Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[bubbakeg52]

Deep Depth for the team next year says Luchinno.

Does that mean both Swisher and Victorino

This what they should do.

Sign Napoli,LaRoche,Swisher,Ross,and Drew.

59mil added for the lineup..Good for rebuilding

Then add a SP via trade, Salty,Aceves,andMinor League.

 

Cf-Ellsbury

2b-Pedroia

C-Napoli 14mil

Rf-Swisher 15 mil

DH-Ortiz

3b-Middlebrooks

1b-LaRoche 14mil

Lf-Ross 8 mil

SS-Drew 8 mil

 

Vargas/Neise

[a700hitter]

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?

I am not out on a ledge yet, but I am not going to want to hear any excuses if we come out of this with just some dumpster diving. I am not big on excuses, because they are just loser's laments. There will be arguments that they were patient and that there were no short term fixes and yada yada yada. Just excuses. Doing nothing doesn't help in the short term and I fail to see how it helps build for the future. If they decide to reuild, then trade you aging valuable big ticket guys like Ortiz and ... Oh, that's right we don't have any of those guys. Doing nothing doesn't help now or later. I am holding out hope for moves this weekend after the non-tenders.

[a700hitter]

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

It is more likely that this move means that Morse will play 1B and LaRoche will walk.

[Palodios]

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

 

Why would they trade a 30 year old first baseman with a career .347 OBP and .839 OPS, and then immediately sign a 33 year old first baseman with a career .338 OBP /.820 OPS?

 

This probably means the end of Laroche's time in Washington, and delivers him into Boston's lap for a 2/20 deal.

[BSN07]

Deep Depth for the team next year says Luchinno.

Does that mean both Swisher and Victorino

This what they should do.

Sign Napoli,LaRoche,Swisher,Ross,and Drew.

59mil added for the lineup..Good for rebuilding

Then add a SP via trade, Salty,Aceves,andMinor League.

 

Cf-Ellsbury

2b-Pedroia

C-Napoli 14mil

Rf-Swisher 15 mil

DH-Ortiz

3b-Middlebrooks

1b-LaRoche 14mil

Lf-Ross 8 mil

SS-Drew 8 mil

 

Vargas/Neise

 

Vargas is interesting but Niese would get eaten alive in the AL.

[bubbakeg52]

Why shouldn't the Red Sox sign LaRoche and Napoli. Napoli wants to catch and they need a glove with some power at 1b. Some people think they can save the 14 mil and play Swisher in OF and 1b. Why not add some more bats and not worry about the money if your sticking with the same rotation. They need to improve the lineup more than Swisher and Napoli b/c Rotation hasn't been fixed in the past 2 years and thats their main problem. Not sure how Wilson as closer can improve the team

[Behindenemylines]

As long as Napoli wants 4 years the Sox won't bit on that. LaRoche wants 3 years and the Nats trade for Spann ends his stay in D.C. The rumors of the Sox talking to him again are picking up.

[seabeachfred]

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.

 

I saw Dempster pitch against the Red Sox in Chicago last June and he looked terrific, shu tting us out. Consider though what kind of team we had, however. I saw him on TV a number of times after he was traded to Texas and the Angels and others thorougly beat the living crap out of him. If genius Larry Lucchino really thinks this gu y is going to make our rotaton a solid one, well I can only guess what he's been smoking. No on this guy.

[BSN07]

As long as Napoli wants 4 years the Sox won't bit on that. LaRoche wants 3 years and the Nats trade for Spann ends his stay in D.C. The rumors of the Sox talking to him again are picking up.

 

I'd rather they not lock into Laroche long term.

 

I think Laroche signs with Baltimore.

[jung]

I could be OK with LaRoche. Fills a hole. Still leaves room for a blockbuster move and/or pitching help. 3/36 looks like the low end and 3/42 looks like the upper reaches for him. He is unfortunately another LHer but hey we should be able to live with that.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Why would they trade a 30 year old first baseman with a career .347 OBP and .839 OPS, and then immediately sign a 33 year old first baseman with a career .338 OBP /.820 OPS?

 

This probably means the end of Laroche's time in Washington, and delivers him into Boston's lap for a 2/20 deal.

 

Morse is coming off a .791 OPS, and had a .321 OBP this year after missing around 60 games to an injury. He's in the final year of his contract, too, so if they do choose to go with Morse, they are going to have to make sure that he's healthy enough to play a full season, and that they will be able to resign him.

 

LaRoche had a .853 OPS last year (.343 OBP) and plays gold glove defense (even though the actual award is a load of horse s***, he still plays excellent defense).

 

I'm not saying they will certainly let LaRoche walk, but its not a certainty that they take Morse over LaRoche by any means.

[seabeachfred]

I'd rather they not lock into Laroche long term.

 

I think Laroche signs with Baltimore.

 

BSN, it seems like Napoli, Laroche, Swisher and all the choice cuts out there all want at least three years. If we hold tight to two year contracts it most likely means we could end up with bumpkiss, pretty much like last year. That can only mean three things. One, they really believe Travis Shaw is a future comer even though last time I checked he wasn't listed in our top 20 prospects, let along o ur top ten. Secondly, Henry is going to hold on to his filthy money and use the dumpster again to fill in holes. Tickets bu yers get ready to boycott the games. Or three, they actually would consider bringing back the miserable James Loney to platoon with Moron Gomez for another year or two.

 

A total recipe for disaster.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Russell Martin just signed with the Pirates.

 

If the Sox can sign Napoli, that's going to build tremendous value for Salty. The Rangers and Yankees both really need a catcher. Although the Yanks would likely not trade directly w the Sox, a 3-way deal should not be ruled out by any means.

 

And a 4th year for Napoli without giving up a draft pick is much more valuable to this team than LaRoche for 3 years and no 2nd round pick, if that's the alternative.

[jung]

Thank you SFF. Glad folks are starting to see through this GG horse dung. Most overblown irrelevant and unsubstantiated award in baseball IMO. That said I think LaRoche can be had for a max of 3 years...maybe 2 but a max of 3. So I am already liking it. Another of those kinds of moves that the Sox should be on I think.

[seabeachfred]

Makes sense to me Forsythe. One more year and keep from losing a draft choice, which are becoming like gold with each passing year. Besides, Napoli has versatility. He can catch, play first, DH (which he could slide into after Ortiz finally leaves after the 2014 season. I just hope they enter the Winter Meetings with a solid plan and an alternate one and come home with some concrete signings. Coming home without having made a couple of signings is not a sign of patience and careful deliberation in my opinion but inertia and an incapabiity of getting the job done. If they can't pull a trigger or two here can we really expect them to do it the rest of the month while, most likely, the few attractive FA disappear from the screen. I hope this time they strike paydirt because it is now high time for them to do something.

[jacksonianmarch]

Russell Martin just signed with the Pirates.

 

If the Sox can sign Napoli, that's going to build tremendous value for Salty. The Rangers and Yankees both really need a catcher. Although the Yanks would likely not trade directly w the Sox, a 3-way deal should not be ruled out by any means.

 

And a 4th year for Napoli without giving up a draft pick is much more valuable to this team than LaRoche for 3 years and no 2nd round pick, if that's the alternative.

 

The Yankees do not want Salty, period.

[jung]

I just don't see a plan for Napoli here. Just don't see it.

[jacksonianmarch]

I could see Napoli with NY, a way to break Romine in as an everyday catcher over time.

[Spitball]

I could see Napoli with NY, a way to break Romine in as an everyday catcher over time.

 

I saw Romine catching for Trenton a couple of years ago in Portland, Maine. Geesh, the guy looked like a first baseman trying to play catcher. He had absolutely no movement behind the plate. He reached for everything. In fact, the winning run for the Sea Dogs was scored as he tried to backhand a ball breaking into the dirt to his right. A catcher has to shift his body in front of that pitch. And he wasn't caught off guard by the pitch because the previous three pitches had been almost in the same spot except he had managed to backhand the ones not in the dirt.

 

Maybe he has refined his defensive skills in the last few seasons. That night, he looked like a player totally out of position.

 

Btw, we were staying at the Sheraton in South Portland where the Thunder were staying. We sat in the bar with Thunder coaches Frankie Menechino, Tommy Phelps, and another coach. Phelps was very cool and friendly. He discussed the game like a regular guy. The Hispanic coach was a nice guy, but Menechino was a jerk and way too macho to to be friendly.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I could see Napoli with NY, a way to break Romine in as an everyday catcher over time.

 

Yes.

 

The Yankees couldn't give Martin, a player who would catch 130 games , more than 2/17, and told him they didn't have the cash to match that deal. But they will turn around and give Napoli 4/48-50 which is what it will take to get him from the Slx, who have publicly stated that he is their number 1 target. And Napoli will catch around 70 games. Then steal DH time from Jeter and ARod.

 

No chance.

[jung]

Napoli is the Sox #1 target according to Scott Lauber of the Harold who is quoting an "industry source" which means it is not even a Sox source. So Lauber is quoting second hand from somebody who must claim to know somebody within the Sox organization...nice work Scott.

 

They may be after Napoli at some level and he may be their #1 target although that does not make much sense. But Lauber quoting somebody who must be attempting to quote somebody from inside the Sox organization is a little far removed for me to consider that likely. Sounds more like a Napoli agent plant to me.

[SoxSport]

With the Span trade, from tweets tonite, attention seems to be focussing on LaRoche rather than Napoli--LaRoche is better defensively at 1B and can be had for 3 yrs while Napoli wants 4. As for the Yankees, they couldn't afford to match the Pirates' offer for Martin, so it's hard to see them going for Napoli who is much more expensive. The dust won't begin to settle until tommorrow at midnight, when all non-tendered players will turn into pumpkins.

[seabeachfred]

Yes.

 

The Yankees couldn't give Martin, a player who would catch 130 games , more than 2/17, and told him they didn't have the cash to match that deal. But they will turn around and give Napoli 4/48-50 which is what it will take to get him from the Slx, who have publicly stated that he is their number 1 target. And Napoli will catch around 70 games. Then steal DH time from Jeter and ARod.

 

No chance.

 

Don't go there Forsythe. Never ever underestimate the Yankees. We've been bloodied by them before, thinking we had first dibs on a player only to have that team swoop down and take Damon and Teixeira away from us. If they know we want a player and it is one they could use too, all they have to do is wait until Lucchino and Henry try to get too clever, split hairs and nitpick their way away from that player. If the Red Sox want Napoli they had better sign him soon......like tomorrow, or the Yankees will get in the game.

[RedSoxNC84]

I'm thinking LaRoche is at first, Salty is the starting catcher, Napoli goes back to Texas.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Don't go there Forsythe. Never ever underestimate the Yankees. We've been bloodied by them before, thinking we had first dibs on a player only to have that team swoop down and take Damon and Teixeira away from us. If they know we want a player and it is one they could use too, all they have to do is wait until Lucchino and Henry try to get too clever, split hairs and nitpick their way away from that player.

Or they could just, you know, outbid the Red Sox. Seeing as that's how they won the other two battles you mentioned.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yes.

 

The Yankees couldn't give Martin, a player who would catch 130 games , more than 2/17, and told him they didn't have the cash to match that deal. But they will turn around and give Napoli 4/48-50 which is what it will take to get him from the Slx, who have publicly stated that he is their number 1 target. And Napoli will catch around 70 games. Then steal DH time from Jeter and ARod.

 

No chance.

 

I am not sure how committed they were to Martin at catcher. They loved his defense, but his offense was putrid. They have options in house with Romine being the one who I think will take over eventually. I just didn't think it was gonna be this yr. But Napoli would give them offense from the position to counteract Romine for half the games in 2013, then see if the kid sinks or swims enough to win the job outright for 2014, moving Napoli to DH

[BSN07]

BSN, it seems like Napoli, Laroche, Swisher and all the choice cuts out there all want at least three years. If we hold tight to two year contracts it most likely means we could end up with bumpkiss, pretty much like last year. That can only mean three things. One, they really believe Travis Shaw is a future comer even though last time I checked he wasn't listed in our top 20 prospects, let along o ur top ten. Secondly, Henry is going to hold on to his filthy money and use the dumpster again to fill in holes. Tickets bu yers get ready to boycott the games. Or three, they actually would consider bringing back the miserable James Loney to platoon with Moron Gomez for another year or two.

 

A total recipe for disaster.

 

Napoli and Swisher are better fits on the Red Sox because of ther versatility and RHH ability. So I'm fine with an extra year for them. I don't see Laroche as a good fit and don't see any reason to offer him more then one year. Which probably doesn't get him, but I'd rather seem some sort of Gomez/Sands platoon instead of Laroche. I don't dislike the guy, I just don't like the fit.

[BSN07]

I could see Napoli with NY, a way to break Romine in as an everyday catcher over time.

 

They claimed to not be able to match the Pirates offer of 17m, but you see them getting Napoli?

[BSN07]

Don't go there Forsythe. Never ever underestimate the Yankees. We've been bloodied by them before, thinking we had first dibs on a player only to have that team swoop down and take Damon and Teixeira away from us. If they know we want a player and it is one they could use too, all they have to do is wait until Lucchino and Henry try to get too clever, split hairs and nitpick their way away from that player. If the Red Sox want Napoli they had better sign him soon......like tomorrow, or the Yankees will get in the game.

 

Your worried about the old Yankees. NY is cutting payroll by 10% to gut under the LT. This isn't George at the helm anymore. Russel Martin at 2/17m is extremely good value and he was one of the best catching options available and NY of all places let him get away. That speaks volumes to me.

 

 

The Dodgers are the team writing blank checks now.

[BSN07]

I am not sure how committed they were to Martin at catcher. They loved his defense, but his offense was putrid. They have options in house with Romine being the one who I think will take over eventually. I just didn't think it was gonna be this yr. But Napoli would give them offense from the position to counteract Romine for half the games in 2013, then see if the kid sinks or swims enough to win the job outright for 2014, moving Napoli to DH

 

I haven't had to see you spin anything in awhile