Who is the Biggest Problem Right Now?

[SoxHop]

Kelly could be a shot in the arm for this BP.

 

I'm not writing off Masterson in the pen either.

[jd98]

They have Napoli, Victorino and Masterson coming off the books.

 

but they're also probably 10-15 mil over cap already. I tried to add it up just now, but I don't know how the option years work. Would Buchholz count for $13 mil, or would the option be considered part of his current 5/$30.5M contract, making it 6/$43.5M? It looks the like money available is in the lower 30's at most before trades and with options picked up.

Edited July 15, 2015 by jd98

[Bellhorn04]

but they're also probably 10-15 mil over cap already. I tried to add it up just now, but I don't know how the option years work. Would Buchholz count for $13 mil, or would the option be considered part of his current 5/$30.5M contract, making it 6/$43.5M? It looks the like money available is in the lower 30's at most before trades and with options picked up.

 

Buchholz's option isn't counted. Only guaranteed money counts for luxury tax purposes.

[jd98]

Buchholz's option isn't counted. Only guaranteed money counts for luxury tax purposes.

 

Not sure if it was clear what I meant, or I may not be understanding you. I was asking about next year once Buchholz option is picked up. Would he count $13 mil against cap, or $7.25 against the cap (5/$30.5 + 1/$13 = 6/$43.5 = $7.25 AAV). For luxury tax, is the option year added to his current contract, or considered a standalone 1 year contract.

Edited July 15, 2015 by jd98

[Spudboy]

Kazmir and Cueto. And they have the pieces to do it and the money to keep them both.

 

I'm down with that.

 

Kazmir is 32, I think. How long a deal can the Sox offer to keep him?

[User Name]

Not sure if it was clear what I meant, or I may not be understanding you. I was asking about next year once Buchholz option is picked up. Would he count $13 mil against cap, or $7.25 against the cap (5/$30.5 + 1/$13 = 6/$43.5 = $7.25 AAV). For luxury tax, is the option year added to his current contract, or considered a standalone 1 year contract.

 

AAV, options included.

[mvp 78]

Why are people so fascinated with Kazmir? I don't get it.

[User Name]

Not fascinated, but he'd be an upgrade at a reasonable price. He's also good at inducing ground balls and striking people out. Integral traits for a lefty pitching at Fenway.

[Bellhorn04]

Not sure if it was clear what I meant, or I may not be understanding you. I was asking about next year once Buchholz option is picked up. Would he count $13 mil against cap, or $7.25 against the cap (5/$30.5 + 1/$13 = 6/$43.5 = $7.25 AAV). For luxury tax, is the option year added to his current contract, or considered a standalone 1 year contract.

 

If his option is picked up he would count as $13 million for 2016. The option year is treated as a standalone 1 year contract.

[User Name]

If his option is picked up he would count as $13 million for 2016. The option year is treated as a standalone 1 year contract.

 

Option years are factored into AAV. Remember the 2010 Beltre contract.

[User Name]

Actually, it's a bit more complicated, and it depends on whether it's a player or club option:

 

vesting and club options are excluded from the calculation, while player options are factored in. If a vesting option vests or a club option is exercised, the salary is treated like a one-year deal for the luxury tax. There is also the issue of timing: If an extension is worked out before a current deal expires, the contracts are consolidated.

 

Ryan Howard is a perfect example of said consolidation. He was signed to a 3 yr/$54 million contract, and then signed his monster 5 yr/$125 million contract. But because he signed the five-year pact before the initial deal expired, the luxury tax views his contract as 6 yrs/$143 million, for an average annual value of $23.8 million. While that is a bit of a discount relative to the 5 yr/$125 mil deal, it means the Phillies paid almost $6 million more for Howard when calculating luxury tax payroll last year.

 

From Eric Seidman at Fangraphs.

[a700hitter]

I shake my head at people who think Ortiz is a problem for this team. He will finish with close to 30 homers and 90 rbi. Guys like that are not the problem. It's the pitching stupid!

[Bellhorn04]

Actually, it's a bit more complicated, and it depends on whether it's a player or club option:

 

 

 

From Eric Seidman at Fangraphs.

 

Right - Buch's is a team option so it's a standalone.

[Thunder]

I shake my head at people who think Ortiz is a problem for this team. He will finish with close to 30 homers and 90 rbi. Guys like that are not the problem. It's the pitching stupid!

 

But he's really picked it up of late. I hate to say it, but he's on his last leg. I'm thinking next year will be his last.

[a700hitter]

If Buch could stay healthy and pitch well for the rest of the season, after a hopefully short stint on the DL, they should trade him on the off season. He's not worth it at almost any price because of his complete inconsistency and his injury pronenes. You never can count on the guy for more than half of a season and when he pitched almost an entire season with 28 starts on 2014, he was terrible. He is a major reason for 2013. He jump started our season coming out of the gate at 11-0 and his ERA was microscopic, but you can't roll the dice of fate each season on him and his health.

[a700hitter]

But he's really picked it up of late. I hate to say it, but he's on his last leg. I'm thinking next year will be his last.

Sooner or later it ends for everyone. He is clearly not the hitting beast that he was a few years ago, but what he will produce this season will not hurt this team. One day his production will fall off a cliff. I don't think it will be this season, but the FO has a DH on waiting in Hanley.

[Kimmi]

Kinda of what I was thinking. They should have added him in the begging, right now? pointless.

 

Easy to say that they should have added him in the beginning. Would you be okay with giving up Betts for him?

[Kimmi]

There are a lot of unexplainable things in baseball. One is how much a pitcher's performance can change going from one league or environment to another. Look at how bad A. J. Burnett's numbers were when he was with the Yankees, and how good they are in the National League. Then there's a guy like Javier Vazquez, who had great numbers with more than one NL team and terrible numbers with more than one AL team.

 

Yes, there are a lot of unexplainable things. Should been be expected to foresee all of these unexplainable things?

[a700hitter]

Yes, there are a lot of unexplainable things. Should been be expected to foresee all of these unexplainable things?

His bosses aren't going to want hear him whine about his terrible misfortune. He has an excuse for 2012 another for 2014 and more for 2015. After a while it starts to dawn on people, that he isn't very good at his job. Edited July 15, 2015 by a700hitter

[User Name]

Yes, there are a lot of unexplainable things. Should been be expected to foresee all of these unexplainable things?

 

While this is the truth, the coaching staff's futility was identifiable early and should have been corrected more aggressively imo.

[Kimmi]

They were expecting Bogaerts to improve, and they were on point with that. They expected Sandoval to keep being the above-average fielder he's always been, and they were dead wrong on that asessment. How Napoli and Pedroia also regressed defensively was unexpected, as was both catchers getting injured. Hanley has little to do with the GB staff they supposedly had assembled, and Hanley plays left. Hindsight is 20/20 as well.

 

Sandoval is not a Gold Glover, but he has been above average defensively over his career. He was supposed to be a marked improvement over the defense we had at 3B last year. Sandoval currently ranks as the 4th worst defender in MLB out of 171 qualified players.

 

Guess who ranks last? Hanley.

 

The good news is, both of these guys have shown improvement over the last month or so.

[Kimmi]

Sorry..... it's a habit I've gotten from correcting my wife........ it will happen again............ it's done with respect...

 

You correct your wife??? And you're still married???

 

LOL

[Kimmi]

Bitch it's my birthday (well, in a couple hours) so I'll lecture you if I want to. I'd add that the "downfall" of Ortiz may be a premature statement. He's a notoriously slow starter. Sure has come around lately though.

 

Happy Birthday!!!

 

Turning 30? You're still a baby.

[Kimmi]

Bitch it's my birthday (well, in a couple hours) so I'll lecture you if I want to. I'd add that the "downfall" of Ortiz may be a premature statement. He's a notoriously slow starter. Sure has come around lately though.

 

Ortiz is also the victim of one of the worst BABIPs in baseball. His other peripherals look good. We should see some 2nd half improvement from him.

[Kimmi]

While this is the truth, the coaching staff's futility was identifiable early and should have been corrected more aggressively imo.

 

First of all, did I really type "been" instead of "Ben"? Yikes! LOL

 

As I said, I blame the coaching staff 2nd after the players themselves. When you look at the degree of underperformance pretty much all across the team, you have to question what is going on with the coaching. And if the coaching truly is a problem, then yes, that is on Ben for hiring them.

[Thunder]

Sooner or later it ends for everyone. He is clearly not the hitting beast that he was a few years ago, but what he will produce this season will not hurt this team. One day his production will fall off a cliff. I don't think it will be this season, but the FO has a DH on waiting in Hanley.

 

Yes, and than could really open things up a bit. Of course, a few years down the road, there's Benintendi, or more immediately JBJ and Rusney, but there seems to be a surplus of young ourfielders throughout the league. The right trade could pay huge dividends in that department. For those who want Pablo to move to 1B, we could use someone like a Shaw to establish even more of a young core.

[Kimmi]

You

 

His bosses aren't going to want hear him whine about his terrible misfortune. He has an excuse for 2012 another for 2014 and more for 2015. After a while it starts to dawn on people, that he isn't very good at his job.

 

Ben has not whined about anything. He has taken full responsibilty for the position that the team is in.

 

2012 is on Larry for insisting on Bobby V. IMO, Ben is completely absolved of that fiasco. 2015 is not over yet, so we'll wait to see how the team finishes. It is Ben's responsibility to fix the holes that we have. If you want to blame Ben for 2014, that's fine. But also give him just as much credit for 2013.

[a700hitter]

Ben has not whined about anything. He has taken full responsibilty for the position that the team is in.

 

2012 is on Larry for insisting on Bobby V. IMO, Ben is completely absolved of that fiasco. 2015 is not over yet, so we'll wait to see how the team finishes. It is Ben's responsibility to fix the holes that we have. If you want to blame Ben for 2014, that's fine. But also give him just as much credit for 2013.

I didn't say that Ben whines. I said that his bosses aren't going to want to hear him whine. Ben and Theo always stood up to be accountable -- an admirable character trait. Yet, lots of people whine on their behalf. Edited July 15, 2015 by a700hitter

[Kimmi]

I didn't say that Ben whines. I said that his bosses aren't going to want tohear him whine. Ben and Theo always stood up to be accountable -- an admirable character trait. Yet, lots of people whine on their behalf.

 

I haven't heard any whining on his behalf. I have heard some very sound and rational arguments in his defense.

[SoxHop]

You correct your wife??? And you're still married???

 

LOL

 

ahaaha . . . Oh no. I could see reading what I wrote and thinking I'm a total ass.

 

It's not that way..... you see....... my wife is a simpleton......... she's pretty stupid so I have to correct her all the time.. That's why I wrote that.

 

. . .just kidding.

 

My wife's third language is English. She's actually amazing and is a freakin programmer. It's just that she picked up a few bad habits in English and I correct her as much as I can.

 

It's gotten to the point where I correct peoples English without even thinking about it.

 

Last time I went to a dentist, the Vietnamese gal said something like the fluoride would cost 89 dollar.

I told her you should say 89 dollars, and that you have to add the s when it's plural.

 

She didn't look happy with me, and it ended up being the most painful cleaning I've been through that I can remember.