Red Sox acquire Jarrod Saltalamacchia

[Dojji]

Yeah, someone's going to pay V-Mart to be a catcher and if we think he's a 1B we won't match that.

 

My guess is that at the very least THeo's hedging his bets in case V-Mart isn't back with a strong possibility that he's not going to go to any great lengths to BRING him back.

[jacksonianmarch]

when you have a guy kill his leverage in the media saying that he wants to be back more than anything, then nothing goes down, you have to think Theo has other options he is exploring

[Yaz Sideburn]

when you have a guy kill his leverage in the media saying that he wants to be back more than anything' date=' then nothing goes down, you have to think Theo has other options he is exploring[/quote']

 

or he's doing the smart thing and letting him finish out the season and making sure he doesn't get hurt before extending him

[SCM33]

Yeah, someone's going to pay V-Mart to be a catcher and if we think he's a 1B we won't match that.

 

My guess is that at the very least THeo's hedging his bets in case V-Mart isn't back with a strong possibility that he's not going to go to any great lengths to BRING him back.

 

This is how I felt when they dealt for Salty. He is their excuse to now not pay VMart. Smear campaign will follow.

[Palodios]

Yeah, someone's going to pay V-Mart to be a catcher and if we think he's a 1B we won't match that.

 

My guess is that at the very least THeo's hedging his bets in case V-Mart isn't back with a strong possibility that he's not going to go to any great lengths to BRING him back.

 

VMart has been catching less and less throughout his career. Since he can play C/1st/DH(all three are holes that the FO will need to fill soon) I think he has enough versatility that they'll want him, and I think its pretty clear he'll be available at a small discount.

[Dojji]

But is "a small discount" big enough to cover the difference in value between a guy who another team sees as a full-time catcher and a guy we don't see as a full-time catcher?

 

I think V-Mart's out the door. Someone will overpay for him.

[jacksonianmarch]

VMart has been catching less and less throughout his career. Since he can play C/1st/DH(all three are holes that the FO will need to fill soon) I think he has enough versatility that they'll want him' date=' and I think its pretty clear he'll be available at a small discount.[/quote']

 

Depends on the discount. I think the sox could care less about a few extra million, I do think they care significantly about a few extra yrs

[Dojji]

I think Jacko's right to a point, but I think if V-Mart agrees to frontload a contract an extra year might not be a sticking point.

 

Basically pay him like an elite offensive catcher while he can still catch, but as he ages and looks likely to move to first, start paying him like a 1B. Dunno if he'd go for it but it is a solution.

[BSN07]

I would imagine Minaya will be making a big play for V-Mart. He's going to be trying to save his job soon.

[Palodios]

Well, if they're smart, they can make it work. There are enough productive DH/1st base types that they could keep Vmart as catcher for a while, with 1 year/2 year deals for DH/1st, and then slide him into a 1st/DH role depending on whether they go for a big bat in 2011. The regression in his numbers by age will be countered by the improvement of them by not catching.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think Jacko's right to a point, but I think if V-Mart agrees to frontload a contract an extra year might not be a sticking point.

 

Basically pay him like an elite offensive catcher while he can still catch, but as he ages and looks likely to move to first, start paying him like a 1B. Dunno if he'd go for it but it is a solution.

 

Frontloaded contract doesnt make much sense. They'd have to agree on a number, then divvy it up over that period of time building in a gradual elevation yr to yr.

 

If the sox think VMart is worth Posada money when he catches and maybe $9 mil or so if he isnt catching, then they could work something out. Throw out a 5 yr offer, thinking he'll catch for 2 and play 1b for 3. That comes out to $57 mil over 5yrs. That's probably very reasonable, although I could see the sox offering 4yrs $50 mil just to avoid the extra yr

[Palodios]

I think Posada is a good benchmark for VMart, but Martinez is a lot younger than Posada was when he got his 4/52 contract. I think its going to take a bit more than that.

[Rdsxmbnt]

I think Posada is a good benchmark for VMart' date=' but Martinez is a lot younger than Posada was when he got his 4/52 contract. I think its going to take a bit more than that.[/quote']

 

Doubt it, Posada was coming off a .970 OPS year when he got that contract. Plus he plays for the Yankees and was homegrown so he probably got more based off that. No other team would touch him for that amount. He signed a 5/51 contract when he was 30 and in his catching prime, that is more of a benchmark to go off of.

 

Varitek got 4/40, Ivan Rodriguez got 4/40 and 5/42 before that. Based off that Martinez should be had for something right around 4/40

[Dojji]

I think Posada is a good benchmark for VMart' date=' but Martinez is a lot younger than Posada was when he got his 4/52 contract. I think its going to take a bit more than that.[/quote']

 

Yankee contracts should never, ever, EVER be used as precedents. No one else will ever pay for a player what NYY pays for the guys they want..