Schilling: Sign Beckett -- Now

[example1]

I forgot that the first $52 million on Matsuzaka wasn't real money.

 

As for the FO doing a good job, you always make this into a black and white case. I've posted this thought over and over again. On balance this FO has done a very good job IMO. They have had missteps along the way. Lugo, Renteria, and Wily Mo to mention a few. I neither like nor dislike the individuals in the FO. I judge them based on the moves that they make. This off season I have really, really liked what they have done. You and others are not big fans of the Crawford move. I don't accuse you of hating Theo or being unduly critical of the FO, because you don't like the move. You have your reasons for being skeptical about the deal. What I find amusing is the thought that Theo has a shared philosophy with certain message board posters. We can all play a game of guessing what they will do, but we are not behind the scenes, and their strategy clearly changes from year to year. This year they saw big value in expensive FA acquisitions, and the Crawford move is a move that I touted while you and others scoffed at it.

 

Not a big fan of the Crawford move?

 

Look at the posts. You won't find anywhere where I say he would be a bad move for the team. Perhaps you have me mistaken with someone else.

 

Here, I did some of the work for you:

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/596875-post41.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/594875-post783.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/594895-post790.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/595996-post1031.html

 

 

In one of those posts I actually said "My dream offseason would be trading some package around Ellsbury for Upton, and then signing Carl Crawford. All of this is prefaced by my assumption that the team plans to sign Adrian Gonzalez for 2012 so trading for him seems less lucritive than a controlled guy like Upton."

 

I prefered Werth's numbers and smaller contract but once he signed such a huge deal I had no problem with them not signing him. I was just surprised when they signed Crawford. Pleasently surprised. He's one of the most exciting players in the league. Who wouldn't love to watch him?

[a700hitter]

Not a big fan of the Crawford move?

 

Look at the posts. You won't find anywhere where I say he would be a bad move for the team. Perhaps you have me mistaken with someone else.

 

Here, I did some of the work for you:

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/596875-post41.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/594875-post783.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/594895-post790.html

 

http://www.talksox.com/forum/595996-post1031.html

 

 

In one of those posts I actually said "My dream offseason would be trading some package around Ellsbury for Upton, and then signing Carl Crawford. All of this is prefaced by my assumption that the team plans to sign Adrian Gonzalez for 2012 so trading for him seems less lucritive than a controlled guy like Upton."

 

I prefered Werth's numbers and smaller contract but once he signed such a huge deal I had no problem with them not signing him. I was just surprised when they signed Crawford. Pleasently surprised. He's one of the most exciting players in the league. Who wouldn't love to watch him?

When the FO makes a move that i don't like, I don't change my mind just because they go ahead with the move. You seem to have a compulsion to like FO moves even when you didn't think it was the right move. You thought Crawford was overrated:

 

I think Crawford is a very good and exciting player' date=' [b']but I don't think he's the superstar that many here seem to think he is.[/b] He's comparable to Werth in terms of on-field production but will cost more and might take more effort to sign.

 

His caliber of what? Baserunning? His OBP/SLG aren't much to brag about. I'm not sure exactly how to pinpoint his offensive value. He's exciting though.

 

You viewed him as more flash than substance:

 

I love the idea of adding Werth instead of overpaying for the flashiness of Crawford.

 

You clearly thought he was too expensive:

 

Werth contract is something the Sox shouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. Probably the same with Crawford.

 

Beltran would be a smart move for the right pieces. They could even take on a good chunk of his salary. I like that he would be a FA after next season too. Increased flexability is a good thing and I love avoiding that Crawford contract with a switch hitter who has consistently put up more productive seasons. He's older and less-likely to get to his peak again' date=' but even mediocre Beltran is 3-4 WAR.[/quote']

 

You are allowed to disagree with the FO. You don't have to change your mind about a guy just because Theo signs him.

[ORS]

It doesn't seem like he's changed his mind, to me. All along he's said that he's a very good player, but that he wouldn't love the cost. I believe his initial reaction to the signing echoed this. While I don't, I understand why you might see smoke, but there's no fire there.

[a700hitter]

It doesn't seem like he's changed his mind' date=' to me. All along he's said that he's a very good player, but that he wouldn't love the cost. I believe his initial reaction to the signing echoed this. While I don't, I understand why you might see smoke, but there's no fire there.[/quote']There's a difference between liking the player and liking the move, since cost is an important part of the move. He wasn't thrilled about the move before or after it occurred, but yet now he is listing posts to prove that he likes the move. I don't know why he feels that he has to be a fan of the move now. There is nothing wrong with not liking the move. As you pointed out, it's too early to tell if it is a good move.

[example1]

There's a difference between liking the player and liking the move' date=' since cost is an important part of the move. He wasn't thrilled about the move before or after it occurred, but yet now he is listing posts to prove that he likes the move. I don't know why he feels that he has to be a fan of the move now. There is nothing wrong with not liking the move. As you pointed out, it's too early to tell if it is a good move.[/quote']

 

I think one thing that plays into this is that I've become so used to the FO being spend thrifty that I was feeling guilty asking for or expecting them to make ANOTHER splash after getting Adrian Gonzalez. I was like Tiny Tim, told that I could not only have seconds of my Christmas supper, but that if I wanted you would also order a filet mignon and fine wine on the side. I nearly shat myself, but was able to come out of spendthrift mode and jump on board because, you know, I've always loved filet mignon.

 

To my star-impoverished eyes getting Gonzalez AND Crawford was just a wealth of riches I couldn't have imagined or expected. You had the courage and foresight to DEMAND that they spend that money and for that, I give you credit. You demand a lot and you finally got your way. Yippee. You can be king of the Crawford island. Unfortunately, I have a ticket to the island too because of my numerous pro-Crawford points over the weeks leading up to the deal.

 

I genuinely like the player, don't love the contract, but am happy to enjoy the Sox ownership group gold-plating everything and putting a tremendous team on the field. Win win situation.

[a700hitter]

I think one thing that plays into this is that I've become so used to the FO being spend thrifty that I was feeling guilty asking for or expecting them to make ANOTHER splash after getting Adrian Gonzalez. I was like Tiny Tim, told that I could not only have seconds of my Christmas supper, but that if I wanted you would also order a filet mignon and fine wine on the side. I nearly shat myself, but was able to come out of spendthrift mode and jump on board because, you know, I've always loved filet mignon.

 

To my star-impoverished eyes getting Gonzalez AND Crawford was just a wealth of riches I couldn't have imagined or expected. You had the courage and foresight to DEMAND that they spend that money and for that, I give you credit. You demand a lot and you finally got your way. Yippee. You can be king of the Crawford island. Unfortunately, I have a ticket to the island too because of my numerous pro-Crawford points over the weeks leading up to the deal.

 

I genuinely like the player, don't love the contract, but am happy to enjoy the Sox ownership group gold-plating everything and putting a tremendous team on the field. Win win situation.

Tiny Tim:lol: I like that. Unfortunately, the Sox are in the same division as the Yankees, and there is no beating the Yankees while going on the cheap. The Red Sox are a big market team, and they will continue to be big players in the FA market in years to come. They are pretty well set with high paid stars at virtually every position, so there is no need for a big acquisition for several years, but as players leave and age out of their primes, I have no doubt that they will purchase some more big names. In a way, we should be thankful that the Yanks are in our division. If we were in the Central Division, the FO would never be putting this kind of high priced talent on the field for us to enjoy.

 

You think that I don't sufficiently pay attention to the team's finances. The truth is that even the Player's Union doesn't have much of a clue as to the finances of MLB teams. I know the Sox have plenty of money, and I have confidence enough in their business acumen that if they spend $300 million on two stars that they will not be crippling themselves for the future. I trust that they know what they are doing. I also know that they need to spend to compete with the Yanks and that the FO will do what it needs to do to compete.

 

I have just been having a good time calling you and others "anti-FO" because you don't like the Crawford contract. I don't know why you are getting so offended at this. At least, I am doing it tongue in cheek. You and others have been calling me that for years. The difference between you and I is that I criticize the cheap moves because I don't like the players while you criticize the big price tags necessary to get players that you like. Does that make either of us anti-FO? I don't think so. The FO can't spend big on every acquisition. That wouldn't be possible, but you are not going to beat the Yanks by dumpster diving without the occasional big $ FA. Obviously, there will be more dumpster dives than Carl Crawfords and AGons so I will be more vocal than you. I just don't like that type of deal, and I comment on everything, but it has nothing to do with anti-FO bias. Tiny Tim That's funny

 

I am not claiming any special place of honor on Carl Crawford island. That's pretty funny too. You are funny when you are not angry with me. I have had some posters suggest that I exile myself to Yankee Universe, because of my appetite for big stars. Now, we are outdoing the Yankees at their own game, so I don't expect to get that type of suggestion anymore. There are some Red Sox fans who are turned off by all this spending and are turning their back on the team. To each his own, but I don't get that.

[example1]

Tiny Tim:lol: I like that. Unfortunately, the Sox are in the same division as the Yankees, and there is no beating the Yankees while going on the cheap. The Red Sox are a big market team, and they will continue to be big players in the FA market in years to come. They are pretty well set with high paid stars at virtually every position, so there is no need for a big acquisition for several years, but as players leave and age out of their primes, I have no doubt that they will purchase some more big names. In a way, we should be thankful that the Yanks are in our division. If we were in the Central Division, the FO would never be putting this kind of high priced talent on the field for us to enjoy.

 

You think that I don't sufficiently pay attention to the team's finances. The truth is that even the Player's Union doesn't have much of a clue as to the finances of MLB teams. I know the Sox have plenty of money, and I have confidence enough in their business acumen that if they spend $300 million on two stars that they will not be crippling themselves for the future. I trust that they know what they are doing. I also know that they need to spend to compete with the Yanks and that the FO will do what it needs to do to compete.

 

I have just been having a good time calling you and others "anti-FO" because you don't like the Crawford contract. I don't know why you are getting so offended at this. At least, I am doing it tongue in cheek. You and others have been calling me that for years. The difference between you and I is that I criticize the cheap moves because I don't like the players while you criticize the big price tags necessary to get players that you like. Does that make either of us anti-FO? I don't think so. The FO can't spend big on every acquisition. That wouldn't be possible, but you are not going to beat the Yanks by dumpster diving without the occasional big $ FA. Obviously, there will be more dumpster dives than Carl Crawfords and AGons so I will be more vocal than you. I just don't like that type of deal, and I comment on everything, but it has nothing to do with anti-FO bias. Tiny Tim That's funny

 

I am not claiming any special place of honor on Carl Crawford island. That's pretty funny too. You are funny when you are not angry with me. I have had some posters suggest that I exile myself to Yankee Universe, because of my appetite for big stars. Now, we are outdoing the Yankees at their own game, so I don't expect to get that type of suggestion anymore. There are some Red Sox fans who are turned off by all this spending and are turning their back on the team. To each his own, but I don't get that.

 

Yes, I can actually be funny sometimes.

 

I've been happy for a long time with how this team is run and these acquisitions are no different. I did expect multiple big acquisitions eventually--whether that was Justin Upton, Felix Hernandez (past), Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Carl Crawford or any of the other really exciting players that make up the sport--I just didn't expect those moves to happen in one week in 2010. I thought it would be after next season. I have no problem with it coming early and don't see another player like that coming along any time soon.

 

Who will be the next $100m free agent available? Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols maybe? Otherwise, I don't see any really good players on the horizon. In that context, and in a number of other contexts, the Crawford move makes a lot more sense.

 

The reason I will sometimes be unclear about my thoughts on these issues is that there are a lot of variables involved and many moving parts. What is the financial benefit to the team of being assured a playoff spot? What about the benefit of hurting the Rays and Yankees while helping the Sox? What about having two elite basestealers at the top of a lineup to mess with opposing pitchers' minds? I don't have hard numbers for these factors, but I imagine the Sox do and that they base their decisions off of those. That's the reason I both defer to the Sox FO and tend to agree with their moves. After a move is made and I hear their rationalization for it I tend to find myself agreeing with them.

 

I also disagree about the need for lots more FA acquisitions. You're right that this is a team with the $ to make key acquisitions, and I don't expect that to change. I also think they will do everything in their power to have home-grown players to build around in as many positions as possible. It's just good business.

[Poopsicle]

Breaking News!

 

Curt Schilling gets tongue sutured to cheek. Red Sox hopeful this will allow him to pitch in the ALCS despite his verbal diarrhea. Doctor has only tried it once before on a cadaver.

 

Stay posted for updates guyz! Maybe we can force a Game 7 and legitimize the series says the curly haired bastard.

[TeddyBallGame9]

Hi! I'm new but would the Red Sox be interested in Armando Galarragra? He's a class act with a lot of potential. I saw his "near-perfect" game.

[Station 13]

Hi! I'm new but would the Red Sox be interested in Armando Galarragra? He's a class act with a lot of potential. I saw his "near-perfect" game.

 

No. Doubront and Tazawa can start as call up.

[BSN07]

No. Doubront and Tazawa can start as call up.

 

Doubont yes. Let's not pencil in Tazawa in for anything yet. I haven't even heard anything on him lately. But I guess no news is good news. But non the less as it stands the Sox probably don't have much room for Galarragra unless he want to start in AAA. And not sure why this is being bought up in the Beckett thread?

[a700hitter]

Doubont yes. Let's not pencil in Tazawa in for anything yet. I haven't even heard anything on him lately. But I guess no news is good news. But non the less as it stands the Sox probably don't have much room for Galarragra unless he want to start in AAA. And not sure why this is being bought up in the Beckett thread?

I think Tazawa can't be counted on for much at this point.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I'd rather have Duch over Galarraga. Much higher upside with some bullpen and starting experience.

[TeddyBallGame9]

......but with injuries, you never have enough pitching..................

[Spudboy]

Tazawa is ready to start pitching for Pawtucket.