2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[Meh]

A little more power from your bench' date=' perhaps. But I think that whole question is really not important at all. What is important is that you know have your five man rotation and two more who could step in and possibly do a bang-up job. We have three starters who if they stay healthy and pitch to their capabilities give us an edge in the top three spots, but we go down the tubes from 4 to 7 because we don't have a 4 and those candidates from five to seven that we have are the kind that would make me hide under the covers at night.[/quote']

 

Well I was talking to a 'friend' of mine who's a red sox fan and he said we got a better lineup, roto and bullpen but the red sox bench was twice as good as the Yankees. I think we both have pros and cons to our bench but it's close.

[Meh]

Here's an idea... but I'm not sure if the Red Sox could afford it.

 

Melvin: Brewers "Way Over" Projected Budget

By Mike Axisa [January 19 at 8:13pm CST]

Coming off their first NLCS appearance in 29 years, the Brewers are looking at the first nine-figure payroll in franchise history heading into 2012. Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel spoke to GM Doug Melvin, who confirmed that the team will outspend its projected budget next year.

 

“We’re way over what we projected our budget to be at this point,” said Melvin. “It’s over $100 million. We hoped to be in the low 90s.”

 

There's no indication that the Brewers will need to move some players to shed payroll, and Haudricourt notes that the $100MM+ figure includes players who under team control but remain unsigned. That includes the arbitration-eligible Shaun Marcum and Jose Veras, who filed for $8.7MM and $2.375MM earlier this week, respectively. The team countered with $6.75MM and $2MM.

 

Melvin also said it's unlikely the Brewers would be able to re-sign Prince Fielder even if the slugger was willing to take a one-year deal. Milwaukee agreed to sign Norichika Aoki for two years and $2.25MM yesterday, but their biggest additions came earlier this offseason: Aramis Ramirez (three years, $36MM) and Alex Gonzalez (one-year, $4.25MM).

 

Hart makes 9.5 million this year and 10.3 next year. Offering up a deal like Alex Wilson, Brandon Jacobs and Ryan Kalish for Hart might not be a bad idea. Brewers could insert Aoki in RF and if he fails Kalish might be healthy by then.

[User Name]

Well I was talking to a 'friend' of mine who's a red sox fan and he said we got a better lineup' date=' roto and bullpen but the red sox bench was twice as good as the Yankees. I think we both have pros and cons to our bench but it's close.[/quote']

 

The Red Sox had a better and younger lineup than the Yankees last year while getting nothing from the outfield corners and third base. Care to explain to me how a now-older Yankees lineup is better?

 

I don't care what your "Red Sox fan friend" said, it is asinine.

[User Name]

Every team has question marks' date=' but some have more than others in order to achieve an objective.[/quote']

 

There are a lot of "contending" teams that have a lot more questions than the Red Sox.

[iortiz]

Earlier this offseason we learned that the Sox did offer Ortiz a two-year contract, though it was only worth $18MM. Arbitration hearings start in February, though the two sides can come to an agreement on a contract of any size before then.

[User Name]

A little more power from your bench' date=' perhaps. But I think that whole question is really not important at all. What is important is that you know have your five man rotation and two more who could step in and possibly do a bang-up job. We have three starters who if they stay healthy and pitch to their capabilities give us an edge in the top three spots, but we go down the tubes from 4 to 7 because we don't have a 4 and those candidates from five to seven that we have are the kind that would make me hide under the covers at night.[/quote']

 

You do know that one of Daniel Bard or Alfredo Aceves should be more than capable of giving the Red Sox at least league-average innings from the four or five spots right?

[iortiz]

There are a lot of "contending" teams that have a lot more questions than the Red Sox.

 

I'm not sure what are your semantics on this but LAA, NY and TEX are above us in the papper right now. They have less quetions in order to make POs. A lot of analysts do not put us in the same tier.If you do not see this that way, is up to you.

[SoxSport]

Here's an idea... but I'm not sure if the Red Sox could afford it.

 

 

 

Hart makes 9.5 million this year and 10.3 next year. Offering up a deal like Alex Wilson, Brandon Jacobs and Ryan Kalish for Hart might not be a bad idea. Brewers could insert Aoki in RF and if he fails Kalish might be healthy by then.

 

Makes sense, but Hart's salary doesn't fit with their current self-imposed limits. They are hurting for a decent RHd bat in the OF. They might make their search easier by moving CC to RF and getting a RHd bat with less defense to play LF. Crawford's speed will make up for his "weak" arm. Right now, they are trying to go cheap by platooning in RF. I would trade Kalish for a RHd power bat who can play LF. Some have suggested Werth for CC. That makes sense, too.

[jung]

I don't think the off season is over as far as things the Sox do is concerned but at this point it would be hard to argue that they are not sticking to a particular budgetary formula. I don't think they are willing to spend $8m+ on anybody at this point or at least on anybody they could realistically expect to fall into that price range.

[SoxSport]

I'm not sure what are your semantics on this but LAA' date=' NY and TEX are above us in the papper right now. They have less quetions in order to make POs. A lot of analysts do not put us in the same tier.If you do not see this that way, is up to you.[/quote']

 

 

Yeah, the same analysts who declared the Sox unbeatable last year after signing AdGon and CC. They go for the money. But money doesn't always win in baseball. Besides, the Sox are pretty close to those other teams if they are healthy.

[User Name]

I'm not sure what are your semantics on this but LAA' date=' NY and TEX are above us in the papper right now. They have less quetions in order to make POs. A lot of analysts do not put us in the same tier.If you do not see this that way, is up to you.[/quote']

 

Anaheim is terribly overrated and has a lot of question marks of its own. I would says that the only two teams who are definitely better than the Sox in the AL are NYY and Tex.

 

Who are these analysts?

[Palodios]

Here's an idea... but I'm not sure if the Red Sox could afford it.

 

 

 

Hart makes 9.5 million this year and 10.3 next year. Offering up a deal like Alex Wilson, Brandon Jacobs and Ryan Kalish for Hart might not be a bad idea. Brewers could insert Aoki in RF and if he fails Kalish might be healthy by then.

 

If the Red Sox make a trade with the Brewers, it would be for Marcum/Greinke/Gallardo. I'd have a hard time trading one of those prospects for Hart at this point, nevermind all of them-- they need pitching, and a package like that could probably get close to one of those pitchers.

[iortiz]

Yeah' date=' the same analysts who declared the Sox unbeatable last year after signing AdGon and CC. They go for the money. But money doesn't always win in baseball. Besides, the Sox are pretty close to those other teams [b']if they are healthy.[/b]

 

[SoxSport]

 

When it comes to health, you can say that for all the other teams, too. The age on the Yankees must look pretty scary to some people. And who knows if Pujols is in decline.

[iortiz]

Anaheim is terribly overrated and has a lot of question marks of its own. I would says that the only two teams who are definitely better than the Sox in the AL are NYY and Tex.

 

Who are these analysts?

 

Guillermo Celis

Ernesto Jerez

Candy Maldonado

Fernando Alvarez

Etc.

 

Do you really think that LAA is below us?

[User Name]

Guillermo Celis

Ernesto Jerez

Candy Maldonado

Fernando Alvarez

Etc.

 

Do you really think that LAA is below us?

 

Baseball analysts are usually wrong. Most analysts (and i bet those you mentioned were among them) wrote the Sox' and Phillies' tickets to the WS, with Cinci or Atlanta as the NL WC, writing off the Cards as soon as Wainwright got injured.

 

And yes, i think the Angels are terribly overrated. Besides Pujols, that team cannot get on base, they have a legitimate superstar-in-the-making in Trout, but other than that, there are a lot of question marks on that offense, and on that BP too.

[seabeachfred]

Well I was talking to a 'friend' of mine who's a red sox fan and he said we got a better lineup' date=' roto and bullpen but the red sox bench was twice as good as the Yankees. I think we both have pros and cons to our bench but it's close.[/quote']

 

Well if it will make your friend feel any better give him the edge on the bench since he concedes the other three more important parts to your crew. If that's the way it turns out it could be a long season for us. I think we can hold our own very well with your team in hitting and power and our bullpen could be stronger if we could put Bard and Aceves back down there to join the two relievers we traded for this fall. To do that, though, we still need to get that No. 4 starter which we do not seem to be getting and one of those dregs we picked up who would surprise us.

[seabeachfred]

You do know that one of Daniel Bard or Alfredo Aceves should be more than capable of giving the Red Sox at least league-average innings from the four or five spots right?

 

No User, I do not know how capable they will be this year. What I think is that Alfredo is capable of being a solid No. 5 and could win 12-14 games for us if he pitches to his capabilities, can go deep into games and gets adequate hitting support. I just think Aceves is a winning pitcher; he finds ways to succeed. I do not have such confidence in Bard since he hasn't started since his lower minor days and not too successful at that. I would be better pleased if we could sign Oswalt and move Bard back to the bullpen, and this time I will supplant 700 and Palodios and be the one to say to Cherington...."Sign the damn check".

[iortiz]

Baseball analysts are usually wrong. Most analysts (and i bet those you mentioned were among them) wrote the Sox' and Phillies' tickets to the WS, with Cinci or Atlanta as the NL WC, writing off the Cards as soon as Wainwright got injured.

 

And yes, i think the Angels are terribly overrated. Besides Pujols, that team cannot get on base, they have a legitimate superstar-in-the-making in Trout, but other than that, there are a lot of question marks on that offense, and on that BP too.

 

Don't take me wrong, I want that our team makes the POs and makes a good paper once there, but IMO LAA, TEX and NY are above us right now (in paper). If Our top 3 stay relatively healthy/perform solid and Bard put decent numbers, I would say that our team is in the same tier, but that is unlikely. Only time will tell.

 

I think that we agree to disagree on this .

[jung]

I think the Angels have drawn up closer to us but more importantly I think they will do more damage in their own division than they have in the past few years. That makes them more of a threat to suck down one of the wild card spots I think.

 

Funny how things have worked out in the West. Seems like they were a complete AL afterthought for awhile. Then the Rangers became a team to be reckoned with and now the Angels have pulled themselves up some. Now the poor Central looks like they will be stuck sending only a division winner into the post season for awhile.

[iortiz]

I think the Angels have drawn up closer to us but more importantly I think they will do more damage in their own division than they have in the past few years. That makes them more of a threat to suck down one of the wild card spots I think.

 

Funny how things have worked out in the West. Seems like they were a complete AL afterthought for awhile. Then the Rangers became a team to be reckoned with and now the Angels have pulled themselves up some. Now the poor Central looks like they will be stuck sending only a division winner into the post season for awhile.

 

Now that DET lost VMart, the Guardians could finish winning that division.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington indicated to MLB.com's Ian Browne that the team is unlikely to make any big changes to the roster before Spring Training. "If Spring Training were to start tomorrow, we'd feel good about where we are and [we'd be] ready to put the team together," said the GM.

I am inclined to take him at his word. Our off season is completed. We will not be getting the starting pitcher that we had been hoping to get.

[FredLynn]

I am off to the Dominican Republic today, so you guys are off the hook for a week. Before I leave, this is from a Shaughnessy column today. I interpret it as a business plan to stay within the cap by the managements:

 

“There’s been significant commitments made the last two offseasons which pushed our payroll further north, and we made those decisions knowing that it wasn’t going to continue to go further north at the same trajectory forever,’’ said new general manager Ben Cherington before last night’s feast.

 

Music to my ears.

[MANNYHOF24]

How far does Roy Oswalt's price have to drop before we make a move on the guy. Joe Saunders signed a 1 year 6 million dollar deal.

[example1]

If true then clearly their budget questions were too significant to sign even a guy like Oswalt. It isn't the end of the world but another arm would be really nice.

[Bellhorn04]

How far does Roy Oswalt's price have to drop before we make a move on the guy. Joe Saunders signed a 1 year 6 million dollar deal.

 

Well personally, I think Roy Oswalt deserves 6 million every bit as much as Bobby Jenks.

 

Sign the man!

[FredLynn]

How far does Roy Oswalt's price have to drop before we make a move on the guy. Joe Saunders signed a 1 year 6 million dollar deal.

 

It has to drop low enough so that we can sign him and still stay under the cap.

The top priority this season should be staying under the cap so that we have lots of money to spend next winter when the FA SP crop is available. The second priority is to fix the clubhouse, and thats already happening. The third priority is to clear out the deadwood on the team. And the last priority is to win games.

IMO.

[Bellhorn04]

It has to drop low enough so that we can sign him and still stay under the cap.

The top priority this season should be staying under the cap so that we have lots of money to spend next winter when the FA SP crop is available.

 

Pumpsie, I think you're getting a little too excited about the future benefit of staying under the cap this year. Let's say we do, and that our tax rate for 2013 is 'only' 17.5% or whatever it is. Do you really think that's going to entice them to go over the cap by a big chunk in 2013 and move into the 200 million range?

[a700hitter]

Rays To Sign Carlos Pena

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 20 at 11:01am CST]

 

The Rays have agreed to a deal with Carlos Pena that will bring the powerful first baseman back to Tampa Bay, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets. Yahoo's Tim Brown reported earlier this morning that the Rays were "in pretty deep" with the Scott Boras client.

And Ben has finished his morning paper, gotten a shoe shine and is waiting for his chicken salad sandwich and unsweetened ice tea.

[iortiz]

And Ben has finished his morning paper' date=' gotten a shoe shine and is waiting for his chicken salad sandwich and unsweetened ice tea.[/quote']

 

Next season going to be a tough one, my friend. My hopes for signing the SP are almost reduced to 0.