Off-season Hot Stove Thread

[BSN07]

Manny is staying... time to move on from anyother thought. I was reading espn insider and they said maybe the Texas Rangers would be interested in him, but he has a full no trade clause so don't see it happening. Why the hell is everyone so hi on trading Manny and replacing him with lee? Lee is like 300 pounds and from what I hear gains everyday. Sorry in no way shape or form could Lee ever be a good replacement for Manny. I like the idea of getting Drew for a couple of years. I like Beckett95 line up but I would change one thing. Put Drew in RF, and WMP in center. He seemed to beable to be half decent in CF, he was awful in RF.

[Bosoxwest]

Plus drew is lefty...teams would bring in their specialist for Papi and Drew

 

Papi had a .988 OPS against LHP last year. I would suspect the days of pulling your pitcher to throw a LOOGY up against him are just about gone.

[Fried Neckbones]

In other developments, here's a head-scratcher: Clemens as closer.

 

From MLB.com:

 

Meanwhile, there was another little nugget that appeared in the Globe on Friday concerning free-agent pitcher Roger Clemens, who started his Hall of Fame career with the Red Sox 20 years ago.

 

The newspaper suggested that if the Sox could convince Clemens to waive his family clause -- which allows him to be home in Houston between starts -- and return to Boston as its closer, it would possibly solve the team's biggest need.

 

Reactions?

[a700hitter]

In other developments, here's a head-scratcher: Clemens as closer.

 

From MLB.com:

 

Meanwhile, there was another little nugget that appeared in the Globe on Friday concerning free-agent pitcher Roger Clemens, who started his Hall of Fame career with the Red Sox 20 years ago.

 

The newspaper suggested that if the Sox could convince Clemens to waive his family clause -- which allows him to be home in Houston between starts -- and return to Boston as its closer, it would possibly solve the team's biggest need.

 

Reactions?

I would be very interesting, but how would a 45 year old body react to such a change after 30 years of conditioning as a starter?

[Beckett95]

or we could bring him back to start and have wake or someone else be our closer

[a700hitter]

or we could bring him back to start and have wake or someone else be our closer

Wake can't be a full time closer.

[Gom]

Clemens closing? Why? Until Matsuzaka proves himself, he is your ace. Foolish.

[jacksonianmarch]

clemens as closer will NEVER happen. Clemens will undoubtedly want the same sweet deal he got last yr where he didnt have to go on many road trips and wasnt required to do many off the field responsibilities. This cannot happen with your closer, he needs to be at every game.

[TheKilo]

I think the smartest thing to do if Clemens comes back his to have him start.

 

Keep papelbon as closer for another year.

 

 

Schilling

Clemens

Beckett

Matsuzaka

Wakefield

 

 

If Theo gets someone like Gil Meche for the back end of the rotation, then Wakefield can move to the pen.

[a700hitter]

I think the smartest thing to do if Clemens comes back his to have him start.

 

Keep papelbon as closer for another year.

 

 

Schilling

Clemens

Beckett

Matsuzaka

Wakefield

 

 

If Theo gets someone like Gil Meche for the back end of the rotation, then Wakefield can move to the pen.

They are convinced that closing is not the best thing for Papelbon's arm. He's on track to start. Theo knows that he will have to get a closer.

[mar_022]

Free agent Joe Borowski said Boston is one of the teams expressing interest in him and that he'd like to play for the Red Sox.

"I'm from New Jersey, so I have ties to the East Coast," he said. "Boston's a great place to play baseball. I've pitched there and I know it. I feel I could really help a team like that." The Phillies, Blue Jays, Guardians and Giants are among the other teams considering Borowski. Nov. 19 - 11:42 am et

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=2107&line=196963&spln=1

 

THough he's old, i'd love to see Joe Borowski with the sox...35 saves last year with the Marlins, he would certainly be a good setup man at the least. I'd also like to see Baez, who has had great success in the past in the AL East. Theo said AL success is important as to who the Red Sox will look for in relief

[a700hitter]

Free agent Joe Borowski said Boston is one of the teams expressing interest in him and that he'd like to play for the Red Sox.

"I'm from New Jersey, so I have ties to the East Coast," he said. "Boston's a great place to play baseball. I've pitched there and I know it. I feel I could really help a team like that." The Phillies, Blue Jays, Guardians and Giants are among the other teams considering Borowski. Nov. 19 - 11:42 am et

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=2107&line=196963&spln=1

 

THough he's old, i'd love to see Joe Borowski with the sox...35 saves last year with the Marlins, he would certainly be a good setup man at the least. I'd also like to see Baez, who has had great success in the past in the AL East. Theo said AL success is important as to who the Red Sox will look for in relief

I agree, but I hope Theo starts making some moves before more guys get picked off. That will drive up the price on the remaining guys, and the FO will start looking at waiver wires and garbage heaps for the likes of Seanez like last year.

[example1]

I agree' date=' but I hope Theo starts making some moves before more guys get picked off. That will drive up the price on the remaining guys, and the FO will start looking at waiver wires and garbage heaps for the likes of Seanez like last year.[/quote']

 

Do you guys think Borowski is going to be any better than Seanez? I don't.

[a700hitter]

Do you guys think Borowski is going to be any better than Seanez? I don't.

I think he is significantly better than Seanez. Seanez could not be trusted in any high pressure spot. Borowski has been a closer with moderate success at times. He doesn't spit the bit and choke like Seanez.

[example1]

From the stats I just looked at they look remarkably similar, with Seanez having the edge in K's and IP over the past 3 years, while Borowski appears to be the better save-man. Over the past three years they have almost the exact same BAA (.241 vs. .242), yet Borowski has an ERA that is a run higher.

 

Nothing definitive, but just some simple stats to look at. I think that, before we had Seanez, it would have been hard to evaluate this proposed acquisition without picking Seanez.

 

Face it, folks, I think we're bound to have a number of "big name" relievers fail in Fenway. Baez interests me, for sure.

[riverside sluggers]

Borowski didnt allow 13 of 14 inherited runners to score. Seanez's rate was disgusting

[ksushi]

Borowski is ok. Nothing flashy, but I wouldn't mind the Sox signing him as a 2nd set up option. I think we need someone a little better than that to do the bulk of the 8th inning duties. The Sox need to pull a trade for a solid closer and bring in Baez off the market for the 8th inning. I think its doable.

 

Wily Mo and Kottaras for Wheeler or Lidge could get us a closer. Maybe Wily Mo and Edgar Martinez.

[a700hitter]

From the stats I just looked at they look remarkably similar, with Seanez having the edge in K's and IP over the past 3 years, while Borowski appears to be the better save-man. Over the past three years they have almost the exact same BAA (.241 vs. .242), yet Borowski has an ERA that is a run higher.

 

Nothing definitive, but just some simple stats to look at. I think that, before we had Seanez, it would have been hard to evaluate this proposed acquisition without picking Seanez.

 

Face it, folks, I think we're bound to have a number of "big name" relievers fail in Fenway. Baez interests me, for sure.

The difference to me is that Seanez has never been any good under pressure. Let's face it, if Seanez had pitched for Boston any where close to his stats from his prior two years we would have been happy. I think Borowski can handle the pressure of Boston and the AL and pitch close to his prior stats. I pick Borowski hands down, regardless of the stats.

[a700hitter]

Borowski is ok. Nothing flashy, but I wouldn't mind the Sox signing him as a 2nd set up option. I think we need someone a little better than that to do the bulk of the 8th inning duties. The Sox need to pull a trade for a solid closer and bring in Baez off the market for the 8th inning. I think its doable.

 

Wily Mo and Kottaras for Wheeler or Lidge could get us a closer. Maybe Wily Mo and Edgar Martinez.

Definitely not the closer we are looking for, but we need more than a closer. Borowski could share seventh and eith inning duties.

[Fried Neckbones]

Wily Mo and Kottaras for Wheeler or Lidge could get us a closer. Maybe Wily Mo and Edgar Martinez.

 

Is Houston going to want WMP if they end up signing Lee?

 

Also, I don't know about trading Kottaras. Yeah, Tek's got two more years on his deal, but he is starting to break down fast. I'd like to see Kottaras as a late-season call up/back up, and then carry that into the '08 season and break him in then as a full-time back up. Nice young catching prospect to go with the nice young pitching staff in '09.

[example1]

The difference to me is that Seanez has never been any good under pressure. Let's face it' date=' if Seanez had pitched for Boston any where close to his stats from his prior two years we would have been happy. I think Borowski can handle the pressure of Boston and the AL and pitch close to his prior stats. I pick Borowski hands down, regardless of the stats.[/quote']

 

 

You'd be an idiot if you didn't pick Borowski hands down at this point, a700.

 

 

It was just an honest question and I think the inhereted runners stat speaks pretty well to it. I guess my point is that this guy shouldn't be seen at the "save"iour we seek. Any chance Dennis Eckersley wants to come back to the mound? He's always so intense after Sox games.

[example1]

Is Houston going to want WMP if they end up signing Lee?

 

Also, I don't know about trading Kottaras. Yeah, Tek's got two more years on his deal, but he is starting to break down fast. I'd like to see Kottaras as a late-season call up/back up, and then carry that into the '08 season and break him in then as a full-time back up. Nice young catching prospect to go with the nice young pitching staff in '09.

 

 

Agreed completely. Let's just let Kottaras develop for a bit before deciding on him. We had Shoppach as a security blanket, then we had Bard and now we have Kottaras. We need to keep this guy incase something happens to Varitek and we need a legitimate threat to come off the bench. There is nothing saying George K is going to be the next big thing, but there's nothing saying he isn't.

 

Tek is aging before our eyes.

[Fried Neckbones]

Kottaras has been pretty consistant at every level he has played (with the exception of 30 games at AAA at the end of last year). .850 OPS, a few more K's than BB's, but not too many. He looks solid, at least.

 

This brings up another sticky point. We've mentioned it before, but a backup catcher, while not the most flashy of needs, is a pretty big one. Mirabelli and Lopez killed us last year. I've heard Barajas being tossed around as a name. Any clues as to what he is looking for in terms of $/years/role?

[example1]

I'm not sure about Barajas. I'd like to get him, for sure, but I don't know what he's looking for in terms of money.

 

I'm stuck on the possibility of moving manny vs. not moving manny. I don't know what to make of it. Given that it seems like it would be very difficult to replace his bat this season, could the Sox legitimately ask for K-Rod and Brandon Wood from the Angels, while hoping that the current team with solid SP is enough to be competitive for this season?

 

The following is a list of FA's available for next year. If the Sox try to get a nice future return for Ramirez then perhaps they have their eyes on one of the following players:

 

Andruw Jones

Adam Dunn

Jermaine Dye

Michael Young

Vernon Wells

 

Dye is a longshot, as he's older and he may be signed for longer. There could be players I'm missing.

[Fried Neckbones]

I'm not sure about Barajas. I'd like to get him, for sure, but I don't know what he's looking for in terms of money.

 

I'm stuck on the possibility of moving manny vs. not moving manny. I don't know what to make of it. Given that it seems like it would be very difficult to replace his bat this season, could the Sox legitimately ask for K-Rod and Brandon Wood from the Angels, while hoping that the current team with solid SP is enough to be competitive for this season?

 

The following is a list of FA's available for next year. If the Sox try to get a nice future return for Ramirez then perhaps they have their eyes on one of the following players:

 

Andruw Jones

Adam Dunn

Jermaine Dye

Michael Young

Vernon Wells

 

Dye is a longshot, as he's older and he may be signed for longer. There could be players I'm missing.

 

Texas has a team option for Young after the '07 season. I would imagine that they will pick that one up.

[example1]

That's fine. I don't see him as an adequate Manny replacement anyway.

[mar_022]

One thing about borowski is that he hasnt had much AL success, which theo said is important to the FO

[a700hitter]

He has had very little Al experience, but he didn't do too badly in his latest stint with Tampa Bay. Seanez was a disaster in the AL.

[MC Hammer]

He has had very little Al experience' date=' but he didn't do too badly in his latest stint with Tampa Bay. Seanez was a disaster in the AL.[/quote']

 

That's the understatement of the year.

[BSN07]

Seanez was awful to say the least. I would becareful of Borowski. He might be a decent guy for the pen but not closer. I don't think he's got enough stuff to close against NYY, TOR,CHW,MIN,CLVD,LAA type offenses all year.