2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[iortiz]

Dammit!

[a700hitter]

Sox are now out of the Edwin Jackson running:

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/16174/source-sox-out-of-the-picture-on-jackson

 

 

No Oswalt, now no Jackson.......

I can't access the link. It's blocked at work. Did jackson sign with someone?

[SCM33]

Appears that David Ortiz is going to an arbitration hearing....

 

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7527567/boston-red-sox-david-ortiz-likely-heading-arbitration-hearing-source-says

 

Thats nice, they get to tell him how he isnt worth 16M.....im sure he will be fine with it, hes not a sensitive guy at all, and he never cries about petty stats like RBIs during postgame interviews.

 

He will be fine with hearing how he isnt worth it....

[SCM33]

I can't access the link. It's blocked at work. Did jackson sign with someone?

 

No. Basically the sox offer is garbage. Other teams have offered more years and more money.

[a700hitter]

Appears that David Ortiz is going to an arbitration hearing....

 

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7527567/boston-red-sox-david-ortiz-likely-heading-arbitration-hearing-source-says

 

Thats nice, they get to tell him how he isnt worth 16M.....im sure he will be fine with it, hes not a sensitive guy at all, and he never cries about petty stats like RBIs during postgame interviews.

 

He will be fine with hearing how he isnt worth it....

The worst of all outcomes is that he wins the hearing for $16.5 million and then pouts because they criticized him.

[a700hitter]

No. Basically the sox offer is garbage. Other teams have offered more years and more money.

They are really being ridiculous this offseason. I don't know if you have ever sold a car privately. People come to your house, test drive the car and then offer you something ridiculously low. You'd get more money for the car if you put a match to it. They waste your time. Ben's wasting his time this offseason.

[jacksonianmarch]

The problem with Doubront is that he is out of options. They have another lefty in the pen as well, so he wont be their big matchup lefty. If the rotation swoons and that pen is pressed into work, they are going to need Felix to be on point from the get go. If he comes out to a 6ERA in his first 10 or so IP of work, he might be cut loose before he actually gets a full shake at the bigs

[User Name]

The problem with Doubront is that he is out of options. They have another lefty in the pen as well' date=' so he wont be their big matchup lefty. If the rotation swoons and that pen is pressed into work, they are going to need Felix to be on point from the get go. If he comes out to a 6ERA in his first 10 or so IP of work, he might be cut loose before he actually gets a full shake at the bigs[/quote']

 

It depends on his role.

[a700hitter]

Nationals Sign Chad Durbin

By Tim Dierkes [February 1 at 12:59pm CST]

 

The Nationals signed reliever Chad Durbin to a minor league deal, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Last year Durbin held out until March 1st to score a Major League deal with the Guardians; this year he has time to plan before pitchers and catchers report.

 

Durbin, 34, posted a 5.53 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 1.58 HR/9, and 40.2% groundball rate in 68 1/3 innings for the Tribe last year. Aside from more of his flyballs leaving the yard and more of his batted balls dropping in for hits, Durbin's numbers weren't much different from when he posted a 3.80 ERA in 2010 with the Phillies.

 

Durbin joins non-roster invitees Jeff Fulchino and Waldis Joaquin in a spring battle for a low-leverage gig in the Nationals' bullpen.

This one looked like it would be right up Cherrie's alley.

[iortiz]

Here the story...

 

Red Sox Out Of Picture On Edwin Jackson?

By Tim Dierkes [February 1 at 1:11pm CST]

In Edwin Jackson, agent Scott Boras has a 28-year-old innings eater with a touch of upside. Weeks before pitchers and catcher report, Boras has been unable to work his usual magic. Rumor has it a one-year deal is more likely than multiyear; here's the latest...

 

The Red Sox are "most likely out of the picture" for Jackson, a baseball source tells Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported yesterday Boston was in the $5-6MM range on a one-year deal, and Edes says Jackson has "better deals on the table from other clubs." Though it happened with Carlos Pena, a pay cut for Jackson would be a tough pill for Boras to swallow. The righty earned $8.35MM last year. If Jackson lands under $10MM on a one-year deal, his signing will likely be heralded as one of the offseason's best from a team point-of-view.

[a700hitter]

If Boras had any decent multi-year offers, Jackson would have signed. You can't believe anything you read about a Boras client. If the Sox are out, who are these other teams clamoring for his services?

[iortiz]

Seems like Os already put a multi-year offer, but apparently he rejected. This is an entire mystery. It wouldn't surprise me if a rebuilding/small market team signs him for a long term.

[Bellhorn04]

Seems like Os already put a multi-year offer' date=' but apparently he rejected. This is an entire mystery. It wouldn't surprise me if a rebuilding/small market team signs him for a long term.[/quote']

 

I dunno, my guess is, he's ready to sign a one-year deal, and would prefer a good team. But the Sox offer is simply too low. It is a bit puzzling why they wouldn't go to 7 million or something like that. Getting him might really solidify things.

[redsoxfan3]

I'm not sure what to believe. This morning I hear Gammons thinks we are the favorites and it is likely that he signs a one year deal. Now ESPN says a source is saying the opposite. I hope that the source is wrong and that he is still thinking about Boston.

[jung]

I really did think the Sox would be fixated on this $5-$6M number. Assuming all these reports are accurate, it is almost like they are going to keep offering $5-$6M or less until they find somebody that will take it.

 

I am interested in V's comment that a SP is not number 1 on his player wish list. I would be interested to know what V thinks is number 1 on his player wish list if it is not another good SP. I guess it would not surprise me if he said it was a SS but that would also suggest that he might have had something to do with Scuts being gone after all.

 

As for Ortiz I have been wrong before about the whole damn Arbitration process but the two sides are so far apart that in order to support their offer of $12.5 against a counter of $16.5, the Sox will be forced to make a case that will likely be pretty tough for Ortiz to swallow. It is not like they are trying to bridge a $1M gap. They are miles apart on the value spectrum.

[Muggah]

They are really being ridiculous this offseason. I don't know if you have ever sold a car privately. People come to your house' date=' test drive the car and then offer you something ridiculously low. You'd get more money for the car if you put a match to it. They waste your time. Ben's wasting his time this offseason.[/quote']

 

At the very least their unwillingness to budge on just about everything should tell us how committed they are to winning this year and what their expectations are. Ownership and Ben aren't expecting a playoff appearance this year--of course they aren't. They know this is a transitional year. That's why it's a little odd to see some of the numbers people are predicting.

[User Name]

This is getting really goddamned annoying. They need to get one of Oswalt/Jackson.

[User Name]

At the very least their unwillingness to budge on just about everything should tell us how committed they are to winning this year and what their expectations are. Ownership and Ben aren't expecting a playoff appearance this year--of course they aren't. They know this is a transitional year. That's why it's a little odd to see some of the numbers people are predicting.

 

Conjecture, as usual.

[jung]

The other thing that sort of struck me about V's comment regarding another SP not being number 1 on his player wish list is that I wonder if that is having any impact on the Sox in their efforts to sign one. It certainly is not critical to the process but it would be nice if V thought he needed another SP. I doubt the Manager's input is anything more than that, just one input but it still would help if V was commenting internally that another arm would be the number 1 priority. If it is not a pitcher I cant imagine it being anything other than a SS.

[a700hitter]

At the very least their unwillingness to budge on just about everything should tell us how committed they are to winning this year and what their expectations are. Ownership and Ben aren't expecting a playoff appearance this year--of course they aren't. They know this is a transitional year. That's why it's a little odd to see some of the numbers people are predicting.

But why bother going through this charade?

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, right now they are acting like a bunch of bargain-hunters prowling around a flea market where the tables are really getting bare.

[jung]

Well the Sox though BC had been saying right from the start this offseason that they were looking for some low risk high reward deals to be the payoff. Maybe we just misjudged how far they were willing to push that.

 

I do go back to part of the discussion I had with Jacks yesterday. The Yanks went into 2011 with significant question marks in the rotation in my estimation but had a solid pen supporting them. We have question marks in the rotation and I don't think the Sox 2012 pen can be counted on to do for them what the Yanks pen did in 2011.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

The Red Sox still have a great chance of signing Oswalt, a Major League source tells Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. However, this is the same source that told Edes on Friday that Oswalt would sign with the Cardinals soon, and that did not materialize

 

-mlbtraderumors

 

 

This is all just becoming stupid. Come on.

[Elktonnick]

Well the Sox though BC had been saying right from the start this offseason that they were looking for some low risk high reward deals to be the payoff. Maybe we just misjudged how far they were willing to push that.

 

I do go back to part of the discussion I had with Jacks yesterday. The Yanks went into 2011 with significant question marks in the rotation in my estimation but had a solid pen supporting them. We have question marks in the rotation and I don't think the Sox 2012 pen can be counted on to do for them what the Yanks pen did in 2011.

 

I repeat what I posted several weeks ago, this team is weaker than the team that ended the year and their main competition has improved, significantly. The latest power rankings doesn't have them making the playoffs even with the second wild card. For the life of me why did they trade Scuturo? Even if BV had an issue with him what did they gain by doing it when they did?

[jung]

The farther into the distance we get from the Scuts thing, the less sense it makes to me. Not having any good or even decent options at SS is one thing. Having the position basically covered and then going from that to this makes very little sense to me. It is almost like they are forcing the issue on Iggy. Is the plan to go with two also rans at SS until midseason and then bring Iggy up?

 

In the background of all of this I guess is the chance that they can still stay under the cap but that seems less and less likely unless they are going to trim even more payroll. They would likely have to win the Ortiz arb to have a shot at staying under if they even have a realistic shot at this point.

[a700hitter]

-mlbtraderumors

 

 

This is all just becoming stupid. Come on.

I think the players' agents just keep throwing our name out there trying to drive up the price for other teams. I think we are just getting used. Have there been any reports of Ben and LL meeting with either of these pitchers? If you want these guys, you sit down with them and try to get their name on a contract. I don't think the Sox want either of them. They are not acting like they are interested, unless this stuff has been top secret. Nolan Ryan met with Oswalt and Oswalt's wife. That's what happens when a team is interested.

[Bellhorn04]

I think the players' agents just keep throwing our name out there trying to drive up the price for other teams. I think we are just getting used. Have there been any reports of Ben and LL meeting with either of these pitchers? If you want these guys' date=' you sit down with them and try to get their name on a contract. I don't think the Sox want either of them. They are not acting like they are interested, unless this stuff has been top secret. [b']Nolan Ryan met with Oswalt and Oswalt's wife. That's what happens when a team is interested.[/b]

 

I dunno, I think that up close & personal approach is mainly for the monster deals like Teixeira etc. Most of these guys are such mercenaries, you could meet their wife, their kids, and their pets, but the only thing that really matters to them is who's the highest bidder.

[jung]

I agree 700. I don't think the Sox have made serious efforts or offers in the case of either of these two pitchers. I think the Sox presume them to not be falling into the price category that they want although they could get close. That is the rub I think. If they made a concerted effort they might could land one of these guys but I do not think that is what they are interested in doing. I don't think they will get into a bidding war for either guy even if it means only another $1M-$2M on top of what they appear to want to spend. All opinion of course but I think we would have seen more from the Sox by now if that is where this was headed.

[a700hitter]

I dunno' date=' I think that up close & personal approach is mainly for the monster deals like Teixeira etc. Most of these guys are such mercenaries, you could meet their wife, their kids, and their pets, but the only thing that really matters to them is who's the highest bidder.[/quote']I agree, but it does show that the team is interested. The Sox are acting like they are just making a blind bid.

[iortiz]

-mlbtraderumors

 

 

This is all just becoming stupid. Come on.

 

My friend, my head is starting to hurt me. Isn't Oswalt in Texas with Nolan?.