The search for an ace

[Kimmi]

He is happily employed as a Gym teacher. No slam against gym teachers, but it is probably the dream of most gym teachers to be the GM of a professional sports franchise. Just my opinion.

 

He is a "gym teacher" by choice. What he is employed as now is not the point. The point is that when (if) he is ready to get back into baseball ops, he will not lack for employment opportunities like you think he will.

[a700hitter]

He is a "gym teacher" by choice. What he is employed as now is not the point. The point is that when (if) he is ready to get back into baseball ops, he will not lack for employment opportunities like you think he will.

I never said that he would lack for opportunities. Don't put words in my mouth. I said that he would be a fool to take a year off when there are so many job openings this year. There may not be as many openings next year, and the longer you are out of the game, the harder it will be to get back in at the GM level, imo.

[Kimmi]

Back on topic.

 

Everyone must commit here. Who is the "ace" the sox will trot out on opening day this year?

 

I am going with Cueto

 

I really don't know, but I think the Sox are more likely to trade for a #1 than they are to sign a free agent. I'm going to say Carrasco.

[Kimmi]

Greinke has the least health concerns. He's the one I want.

 

Another strike against Greinke, besides age, social anxiety disorder, and peripherals that tell you not to be fooled by his 1.66 ERA, is that he will cost a draft pick. I can't see the Sox signing him.

[Kimmi]

I never said that he would lack for opportunities. Don't put words in my mouth. I said that he would be a fool to take a year off when there are so many job openings this year. There may not be as many openings next year, and the longer you are out of the game, the harder it will be to get back in at the GM level, imo.

 

Well if he won't lack for opportunities, and he wants to take a year off from baseball, then there is nothing foolish in his decision.

[a700hitter]

Well if he won't lack for opportunities, and he wants to take a year off from baseball, then there is nothing foolish in his decision.

and that is your opinion.

[jung]

Are you guys trying to figure out where BC is going to land? If that is it, IMO he will most likely land either a GM job for a team that has a President of Baseball Ops for him to work under or he will land a President of Baseball Ops job for a small market team.

 

He has to be smart enough to know that the power is sliding away from the GM positions around baseball. But for the right money and the right team, he would likely go that way. That kind of position actually suits him in my opinion. He might get an offer from a team looking for a President of Baseball Ops but it won't be one of the major big market teams...no way. Nobody is going to hand him the keys to the family sedan unless the family sedan is a used Yugo limping along and leaking oil.

 

But he WILL find a spot in baseball. He has contacts....and there is really no substitute for having something of a working relationship with everybody and reputation of a sort. Somebody will give him a job. Nobody is going to give him any real authority...not for awhile anyway. BC still has a lot to learn.

[User Name]

Price, for 200+. He is the picture of health, not Greinke, and won't cost a draft pick. No one here will like the contract, but it's going to happen.

[jacksonianmarch]

Price is definitely getting $200 mil. He's an ace with true durability. He's got size, power, stuff and command. His only issue has been the playoffs, but IMO, that's more utilization than anything else

[Meh]

Jordan Zimmerman to the Red Sox, mark it down. Fits well into their plans, won't push their payroll into the 200 millions. Dodgers will have to get one of Grienke or Price. Cubs will be looking to add and Giants I think will spend big and overpay for Cueto.

[Elktonnick]

The Kimbrel deal makes it pretty obvious that the only way the Sox will be able to acquire a number 1 starter is through free agency and Dumbrowski just about said so yesterday, just like many of us have been saying all along.

[cp176]

The Kimbrel deal makes it pretty obvious that the only way the Sox will be able to acquire a number 1 starter is through free agency and Dumbrowski just about said so yesterday, just like many of us have been saying all along.

 

I think that you are right in saying that we will get our #1 through free agency but I also think that it would still be very possible to do the same via the trade route. I might not like to see it happen but a package built around a trade of Swihart could still bring us what we want. Note - I said I would not like to see it happen.

[mvp 78]

Why not 2 FAs? Move Buch's 13M for more bullpen help.

[sk7326]

I think that you are right in saying that we will get our #1 through free agency but I also think that it would still be very possible to do the same via the trade route. I might not like to see it happen but a package built around a trade of Swihart could still bring us what we want. Note - I said I would not like to see it happen.

 

Given what we traded to get Kimbrel, free agency might be the only choice ...

[Meh]

The Kimbrel deal makes it pretty obvious that the only way the Sox will be able to acquire a number 1 starter is through free agency and Dumbrowski just about said so yesterday, just like many of us have been saying all along.

 

No you still have a deep farm system dude. You could easily get a Sonny Gray or a Tyson Ross or even a Carrasco from the Guardians.

[sk7326]

No you still have a deep farm system dude. You could easily get a Sonny Gray or a Tyson Ross or even a Carrasco from the Guardians.

 

Tyson Ross was not good last season. Carrasco is interesting. But the Sox used a couple of their best bullets for a 60 inning pitcher.

[Elktonnick]

I think that you are right in saying that we will get our #1 through free agency but I also think that it would still be very possible to do the same via the trade route. I might not like to see it happen but a package built around a trade of Swihart could still bring us what we want. Note - I said I would not like to see it happen.

I think Cherrington tried that last year and got no where. It would take either Betts or Bogaerts plus a prospect or two IMO. That's why Dumbrowski said it was probably going to happen via the free agency route.

[Elktonnick]

No you still have a deep farm system dude. You could easily get a Sonny Gray or a Tyson Ross or even a Carrasco from the Guardians.

 

I guess Dumbrowski doesn't think it is that easy to do otherwise he wouldn't have said on the conference call that the Sox will probably have to get a nbr 1 via free agency.

[a700hitter]

Back on topic.

 

Everyone must commit here. Who is the "ace" the sox will trot out on opening day this year?

 

I am going with Cueto

DD knows Price and acquired him in a trade. I am betting on Price coming to Boston and starting on Opening Day. I think we will also land at least one other FA or big trade, maybe Carrasco, O'Day, Soria, or a hitter. It should be exciting.

[sk7326]

DD knows Price and acquired him in a trade. I am betting on Price coming to Boston and starting on Opening Day. I think we will also land at least one other FA or big trade, maybe Carrasco, O'Day, Soria, or a hitter. It should be exciting.

 

The guess is Price. Now that the industry knows what the Sox will pay for a solid closer, they might not be able to trade for a guy without giving up Betts. That said, they might have already decided it's worthwhile

[mvp 78]

Tyson Ross was not good last season. Carrasco is interesting. But the Sox used a couple of their best bullets for a 60 inning pitcher.

 

The Royals love their 60 inning pitchers. Hasn't worked for them though...

[sk7326]

The Royals love their 60 inning pitchers. Hasn't worked for them though...

 

Indeed - and for the price of one Craig Kimbrel, they'd sign 10 of them and keep the 5 that worked out. Note that Kimbrel came off of his worst season as a pro.

[a700hitter]

Indeed - and for the price of one Craig Kimbrel, they'd sign 10 of them and keep the 5 that worked out. Note that Kimbrel came off of his worst season as a pro.

How was San Diego's defense? I know that they had Matt kemp in the OF -- and he was lucky that hanley kept him from being the worst OFer in 2015. I am just not recalling how the rest of their defense was. Also,Kimbrel's numbers still look pretty good even for a down year. Was the chatter that he was hurting or had lost velocity? He is still young. I did hear that he had some struggles in SD. I assume DD did his homework on him.

[sk7326]

How was San Diego's defense? I know that they had Matt kemp in the OF -- and he was lucky that hanley kept him from being the worst OFer in 2015. I am just not recalling how the rest of their defense was. Also,Kimbrel's numbers still look pretty good even for a down year. Was the chatter that he was hurting or had lost velocity? He is still young. I did hear that he had some struggles in SD. I assume DD did his homework on him.

 

Kimbrel's FIP was 2.68 - which is fine, and a run over his career otherwise, and a shade worse than Uehara last year. The defense was atrocious.

[a700hitter]

Kimbrel's FIP was 2.68 - which is fine, and a run over his career otherwise, and a shade worse than Uehara last year. The defense was atrocious.

I really think you are overstating your case on this acquisition. The facts just don't bear out that this is a terrible trade. I asked you earlier. How will you feel if DD doesn't burn any more prospects, but decides to sign Price for $200 million? You either have to spend prospects or money.

[sk7326]

I really think you are overstating your case on this acquisition. The facts just don't bear out that this is a terrible trade. I asked you earlier. How will you feel if DD doesn't burn any more prospects, but decides to sign Price for $200 million? You either have to spend prospects or money.

 

Price is fine. The moves are evaluated separately. One is a good move, one is a silly one. The bullpen did not improve that much since fixing the 9th inning a little doesn't help this team that much.

[a700hitter]

Price is fine. The moves are evaluated separately. One is a good move, one is a silly one. The bullpen did not improve that much since fixing the 9th inning a little doesn't help this team that much.

They didn't fix the 9th inning. They just fixed the last 3 innings by extending quality arms to the 7th inning. Also, Koji is 40, and next year will probably be his last.

[Bellhorn04]

Price is fine. The moves are evaluated separately. One is a good move, one is a silly one. The bullpen did not improve that much since fixing the 9th inning a little doesn't help this team that much.

 

It improves the 8th inning and the 7th inning too though. You do seem to be going out of your way to discredit the acquisition.

[a700hitter]

Price is fine. The moves are evaluated separately. One is a good move, one is a silly one. The bullpen did not improve that much since fixing the 9th inning a little doesn't help this team that much.

I think you can look forward to getting Price. Maybe that will take the sting out of getting Kimbrel for you.

[sk7326]

I think you can look forward to getting Price. Maybe that will take the sting out of getting Kimbrel for you.

 

It's the sting of trading 4 players for Kimbrel. Getting Price for money is reasonable. Separate moves. Separate thoughts.