2014 Offseason Thread

[iortiz]

Yes, but I think this is in Lester's hands only now.

 

If the proposals are similar and Lester ends up in Chicago, that 70 M offer will speak volumes.

[iortiz]

Seems like LAD are officially out too.

[SeanJohn93]

If the Red Sox lose the bidding war and the contract is made public, Henry and Luchinno will make a statement about how they offered the same money and Lester just chose against the Sox. This will be a PR move for the fans.

[Elktonnick]

This isn't going to decided by the highest bidder in dollar terms . This is going to be about where Lester feels the most comfortable. The fact that Lester informed the Giants they were out before he heard their additional offer told us that. If in fact it is between Chicago and Boston as we are now told then it will be about how much playing for John Farrell really means to Lester.

[example1]

I think Theo et al can make an appeal similar to what they did with Schilling 10+ years ago. "This is about being an enormous hero in Chicago, anchoring a rotation on a really, really solid team in a city that loves baseball. Also, we're willing to give you almost $30m/yr to make you happy."

[Bellhorn04]

Lester must have gotten the whole family involved in this. That's why it's takin' so damn long.

[seabeachfred]

I just can't believe Lester would pick the cubs over us.The cubs are cursed lol

 

It could depend on how important the money is.....you know, it's always about the money OR whether Lester enjoyed his years in Red Sox red that he wants to return and let bygones be bygones from the shoddy treatment he received with that boneheaded offer this Spring. At last look, the Giants and the Dodgers were told they were out of it so we are still in the running.

[seabeachfred]

The Giants are out on Jon Lester. I'd say the Dodgers made the offer for 7 years. It's gonna come down to the Cubs and Red Sox. I think he comes back here instead of the Cubs. It's probably gonna be close to 160M. I think he wants to be here and he can win more Championships here than there. The meeting early tonite with the Sox FO is a good sign in my opinion.

 

I'd say within the next two hours he will sign. They it will be a trade frenzy as soon as the announcement is made.

 

I like the Masterson offer. At 2 years I like it. And a trade for a Porcello/Latos or the big fish in Hamels would be awesome. With the financial commitments the the up coming years the Sox could afford two aces in Lester and Hamels.

 

Work your magic Ben.

In Ben we Trust.

 

I don't think we have a chance to get both Lester and Hamels but I would like to see either a Lester-Shields twosome or a Hamels-Shields one. That's my preference.

[seabeachfred]

Sell the future? lol my proposal is not selling the future. We have eight pitchers who could all start in the rotation in AAA or go to the pen. Let me know how trading two of those away is selling the future. Marrero is blocked by Bogaerts (assuming he can improve his offense like he showed in the last couple months of the season). Cecchini is blocked by Panda and is already in AAA. There is really no room for either of them in the near future. Margot and Devers are nowhere close to the majors. We would get four years of Hamels. We would only get one for Porcello, but we only have one year of Cespedes. That seems pretty fair. I specifically said we will keep Owens, Betts, and Swihart. Also, we would keep Johnson and Rodriguez. The last time I checked, we can only start 5 pitchers and we potentially have 8 in AAA. Trading two away, having 5 in AAA, and moving one to the pen in no way jeapordizes our future. So I guess selling the future means only trading two from a surplus of pitching depth in the minors and trading two guys that are blocked for at least the next six years. I am glad you are not the GM, otherwise we would be as good as the Astros or Cubs for years to come. We need a healthy balance of prospects and veterans.

 

If we could keep Betts, Owens and Swihart I say go and make that deal with the Phillies and give them four or five prospects for Hamels. We don't win anything next season without a top lefthander in the rotation and a solid righty No. 2 man, and Kelly, Masterson, Buchholz and Delarosa are not it.

Edited December 10, 2014 by seabeachfred

[example1]

McAdam reporting Sox and Phillies discussing Sean Coyle for Antonio Bastardo. Coyle looks like he could be a decent player, but Bastardo wouldn't hurt in the bullpen.

[SeanJohn93]

Relievers are always a crapshoot

[BSN07]

Scherzer looking for a 200m+ deal lol

[example1]

There was also a tweet earlier tonight about the Reds possibly entertaining offers on Aroldis Chapman. I wonder what it would take to get him. That guy is an elite arm, albeit in the bullpen.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Cubs it is.

 

Wonder what the Sox go for next.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I wish I didn't stay up this late just to see Lester sign with the Cubs. f***!!!!

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Maybe Hamels/Shields?

Blah...at least Lester's pinstripes won't be Yankee.

[User Name]

There was just no way he'd take 20 million less. No way.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

$155million/6years vs. Red Sox offer of $135million/6years.

 

Oh well. Move on to the next one. Get two top of the order starters if you want to compete this year. Anything less and the FO is just spinning their wheels.

[User Name]

Sign Shields/ trade for a number 2. Ideally that number 2 would be Mat Latos. If they get Masterson/Porcello too, they're in business.

[example1]

There was just no way he'd take 20 million less. No way.

 

Exactly. He's got to take the money and the challenge. Wasn't it the second highest AAV for a pitcher in history? Right there with Verlander? I will give credit to the Cubs. This is the time they've been saving everything up for. They are loaded and Lester's perfect for that situation.

[User Name]

The FO did its usual thing of assigning a value and not going past it. I still think the initial extension talks did blow up in their face, but if they adequately replace Lester, i personally won't be mad. Some here will whine (par for the course) but they have plenty of options.

[SeanJohn93]

Tough to swallow but if anybody deserves a pitcher of Lester's caliber, its the Cubs

[SeanJohn93]

Besides the money, the fact that Lester faces a pitcher and will not have to face a dh will help his career numbers. I bet his numbers will look much better un the NL, I think his ERA will be in the 2s

[User Name]

All the best to him and the Cubs.

[example1]

Sign Shields/ trade for a number 2. Ideally that number 2 would be Mat Latos. If they get Masterson/Porcello too, they're in business.

 

That would be my low-end plan. Both of those guys are good enough for the job. I think Shields may be a feeding frenzy before the Scherzer signing. I can see any number of teams swooping in on him, so he's by no means a sure thing.

 

Losing Lester means they've saved a bunch of money over the long term. It also means that to be competitive this year they're probably going to need to make up for it in prospects, overpaying to make crucial trades. I think that's okay--it's all currency. It just changes the strategy. They should be able to land Masterson and Porcello if they wanted to. I still believe they will add 2-3 interesting arms before the off-season is over. Now the action starts.

[User Name]

Next offseason should be the real boon for arms too. Funny how that works. Now there's pitching all over the place but it's near-impossible to get a power bat.

[SeanJohn93]

Next offseason should be the real boon for arms too. Funny how that works. Now there's pitching all over the place but it's near-impossible to get a power bat.

 

Do you know what pitchers are available next year by any chance?

[example1]

Next offseason should be the real boon for arms too. Funny how that works. Now there's pitching all over the place but it's near-impossible to get a power bat.

 

You think they're going to go light this year with hopes of being more aggressive next year? There's quite a few good names in there:

 

Porcello

Leake

Latos

Zimmerman

Cueto

Gallardo

samardzija

Price

Norris

Kennedy

Chen

Kazmir

Fister

Iwakuma

Buehrle

[User Name]

All they need to do is pluck one of those guys in exchange for Cespedes (probably one of the Reds guys) and sign Shields. Then they can take their time deciding on one of the mid-tier FA's and pray for rain.

 

It'll be much better next offseason, although some of those guys are bound to get extended.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

The FO did its usual thing of assigning a value and not going past it. I still think the initial extension talks did blow up in their face, but if they adequately replace Lester, i personally won't be mad. Some here will whine (par for the course) but they have plenty of options.

 

I agree. I am not emotionally attached to Lester. If they can replace his numbers adquately, then I will be fine. I just don't want to see them trot out a bunch of has-beens and never-weres like that time they had Smoltz out there. Do it right or admit failure. Half-assing the pitching staff is not going to get it done.