Can Mike Carp be the Sox full time 1B in 2014

[Behindenemylines]

I have to confess UN ... I have been thinking about Ellsbury lately and I have come to the thinking that the Sox should not overpay for his services. 15-16m for 5 seems about right. The more I see of JBJ the more I think he will succeed. He needs to work on things especially his base stealing but that is something he can work on in the off season. Find someone who can teach him the art. Boston would be very smart to go with JBJ and Bogaerts and the fans will enjoy the heck out of watching the young players like in the days of Lynn and Rice. Filling both positions at the league minimum will make most large market teams envious as hell and save Boston about 26M alone. Cano is to be asking for a 305M contract ... good luck with that too.

 

Pence resigning with Giants for 5 years at 90 million is going to hurt the Sox ability to resign Ellsbury. Boros is going to ask for more $$$$$ and more years which I can't see the Sox doing. I think at 18 million a year that the Giants over paid for Pence, but in doing so it has effected Ellsbury market.

[Spitball]

Geez, the Giants overpaid for Pence! He is no $18 million dollar a year superstar. It is a good thing the Sox have built strong farm system because there are some stupid organizations out there pushing the salary bar to ridiculous levels.

[marklmw]

Pence resigning with Giants for 5 years at 90 million is going to hurt the Sox ability to resign Ellsbury. Boros is going to ask for more $$$$$ and more years which I can't see the Sox doing. I think at 18 million a year that the Giants over paid for Pence, but in doing so it has effected Ellsbury market.

 

Pence has the same number of HR's as Cano and close in RBI's ... Cano is a left handed hitter playing in the most friendly park for Lefties. Pence and Ellsbury are 2 different players. I am not so sure that one is better than the other. I guess it all depends on the needs of your club. I am ok with JBJ next year although I am a big an of Ellsbury.

[User Name]

Pence is also extremely durable and consistent, playing in no less than 154 games and only once OPS'ing under .780 while hitting more than 20 homers every year since he became a full-time regular.

[SoxSport]

Like Pence. Can't figure why Phillies didn't re-sign him.

[Spitball]

I like Pence a lot but don't see him at $18 million a year. That is about what Joey Votto made this season. I believe Sabean simply makes up values based on skewed logic. Pence is a fifth hole batter making three hole money.

[a700hitter]

I like Pence a lot but don't see him at $18 million a year. That is about what Joey Votto made this season. I believe Sabean simply makes up values based on skewed logic. Pence is a fifth hole batter making three hole money.

He's overpaid and he just set the market for Ellsbury.

[marklmw]

I like Pence a lot but don't see him at $18 million a year. That is about what Joey Votto made this season. I believe Sabean simply makes up values based on skewed logic. Pence is a fifth hole batter making three hole money.

 

They had to pay him more to offset California's State Income Tax.

[Spitball]

They had to pay him more to offset California's State Income Tax.

 

Can you elaborate on this with some statistical data? I do know that there is a complex "jock tax" which requires players to pay taxes in all states in which they play. How is $18 million offsetting the income tax? Why are athletes not all signing with teams in states with low income taxes like Florida and Arizona?

[SoxSport]

Geez, the Giants overpaid for Pence! He is no $18 million dollar a year superstar. It is a good thing the Sox have built strong farm system because there are some stupid organizations out there pushing the salary bar to ridiculous levels.

 

Everybody seems to be overpaying for everybody. In case you haven't noticed.

[Palodios]

Everybody seems to be overpaying for everybody. In case you haven't noticed.

 

The Cherrington Seven were all good value pickups. Overpaying is overrated.

[sk7326]

The Cherrington Seven were all good value pickups. Overpaying is overrated.

 

Was a terrible free agent crop - and the Red Sox kicked the tires on Hamilton. Just happened to work out - especially when Shane Victorino's hamstring turned his season around.

 

The industry is drowning in cash - lot of money chasing guys, it is hard to say what "overpaid" is. And for the Red Sox, the value of a win is more than for other teams.

[vjcsmoke]

The thing to be leery about with Carp is "small sample size". That being said his .885 OPS in 2013 is very impressive and he looks to be a player who is trending upwards.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carpmi01.shtml

 

Add to the fact that he is a left handed bat, and a pretty good pinch hitter, and you have a fairly valuable rotation player for not a lot of money. Then again, he has never had more than 313 at bats in a season. Can you trust Carp with the keys to 1st base?

 

I really like his potential, maybe he can turn into a Youkilis-lite for us. But if we can do it, I'd prefer we resign Napoli for a couple of years and continue to platoon him with Carp. The issue for the Red Sox is that they have basically 4 starting positions where we could potentially see changes - shortstop, centerfield, catcher, 1st base. I think we want to have a mix of youth in there, but likely don't want to plug in youngsters for more than two of those spots in a single season.

 

There's something to be said for consistency and veteran presence. So if I were projecting, I would guess they keep Napoli at first (resign), promote XB to SS, get a veteran at CF to platoon with JBJ, and get a veteran at C to platoon with Ross.

[mvp 78]

They already have Victorino. No need to get another OF to platoon with JBJ.

[sk7326]

The mistake here is that if you REALLY think Carp should be part of a platoon - paying Napoli makes no sense ... certainly paying him the going rate to be a

 

Carp did have a small sample size which yes matters. What also matters is that Seattle (though yes, they could have been wrong - we have benefitted for a decade from the Twins mis-evaluation of a 1B/DH sort), one of the most offensively starved systems in the entire league, passed on him. I like what he has given us in a part time role - but I would want some options in case he cannot handle a more involved one.

[User Name]

You really really really really really like Young, don't you SK?

[marklmw]

Can you elaborate on this with some statistical data? I do know that there is a complex "jock tax" which requires players to pay taxes in all states in which they play. How is $18 million offsetting the income tax? Why are athletes not all signing with teams in states with low income taxes like Florida and Arizona?

 

LaBron James?

[sk7326]

You really really really really really like Young, don't you SK?

 

LOL - not actually that much, but among the "not quite starters" field, I'd like to have some real upside. Can dream a little more on his talent. If somebody wanted to go cheaper and say Franklin Gutierrez (who was probably the best defensive CF in the league before injuries came along), I would not argue too vehemently.

[SoxSport]

Regarding Carp, I think he's a part of their depth of role players which was their strength this year. It's important they retain that depth. He has to figure in their plans-- how probably depends on what happens with the free agents like Napoli.

[vjcsmoke]

They already have Victorino. No need to get another OF to platoon with JBJ.

 

Except that Victorino plays right field? I mean it would be nice if he could play two outfield positions at once but he can't. Victorino will be in right with JBJ in CF with a veteran platoonmate is my projection right now. And we have the Gomes/Nava platoon in LF. It would be nice to get a veteran CF with the range to play center in fenway and occasionally spell Victorino in RF. That guy might be Chris Young or someone similar.

[mvp 78]

I guess Nava playing RF was a mirage then.

 

They don't need 6 OF's.

[Spitball]

LaBron James?

 

Haha! That is an example and not an elaboration.

[Behindenemylines]

You don't see where the Sox see Carp is an option to play 1B full time. I could see if some team over paid for Nap and he walked where the Sox might platoon Carp with a right handed 1B like a Hart. The Sox got so much production out of the LF platoon I could see a Plan B platoon being an option at 1B. Still think Plan A is resigning Nap.

[SoxSport]

You don't see where the Sox see Carp is an option to play 1B full time. I could see if some team over paid for Nap and he walked where the Sox might platoon Carp with a right handed 1B like a Hart. The Sox got so much production out of the LF platoon I could see a Plan B platoon being an option at 1B. Still think Plan A is resigning Nap.

 

sounds about right.