2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[Bellhorn04]

I'm more hopeful that we're going to get Garza & Bailey(or their equivalent). That's all we need to be a better team next year. The rest will be tinkering around the edges.

 

Good call, and it's half done now.

[a700hitter]

I have always been impressed with Bailey's stuff. His elbow concerns me. The price (Reddick) is not a high one. I wonder if this is contingent on a physical. We should send him to Colon's doctor in the DR to make sure that he stays healthy. I like this deal. If we can lock down Garza, we can be a very strong team.

[iortiz]

Excellent News. Now, let's go for the SP.

 

BTW Will Kalish take the full time job? or Is BC thinking in land another OF?

[SoxSport]

Just saw that on Traderumors. Same source.

 

If his arm holds up, Bailey is a top closer. He hasn't been able to get through a full season yet without arm problems--after a couple of tries.

 

This opens RF up for Kalish, who showed he was ready a couple of years ago, but Drew and Cameron were in his way. Hopefully, he's healthy again. They still have enough money to get a RHd bat to platoon in RF.

 

With Kalish-Ells-CC, they have an outfield capable of 150 stolen bases.

I would think Bobby V. will run like hell this year.Look for CC to bat leadoff, Ells-3rd.

[a700hitter]

I personally think the HR derby f***ed up his shoulder. He had a power outage in HR. His swing is still perfection though. So smooth and so precise.

There was an article after the HR Derby that said he had some soreness and he was wearing an icepack on the shoulder. He said the soreness was normal, but I was suspicious. His power stats were down after that. It was stupid to let him participate in that less than a year after the shoulder surgery.

[a700hitter]

Excellent News. Now, let's go for the SP.

 

BTW Will Kalish take the full time job? or Is BC thinking in land another OF?

He has to get at least a depth OFer, because we only have 3 OFers. Cody Ross is available.

[iortiz]

He has to get at least a depth OFer' date=' because we only have 3 OFers. Cody Ross is available.[/quote']

 

Yup, I don't want to see McDonald "platooning" with Kalish. Ross is a great option. I wonder how much is he asking?

[a700hitter]

The deal has grown. I guess Ryan Sweeney will be our depth OFer. I thought he had some good prospects at one time

 

Breaking news: Red Sox acquire Bailey, Sweeney

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

 

The Red Sox have acquired Oakland closer Andrew Bailey and OF Ryan Sweeney according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

 

Josh Reddick will be going to Oakland as part of the deal. The Athletics also receive Class A first baseman Miles Head and Class A RHP Raul Alcantara.

 

More to come.

[SoxSport]

I have always been impressed with Bailey's stuff. His elbow concerns me. The price (Reddick) is not a high one. I wonder if this is contingent on a physical. We should send him to Colon's doctor in the DR to make sure that he stays healthy. I like this deal. If we can lock down Garza' date=' we can be a very strong team.[/quote']

 

There's probably more to this deal. They may be giving up at least one low level prospect who has closer potential. Heard that earlier on MLB channel from Gammons.

 

Colon was taking something borderline last year he got away with.

 

Postnote:

Just saw the post above about Sweeney etc. I don't remember what Gammons said. Don't think it was Alcantara. It was during lunchtime, before the deal was announced.

[a700hitter]

Hopefully he can stay healthy. In the each of the last 2 seasons, he couldn't put up 50 innings.

[iortiz]

Ryan Sweeney has a career 720 OPS

[a700hitter]

Ryan Sweeney if a left handed OFer with no power. I'm not quite sure that I understand why he and Reddick would be involved in the same trade.

[example1]

Possibly a salary dump by Oakland. Reddick is a better cheaper version.

 

Miles Head is a good prospect but was far off and blocked. The pitcher the Sox threw in has lots of upside nut is very young.

 

Fine deal for "Ben the boob".

[a700hitter]

Possibly a salary dump by Oakland. Reddick is a better cheaper version.

 

Miles Head is a good prospect but was far off and blocked. The pitcher the Sox threw in has lots of upside nut is very young.

 

Fine deal for "Ben the boob".

We're going with Ben & Cherries until further notice.

[redsoxfan3]

Excellent News. Now, let's go for the SP.

 

BTW Will Kalish take the full time job? or Is BC thinking in land another OF?

 

Kalish has to go out and prove himself this Spring. Sweeney is also a LH outfielder, so we still need to go get another RH outfielder. Kalish will probably be the one that ends up starting, but I still think we are going to go get a RH outfielder because I don't see us relying on McDonald as the utility OF. A guy like Cody Ross would be very good for us. I am not sure how his talks are progressing with the Rockies.

[jung]

Sounds like a good move for us. We needed somebody and if we only have to give up Reddick to get our somebody that's fine.

 

Maybe they really wanted us to take Sweeney and that is how he ended up in the deal. Doesn't really matter I don't think.

[Spitball]

Ryan Sweeney if a left handed OFer with no power. I'm not quite sure that I understand why he and Reddick would be involved in the same trade.

 

Sweeney is a puzzle in this deal. I'm guessing the Sox had to take his salary as part of the main deal. I was really hoping they wouldn't acquire Bailey. I have not seen much of him but don't like his injury history.

[a700hitter]

They are saying that Bailey will make $3.5 million in 2012. Sweeney made $1.4 million in 2011, and I expect that figure will go up in 2012. How much will the Sox have left to spend on a Starting Pitcher and RH OFer?

[iortiz]

Sweeney is a puzzle in this deal. I'm guessing the Sox had to take his salary as part of the main deal. I was really hoping they wouldn't acquire Bailey. I have not seen much of him but don't like his injury history.

 

This. I'm not sure whether BC is that confident with this guy in order to share the load with Kalish all season long.

 

How much is he going to make anyway? He was making 1.4 M, wasn't he?...

[jung]

Yea but we were not going to get somebody without some sort of problem at this stage of the game and the way the Sox are playing this offseason. Bailey was maybe as good as it was going to get.

 

Last report was that the Sox were showing no interest in Jackson but that is two weeks old now. Not sure if that is still the case. Madson was always off the table and I suspect he is way off now.

[BSN07]

We're going with Ben & Cherries until further notice.

 

I like that lol

[BSN07]

I'd like to see them bring in Andruw Jones for the platoon partner for Kalish.

[mvp 78]

Sweeney is a puzzle in this deal. I'm guessing the Sox had to take his salary as part of the main deal. I was really hoping they wouldn't acquire Bailey. I have not seen much of him but don't like his injury history.

 

It's not like they mortgaged the farm. I'm surprised the Sox didn't have to give up more than Reddick.

 

Bailey is a proven commodity. You make that trade 99 times out of 100.

[FredLynn]

It's not like they mortgaged the farm. I'm surprised the Sox didn't have to give up more than Reddick.

 

Bailey is a proven commodity. You make that trade 99 times out of 100.

 

Apparently the A's are very high on Alcantara. Beane is not one to get his team screwed by a trade.

[mvp 78]

Apparently the A's are very high on Alcantara. Beane is not one to get his team screwed by a trade.

 

He never got equal value for Hudson, Zito, et al. He's had weak teams ever since Moneyball was published.

[seabeachfred]

Good call' date=' and it's half done now.[/quote']

 

If Andrew Bailey is healthy and his elbow is fully mended this is a helluva trade. Head is a first baseman I'm told and we don't need anyone there for awhile, and I don't know that much about Alcantara but apparently he wasn't that big in our plans. As for Reddick, I was never a fan of his. Some of the new guys here can fill you on that; I was always a big critic of his lack of discipline at the plate and how he disappeared in Pawtucket when sent down there. If the A's are satisfied, fine, we both made out.

 

One fly in the trade is Sweeney. We DO NOT NEED ANOTHER LEFT HAND HITTING outfielder; we need someone who bats from the right, but all in all we made a good trade.

I heard on the radio that we had gotten Andrew but the spokesman didn't say for who, but I'm glad we didn't trade Middlebrooks or Lavarnway or Kalish. They are key players for us in the very near distant future, I believe.

[seabeachfred]

Just saw that on Traderumors. Same source.

 

If his arm holds up, Bailey is a top closer. He hasn't been able to get through a full season yet without arm problems--after a couple of tries.

 

This opens RF up for Kalish, who showed he was ready a couple of years ago, but Drew and Cameron were in his way. Hopefully, he's healthy again. They still have enough money to get a RHd bat to platoon in RF.

 

With Kalish-Ells-CC, they have an outfield capable of 150 stolen bases.

I would think Bobby V. will run like hell this year.Look for CC to bat leadoff, Ells-3rd.

 

SoxSport, you are right on about Bobby running like hell next season. There will be no dull station-to-station dullness and a plethora of double plays we endured with FrancoMa running things the past few years. One word of caution---Crawford hates to bat leadoff; he has said so and his performance there this past season was even more dismal that his overall campaign. If that is where he is going to bat, he either needs a real attitude adjustment or Bobby has to be his Svengali and convince him he is made for that spot. I just don't know about that one, though.

[FredLynn]

He never got equal value for Hudson' date=' Zito, et al. He's had weak teams ever since Moneyball was published.[/quote']

 

The only times he gets screwed is when his players are approaching free agency. His budget is very limited. Its very hard to get good teams without something like a reasonable budget.

[seabeachfred]

There was an article after the HR Derby that said he had some soreness and he was wearing an icepack on the shoulder. He said the soreness was normal' date=' but I was suspicious. His power stats were down after that. It was stupid to let him participate in that less than a year after the shoulder surgery.[/quote']

 

I think Adrian is smart enough to know not to test fate twice, but just if he isn't 700, if he asks Valentine to let him compete in HRD all Bobby has to say is NO FUC$$NG WAY. That will be the end of that---and good for us.

[Palodios]

This team is one big trade/signing away from being a powerhouse again.

 

Lester/Beckett/Buchholz/Kuroda/Bard with Doubront/Dice-k/Wilson in the wings

 

Last year's offense continues to be a juggernaut, plus Lavarnway/WMB/Kalish if they need some youth

 

Bullpen of Morales/Jenks/Aceves/Melancon/Bailey could definitely be league average, if not better.