Red Sox Re-Sign Kielty

[TheKilo]

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/02/sox_come_to_ter.html

 

In a move that gives them insurance if (when?) they trade Coco Crisp, the Sox have come to terms on a one-year deal with outfielder Bobby Kielty. It's a nonguaranteed contract that will pay Kielty $800,000 if he makes the big-league roster, with an additional $300,000 in incentives.

 

I like the move. I think Crisp will be out soon.

[Cocos Disciples]

Yeah I'd be surprised to see Crisp stay as well. Decent.

[VA Sox Fan]

I like Keilty but if this happens, I'll miss Coco's defense BIG TIME!

[mAAAbs]

Kielty came up with some big hits down the stretch last year and you can always count on him to play 100% in the field. I'm very glad to have him back.

[MANNYHOF24]

I like the move. I don't really think Coco being the fourth outfielder would have worked out too well. Keilty was solid for us last year and is very good against left-handed pitching. Hopefully we can get a decent bulpen arm and a good prospect for Crisp. He should bring us back some something decent.

[riverside sluggers]

Coco deserves a starting gig with his speed and gold glove type defense, unfortunately for him was that Jacoby shot up faster than expected. Plus Ive heard that Crisp's agent has said that Coco would not be happy with taking a reserve role. Im a big fan of Kieltys, solid bat against lefties to have off the bench and will give you good defense.

[BSN07]

I like the move. I didn't see Coco sticking around long in a reserve role. Which is understandable.

 

With the BP pretty much full, and the SP rotation set for the most part, I'd like to see Crisp dealt for a young C. I know the rumor is that Tek will get a couple yr extension, but we need a young C to eventually take over.

 

I love Tek but I'd really rather they didn't go longer then a couple yrs for an exetension on him. With everyone getting older on the team, eventually the Sox will need more production from the C position, and lets face it, Tek is just not good with the bat anymore. His game calling is superb, but his bat sucks...

[SCM33]

I love Tek but I'd really rather they didn't go longer then a couple yrs for an exetension on him. With everyone getting older on the team' date=' eventually the Sox will need more production from the C position, and lets face it, Tek is just not good with the bat anymore. His game calling is superb, but his bat sucks...[/quote']

 

Sucks?

or declining..........?

Among qualified AL Catchers......Varitek had these offensive rankings:

 

Runs....fourth

Homers...fourth

RBI's...Third

Walks...Second

Batting average: Seventh

OB%...Third

Slugging...Fourth

OPS...Third

 

Hes still one of the top 3 or 4 catchers in the AL, and he calls a better game and fields his position better than most. He is probably still the best all around catcher in the game if you consider all aspects....especially considering most of the offensive catchers in the game are putrid behing the plate (Victor Martinez, im talking to you). I think he looks a lot uglier taking hacks at the dish than the numbers actually show us, hes much more productive than you think.

 

EDIT: I ran those numbers for all of MLB afterwards, and not much change.....Varitek is still top 5 in most categories. Out of 30 teams, our catcher produces top 5 numbers in almost all the major categories, plus he plays GG Defense.....Ill take that any day of the week.

[BSN07]

Sucks?

or declining..........?

Among qualified AL Catchers......Varitek had these offensive rankings:

 

Runs....fourth

Homers...fourth

RBI's...Third

Walks...Second

Batting average: Seventh

OB%...Third

Slugging...Fourth

OPS...Third

 

Hes still one of the top 3 or 4 catchers in the AL, and he calls a better game and fields his position better than most. He is probably still the best all around catcher in the game if you consider all aspects....especially considering most of the offensive catchers in the game are putrid behing the plate (Victor Martinez, im talking to you). I think he looks a lot uglier taking hacks at the dish than the numbers actually show us, hes much more productive than you think.

 

EDIT: I ran those numbers for all of MLB afterwards, and not much change.....Varitek is still top 5 in most categories. Out of 30 teams, our catcher produces top 5 numbers in almost all the major categories, plus he plays GG Defense.....Ill take that any day of the week.

 

 

Well I'll say declining. But C usually drop off very quick when the reach older age. We need JayHawk to show us production rates for aging Catchers LOL. Tek drives me nuts sometimes. I love the guy and respect the way he goes about the game. Then I want to strangle him when he K's and misses the ball by 2 feet. Maybe his horrendous AB's are just sticking out in my mind.

[YAZMAN]

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/02/sox_come_to_ter.html

 

 

 

I like the move. I think Crisp will be out soon.

 

I like it, too. I'm a little surprised with it coming right on the heels of the Sean Casey signing for similar money, but that must have given the Sox total leverage in negotiations. And with LH hitters backing up the OF and 1B, looks like the Nixon rumors are bunk.

[SCM33]

Well I'll say declining. But C usually drop off very quick when the reach older age. We need JayHawk to show us production rates for aging Catchers LOL. Tek drives me nuts sometimes. I love the guy and respect the way he goes about the game. Then I want to strangle him when he K's and misses the ball by 2 feet. Maybe his horrendous AB's are just sticking out in my mind.

 

I must admit, the numbers blew me away as well.......because he looks awful up to bat sometimes......but I think we all take for granted what he brings......fact is, there just arent many complete catchers out there. Some can hit, some flash the glove, some call a great game, some have rockets for arms.....but not many do it all as well as Tek does. In addition, there really arent many catchers who hit well right now.....and for all Varitek brings, Im happy with him for the next couple of years, even if he is declining. There are very few catching prospects out there......bard, salty, martinez (1B is calling his name), but even out of those guys, none are as good defensively as Vtek.....and only Martinez blows him away offensively right now (yes, I do know that eventually Salty will be pretty good).

[YAZMAN]

I must admit' date=' the numbers blew me away as well.......because he looks awful up to bat sometimes......but I think we all take for granted what he brings......fact is, there just arent many complete catchers out there. Some can hit, some flash the glove, some call a great game, some have rockets for arms.....but not many do it all as well as Tek does. In addition, there really arent many catchers who hit well right now.....and for all Varitek brings, Im happy with him for the next couple of years, even if he is declining. There are very few catching prospects out there......bard, salty, martinez (1B is calling his name), but even out of those guys, none are as good defensively as Vtek.....and only Martinez blows him away offensively right now (yes, I do know that eventually Salty will be pretty good).[/quote']

 

And a huge factor in Tek's offensive shortcomings being so glaring last year was the career season that Posada had at the plate. Let's not kid ourselves, how many ML catchers do we actually compare to Tek? Very few.

[BoSox21]

I like what Kielty brought to the table last year and for the price, you can't go wrong. Good signing

[Jayhawk Bill]

Hes still one of the top 3 or 4 catchers in the AL, and he calls a better game and fields his position better than most. He is probably still the best all around catcher in the game if you consider all aspects....especially considering most of the offensive catchers in the game are putrid behing the plate (Victor Martinez, im talking to you). I think he looks a lot uglier taking hacks at the dish than the numbers actually show us, hes much more productive than you think.

 

EDIT: I ran those numbers for all of MLB afterwards, and not much change.....Varitek is still top 5 in most categories. Out of 30 teams, our catcher produces top 5 numbers in almost all the major categories, plus he plays GG Defense.....Ill take that any day of the week.

 

I checked Varitek vs. the 2008 PECOTA. PECOTA pegs him as 14th-best this year:

 

1) PECOTA sees him as a defensive liability, and

 

2) PECOTA expects him to catch only 92 games.

 

YMMV on both counts...mine does, but I do see Nate Silver's points.

 

Saltalamacchia, Pudge Rodriguez and AJ Pierzynski were among the 132 catchers who scored lower.

[BSN07]

I checked Varitek vs. the 2008 PECOTA. PECOTA pegs him as 14th-best this year:

 

1) PECOTA sees him as a defensive liability, and

 

2) PECOTA expects him to catch only 92 games.

 

YMMV on both counts...mine does, but I do see Nate Silver's points.

 

Saltalamacchia, Pudge Rodriguez and AJ Pierzynski were among the 132 catchers who scored lower.

 

I knew I could count on JB for some statistical digging!

[redsoxrules]

I checked Varitek vs. the 2008 PECOTA. PECOTA pegs him as 14th-best this year:

 

1) PECOTA sees him as a defensive liability, and

 

2) PECOTA expects him to catch only 92 games.

 

YMMV on both counts...mine does, but I do see Nate Silver's points.

 

Saltalamacchia, Pudge Rodriguez and AJ Pierzynski were among the 132 catchers who scored lower.

 

unless Vtek gets injured he'll likely catch over 130 games again this year , as he has been troughout his career ( except when he got injured )

[VA Sox Fan]

Yes, a Tek "homer" here, we're very lucky to have him. Hope his bat picks up in 2008 if not, oh well. Schilling may have had a no-no last season if he had thrown the slider Tek called, Schill wanted the fast ball...........just sayin'.......

[Jayhawk Bill]

unless Vtek gets injured he'll likely catch over 130 games again this year ' date=' as he has been troughout his career ( except when he got injured )[/quote']

 

I'd expect 110+ barring injury...frankly, I subjectively believe that Varitek is suffering in PECOTA because there's a distinct lack of similar catchers his age. I think that Varitek has a good chance of declining the way Carlton Fisk did...there are few catchers not suspected of late steroid use who have had consecutive seasons as good as Tek's 2006 and 2007 have been, and the drug testing both of those years clears Tek of that allegation. He's keeping his agility late--I'm optimistic.

[Ray10]

Decent signing I liek Kielty I think he's a good player.

[SCM33]

I think that Varitek has a good chance of declining the way Carlton Fisk did...

 

So that means that Varitek has another 8 productive seasons.....and two years where he "hangs on" for a total of 10 more years of Varitek!! (Since Fisk was 45 when he hung them up, and Tek is still 35).

 

Im JK, everyone knows that as soon as he went to Chicago, he was never the same offensive player (ages 33-45).

[das11209]

I think Keilty's contribution is overlooked in world series victory. His home run sealed the deal in game 4. If Rockies win that game - they could have staged a comeback as our bullpen was already taxed.

 

Contribution from our other bench guys for post season(Hinske, Cora et all) - zero. You can argue Coco's contribution was negative as he could not get bunt down.

 

Good signing.