Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[a700hitter]

Per Peter A today:

So, the Red Sox dropped roughly $95.275 and will add roughly $95.66 million. Their payroll will remain pretty much what it was last season, around $176 million. That is just under the $178 million line for paying the competitive balance tax.

[Lucienbel]

I am not seeing the wisdom in this.

 

Me either. Very strange..... I hope this isn't some sort of "backup plan". Either way, not the most thrilling thing to hear.

[mvp 78]

Sox looking at Abreu? Really?

[seabeachfred]

Sox looking at Abreu? Really?

 

This is only something idiots like Cherington and Lucchino could think up----looking at Bobby Abreu. My God, the guy stunk and was released by the Angels. The Dodgers got him and he played so piss poor that they DFA'd him. When no one claimed him he gladly went down to the minors. I mean did he really want to play that bad and prolong his diasatrous closing part of his career? He then was called back up by the Dodgers, failed miserably and was again released....AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HIM TO PLAY FOR US AT A POSITION HE HAS NEVER PLAYED BEFORE? The guy can no longer hit, can't run, and never was much of a fielder when he played the OF. And we want him to play 1B for us?

 

If this is true and he is signed, which I cannot believe is true, both Cherington and Lucchino should go out to the woods and blow their f***ing brains out.

[a700hitter]

It's pretty obvious that Abreu's tank is empty. This just would make no sense.

[Elktonnick]

It's pretty obvious that Abreu's tank is empty. This just would make no sense.

 

Can Jason Varitek be far behind?

[BSN07]

It makes sense to fly in some scouts to see if he can mange 1B. He's likely the LHH part of a possible platoon option in case Napoli signs elsewhere, which seems to be a likely scenario.

 

Lee/Abreu on one year deals might be better then Napoli on a 3 year deal(if thats what he is still after). If Abreu and Lee bomb they are easy to shed. If Naploi's hip goes bump in the night they are stuck with him. Just throwing another perspective out there.

[BSN07]

It makes sense to fly in some scouts to see if he can mange 1B. He's likely the LHH part of a possible platoon option in case Napoli signs elsewhere, which seems to be a likely scenario.

 

Lee/Abreu on one year deals might be better then Napoli on a 3 year deal(if thats what he is still after). If Abreu and Lee bomb they are easy to shed. If Naploi's hip goes bump in the night they are stuck with him. Just throwing another perspective out there.

[BSN07]

Minnesota is desperate for SP. I wonder if Lackey shows he's healthy in the spring if they would do some sort of Lackey for Morneau type deal. Sox can pick up the tab for both players this season. And then Minnesota has Lackey for like 3/30M(that's including the league minimum added year). Minnesota has a huge pitchers park and although he might be the head of the rotation by default as a Twin, Lackey is probably still a #3-4 SP outside of Boston and having that at 10M a season is a pretty good deal considering the market.

[mvp 78]

I want no part of Abreu or that fat ass Lee. If you want replacement level production, might as well pencil in Gomez and save the roster spots.

[a700hitter]

With Carlos Lee and Bobby Abreu's on the same roster, there would be no leftovers from the post game spread.

[mvp 78]

With Carlos Lee and Bobby Abreu's on the same roster, there would be no leftovers from the post game spread.

 

John Tomase's greatest nightmare...

[a700hitter]

John Tomase's greatest nightmare...

[seabeachfred]

Abreu and Lee platooning for us on first base? One can even play good defense in the outfield, can't hit anymore and was rejected by his last two teams because he couldn't do the job. As for Lee, look at his power numbers the past two years. He is fading faster than a pair of 20 year jeans. These two are even worse than having Gomez playing first for us, and I don't want any part of that bum either.

 

Sign Napoli and get a decent first baseman Cherington. Stop playing your assinine games.

[User Name]

Red Sox Looking At Bobby Abreu

By Mark Polishuk [January 1 at 3:58pm CST]

 

TUESDAY, 3:58pm: A major league source somewhat dismissively labeled the trip as "background work" and "nothing more than a scouting assignment" in a conversation with Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Abreu would be a possible fit as another left-handed-hitting outfielder to split time with Jonny Gomes in left field, but he turns 39 in March and hit just .242/.350/.342 in 257 PAs for the Angels and Dodgers.

 

The Red Sox also expressed some interest in fellow available veteran Lance Berkman, but they are not believed to still be considering him. Recently, a team official said the Sox would be "comfortable" with either Ryan Kalish or Daniel Nava splitting time with Gomes, but cautioned that a move for another outfielder couldn't be ruled out.

[jung]

What now appears to be the inevitable "couldn't be ruled out" comment again.

 

I suspect that if somebody asked a Sox baseball ops rep if there was a chance that Ferrell would be fired and another manager hired before the 2013 season even started the response back would be " we consider it highly unlikely but the possibility couldn't be ruled out."

[SCM33]

Abreu and Lee platooning for us on first base? One can even play good defense in the outfield, can't hit anymore and was rejected by his last two teams because he couldn't do the job. As for Lee, look at his power numbers the past two years. He is fading faster than a pair of 20 year jeans. These two are even worse than having Gomez playing first for us, and I don't want any part of that bum either.

 

Sign Napoli and get a decent first baseman Cherington. Stop playing your assinine games.

 

You do realize that Napoli will play 1B for us right?

 

I could argue every option they have available is a bad one. Whether you want to believe it or not, the best option might be to hold on to the checkbook and let Gomez play.

[a700hitter]

You do realize that Napoli will play 1B for us right?

 

I could argue every option they have available is a bad one. Whether you want to believe it or not, the best option might be to hold on to the checkbook and let Gomez play.

 

They should still be pursuing pitching, not a first baseman with a bum hip.

[a700hitter]

The Mets, Twins, Cubs and Padres are interested in Marcum. The Mets should be easy enough to knock out of the box as they are still on an austerity budget. The Cubs have plenty of money for Theo to squander. Hopefully, we can give him an attractive 1 year deal that will help him rebuild his long term value. Jurjensbis still available too.

[a700hitter]

From Peter A:

 

General manager Ben Cherington has dramatically changed the roster of a team that lost 93 games last season.

 

But only 16 percent of all the money spent has gone to improve the team’s greatest weakness: the starting rotation. Pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, Fla., six weeks from today, and the Red Sox have a group of starting pitchers who can’t yet be considered trustworthy.

 

Cherington,s quote below is some serious "head up ass" thinking. He's expecting improvement not from 1 or 2 pitchers, but 3 pitchers. Great plan. Let's all cross our fingers and wish.

 

The three pitchers who started the most games — Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Felix Doubront — return as the core of the rotation. Lester had a 4.82 ERA, Buchholz a 4.56, and Doubront a 4.86.

 

“The players who are returning need to improve — that is more important than anything else,” Cherington said. “We’re confident that will happen.”

[BSN07]

From Peter A:

 

 

 

Cherington,s quote below is some serious "head up ass" thinking. He's expecting improvement not from 1 or 2 pitchers, but 3 pitchers. Great plan. Let's all cross our fingers and wish.

 

Ya it's a bit of a gamble. But considering who was out there and going for what it's not surprising they didn't spend a lot of the money on SP. But if Felix, or Verlander or some big SP with no issues(Grienke) the spending could have looked very different.

 

And let's not just totally pass on the thought of Lester and Bucc actually coming back to career norms, instead of going down in flames. they had one bad season. It happens. With last years atmosphere it's not surprising a number of players bad below career years.

 

Last season killed a lot of optimism around here. Thinking Lester and Bucc pitching to career averages and Felix continuing along his development path are not outlandish expectations.

[jacksonianmarch]

BSN, what is Clay Buchholz' norm? He hasnt been healthy enough to establish one.

 

We know what Lester was capable of doing before he took a nosedive, but what can anyone expect from Buchholz? He's bipolar, injury prone and has too many stretches of ineffectiveness.

[a700hitter]

and the excuses for not building the team the right way begin. Who was out there? The guys we have should improve. . . yada yada yada. The Stockholm syndrome starts to take form. Everyone went into the off season acknowledging that the pitching needed to be improved. Everyone also said to stay away from Dempster, but as the options dwindle everyone forgets what we needed and starts to believe we have what is needed. Hogwash. This is essentially the same group of starters less Beckett who have been dragging this team to embarrassing levels since September 2011, but we expect that to miraculously change with the acquisition of Dempster? I think people are just kidding themselves.

[BSN07]

BSN, what is Clay Buchholz' norm? He hasnt been healthy enough to establish one.

 

We know what Lester was capable of doing before he took a nosedive, but what can anyone expect from Buchholz? He's bipolar, injury prone and has too many stretches of ineffectiveness.

 

25+ starts, 170-180 IP, 3.5-4 ERA

 

If he provided that I would consider it rebounding from last season but wouldn't be overly surprised by that production thus why I think that would be his "norm".

[BSN07]

and the excuses for not building the team the right way begin. Who was out there? The guys we have should improve. . . yada yada yada. The Stockholm syndrome starts to take form. Everyone went into the off season acknowledging that the pitching needed to be improved. Everyone also said to stay away from Dempster, but as the options dwindle everyone forgets what we needed and starts to believe we have what is needed. Hogwash. This is essentially the same group of starters less Beckett who have been dragging this team to embarrassing levels since September 2011, but we expect that to miraculously change with the acquisition of Dempster? I think people are just kidding themselves.

 

The pitching did need improvement. They added Dempster(I'm luke warm with him) and added some nice BP pieces to make it a strength for the team. The top tier SP was too expensive. Grienke was too long and too much. Sanchez hit the lottery when Cain and Hammels got extended. The pool below that had Dempster in it which they signed. They didn't add anything flashy or fix the pitching with one big move. They made some smaller moves and are looking to Lester and Bucc to step up. Which isn't absurd. Teams do this all the time. Just because someone they are tied into long term doesn't work one season you dump them. I don't see why some find it so inconceivable that these guys bounce back in some manor. Lester has had one bad season. One. Before that he was considered one of the best LHP in the game.

 

A lot are looking at just last season as to what they should expect from the rotation in 2013. That's ridiculous.

 

If s*** hits the fan and Lester and Bucc crumble, well it will be a lost season anyways. But the Sox will have plenty of chips to trade away and that will bring in some youth to a nice developing core in the Sox system and free up some funds as well. So either way I see a positive outcome.

[Bellhorn04]

This is essentially the same group of starters less Beckett who have been dragging this team to embarrassing levels since September 2011, but we expect that to miraculously change with the acquisition of Dempster? I think people are just kidding themselves.

 

I'm not kidding myself. I know you could be right, that the pitching could be a disaster again. I'm hoping it's not that way, as I know you are too.

[jung]

I wonder if there is anyway for us on the outside looking in to understand how the advance ticket sales are going so far.

[a700hitter]

I'm not kidding myself. I know you could be right, that the pitching could be a disaster again. I'm hoping it's not that way, as I know you are too.

It's better to have opened eyes. We can hope for a surprise, but if it doesn't happen the disappointment will not be as crushing, because we knew the probability that it would come. I am still hoping for some reinforcements. I never give up hope.

[a700hitter]

The pitching did need improvement. They added Dempster(I'm luke warm with him) and added some nice BP pieces to make it a strength for the team. The top tier SP was too expensive. Grienke was too long and too much. Sanchez hit the lottery when Cain and Hammels got extended. The pool below that had Dempster in it which they signed. They didn't add anything flashy or fix the pitching with one big move. They made some smaller moves and are looking to Lester and Bucc to step up. Which isn't absurd. Teams do this all the time. Just because someone they are tied into long term doesn't work one season you dump them. I don't see why some find it so inconceivable that these guys bounce back in some manor. Lester has had one bad season. One. Before that he was considered one of the best LHP in the game.

 

A lot are looking at just last season as to what they should expect from the rotation in 2013. That's ridiculous.

 

If s*** hits the fan and Lester and Bucc crumble, well it will be a lost season anyways. But the Sox will have plenty of chips to trade away and that will bring in some youth to a nice developing core in the Sox system and free up some funds as well. So either way I see a positive outcome.

Excuses and rationalizations. It wasn't just last year. The rotation in September 2011 fell apart. Expecting essentially the same group to make a big turnaround is unreasonable IMO.

 

They still need pitching help. What we have now is very thin and very flawed. The Blue Jays added Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle and CY Young winner, RA Dickey. We added Dempster, but make excuses that the FO did its best. The FO needs to do more. If this is what we go to Ft. Myers with, well, they will have done a lousy job.

[BSN07]

Excuses and rationalizations. It wasn't just last year. The rotation in September 2011 fell apart. Expecting essentially the same group to make a big turnaround is unreasonable IMO.

 

They still need pitching help. What we have now is very thin and very flawed. The Blue Jays added Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle and CY Young winner, RA Dickey. We added Dempster, but make excuses that the FO did its best. The FO needs to do more. If this is what we go to Ft. Myers with, well, they will have done a lousy job.

 

I'm not making excuses for anybody. There wasn't anyone on the market I felt gave them what they needed at the prices they were going for. That's it. I'm not apologizing or making excuses for the FO just because the way I view things is similar. And I'm not blaming them for not getting what wasn't actually there. If that's making excuses for them, then that's a fairly warped view at things.

 

 

BTW I'm don't like or dislike the FO. I'm pretty much in the middle, they have done nothing to swing me either way.