2014 Roster Projections

[Bellhorn04]

Giving a major league deal, and the potential to make 6 million dollars to a guy who hasn't played baseball in 3 years, and a full season in 5 years?

Either Cherrington saw significant health improvement in the medicals, or it is silly. They will probably have to bump Nava/Gomes/Carp to make room for him on the 25-man. I am hoping for the best, but am cautiously concerned.

 

Did you just use the word silly in the same sentence as the Bodacious one?

[User Name]

Giving a major league deal, and the potential to make 6 million dollars to a guy who hasn't played baseball in 3 years, and a full season in 5 years?

Either Cherrington saw significant health improvement in the medicals, or it is silly. They will probably have to bump Nava/Gomes/Carp to make room for him on the 25-man. I am hoping for the best, but am cautiously concerned.

 

Major League deal is kinda sketchy. "Potential" to make 6 million means nothing, since he won't even sniff that unless he produces. I don't see what the big deal is about the money.

[Palodios]

Did you just use the word silly in the same sentence as the Bodacious one?

 

I have been implying in my posts that I think there is a possibility that Sizemore is finally back to being healthy and Ben has a huge steal, but at the same time I am concerned about the roster situation.

 

Major League deal is kinda sketchy. "Potential" to make 6 million means nothing, since he won't even sniff that unless he produces. I don't see what the big deal is about the money.

 

What if he ends up being healthy but produces meh production? He will probably hit some of the incentives because of the lack of RF/CF depth.

[iortiz]

 

 

What if he ends up being healthy but produces meh production? He will probably hit some of the incentives because of the lack of RF/CF depth.

 

This was my concerned when we signed Napoli. Hopefully as you said it turns into steal for us.

[Bellhorn04]

What if he ends up being healthy but produces meh production? He will probably hit some of the incentives because of the lack of RF/CF depth.

 

So he makes 3-4 million.

[User Name]

Exactly. That's going rate for a decent backup OF.

[vjcsmoke]

The part that intrigues me is that he had knee surgery in 2009/2010 that apparently never worked and he had surgery on the same knee this year to fix it. It makes me wonder about the Medicals and the perplexing major league deal. He has a potential to make 6 million based on plate appearances.... Doesn't that seem insane ? Maybe they see something legitimate in Sizemore's future.

 

No it doesn't seem insane at all. His base salary is 750k. If he meets incentives that means he was good enough to earn the 6m. Besides which, it's not your money, so why do you care?

 

I think this is a typical low risk high reward signing by BC. It definitely worked out with the initial Napoli signing and Drew signing. It might work out again with Sizemore.

 

Sizemore used to be an elite CF in the bigs. If he regains his health, well he'd definitely be a better option than a raw/green JBJ. In Ben we trust. He's earned that much after pulling off 2013.

 

Yeah I know he's not going to hit on basically ALL of his FA signings like he did in 2013. But let's give the man some credit and wait and see what happens. The Sox definitely needed another depth OF and they got a high upside, albeit injury prone OF on the cheap.

[BSN07]

I like the move. Little surprised it was a ML deal but it's not that hampering of a deal. It will all come down to health. If he's healthy we all know he can hit.If he's not then we will never see him and probably forget he's on the roster by July.

 

Someone will have to get moved eventually. I don't expect a move before he proves he can play unless they get a great deal. I'm guessing Carp will e the one to get traded. MLBTR was saying there was lots of interest in him earlier in the off season. No idea what they could get for him. Good RP be nice.

[mvp 78]

What's Mark Prior doing these days?

 

The Baldelli comp is fair, but we don't know if Grady could even get out of ST. No sense in worrying about his roster spot or 750k base salary at this point.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yeah you are. He's in the mix to start in CF. Just like Roberts is in the mix to start at 2b. If either of the oft injured vets are injured, you'll have to rely on a utility player or rookie.

[User Name]

He's in the mix for a backup OF role. It's not the same situation as Roberts in the least, since he's expected to start. Please stop.

[a700hitter]

I think this is a typical low risk high reward signing by BC. It definitely worked out with the initial Napoli signing and Drew signing. It might work out again with Sizemore.

.

And there it is. LOL!

[Palodios]

Exactly. That's going rate for a decent backup OF.

 

One more time -- he hasn't played a full season in 5 years. If the Red Sox were willing to spend 700k on him, with a potential for up to 6 million, why didn't they get Franklin Gutierez instead? He also hasn't played a full season in a full years, had good speed, top notch defense, and actually fits into a platoon because he is righthanded, and cost only 250k more than Sizemore's base salary.

 

It just makes me curious to see the medicals, because I think Ben and company saw something they liked in Sizemore.

[User Name]

What makes you think they didn't go after Gutierrez and he chose the Mariners instead? You're basing your argument on speculation. I understand the rest of your point, and given the interest displayed in Sizemore by other teams (specially the Reds) there has to be a reason why they were willing to stick their necks out for him.

[Palodios]

What makes you think they didn't go after Gutierrez and he chose the Mariners instead? You're basing your argument on speculation.

 

Purely speculative reasoning, no doubt. Gutierrez received a 1 million dollar contract to play in a cavernous park with a losing team. I consider the offer given to Sizemore to be significantly more desirable for a free agent, based on park factors, incentives, and potential of winning.

[User Name]

Purely speculative reasoning, no doubt. Gutierrez received a 1 million dollar contract to play in a cavernous park with a losing team. I consider the offer given to Sizemore to be significantly more desirable for a free agent, based on park factors, incentives, and potential of winning.

 

The problem is that we don't know if Gutierrez took less money to stay in familiar surroundings (it happens) had something wrong with his physicals that turned off other teams, or the Sox just wanted to gamble on a high-upside player whose physical they liked. Gutierrez, to me, made more sense, but we don't know what actually happens during the negotiation/signing process.

[sk7326]

As recently as 5 years ago, Grady Sizemore was arguably the best position player in the AL. The injuries have killed him, but it totally makes sense for the Red Sox to actually look under this rock. Gutierrez has also had a lot of injury problems lately but with a lower ceiling. Gutierrez is the safer bet. At the same time, and this is where I do get the Red Sox perspective here - the Red Sox need a backup OF, but they do have a job opening at LF which could be taken. Sizemore has a bat which can carry LF (if he is healthy). Also, as a former CF, he might translate nicely defensively as a LF (if he is healthy). Red Sox are payin $750K to kick the tires - I am not expecting a ton here, but I get the thought process. If he craps out, they can always find another backup OF on the market.

[dupree]

I know its a huge gamble on Sizemore but for some reason I like the signing. Grady used to bat leadoff for the Guardians and was on of the better leadoff hitters in the lead when healthy. I just see that if the Sox could catch lightning in a bottle on him that he helps clear up a lot of question marks that the Sox currently have going into the season. Leadoff Hitter, Backup insurance for JBJ, or sliding over to RF if Vic plays CF, speed (tho i dont know how much is left), but with all that being said he very well could be a flop. Im not getting my hopes up, it does make me feel better that another club was in on him, that kinda says that he my be healthy for awhile.

[mvp 78]

They don't need lightning in a bottle. They need someone who can adequately play RF in a pinch (Nava and Carp can't).

[Spudboy]

Yeah this signing has Baldelli comparisons.

 

I used to like watching 4 you outfielders and speculate who was the best.

 

Baldelli, Gardner, Ellsbury, and Sizemore.

 

I'm hoping that Sizemore makes it back but my optimism is tempered by reality. His body is a mess and he has two really bad knees.

[sk7326]

I doubt flop is a fair word for somebody with zero expectations here. We need a backup OF. Those do grow on trees though by comparison, so I'm not going to panic. The big surprise is that they burned a major league contract on Sizemore - did they actually have a competitor where they had to do that?

[Bellhorn04]

I doubt flop is a fair word for somebody with zero expectations here. We need a backup OF. Those do grow on trees though by comparison, so I'm not going to panic. The big surprise is that they burned a major league contract on Sizemore - did they actually have a competitor where they had to do that?

 

Apparently yes. The Reds thought they had a deal with Sizemore in fact.

[sk7326]

Apparently yes. The Reds thought they had a deal with Sizemore in fact.

 

That would have been the line in the sand for me ... not that it's a big deal here $$-wise ... but extending a big league contract to a guy who has not played in 2 years with his medicals. Not going to lose a lot of sleep over it, but it is a curious decision on its face.

[Palodios]

The more I think about the big league contract, the less I am concerned about it. Sure, if he ends up on the 25 man roster, there is a chance he might knock off one of the other guys, or push Bradley to AAA. But the only way that happens is if

 

He's actually healthy and performing well enough that the team doesn't DFA him during spring training

OR

He's healthy and someone else is not healthy or productive.

 

700k is a lot of money to most of us, but it only works out to be $200k relevant to the luxury cap because the team would need to fill the 40 man roster with league minimum salaries anyway.

[SoxSport]

Sizemore has a 50/50 chance of getting out of ST. He figures to see limited service as a backup--primarily for Vic. I don't see him as a viable alternative to Bradley. Doubt they see him that way. They will start him slowly if he can get through ST. Could see some action in RF against top LHPs--Vic playing center. He can probably still hit. Edited January 23, 2014 by SoxSport

[User Name]

SoxSport with his usual display of sense and logic, forgets that Sizemore is a LHH.

[a700hitter]

Sizemore has a 50/50 chance of getting out of ST. He figures to see limited service as a backup--primarily for Vic. I don't see him as a viable alternative to Bradley. Doubt they see him that way. They will start him slowly if he can get through ST. Could see some action in RF against top LHPs--Vic playing center. He can probably still hit.

I think that he has a 50/50 chance of getting to Spring Training and a 1 in 3 chance of getting through Spring Training and making the team. He is a real long shot for making an impact on the 2014 team.

[Thunder]

I think that he has a 50/50 chance of getting to Spring Training and a 1 in 3 chance of getting through Spring Training and making the team. He is a real long shot for making an impact on the 2014 team.

 

I'm curious. If he stays healthy, he could at least make the team. From there, he could have a slight impact. It would be a lot better for him if he was a righty though.

[sk7326]

Usually guys with a 1 in 3 shot of making the team don't get a 40-man spot. The price and commitment are nonissues, no harm either way. Just wondering, when you have a big league spot, for all the baseball players on earth - I'd be tempted to give it to a guy who has played pro baseball at least in the last 12 months.

 

Now, considering the Red Sox were willing to make a unwarranted commitment to Sizemore, the medicals must have given some hope. There is zero chance he plays a second of CF. I think it's LF all the way here. It is also a large bet on Bradley's defensive development, and that he can provide some cover to allow them to put Sizemore/Nava in RF if necessary without reaching for the maalox.

[mvp 78]

Nava should NEVER play in RF.