Official 2009-2010 Hot Stove season thread

[example1]

30m might be a bit much, but it's only too much if Chapman doesn't materialize into anything. If he becomes one of the better pitchers on the team he will easily be worth that much.

[bsox0407]

30m might be a bit much' date=' but it's only too much if Chapman doesn't materialize into anything. If he becomes one of the better pitchers on the team he will easily be worth that much.[/quote']

 

if we go that high a contract you have to get him for a long time.

[example1]

if we go that high a contract you have to get him for a long time.

 

6 years is what I proposed.

 

I'll just put it this way. I won't hold it against this team if they have to spend 5m/year over the next 6 years because they took a shot on a guy like Chapman. His stuff could make him one of the best pitchers in the league. You can't say that about every FA.

[jacksonianmarch]

I love his stuff, but the Yanks are out of it because they are convinced he's destined for relief.

[example1]

I love his stuff' date=' but the Yanks are out of it because they are convinced he's destined for relief.[/quote']

 

On a team like the Yankees or Red Sox he might slot more as a reliever. However, both teams have the ability to take more time and refine him as a SP if they can be patient and trust their scouting reports and player development system.

[jacksonianmarch]

They definitely have the time. The problem is, do they have the time to allow him to mature in the big leagues? Guys like him, who have all the stuff and none of the control might take 2-3 yrs in the bigs to become top notch. Boston and NY cannot afford to let a guy like that mature. Might be easier to let him go to Florida or so and then sign him when he's 27 and refined

[BSN07]

They definitely have the time. The problem is' date=' do they have the time to allow him to mature in the big leagues? Guys like him, who have all the stuff and none of the control might take 2-3 yrs in the bigs to become top notch. Boston and NY cannot afford to let a guy like that mature. Might be easier to let him go to Florida or so and then sign him when he's 27 and refined[/quote']

 

That's a valid concern. And not an unreasonable solution. But I wouldn't be upset if they signed him now.

[riverside sluggers]

They definitely have the time. The problem is' date=' do they have the time to allow him to mature in the big leagues? Guys like him, who have all the stuff and none of the control might take 2-3 yrs in the bigs to become top notch. Boston and NY cannot afford to let a guy like that mature. Might be easier to let him go to Florida or so and then sign him when he's 27 and refined[/quote']

 

Who's to say he is not traded before free agency comes?

[jacksonianmarch]

He very well could be. Anyway, if the sox get him, then it helps their overall organization and its a good move. I just think that his lack of a 3rd pitch and his perceived lack of command has dropped his appeal and kinda silenced the hype for a bit. I hope he ends up in pinstripes, but I doubt it happens. He's gonna get paid by someone, and the new suitor sounds like Toronto.

[bsox0407]

Nick Green signed with the Dodgers.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/01/dodgers-sign-nick-green.html

[Spudboy]

Nick Green signed with the Dodgers.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/01/dodgers-sign-nick-green.html

 

Good luck to him. I'm sorry he won't be back.

 

Hopefully Heidi does not follow him!

[example1]

Given that RS has started a Spring Training thread I think we can be confident that this is more or less the team the Sox will be going to battle with next year.

 

Like most people, I'm inclined to think that they are still a bat away from being favorites. I think they have a well-put-together team and they have a higher ceiling than most other teams in baseball, as they did in 07, 08 and 09. The difference is that the Yankees added Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia (and, of lesser importance AJ Burnett) to take a good team into a great team. For the Sox to be favorites against that Yankee club they will need to add another bat to an already elite team.

 

I'm confident they will get that bat by the trading deadline of 2011 at the latest and that we will all be very happy. Between now and then they may have a hard time being a team that regularly beats good pitching... they should still win 95 games and be the 2nd best team in the AL.

 

One thing that could change that would be if David Ortiz could come back to life. It is easy to forget that the Sox have an option for Ortiz for 2011. If he comes back and swings like he can then he and Youkilis will make for a pretty formidable duo.

 

A lot of people believe we have not replaced Jason Bay/Manny's power and that makes this team inferior to the one that won in 2007. Compare Kevin Youkilis the past two seasons with Manny Ramirez from 2004-2007:

 

[table] PLAYER | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+

RAMIREZ | .304 | .402 | .581 | .983 | 149

YOUKILIS | .309 | .401 | .559 | .960 | 144 [/table]

 

Of course I'm not saying Youkilis is as good a hitter as Manny, who had many better seasons before 2004 and who had been producing at a HOF level for 9 years before this range. My point is that in terms of being able to provide a 3-4 punch it isn't that the Sox didn't replace Manny's bat, its that Ortiz isn't doing his part. If Ortiz gets his s*** going then he's the bat we're all looking for. If not then that bat probably isn't coming until he's gone.

 

What I'm more worried about is the bullpen. I hope that some of the new acquisitions have live arms, because on the surface the pen doesn't seem as deep as it was last year.

[VA Sox Fan]

Plenty of talent still available

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff January 17, 2010 09:00 AM

 

The Sox appear to be done with their roster, at least for now. Just for fun, here's a look at the top free agents still out there.

 

Amazingly, you can still go two deep with somewhat reasonable players:

 

1B: Russell Branyan, Carlos Delgado

2B: Orlando Hudson, Felipe Lopez

SS: Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Tejada

3B: Joe Crede, Melvin Mora

DH: Jim Thome, Jason Giambi

OF: Rick Ankiel, Reed Johnson

OF: Johnny Damon, Xavier Nady

OF: Jermaine Dye, Gary Sheffield

C: Bengie Molina, Jose Molina

SP: Joel Piniero, Vicente Padilla

SP: Jon Garland, Pedro Martinez

SP: Ben Sheets, Braden Looper

SP: Chien-Ming Wang, Mark Mulder

SP: Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn

RP: Kiko Calero, Chan Ho Park,

RP: Ron Villone, Kevin Gregg

RP: David Weathers, Jamey Wright

 

Also: Endy Chavez, Hank Blalock, Ronnie Belliard, Jerry Hairston Jr., Marcus Thames, Adam Kennedy, Rocco Baldelli, John Smoltz, Brett Tomko, Jose Contreras, Rod Barajas.

 

Is there anybody on this list who would give the Red Sox a significant upgrade? Kiko Calero is an interesting guy. He had a 1.95 ERA in 67 appearances for Florida last season, opponents hit .180 against him and he allowed seven extra-base hits. Just saying.

[TheMino007]

Sox signed Jorge Sosa to a minor league contract

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&filter_teams=BOS&id=3424

[Dipre]

Sox signed Jorge Sosa to a minor league contract

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&filter_teams=BOS&id=3424

 

..... Who then proceeded to get rocked in Licey's final Winter League Game.

[jacksonianmarch]

Plenty of talent still available

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff January 17, 2010 09:00 AM

 

The Sox appear to be done with their roster, at least for now. Just for fun, here's a look at the top free agents still out there.

 

Amazingly, you can still go two deep with somewhat reasonable players:

 

1B: Russell Branyan, Carlos Delgado

2B: Orlando Hudson, Felipe Lopez

SS: Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Tejada

3B: Joe Crede, Melvin Mora

DH: Jim Thome, Jason Giambi

OF: Rick Ankiel, Reed Johnson

OF: Johnny Damon, Xavier Nady

OF: Jermaine Dye, Gary Sheffield

C: Bengie Molina, Jose Molina

SP: Joel Piniero, Vicente Padilla

SP: Jon Garland, Pedro Martinez

SP: Ben Sheets, Braden Looper

SP: Chien-Ming Wang, Mark Mulder

SP: Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn

RP: Kiko Calero, Chan Ho Park,

RP: Ron Villone, Kevin Gregg

RP: David Weathers, Jamey Wright

 

Also: Endy Chavez, Hank Blalock, Ronnie Belliard, Jerry Hairston Jr., Marcus Thames, Adam Kennedy, Rocco Baldelli, John Smoltz, Brett Tomko, Jose Contreras, Rod Barajas.

 

Is there anybody on this list who would give the Red Sox a significant upgrade? Kiko Calero is an interesting guy. He had a 1.95 ERA in 67 appearances for Florida last season, opponents hit .180 against him and he allowed seven extra-base hits. Just saying.

 

Calero has an arm that is a ticking time bomb. Hence why he wasnt resigned. His MRI was laughable apparently.

[Dojji]

With Felipe Lopez still out there and us with possibly a roster spot left I'd go after Lopez. Switch hits, decent contact, usable speed, played SS a lot more recently than Hall, decent Scutaro insurance.

 

Go gettum.

[BSN07]

With Felipe Lopez still out there and us with possibly a roster spot left I'd go after Lopez. Switch hits, decent contact, usable speed, played SS a lot more recently than Hall, decent Scutaro insurance.

 

Go gettum.

 

If Lopez is available, the Sox should absolutely get him. He is great insurance for numerous scenarios. But I still am not to optimistic he will take a back up role. And I find it hard to believe someone won't offer him a starting job somewhere, even if it is only for one year. I think he would be a Dodger is they could spend any money.

 

And I don't think Hall should block the Sox from getting a player like Lopez. Especially if Lopez is coming at a deal. They could always trade Hall off anyways.

[Spudboy]

*yawn*

 

His wife is cute, though!

[Dojji]

There's some rumors flitting around that the Royals might actually be crazy enough to trade Alberto Callaspo. I'm not sure they have any teeth to them, but if Callaspo's on the block, I'd pick him up as a possible Bill Mueller redux and Adrian Beltre insurance.

[BSN07]

There's some rumors flitting around that the Royals might actually be crazy enough to trade Alberto Callaspo. I'm not sure they have any teeth to them' date=' but if Callaspo's on the block, I'd pick him up as a possible Bill Mueller redux and Adrian Beltre insurance.[/quote']

 

There really are some interesting players available if the Sox are looking for some insurance/upside signings. I don't see any move like that until Lowell is gone though. But if he gets traded and Lopez and Callapso are available I could see them making a move. With Hall being the back up 3B/5th OF and Lopez/Callaspo doing the back up/insurance at SS/2B. If the Sox made that type of acqusition, they would have one of the deepest/versatile 25 man roster in Baseball IMO.

[SCM33]

Just throwing a name out there, but if Lowell is somehow not in Boston....could Jim Thome be a useful addition? He said he would not mind going back to Chicago, and if he did, his playing time would be cut. Could he be useful in a Ortiz, Youkilis, Beltre, Thome rotation between 1B, 3b, DH??? ( I know Ortiz is not a 1B, and Thome isnt a 1B all that much, and he hasnt played 3B in over 10 years).

[Keeper]

Thome would get a lot more ABs with the White Sox; they don't really have a DH right now. And he wouldn't be a good fit with the Red Sox since they might need someone to platoon with Ortiz to hit LHP. And I wouldn't even entertain the idea of him at 1st base or 3rd base.

[riverside sluggers]

Plus they will be giving V-Mart good number of AB's at 1st base to give him days off from catching

 

EDIT: Bert Blyleven is a writer too. He takes a look at the AL East this season

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/34966345/ns/sports-baseball/

[Dojji]

That low but persistent muttering about Alberto Callaspo is still out there. If there's any chance he can be had for a decent price we need to go after him, since I think the kid's a Bill Mueller redux. Great contact bat, solid OBP, and enough power at age 26 for me to think there's more to come. And he's looked good at 3B in small sample sizes, which is good since that's definitely where he'd be playing for us.

 

I would give fair value to bring him in, stick him on the bench for 1 year as a heck of a switch hitting utility man, and make him our third baseman for 2011 and beyond. No top 5 prospects of course, but Michael Bowden would almost have to be a player the Royals would be interested in, and so would Felix Doubront.

[a700hitter]

They still need to round out the roster. They need a utility IF, unless they are cinfident that Lowrie can stay healthy and hit more than .150. I don't know how they could have any confidence in his health. They also need another OF.

[Dojji]

Actually they have 5 OF right now, I'm guessing you've forgotten Hermida.

 

but yeah, they need an infielder. Callaspo isn't really a perfect fit either, he's dabbled at SS at the big league level but he isn't very good there -- but he's got every chance of being better than Bill "Hasn't played SS since 2006" Hall, and he's actually a better SS in a SSS (heh) than Felipe Lopez, who has to be the other leading candidate..

[a700hitter]

Actually they have 5 OF right now, I'm guessing you've forgotten Hermida.

 

but yeah, they need an infielder. Callaspo isn't really a perfect fit either, he's dabbled at SS at the big league level but he isn't very good there -- but he's got every chance of being better than Bill "Hasn't played SS since 2006" Hall, and he's actually a better SS in a SSS (heh) than Felipe Lopez, who has to be the other leading candidate..

No, I didn't forget Hermida. I forgot Hall.

[Dojji]

Hall's pretty easy to forget. We're basically getting paid to have him on our team after all.

[Spudboy]

Hall's pretty easy to forget. We're basically getting paid to have him on our team after all.

 

Tug Hulett.