2014 Offseason Thread

[User Name]

I mean for all we know this is the year Clay Buchholz finally puts it all together, and stays healthy, both in the same year, and he's our #1. You can't depend on it, but if you put yourself in a position to get lucky in enough different ways something ought to come through for you.

 

See 2013.

[Palodios]

Oakland traded their #1 prospect to the Rays for Ben Zobrist.

 

I know Zobrist is good, but what on earth is Beane trying to do? That's an all-in move. You don't make all-in moves after losing Samardzija, Donaldson, Lester, Lowrie and others.

[BSN07]

Oakland traded their #1 prospect to the Rays for Ben Zobrist.

 

I know Zobrist is good, but what on earth is Beane trying to do? That's an all-in move. You don't make all-in moves after losing Samardzija, Donaldson, Lester, Lowrie and others.

 

Rays are in total rebuild mode. They won't be a threat again for awhile.

 

I can't even begin to guess at what the A's are doing. Beane is sending mixed signals for sure.

[seabeachfred]

Rays are in total rebuild mode. They won't be a threat again for awhile.

 

I can't even begin to guess at what the A's are doing. Beane is sending mixed signals for sure.

 

But what are we doing BSN? I think if the Red Sox try winning with that rotation they have they will have another piss poor season even if the five projected starters stay healthy all season, which we should all know they will not. You cannot slug your way to the WS because hitting is not less consistent than pitching is and when you toss in some very questionable defensive men in the field it makes it even harder. I know you were one of the posters who preached caution and wait to the TD to do something. However, we've seen this blow up in our faces before, either teams resigning the players we covet to extensions or some team willing to pay more than Prune Face is willing to. We need to get a top notch No. 1 pitcher because the best we have right now are a bunch of threes, maybe a four and a five. I don't think we win with that ensemble.

[User Name]

Remind us of these points in your next post, because you obviously haven't quite repeated them enough in your last thousand posts.

 

As for what Beane is doing, he's trying to retool on the fly, and i wouldn't be surprised if he still has a couple of moves in him.

[Palodios]

As for what Beane is doing, he's trying to retool on the fly, and i wouldn't be surprised if he still has a couple of moves in him.

 

I get that, but the trades he has made have been awful. The Donaldson trade may have been the worst trade all offseason, and after selling the farm for Samardzija, they only received mid-tier pieces back for him.

[Northern Star]

Oakland traded their #1 prospect to the Rays for Ben Zobrist.

 

I know Zobrist is good, but what on earth is Beane trying to do? That's an all-in move. You don't make all-in moves after losing Samardzija, Donaldson, Lester, Lowrie and others.

 

Top prospect for one year of a good but not great player?

[mvp 78]

Remind us of these points in your next post, because you obviously haven't quite repeated them enough in your last thousand posts.

 

As for what Beane is doing, he's trying to retool on the fly, and i wouldn't be surprised if he still has a couple of moves in him.

OAK always has WTF moves that generally work out. Must be frustrating for their fans though, all 524 of them.

[User Name]

OAK always has WTF moves that generally work out. Must be frustrating for their fans though, all 524 of them.

 

525 after last year's run.

[mvp 78]

525 after last year's run.

 

scm33?

[User Name]

scm33?

 

Well played.

[Dojji]

Top prospect for one year of a good but not great player?

 

Depends on what they can turn Zobrist around for at the deadline.

 

We all know it's coming. Personally I hope boston's in on the guy. He's not the best player ever but he's one of the most versatile guys in the league, since he can play both middle infield positions as well as corner OF, and he switch hits. That's a useful guy to have around. To be honest I wanted the guy. His splits would be useful for us and we could easily find places for him to play.

[jacksonianmarch]

Depends on what they can turn Zobrist around for at the deadline.

 

We all know it's coming. Personally I hope boston's in on the guy. He's not the best player ever but he's one of the most versatile guys in the league, since he can play both middle infield positions as well as corner OF, and he switch hits. That's a useful guy to have around. To be honest I wanted the guy. His splits would be useful for us and we could easily find places for him to play.

 

Where will you put him? Zobrist is a very good player, but he's also not a top player. He is like Prado, his versatility makes his value shoot up. But think about where your need are. Zobrist is best served as a 2b. Well, he isn't playing there as Pedroia is under contract until Zobrist will be an old man. He also is well served at 3b. Well, same with Sandoval. He can play LF, but Hanley is there. And he can play RF, but you have Betts and Victorino over there. He's not a good SS, so unless its an emergency, he doesn't belong there

[cp176]

Where will you put him? Zobrist is a very good player, but he's also not a top player. He is like Prado, his versatility makes his value shoot up. But think about where your need are. Zobrist is best served as a 2b. Well, he isn't playing there as Pedroia is under contract until Zobrist will be an old man. He also is well served at 3b. Well, same with Sandoval. He can play LF, but Hanley is there. And he can play RF, but you have Betts and Victorino over there. He's not a good SS, so unless its an emergency, he doesn't belong there

 

Can he pitch?

[a700hitter]

Rays Sign Juan Francisco

By Brad Johnson [January 10, 2015 at 7:50pm CST]

The Rays have signed corner infielder Juan Francisco to a minor league deal, tweets Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Francisco was non-tendered by the Red Sox earlier in the offseason.

What was the point of the Red Sox claiming him in the first place?

[Palodios]

The Sox claimed Francisco before the Sandoval acquisition. He looked like a very good platoon option at the time, but with all the groundball acquisitions he wouldn't make sense anymore.

[a700hitter]

The Sox claimed Francisco before the Sandoval acquisition. He looked like a very good platoon option at the time, but with all the groundball acquisitions he wouldn't make sense anymore.

Wasn't he also nontendered long before the Sandoval signing? If that was the case, claiming Francisco seems to have had no purpose.

 

NM - Just checked and he was nontendered after Panda was signed.

Edited January 11, 2015 by a700hitter

[Bellhorn04]

I don't understand a lot of these fringe transactions. Lavarnway has passed through the hands of 3 or 4 teams this offseason.

[a700hitter]

I don't understand a lot of these fringe transactions. Lavarnway has passed through the hands of 3 or 4 teams this offseason.

It must be a very confusing off season for Lavarnway and unsettling for his family and loved ones. This type of uncertainty is probably a major reason why fringe players hang up their spikes in their 20's. AAA salaries are good liveable wages in today's economy, but there is just no stability in the minors so they hang them up after they get sick of living out of suitcases and constantly moving.

[Spudboy]

I hope Lavarnway catches on ( no pun intended ) because he seems to be a nice kid and he has a good brain. Plus he was developed by Boston.

 

I would think that someone would want to take a look at his bat. The kid has functional power.

 

I have always assumed that Lavarnway must really love baseball because he is Ivy League educated and must have plenty of good employment options.

[Kimmi]

I don't totally disagree with you, in fact I'm probably playing devil's advocate a bit here. But if we judge a pitcher on his postseason credentials, we wouldn't want Kershaw either.

 

 

Despite his postseason credentials to date, if I had to choose one pitcher to start a game for all the marbles, it would be Kershaw. He is simply the best in the game right now. The idea of being a postseason choker is mostly hogwash.

 

The point of this post being, I would take Shields in a heartbeat (provided the contract does not get too crazy). He is a very good pitcher, and his numbers in the postseason are too small of a sample to put any stock into them.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I would take Shields as well, but the contract almost certainly would get crazy. It's virtually impossible these days to sign guys to sane contracts. Remember when Gil Meche got 55M/yr from Kansas City? Isn't Mike Hampton still getting paid by Colorado, and won't he be paid by Colorado until the sun expands into a red giant and the Earth's oceans boil away?

 

I think we, and by we I mean all baseball fans, should resign ourselves to the fact that pitchers will cost money, a lot of money. Instead of passing up on guys or complaining about them based on money, we should accept it as part of the evolving business of baseball and focus on what the team should do with the rest of the money they have.

[User Name]

I wouldn't be opposed to them getting a guy with one year left on his contract, and then having them sign two top-tier guys next off-season either.

[dupree]

I'd like for the team to sign Scherzer 1st and foremost but I believe he goes back to Detroit.

 

So as User said if David Price were to be traded I'd like the Sox to make a run at him but I honestly don't think he wants to be in boston. Too much hostility and friction.

 

Or if Scherzer goes to Washington I'd like Zimmerman and I think he could be resigned.

 

But if Boston could throw a 4 year 116m at Shields he may take it. 24m aav. With maybe an mutual club and player option for the 5th. I think Shields is looking to land at a place to win a world series. He knows no matter what he's gonna get paid he wants the ring most of all.

 

If they want to pony the money up for Scherzer I'm all for it. If not look at Shields and if he or a trade that don't sell the farm can happen a trade can be made at the deadline to get a top tier guy if the Sox are in contention then next year with soo many coming off the books 2 legit front of the rotation guys can be signed.

 

I'm hoping Bucholtz can finally get the s*** together and he and Porcello can be #2s.

 

I was wondering who everyone thought would be the opening day starter?

 

I'd say Fareel will put Bucholtz on the mound on Opening Day. But I'd love to hear other arguments.

[dupree]

Not saying that you directly said trade for Price or Zimmerman , User Name I was just using your point for a trade for a top tier pitcher with only one year of control left. Just to clarify

[example1]

I'd like for the team to sign Scherzer 1st and foremost but I believe he goes back to Detroit.

 

So as User said if David Price were to be traded I'd like the Sox to make a run at him but I honestly don't think he wants to be in boston. Too much hostility and friction.

 

Or if Scherzer goes to Washington I'd like Zimmerman and I think he could be resigned.

 

But if Boston could throw a 4 year 116m at Shields he may take it. 24m aav. With maybe an mutual club and player option for the 5th. I think Shields is looking to land at a place to win a world series. He knows no matter what he's gonna get paid he wants the ring most of all.

 

If they want to pony the money up for Scherzer I'm all for it. If not look at Shields and if he or a trade that don't sell the farm can happen a trade can be made at the deadline to get a top tier guy if the Sox are in contention then next year with soo many coming off the books 2 legit front of the rotation guys can be signed.

 

I'm hoping Bucholtz can finally get the s*** together and he and Porcello can be #2s.

 

I was wondering who everyone thought would be the opening day starter?

 

I'd say Fareel will put Bucholtz on the mound on Opening Day. But I'd love to hear other arguments.

 

No thanks on Shields for $24m/year. $20m is too much IMO.

[User Name]

In this market economy? No it isn't. 24 may be an overpay, but 20 mill per is becoming chump change.

[User Name]

Not saying that you directly said trade for Price or Zimmerman , User Name I was just using your point for a trade for a top tier pitcher with only one year of control left. Just to clarify

 

I'd take either.

[seabeachfred]

Despite his postseason credentials to date, if I had to choose one pitcher to start a game for all the marbles, it would be Kershaw. He is simply the best in the game right now. The idea of being a postseason choker is mostly hogwash.

 

The point of this post being, I would take Shields in a heartbeat (provided the contract does not get too crazy). He is a very good pitcher, and his numbers in the postseason are too small of a sample to put any stock into them.

 

I would take Madison Bumgarner in a heartbeat because he has been there and done that.....more than in just one World Series. I don't think Kershaw is a choker either but facts are facts.....he has had some rough outings in the post season and the jury might be out until he corrects those reversals. I agree with Shields. Just as long as the contract is not one of those five year $150 million jobs. Still, we need a No. 1. I have said so repeatedly. Oh yes, we could win the division with what he have. I have said that too, but to me it would mean that our five man current rotation would have to be humming on all cylinders.....consistency, injury free, and backed up by a lights out bullpen. Remember too, that we have Buchholz who, talent or not, never seems to be ready to give us a full season.

[Spudboy]

Despite his postseason credentials to date, if I had to choose one pitcher to start a game for all the marbles, it would be Kershaw. He is simply the best in the game right now. The idea of being a postseason choker is mostly hogwash.

 

The point of this post being, I would take Shields in a heartbeat (provided the contract does not get too crazy). He is a very good pitcher, and his numbers in the postseason are too small of a sample to put any stock into them.

 

Good post.

 

I have pointed this out before, people are just saying Shields is something less than a good #1 because of his recent lack of success in the playoffs. Any attentive Sox fan should suspect otherwise having seen him pitch for the Rays over the years. I'd take him on this team any day. Age be damned.