Sox, Papelbon agree to 1 year deal.

[diony]

I guess they don't want to take that risk. They can still afford him year-to-year anyway.

[TheKilo]

I'm not. The Sox know what they are doing.

[BSN07]

I'm not. The Sox know what they are doing.

 

I gotta agree there. They have earned it. There knowledge of the situation is much better then mine. Maybe they will meet in the middle on a 3 year deal:dunno:

[BoSox21]

They could simply be concerned enough about his shoulder to be unwilling to go past two years and I can't blame them for it

[BSN07]

They could simply be concerned enough about his shoulder to be unwilling to go past two years and I can't blame them for it

 

And considering he looked a little flat towards the end of this season, this is probably a legit concern. It's probably why they loaded up in the BP. Maybe there expecting to dial Papelbon's usage back.

[rician blast]

We also do not know what kind of $ per year he was looking for in a 4 yr contract. If it was something like $11-12m per year, then the sides are pretty far apart.

[BoSox21]

K-Rod got 3/37, I don't see why Papelbon would ask for anything less

[rician blast]

K-Rod got 3/37' date=' I don't see why Papelbon would ask for anything less[/quote']

 

K-Rod was a FA. Big difference.

[BoSox21]

I understand that Papelbon has said that he doesn't care about security as much as he cares about getting the money he feels he deserves, and he's perfectly happy going year-to-year in arbitration until he can be an FA.

 

So if he'll only sign a long-term deal if he gets the money he feels he deserves, you don't think he feels he deserves at least as much as K-Rod?

[ORS]

Not when the team is buying out some of his arb years that will be discounted relative to the market. He should only get as much (or more) than Rodriguez when it's an apples to apples comparison.

[BSN07]

Stat wise they are fairly comparable players. But yes being a FA and being in the Arb process are very different things.

[diony]

Meanwhile, Papelbon explained why he didn't jump at a multiyear deal, as two other young Red Sox stars, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, did. "Cause I'm a gambling man," Papelbon said.

 

Papelbon said he and the Red Sox were "so far off" that he didn't even consider their offer (or listen to it, he said -- he just took the word of his agents, the Levinsons). When I threw out a $30 million, three-year bid (my suggestion, not Boston's), he said, "I don't even know if I'd take that. I've got to go one year at a time."

 

Papelbon said he appreciated that the Red Sox rewarded him with a $6.25-million salary, third highest ever for a first-time arbitration-eligible player (behind Ryan Howard and Miguel Cabrera). But when it comes to a multiyear deal, he feels a sense of duty to go for the best and set the standard.

 

"If you're top three or four (at your position), you have a certain obligation to try to set the market," Papelbon said.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/02/20/redsox.camp/1.html

[BSN07]

Like I said before, not trying to be a downer but I still say there is a very good chance at Papelbon pitching in NY. If Mo retires, Joba stays in the rotation, they will be looking for a CP. I don't see the Yankees balking at paying him 15M+ a year either. Something I don't see the Sox doing.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Good, I'd laugh my ass off if they paid a closer 15 mil a season.

[Cocos Disciples]

^ Yeah, as good as Papelbon is, I don't think any closer is worth 15MM.

[diony]

They're already paying $15 million to one. Breaking news.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

And that in itself is a waste of money.

[redsoxrules]

^ Yeah' date=' as good as Papelbon is, I don't think any closer is worth 15MM.[/quote']

 

No...but Paps will still get it or close to it . He wants a Rivera type deal

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

No...but Paps will still get it or close to it . He wants a Rivera type deal

Okay, so let him walk.

[redsoxrules]

and have who as a closer?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

and have who as a closer?

Someone we probably won't be grossly overpaying.

[redsoxrules]

Someone we probably won't be grossly overpaying.

 

and sucks

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

and sucks

You don't know that.

[a700hitter]

It's a good bet that the closer who follows Papelbon will not be as good as Papelbon.

[Dojji]

Only because no one is as good as Papelbon.

 

We'll still have Ramon Ramirez, Justin Masterson and Manny Delcarmen on staff when we lose arb control of Paps, and will probably add Nick Hagadone, Richie Lentz and/or Dan Bard to our list of bigtime arms with possible late inning futures, not counting any free agents Japanese and otherwise we might sign in the meantime.

 

nd who knows, maybe Hunter Jones progresses passed his presumed ceiling as well. He's can certainly handle the workload (94. 102. and 73 IP's respectively in the last 3 years) and he was lights-out in Pawtucket. I have no doubt at all that he'll be with the team by the end of this year, especially if Takashi Saito doesn't pan out.

 

If I had to pick which of those is most likely to be a closer I'd say either RamrRam or Lentz. Bard passes both IF he harnesses his command.

[a700hitter]

Only because no one is as good as Papelbon.

I don't buy into the theory that closers are not that important. I think a consistently high performing closer will result in a consistently competitive team. When Mo Rivera finally breaks down so will the consistent competitiveness of the Yankees.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I don't buy into the theory that closers are not that important. I think a consistently high performing closer will result in a consistently competitive team.

 

Just ask J.J. Putz.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Only because no one is as good as Papelbon.

 

We'll still have Ramon Ramirez, Justin Masterson and Manny Delcarmen on staff when we lose arb control of Paps, and will probably add Nick Hagadone, Richie Lentz and/or Dan Bard to our list of bigtime arms with possible late inning futures, not counting any free agents Japanese and otherwise we might sign in the meantime.

 

nd who knows, maybe Hunter Jones progresses passed his presumed ceiling as well. He's can certainly handle the workload (94. 102. and 73 IP's respectively in the last 3 years) and he was lights-out in Pawtucket. I have no doubt at all that he'll be with the team by the end of this year, especially if Takashi Saito doesn't pan out.

 

If I had to pick which of those is most likely to be a closer I'd say either RamrRam or Lentz. Bard passes both IF he harnesses his command.

 

This

[a700hitter]

Just ask J.J. Putz.

Putz at age 32 has had only 2 very good years, so he has hardly been a consistently high performing closer. Papelbon at age 28 has already had 3 very good years in a row. Putz can't be mentioned in the same sentence as Mo Rivera when it comes to consistent excellence. If your point is that a consistently excellent closer is not a key element of consistently competitive teams, Putz is not a good example. Two good years is far from consistent excellence. In his best year 2007, a very ordinary Mariner team (with lousy pitching) was very competitive-- finishing 2nd in the West with the 5th best record in the AL.

[BSN07]

And that in itself is a waste of money.

 

You can't use "waste of money" as an excuse for the Yankees not seeking a player. If there is any team that is willing to gamble big money on someone, it is the Yankees.