2016 Winter Meetings

[a700hitter]

Let's post the wheelings and dealings at the Winter Meetings here. I think DD will be wheeling and dealing.

[Emp9]

DD can deal. It's the wheeling part I'm worried about.

[Jack Flap]

I'm starting to think we don't see any major move for a bat (an Alvarez/Young platoon, or something along those lines, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world) and find our reliever(s) on the trade market (which makes me nervous).

[a700hitter]

Giants sign Melancon

 

Dodgers sign Rich Hill

[moonslav59]

Giants sign Melancon

 

Dodgers sign Rich Hill

 

Wow! Melancon to get over $15M x 4!

Make you wonder what Chapman and Jansen will get.

 

Hill $16M x3

Good for him!

 

[Spudboy]

That is totally f***ed money for either of those guys.

 

How the hell is Hill going to remain healthy enough to be worth $48. mil over 3 years?

 

Who the f*** is making these decisions?

 

I hope DD does not do such stupid things.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Spudboy

[Bellhorn04]

How the hell is Hill going to remain healthy enough to be worth $42. mil over 3 years?

 

$48 mil.

[Orange Juiced]

Alvarez and Napoli appear to be in the Sox' sights for the DH spot.

 

Alvarez (bad defender but has experience at 3b and 1b; lefty bat)

2016: 22 hr, 49 rbi, .249/.322/.504/.826, 115 ops+

last 3 years slash: .241/.317/.457/.774, 110 ops+

 

Napoli (very good defender at 1b; righty bat; we all know him well)

2016: 34 hr, 101 rbi, .239/.335/.465/.800, 104 ops+

last 3 years slash: .237/.343/.435/.778, 106 ops+

[Spudboy]

Thanks. $48. mil is even worse.

 

The Dodgers continue to spend crazy money.

[Spudboy]

I doubt that many here would agree with me but I prefer Napoli. Strike outs and all.

 

He sees a s*** ton of pitches and has good power. He plays near GG D at first.

 

He fits in well around here.

 

Meh.

[moonslav59]

I doubt that many here would agree with me but I prefer Napoli. Strike outs and all.

 

He sees a s*** ton of pitches and has good power. He plays near GG D at first.

 

He fits in well around here.

 

Meh.

 

Napoli's defense took a turn for the worse this year.

 

We need a LH'd hitter.

 

I've always liked Napoli. I suggested we trade for him long before we signed him, but I don't see him as the answer.

[Kimmi]

I'm starting to think we don't see any major move for a bat (an Alvarez/Young platoon, or something along those lines, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world) and find our reliever(s) on the trade market (which makes me nervous).

 

The point was made again today by someone in the FO about their desire to stay under the cap this year. Passing on Beltran, whom they reportedly really wanted, seems to support that notion. I would not be averse to signing Alvarez.

 

It looks like a less expensive DH bat, and maybe one FA reliever and another through trade?

 

Although I keep hearing rumblings about Sale.

[Kimmi]

That is totally f***ed money for either of those guys.

 

How the hell is Hill going to remain healthy enough to be worth $48. mil over 3 years?

 

Who the f*** is making these decisions?

 

I hope DD does not do such stupid things.

 

These contracts are spiraling out of control. I just read about the possibility of Harper getting $400 million.

 

Where is it going to end?

 

I don't like it one bit.

[Kimmi]

I doubt that many here would agree with me but I prefer Napoli. Strike outs and all.

 

He sees a s*** ton of pitches and has good power. He plays near GG D at first.

 

He fits in well around here.

 

Meh.

 

I've always liked Napoli. His strike outs never bothered me.

 

I would take him back, but I think Alvarez, being a lefty, would be a better fit.

[moonslav59]

I've always liked Napoli. His strike outs never bothered me.

 

I would take him back, but I think Alvarez, being a lefty, would be a better fit.

 

Agree, or Adam Lind.

[Bellhorn04]

These contracts are spiraling out of control. I just read about the possibility of Harper getting $400 million.

 

Where is it going to end?

 

I don't like it one bit.

 

I thought maybe the new luxury tax rules would put the brakes on the contracts a little. I don't see how they can continue to grow at this rate.

 

I've been reading about the NFL's TV ratings being way down this year. Monday Night Football is down more than 20%.

[jacksonianmarch]

Why would Harper want to sign now? He is coming off a year of injury where he put up good but not MVP caliber numbers. If the Nats want to lock him up beyond 2018, then they are going to have to pay for 2015 Harper. Otherwise, he'll wait it out

[S5Dewey]

These contracts are spiraling out of control. I just read about the possibility of Harper getting $400 million.

 

Where is it going to end?

 

I don't like it one bit.

$400M for one player is crazy. For that matter, so is $200M!

 

Either theres a lot more money floating around MLB than we ever imagined or some GM's are being financially irresponsible. Sooner or later these chickens are all going to come home to roost. Sooner or later other teams are going to come to the place where the Red Sox are now where the previous signings and the LT implications are going to make it difficult for them to sign other quality players and remain competitive and financially viable.

 

Unless, of course, there is that much money on MLB and the Red Sox reluctance to exceed the LT threshold this year is nothing more than a way for them to use the LT limit as an excuse as a way to protect exorbitant profits.

[bosoxmal]

$48 mil.

 

Stay healthy? I think we've heard that song too may times all ready. He doesn't have to. Just being healthy enough to help get them to one WS, and he'll have earned his $. Which is exactly what he would have dome for the Sox for 1/2 that!

[moonslav59]

Stay healthy? I think we've heard that song too may times all ready. He doesn't have to. Just being healthy enough to help get them to one WS, and he'll have earned his $. Which is exactly what he would have dome for the Sox for 1/2 that!

 

You called it right on the nose.

 

Nobody agreed.

[Spudboy]

I've always liked Napoli. His strike outs never bothered me.

 

I would take him back, but I think Alvarez, being a lefty, would be a better fit.

 

I realize the Sox may prefer a lh bat.

 

I just don't dig the idea of our DH being a career .238 hitter with an OBP of .311.

 

Jake LaMotta would have said "He defeats his own purpose".

 

But Sox fans are suckers for the company line so It's just another garbage signing I'll have to live with.

[cp176]

I realize the Sox may prefer a lh bat.

 

I just don't dig the idea of our DH being a career .238 hitter with an OBP of .311.

 

Jake LaMotta would have said "He defeats his own purpose".

 

But Sox fans are suckers for the company line so It's just another garbage signing I'll have to live with.

 

I wouldn't waste the money on a move that does not provide a for sure upgrade over anything that we have already. And I don't mind waiting a little money. Don't make a move just to make a move. Not going big? In this case, just go home.

[southpaw777]

Why would Harper want to sign now? He is coming off a year of injury where he put up good but not MVP caliber numbers. If the Nats want to lock him up beyond 2018, then they are going to have to pay for 2015 Harper. Otherwise, he'll wait it out

 

He was talking after the 2018 season when hes a FA

[Bellhorn04]

You called it right on the nose.

 

Nobody agreed.

 

I was never opposed to us signing Hill.

[oldtimer]

I wouldn't waste the money on a move that does not provide a for sure upgrade over anything that we have already. And I don't mind waiting a little money. Don't make a move just to make a move. Not going big? In this case, just go home.

 

Very smart approach and one that DD will probably take. One of the sports writers mentioned Hosmer as a possibility, which might make sense if the cost was reasonable. A left proven hand bat and good defensive player to allow Hanley to be DH. No one here responded when i suck this one in earlier, but he looks like a great fit for the team, also allowing us to shed a player or two.

[moonslav59]

I was never opposed to us signing Hill.

 

No, but nobody wanted us to sign him to a 3 years $30M deal or whatever high-priced contract he suggested like bosoxmal did last winter.

 

To most of us, the issue was that we could not guarantee him a starting slot, yet we ended up using our 10th starter on our depth chart in early May (O'Sullivan) then had to trade for Pomeranz mid season.

[moonslav59]

I realize the Sox may prefer a lh bat.

 

I just don't dig the idea of our DH being a career .238 hitter with an OBP of .311.

 

Jake LaMotta would have said "He defeats his own purpose".

 

But Sox fans are suckers for the company line so It's just another garbage signing I'll have to live with.

 

It's .321 vs RHPs, but your point is very well taken. His .801 OPS vs RHPs is fueled mostly by his SLG% of .480. (Also, he has not gotten over .330 OBP in the last two years vs RHPs.)

 

Better choices might be who with what we have to spend?

 

Adam Lind .328 career OBP BUT .347/.502/.849 vs RHPs! He had an off year this year, so that is a big concern (.287/.442/.729 v RHPs). We could hope for his 2015 numbers vs RHPs: .380/.503/.883.

 

Brandon Moss .319 OBP (.319 vs RHPs with a .472 SLG% career vs RHPs). However, he did have a .525 SLG% vs RHPs last year but a .303 OBP. He was much worse in 2015.

 

Moreland .315 OBP career. He's .321/.457/.778 carerr vs RHPs but was awful this year (.293/.407/.700). Again, we could hope for 2015 numbers: .348/.528/.876.

 

Morrison (28) .325 OBP career. He's .327/.435/.762 career vs RHPs. Another candidate with bad 2016 numbers: .312/.419/.731 vs RHPs.

 

It makes me wonder, if we should just put all our winter budget and planning into building pitching depth. With Pablo looking in great shape, maybe the gamble should be to just let our own system work itself out. Maybe something like this:

 

DH PAs:

250 HanRam vs some RHPs and a few LHPs.

200 Pablo vs some RHPs

250 Young vs almost all LHPs

 

3B PAs:

250 Pablo vs RHPs

200 Shaw vs RHPs and some LHPs

200 Moncada vs LHPs and some RHPs

 

1B:

400 HanRam vs LHPs and some RHPs

300 Shaw vs RHPs and some LHPs.

 

The big ifs are Pablo and Shaw, but if Moncada can take more PAs from 3B or possibly DH, if he can't field worth a hill of beans, then the PAs can be reduced from either or both Pablo and Shaw.

 

Pablo sucked vs LHPs, even when he was good, so I feel he should be platooned.

 

Shaw is a much better defensive 1Bman than HanRam, so let's give hanRam some rest by DH'ing him often vs RHPs. He even said he likes the idea.

 

Maybe Hernandez or Holt can earn some quality PAs at 3B.

 

 

 

[OH FOY]

Sox just made a Trade with Brewers. Reliever is all I heard.

[jacksonianmarch]

Heard the same thing. No names yet

[OH FOY]

If its Tyler Thornburg, I bet Swihart is gone. Thornburg pretty darn good. Brewers need Catching.