Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[a700hitter]

Ok, it's not an unreasonable way to look at it.

 

I guess I look at it as more of Ellsbury is here for this season, and highly unlikely to re-sign in Boston(Boras will be asking for a Crawford deal, I have absolutely no doubts) and getting back a young SP that has mid to upper rotation potential for at least 2 seasons is about the best I think we could expect for one year of Ellsbury with his inconsistent history.

I wouldn't mind getting Andrus back in that swap instead of Porcello.

[jung]

I was more referring to how long it has taken to announce on Gomes. It is not like the reports have been that they were close to a deal....the news has been that the deal is done. That was from last week I believe.

 

Oh yes...Thanksgiving must have gotten in the way this time. We could not even start the manager hunt until LL came back from his European escapades.

 

"Sorry...we can't even start the manager hunt...LL is still sipping Chianti on the continent".

[wyo-sox]

This season will be ever so interesting for Ells. If he has a repeat of last year, I doubt he gets much of a pay day. Boras can demand what he wants, but it is up to Ells to prove what kind of player he is. Another average or sub par year and nobody will care about that one great season a few years ago, and when he becomes a free agent it will be a few years ago.

 

To me he would be the toughest player to decide what to do with. I think I would trade him in season when he has his first hot streak.

[BSN07]

I wouldn't mind getting Andrus back in that swap instead of Porcello.

 

I like Andrus but it would be the same situation as Ellsbury. One year left, highly unlikely to sign. Boras will start at Jose Reyes contract minimum. Again another deal the Sox are highly unlikely to want to commit too.

[BSN07]

I was more referring to how long it has taken to announce on Gomes. It is not like the reports have been that they were close to a deal....the news has been that the deal is done. That was from last week I believe.

 

Oh yes...Thanksgiving must have gotten in the way this time. We could not even start the manager hunt until LL came back from his European escapades.

 

"Sorry...we can't even start the manager hunt...LL is still sipping Chianti on the continent".

 

Gotcha and agree, I can't believe they haven't made that crap official.

[BSN07]

This season will be ever so interesting for Ells. If he has a repeat of last year, I doubt he gets much of a pay day. Boras can demand what he wants, but it is up to Ells to prove what kind of player he is. Another average or sub par year and nobody will care about that one great season a few years ago, and when he becomes a free agent it will be a few years ago.

 

To me he would be the toughest player to decide what to do with. I think I would trade him in season when he has his first hot streak.

 

Even if he doesn't have a great year he's will get at least Upton-Bourn money.

 

If he hit's 30 HR Boras will be calling him the next Babe Ruth and will be asking for 200M If he has a good season I expect Seattle to go aggressively after him. They have money to spend.

[jung]

If Ells can't play at least 130-140 games this season I think that becomes the bigger problem for him unless he puts up astronomical numbers over a short number of games. It is not going to matter that these are kinda' freak injuries....to many and he looks both reckless and fragile. You can actually make a case for both. Besides, if he suffers an injury in a previously injured area teams might think he has really turned into Mr Glass.

 

He needs to play a full season this year AND put up serious numbers. While I agree he will get paid. The way baseball has gone you can make just insane money. He will not get the insane money unless he plays a full season and puts up serious numbers.

[BSN07]

I mentioned it this morning but it kind of got glazed over, but the Angels are shopping Walden. Dude had a 11.1 K/9 last season. Bard, Bailey and Walden makes for a promising back end of the BP.

[a700hitter]

I mentioned it this morning but it kind of got glazed over, but the Angels are shopping Walden. Dude had a 11.1 K/9 last season. Bard, Bailey and Walden makes for a promising back end of the BP.

I am not sure how much promise Bard has at this juncture. He looked like a shot pitcher at the end of last season.

[Dojji]

I'm not looking at the bullpen at all until greater needs are met.

[jung]

Holy Baseball Helmut Batman....we aren't depending on Bard for anything are we? As for Bailey....I remain uninspired to date.....waiting for the next hangnail to sideline him for four months.

 

That said, the pen is the "strength" of this Red Sox team. So I would not be lookin' there either until we get some other business taken care of.

 

Apparently that darned signature page has gone missing again from Red Sox contracts. So it takes two weeks for done deals to finally be done.

[seabeachfred]

He'd be an improvement, but Dombrowski is a good negotiator. We'd have to see what he wants. They need a SS and some OF help, and we have none to offer that we don't need.

 

I am wondering what the Tigers are going to do with VMart when he comes back. There's no room at first base. He can't catch with the bad knee. Unless they make him a full time DH, they might be looking to move him. He'd be a good fit at first base for the Sox.

 

When Martinez was on the Red Sox, I referred to him as "my man Victor" which pleased some on another board and ticked others off since some didn't like him. Martinez would be ideal for our team if we could get him, but the hangup is what the Tigers would want in exchange. See guys, we're back talking baseball----and I'm looking forward to those Winter Meetings which begin on Sunday just so long as when it is over I don't hear "we've established the ground work by Cherington and see some concrete moves. The wait should be over by then.... in my opinion.

[seabeachfred]

Like I said in the other thread it means they have had talks. If it was BS he would say it. He's not backing himself into a corner with a firm answer. This could also lead to the COF acquisition ex1 had reffered to if it's for Myers or Gordon.

 

Hell BSN, I hope it is Myers and not Gordon. We are already too lefthanded in the lineup and with some of our prospects. Besides Myers is younger and I think would fit in better. Of course, this is Lucchino talking, the master of BS. If the person he is hinting at is Gomes people should think twice immediately about purchasing tickets. Let's get something done this time around.

[Dojji]

Why would you think that? THings are never settled at the Winter Meetings. Impatient fans expect that every year, as if meeting for a couple days settles everything immediately, and every year they come away disappointed. One would have expected them to grasp the pattern by now.

[Bellhorn04]

Things will pick up at the winter meetings. It's actually surprising to see one of the big names in Upton signed before them. When do they start anyways?

 

I don't quite understand why the winter meetings are still crucial to deals taking place. These guys all have communications technology up the yin-yang now. Is it because they all get roaring piss drunk at the meetings?

[Bellhorn04]

Holy Baseball Helmut Batman....we aren't depending on Bard for anything are we? As for Bailey....I remain uninspired to date.....waiting for the next hangnail to sideline him for four months.

 

That said, the pen is the "strength" of this Red Sox team. So I would not be lookin' there either until we get some other business taken care of.

 

Apparently that darned signature page has gone missing again from Red Sox contracts. So it takes two weeks for done deals to finally be done.

 

Hey let's not forget, Jonny Gomes is the biggest signing of the Cherington era to date.

[a700hitter]

I don't quite understand why the winter meetings are still crucial to deals taking place. These guys all have communications technology up the yin-yang now. Is it because they all get roaring piss drunk at the meetings?

Probably.

[a700hitter]

Hey let's not forget, Jonny Gomes is the biggest signing of the Cherington era to date.

This is huge for him.

[jung]

There is a yankee fan flippin' banner ad for Yankee Stadium facade crown molding and retired number plaques right under the Quick Reply field here at TalkSox. I am going to be sick.

 

It should be interesting to see what the early ticket sale numbers are without a major signing to help with the early push. Maybe it won't matter.There is probably that early rush that comes from folks that have been waiting for the first few days of availability.

[seabeachfred]

The problem is that Porcello simply isn't very good.

 

I was wondering UN when someone would mention that. Truth be told, though, he would be an improvement to our rotation----which needs some help. I just hope this doesn't get to be a big letdown because reading some of the posts today about what might be in the offing I am finally getting pumped up and raring to go. Just let's not let it be that we signed Gomes. That wouldn't please any of us.

[a700hitter]

Why would you think that? THings are never settled at the Winter Meetings. Impatient fans expect that every year, as if meeting for a couple days settles everything immediately, and every year they come away disappointed. One would have expected them to grasp the pattern by now.

 

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.

[Dojji]

Not analogous. All three of those other teams have more reason to be sure exactly what their team is and where they are in a prospective rebuild. The Sox have been in flux for the last 3 years and we're going to figure out who is the dross and who the gold before we can really make moves with any confidence. That's one of the reasons that expecting an immediate contender is so ridiculous.

[jung]

Could you realistically pick the Sox above the basement if you had to pick today? You could make the case that the O's are a fraud and might compete with the Sox for the basement. But today....who do the Sox beat in the AL East? You would have thought the Sox would have given us some inkling of where they are going before ticks went on sale.

 

I do think the kids are going to be playin' this year and I am fine with that. However while I don't expect them to spend all the money if they really hoard a big chunk of it.... wow that is going to go over none to well I would think.

[BSN07]

I don't quite understand why the winter meetings are still crucial to deals taking place. These guys all have communications technology up the yin-yang now. Is it because they all get roaring piss drunk at the meetings?

 

People seem to get a lot more done face to face. Being able to get a feeling on whether a guys is truly available. Something that may be more difficult over the phone or through e-mail. That and I imagine a fair amount of drinking goes on lol

[rjortiz]

Texas won't give up Andrus for Ellsbury.

[a700hitter]

Not analogous. All three of those other teams have more reason to be sure exactly what their team is and where they are in a prospective rebuild. The Sox have been in flux for the last 3 years and we're going to figure out who is the dross and who the gold before we can really make moves with any confidence. That's one of the reasons that expecting an immediate contender is so ridiculous.

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.

[Bellhorn04]

Not analogous. All three of those other teams have more reason to be sure exactly what their team is and where they are in a prospective rebuild. The Sox have been in flux for the last 3 years and we're going to figure out who is the dross and who the gold before we can really make moves with any confidence. That's one of the reasons that expecting an immediate contender is so ridiculous.

 

Yeah, I mean, when was the last time a team went from 69-93 to a playoff spot?

 

(2012 - Baltimore)

[a700hitter]

Brewers, Red Sox, Angels Interested In Dempster

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [November 29, 2012 at 10:48am CST]

 

The Brewers, Red Sox and Angels are among the teams showing interest in Ryan Dempster, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The free agent right-hander seeks a three-year contract.

 

Dempster, 35, posted a 3.38 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 43.5% ground ball rate in 173 innings for the Cubs and Rangers in 2012. The 15-year veteran saw his average fastball velocity dip below 90 mph, but he continued generating swings and misses. His 10.4% swinging strike rate was right around his career mark of 10.8%. LSW Baseball represents Dempster, who has also been linked to the Dodgers, Twins and Cubs this offseason.

[jung]

O's had a lot go right for them in 2012 including Sox and Jays collapses. Rays needed Longoria to come back sooner than he did. All of the O's bets in the rotation and bullpen paned out for them...very rare.

 

Even with that, they could not get past a Yankee team that was very beatable this year. Maybe they should have but they didn't.

[wyo-sox]

I'd pass on Dempster. I think his best days are behind him. AL east would make him a more expensive version of the pitchers we brought on last year.