Red Sox Sign Koji Uehara To Two-Year Extension

[a700hitter]

Red Sox Sign Koji Uehara To Two-Year Extension

By Steve Adams [October 30, 2014 at 4:04pm CDT]

The Red Sox announced that they have signed right-hander Koji Uehara to a two-year extension that runs through the 2016 season. Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that it is a two-year, $18MM contract (Twitter link). Uehara is represented by Mark Pieper of Relativity Sports.

 

Uehara, who turns 40 next April, has thrived over the past two seasons in Boston, rising from elite setup man to All-Star closer in short order. Though he finished 2014 on a negative note — he yielded 10 runs over his final 7 2/3 innings and pitched just five time in September due to arm fatigue — Uehara has overall been nothing short of outstanding in Boston.

 

In 138 2/3 innings for the Red Sox, Uehara has pitched to a pristine 1.75 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9. He was a postseason hero during the Red Sox’ 2013 World Series run, allowing one run in 13 2/3 innings and winning ALCS MVP honors after appearing in five of the six games in that series. Though not a flamethrower, Uehara racks up strikeouts thanks to an exceptional split-finger. This past season, the only pitcher in all of Major League Baseball who posted a higher swinging-strike rate than Uehara’s 18.8 percent was Aroldis Chapman.

 

Uehara figures to be the first significant signing of what should be an active offseason for the Red Sox, who appear to have no plans to go into rebuilding mode on the heels of a last-place finish in 2014. Rather, the Red Sox prioritized adding MLB-ready help at the trade deadline and are expected to pursue at least one top starting pitcher on the open market in the offseason. Boston has also been connected to the likes of Pablo Sandoval and Chase Headley. To that end, Uehara’s contract isn’t a detriment to the team’s long-term outlook. Including Uehara, the Red Sox still have just four contracts on the books for 2016 and only two guaranteed contracts to which they are committed beyond that season. That positions the team well to add at least one significant multi-year pact this winter, if not more.

 

In my recent free agent profile for Uehara, I pegged him for a one-year, $11MM contract on the open market while noting that I felt he could receive two years at a lower annual value should his preference be for security over the upside of another large one-year deal next offseason. His departure from the free agent market weakens a strong crop of relievers that is headlined by David Robertson and Andrew Miller but also includes Sergio Romo, Pat Neshek, Luke Gregerson and a number of other solid arms

I am surprised that they signed him for 2 seasons at age 40.

[Mr Tibbs]

I don't know how to feel about this. If we just signed 2012 Koji I'm ecstatic!! On the other hand if we signed the Koji from 2013, well............

[SoxFanForsyth]

I don't know how to feel about this. If we just signed 2012 Koji I'm ecstatic!! On the other hand if we signed the Koji from 2013, well............

 

I imagine you mean 2013 rather than 2012 and 2014 rather than 2013, but regardless, Koji posted a 2.52 era, an 11.19 k:9 and a 1.12 bb:9 last year. He was still absolutely excellent last year. He hit a rough patch at the end of the season but the fact that his numbers were still among the best in all of baseball lets you know that he is historically good when he's on. He was an excellent signing.

[seabeachfred]

I like the signing, and if we can add two good middle relievers, one a very dependable eighth inning shut down hurler and one who can close when Koji isn't available, well then that would be heading in the right direction. 700 Hitter put it well a little while ago. Aside from Papi, the whole team s*** the bed this season. We need to make amends and get back to winning as soon as possible---like 2015.

[Dojji]

Good. Now trade him, beceause this team isn't contending for crap in the next 3 years. If they have the cojones to take it on the chin like they need to over that time and focus on getting their farm right then we can talk about contending by 2017. Since I know they don't, we'll see what happens.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Good. Now trade him, beceause this team isn't contending for crap in the next 3 years. If they have the cojones to take it on the chin like they need to over that time and focus on getting their farm right then we can talk about contending by 2017. Since I know they don't, we'll see what happens.

 

Lol. They have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball

[Dojji]

How many years have we seen that great farm system net us zero established star level ballplayers, especially in the rotation?

 

It's like being rich because someone owes you a billion dollars. It doesn't mean jack until they start paying out.

[SoxFanForsyth]

How many years have we seen that great farm system net us zero established star level ballplayers, especially in the rotation?

 

It's like being rich because someone owes you a billion dollars. It doesn't mean jack until they start paying out.

 

Um. The Sox starting C, 2B, SS, and RF are all homegrown.

 

I don't know what you want from the Red Sox. They win a world series in 2013 with Pedroia, Nava, Buch, and Lester as the only homegrown players.

 

Next year they go in with Vazquez, Pedey, Bogaerts, Betts, Buchholz, Nava. They have Holt, Kelley, Webster, Workman, RDLR all acting as bench/SP/RP.

 

What is it that you're looking for?!? They have $42mm on the books as of today for 2016. You're just complaining to complain. The Red Sox are in the best shape of any big market team out there right now.

[Dojji]

And of those players, only Pedroia is an established star per my specification in that post, and let's be honest, his star is showing every sign of fading, like a lot of little ballplayers do as the style of play they have to maintain to stay in the league starts to catch up with their bodies

[Bellhorn04]

How many years have we seen that great farm system net us zero established star level ballplayers, especially in the rotation?

 

It's like being rich because someone owes you a billion dollars. It doesn't mean jack until they start paying out.

 

"The moment you close your mind to the possibility of pleasant surprises, you are dead in spirit."

[Dojji]

I'm not closed to the possibility of pleasant surprises. Pleasant surprises are always nice. Nava was a great example in 2013. But you can't fill the middle of your lineup and the top 2 spots in your rotation with the opportunity to be pleasantly surprised and expect to contend consistently. And the team needs to be doing a bit more to help ensure that the surprises we encounter in player development are pleasant

[BSN07]

Holy s*** dojji hahaha Take it easy bud.

 

Don't give up on some of these young players that had a rough year. They wouldn't be the first players to struggle a couple seasons before they found it. Not every player is Mike Trout. Can you imagine if KC gave up on Moose, Gordon, and Hosmer after slow starts to their careers? Some guys need time to figure the level out. And Yes I understand some never will. But it's way too early to say none of them can develop into solid to star level MLB players.

[Dojji]

Good, because that isn't what I'm saying. I'm saying they haven't done it YET, and the team needs to worry more about developing them than about trying to maintain some vague sense of being a contender.

[a700hitter]

Good, because that isn't what I'm saying. I'm saying they haven't done it YET, and the team needs to worry more about developing them than about trying to maintain some vague sense of being a contender.

 

While I do think that the team's player development and scouting operations deserve close scrutiny, I don't agree that the only way to rebuild a team is to tear it all down first. I agree with Ben that there are a lot of ways to rebuild a team.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Good, because that isn't what I'm saying. I'm saying they haven't done it YET, and the team needs to worry more about developing them than about trying to maintain some vague sense of being a contender.

 

I think we disagree on the fact that winning and developing rookies are not mutually exclusive.

[sk7326]

I don't know how to feel about this. If we just signed 2012 Koji I'm ecstatic!! On the other hand if we signed the Koji from 2013, well............

 

Easy move. Yeah it would be cheaper to find an internal replacement, and it is silly to expect 2013 Koji from him (or any other earthling) but a very reasonable contract (and tradeable if needed). Red Sox did not want to pay him a qualifying offer and Koji was probably not getting 2 years at this rate on the market (or at least it wasn't a certainty).

[sk7326]

And of those players, only Pedroia is an established star per my specification in that post, and let's be honest, his star is showing every sign of fading, like a lot of little ballplayers do as the style of play they have to maintain to stay in the league starts to catch up with their bodies

 

Pedroia is a star on the other side of the mountain. Bogaerts is very high probability - Betts is even higher (in both cases use what you know about sports that you played - freshman on the varsity were where your future stars were, not dudes who could crush JV). C is fine for the next few years - however it turns out.

 

The rotation needs help, but the help is available - granted not for free. The Red Sox had a lot of bad luck last season - enough to see that 2015 could very easily be a return to some flavour of contendor-dom.

[sk7326]

The Red Sox are so barren that they dropped to number 3 in future power rankings: (paywall, sorry) http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11779252/mlb-future-power-rankings-heading-2014-free-agency

 

The overview

GM Ben Cherington has the tools to address the team's need for left-handed hitting, power hitting and a front-line starting pitcher. -- Buster Olney

 

The dilemma

The Red Sox need to rebuild their starting rotation. Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly are good options to remain in it, but they need to improve the front end of the rotation by bringing back Jon Lester or trying to sign James Shields. They also shouldn't be afraid to trade for a top talent such as Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Tyson Ross, Cole Hamels or Jordan Zimmermann. -- Jim Bowden

 

New guys

Manuel Margot, my sleeper for the system in each of the past two years, had an outstanding season as a 19-year-old in Class A ball, with a tremendous contact rate, surprising pop and well above-average defense in center field. -- Keith Law

[Spudboy]

I think we disagree on the fact that winning and developing rookies are not mutually exclusive.

 

No, they are not mutually exclusive. It's just that the Boston market is not accustomed to seeing several rookies prove themselves at the same time. Boston fans are used to seeing teams that should be competitive. Not teams that are loaded with players that are still in development as we saw in the second half of 2014.

[jacksonianmarch]

Koji was shut down with shoulder fatigue and is 40. 2 years is a risky investment, especially at $9 mil per year. I have a feeling this one is a backfiring deal. Should have been a 1 yr with a vesting option.

[sk7326]

Koji was shut down with shoulder fatigue and is 40. 2 years is a risky investment, especially at $9 mil per year. I have a feeling this one is a backfiring deal. Should have been a 1 yr with a vesting option.

 

Not sure how much leverage there was ... it's still half the price of Rivera's 2013. It could end up not working out, but it's not particularly pricey given the market and industry factors.

[a700hitter]

I would have given him $12 million for 1 season with team option of $8 million for a second season.

[Spudboy]

This is a clear case of "A bird in the hand". Finding decent relief pitching is difficult. Finding a closer even more so.

 

The Sox were not going to make the 15.3 mil QA but wanted him back. The obvious thing to do was to strike a slightly more lucrative deal for the player and hope that you have the closer role covered for two more years.

 

2/18 is about what should have been spent. I had speculated that 2/18 - 2/21 would get it done.

 

Jacko has a point. To a point, that is.

 

Sure, Koji is a burgeoning geezer with a history of elbow injury. He did tire out in the second half of 2014. Maybe he will sustain a serious injury and never be the same big game, big time closer again. I see why not if the Sox use him wisely ( one inning only and in closing situations ).

 

Or, he rests his shoulder in the off season and he comes back strong and resumes his dominant form.

 

If so, this deal becomes a bargain. Look at it this way. If Koji pitches effectively throughout the two year deal, then the Sox paid only 2.7 mil for a closer in 2016.

 

The big thing is just to have one of the pitching slots figured out. Now the Sox can go out and complete the process by getting some starting pitching and fill in the pen as needed.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Spudboy

[InfernoOrangeSS]

I am very good with this signing. Koji is an elite closer. He just needs his workload monitored, and I feel the RS will take care of this.

[jacksonianmarch]

Not sure how much leverage there was ... it's still half the price of Rivera's 2013. It could end up not working out, but it's not particularly pricey given the market and industry factors.

 

Rivera was the best closer in history. Koji had one amazing season and finished 2014 with an injury to his shoulder

[SoxFanForsyth]

Rivera was the best closer in history. Koji had one amazing season and finished 2014 with an injury to his shoulder

 

He was shut down but it wasn't due to an injury. It was due to him not being able to keep his split down, it had zero bite. That was due to fatigue, and largely because he threw so many innings the prior year.

 

And by the way, his 1.75 ERA over 138.2 IP was only a tick worse than Mariano's best 2 year span (05-06, 153.1 IP, 1.58 ERA). So, since Koji has been with the Red Sox, he's been absolutely elite. Let's not confuse that. He's been more than "one amazing season".

 

Only 3 pitchers in the MLB posted a better ERA than Koji since 2013 (min 100 IP).

[Dojji]

Since I don't think the Red Sox can pragmatically rebuild their rotation in free agency with multiple other teams also competing for the best talent, I feel that's all the more reason to look for a good home for Uehara in trade.

 

My personal opinion is that I would like to see Junichi Tazawa groomed for the closer's role and given the experience he needs to be in place and effective when the youth movement begins to come into its own. Look to supplement the bullpen depth from free agency and prospect promotion, we have plenty of interesting options, and it can be a way to give someone you ultimately consider a starter, like Henry Owens, some early looks a batters, the same way Curt Schilling got his start.

[sk7326]

Rivera was the best closer in history. Koji had one amazing season and finished 2014 with an injury to his shoulder

 

sure, and Uehara's run in Boston until the fatigue was better than any of Rivera's runs ... (and that is saying something - Rivera is clearly the best closer by today's definition in history) so $9M a year for a couple is pretty low risk. It would be higher risk in say, Kansas City.

[jacksonianmarch]

You guys aren't really seeing this the way I'm putting it out there. Rivera had a knee injury, but his last arm issue dated back to 2004. Uehara was shut down with shoulder "fatigue". Do you know how many guys get diagnosed with that who end up having major structural issues? The answer is a lot. Also, he's 40, and prior to his sox run, had a regular spot on the DL annually. Throwing a 2 yr deal at him at good money is a risk, a big one, especially for a team not expected to be in contention

[Bellhorn04]

You guys aren't really seeing this the way I'm putting it out there. Rivera had a knee injury, but his last arm issue dated back to 2004. Uehara was shut down with shoulder "fatigue". Do you know how many guys get diagnosed with that who end up having major structural issues? The answer is a lot. Also, he's 40, and prior to his sox run, had a regular spot on the DL annually. Throwing a 2 yr deal at him at good money is a risk, a big one, especially for a team not expected to be in contention

 

If a $9 million AAV player fails it's not great but it's not going to kill you either.