Sources say Napoli signs with Sox.

[lospunchados]

Espn is reporting that Mike Napoli has signed a three year 39 million dollar deal with the Sox.

[a700hitter]

That seems like a reasonable contract.

[BSN07]

That seems like a reasonable contract.

 

Indeed, Sox FO made a solid move IMO.

[a700hitter]

Indeed, Sox FO made a solid move IMO.

This guy has been killing us for years. Just to take him away as an opposing batter is a big plus. He loves to hit in Fenway.

[kapsis21]

This guy has been killing us for years. Just to take him away as an opposing batter is a big plus. He loves to hit in Fenway.

 

amen to that.. i remember he tortured Lester everytime

[wyo-sox]

I think this a good move, but arent there quite a few players that hit good at Fenway or tore up Lester last year?

[resdubwhite]

I think this a good move, but arent there quite a few players that hit good at Fenway or tore up Lester last year?

 

one down. 50 odd to go.

 

 

good move by the front office.

 

so begins the drive for respectability.

[SCM33]

Solid move.

 

Not a ton of money, only 3 years.

[Palodios]

This is a phenominal move in many ways.

 

1) Adding a monster bat to the lineup.

2) Using Vmart as a comparison, the Red Sox seriously underpaid for Napoli. One less year, 500k fewer bucks per year before factoring inflation.

3) No draft pick given up to sign him.

4) Takes yet another catcher off the free agent market place, increasing Salty's trade value.

5) Tells free agents that this team is very serious, without hurting their payroll to a point where it will prevent them from making more signings.

[Rdsxmbnt]

This is a phenominal move in many ways.

 

1) Adding a monster bat to the lineup.

2) Using Vmart as a comparison, the Red Sox seriously underpaid for Napoli. One less year, 500k fewer bucks per year before factoring inflation.

3) No draft pick given up to sign him.

4) Takes yet another catcher off the free agent market place, increasing Salty's trade value.

5) Tells free agents that this team is very serious, without hurting their payroll to a point where it will prevent them from making more signings.

 

Agreed on all fronts, great move. Fills a huge 1B hole for reasonable money and years

[NativeBostonian]

Good move. I can't believe we got him.

[VA Sox Fan]

Very psyched!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Spitball]

I am happy with this signing but not sure I want him as the full-time first baseman. His bat plays better as a catcher.

 

It is odd Cherington went out last season and signed defensive players like Punto and Shoppack, and now he is signing offensive players like Gomes and Napoli. I'm not sure he knows what his philosophy for building a winner is. Clearly his approach last year was flawed.

[Lord Snow]

This move is certainly worrisome. I'm not entirely sold on Napoli, nor do I think he is a good fit for the Red Sox. He is going to be playing a position where teams usually have a premium bat. Mike Napoli is not a premium bat.

 

At 3 years the contract length is reasonable. I think they overpaid at $39M.

 

Napoli is 31-years-old, is somewhat overweight, and two of his last 3 seasons have been sub par with a career year sandwiched in between.

 

Would you still like this move if he comes out next season and puts up a .238/.316/.468/.784 line like he did in 2010? Or if he puts up a .227/.343/.469/.812 line like last season?

 

While an .812 OPS is acceptable, a .227 average is unacceptable from a starting first baseman. You would tolerate it from a catcher, but at first? I don't like it. And Cherington's moves have all but blocked Napoli from going behind the plate. David Ross is unmovable with that contract. Unless Salty and Lavarnway get moved I don't see Napoli landing behind the dish next season.

 

2011 is too high above his career averages (and even his second best season) for him to be likely to reproduce.

 

The one thing I will say about Napoli is that he produced about as well on the road as he did at Texas, which is encouraging.

 

Only time will tell if this is turns out to be a good move.

 

I would have preferred Nick Swisher.

[Palodios]

This move is certainly worrisome. I'm not entirely sold on Napoli, nor do I think he is a good fit for the Red Sox. He is going to be playing a position where teams usually have a premium bat. Mike Napoli is not a premium bat.

 

The first basemen market is very different than it was a year or two ago. Youk and Miggy moved to third. Pujols and Texeria have declined. A-gon fell off a cliff. Morneau hurting, Votto hurting.

 

Here are the highest five OPSes of first basemen in 2012:

 

Encarcion -- .941

Fielder-- .940

Allen Craig .876

Albert Pujols .859

Paul Konerko .857

 

 

Napoli has a .870 career OPS despite playing most of his career in LA on his knees.

[User Name]

The first basemen market is very different than it was a year or two ago. Youk and Miggy moved to third. Pujols and Texeria have declined. A-gon fell off a cliff. Morneau hurting, Votto hurting.

 

Here are the highest five OPSes of first basemen in 2012:

 

Encarcion -- .941

Fielder-- .940

Allen Craig .876

Albert Pujols .859

Paul Konerko .857

 

 

Napoli has a .870 career OPS despite playing most of his career in LA on his knees.

 

Also, who cares about batting average? Look at the guy's OBP and OPS, remove him from the rigors of catching and let him hit at Fenway.

[SCM33]

Also, who cares about batting average? Look at the guy's OBP and OPS, remove him from the rigors of catching and let him hit at Fenway.

 

Batting Average still matters.

 

.......just not the way it used to. Its still useful as a tool of evaluation when looking a large sample size, as a part of the larger scheme of evaluation. Obviously OBP, OPS, BABIP and Slugging Percentage are the more popular numbers of evaluation today.

 

Its not as useless of a stat as RBI's, Saves and Stolen Bases.

[onlybereaved]

Stoked on this. Hope Mike is cool with playing 1st base, and hopefully he does well in that role.

 

Now to trade Salty?

[SCM33]

Stoked on this. Hope Mike is cool with playing 1st base, and hopefully he does well in that role.

 

Now to trade Salty?

 

Salty has no value.

 

I could see them just releasing him.

[Spitball]

Not to be picky, but Encarnacion played only 68 games at first last season. He is primarily a DH...and a highly suspicious cheater...in my opinion.

[Palodios]

Not to be picky, but Encarnacion played only 68 games at first last season. He is primarily a DH...and a highly suspicious cheater...in my opinion.

 

Anything you can say to help me prove a point is always appreciated

 

I just ran down the list on ESPN, and he was on the top. So the list of elite first basemen is even shorter then.

[Lucienbel]

I am happy with this signing but not sure I want him as the full-time first baseman. His bat plays better as a catcher.

 

It is odd Cherington went out last season and signed defensive players like Punto and Shoppack, and now he is signing offensive players like Gomes and Napoli. I'm not sure he knows what his philosophy for building a winner is. Clearly his approach last year was flawed.

 

I don't find it entirely odd he's signing offensive players this year and didn't last year. Last year he probably just expected A-Gon to pan out, Ells to be around longer, and numerous other things of the sort. After all the trades in stuff they're definitely in need of some offensive players that they weren't last year. Just seems like a vastly different situation....Punto and Shoppach weren't projecting to play a ton. Napoli certainly is projecting to play every day, and I suppose we'll see with Gomes.

[NZSox]

This is a phenominal move in many ways.

 

1) Adding a monster bat to the lineup.

2) Using Vmart as a comparison, the Red Sox seriously underpaid for Napoli. One less year, 500k fewer bucks per year before factoring inflation.

3) No draft pick given up to sign him.

4) Takes yet another catcher off the free agent market place, increasing Salty's trade value.

5) Tells free agents that this team is very serious, without hurting their payroll to a point where it will prevent them from making more signings.

 

Nail. Head.

 

Excited about the acquisition personally.

[onlybereaved]

Salty has no value.

 

I could see them just releasing him.

 

Yeah, I agree that he has hardly any value to us...but there has to be a team somewhere that is willing to give us something for Salty. (I think/hope?)

 

At the same time, I do understand that we wouldn't get anything of much value for him player or money wise.

[onlybereaved]

5) Tells free agents that this team is very serious, without hurting their payroll to a point where it will prevent them from making more signings.

 

Awesome way of articulating this point. This is always a huge factor for Boston. Hopefully in the next 3 years we see our line-up get stacked

[BSN07]

The rumor going around is Salty for Floyd. I don't call that "no value". The catching market is thin and Salty has promise of power. That gives him some measure of value.

[Orange Juiced]

Last two seasons:

 

Napoli: .275/.379/.552/.931, 142 ops+, 54 hr, 131 rbi, 1 hr per 13.4 ab, 1 rbi per 5.5 ab

AGonz: .319/.377/.505/.883, 136 ops+, 45 hr, 225 rbi, 1 hr per 28.0 ab, 1 rbi per 6.0 ab

 

Napoli: $13 million in 2013

AGonz: $21 million in 2013

[Dojji]

Not sure why everyone is convinced Napoli is the first baseman. He's an upgrade as a catcher, splitting time with Ross and playing 50 games at 1B would be an objectively better use of the man's talents.

[BSN07]

Not sure why everyone is convinced Napoli is the first baseman. He's an upgrade as a catcher, splitting time with Ross and playing 50 games at 1B would be an objectively better use of the man's talents.

 

I haven't seen him play enough 1B to be convinced he's not an adequate 1B.

[Dojji]

It's hard not to be an adeqate 1B. But my question is, is he an adequate catcher, especially compared to the low standards last year's crew produced. Because if he is an adequate catcher, 1B is a waste of his abilities.