A Realistic View at 2018: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

Of course the preference would be to upgrade somewhere, but why doesn't standing pat cut it? The team won 93 games last year with a lot of underperformances and no Price for a good bit of the season.

 

I think in our position, if you have an opportunity to upgrade you need to do it.

 

-As some folks have pointed out, our window is a small one.

-I think winning the division over the Yankees is going to be tough.

 

Why wouldn't you want to improve our chances?

[Kimmi]

I think in our position, if you have an opportunity to upgrade you need to do it.

 

-As some folks have pointed out, our window is a small one.

-I think winning the division over the Yankees is going to be tough.

 

Why wouldn't you want to improve our chances?

 

Of course you upgrade if you have an opportunity to do so, assuming the price is reasonable. I have never said that my preference is to stand pat, just that we would be okay if we did.

 

I hope we sign JD, but JD has to agree to that. If he doesn't, we'll be okay.

[moonslav59]

It made no sense whatsoever that so many of our batters performed below expectations. That might be one thing if they were aging players, but they are at an age where they should be improving as they reach their prime. I really do think we'll see a good offense this year, even without JD.

 

JD would certainly add to the chances our offense improves significantly.

 

I'm expecting a "career year" from one of these players:

 

Betts

 

Bogaerts

 

Bradley

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Moreland has his best year ever.

 

Devers and Beni could make great strides or take a step back for a year.

 

Pedey, HRam and Vaz should decline over their 2017 or 2016 best numbers.

Edited February 6, 2018 by moonslav59

[Bellhorn04]

JD would certainly add to the chances our offense improves significantly.

 

I'm expecting a "career year" from one of these players:

 

Betts

 

Bogaerts

 

Bradley

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Moreland has his best year ever.

 

Devers and Beni could make great strides or take a step back for a year.

 

Pedey, HRam and Vaz should decline over their last 1 or 2 year numbers.

 

Bradley? I like him and I wish him the best, but it wouldn't shock me if he has a terrible year at the plate.

[Bellhorn04]

One of the concerns about our offense as it stands is the complete lack of depth. If one key guy goes down we could be in a lot of trouble. Unless a guy like Brentz were to really step up. But that may be a lot to ask.

[Bellhorn04]

Let me put it this way, if Martinez signs somewhere else for 125 million or less I'm going to be pissed. That would be less than what MLBTR projected him to sign for.

 

He's far from a perfect player but he's a perfect fit for us in several departments. Baseball-wise it's his power, of course. Cost-wise, it's money and money only. Not a single prospect nor draft pick shall be harmed.

[moonslav59]

Bradley? I like him and I wish him the best, but it wouldn't shock me if he has a terrible year at the plate.

 

That wouldn't surprise me much either, but he's streaky and just might find consistency, for once. He's in his prime.

[harmony]

Let me put it this way, if Martinez signs somewhere else for 125 million or less I'm going to be pissed. That would be less than what MLBTR projected him to sign for.

 

He's far from a perfect player but he's a perfect fit for us in several departments. Baseball-wise it's his power, of course. Cost-wise, it's money and money only. Not a single prospect nor draft pick shall be harmed.

Red Sox fans who have called J.D. Martinez "greedy" could be quieted if this year's top free agent hitter signs with another team for less than what the Sox offered.

 

Just considering all the possibilities.

[Bellhorn04]

Red Sox fans who have called J.D. Martinez "greedy" could be quieted if this year's top free agent hitter signs with another team for less than what the Sox offered.

 

Just considering all the possibilities.

 

I don't disagree. If he was to re-sign with Arizona for 110 million or something like that, no one could say he had been greedy.

[moonslav59]

Todd Frazier to the Mets for $17M/2 (was projected at $33M/3),

[jacksonianmarch]

That wouldn't surprise me much either, but he's streaky and just might find consistency, for once. He's in his prime.

 

JBJ will light the world on fire for two months and will be the equivalent of Rey Ordonez the other 4.

[notin]

I don't disagree. If he was to re-sign with Arizona for 110 million or something like that, no one could say he had been greedy.

 

I just don't think he wants to be in Boston all that much...

[moonslav59]

JBJ will light the world on fire for two months and will be the equivalent of Rey Ordonez the other 4.

 

If he does that he might hit 1.000.

 

He;s had .850 seasons based on one hot month.

[moonslav59]

I just don't think he wants to be in Boston all that much...

 

Nobody is signing.

 

I think we might be reading too much into the delayed signing period flurry.

[harmony]

Nobody is signing.

 

I think we might be reading too much into the delayed signing period flurry.

In a rare on-the-record comment about the J.D. Martinez situation, two weeks ago Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said: ""We are in active negotiations with J.D. Martinez. ... It takes two to make a deal."

 

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2018/01/boston_red_soxs_tom_werner_we.html

 

... which suggests certain interest on one side and uncertain interest on the other.

[moonslav59]

In a rare on-the-record comment about the J.D. Martinez situation, two weeks ago Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said: ""We are in active negotiations with J.D. Martinez. ... It takes two to make a deal."

 

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2018/01/boston_red_soxs_tom_werner_we.html

 

... which suggests certain interest on one side and uncertain interest on the other.

 

Or duel-team high interest by one(JD) and maybe singular by one (BOS).

 

Or not.

 

[cp176]

Red Sox fans who have called J.D. Martinez "greedy" could be quieted if this year's top free agent hitter signs with another team for less than what the Sox offered.

 

Just considering all the possibilities.

 

So - Cut off his nose to spite his face so to speak Harmony? If he chooses to play somewhere else (Arizona) it will likely be because he just doesn't want to play in Boston. Boston's "lowball offer" still looks like a fairly healthy offer but if he really wants to play somewhere else, it might take a bigger overpay to get him. I personally am done with him. I really wish DD would head in another direction. If he signs with us and rips the hide off the ball, i still will have a very hard time being a fan. To them it might be a business, but to many lifelong fans it is a great deal more.

[Bellhorn04]

In a rare on-the-record comment about the J.D. Martinez situation, two weeks ago Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said: ""We are in active negotiations with J.D. Martinez. ... It takes two to make a deal."

 

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2018/01/boston_red_soxs_tom_werner_we.html

 

... which suggests certain interest on one side and uncertain interest on the other.

 

Or it simply suggests Martinez and Boras are simply holding out in hopes of 6 years, just as Hosmer and Boras seem to be simply holding out in hopes of 8 years.

[cp176]

Or it simply suggests Martinez and Boras are simply holding out in hopes of 6 years, just as Hosmer and Boras seem to be simply holding out in hopes of 8 years.

 

and that is all about greed - when you are talking about astronomical figures like they are asking for, it defines greed. I could care less also about what an owner makes. Good luck to these morons for trying to be as capitalistic as they can be. It is what we do. I'd like to say that sometimes you win but sometimes you lose but if these fools sign for 5 or 10 million dollars less than what they want, they still don't lose. Even though I am very pleased to see the Sox seemingly holding the line, I still wish that they would head in a different direction.

[notin]

In a rare on-the-record comment about the J.D. Martinez situation, two weeks ago Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said: ""We are in active negotiations with J.D. Martinez. ... It takes two to make a deal."

 

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2018/01/boston_red_soxs_tom_werner_we.html

 

... which suggests certain interest on one side and uncertain interest on the other.

 

Not necessarily.. It could also suggest each side has a set of terms and there isn't enough overlap...

[Bellhorn04]

and that is all about greed - when you are talking about astronomical figures like they are asking for, it defines greed. I could care less also about what an owner makes. Good luck to these morons for trying to be as capitalistic as they can be. It is what we do. I'd like to say that sometimes you win but sometimes you lose but if these fools sign for 5 or 10 million dollars less than what they want, they still don't lose. Even though I am very pleased to see the Sox seemingly holding the line, I still wish that they would head in a different direction.

 

I certainly get what you're saying.

 

I'm not ready to think of Martinez as a bad guy yet.

 

I tend to think he's relying on the advice of Boras.

 

To me it's not much different than if you're trying to sell your house.

 

You've got an offer in hand for $350,000 but your agent is convinced that if you wait a little longer you'll get an offer for $360,000 or $375,000. The agent has a good track record of being right. What do you do?

 

Most people would probably listen to the agent. They wouldn't want to kick themselves later for getting less money for the house than they could have.

 

I think there's a fine line between greed and just wanting to get the best deal you can. Maybe it's just human nature.

[S5Dewey]

and that is all about greed - when you are talking about astronomical figures like they are asking for, it defines greed. I could care less also about what an owner makes. Good luck to these morons for trying to be as capitalistic as they can be. It is what we do. I'd like to say that sometimes you win but sometimes you lose but if these fools sign for 5 or 10 million dollars less than what they want, they still don't lose. Even though I am very pleased to see the Sox seemingly holding the line, I still wish that they would head in a different direction.

 

It's hard for me to work up any sympathy for owners OR players. I believe that owners are astute businessmen, otherwise they wouldn't be able to be owners of an MLB team so if they want to throw millions of dollars at players it's hard to feel sorry for them. I don't think you'll see any of them living in a trailer park in the near future. [hyperbole. But you get the point]

 

As for players, again no sympathy. I'm reminded of what two players said who are now not playing baseball.

 

Curt Schilling: "I've made money (playing baseball) that my grandchildren won't be able to spend."

 

Ryan Dempster retiring after walking away from $13M in 2014: As a major league player "I've been treated like a king all my (playing) life. Now I have to learn how to live my life like a normal person". I question how much Dempster's life is going to be like mine if he was walking away from $13M, but anyway....

 

What part of that makes JD Martinez believe that he deserves more money?

[Bellhorn04]

Curt Schilling: "I've made money (playing baseball) that my grandchildren won't be able to spend."

 

Poor Schill, he forgot the part about how you could still blow all that money on a goddamn video game venture. Too bad for the grandkids.

[cp176]

I certainly get what you're saying.

 

I'm not ready to think of Martinez as a bad guy yet.

 

I tend to think he's relying on the advice of Boras.

 

To me it's not much different than if you're trying to sell your house.

 

You've got an offer in hand for $350,000 but your agent is convinced that if you wait a little longer you'll get an offer for $360,000 or $375,000. The agent has a good track record of being right. What do you do?

 

Most people would probably listen to the agent. They wouldn't want to kick themselves later for getting less money for the house than they could have.

 

I think there's a fine line between greed and just wanting to get the best deal you can. Maybe it's just human nature.

 

I think that that is a logical take on things. I'm not going to let logic get in my way though. My experience with most realtors for one is that if they can sell your house for less not more than what you think it is worth they will do everything that they can do to move it. Do you really know agents up there Bell who will suggest a higher price than what you think your home might be worth? Going back to baseball and the issue at hand, there really is fairly large difference between what I might like to get for my home and 125 million dollars for 5 years of work. It becomes particularly significant to me when there seem to be no better offers out there. When you are talking this much money, yes I call it greed. I do agree with you for sure about the human nature take on things.

[cp176]

It's hard for me to work up any sympathy for owners OR players. I believe that owners are astute businessmen, otherwise they wouldn't be able to be owners of an MLB team so if they want to throw millions of dollars at players it's hard to feel sorry for them. I don't think you'll see any of them living in a trailer park in the near future. [hyperbole. But you get the point]

 

As for players, again no sympathy. I'm reminded of what two players said who are now not playing baseball.

 

Curt Schilling: "I've made money (playing baseball) that my grandchildren won't be able to spend."

 

Ryan Dempster retiring after walking away from $13M in 2014: As a major league player "I've been treated like a king all my (playing) life. Now I have to learn how to live my life like a normal person". I question how much Dempster's life is going to be like mine if he was walking away from $13M, but anyway....

 

What part of that makes JD Martinez believe that he deserves more money?

 

 

I agree

[a700hitter]

My opinion that Dempster was a dope to walk away from $13 million. He is a hero to John Henry. His wife divorced him shortly thereafter. I wonder if she cited stupidity in the divorce papers.

[moonslav59]

My opinion that Dempster was a dope to walk away from $13 million. He is a hero to John Henry. His wife divorced him shortly thereafter. I wonder if she cited stupidity in the divorce papers.

 

She missed out on $6.5M!

[Bellhorn04]

She missed out on $6.5M!

 

Maybe he wanted to spite her out of the 6.5 million.

[moonslav59]

Maybe he wanted to spite her out of the 6.5 million.

 

...and himself, too, then.

 

Maybe he wasn't as "cerebral" as many fans thought.

[mvp 78]

JBJ will light the world on fire for two months and will be the equivalent of Rey Ordonez the other 4.

 

Wrong. One month.