he was in Atlanta, a haven for pitchers.

 

I don't see any starters on the free agent market worth breaking the bank for, and with demand for pitching always high, the price on those guys will be high.

 

As far as free agent lefties go, Guardado wouldn't be bad, but he's #3 on my list behind Ryan (#1) and Billy Wagner.

[He Hate Me]

I think your best option is Billy Wagner. BJ Ryan is better, but his preference is to goto the Yankees, and you know noones gonna outbid us. Guardado is one of those closers that just seems like would get killed. He doesnt have the best stuff in the world, but I will say that he has pretty good composure.

[ksushi]

Yeah there is no reason for the sox to chase wagner.

 

and Guardado has excellent stuff, he just doesn't throw gas.

 

I think that hansen will most likely start in the majors next season, the thing that everyone forgets is that he was coming off a dead arm period and hadn't been throwing. Before that, he was over worked. He had flat stuff when he came up to the bigs. All he had was his straight four seamer, and even that was down from his typical 98 mph. Peter Gammons said on the radio on EEI when Hansen was first signed, that he watched Hansen pitch and said that Brad Lidge has the best slider in the Majors, but Craig Hansen would certainly challenge him for those bragging rights should he get called up. He does have awesome stuff, gammons said at that same time that he thinks that Hansens sinking fastball is great too and will make him an excellent two inning closer in the future. Hes got stuff, I think they will give him setup dutys in the begining and if foulke decides to s*** the bed, it might be Hansens job to get saves.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

No question the ceiling is really high for him. He will be the closer for a long time here in Boston BUT....lets not put the pressure on him just yet. Let him work his way into being the closer. I'd rather let him earn the position than aquire it by default. So on that note...Craig Hansen will be there and it sounds like Mike Timlin will be there along with Keith Foulke....

 

None of those things change the fact we do not have a shut down lefty in the bullpen. BJ Ryan, Billy Wagner, or Eddie Guardado.....I actually don't care cause all three are very good and they are much better than the shut down lefty we have right now....oh wait we don't have one.

 

.....but Hansen should be outstanding....I'm gonna have to buy that jersey

[riverside sluggers]

no doubt so far in my mind we could see DelCarmen take over the setup role in 2007.

 

type of relief pitching to ring up K's in bunches

[ksushi]

I love delcarmen, a friend of mine faced him in high school and went 1 for 4 off of him, I remember when he talked about it then and he doesnt shut up about it now.

[ORS]

I think your best option is Billy Wagner. BJ Ryan is better, but his preference is to goto the Yankees, and you know noones gonna outbid us. Guardado is one of those closers that just seems like would get killed. He doesnt have the best stuff in the world, but I will say that he has pretty good composure.

Actually, Billy Wagner is better.

 

Wagner: 0.836 WHIP, 10.08 K/9, 4.35 K/BB, 300 ERA+, 0.0 BQR

Ryan: 1.138 WHIP, 12.80 K/9, 3.85 K/BB, 170 ERA+, 1.5 BQR

 

Ryan had a better K-rate and BQR (it was a very small sample though, 20 bequeathed runners for Ryan and 14 for Wagner), but Wagner killed him in WHIP and ERA+.

 

I don't know where you got the idea his preference is to go to the Yankees. His comments to the media were that he would like to be a part of the rivalry and be on a competitive team, thus he could "see himself playing for New York". That is miles from "I want to play in New York". Besides, FAs every year try and grease the wheels of the revenue machine by mentioning NY (and sometimes Boston) just to drive the price up. He could go anywhere.

[Soxfan1]

This is like the 1st post of the night. I was going to see a movie with friends but then something came up for some and now im stuck at my dads store.<_>

[yankeessuck013]

I think your best option is Billy Wagner. BJ Ryan is better, but his preference is to goto the Yankees, and you know noones gonna outbid us. Guardado is one of those closers that just seems like would get killed. He doesnt have the best stuff in the world, but I will say that he has pretty good composure.

 

source? he never said that, he just wants to be on a "good" team, that's it. he never said "i wanna play for the yankees"