2014 Offseason Thread

[BSN07]

Good for Lester. Thanks for everything man... on to the next..

 

 

Should get really interesting now that is out of the way.

[curiousd]

1. Of the available pitchers by the above list from deity isn't Samardzija already going to the White Sox?

 

2. All this sounds good to me but don't trade Betts, don't trade Betts, don't trade Betts.

[dupree]

f*** Lester.

[BSN07]

1. Of the available pitchers by the above list from deity isn't Samardzija already going to the White Sox?

 

2. All this sounds good to me but don't trade Betts, don't trade Betts, don't trade Betts.

Thats the FA list for next year

f*** Lester.

 

Omg butt hurt much? Lol

[pruneface]

f*** Lester.

 

LMAO. Sox really pushed their luck with the guy. First the lowball and then an offer 20 million below the Cubs hoping for the hometown discount. 20 million is a hell of a discount. They hand out less than that when they rape and pillage a country's resources.

[jacksonianmarch]

Henry and Co screwed the pooch on this one. They had a chance to offer Jon a 5yr $100-$110 mil contract extension and instead they cheated out. Then, they get in a bidding war where every single outlet was pointing to $150 mil and 6yrs being the target and they come up $15 mil short. Now, all they are left with is Cespedes, who has no position right now and has lost value in the process due to his defensive and attitude concerns. The sox also lost in the court of public opinion when they put out their new "philosophy" and then went against it 5 months later with their bid on Jon. They'll try to spin this, but the moment they offered him a garbage deal was the day their chance at a discount dried up. Now, you're talking about Shields? You mean Small Game James? A guy who's gonna get 5 or 6 yrs on the open market and is 2 years older? Shields is going to get at least 5yrs and $90 mil

[pruneface]

Shields is the number one target now. Ben is a bold GM - we'll see what he can pull out of his hat - I have no doubt they'll cough up enough for Shields - they won't like it, but they need a solid FA pitcher. It's the only way they'll be able to trade for another and feel comfortable with what they give up. The question for me is how much they'll give up via trade. Will they be able to do so without giving up Betts, Bogie, Owens and Swihart? I'm betting at least one of them goes.

 

Candidates - forget Hamel - his numbers suck in the AL East, he's owed a ton and the Phillies will be asking for a ton. Plus their GM is a f***in' moron.

Forget anybody on the Mariners. They need pitchers - thin rotation with none to spare if a guy gets injured.

Cincy - Latos has shoulder issues. Cueto is the guy, but they might be looking to extend him. Might be easier to pry a gun out of Charleton Heston's cold dead hands.

Tigers - Porcello is okay - but he won't come cheap.

Scherzer - guess the Yankees or Dodgers land him. Maybe the Giants since they were willing to go so high on Lester. Doubt the Sox will feel comfortable going around 200 million for the guy when they passed gallstones getting up to 135 for Lester.

 

Bottom line: Sox blew their wad last spring and now they'll have a tougher time getting their rotation filled. Until they get that FA - other teams are going to smell desperation seeping out of their pores like an inmate who just dropped the soap in a prison shower stall.

[User Name]

Sox looked for the biggest gun they could find, and when they got it, shot themselves in the foot with it during the Lester negotiations.

[pruneface]

Henry and Co screwed the pooch on this one. They had a chance to offer Jon a 5yr $100-$110 mil contract extension and instead they cheated out. Then, they get in a bidding war where every single outlet was pointing to $150 mil and 6yrs being the target and they come up $15 mil short. Now, all they are left with is Cespedes, who has no position right now and has lost value in the process due to his defensive and attitude concerns. The sox also lost in the court of public opinion when they put out their new "philosophy" and then went against it 5 months later with their bid on Jon. They'll try to spin this, but the moment they offered him a garbage deal was the day their chance at a discount dried up. Now, you're talking about Shields? You mean Small Game James? A guy who's gonna get 5 or 6 yrs on the open market and is 2 years older? Shields is going to get at least 5yrs and $90 mil

You're a Yankee fan, right? Hey, man, thanks for the recap of today's events. We all appreciate it. You're like the one Vegan at the Carnivore club reminding us that the sky is falling.

[redsoxrules]

Not very surprised by this. This FO is reluctant to give SP big money.

f***, from my memory the Sox have never had a pitcher with a 100M contract. I'm not counting dicek because of the posting fee

[MJantomaso]

I'm kind of relieved we didn't throw 150mil to Lester. On to the next...

[cp176]

Been a fan since 1955 so I have seen many interesting twists and turns. Didn't see the Sox losing out by 20 mil. to the Cubs. I am not seeing the logic in some of their recent decisions. Help me out here. 3rd base I get but 88 mil. to an infielder to play left field. The excitement surrounding Castillo having no major league experience. Allen Craig? I hope there is method to the madness here. If not, am I looking at something as foolish as losing Fisk., Burleson, and Lynn? I truly believed that they would match the Cubs $ for $. Oh well, like I said I have seen quite a bit over the years. Let's see if we can pull off another Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater deal.

[crazydiamond]

Shame he won't lead the rotation anymore, but the FO didn't see him as someone who should be the second-highest-paid pitcher out there every spring, and that makes some sense as well.

Just please don't sign Shields.

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not at all convinced they'll pay what it takes to get Shields. A few teams will be in on him too. His price will exceed any valuation they place on him.

[BSN07]

Any frontline guys will need to be traded for. Shields is a 1 on a team like Kc or TB, not Boston or Ny. Scherzer is an obvious no no. They can fill the mid to end of the rotation with FA but if they want an ace they will need to trade for one.

 

I'm also glad the didn't sink 150M into Lester. And i may have missed it but did he ever say he would have signed 5/100 this spring?

[MANNYHOF24]

Lets get Hammels, Cueto and Masterson and call it an offseason, anyone?

[Bellhorn04]

Lets get Hammels, Cueto and Masterson and call it an offseason, anyone?

 

You'd need a lot of top prospects going the other way to land Hamels and Cueto.

[Palodios]

I don't understand how the Red Sox can offer Pablo 19 million a year, but only 22 million for Lester. There is such a wide difference in talent there.

 

If the Red Sox go after Hamels, we're looking at a 15 million dollar difference for a pitcher who is a year older and has never pitched in the AL, and will cost franchise-changing prospects.

 

The only bright side here is that the NL Central just blew up. The Reds probably are seeing the writing on the wall, maybe the Brewers too. Cueto, Homer Bailey, Latos, Gallardo, maybe even Garza are now on the table, and possibly cheaper. Cueto is the big play here, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox go after Latos+Bailey.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Palodios

[cp176]

Keep the faith. I would like to see Cueto coming our way.

[jacksonianmarch]

He said he'd take a discount.

[MJantomaso]

I think trading for a couple solid 1 year rentals and then go all in in FA next year could be the franchises best bet. I'm not really in love with Hammels for the price PHI is asking for.

[BSN07]

Anyone know the differences in taxes between Mass. And Illinois? Just curious as to what the "actual" difference is between the 2 offers.

[User Name]

I don't understand how the Red Sox can offer Pablo 19 million a year, but only 22 million for Lester. There is such a wide difference in talent there.

 

If the Red Sox go after Hamels, we're looking at a 15 million dollar difference for a pitcher who is a year older and has never pitched in the AL, and will cost franchise-changing prospects.

 

The only bright side here is that the NL Central just blew up. The Reds probably are seeing the writing on the wall, maybe the Brewers too. Cueto, Homer Bailey, Latos, Gallardo, maybe even Garza are now on the table, and possibly cheaper. Cueto is the big play here, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox go after Latos+Bailey.

 

Because pitchers are a much higher risk. That's the only reasoning i can see behind it.

[User Name]

He said he'd take a discount.

 

Oh. So what constitutes a discount, smart guy?

[BSN07]

Oh. So what constitutes a discount, smart guy?

How the hell would he know what a discount is?

[jacksonianmarch]

My bad UN? My phone posted before I was ready, then the kids attacked. It's hard to say what that number would have been, but if he got a near market value contract prior to ST last yr, they'd have him for far less than what they offered

[BSN07]

Because pitchers are a much higher risk. That's the only reasoning i can see behind it.

 

It's the age old argument over paying a guy to play everyday or to pitch every 5th day. That's what that argument will boil down to.

[BSN07]

My bad UN? My phone posted before I was ready, then the kids attacked. It's hard to say what that number would have been, but if he got a near market value contract prior to ST last yr, they'd have him for far less than what they offered

 

I don't know, i don't think he was gonna go for a 5 year deal at around 100-120M. And that's what i consider a discount. Anything into 6 years is right at market value and not really a discount anymore. You could argue about a smaller aav over 6 being a discount but from what this FO has shown they value discounts on years more than they do AAV. Lester knew if he had a good season he was looking at 6-7 year offers all day. It was a 20-40M gamble and he won.

Edited December 10, 2014 by BSN07

[Spudboy]

No mvp!!!!! Your friend here and Bellhorn are in on this. But, speaking only for myself, I am NOT on with Masterson unless he is a No. 5 or a 6.

 

Preferably Lester, Shields, Porcello.

 

But if Lester Bolts, then Shields, Porcello, fodder.

[BSN07]

Is anyone else concerned the elder statesman of the site haven't posted? Do we have an emergency contact list for them?