Mike Lowell traded to Texas, Max Ramirez to Boston (Deal is off)

[italstallianion]

It depends on what you call "fielding". For example, Lowell at one point, and potentially still has the best fielding percentage EVER for a 3rd baseman. Better than Nettles, Schmidt, and those other HOF guys. That means that Lowell has better hands and is better at not making errors than anyone else with significant time at 3B.

 

On the other hand, Lowell is so much slower and has horrible range, so he's much worse at getting to balls and overall making outs. So it depends on how you define "fielding".

[BoSox21]

I'd say it's the ability to produce outs from the third base position on balls that the average third baseman is expected to field.

[italstallianion]

Also, does anyone know an exact amount of $ that's going Texas' way?

[msubulldogs21]

Also' date=' does anyone know an exact amount of $ that's going Texas' way?[/quote']

 

I believe $8-9 M

[Rich1083]

Jon Heyman of SI.com writes that the Red Sox would send about $8-9 million to Texas in the proposed deal for Mike Lowell.

Lowell is on tap to make $12 million in 2010, so the Red Sox would pay nearly three-quarters of his salary just to get him out of the way. While Lowell is expected to play first base in Texas, a position he hasn't played since the minor leagues, the Red Sox will be able to pursue free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre. Stay tuned.

 

Just saw this on Rotoworld.

http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/playernews.aspx?sport=MLB

 

Interesting.

[riverside sluggers]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/alex-speier/2009/12/10/love-glove-why-beltre-being-targeted-sox

 

Joe Maddon says that Beltre is the best defensive 3rd baseman he's seen in person, calling it stupid good

 

And an interesting stat says that Beltre has made 17 more plays than the average third baseman over the past five years.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I hope the pen is out of ink....NOOOOO BELTRE!

Uh, why not? Beltre's numbers were mauled by SAFECO, the monster would do him wonders. He's also a gold glove caliber defender at a position where Lowell slipped badly the past couple of seasons.

[Paradisecity]

Detroit is getting rid of contracts like they are on fire. Further, they realize how much they are going to lose next year given the economy in their city. I don't think this can be understated.

 

Anyone think something could be in the works around Cabrera?

[Dojji]

Uh' date=' why not? Beltre's numbers were mauled by SAFECO, the monster would do him wonders. He's also a gold glove caliber defender at a position where Lowell slipped badly the past couple of seasons.[/quote']

 

That's not a given you know. We can guess of course, but it's not really true that we know what level Beltre will play at here. There will probably be some improvement in OPS, but it won't make Beltre a fundamentally sound hitter. It just means that in his sporadic good streaks he'll hit a few more HR and 2B

[CanadianSox]

I really' date=' really hope there's more to this offseason than Adrian f***ing Beltre[/quote']

 

Someone forgetting Marco Scutaro already? lol

[TheMino007]

Thanks for the memories Mike, you where a class guy. Hopefully he does well with the Rangers, well except when the Rangers face the Sox. So now it appears the Sox plan to make a big move, or sign Adrian Beltre. I really hope this move leads to the trading for Adrian Gonzalez or Miguel Cabrera.

[BoSox21]

Yes I am, purposely

[a700hitter]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/alex-speier/2009/12/10/love-glove-why-beltre-being-targeted-sox

 

Joe Maddon says that Beltre is the best defensive 3rd baseman he's seen in person, calling it stupid good

 

And an interesting stat says that Beltre has made 17 more plays than the average third baseman over the past five years.

Joe Maddon... isn't he the guy with the coke-bottle glasses who made out a lineup card with 2 third basemen and no DH this season?

[Dojji]

Miggy's got my vote. He only has to actually take the field for one year, and if he can't hack it, we move on from Big Papi and put Muggy in as full time DH. Then we bring in Adrian Gonzalez in the 2010 offseason, sign Halladay, and watch Dipre go absolutely berzerk.

[Dojji]

Joe Maddon... isn't he the guy with the coke-bottle glasses who made out a lineup card with 2 third basemen and no DH this season?

 

Yeah, so you know he really values defense at the hot corner.

[SoxSport]

Well, this isn't done yet, but I would expect they will wind up paying Beltre close to Lowell money after dealing with Boras. The betting is he gives as good or better value than a healthy Lowell of a couple of years ago. Maybe better, if he hits at Fenway.

 

Too early to say about Max R. He's mainly a hitting type of catcher, at least in the minor leagues. He might still have some upside on defense. Not a bad pickup if it happens.

 

Dan S. over at Boston.com blistered the Sox this morning on their perceived rebuilding mentality. I'm not sure yet if that's accurate. Maybe if they don't sign Bay or Holliday. The Yankees clearly (and correctly) decided to win now last year with their cleanup of top tier FAs. When you have a big money advantage, you leverage it to the max. That's also true to a lesser extent in Boston--with the expensive tickets and NESN. If Epstein doesn't understand that, Lucchino or Henry will remind him. Baseball is built around big spending. The biggest spenders have the advantage.

[rhet]

Theo's interest in Beltre is surely a joke, right? He's just messing with Boras's head, right?

 

Surely Theo wouldn't give a guy with a .317 OBP over the past five years a four year contract, right?

[Cocos Disciples]

By the way, this deal isn't done yet.

[26 to 6]

Yeah, looks like it's on hold for a little while.

[BSN07]

Detroit is getting rid of contracts like they are on fire. Further, they realize how much they are going to lose next year given the economy in their city. I don't think this can be understated.

 

Anyone think something could be in the works around Cabrera?

I stated earlier this off season the Sox should trade for Miggy and take on Magglio as an add on. It's like 40M of the books this season, and like 140M(?) overall.

Well' date=' this isn't done yet, [b']but I would expect they will wind up paying Beltre[/b] close to Lowell money after dealing with Boras. The betting is he gives as good or better value than a healthy Lowell of a couple of years ago. Maybe better, if he hits at Fenway.

 

<_ wow do you not get how the market works figgins just got years per. please explain is beltre going to manage a season he will at around with an option for maybe possibly year deal. but if anyone signs him over aav there idiots. only was boras manages on multi deal has risque pics of gm old boy from thailand.>

 

Your Brain, use it

 

Yeah' date=' looks like it's on hold for a little while.[/quote']

 

Not surprising, it has to go to the commissioner's office before it's done anyways.

[rhet]

Beltre is one of the worst offensive players in the league. Why would anyone pay him more than a late inning defensive substitute would make? Is Boras that hypnotic?

[BSN07]

Beltre is one of the worst offensive players in the league. Why would anyone pay him more than a late inning defensive substitute would make? Is Boras that hypnotic?

 

Are you that daft to think Beltre is one of the worst offensive players in league?

 

He's a high 700 OPS hitter that has played in some of the worst hitter stadiums through out his career. Safeco kills power hitters. Playing in the NL West for the vast majority of your games in all those pitchers parks(except Coors West) will not help your numbers either.

[Dojji]

Juuuuuuuuust a little overstated there by Rhet, but an interesting balance to some of the overexuberance we're getting from a few quarters on the same subject.

 

Beltre, for what it's worth, does have one of the lowest OBP's among active 3B's over the last 3-4 years. I think the only guys definitely worse are Pedro Feliz and the oft-injured Joe Crede. You don't need to be in a bandbox stadium to put up a good OBP.

[BSN07]

Juuuuuuuuust a little overstated there by Rhet, but an interesting balance to some of the overexuberance we're getting from a few quarters on the same subject.

 

Beltre, for what it's worth, does have one of the lowest OBP's among active 3B's over the last 3-4 years. I think the only guys definitely worse are Pedro Feliz and the oft-injured Joe Crede.

 

It's not an over exuberance. Beltre is a solid defensive player, who stands to rebound offensively at Fenway.

 

OMG just like Mike Lowell when he came to Boston....."slaps forehead"

[riverside sluggers]

Having safeco as a home and how the lineup has been erratic for the Mariners, Id say he put respectable numbers. This past season saw him limited to just 111 games, his lowest total since the 1998 season in LA. Most of his career, hes averaged 150 or more games

 

In Seattle

 

2005- 19 HRs, 87 RBIs

2006- 25 HRs, 89 RBIs

2007- 26 HRs, 99 RBIs

2008- 25 HRs, 77 RBIs

[BSN07]

Having safeco as a home and how the lineup has been erratic for the Mariners, Id say he put respectable numbers. This past season saw him limited to just 111 games, his lowest total since the 1998 season in LA. Most of his career, hes averaged 150 or more games

 

In Seattle

 

2005- 19 HRs, 87 RBIs

2006- 25 HRs, 89 RBIs

2007- 26 HRs, 99 RBIs

2008- 25 HRs, 77 RBIs

 

Don't bother. They aren't going to get it until they actually "see" what we are talking about.

 

Then the crow will be flying

[riverside sluggers]

Yeah probably haha

 

Just like with the Scutaro signing, a Beltre signing will have the boards split

[rhet]

It's not an over exuberance. Beltre is a solid defensive player, who stands to rebound offensively at Fenway.

 

OMG just like Mike Lowell when he came to Boston....."slaps forehead"

 

Are you daft?

He's a joke offensively. Have you bothered to look at his performance outside of Safeco? He's a chump, a pathetic offensive performer who struck it rich for one year on roids.

[BSN07]

Yeah probably haha

 

Just like with the Scutaro signing, a Beltre signing will have the boards split

 

Everyone acts like Mike Lowell was a freaking AS when he came here. He was a throw in for F sakes!

 

But if you were smart, you could see Lowell had GG defense and was due an offensive rebound(not guranteed, but realistic) playing at his new home in Boston. Why people can't apply that same logic is beyond me.

[BSN07]

Are you daft?

He's a joke offensively. Have you bothered to look at his performance outside of Safeco? He's a chump, a pathetic offensive performer who struck it rich for one year on roids.

 

Wow, I take back my question, you just are that daft.