A Realistic View at 2016

[mvp 78]

Fretting about someone's contract status 4 years from now is a waste of energy and a sign of an overdose on pessimism. If you can't enjoy watching Xander and Betts right now, you'll never be happy.

[harmony]

I agree with you to a point about agents. However, players hire agents for the same reason you and I hire doctors, lawyers, and accountants - to give them sound advice. That means that a player should believe that their agent is acting in their best interest, which isn't always the case. The best example I can think of that is Jason Varitek and his relationship with Bora$$. "Tek" was advised to turn down a Red Sox offer and instead go to FA, advice 'tek took, and eventually went crawling back to the Sox - where he wanted to be anyway - for a small portion of what he'd been offered originally. Jason says, thanks, Scott. You *******. :-(

Has Jason Varitek or Scott Boras verified what advice Boras gave Varitek in the 2008-09 offseason when the Red Sox catcher ultimately settled for a one-year, $5 million contract?

 

http://archive.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/01/31/charge_boras_with_wild_pitch_client_with_error_in_judgment/

 

Ultimately the player, not the agent, decides whether to accept or decline an offer.

 

Judging an agent on the basis of one negotiation is akin to judging Mookie Betts' career on the basis of his four-strikeout performance in one game against the Yankees:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201504100.shtml

[Slasher9]

Fretting about someone's contract status 4 years from now is a waste of energy and a sign of an overdose on pessimism. If you can't enjoy watching Xander and Betts right now, you'll never be happy.

 

who said any of that?

[Slasher9]

Has Jason Varitek or Scott Boras verified what advice Boras gave Varitek in the 2008-09 offseason when the Red Sox catcher ultimately settled for a one-year, $5 million contract?

 

http://archive.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/01/31/charge_boras_with_wild_pitch_client_with_error_in_judgment/

 

Ultimately the player, not the agent, decides whether to accept or decline an offer.

 

Judging an agent on the basis of one negotiation is akin to judging Mookie Betts' career on the basis of his four-strikeout performance in one game against the Yankees:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201504100.shtml

 

ultimately it's Harness' decision on what suit to wear to his sister-in-laws wedding but i bet it's the one Mrs. Harness tells him to wear.....

[Spudboy]

I think that if I were an athlete, I'd hire a person from India to be my agent.

[illinoisredsox]

Who cares about the agent? This FO can pay whoever they want.

 

True, but the odds of a Boras client signing a LTC early are not high, and they will go lower as FA gets nearer.

 

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/05/how-stephen-strasburgs-175-million-extension-disproves-a-long-held-belief-about-scott-boras

 

the possibility of long-term extensions for marquee Boras clients should not be automatically dismissed.

 

Note I did not say the odds were zero. But even you have to admit that a large majority of Boras clients end up in free agency and at that point it's a crapshoot.

[Slasher9]

i think that if i were an athlete, i'd hire a person from india to be my agent.

 

lol...why?

[a700hitter]

lol...why?

He is outsourcing.

[Wade Boggs]

I think that if I were an athlete, I'd hire a person from India to be my agent.

 

Not me, I'll take.....Scott Boras.

 

I know its a joke, just trying to be funny... I think!

[sk7326]

Oh, Boras all the way if I had a chance ...

[Kimmi]

that's why i said "pressuring". and he's the best at it.

 

I'm guessing there's also pressure from the players' union not to sign team friendly deals.

[Kimmi]

AND NOW Clay B decides to pitch well....he does just enough to get you keep coming back....I think I had a girlfriend like that in high school....

 

Chad Finn

4m

For those who wonder whether Clay Buchholz has a miracle in him this season, he has the exact same ERA now (5.42) as Derek Lowe had in '04.

 

Just sayin' ...

[mvp 78]

Chad Finn

4m

For those who wonder whether Clay Buchholz has a miracle in him this season, he has the exact same ERA now (5.42) as Derek Lowe had in '04.

 

Just sayin' ...

 

Gettin' that option picked up.

 

Just sayin' ...

[Station 13]

Betts is on pace to finish with 9bWAR, in his 2nd full season. He's 23, younger than many 'prospects', you gotta be kidding me!

[Kimmi]

Gettin' that option picked up.

 

Just sayin' ...

 

If he continues pitching well, that's a very real possibility.

 

$13 mil for one year is peanuts for a good starter.

[Kimmi]

Betts is on pace to finish with 9bWAR, in his 2nd full season. He's 23, younger than many 'prospects', you gotta be kidding me!

 

Betts has gone crazy! Love the guy!

 

I am so happy for JBJ. I think I've been pulling harder for him than for any other player on our team.

[Dojji]

If he continues pitching well, that's a very real possibility.

 

$13 mil for one year is peanuts for a good starter.

 

Oh god, not again. Buchholz isn't a "good starter." He's capable of good starts, but that's nowhere NEAR the same thing.

[Kimmi]

Oh god, not again. Buchholz isn't a "good starter." He's capable of good starts, but that's nowhere NEAR the same thing.

 

LOL Tell that to MVP. He's the one who's insisting that it's a no brainer this year to pick up the option.

[Dojji]

Well I'd have to check for a presence of gray matter in the crania of those responsible if his option is picked up, just to make sure it's there, so in a sense...

[Bellhorn04]

If he continues pitching well, that's a very real possibility.

 

$13 mil for one year is peanuts for a good starter.

 

$13.5 mil should get you a 2 WAR player. Clay is a 0 WAR player this year. He really shouldn't be handed $13.5 mil for his 2016 performance. Exercising his option would really be betting upside.

[Emp9]

If picking-up Buch's option seems like the smart play for management to make I'll go along with it. I would prefer picking up his option, depending on if his trade value continues to rise, then trade him as part of a package to upgrade our rotation. A team that likes Buch, (and they do exist btw even as bad as he's been this season we had talk of takers), take on half his salary, plus the usual suspects as far as our prospects go ( Swihart, Devers, etc..) for a totr sp. SO, if it would help us upgrade our rotation in a round about way, I'd be all for it.

 

Another thing to consider is the continued horrible FA SP market. There's not even a Marco Estrada in the bunch this upcoming off-season. If there are any FA SPs that fellow posters here would rather take a chance on instead of picking up Buchholz's remaining option, I'm all ears. Seriously.

 

Then of course, the Sox, like every team, have to consider next season's injuries. It's almost impossible to go through a whole season with out injuries to your starting rotation. Would it be worth having Buchholz around in case of the inevitable?

 

These are the same questions I had last time the Sox went with Buchholz's option. I've never been a huge fanboy of his, it's just that outside circumstances are relevant in deciding such things. It does seem like we're stuck in the same situation we were in last year on this topic, unfortunately.

[Bellhorn04]

There are a few free agent pitchers who are having better seasons than Clay and making less money this year.

 

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/

[Emp9]

There are a few free agent pitchers who are having better seasons than Clay and making less money this year.

 

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/

 

As far as this season goes, that's really not saying much. You like that list? I sure don't. Rich Hill is the best one on there, and still a huge injury risk. Not of huge fan of Colby Lewis.... he's had a lucky year. Who do you like over Buch on that list?

[Bellhorn04]

As far as this season goes, that's really not saying much. You like that list? I sure don't. Rich Hill is the best one on there, and still a huge injury risk. Not of huge fan of Colby Lewis.... he's had a lucky year. Who do you like over Buch on that list?

 

I don't like any of them a whole lot either. It's hard to believe Buch is going to sucker us again though.

[Emp9]

I don't like any of them a whole lot either. It's hard to believe Buch is going to sucker us again though.

 

I know... I'm not ecstatic about it either. I bet that whole FA SP list gets way more than they deserve. We won't be the only team that gets suckered. Here's a what if.... what if a team could pick up Buchholz for no more than $6.5M on that FA list? How many teams would be interested you think? That's where I think we may have some room for optimism concerning Buch's option.

[Bellhorn04]

I know... I'm not ecstatic about it either. I bet that whole FA SP list gets way more than they deserve. We won't be the only team that gets suckered. Here's a what if.... what if a team could pick up Buchholz for no more than $6.5M on that FA list? How many teams would be interested you think? That's where I think we may have some room for optimism concerning Buch's option.

 

Sorry, what does the $6.5M number represent?

[moonslav59]

Sorry, what does the $6.5M number represent?

 

It's less than half of next year's $13.5M option price. It's half of this year's $13M option.

 

I don't get the point being made.

[Emp9]

It's less than half of next year's $13.5M option price. It's half of this year's $13M option.

 

I don't get the point being made.

 

ok. my bad. $6.75M. It's just a number. Maybe a team pays all of it. I'm being conservative here.

[moonslav59]

ok. my bad. $6.75M. It's just a number. Maybe a team pays all of it. I'm being conservative here.

 

I still don't get your point. Either we pay Buch $13.5M next year, of he becomes a FA. At that point, he'll get what the highest bidder offers him or whatever deal he accepts. What is the $6.75M supposed to represent?

 

If you are talking about trading him now, he's probably owed about $3M.

 

[cp176]

Glad it isn't my $ - but what the hell - it is the budget less Red Sox (lol)