Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[seabeachfred]

Classic player bash on his old team. All players seem to do it no matter what. Crawford wasnt a fit here and should never been signed. Beckett was on his downward slide and should of been traded before the blockbuster, dont care bout nick punto he was just included guess cuz LA needed a utilty guy, AGon is the only true lose we had but if he dont have power we didnt need him. And if a player is not happy hes not gonna play well. So none of the reports of Crawford saying anything bout the Sox surprises me, i hope the Dodgers fall apart at the seam and the 200milliononly plus is just a waste and dont make the playoffs. With all their additions and big spending i still dont think they are better than the Giants.

 

Crawford is nothing more than a bellyacher and he has no one to blame but himself. He didn't do the job in Boston; in fact he was pretty ordinary and that's being kind in my opinon. If he thinks he slide in LA he is in for a rude shock. Somewhere those LA fans out here where I live have suddenly gotten some guts and balls and they now rip players who don't do the job----perhaps it came from McCourt's butchering of the team. Now there's a reason to be thankful. As bad as some of us think Henry and Co. have been past few years could you imagine w hat would have happened to the Red Sox if native Bostonian Frank McCourt had bought the team? No titles in 2004 or 2007 most likely.

[seabeachfred]

The season is still young, and it still would suprise me if Youk didnt throw a jab back at the FO and Bobby V especially (cant blame him for not liking Bobby V). It seems like when a player has a bitter taste of being traded away from the team he thought he would always be apart of, a bash always comes out. I hope it dont with Youk i hate seeing him in pinstripes most of all, but money is money and its the ultimate payback to win with your former teams biggest rival.

 

Crawford was just to bash the team for his sort comes and take the blame off himself.

 

MVP andd I haven't agreed on two much lately but he was spot on with Youkilis.....class all the way, and to say he will always be a Red Sock? Wow!!!!!!! I will root for him to do well for the Yankees, and if there is a game where we have a commanding lead against them I might even root for him to go out the yard. Personally, I think all Red Sox fans should have a warm place for Kevin.

[seabeachfred]

Someone could have mentioned this before but with no big 1B prospect in the system why not move Middlebrooks to 1B next season, Bogaerts to 3B with Iggy taking over at SS(Marrero possibly taking it from him eventually)?

 

Personally BSN, I don't want Middlebrooks being jerked around the infield. He is a third baseman and we should keep him there. Bogie is a shortstop. If Drew doesn't do the job, or does but we don't resign him, then we put Bogie on shortstop. As for Iggy, he does not hit and IMPO he is never going to hit well enough to claim a spot in our lineup. As for Marrero, keep in mind that he didn't exactly light it up offensively at Arizona State. I see him an Alex Cora type----a utility player at this point. Again, this is only my opinion, but I like the idea of having a young tandem on the left side of our infield with ability to mash 30 or more homers a year and drive in 100 runs for the next decade.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't care who plays SS. But I'd like to see all these kids get a serious shot at what they can do, instead of parking them all in Pawtucket. But they never get that shot with a position closed up already by an expensive player. Drew is the SS.

 

They just aren't willing yet to go to the prospects--preferring the veterans. Are any of those prospects ready yet? Who knows? They had no real clue about Middlebrooks, but were forced to bring him up when Youkilis got hurt. And if Drew gets hurt...

 

The prevailing view, it seems, is we talk prospects, but we go with the salaries. Because we have to be respectable--to sell tickets. And the money is there to spend.

 

If a prospect kicks ass at Pawtucket he's going to get the call up. But there really haven't been too many legit prospects kicking ass at Pawtucket in recent years. And Lavarnway and Iglesias just didn't show enough when they got their opportunities last year.

[mvp 78]

MVP andd I haven't agreed on two much lately but he was spot on with Youkilis.....class all the way, and to say he will always be a Red Sock? Wow!!!!!!! I will root for him to do well for the Yankees, and if there is a game where we have a commanding lead against them I might even root for him to go out the yard. Personally, I think all Red Sox fans should have a warm place for Kevin.

 

*Too

[jung]

Unfortunately for Iggy, there is a "B" barking up his ass already. I really think the clock either already has or is about to run out on Iggy. Lavs does not have that to contend with just yet.

[mvp 78]

Iglesias is 2 years younger than Lavarnway and an elite defender. Lavarnway is below average across the board. How has Jose's time run out, but Lavs is free to stick around?

 

That just makes no sense.

[jung]

I don't think Iggy's time as a player has run out at all. In fact I think Iggy will play ML baseball for somebody.....and have said so many times here.

 

As much as I like Iggy, he is atypical for a Boston SS. Now that the Sox can likely see light at the end of the tunnel for the eventual arrival of guys like Bogaertes I think time is running out on Iggy as a possible Red Sox SS. Getting him out of here may likely be the best thing for him. IMO, he will be under appreciated here as a SS even if he can get above the Mondoza line.

[Bellhorn04]

Iglesias is 2 years younger than Lavarnway and an elite defender. Lavarnway is below average across the board. How has Jose's time run out, but Lavs is free to stick around?

 

That just makes no sense.

 

Lavarnway's offensive numbers in minor league ball are the reason.

[SouthieFanatic]

Iggy is 2 years younger and I know I can't be the only one who looks at age as a big factor in development. For all the guys on here saying they shouldn't rush Bogaerts and Bradley, look at it like this. Iglesias is only 23, on average most guys don't break the roster with the RedSox til 22-24 anyway

[Dojji]

Iglesias is 2 years younger than Lavarnway and an elite defender. Lavarnway is below average across the board. How has Jose's time run out, but Lavs is free to stick around?

 

That just makes no sense.

 

If we had a young catcher as talented as Bogaerts, the same conversation would be happening with Lavarnway

[SoxSport]

You can kick ass in Pawtucket, but if your way up is blocked by a salary, you'll stay in Pawtucket.

[mvp 78]

You can kick ass in Pawtucket, but if your way up is blocked by a salary, you'll stay in Pawtucket.

 

With this ownership, that seems to be the case. Got to keep the ratings high on NESN.

[SoxSport]

Couldn't have said it any better myself. From what i've read on Bogaerts it sounds like he's oozing with confidence too

 

They don't have the balls to take chances. They have the money to spend on veterans, and think they can keep people in the seats that way. I suspect it's the reverse. The fans would rather see the prospects.

[mvp 78]

If we had a young catcher as talented as Bogaerts, the same conversation would be happening with Lavarnway

 

Even if Xander is not projected to play SS in MLB?

[mvp 78]

Lavarnway's offensive numbers in minor league ball are the reason.

 

And his defense still stinks. As a full time C last year, his power was sapped. I just don't see it.

 

Iglesias is an elite defensive SS. Lavarnway is below average in the field and struggled with the bat in Boston last year.

 

Saying he needs more time, but Iglesias is "done" is ridiculous.

[SoxSport]

Iggy is 2 years younger and I know I can't be the only one who looks at age as a big factor in development. For all the guys on here saying they shouldn't rush Bogaerts and Bradley, look at it like this. Iglesias is only 23, on average most guys don't break the roster with the RedSox til 22-24 anyway

 

Iggy needs more time. He hasn't had a full AAA season yet--needs it to develop his hitting.

 

The other 2 kids, you like to see in Boston sometime during the season if they progress further.

 

If any of these kids lights up in spring training, they should be given the opportunity to win a job on this team.

[mvp 78]

They don't have the balls to take chances. They have the money to spend on veterans, and think they can keep people in the seats that way. I suspect it's the reverse. The fans would rather see the prospects.

 

Fans would rather see wins or at least be familiar with the roster to root for their favorite players. With the roster turnover and short term veteran deals, I think the Sox won't please many over the next few years.

[mvp 78]

If any of these kids lights up in spring training, they should be given the opportunity to win a job on this team.

Or else why even invite them to big league camp, right?

 

If a kid is mashing in AAA, they shouldn't wait to bring him up. They have nothing to lose.

[SouthieFanatic]

Iggy needs more time. He hasn't had a full AAA season yet--needs it to develop his hitting.

 

The other 2 kids, you like to see in Boston sometime during the season if they progress further.

 

If any of these kids lights up in spring training, they should be given the opportunity to win a job on this team.

 

I agree! I'm very Pro-Bogaerts in the sense that if he does well in the WBC and spring training then why not?

[Dojji]

Even if Xander is not projected to play SS in MLB?

 

Considering that Lavarnway is projected as a DH who can play catcher by the same people who don't project Xander to play SS? I'm not sure your position is as solid as you're making it out to be.

 

Right now the consensus at Soxprospects is that Lavarnway is a fair bet to be the next Matthew LeCroy, but asking him to start as a fulltime catcher would be ludicrous.

[mvp 78]

So it's not concerning that Lavs (a projected DH) struggled mightily at the plate in Boston last year? Yuck.

[Bellhorn04]

You can kick ass in Pawtucket, but if your way up is blocked by a salary, you'll stay in Pawtucket.

 

Give me an example of a prospect who kicked ass in Pawtucket and got stuck there.

[Dojji]

So it's not concerning that Lavs (a projected DH) struggled mightily at the plate in Boston last year? Yuck.

 

Coincerning? Yes. Anything more than that? heck no. He struggled in his first chance at consistent big league PT. A lot of players do that in their first 200 PA's.

 

If you're using it to say now might be a good time to withhold judgment on Lavarnway becoming the next big thing, I'd call that reasonable. If you're prepared to give up on Lavarnway on that basis, you're moving too soon based on too little information

[mvp 78]

My only point is that it doesn't make sense to give up on younger Iglesias, but give more leeway to Lavarnway.

[jung]

I would guess that what will happen is that at some point with one of the B's waiting in the wings, some team that values SS like Iggy more highly than the Sox are ever going to value him, will end up trading a player to Boston that is more of a Boston/Fenway typical player and hence valued more highly by the Boston FO. IMO, That will end up being Iggy's path to ending up in a ML uniform with more permanence than he will ever enjoy here.

[a700hitter]

I don't get all the negativity about Lavs bat. I thought he was supposed to be the real deal with the bat, and the problem was going to be getting him a position because he was weak offensively. This is why I never put much stock in prospects. Fortunes change overnight with kids, and our organization seems to be wrong more than it is right with evaluations. Anthony Renaudo anyone?

[Palodios]

Give me an example of a prospect who kicked ass in Pawtucket and got stuck there.

 

It happens pretty frequently. The guy who has options usually gets the boot for the guys who don't. It seems to happen less for "Can't-miss prospects" than the mid-tier guys, but it happens.

 

Clayton Mortensen posted a 1.94 ERA in Pawtucket last year. Alex Wilson has a 10 K/9 and low ERA in Pawtucket, but he's been stuck there for a while. Daniel Nava has a .380 OBP in AAA year after year, but he's always one of the last guys to get the call. Yamaico Navarro had some good seasons at AAA as well, although he turned out to really stink.

[Bellhorn04]

It happens pretty frequently. The guy who has options usually gets the boot for the guys who don't. It seems to happen less for "Can't-miss prospects" than the mid-tier guys, but it happens.

 

Clayton Mortensen posted a 1.94 ERA in Pawtucket last year. Alex Wilson has a 10 K/9 and low ERA in Pawtucket, but he's been stuck there for a while. Daniel Nava has a .380 OBP in AAA year after year, but he's always one of the last guys to get the call. Yamaico Navarro had some good seasons at AAA as well, although he turned out to really stink.

 

The guys you mentioned are all pretty low-tier. I thought we were talking about bigger prospects than that.

 

Wilson's WHIP at Pawtucket last year was 1.50. Not exactly lights-out.

[dupree]

I was a big fan of the Sox signing Jair Jurrgens, but three weeks after the announcement of signing a major league deal with the Orioles, he signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training for lower than the 1.5 million guarantee. Guess his right knee is still an issue.

 

So maybe the Sox were smart to pass on him. And maybe the same holds true with Haren and McCarthy who i thought should have been added to this rotation.