Official Red Sox offseason thread

[Dipre]

Mark Prior actually had flawless mechanics. Dusty Baker ruined him.

 

That's why we specifically said post-injury mechanics.

 

Baker is the bane of young pitchers.

[italstallianion]

While it's an obviously small sample size, I still don't necessarily like the idea of trading LaRoche for Kotchman. That one still gets under my skin as I don't really get the motivation. I'm not ripping on Kotchman's performance in Boston. That's obviously way too small of a sample size. But to see the way LaRoche is playing in Atlanta and the way his swing is tailor made for Fenway, he looked like a perfect fit. Sorry to rehash an old trade but I really don't get it.

[example1]

I've seen Kotchman already flash the glove enough to warrant making that move to have a plus defensive 1B able to come off the bench. He made two plays last night I think (a catch heading toward the RF stands and a errant throw-catch/tag) that were really good plays.

[ORS]

How is LaRoche's swing tailor made for Fenway? His hit charts show his power to be up the middle and to RF, the most expansive parts of the park, and there's no data suggesting he goes the other way with considerable frequency.

[Dipre]

How is LaRoche's swing tailor made for Fenway? His hit charts show his power to be up the middle and to RF' date=' the most expansive parts of the park, and there's no data suggesting he goes the other way with considerable frequency.[/quote']

 

That's because he doesn't.

 

Scouting report says he's a dead pull hitter.

[italstallianion]

How is LaRoche's swing tailor made for Fenway? His hit charts show his power to be up the middle and to RF' date=' the most expansive parts of the park, and there's no data suggesting he goes the other way with considerable frequency.[/quote']

 

 

I mean that his natural swing is towards left field. That was one of the biggest points made on why we traded for him in the first place. While I don't have a spray chart to prove it, I can tell you that the HR he hit in Boston was in left, and the first HR he hit in Atlanta was in left, and many of them in Pittsburgh were to left. Many of his outs were to left as well. Obviously that's not the basis of my argument, but the guy's natural swing is to left which should be easy doubles and HR's, completely excluding the fact that even without that detail he's a better power hitter than Kotchman. He currently has more HR than Lowell.

 

Granted that's not everything, but LaRoche really felt like a fit here, and then within a week he gets sent to Atlanta along with $1 Million for Casey f***** Kotchman.

[Dipre]

I mean that his natural swing is towards left field. That was one of the biggest points made on why we traded for him in the first place. While I don't have a spray chart to prove it, I can tell you that the HR he hit in Boston was in left, and the first HR he hit in Atlanta was in left, and many of them in Pittsburgh were to left. Many of his outs were to left as well. Obviously that's not the basis of my argument, but the guy's natural swing is to left which should be easy doubles and HR's, completely excluding the fact that even without that detail he's a better power hitter than Kotchman. He currently has more HR than Lowell.

 

Granted that's not everything, but LaRoche really felt like a fit here, and then within a week he gets sent to Atlanta along with $1 Million for Casey f***** Kotchman.

 

No it's not.

 

LaRoche is a lefty dead-pull hitter. Lefties hit the ball out to right naturally.

 

Most of his power comes to the longest part of the park.

[italstallianion]

Not to mention the whole "2nd half player" thing.

[ORS]

I mean that his natural swing is towards left field. That was one of the biggest points made on why we traded for him in the first place. While I don't have a spray chart to prove it, I can tell you that the HR he hit in Boston was in left, and the first HR he hit in Atlanta was in left, and many of them in Pittsburgh were to left. Many of his outs were to left as well. Obviously that's not the basis of my argument, but the guy's natural swing is to left which should be easy doubles and HR's, completely excluding the fact that even without that detail he's a better power hitter than Kotchman. He currently has more HR than Lowell.

 

Granted that's not everything, but LaRoche really felt like a fit here, and then within a week he gets sent to Atlanta along with $1 Million for Casey f***** Kotchman.

If you go to his player page at mlb.com, there is a link for his "Hit Chart". Then you can look at how he's hit at individual parks in each season. He may go the other way from time to time, but he does not hit the ball for extra-bases the other way regularly.

[italstallianion]

This is where I'm coming from. Right out of extra bases:

 

"LaRoche's impressive seconds half splits are "nice," Epstein said, but they were not a "key component" in the decision. Epstein believes playing at Fenway will help LaRoche, because his natural swing drives the ball to left-centerfield."

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/07/epstein_on_trad.html?camp=localsearch:on:twit:sox

 

Even if he doesn't hit to left all the time, he's still a better power hitter than Kotchman. He's still a better 2nd half hitter than Kotchman. I think we're only arguing formalities because it doesn't matter if he naturally hits to left or not, but I'm still defending my point. The truth is, regardless of who's right in the me vs. Dipre and ORS ordeal, he's still a much better power hitter than Kotchman and I still feel uneasy about that trade.

 

So no matter what one person says or what a spray chart suggests, that won't change the uneasiness I feel about the trade. We can argue formalities all day but that won't change anything.

[ORS]

You may find that a mere formality. To me, whether or not he hits to a certain part of the park regularly matters when trying to sell his benefit to playing in Fenway. I'd call it a core component of his appeal. One that appears to be a fabrication by Mr. Epstein when you look at the actual data.

[a700hitter]

Were you under the illusion that the Yankees would just sit by while contracts come off their books? The signings of CC and AJ were no shock and seemed like overreactions to me. The signing of Teixeira hurts more, but what are you gonna do now that it's over? Keep bitching and moaning about it for years and years?

Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I didn't write the article, but our post season was pathetic.

[jacksonianmarch]

Because we offered them what they wanted, pitching. Marquez and Nunez were exactly what they wanted. Not sure why, as both project to relief, but to each his own.

[jacksonianmarch]

The gap may widen as well, depending on this offseason. There is a ton of money coming off the books and another pitcher available, so we'll see if the yankees enter that bidding war (Lackey). Getting Lackey would be more of an upgrade than getting Holliday, IMO, since it would give us a front 3 that would be unrivalled in baseball with Joba and Hughes in the 4 and 5 slot. That rotation would be f***ing sick

[BSN07]

The gap may widen as well' date=' depending on this offseason. There is a ton of money coming off the books and another pitcher available, so we'll see if the yankees enter that bidding war (Lackey). Getting Lackey would be more of an upgrade than getting Holliday, IMO, since it would give us a front 3 that would be unrivalled in baseball with Joba and Hughes in the 4 and 5 slot. That rotation would be f***ing sick[/quote']

 

The Theo sells the Farm for Felix and Hanley;)

[Gosawks]

The Theo sells the Farm for Felix and Hanley

 

Can someone tell me where the whole Hanley Ramirez talks started? The Red Sox simply called the Marlins to see if he was available and they said he wasn't and they have not had dicussions since about Hanley. The Marlins won't trade because they are moving into a new staduim and with attendance down there the way it is, what do you think would happen if they were to trade Hanley Ramirez away by far there best player? Besides the price would be an arm and a leg for Hanley. After you trade for Felix what would you offer the Marlins that they would be intrested in trading for? The Mariners would be looking for at least Buchholz,Bowden,Anderson and Westmoreland for Felix. Im sorry but this will never happen and highly unrealstic.

[BSN07]

Can someone tell me where the whole Hanley Ramirez talks started? The Red Sox simply called the Marlins to see if he was available and they said he wasn't and they have not had dicussions since about Hanley. The Marlins won't trade because they are moving into a new staduim and with attendance down there the way it is' date=' what do you think would happen if they were to trade Hanley Ramirez away by far there best player? Besides the price would be an arm and a leg for Hanley. After you trade for Felix what would you offer the Marlins that they would be intrested in trading for? The Mariners would be looking for at least Buchholz,Bowden,Anderson and Westmoreland for Felix. Im sorry but this will never happen and highly unrealstic.[/quote']

 

The talk about Hanley will always be there as long as the Red Sox need a SS. Doesn't matter if there have been any talks or not. It's one of those things that's always going to be connected IMO.

[ORS]

The talk about Hanley will always be there as long as the Red Sox need a SS. Doesn't matter if there have been any talks or not. It's one of those things that's always going to be connected IMO.

In your mind. In reality, it's a pipe dream.

[a700hitter]

[/b]

In your mind. In reality, it's a pipe dream.

...as is Felix Hernandez to the Sox in some posters' minds.

[Dojji]

Or Adrian Gonzalez.

 

Theo is going to have to make some tough decisions to improve the team. There is no real natural fit.

[a700hitter]

What does the FA pitching crop look like this year, because that's where he dropped the ball last season.

[Dojji]

What does the FA pitching crop look like this year' date=' [b']because that's where he dropped the ball last season.[/b]

 

BS. If they "dropped the ball" anywhere it's picking up some form of impact bat

 

As for FA starters Lackey's about it. Erik Bedard maybe.

[ORS]

This is the 2009 FA class, with an * indicating a team or mutual option:

 

Brandon Backe HOU

Miguel Batista SEA

Josh Beckett * BOS

Erik Bedard SEA

Daniel Cabrera WAS

Bartolo Colon CWS

Jose Contreras CWS

Doug Davis ARZ

Justin Duchscherer OAK

Adam Eaton BAL

Kelvim Escobar LAA

Jon Garland * ARZ

Tom Glavine ATL

Mike Hampton HOU

Rich Harden CHC

Tim Hudson * ATL

Randy Johnson SF

John Lackey LAA

Cliff Lee * CLE

Braden Looper * MIL

Jason Marquis CHC

Kevin Millwood * TEX

Brett Myers PHI

Vicente Padilla * TEX

Carl Pavano CLE

Brad Penny BOS

Odalis Perez WAS

Andy Pettitte NYY

Joel Pineiro STL

Sidney Ponson KC

Jason Schmidt LAD

John Smoltz BOS

Jarrod Washburn SEA

Brandon Webb * ARZ

Todd Wellemeyer STL

[TedWilliams101]

I'd wet myself if we got Harden or Lackey. If I were Theo, I'd go hard after Harden. The kid has ridiculous stuff.

[italstallianion]

I'd rather have Lackey personally, and I've been thinking about getting him since this season began. I'd go "gun's blaze" for him if I can. Stopping short of giving him a blank cheque of course.

[TedWilliams101]

I like Lackey, but Harden is younger, has had a better (albeit shorter) career and has far better stuff. If the Sox think he can stay healthy, get him.

[italstallianion]

Lackey is only 3 years older for the record. I think the only thing Harden has going for him is his amazing stuff which leads to great strikeout numbers. But the guy doesn't go that far into games and he looks like he can get a concussion and a UCL sprain while masturbating. He's not doing that well this year whereas Lackey has rebounded from his injury and has still put up decent numbers.

 

They have the exact same innings pitched this year despite Lackey having 3 less starts. In that time Harden has also allowed 9 more HR's than Lackey. I think Harden is way too much of a risk, unless he realises this and comes cheap, which probably won't happen.

 

Not to mention that Harden has spent most of his career in Oakland.

[a700hitter]

BS. If they "dropped the ball" anywhere it's picking up some form of impact bat

 

As for FA starters Lackey's about it. Erik Bedard maybe.

I'm a pitching guy, and the crop of FA's was stocked last year. The Sox should have bolstered their starting rotation. They are paying for that decision now.

[a700hitter]

After looking at the pool of pitchers for 2009, it is considerably thinner than last year's crop. No one in the 2009 crop interests me a great deal. What will be available on the offensive side?

[CrespoBlows]

I'd look at Myers, but his actions off the field are going to prevent that.