2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[SoxSport]

So they willing to eat 20+M? I find it hard to believe.

 

His K/W numbers have been going south the past few years, so you have to consider that.

But I think he could be effective in the AL east, with that funky stadium in NY. You play the Yankees, you need lefthanders. I'm sure he's in their radar. I doubt Oswalt is a sure thing, especially if they eat most of Wandy's horrendous contract. I like him better than Boras-Jackson.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't know. If his elbow was his problem' date=' he could come back to his Angels' level, which would make him pretty good at a good price. Plus they get a break on the cap. I would give him the benefit of the doubt, considering his elbow problem. The mistake was in allowing him to pitch with it. [b']Red Sox medical judgements haven't been perfect lately, in case you haven't noticed.[/b]

 

Good point. Lackey may have been yet another victim of Dr. Thomas 'We don't MRI bruises' Gill.

[Station 13]

It’s possible that Edwin Jackson will sign a one-year contract, like fellow Scott Boras client Ryan Madson. The Red Sox and Mariners could be interested in Jackson if he’s willing to sign for one year.

 

The Red Sox aren’t pursuing Wandy Rodriguez, according to Rosenthal.

 

The Red Sox seem to have interest in acquiring an everyday shortstop and the Reds, Giants and Rays are looking for veteran shortstop help, Rosenthal writes.

[iortiz]

As I said, I won't be surprised if Jackson arrives, but an everyday shortstop?

[seabeachfred]

Good point. Lackey may have been yet another victim of Dr. Thomas 'We don't MRI bruises' Gill.

 

That's something many here seem to gloss over. Our medical staff was a pack of butchers and Gill came close to be an incompetent slag heap. We were not served well at all by that bunch and this was evident in 2010; surprising they were kept on last year. I think with a new medical staff as well as a clean slate in the physical department we should see our players in better shape and mostly on the field this year. That would be a big victory in itself.

[BSN07]

God no to Wandy... That would be an awful move IMO.

 

I thought Lackey's option triggered as soon as he had TJ? Would be great cause that will really lesson his AAV and help the Sox cap crunch about now. Could be the best thing he will ever do in a Boston uniform.

[User Name]

So they willing to eat 20+M? I find it hard to believe.

 

"Most" is not all.

[Station 13]

God no to Wandy... That would be an awful move IMO.

 

I thought Lackey's option triggered as soon as he had TJ? Would be great cause that will really lesson his AAV and help the Sox cap crunch about now. Could be the best thing he will ever do in a Boston uniform.

 

Now thinking about it, the huge break by 2014 and after if they don't go over they get back 50% of their revenue sharing, which is a ton more than their luxury tax.

 

Do we want this turd AAV to extend to 2015?

[User Name]

They could pay him his league-minimum salary and release him, erasing his AAV from the payroll, since he will be a FA.

[Station 13]

They could pay him his league-minimum salary and release him' date=' erasing his AAV from the payroll, since he will be a FA.[/quote']

 

It's still count. If they exorcise it now it's down to 13AAV through 2015. by 2015 they will want nothing to do with Lackey.

 

They need some flexibility to keep Ellsbury, Bard, Lester, etc.

 

They might save a couple millions now doing so. But staying under by 2014 and beyond they get back 40-50M of their revenues.

[BSN07]

It's still count. If they exorcise it now it's down to 13AAV through 2015. by 2015 they will want nothing to do with Lackey.

 

They need some flexibility to keep Ellsbury, Bard, Lester, etc.

 

They might save a couple millions now doing so. But staying under by 2014 and beyond they get back 40-50M of their revenues.

 

Activating the option will save them money now. Which is what they really need. It's the league minimum for the last season. It would cost them next to nothing to cut him and be done with him anyways. Hell they have paid way more then that to have SS play for other teams. If it's true and this can drop his AAV and get the Sox a couple more million to work with over the next few years, then it's worth it IMO.

[User Name]

It's still count. If they exorcise it now it's down to 13AAV through 2015. by 2015 they will want nothing to do with Lackey.

 

They need some flexibility to keep Ellsbury, Bard, Lester, etc.

 

They might save a couple millions now doing so. But staying under by 2014 and beyond they get back 40-50M of their revenues.

 

That's not how it works. A player has to be on the roster during what the CBA calls a team's "Championship Season" in order for his salary to be calculated for Competitive Balance Tax Purposes.

 

If the club eats his salary in the off-season and releases him, he is not on the roster, therefore his AAV does not factor into the tax.

[iortiz]

J.D. Drew Very Likely To Retire

By Mike Axisa [January 24 at 11:41am CST]

Free agent outfielder J.D. Drew is "very likely" to retire, reports CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter). It's been a quiet offseason for the Scott Boras client.

 

Drew, 36, hit .222/.315/.302 in 286 plate appearances with the Red Sox last season. If he does retire, he'll do so as a .278/.384/.489 career hitter with 242 homers during his 14 years. He famously did not sign with the Phillies as the second overall pick in 1997, instead spending a year in an independent league before the Cardinals made him the fifth overall pick in 1998. Drew also spent time with the Braves and Dodgers.

 

 

Drew was disciplined AB. His career OBP is great.

[BSN07]

Drew was disciplined AB. His career OBP is great.

 

He may not have lived up to his original hype. Not many do. But he had a very solid major league career. Most players would be happy with that career slash line.

[a700hitter]

Giants, Lincecum Agree To Two-Year Deal

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 24 at 1:24pm CST]

 

The Giants and Tim Lincecum have agreed to a two-year, $40.5MM contract extension, avoiding arbitration, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on Twitter. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that the sides were "very, very close" to a two-year deal worth a little more than $40MM. The two-year deal buys out the right-hander's final two seasons of arbitration eligibility and avoids a potentially historic hearing.

 

Lincecum, a Beverly Hills Sports Council client, filed for a $21.5MM salary through arbitration and the Giants countered at $17MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. Both figures set new records for players with less than six years of service time. Derek Jeter ($18.5MM) and the Yankees ($14.25MM) had established the previous marks more than a decade ago, in 2001.

 

Lincecum, 27, has a 2.98 ERA with 9.9 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 47.1% ground ball rate in 1028 career innings. He already has two Cy Young Awards and four All-Star Game selections to his name. Only four pitchers -- Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander and Dan Haren -- have produced more wins above replacement since 2007, Lincecum's rookie season.

[BSN07]

 

I think that's a good deal for the Giants. It seems Timmy either wants a huge FA market type deal now to stay with the Giants or just enough to get him to free agency to set his price. I don't see why he would want out of SF, storied franchise with a great fan base that isn't too rabid. And it's not like the media is hardcore. But Timmy isn't a different animal, he may want the huge spotlight or go home and team up with the King? It will be an interesting topic the next couple seasons as the Pujols talk has been for the last couple years.

[a700hitter]

Tigers, Prince Fielder Nearing Nine-Year Deal

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 24 at 1:54pm CST]

 

The Tigers are nearing a nine-year deal with Prince Fielder, Yahoo's Tim Brown tweets.

[BSN07]

 

:wtf:

 

Miggy to 3B?

[Bellhorn04]

:wtf:

 

Miggy to 3B?

 

Has to be it, doesn't it. They'll be a fun team to watch on offence, maybe even moreso on defence.

[SoxSport]

Now let's see. Who's on first? Cabrera's on first. No, Fielder's on first.

Or maybe Fielder is DH. For $24 mil? No VMart is DH. But VMart is out for the season.

So Fielder is DH. And Papi looks cheap. And Dombrowski is nuts. Or maybe playing third.

[RedSoxNC84]

Now let's see. Who's on first? Cabrera's on first. No, Fielder's on first.

Or maybe Fielder is DH. For $24 mil? No VMart is DH. But VMart is out for the season.

So Fielder is DH. And Papi looks cheap. And Dombrowski is nuts. Or maybe playing third.

 

I doubt fielder is going to be strictly DH. Chances are he'll play first full time, or he'll split time at first and DH.

[SoxSport]

OK. Fielder's dad came up with the Tigers. Maybe they're trying to attract black fans in Detroit the way the

Marlins are trying to attract Latin fans in Miami. That makes sense to me. Especially after trading Grandy and having him come up big in NY.But as Billy Martin used to say to Steinbrenner: "George, where am I going to play all those guys?"

 

Maybe Miggy gets traded back to Miami? That might make sense.

[a700hitter]

Blue Jays To Sign Francisco Cordero

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 24 at 3:26pm CST]

 

The Blue Jays agreed to sign right-handed reliever Francisco Cordero to a one-year, $4.5MM contract, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The Proformance client will set up for closer Sergio Santos, Rosenthal writes.

 

Cordero, 36, posted a 2.45 ERA with 5.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 50% ground ball rate in 69 2/3 innings for Cincinnati this past season. He drew interest from other clubs, including the Angels, Orioles and Phillies.

 

The Blue Jays' bullpen will look considerably different in 2012, with newcomers Cordero, Jason Frasor, Sergio Santos and Darren Oliver joining holdovers Carlos Villanueva, Luis Perez, Jesse Litsch and Casey Janssen.

Looks like an okay rebuilt bullpen.

[jung]

I think User is right about Lackey's option. If I am reading him correctly his view is that they should definitely exercise when they can (I don't think they have as yet but should when they can). By the time he come back to baseball there are other ways to deal with him again as User is suggesting here.

[SoxSport]

The Tigers and the Jays are getting better. The Angels are better. The Wild card climb is looking tougher in Boston.

[iortiz]

The Tigers and the Jays are getting better. The Angels are better. The Wild card climb is looking tougher in Boston.

 

If we sign the goddamn pitcher I put my money in Boston. :thumbsup:

[RedSoxNC84]

If we sign the goddamn pitcher I put my money in Boston. :thumbsup:

 

I still see it happening. I'm not worried about all of these other team's signings for the most part. Yeah these teams are looking a lot better in some regards, some of them are looking about the same to me still. The reality is we'll just have to wait and see, but I would never count the Red Sox out.

[User Name]

I think User is right about Lackey's option. If I am reading him correctly his view is that they should definitely exercise when they can (I don't think they have as yet but should when they can). By the time he come back to baseball there are other ways to deal with him again as User is suggesting here.

 

If they release him before the season and eat his salary (which would be league minimum) then he can't impact the luxury tax, per the CBA.

[a700hitter]

With Fielder going to the Tiger, I am wary that the Rangers will make a run at Oswalt.

[seabeachfred]

With Fielder going to the Tiger' date=' I am wary that the Rangers will make a run at Oswalt.[/quote']

 

That's why Cherington has to finish the job and get Oswalt's name on that piece of contract paper. Write that check Ben. The season could possibly turn on it.