Sources say Napoli signs with Sox.

[Spitball]

LaRoche is a dead pull hitter

 

Dead pull?

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/adam-laroche/hitchart/154555?q=adam-laroche

[jacksonianmarch]

5 of his 33 HR were outside of pull range. Based on that chart, 11 of his HRs would have been in play and 3 more flyballs to LF would have been HRs.

[NZSox]

@Ken_Rosenthal: Sources: #RedSox talking to LaRoche, as first reported by @Jen_Royle. What does it mean? Story: http://t.co/BNLiaQl3

 

Some of you may get your wish...

[seabeachfred]

Some of you may get your wish...

 

If there is no progress with the Napoli talks it is time for the Red Sox to move away and fast. LaRoche is a better fit than Mauro Gomez. A team on the rebound and trying to regain their footing does not hand over the gateway position to a career minor leaguer like Mauro. Normally a good team always has a solid power hitter or a top notch hitter for average at first base, and, besides, looking at our minor leaguers, and correct me if I'm wrong, but we do not have a first base prospect worth s*** down on any part of the farm.

[Spitball]

5 of his 33 HR were outside of pull range. Based on that chart, 11 of his HRs would have been in play and 3 more flyballs to LF would have been HRs.

 

Look again. This shows he is clearly not a pull hitter in his home park.

[SCM33]

If there is no progress with the Napoli talks it is time for the Red Sox to move away and fast. LaRoche is a better fit than Mauro Gomez. A team on the rebound and trying to regain their footing does not hand over the gateway position to a career minor leaguer like Mauro. Normally a good team always has a solid power hitter or a top notch hitter for average at first base, and, besides, looking at our minor leaguers, and correct me if I'm wrong, but we do not have a first base prospect worth s*** down on any part of the farm.

 

You don't know that to be true.

 

I wasn't impressed with LaRoche the first time around, I doubt he will impress me the second time around. If LaRcoche wants a 3 year deal, then stay the f*** away.

 

This team is in rebuild mode. That does not mean that they will suck, but they have methodically started rebuiling this team.

 

The bullpen looks like it could be a strength. If the rotation pitches to their capabilities, it could be a strength.

 

Offense has never been a weakness. If Napoli does not sign, let Gomez have some AB's. Give the kid a month, if it doesn't work out, figure something out in May.....they have a surplus at C, CF and SS....all of which are premium positions. They also have a bunch of mid tier prospects. It shouldnt be too hard to spin a deal for a bat if Gomez does not work out.

[Lucienbel]

Some of you may get your wish...

 

I'm really hoping this does happen now. Hearing Napoli has a hip thing going on is concerning. I personally found a lot of value in the games Napoli would be able to catch, and assuming the versatility will likely be lost with the hip thing brings his value way down to me. LaRoche is a solid defender and even if he doesn't have quite the homerun power he did last year, he's still going to be decent offensively.

[a700hitter]

You don't know that to be true.

 

I wasn't impressed with LaRoche the first time around, I doubt he will impress me the second time around. If LaRcoche wants a 3 year deal, then stay the f*** away.

 

This team is in rebuild mode. That does not mean that they will suck, but they have methodically started rebuiling this team.

 

The bullpen looks like it could be a strength. If the rotation pitches to their capabilities, it could be a strength.

 

Offense has never been a weakness. If Napoli does not sign, let Gomez have some AB's. Give the kid a month, if it doesn't work out, figure something out in May.....they have a surplus at C, CF and SS....all of which are premium positions. They also have a bunch of mid tier prospects. It shouldnt be too hard to spin a deal for a bat if Gomez does not work out.

I was pissed the first time around when after only a few games we traded LaRoche for the punchless Casey Kotchman. That still doesn't make sense to me.

[Bellhorn04]

I was pissed the first time around when after only a few games we traded LaRoche for the punchless Casey Kotchman. That still doesn't make sense to me.

 

Those were the weirdest moves Theo ever made.

[BSN07]

Pass on Laroche. I'd rather they Give Gomez a chance and if he doesn't work out see if the Twins will trade Morneau.

[SoxSport]

Turns out Jen Royle's sources were legit. Confirmed by others in stories today. Rosenthal says they still prefer a deal with Napoli. Royle is a friend of Napoli's and so will not comment on him. If the guy really does have a hip problem, I don't see how he could catch many games. Maybe they see him more at 1B.

But if the guy has a chronic hip condition, I would walk away from that level of contract. Maybe they can word it to protect themselves, but if he can't play, they are still out a first baseman. They still have a window to fill the position. I hear LaRoche would accept a 3 year deal from them.

[SoxSport]

Pass on Laroche. I'd rather they Give Gomez a chance and if he doesn't work out see if the Twins will trade Morneau.

 

I agree about Gomez. They just don't like to give minor leaguers much of a chance--in my view--like many other teams do. Look at Manny Machado. The kid is 20, doesn't have a full year of AA ball, and now is being touted as an all-star next year, with just a couple of months on the Orioles. Seems like a stretch, but that's what many of the smaller market teams do. Some guys take longer than others to get to the next level.

[TutGadol]

Either Napoli or trade. I agree on no Laroche.

 

"The Napoli problem is familiar territory for Boston as they put language in the contracts of right fielder J.D. Drew and right-hander John Lackey to protect from pre-existing medical conditions. According to sources, the Red Sox are working to get Napoli to agree to similar protection in his deal."

 

I wouldn't mind giving him over 40 for three if this is introduced to the contract.

[User Name]

I agree about Gomez. They just don't like to give minor leaguers much of a chance--in my view--like many other teams do. Look at Manny Machado. The kid is 20, doesn't have a full year of AA ball, and now is being touted as an all-star next year, with just a couple of months on the Orioles. Seems like a stretch, but that's what many of the smaller market teams do. Some guys take longer than others to get to the next level.

 

Yet more than half of the 25 man roster is comprised of home grown talent. The whole idea that they don't give young players a chance is asinine. The true problem is that they are passive in doing so, even more so with pitchers after the Hansen fiasco.

[jung]

I don't know what to think about continuing to try to nap Napoli. Have the Sox both succeeded at this and been burned enough to be smart enough to not leave any loopholes for Napoli to jump through. Apparently the Sox succeeded in that regard with Lackey and failed with JD. However it would have been harder for Lackey to jump through a loop hole as at some point he could no longer pitch effectively and very likely could not have even gotten the ball to home plate without the surgery.

 

JD, clearly found it much easier to dance around the Sox contract language. If the Sox get burned in this Napoli deal, that would be a big hit to any confidence Red Sox nation has left in this Keystone Kops routine. So there is losing the player without compensation to a preexisting condition and there is another ugly PR hit to consider.

 

I am actually encouraged that Napoli's people have rejected contract language. It would appear that the Sox have buttoned it up pretty good. That is also the reason why I don't think they should back down on the language. I would be willing to bet that a few shekels more is not going to entice Napoli although a lotta money would probably do it....probably more money than any of us would be interested in on Napoli.

[Bellhorn04]

A resolution to this in the near future would be nice, that's for sure.

[jacksonianmarch]

Sox going after LaRoche. Rumor is the sox are planning on pulling out of a deal with Napoli if they can replace him. I hope this happens, and the Yankees pounce on Napoli on a 1 yr deal

[jung]

Depending on how late this whole thing goes, Napoli may get stuck taking a one year deal somewhere along the way if all this really goes south.

 

Then again considering how much attention this thing must be getting within MLB circles he might do just as well to take what the Sox are offering. It at some point gets unrealistic to suspect that other teams will not saddle him with the same language if he looks for two to three years.

 

As I have said before I think the notion that the Sox are or would in the future be alone in trying to insert this sort of language is naive in the face of the kind of money at stake these days. This sort of contract language is a ham handed way to deal with the issue for sure. However until it can be dealt with in the CBA, where it should be dealt with, this is what we will likely be left with.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Sox going after LaRoche. Rumor is the sox are planning on pulling out of a deal with Napoli if they can replace him. I hope this happens, and the Yankees pounce on Napoli on a 1 yr deal

 

If he was willing to take a 1 year deal, the Sox would already have him.

[wyo-sox]

If it has leaked out they are talking to LaRoche it seems like the Napoli deal is all but washed up. We shall see. I think I prefer LaRoche at first anyway.

[SoxSport]

http://www.sportsreelboston.com/2012/12/26/royledailyblog/

 

Here's the story from Jen Royle, the gal who broke the news about LaRoche and the Red Sox.

It's still just a rumor, but all the outlets have picked up on it.

 

The Red Sox could be between a rock and a hard place if they don't act soon--one way or another.

If they want LaRoche, they will have to be aggressive--and quick.

 

I wonder if their best bet isn't to take a chance on Gomez, last years' IL AAA MVP. This guy deserves a serious look. 1B calls for good hit, average field.

[SoxSport]

Sox going after LaRoche. Rumor is the sox are planning on pulling out of a deal with Napoli if they can replace him. I hope this happens, and the Yankees pounce on Napoli on a 1 yr deal

 

Girardi will never want a guy with a bad hip to catch. He's the wrong fit. Joe clearly prefers a defensive catcher.

[Lucienbel]

http://www.sportsreelboston.com/2012/12/26/royledailyblog/

 

Here's the story from Jen Royle, the gal who broke the news about LaRoche and the Red Sox.

It's still just a rumor, but all the outlets have picked up on it.

 

The Red Sox could be between a rock and a hard place if they don't act soon--one way or another.

If they want LaRoche, they will have to be aggressive--and quick.

 

I wonder if their best bet isn't to take a chance on Gomez, last years' IL AAA MVP. This guy deserves a serious look. 1B calls for good hit, average field.

 

Part of me does want them to take a chance on him, the other part of me would prefer they didn't. Either way, I hope Gomez doesn't just sit down there and rot away like we have a habit of doing. I hope he does get a shot at some regular time in the majors relatively soon.

[redsoxfan3]

Sox going after LaRoche. Rumor is the sox are planning on pulling out of a deal with Napoli if they can replace him. I hope this happens, and the Yankees pounce on Napoli on a 1 yr deal

 

That is a rumor floating around, but all it is is a rumor. The Sox still want Napoli as plan A and LaRoche and a couple of other guys are their backup plans. They still want Napoli, but they are keeping options open just in case. LaRoche wants three years, but that might be too many years. There is speculation that they are talking to LaRoche to put pressure on Washington and on Napoli. They want Napoli to agree to their terms and LaRoche wants to show Washington that other teams are interested.

 

If he was willing to take a 1 year deal, the Sox would already have him.

 

That is not necessarily the case. Hr wants what was already offered to him. If the deal falls through, then I think he would take a shorter contract eith another team. I think he is going to do whatever it takes to keep his 3 year deal in Boston, and if it falls through, then sign a shorter contract elsewhere.

[jacksonianmarch]

Girardi will never want a guy with a bad hip to catch. He's the wrong fit. Joe clearly prefers a defensive catcher.

 

It wouldnt be as a starting catcher. He'd be part time catcher, part time 1b, part time DH and still be able to crack the lineup 120 times or so

[SoxSport]

Right now, 3 years of LaRoche looks better than 3 yrs of Napoli, who has an red injury flag on him.

[SoxSport]

It wouldnt be as a starting catcher. He'd be part time catcher, part time 1b, part time DH and still be able to crack the lineup 120 times or so

 

If they wanted a guy like Napoli, they could have had Pierzynski, who would have been perfect in Yankee stadium. Napoli bats RHd, and has less value to the Yankees. They don't need him at 1B, he's too expensive to DH, and he may not be able to catch. Maybe that's why Texas let him go.

[jacksonianmarch]

Right now, 3 years of LaRoche looks better than 3 yrs of Napoli, who has an red injury flag on him.

 

It's a tough spot to be in for the players and the management. A healthy Napoli fits incredibly well for the sox. Catcher, 1b, part time DH to give Papi a break and his bat would crush the ball at Fenway. An unhealthy Napoli relegates him to 1b, DH, or DL duty, which takes some of his versatility away. LaRoche locks up 1b with a good defender and a power bat, but 3 yrs at his age, plus his tendencies in your own park make him less of a fit. I don't think the sox end up with LaRoche, IMO. Not worth spending top dollar on a poor fit. They'll either renegotiate with Napoli or get secondary medical opinions that appease their own docs or move on with neither. They know what its like to make a move just to make a move. And getting LaRoche at big money with the cap number in sight isnt the right move

[a700hitter]

Right now, 3 years of LaRoche looks better than 3 yrs of Napoli, who has an red injury flag on him.

If the guy has a bad hip, they should just walk away, not try to negotiate the price down or put contingencies in the contract. Big deal, if they get the injury contingency in the contract. If his hip keeps him from playing, they would be off the hook financially, but they'd have no first baseman/catcher. Big whoop. Move on and get a healthy body, not one held together with bubble gum and duct tape.

[SoxSport]

It's a tough spot to be in for the players and the management. A healthy Napoli fits incredibly well for the sox. Catcher, 1b, part time DH to give Papi a break and his bat would crush the ball at Fenway. An unhealthy Napoli relegates him to 1b, DH, or DL duty, which takes some of his versatility away. LaRoche locks up 1b with a good defender and a power bat, but 3 yrs at his age, plus his tendencies in your own park make him less of a fit. I don't think the sox end up with LaRoche, IMO. Not worth spending top dollar on a poor fit. They'll either renegotiate with Napoli or get secondary medical opinions that appease their own docs or move on with neither. They know what its like to make a move just to make a move. And getting LaRoche at big money with the cap number in sight isnt the right move

 

 

They could trade for Garrett Jones, and platoon him at 1B with Gomez. The Pirates want Iglesias, but the Red Sox may want to hold onto him for another AAA season--to see if he can hit.