Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[BSN07]

Ya I don't like Dempster at all in the AL East. He shat the bed in Texas.

[SoxSport]

Please tell me the Dempster rumor isn't true. Another example of needless mediocrity on a mediocre pitching staff.This FO has a nasty tendency to prefer over the hill retread pitchers than giving the prospects festering in Pawtucket a real shot.

 

It's clear that Cherington is only a piece of the decision making machinery right now. Lucchino and Henry are in up front on the dealings. After last year, I doubt they trust him completely. Larry said on WEEI that it's the years, not the money that is the difference right now in their FA dealings with Napoli et al. He should know that nitpicking on years is a route to striking out. If you want the guy, you have to give him the extra year--or somebody else will.

[a700hitter]

From today's paper. It gave me a chuckle.

 

Red Sox trade Stewart to the Pirates

November 28, 2012 11:32 AM

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

 

Remember that great scene in "Godfather II" when Michael Corleone is negotiating for a gambling license with Sen. Geary?

 

"My offer is this: nothing," Corleone says with a cold stare.

 

That's pretty much how the trade for Kevin Youkilis worked out for the Red Sox with the news today that they have traded righthander Zach Stewart for a player to be named later.

 

Stewart was 0-2 in two starts for the Red Sox, allowing 14 runs on 17 hits over 5.2 innings. He was designated for assignment on Nov. 20. The Pirates will be Stewart's fifth organization in the last four years.

 

The Red Sox received Stewart and infielder Brent Lillibridge from the White Sox in return for Youkilis on June 24. He was 2 for 16 in 10 games before being designated for assignment and traded to Cleveland.

 

The good news was that Will Middlebrooks got to play a lot. There was that.

[BSN07]

From today's paper. It gave me a chuckle.

 

Ok I laughed too

[User Name]

How 'bout no on Dempster?

[jung]

We don't know how many years Napoli might be up to with somebody though. Maybe now the years are already up to 5 and the Sox don't want to go 6. I would not blame them.

 

I know the Sox are looking to fill a lotta' everyday slots or at least they appear to be. I am not at all convinced that makes sense for them. If striking out on Napoli and Swisher and even C. Ross means they believe they are forced to go hard at Hamilton, maybe that is the right direction for them to take instead of trying to fill so many slots like this.

 

All we are looking for is a fun team to watch this year that plays hard and at least give us a shot. I don't think realistic fans are looking for more than that this year. If you got Ells, Pedey, WMB with Hamilton and Ortiz anchoring the lineup, maybe Iggy at SS and Lavs/Ross behind the plate and Kalish in right is that so bad for a lineup? If scooping up at least one solid arm for the rotation and maybe eventually one more solid pen arm this year is possible is that so bad for one year? As long as that approach lands us a real shot in 2014 when the B's start showing up I think we are happy. But if this turns out to be a road to mediocrity year after year, well then I think the fan base is really going to be pissed.

 

The more we sign everyday players in bulk to try to do something semi-serious with this year, the more I think we doom ourselves to mediocrity over a longer stretch.

 

Oh and NO on Dempster...pllllleeeease

[BSN07]

We don't know how many years Napoli might be up to with somebody though. Maybe now the years are already up to 5 and the Sox don't want to go 6. I would not blame them.

 

I know the Sox are looking to fill a lotta' everyday slots or at least they appear to be. I am not at all convinced that makes sense for them. If striking out on Napoli and Swisher and even C. Ross means they believe they are forced to go hard at Hamilton, maybe that is the right direction for them to take instead of trying to fill so many slots like this.

 

All we are looking for is a fun team to watch this year that plays hard and at least give us a shot. I don't think realistic fans are looking for more than that this year. If you got Ells, Pedey, WMB with Hamilton and Ortiz anchoring the lineup, maybe Iggy at SS and Lavs/Ross behind the plate and Kalish in right is that so bad for a lineup? If scooping up at least one solid arm for the rotation and maybe eventually one more solid pen arm this year is possible is that so bad for one year? As long as that approach lands us a real shot in 2014 when the B's start showing up I think we are happy. But if this turns out to be a road to mediocrity year after year, well then I think the fan base is really going to be pissed.

 

The more we sign everyday players in bulk to try to do something semi-serious with this year, the more I think we doom ourselves to mediocrity over a longer stretch.

 

Oh and NO on Dempster...pllllleeeease

 

But the owners are pocketing all our moneyZ if they don't spend it now!!!!!:shock:

 

All joking aside it's hard to say which direction they are going in until a few more signings happening that help shape the off season outlook. Right now there's just so many different ways to go it's making everyone antzy haha

[a700hitter]

Oh and NO on Dempster...pllllleeeease

Why do they even kick the tires on this guy when there are other options to pursue?

[BSN07]

Why do they even kick the tires on this guy when there are other options to pursue?

 

Well to be honest, the Red Sox hat have been thrown in on every FA this off season just because they have money to spend. They might have just been doing the ol due diligence and it's getting reported because it's the Red Sox.

[SoxSport]

Did any of Ben's pitching pickups last year amount to anything? They contributed mightily to the team's bad ERA. I'll discount Bailey, because he got hurt and pitched well enough when he came back except for one bad outing where they left him in to give up 7 runs. This after pitching him in two consecutive previous days, as I recall. That one outing killed his ERA. He'll be OK this year if he's handled properly.

 

The Red Sox pitchers have had terrible coaching the past few years since Farrell left, and the betting is they will improve as a group this year without many personnel changes. I still have reservations about their rigid ideology on pitch counts, because it may affect arm strength in starters and lead to overuse of the bullpen. Can't prove that, but the whole pitch count philosophy hasn't been proven, either.

[rjortiz]

Who is expecting an immediate contender? I think most of us would be happy with a respectable team with a chance to play .500 ball and have meaningful games throughout August.

 

I think if they signed Swisher, Napoli, and Sanchez they would contend for the division.

[User Name]

I think if they signed Swisher, Napoli, and Sanchez they would contend for the division.

 

....but still be short on pitching, and probably regret at least two of those three signings in the long term, with Sanchez being almost certainly one of the busts.

[a700hitter]

It's looking like another slow day. Lots of boredom.

[rjortiz]

Dempster at 2/20 isn't the worst option in the world, BTW.

[Station 13]

Dempster at 2/20 isn't the worst option in the world, BTW.

 

yuck

[User Name]

Please no.

[seabeachfred]

Well, Toronto already has it's team pretty much in place. Also, the Yankees have locked down their starting pitching for the season. I don't think the Rays or the O's have holes like the Sox at this point.

 

Under normal circumstances my friend Dojji could have a point but most of us know that these are not normal circumstances. 69-93 and dead ass last in the AL East make this very un-normal circumstances. You said it yourself....The Yankees now have their starting rotation in check, the Jays have their lineup and rotation pretty well set, the Rays have the makings of a kick ass starting rotation and the O's are sky high with confidence after their great performance this season. There will still be some cautioning everyone to wait but I have noticed some impatience on the part of some posters who were calling for moderation before. Waiting for what Lucchino's gem of a conference is going to say.

[rjortiz]

....but still be short on pitching, and probably regret at least two of those three signings in the long term, with Sanchez being almost certainly one of the busts.

 

Sanchez is 28, and he's been a good pitcher his entire career. A rotation of Lester, Sanchez, Buchholz, Doubrount, and another pitcher like Dempster or Villanueva would be a decent enough rotation.

[rjortiz]

Please no.

 

Alternatives?

[Station 13]

Alternatives?

 

Dan Haren, Brandon McCarthy, on 1 year.

[User Name]

Dan Haren, Brandon McCarthy, on 1 year.

 

Shaun Marcum, Edwin Jackson.

 

Also rjortiz, what is it with that boner you have for Sanchez? He's not that good.

[Bellhorn04]

It's looking like another slow day. Lots of boredom.

 

Yes, another day with lots of good analysis and nothing actually happening.

[rjortiz]

Shaun Marcum, Edwin Jackson.

 

Also rjortiz, what is it with that boner you have for Sanchez? He's not that good.

 

Good strikeout numbers, has posted above average numbers the last few years. He's a solid three.

[rjortiz]

Dan Haren, Brandon McCarthy, on 1 year.

 

Shaun Marcum, Edwin Jackson.

 

Also rjortiz, what is it with that boner you have for Sanchez? He's not that good.

 

I like all of these options too. Would you be OK signing Jackson to a $36 million deal over 3 years?

[User Name]

Good strikeout numbers, has posted above average numbers the last few years. He's a solid three.

 

That's going to get paid almost like a #1, has never pitched 200 innings and only posted an ERA+ above 110 once over a full season.

[User Name]

I like all of these options too. Would you be OK signing Jackson to a $36 million deal over 3 years?

 

3/24. Jackson eats up inning, but he's simply not overpowering despite his K spike from last season.

[SoxSport]

Looks like most teams are waiting for the non-tender deadline Fri night, to see who's available. It could affect what direction they go--there will be more FAs available. Probably action this weekend.

[seabeachfred]

Please tell me the Dempster rumor isn't true. Another example of needless mediocrity on a mediocre pitching staff.This FO has a nasty tendency to prefer over the hill retread pitchers than giving the prospects festering in Pawtucket a real shot.

 

It's clear that Cherington is only a piece of the decision making machinery right now. Lucchino and Henry are in up front on the dealings. After last year, I doubt they trust him completely. Larry said on WEEI that it's the years, not the money that is the difference right now in their FA dealings with Napoli et al. He should know that nitpicking on years is a route to striking out. If you want the guy, you have to give him the extra year--or somebody else will.

 

Nitpicking is a way of life with Lucchino and Henry. It is way we lost Teixeira in 2008 and Damon three years earlier. So many of their dealings have blown up in their faces it's a wonder they have any of it left. The irony of ironies? We blow it on Napoli, Swisher and Ross and then make a big move towards Hamilton and wind up losing out there to a team that will give a little more money and an extra year. So we wind up with dumpster dumping again. Then we can hear the usual excuses..... WE MADE A NICE OFFER AND DID THE BEST WE COULD BUT WE HAD TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE. I just wonder if such a scenario goes down how many Red Sox fans will swallow those excuses again? Ticket buyers should stop in their tracks if this happens.

 

Now this is a doomsday scenario and I would think these guys are smart enough this time around not to try and be clever by half and screw things up royally.

 

Another day of getting nothing done. Seemin gly par for the course---and did anyone find out just what Larry's historic conference today was all about?

[BSN07]

Nats just traded for Span. If they sign Laroche, Morse could be available. I wouldn't mind him in LF/1B.

[mvp 78]

I liked Jackson last year, like him again this year. If I was going to overpay a pitcher, It'd be Greinke rather than Sanchez. Dempster is a fine NL pitcher.

 

Unless they trade for a front of the rotation guy, I'm not sure the rotation will be good enough to get them to the playoffs.