Getting Another Starting Pitcher?

[a700hitter]

I wish that there were more specific poll options with regards to the quality of the pitcher we pick up. We'll pick up someone like Padilla to compete with a dozen others for the 5th starter spot and leave someone like Oswalt to sign a bargain deal elsewhere.

I should have clarified. The type of pitcher being discussed in the poll is a quality pitcher like Oswalt, not a garbage journeyman psycho like Padilla or a chump like Silva.

[RedSoxFan84]

Well, Kuroda is gone now, so that further limits our short-term options. I know Bobby V has said that he's not worried about the Yankees and their much-improved rotation, but to be honest, I am worried about it. I love Beckett, Lester and Buchholz, but I really want us to add one or two experienced quality starters who can take the pressure off of Bard having to feel like he has to pitch perfectly straight away.

 

I just looked up Ethier and Cain, who were mentioned previously as possible targets this time next year, and I must say that I would be very excited to land one or preferably both of them. Who from our team is a free-agent after this coming season, and will we have enough money to go after both of those guys?

[SoxSport]

Well, Kuroda is gone now, so that further limits our short-term options. I know Bobby V has said that he's not worried about the Yankees and their much-improved rotation, but to be honest, I am worried about it. I love Beckett, Lester and Buchholz, but I really want us to add one or two experienced quality starters who can take the pressure off of Bard having to feel like he has to pitch perfectly straight away.

 

I just looked up Ethier and Cain, who were mentioned previously as possible targets this time next year, and I must say that I would be very excited to land one or preferably both of them. Who from our team is a free-agent after this coming season, and will we have enough money to go after both of those guys?

 

 

I think their strategy for some time now has been wild card--period. True they've played the moneyball game with the Yankees for the last few years, but it has gotten them nowhere.

 

They are satisfied with the wild card--for good reason. It's the teams that finish strongest that have the best chance to get to the World Series, not necessarily the division winners.

The Yankees didn't finish strong last year,either, by the way. The playoff format must greatly frustrate Steinbrenner.

[User Name]

^This makes absolutely no sense. Why would you pump 178 million into a WC team?

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I think their strategy for some time now has been wild card--period. True they've played the moneyball game with the Yankees for the last few years, but it has gotten them nowhere.

 

They are satisfied with the wild card--for good reason. It's the teams that finish strongest that have the best chance to get to the World Series, not necessarily the division winners.

The Yankees didn't finish strong last year,either, by the way. The playoff format must greatly frustrate Steinbrenner.

 

Nonsense.

[a700hitter]

Nonsense.

Why is it nonsense? Please explain.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Who the f*** plays for a wild card? You really think a team with such high calliber players shoot for a wild card? That's retarded.

[a700hitter]

Who the f*** plays for a wild card? You really think a team with such high calliber players shoot for a wild card? That's retarded.

I think there are probably about a dozen instances over the last several seasons where Tito and/or Theo have answered questions by saying that their goal was to win the Division, but it was more important to have their pitching lined up for the playoffs. I think that raises the question legitimately in peoples minds about whether they are just playing for the wild card. Your response of "nonsense" was nonsense.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

So you honestly think the Red Sox have their mindset for getting 2nd place? In any situation not going for the best possible scenario is stupid. I could careless what you think of my response. It was my opinion. I don't want to start every April saying "Let's go Red Sox! Get that wildcard".

[Emmz]

Im with RSFFL, total ********. No one plays for 2nd. They play to get a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. This is up there with the "they're trying to sell the team because of how "cheap" they've been lately". Who was the goofball who said they weren't trying to win because they didn't spend. One year removed from A Gon and Crawford, they're somehow not spending to win.

 

That was pretty ridiculous.

[a700hitter]

So you honestly think the Red Sox have their mindset for getting 2nd place? In any situation not going for the best possible scenario is stupid. I could careless what you think of my response. It was my opinion. I don't want to start every April saying "Let's go Red Sox! Get that wildcard".

I think you could read the remarks of Tito and Theo as being in a comfortable position knowing they had the wild card in certain years. It's not a nonsensical conclusion. They don't start the season that way, but as things progressed during certain seasons they thought that lining up their pitching for the post season was more important. They said it. I didn't. You need to take it down a notch. You can't just reply to another poster's opinion with "that's nonsense." We have one ******* like that already. That's enough.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

If you take the wildcard and get into the playoffs, there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not arguing that. He's saying that their goal is to play for the wildcard. I could see if we're the Blue Jays or Rays but we're talking the Red Sox. That indeed is nonsense and I don't feel guilty. It was my opinion.

[a700hitter]

If you take the wildcard and get into the playoffs' date=' there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not arguing that. He's saying that their [b']goal[/b] is to play for the wildcard. I could see if we're the Blue Jays or Rays but we're talking the Red Sox. That indeed is nonsense and I don't feel guilty. It was my opinion.

It was just an insult without further elaboration, and you are an otherwise likeable guy.

[User Name]

^Needs to get over himself.

[mvp 78]

I think there are probably about a dozen instances over the last several seasons where Tito and/or Theo have answered questions by saying that their goal was to win the Division' date=' but it was more important to have their pitching lined up for the playoffs. I think that raises the question legitimately in peoples minds about whether they are just playing for the wild card. Your response of "nonsense" was nonsense.[/quote']

 

This only relates to the last week of a season, not a full 162. Unless you think they are working on their playoff rotation in June?

[a700hitter]

This only relates to the last week of a season' date=' not a full 162. Unless you think they are working on their playoff rotation in June?[/quote']I never said that they started the season with this mentality. Also, these remarks were often not limited to the last week of the season. I am not arguing this issue one way or the other. I am just saying that I could understand people having this opinion. It's not my opinion.

[SoxSport]

Nonsense.

 

 

Nonsensical response. Explain yourself. We want to hear.

[SoxSport]

Yeah, they do play for at least a wild card, in the sense they try to get the team in shape so it's peaking going into the playoffs. They are more concerned with the state of the team than whether they finish first in their division. The reason is they know there isn't much advantage to being first the way the playoffs are structured. The advantage goes to the hot team. So they shoot for at least the wild card. They won as a wild card team in 04, by the way.

[User Name]

This is a completely different stance to the one you posted earlier.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Nonsensical response. Explain yourself. We want to hear.

 

Did you not read all those posts? I clearly explain why it makes no sense to play for 2nd. We play for the division. We play for the wildcard when the Yankees/Blue Jays/Orioles/Rays clinch the division. If you're going to cry about me calling you out on nonsense then you don't belong on the internet. People are so sensitive. I could of called you a f***ing retard but instead I claim what you posted was nonsense. It was opinion. Seems like I'm not alone either.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Yeah' date=' they do play for at least a wild card, in the sense they try to get the team in shape so it's peaking going into the playoffs. They are more concerned with the state of the team than whether they finish first in their division. The reason is they know there isn't much advantage to being first the way the playoffs are structured. The advantage goes to the hot team. So they shoot for at least the wild card. They won as a wild card team in 04, by the way.[/quote']

 

Can you give me a situation when someone wanted to settle for 2nd when they had the chance for 1st?

[SoxSport]

Did you not read all those posts? I clearly explain why it makes no sense to play for 2nd. We play for the division. We play for the wildcard when the Yankees/Blue Jays/Orioles/Rays clinch the division. If you're going to cry about me calling you out on nonsense then you don't belong on the internet. People are so sensitive. I could of called you a f***ing retard but instead I claim what you posted was nonsense. It was opinion. Seems like I'm not alone either.

 

hey, you're the one that used the word nonsense first. It's well established in baseball that there isn't much advantage finishing first in the playoffs. Go look it up. You'd know that if you knew what happened in the playoffs last year. Nobody's crying about anything. Don't be an idiot.

[MANNYHOF24]

I think Oswalt is pretty much done. His back is shot.

 

He pitched really well the last two months of the season... He went on the DL for a month... Look at is stats from August 1st on. I would take him for 1 year at 8 million in a heartbeat.

[SoxSport]

They just signed Padilla-- another minor league contract. They have to pay him only if he makes the major league roster.

They are bottom fishing like the Yankees did last year. But the Yankees just changed their tune and upped the ante. They are one step ahead of the Red Sox.

 

Yahoo says the Yankees are the power now since they got Pineda. But yesterday they said the traded Montero was the next coming of Babe Ruth. Which is it? Maybe neither.

[Meh]

They just signed Padilla-- another minor league contract. They have to pay him only if he makes the major league roster.

They are bottom fishing like the Yankees did last year. But the Yankees just changed their tune and upped the ante. They are one step ahead of the Red Sox.

 

Yahoo says the Yankees are the power now since they got Pineda. But yesterday they said the traded Montero was the next coming of Babe Ruth. Which is it? Maybe neither.

 

The Yankees are going to hit with or without Montero... they needed pitching. I hate to give up any talent in any deal, TBH but it had to be done I guess.

[ForeverYoung]

Well, Kuroda is gone now, so that further limits our short-term options. I know Bobby V has said that he's not worried about the Yankees and their much-improved rotation, but to be honest, I am worried about it. I love Beckett, Lester and Buchholz, but I really want us to add one or two experienced quality starters who can take the pressure off of Bard having to feel like he has to pitch perfectly straight away.

 

I just looked up Ethier and Cain, who were mentioned previously as possible targets this time next year, and I must say that I would be very excited to land one or preferably both of them. Who from our team is a free-agent after this coming season, and will we have enough money to go after both of those guys?

 

We will probably be picking up Youk's club option at the end of the year, if not he will be a free agent at the end of the year. We may just pick up his option in order to trade him away to the Reds, since that is his preferred team.

 

Jacoby Ellsbury is arbitration eligible for 2013, so if he performs like he did last year we will probably let him accept arbitration in 2013 and make a long-term deal during the season to avoid luxury taxes. Hopefully, he will accept the arbitration for 2013 to help the team, instead of making us go after him AND Ethier or Hamilton. Similar to what Gonzo and Beckett did in order for us to sign free agents. Although, it is worth noting that he is a Scott Boras client which means that he will probably not be accepting arbitration next year if he has another 30/30 or even a 20/20 year.

 

Scutaro will be a free-agent, so dependent entirely on Iglesias' improvement this year, and whether we can field him at that position in the Majors, we may have to go out and re-sign Scutaro, trade, or bring in another FA.

 

Big Papi will be a free agent after this, but Lavarnway will be filling that role. So this should be the last year that Papi wears the Sox uniform, unless we extend the 'Tek style minor league contract.

 

Dice-K will also be a free agent, but I don't see the Sox signing him unless it is to a MUCH smaller contract.

 

Lester will have the potential to void his 2014 club option if he finishes first or second in the Cy Young voting, but that is only if we decide to trade him 2014.

 

Jenks, Miller, Padilla, Silva, Cook, etc. of reclamation projects are free agents at the end of the year but I doubt any of those will matter.

 

With Ethier accepting a one year contract to avoid arbitration it still does not change anything, since the new contract is for 2012 and has no club options. The Red Sox front office will be watching the new Dodger's management to see if they will work out an extension or new deal with Ethier. If they do, than they will have to pursue and pay Hamilton a great deal more money. I personally would prefer Ethier over Hamilton since he is fast, hits for average and has a great opposite field swing that would allow him to smack quite a few into the green monster.

 

Matt Cain will be our primary target in 2013, period. We will sign him if the Giants are not willing to pony up the money, and even if they do we are going to overpay for a dedicated ace. If the Texas Rangers do not sign Darvish than they will be our primary contenders for Cain, with the Yankees basically taking themselves out of contention by signing Kuroda and breaking their tax bubble. Although, the Yankees will play the Crawford game and try and drive the price up by bringing Cain in to talk.

[ForeverYoung]

The Yankees are going to hit with or without Montero... they needed pitching. I hate to give up any talent in any deal' date=' TBH but it had to be done I guess.[/quote']

 

Jeter is struggling and probably retiring soon, A-Fraud is not producing at his previous rate, Texiera is starting to have a slower bat.

 

Cano and Granderson have become their offense, I think the Montero move is one that may bite them in the rear. Although, it does solidify a slightly above average pitching rotation with the addition of Kuroda. I just don't think a slightly good pitching rotation will make up for their slower offensive production this year. Although, that all depends on if Kuroda and Pineda have better years, maybe subscribing to the Adrian Beltre method of playing on contract years.

[a700hitter]

Jeter is struggling and probably retiring soon, A-Fraud is not producing at his previous rate, Texiera is starting to have a slower bat.

 

Cano and Granderson have become their offense, I think the Montero move is one that may bite them in the rear. Although, it does solidify a slightly above average pitching rotation with the addition of Kuroda. I just don't think a slightly good pitching rotation will make up for their slower offensive production this year. Although, that all depends on if Kuroda and Pineda have better years, maybe subscribing to the Adrian Beltre method of playing on contract years.

Jeter hit .297 last season, but he was one of the hottest hitters on the Yanks in the second half of the season, hitting .328. Tex is bound to rebound.

[SoxSport]

I heard somebody making the point on TV that the Yankees problem next year is age on the field--and what they are doing with their pitching right now isn't going to right that. They can buy any players they want--sure--but they have some aging starters under contract like Jeter and ARod they have to be concerned about. They sent ARod to Germany to get the same treatment as Kobe Bryant, who is playing right now like he was 10 years younger.

 

Next year, they'll just go out and try to buy the best pitcher or two out there. They got sidetracked last year when Lee didn't want to play for them. But they'll go after Hamels et al next year while Henry decides to keep Papi around still another year and fusses about the luxury tax.

 

My advice to Henry: If you can't take the heat, get out of the oven.

[a700hitter]

Initially, the results of this poll were almost exclusively in those choices where we would be getting another starting pitcher. More recently, there have been some votes that we will not get a pitcher. I think people are starting to lose hope. If we don't get a pitcher by the end of the week, I will repost the poll to see if the vote distribution has changed. My vote has changed.