Red Sox offseason signings

[yeszir]

Let's use this thread to discuss the team's offseason signings.

 

Obviously we all know about the Ortiz deal. Ortiz is happy about the deal and I am too. He'll have an incentive to perform.

[BSN07]

Ortiz mashes RHP. Struggles mightly against upper tier LHP(he struggles against all LHP early on in the season when pitchers are known to be ahead of hitters), and hits middle tier LHP average to sloghtly below average. I think th best thing to do for both sides is bench him against the CC's, Prices, and Lee types, but let him continue against avg LHP. maybe that would be enough to get the desired platoon results and keep Papi happy.

 

(This is my 2 cents for worth for a conversation going on in the MLB hot stove thread the yeszir said to discuss elsewhere)

[Keeper]

Would've rather gone after Dunn to replace Ortiz. He's younger and better.

[Spudboy]

Would've rather gone after Dunn to replace Ortiz. He's younger and better.

 

They may still go after Dunn for 1st base.

[Will617]

They may still go after Dunn for 1st base.

 

They'll get Dunn only if they offer a multiyear deal.

 

I wonder if the Red Sox will get a good right-handed bat to platoon with Papi. I can't think of one in the system aside from Lowrie, but it's possible he gets a chance to start next year.

[Jasonbay44]

According to rotoworld, Sox also picked up the option for Scott Atchison.

Red Sox exercised RHP Scott Atchison's option for 2011.

He'll receive $40,000 in addition to the major league minimum salary next season. Atchison, who turns 35 next March, posted a 4.50 ERA and 41/19 K/BB ratio over 60 innings with the Red Sox this past season.

[Dojji]

No problem with that, Atchison was a pleasant surprise.

[Spudboy]

No surprise. He's a bargain and was mostly effective.

 

Good for him.

 

But will he make the team?

[Palodios]

Dunn would be a beautiful candidate to hold 1B for Agon and then replace Ortiz as DH in 2012. The question is, will they pull the trigger before the Yanks do?

[Spudboy]

Dunn would be a beautiful candidate to hold 1B for Agon and then replace Ortiz as DH in 2012. The question is' date=' will they pull the trigger before the Yanks do?[/quote']

 

Agon won't be coming to Boston. And the Yanks have no use for Dunn.

[Divinity]

Where would the Yankees put Dunn? They have Tex at 1st, there OF is pretty solid and A Rod will be the full time DH in a few years

[a700hitter]

The Sox don't need another big slow-footed left-handed power hitter.

[Dipre]

So there's no chance that Adrian Gonzales, who's a FA in 2011, with the Sox having a convenient opening in their lineup and money coming off the books comes to Boston?

 

I wonder when that was set in stone?

[mvp 78]

They may still go after Dunn for 1st base.

 

Yes, please!

[Dojji]

So there's no chance that Adrian Gonzales, who's a FA in 2011, with the Sox having a convenient opening in their lineup and money coming off the books comes to Boston?

 

I wonder when that was set in stone?

 

It's not impossible, but it became more difficult when the Padres gave themselves a fighting chance at winning a playoff spot last year and came one epic late season collapse away from beating out the eventual Series winner to a playoff spot ( you know, and I know, that there's some extra emotionality in the World Series coming to the team who got the spot you were fighting for)

 

Basically, the Padres are at best hopeful enough, at worst deluded eonugh, to think they might have a shot next year and having a shot is good for the bottom line. Trading Adgon is hard to justify under that circumstance and it may be bad at the ticket window as a result.

 

I predict he'll move in the end, but only in midseason, the Padres FO will give their squad the first half of the year to establish whether they think can get to the playoffs or not. If there's a reasonable chance (which my WAG defines as "The Padres are within 2-3 games of the division at the deadline") I think they go out and buy talent, GFIN and settle for the pick -- a gamble, yes, but one small markets take from time to time. Only if the Padres are well out of the playoff picture is Adgon to Boston a significant possibility.

[Dipre]

It's not impossible, but it became more difficult when the Padres gave themselves a fighting chance at winning a playoff spot last year and came one epic late season collapse away from beating out the eventual Series winner to a playoff spot ( you know, and I know, that there's some extra emotionality in the World Series coming to the team who got the spot you were fighting for)

 

Basically, the Padres are at best hopeful enough, at worst deluded eonugh, to think they might have a shot next year and having a shot is good for the bottom line. Trading Adgon is hard to justify under that circumstance and it may be bad at the ticket window as a result.

 

I predict he'll move in the end, but only in midseason, the Padres FO will give their squad the first half of the year to establish whether they think can get to the playoffs or not. If there's a reasonable chance (which my WAG defines as "The Padres are within 2-3 games of the division at the deadline") I think they go out and buy talent, GFIN and settle for the pick -- a gamble, yes, but one small markets take from time to time. Only if the Padres are well out of the playoff picture is Adgon to Boston a significant possibility.

 

Did you actually read my post?

 

I wasn't talking about 2011, i was talking about him coming to Boston as a FA, which there is an extremely high possibility of him becoming. I never once mentioned anything about a trade, but dispelling the "he's not coming to Boston" statement, seeing as that's probably going to be the Sox' number one 2011 priority with Ortiz quite possibly moving on.

[BSN07]

Did you actually read my post?

 

I wasn't talking about 2011, i was talking about him coming to Boston as a FA, which there is an extremely high possibility of him becoming. I never once mentioned anything about a trade, but dispelling the "he's not coming to Boston" statement, seeing as that's probably going to be the Sox' number one 2011 priority with Ortiz quite possibly moving on.

 

I was face palming myself reading dojji's response to your post. Which I totally agree with what your were saying. Anyone who doesn't see this team going after him in FA(and having probably a better shot then anyone to sign him since the Yankees will be on the sidelines) is beyond me. At worst, if Agon gets traded and the team extends him(which I read a trade may have to come with a window to negotiate if SD wants top talent in return), they can go after Fielder. He's 100% to be a FA.

[Palodios]

Did you actually read my post?

 

I wasn't talking about 2011, i was talking about him coming to Boston as a FA, which there is an extremely high possibility of him becoming. I never once mentioned anything about a trade, but dispelling the "he's not coming to Boston" statement, seeing as that's probably going to be the Sox' number one 2011 priority with Ortiz quite possibly moving on.

 

The biggest fear I see with snagging Agon is that if the Padres aren't in it this year, they're bound to try to trade him. And considering that he will do some serious damage to that team's farm system, whoever gets him will lock him up.

[BSN07]

The biggest fear I see with snagging Agon is that if the Padres aren't in it this year' date=' they're bound to try to trade him. And considering that he will do some serious damage to that team's farm system, whoever gets him will lock him up.[/quote']

 

I am cautious about this possible route as well. But from the interview with Hoyer, it seems like Agon isn't interested in an extension and wants to hit the market. I think SD is going to have to settle for a package far less then say they would have gotten last off season for him. If he isn't interested in signing an extension, teams are going to be offering much less.

 

If all the sudden it changes and he's willing to sign an extension with the team that trades for him, then the Sox need to get involved at that point.

[Republican4life38]

According to rotoworld' date=' Sox also picked up the option for Scott Atchison.[/quote']

 

Did they really? Would have rather gave that slot on the roster to a younger guy.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Did they really? Would have rather gave that slot on the roster to a younger guy.

 

Like who? Also welcome talksox.

[Republican4life38]

Like who? Also welcome talksox.

 

Thats a good question to be honest. And thanks.

 

Yeah the bullpens a cluster f*** of mediocracy right now. Not sure how to fix it to be perfectly honest.

[mvp 78]

Atchison is a cheap option for a 6th, 7th, blowout reliever. He was one of the only pieces I'd want from 2010's bullpen.

[Palodios]

Last year, he served as a #3 reliever. This season, I have no problem seeing him in either the 5th, 6th or 7th slot, and that's exactly around what they want him for.

[Republican4life38]

Whens free agentcy start anyway? Thanks guys.

[BSN07]

Whens free agentcy start anyway? Thanks guys.

 

12 am tonight I believe.

[Will617]

Beltre reportedly wants 4 years and 60 million, which is probably too high for the Sox' liking.

[Republican4life38]

Beltre reportedly wants 4 years and 60 million' date=' which is probably too high for the Sox' liking.[/quote']

 

As it should be. The Redsox have too many holes IMO. The bullpens next worst to Baltimore in the divison. The defense is very suspect mainly cause the short stop is terrible. The only move that makes any sense is Carl Crawford he's young.

[Spudboy]

As it should be. The Redsox have too many holes IMO. The bullpens next worst to Baltimore in the divison. The defense is very suspect mainly cause the short stop is terrible. The only move that makes any sense is Carl Crawford he's young.

 

Wut

[example1]

From what I can tell, the Sox will have somewhere around $30 million to spend this offseason with Ortiz having his $12.5 option picked up. My numbers may be off a bit (exact salaries are difficult to determine sometimes). What we haven't discussed--or what I haven't noticed--is that that doesn't actually give them a ton of flexability. They need a 3B, a C, possibly another OF, and probably at least a few decent bullpen options.

 

They could hand a starting job to Kalish next year, but it seems a tad risky to me. I actually think guys like Nava, Reddick and Kalish are all ready to contribute at the backup level, so OF might not be highest priority; at the same time, Werth and Crawford probably offer the most offensive "rejuvenation" and I think Crawford in particular gives the team flexability if they want to look at moving Kalish or Ellsbury elsewhere.

 

Now that they have picked up the expensive Ortiz option, I am looking for them to sign one of Crawford, Werth, Martinez or Beltre, add a catcher (Miguel Olivo, Mike Napoli?) and sign a few bullpen arms. At that point I expect them to more or less stop, except for the trade market where I hope they will be aggressive.