Tony Graffanino to accept arbitration

[CalvnHobs6]

Report: Graffanino will accept arbitration

It looks like Graffanino might be a member of the 2006 Red Sox after all. The second baseman has until Monday to decide whether to accept arbitration, which was offered by the Red Sox Dec. 7. If he accepts arbitration, he would be considered signed for next season, with his salary to be determined at a hearing or beforehand. According to unidentified sources who spoke with the Boston Herald, Graffanino will tell the Red Sox on Monday that he will accept arbitration, which binds him to the Sox entering spring training. Graffanino earned $1.1 million last season, and could earn around $2 million in arbitration.

 

From boston.com

[Manny Goes Boom]

Sounds good to me.

[Soxfan1]

good. Can we move him or Loretta to SS?

[Beckett95]

id guees loretta would play SS since he has more experience (328 games to Tony G's 93 at SS) and has a better career fielding % at SS (Loretta--.983 Graf--.962)

[yankeessuck013]

The Red Sox are getting pretty scrud in terms of compensation picks this year.

 

We won't get any for Millar because we didn't offer him arbitration, which was the right move, but it still kinda sücks.

 

We won't get any for Mike Myers for the same reason, and I still don't agree with not offering him arbitration. It's a risk I would have taken.

 

We'll get a 3rd-round pick for Bill Mueller even though he's a type-A free agent because the Dodgers first-round pick is protected and their second round pick goes to Atlanta for signing Furcal. We do get a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds though.

 

For Graffanino we get nothing if he accepts.

 

That makes Damon the last chance to get any picks, and I think most people would rather he resigns with the Red Sox and not get any picks for him either.

 

I think we will use him in some trade though.

[26 to 6]

I think this is good for the Sox. If you guys get someone to play SS he will be the perfect bench player. If not he will do good at SS. (I would leave Loretta at 2B, from what ive seen IMO Graf is a better SS.)

[riverside sluggers]

I think this is good for the Sox. If you guys get someone to play SS he will be the perfect bench player. If not he will do good at SS. (I would leave Loretta at 2B, from what ive seen IMO Graf is a better SS.)

 

If kept on board, Tony G could be the starting 2nd baseman or shift over to shortstop for Loretta. Cora is already signed thru next season as the 2nd/ss utility player.

[26 to 6]

If kept on board, Tony G could be the starting 2nd baseman or shift over to shortstop for Loretta. Cora is already signed thru next season as the 2nd/ss utility player.

yea, thats what im saying, I said he would be a good bench player if you guys got someone else to play SS like Alex Gonzalez or something

[Cityofchampions33]

I love the temporary combo of Graffy and Loretta, not only have we potentially strengthened our infield offense, but we have strengthened defensively a ton too. In total, the combo of Loretta, Lowell, and Graffy made a total of 15 errors at their repective positions, thats half of what Renteria made, so I applaud what this new management has done, and it could turn out even better if Lowell gets back to offensive form.

[GabeKaplerluver19]

I hope we keep Tony G. He's got some pop in his bat, awsome defense. he was so good for the little while we had him last season. i think he's very important to the team.

[Soxfan1]

I hope we keep Tony G. He's got some pop in his bat, awsome defense. he was so good for the little while we had him last season. i think he's very important to the team.

Just don't buy a tony G shirt.

[riverside sluggers]

so I applaud what this new management has done, and it could turn out even better if Lowell gets back to offensive form.

 

Keep in mind the Sox werent counting on him accepting arbitration, so that wasnt in their forseable plans.

 

I'll be crushed if WEEI and Tony Masarotti are correct about Tony being cut during spring training.

[User Name]

Whatever happened to Tejada?

[Cityofchampions33]

Keep in mind the Sox werent counting on him accepting arbitration, so that wasnt in their forseable plans.

 

I'll be crushed if WEEI and Tony Masarotti are correct about Tony being cut during spring training.

 

True, though they had intentions of improving the defense anyway in ALex Gonzalez. Also that doesn't make sense for them to cut Tony G unless they get someone better suited for SS or 2B, or if pedroia really showes em somethin in ST

[riverside sluggers]

Whatever happened to Tejada?

 

as had been reported several times already, Miguel Tejada has backed down from his trade demands.

 

Besides... the Orioles were asking the Sox for Manny, Clement or Arroyo, and a top pitching prospect in Papelbon or Lester. The Sox deemed that as them giving up too much, thank god, and said no to that proposed trade.

 

Its close to 100% likely there will be no Manny trade.

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True, though they had intentions of improving the defense anyway in ALex Gonzalez. Also that doesn't make sense for them to cut Tony G unless they get someone better suited for SS or 2B, or if pedroia really showes em somethin in ST

 

Boston Herald: 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.

[Cityofchampions33]

That doesn't make sense to me, Loretta has the ability to play SS, there's no reason they can't shift him over there, and Pedroia could learn a lot from those two in ST.

[whereisnomar]

No Matter how good Loretta is, we definetly should use Graf at second base, maybe Loretta at SS.

[jimmycarter05]

No Matter how good Loretta is, we definetly should use Graf at second base, maybe Loretta at SS.

 

 

Then what happens when we groom Pedrioa to be a 2b of the future, but we already have a multi-year starter 2b with Tony G, are we now going to have Pedrioa play SS?

[26 to 6]

No Matter how good Loretta is, we definetly should use Graf at second base, maybe Loretta at SS.

Why Graf at 2B and Loretta at SS? Why not the other way around? Loretta didnt establish himself as a good player until he became a regular Second Baseman. I wouldnt mess with it.

[riverside sluggers]

Then what happens when we groom Pedrioa to be a 2b of the future, but we already have a multi-year starter 2b with Tony G, are we now going to have Pedrioa play SS?

 

Tony Graffanino isnt committed to a multi-year deal. Currently entering arbitration, he is just signed for 2006.

[ksushi]

I think what will happen in the end is graff will be the best bench player in the majors, or one of them. He has 1st base exp, short exp, 3rd exp, we could be looking at the best utility guy in baseball. He knows going into this he won't be a starter, so we don't have a jay payton on our hands, Graff did this willingly, if playing mattered he would have rejected arbitration. This could be pointing to a Youkilis trade, who knows. This isn't a bad thing, the compensation picks don't matter too much, we didn't really lose anyone great this year (yet) so we can't expect to get great picks. a 3rd rounder for mueller is nice though, 3rd round is pretty good in baseball. I believe Papelbon was a third rounder.

 

Oh well, whatever, this isn't a bad thing, he has experience all over the diamond, so hes welcome. I'm happy.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Tony Graffanino, officially accepted arbitration late last night. Johnny Damon did not . We now have until Jan. 8 to sign him.

 

Link : http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051220&content_id=1284516&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos

[elsrbueno]

personally, I'm thrilled to have Graffanino back in Boston. This is a guy who can play any position on the diamond except pitcher and catcher, and he's got a decent bat and a great attitude. He shined here in Boston.

 

He could serve as a utility player as a worst case senario, backing up Youk at first, Loretta at second, Cora (who is our starting shortstop right now), and Lowell at third. Also, he could play right field against lefties if we don't acquire a more suitable player for that role, and spell Manny (who needs days off during the most important games of the year keep in mind) in left and be a veteran mentor to guys like Pedroia or any other Youngster who comes up through the ranks.

 

The Boston media seems panicked that Graffanino accepted arbritration. I think it's great for the team.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Then what happens when we groom Pedrioa to be a 2b of the future, but we already have a multi-year starter 2b with Tony G, are we now going to have Pedrioa play SS?

 

Pedroia is truely a SS by trade. He has been working on playing 2B...in the end he will be able to play both positions. Stinks that we missed on a 1st round pick with Graffanino accepting arbitration but I'm happy to have him back.

[riverside sluggers]

The really great move would be as suggested, move Loretta to shortstop and for Tony to retain his starting 2nd baseman role. Or vice-versa. And we arent the only ones who are thinking like that. Sox dont listent to the pinhead Masarotti, you know this would be a better and cheaper solution.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

[jsinger121]

As much as I enjoyed graffanino last season, there really is no place for him on the team. With Loretta, Cora, Machado, and Pedroia waiting down in pawtucket, all tony is going to be is an expensive bench player. he does not have the range to play shortstop. I look for the Red Sox to trade him before spring training. the red sox took a chance to see if they could get some draft picks and it backfired. no biggie. teams like the mets, cardinals, and mariners really dont have second baseman and would probably show some interest so there is a market for graffanino just not a market in which a team had to give up a first round pick.

[riverside sluggers]

okkk but Pedroia wont be ready until 2007, and Machado is looking moreso to be a career bench player and start the season off in Pawtucket. Cora delivers great D, but is more suitable as a bench player behind Graffanino.

 

Tony would be paid $1.5 - 2.5 million for the 2006 season, so i wouldnt call him an expensive player to have.

[jsinger121]

the money can be spent elsewhere like getting a firstbaseman, a shortstop, a centerfielder, and maybe a backup catcher who is better than huckaby. the red sox obviously don't want him back as they really didn't even make an offer to him except an offer of arbitration which they wanted in order to get the draft picks.

[riverside sluggers]

I really dont think they are looking at any backup catchers as the market is currently bare. Ken Huckaby was signed to a minor league contract under the guidelines he had to catch Wakefield's knuckleball every fifth day. Keep in mind, the Sox let Wakefield have a say in who to get. Spring training we will basically see Shoppach and Huckaby battle it out for opening day roster.

 

With Graff back at 2nd base, they can move Loretta to shortstop. That wouldnt at all harpen Pedroia's chances of making the majors since both Loretta and Tony are just signed thru 2006.

 

And whose to say if they have tony on board for $1.5 milliion... Do you think from that, they will then be strapped of signing anybody?

[jsinger121]

Having Loretta at shortstop hurts the teams defense. Both Loretta and Graffanino already have average range at best. They need someone who can cover some ground at short and can hit alittle. The red sox went into this offseason not wanting to bring back graffanino but they did not want to lose him for nothing and now the plan has backfired. I see the sox moving him as they really do not need him anymore with loretta on this team.