2014 Offseason Thread

[SCM33]

No way in hell does that happen.

 

 

Well nothing else matters until they make SIGNIFICANT upgrades. Should have started with Jon Lester. You are going to pay Hanley 22 million a year? This is the same s*** as the Crawford year.

 

Sign Jon Lester.

[seabeachfred]

Or he could have hurt himself diving for a ball at Fenway.. Just sayin

 

Yes--could a would a?????? Maybe he wouldn't have gotten hurt at all, and the fact is the Red Sox went with salary instead of talent. Kalish was rated higher than Josh Reddick at the time and IMHO should have been given a shot at the starting RF job in 2011. He never should have been sent down while Drew was kept on the team. He should have been traded or released.

[dupree]

Latest rumors on Lester:

 

Cubs offer is 6 years 144 million

Red Sox offer is 6 years 138 million

 

Where did you read that?

I think all the FO has to do is have an option for a 7th year with a buyout that would put him back in Boston hopefully.

 

But it's good they are staying competitive with their offers.

[seabeachfred]

He might have been able to hit well enough to play as a catcher - but he was a poor catcher. And not a good enough hitter to play anywhere else. If his bat were Jose Abreu like, they could have found a spot for him - but it wasn't.

 

sk---after his big 2011 season in the minors when he slammed 32 homers the Red Sox decided to have Ryan concentrate on his defense and not so much on his hitting. His hitting suffered. As for his defense behind the plate, there is some question in my mind whether he could have ever been he receiver the Red Sox hoped he would be. However, the team decided to go with Salty even though his catching left a lot to be desired, yet Jarrod did emerge as at least an adequate catcher his last year with us. It just seems, though, that in the last seven or eight years too many of our "prospects" have either been kept down to long or rushed and none have been able to really make a contribution to the team---Bogaerts and Bradley being the latest two to fall on their faces, though the former will get another chance to show he's not the choker and disappointment he was this season. Bradley should be traded for a bunch of bananas and apples.

[seabeachfred]

David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com reports that the Cubs have offered free agent left-hander Jon Lester a six-year deal worth "north of" $135 million. Let's hope the bit about the Sox being open to negotiating with Lester is true, because that 110-120 contract offer ain't gonna cut the mustard.

 

Phil, I keep hitting my head against a brick wall but am totally convinced that before we did anything with regard to offense we needed to ante up big time to sign Jon Lester FIRST. IMHO, these signings we made yesterday will not work at all unless we get two top quality pitchers for our rotation and the more Lester keeps roaming along my fear is someone is going to make him an offer he can't refuse---and then we are s*** out of luck because rumor has it the Dodgers are hot on Hamels trail and Scherzer is going to the Yankees in my opinion.

 

DAMN IT CHERINGTON, SIGN LESTER!!!!!!!!

[d-money]

Looks like they have opened up the wallet this year.Man I hope this works out lol

[iortiz]

They will land at least two more solid SPs, no doubt. Lester and Shields/Hamels.

 

 

Red Sox Owner Willing To Exceed Luxury Tax Threshold In 2015

By Steve Adams [November 25, 2014 at 7:41pm CST]

At today’s press conference to announce the signing of Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox owner John Henry told reporters, including WEEI.com’s Alex Speier, that his team is willing to exceed the $189MM luxury tax threshold in 2015. “The way it’€™s structured we can blow through one year,” Henry said. “Again for next year we have tremendous flexibility so we could go could through for one year and not overly effect us.”

 

Henry added that his previous comments about aversion to long-term contracts were overblown and stated, “You can’t win unless you engage in free agency.” The Red Sox’ early actions this offseason have exemplified that line of thinking, as the team today announced the signing of Ramirez to a four-year, $88MM contract (with a vesting option for a fifth season) and Pablo Sandoval to a five-year $95MM contract. Additionally, they inked Koji Uehara to a two-year, $18MM pact before he even hit the open market.

 

Boston’s spending doesn’t seem the least bit likely to stop there, as both Henry expressed that he is hopeful of securing a reunion with Jon Lester, who is a well-known target of GM Ben Cherington. Boston is believed to be looking at to add at least two starting pitchers this season and has also been linked to trade target Cole Hamels and free agent James Shields, among others.

 

The flexibility to which Henry refers is significant; Mike Napoli ($16MM AAV), Shane Victorino ($13MM AAV), Edward Mujica ($4.75MM AAV) and Yoenis Cespedes ($9MM AAV) are all coming off the books following the upcoming season. As Speier examined in depth yesterday, the Red Sox figure to already be within $7-8MM of the $189MM threshold, and that’s without adding a pair of starters as well as perhaps a backup catcher and another bullpen arm. However, the team will also undoubtedly be offloading some significant salary in trades of its outfield surplus. Cespedes has been heavily rumored as a likely trade candidate, and any of Victorino, Allen Craig, Daniel Nava could theoretically be moved as well.

[Northern Star]

Apologies if I missed it, but the Sox are now willing to ignore their rule about multiple years to 30 yr old pitchers? Cos they ain't getting Lester for 3 years.

[User Name]

Well nothing else matters until they make SIGNIFICANT upgrades. Should have started with Jon Lester. You are going to pay Hanley 22 million a year? This is the same s*** as the Crawford year.

 

Sign Jon Lester.

 

The order of factors doesn't affect the outcome. No point in whining about Lester unless they lose him to another team, at which point whining is actually an obligation. Also, why do people assume you can just put a gun to a guy's head and force him to sign? We don't know the specifics, but he may want to test the market to see what's out there, or he would have taken the Cubs' offer.

[iortiz]

Looking at the way they are executing this offseason, I would keep Cespedes and I would send JBJ and Castillo to minors in order to prepare 'em for 2016 when Cespedes is gone. It would mean going for SP at FA; Lester and Shields, would be my picks.

 

My L-up would be:

 

Hanley (LF)

Pedroia (2B)

Ortiz (DH)

Panda (3B)

Cespedes (CF)

Napoli (1B)

XB (SS)

Vasquez ©

Victorino (RF)

 

Sounds like tons of power to me.

 

The rotation would be:

 

Lester

Shields

Buch.

Kelly

Workman.

 

 

This is very realistic, we'll see though.

[User Name]

Hanley leading off and Betts on the bench? Betts is their best lead-off option and Hanley's the second-best hitter on the team.

[iortiz]

I would go slow with Betts. Said that, Hanley would be my lead off since his OBP.

[User Name]

But if healthy, he's a 30-HR, 100-RBI bat. You use that to protect Ortiz.

[sk7326]

sk---after his big 2011 season in the minors when he slammed 32 homers the Red Sox decided to have Ryan concentrate on his defense and not so much on his hitting. His hitting suffered. As for his defense behind the plate, there is some question in my mind whether he could have ever been he receiver the Red Sox hoped he would be. However, the team decided to go with Salty even though his catching left a lot to be desired, yet Jarrod did emerge as at least an adequate catcher his last year with us. It just seems, though, that in the last seven or eight years too many of our "prospects" have either been kept down to long or rushed and none have been able to really make a contribution to the team---Bogaerts and Bradley being the latest two to fall on their faces, though the former will get another chance to show he's not the choker and disappointment he was this season. Bradley should be traded for a bunch of bananas and apples.

 

Youk and Pedroia fall in that time frame. So did Lester and Buchholz (who has fallen on his face as a #1, but not as a viable starter). Some misses, lot of hits. And many that were valuable trade assets, which has to count.

 

There are real questions as to whether this staff is up to dealing with young regulars - that is legitimate. At the same time, Bogaerts' falling on his face is a pretty phenomenal overreaction when considering how Pedroia and Iglesias did in extended trial runs at first. Now I wish Bogaerts had a Trout season so we could (correctly) dream of Hall of Fame things for him. Alas, that did not happen. However, he has hung in at the big league level at an age when most of his buddies are in AA - that is an overwhelmingly positive sign. The odds are still very good that he will have a strong career playing baseball for a living.

[iortiz]

Yeah.... But Cespedes, Panda and even Napoli can protect him. Thing is, Hanley has a great OBP as well and I just don't want to see a XB/JBJ 2.0 in Betts. I would manage him slowly.

[sk7326]

But if healthy, he's a 30-HR, 100-RBI bat. You use that to protect Ortiz.

 

I forget where the literature is - but your best place to put your best hitter is 2nd ... balancing number of plate appearances with RBI opportunities. Now most lineups do not act that way. Right now the way I look at the "Top 13"

 

C: Vasquez

1B: Napoli

2B: Pedroia

3B: Sandoval

SS: Bogaerts

LF: Ramirez

CF: Betts

RF: Castillo

DH: Ortiz

OF: Nava (platoon value - still a solid on-base dude)

OF: Victorino

IF: Holt (plays a lot of positions)

C: (Somebody)

 

Clearly there is a squeeze for Cespedes and Craig here. That will need to be resolved. Now theoretically they can only carry 11 pitchers, but it is not how staffs work in 2014-15, and I doubt Farrell will do differently early in the season.

 

Given this, a starting lineup:

 

CF: Betts

LF: Ramirez

2B: Pedroa

DH: Ortiz

1B: Napoli

3B: Sandoval

SS: Bogaerts

RF: Castillo

C: Vasquez

[iortiz]

I just read that Farrell is willing to give Cespedes the CF.

[User Name]

Yeah.... But Cespedes, Panda and even Napoli can protect him. Thing is, Hanley has a great OBP as well and I just don't want to see a XB/JBJ 2.0 in Betts. I would manage him slowly.

 

....and stunt his development. That makes no sense. Let him play and manage accordingly. Also, as SK pointed out XB is not a failure at all. He's playing with the big boys at an age when most guys are just reaching AA. Context matters.

[iortiz]

We'll see what happens, but if Cespedes stays, I don't see Betts in opening day L-up.

[Spitball]

I just read that Farrell is willing to give Cespedes the CF.

 

That is saying, "The guy has a position on this team, and we don't have to unload him." That translates to, "We have Mookie Betts and have to unload this guy."

[User Name]

That is saying, "The guy has a position on this team, and we don't have to unload him." That translates to, "We have Mookie Betts and have to unload this guy."

 

Pretty much.

[RedSoxNC84]

I just read that Farrell is willing to give Cespedes the CF.

 

Most likely posturing, to up his potential trade value.

[Bellhorn04]

Statements like that from Farrell seem a little comical to me. Somebody should ask John how he plans to deploy all those outfielders.

[BSN07]

Of course they are gonna say this. They don't want teams trying to use their depth against them in trade negotiations which teams are obviously going to try. It's all part of the chess game.

[iortiz]

I do not see a big deal giving Cespedes the CF this year while our young talent like Betts, Castillo and even JBJ finish their development and likely be ready for 2016 when Cespedes and Victorino are gone.

[User Name]

Because you can get a pitcher using Cespedes, who will be gone after 2015 either way, while giving the kids valuable AB's at the Major League level.

[Divinity]

If the Sox don't resign Lester trading him last season will have been a big mistake. By trading him they eliminated the high draft pick they would've recieved if had signed else where, making other teams much more likely to throw additional money Lester's way instead of going after Scherzer or Shields.

[iortiz]

You could give some AB but not fully responsibility, not just yet IMO. They will have around 60 M by 2016 to play with, reason why I would go to FA to get these 2 SPs without trading anyone. Man they are in a position to have a great depth in every position while still developing these young talents and to be ready by 2016, not sure why the rush. Squeeze what is left in Cespedes, Napoli, Ortiz and Victorino, and by 2016 your young talent will be ready to take full responsibility. That would be my approach. Edited November 26, 2014 by iortiz

[User Name]

Because you have the depth to not completely rely on the kids with or without Cespedes. Also, you're assuming they'll be able to acquire two pitchers from the FA market and forget about the clusterf*** of OF's the roster currently has. They need to clear some room one way or another.

 

It's not a "rush to play the kids", it's a need to balance the roster.

[iortiz]

clusterf***?... As I said, send Castillo and JBJ to minors and finish their developments and only keep Betts giving him some ABs in order to prepare him to 2016. No big deal.