2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[SoxFanForsyth]

How is that a big if?? It's more likely than not now that we freed up $$$.

[User Name]

If they moved Pedroia to SS (which they shouldn't do) then they should play the offensively superior Aviles at 2B.

[SoxSport]

thats a big IF .

 

the big IF is his back.

[jacksonianmarch]

Good point - Don't by 2x for him. But having him at cheap money when we're up against the lux tax would make this team pretty incredible.

 

Still, good point, I wouldn't mortgage the future for 1 year.

 

I doubt the phillies deal hamels in a yr they are trying to win a title.

[User Name]

Yeah it's a pipe dream.

[SoxSport]

 

The thought crossed my mind of Pedroia moving to short and Punto playing 2B. I feel like that would be better defensively than Punto being our main SS. I doubt that happens, but it might be something for the FO to think about. To me, I feel like we are in a better situation after the trade then we were before.

 

Pedey came up as a SS. He became a better 2nd baseman than anyone ever thought he would. I don't know if they would want to move him back at this stage in his career. I think you'll see Aviles/Punto/Iglesias splitting time during the year. Maybe Iglesias the 2nd half.

[User Name]

Hey Jacksonian, Skyrim thread plz.

[SoxFanForsyth]

If they moved Pedroia to SS (which they shouldn't do) then they should play the offensively superior Aviles at 2B.

 

After thinking about our options (Aviles, Punto, Iggy, or Pedroia move to SS), I really think installing elite defense up the middle would be the best for the team.

[Station 13]

He had a career year in 2009' date=' but never did anything else.[/quote']

 

I still think he could be a decent SS, certainly better than Aviles or any option internally at the moment. He's certainly been affected by Petco.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/jason-bartlett/hitchart/214597?q=jason-bartlett

 

Hit chart show Pecto eats up a few hits from him. And if he can take it the other way here, it's good to visit YS for 9 games.

 

He's only making $4M. Trading Bowden/Aviles would shred salaries.

[seabeachfred]

We're all waiting in acticipation for the other shoe to drop, the drop that would make all of us very happy. Nothing more is going down tonight since it is past 11:00 P.M. on the East Coast. We should hear something positive soon, but here's a warning......If we haven't gotten this pitching signing done by late Monday night we ought to start worrying. There will have been a screwup somewhere. If we get Roy Oswalt signed it will be a major shot in the arm for our starting rotation and, if healthy, we can send a top pitcher out there four out of every five games. Some one or a couple could work out of the No. 5 spot and give us more than we got last year during the stretch drive from Weiland, Bedard and Wakefield. However, it has to get done in the next couple of days. There is now no excuse for it not happening. As Palodios and 700 have said and as SBF says now.....CHERINGTON, WRITE THAT DAMN CHECK!!!!!!!!!!

[NativeBostonian]

Wow, the guy that the Red Sox got in this trade is 3-4 with a ERA of 5.19. I hope this isn't a 5th spot solution.

[iortiz]

As we say here in the states iortiz---bite your tongue. Don't say anything like that until the ink is dry on the paper. It seems like we Red Soxs fans have been led to the altar only to be jilted by the bride several times this off season. Expect the worst and hope for the best seems to be the way to go' date=' but I will certainly be elated if we coud pull this off.[/quote']

 

 

Well Fred, something tells me that they already have a pre-agreement with Oswalt.

 

I wouldn't make this move if I did not have something pre-agreed. I mean, you do not give up a solid bat just like that. (of course, assuming that they are going in that direction -sign the goddamn pitcher- )

 

On the other hand, if they are making room in our payroll in order to sign Ortiz (ver very unlikely to me) I"ll be very pissed off.

[User Name]

Wow' date=' the guy that the Red Sox got in this trade is 3-4 with a ERA of 5.19. I hope this isn't a 5th spot solution.[/quote']

 

..over his 95 IP career. Last year, he was 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP at Coors in 58.1 IP. Could be a decent mop-up guy.

[NativeBostonian]

..over his 95 IP career. Last year' date=' he was 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP at Coors in 58.1 IP. Could be a decent mop-up guy.[/quote']

Not really what I would expect to get for Scutaro. But, if this is to clear cap room for someone good then I am down.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Ellsbury - Pedroia - Gonzalez - Youkilis - Ortiz - Salty - Sweeney - Aviles - Punto.

 

Yeah it is a bit top heavy. But Crawford should be back in April, so take out Punto, add Crawford in the 2 slot, drop everyone down, and the lineup will be stacked again, and this time with a rotation that can win a lot of games.

 

No thanks.

[iortiz]

8:16pm: Oswalt is not close to signing, reports Morosi (on Twitter). The Red Sox remain very much involved, he says.

 

[example1]

We're all waiting in acticipation for the other shoe to drop' date=' the drop that would make all of us very happy. Nothing more is going down tonight since it is past 11:00 P.M. on the East Coast. We should hear something positive soon, but here's a warning......If we haven't gotten this pitching signing done by late Monday night we ought to start worrying. There will have been a screwup somewhere. If we get Roy Oswalt signed it will be a major shot in the arm for our starting rotation and, if healthy, we can send a top pitcher out there four out of every five games. Some one or a couple could work out of the No. 5 spot and give us more than we got last year during the stretch drive from Weiland, Bedard and Wakefield. However, it has to get done in the next couple of days. There is now no excuse for it not happening. As Palodios and 700 have said and as SBF says now.....CHERINGTON, WRITE THAT DAMN CHECK!!!!!!!!!![/quote']

 

"If we haven't got this pitching signing done by late Monday night we ought to start worrying"

 

I was trying to think of a good reason why all of your doom and gloom and nicknames should matter to me, or you. It took me weeks, but I realized it when I was halfway through reading this post.... Your prognostications have lost all credibility without a single out being made, a single baserunner or run scored, simply with a trade of Marco Scutaro. That's how perilously close to absurdity they were this whole time.

 

"Woah is us, woah is us! Incompetence! Incompetence! What fools!... oh, what's that? They traded Scutaro to free up $6m to sign a pitcher... okay, everything is fine... UNLESS, they don't sign him by Monday! They are idiots, remember. Cherington is stupid, remember. I can tell from my years of hunches and inclinations..."

 

You (and others) complained as if every off-season day was a lost World Series, then when the obvious pieces start to fall into place you come with another ominous warning about watch out for Monday and it just falls on deaf ears, at least from my vantage point.

 

I've come to like you a lot. I appreciate your personality and the obvious passion that you bring. Sometimes it is okay to not be looking for a reason to worry. Sometimes it is okay to assume that the guy piloting the ship is competent, even if he thinks differently than you do.

[Palodios]

Dear Ben-- Sign the damn check.

[iortiz]

... For once and for all. :thumbsup:

[example1]

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7488226/did-boston-red-sox-trade-marco-scutaro-clear-cash-roy-oswalt

 

The money saved on Scutaro will now be directed to a full-court press of Oswalt, whose price has dropped substantially since the start of the buying season, when his agent said he was looking for a three-year deal.

 

I seem to remember a poster here saying that none of the SPs on the market would have their prices drop. That it was complete folly to think so. Oswalt isn't asking for 3 years anymore. He's down to 8m or so. His price has dropped. It makes sense. Regardless of whether he signs or not (unless he signs for 3 years elsewhere) it was good to wait for the market on this one. Anything else would have been an overpay.

[User Name]

It seems like yesterday when you and i were being ridiculed for suggesting that very idea Example. Funny how these things work.....

[example1]

It seems like yesterday when you and i were being ridiculed for suggesting that very idea Example. Funny how these things work.....

 

Why wouldn't their market come down? It's basically an auction, and as competitors for the prize disappear, the need to bid higher goes down. Seems really, really simple and has repeated season after season after season. I never got the argument.

[User Name]

What's funny is that several people are clamoring for the Sox to operate more "Friedman style", and this is exactly what Andrew Friedman does with the Rays.

[Emmz]

Who? The self-appointed Internet Forum King?

 

Dude, we get it, you're mad at a700. I think he blocked you, and will be laughing to see you're still obsessed. I would be too, its funny when people like you get so bent out of shape over the internet and have nothing better to do in their shallow existence but to play troll. I'm sure you'll end up the same way your other account(s) ended up.

 

But seriously, if its that big of a deal to you, I'd seek help. You've got psychological problems.

 

Toodles.

[a700hitter]

... For once and for all. :thumbsup:

This should happen quickly. I would think an agreement was in place prior to the Scutaro move. Otherwise, why bother to make the move and weaken the lineup?

[a700hitter]

Dude, we get it, you're mad at a700. I think he blocked you, and will be laughing to see you're still obsessed. I would be too, its funny when people like you get so bent out of shape over the internet and have nothing better to do in their shallow existence but to play troll. I'm sure you'll end up the same way your other account(s) ended up.

 

But seriously, if its that big of a deal to you, I'd seek help. You've got psychological problems.

 

Toodles.

What a sick pup! He should do the world a favor and hurl himself off a high rock when he goes hiking.

[iortiz]

This should happen quickly. I would think an agreement was in place prior to the Scutaro move. Otherwise' date=' why bother to make the move and weaken the lineup?[/quote']

 

As you said, make room for Ortiz could be the other possibility for this move (very unlikely to me)

 

On the other hand, if Oswalt is the target, My only concern will be whether he is healthy or not. Assuming that TEX, STL, us among others were/are after him, I want to think that he is.

[seabeachfred]

"If we haven't got this pitching signing done by late Monday night we ought to start worrying"

 

I was trying to think of a good reason why all of your doom and gloom and nicknames should matter to me, or you. It took me weeks, but I realized it when I was halfway through reading this post.... Your prognostications have lost all credibility without a single out being made, a single baserunner or run scored, simply with a trade of Marco Scutaro. That's how perilously close to absurdity they were this whole time.

 

"Woah is us, woah is us! Incompetence! Incompetence! What fools!... oh, what's that? They traded Scutaro to free up $6m to sign a pitcher... okay, everything is fine... UNLESS, they don't sign him by Monday! They are idiots, remember. Cherington is stupid, remember. I can tell from my years of hunches and inclinations..."

 

You (and others) complained as if every off-season day was a lost World Series, then when the obvious pieces start to fall into place you come with another ominous warning about watch out for Monday and it just falls on deaf ears, at least from my vantage point.

 

I've come to like you a lot. I appreciate your personality and the obvious passion that you bring. Sometimes it is okay to not be looking for a reason to worry. Sometimes it is okay to assume that the guy piloting the ship is competent, even if he thinks differently than you do.

 

Well EX1, I do like your last paragraph, and, yes, I do have a tendency to panic. Remember, I'm a convert to the Red Sox----11 years, 5 months and 1 day---and those are the types who usually become psychotic fanatics. I suppose I would have been better served if I would have said "it might be a cause of some concern if he isn't signed by next week". That sound a little better? Certainly I'm no better a Red Sox fan than you or anyone else on this board, just a little more high strung but I'm glad you appreciate my passion because I have come to love the Red Sox like a new family. I'm just anxious to get this thing done because I am convinced that if we get Roy Oswalt and he and our other "Big Three" can stay healthy and give us their best we can most certainly make a solid run at the AL East and win it. From there who knows? Now all Ben needs to do is write the check. How about we start a countdown to zero hour? See you tomorrow.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Once again don't feed the troll. YOTN is online. He'll ban his ass soon enough. Don't feed them and they won't have s*** to do and just leave.

[jung]

As far as the cost of pitching is concerned I did not think Oswalt or the other guys under consideration would come down to meet what the Sox were looking for. I had stated for the longest time that I thought they were trying stay under the cap and that specifically as it related to Oswalt they were looking for an even better deal than $8M. Mainly I held that opinion because they could not afford $8M.

 

At least based on the last calculations done here a few days ago and the last article posted at the same time, it would appear that by dumping Scuts they have the $8M and can still just barely stay under.

 

I did just post a few hours ago that there is rarely much movement on these guys or much interest in many cases until it looks like somebody is going to make a serious move on the player. So if the Sox are down to the wire you can bet that Oswalt's agents are making every effort to make sure those that have expressed interest that has the potential to pay him is getting a shot at him.

 

We are in large part taking the optimistic view that Oswalt has been waiting for the Sox to come up with the money. However the last bit of posted news here stated that "the Sox were very much involved but that Oswalt was not close to signing. That does not sound to me like Oswalt has been waiting for the Sox at all. They may still get him, but they will likely be some movement along the way.