Red Sox To Sign J.D. Martinez

[cp176]

I'm just saying, he's better served not playing aggressively in LF.

 

Probably right but it would be one of the toughest things an athlete like him would have to figure out. My guess would be that once the season starts, he would have a hard time doing this if it was advised. Really the only way to keep him from possibly getting hurt in the field would obviously be to just dh him. I would be surprised if that happens though based on everything that we have read.

[SoxnCycles]

He can just keep playing the Mike Greenwell defense: "I'll pick the ball up, when it stops rolling."

 

The Fenway wall is more about learning how the ball bounces off the wall rather than catching balls against it. He could just play a shallow LF and concede any catchable line drive off the lower wall.

 

I dfon't think it's the rear wall that's an issue.

It's the left side wall, 2 feet into foul territory, that's the widow-maker.

[Bellhorn04]

I dfon't think it's the rear wall that's an issue.

It's the left side wall, 2 feet into foul territory, that's the widow-maker.

 

Yeah, I was going to mention that. That's where Swihart got injured. With Hanley, I'm not sure if it was the Monster or the side wall.

[moonslav59]

If it's game 7, don't put him in LF.

 

True, if it's in Fenway.

[moonslav59]

I dfon't think it's the rear wall that's an issue.

It's the left side wall, 2 feet into foul territory, that's the widow-maker.

 

Good point. Maybe put an electric dog collar on him that zaps him when he gets within 5 feet of a wall.

[SoxnCycles]

Yeah, I was going to mention that. That's where Swihart got injured. With Hanley, I'm not sure if it was the Monster or the side wall.

 

Looked it up, to be sure; "Ramirez, a career shortstop playing the outfield for the first time this season, was injured when he slammed into a padded grandstand wall in left while sprinting in pursuit of James Loney's line drive into the left-field corner in the first inning."

[SoxnCycles]

Good point. Maybe put an electric dog collar on him that zaps him when he gets within 5 feet of a wall.

 

Now there's some added entertainment for the fans.

Put them on all the players.

[Bellhorn04]

Looked it up, to be sure; "Ramirez, a career shortstop playing the outfield for the first time this season, was injured when he slammed into a padded grandstand wall in left while sprinting in pursuit of James Loney's line drive into the left-field corner in the first inning."

 

Widow-maker it is!

[Bellhorn04]

You'd think for all the money invested in the players they could figure some way to make the walls a little less hazardous to the limbs...

[SoxnCycles]

You'd think for all the money invested in the players they could figure some way to make the walls a little less hazardous to the limbs...

 

Yeah, there has to be something better than foam covered concrete.

As old as Fenway is, they'd probably have to rip out and redesign half of the left field GS area.

[Carbo-Diem]

Wondering if Dombrowski should have waited a few weeks and signed J.D. Martinez for "Moustakas money". After all, the Sox were the only suitor and could have probably gotten him for an AAV of 12 to 15 mil at this point.

[notin]

Wondering if Dombrowski should have waited a few weeks and signed J.D. Martinez for "Moustakas money". After all, the Sox were the only suitor and could have probably gotten him for an AAV of 12 to 15 mil at this point.

 

Ummm no.

 

If Martinez -who didn't have draft pick compensation, unlike Moustakas - price fell thst low, other teams would enter the market.

 

Martinez' price was a big reason the Sox were the only suitor.

 

In terms of cost and length, Dombrowski did a good job on this deal and there's no reason to wish it was better. That would be like going up to Michelangelo in the Sistine chapel and saying "It's a good fresco, but I think you can do a better one. And do it by tomorrow morning. "

Edited March 11, 2018 by notin

[Carbo-Diem]

This injury prone DH will thankfully be gone in two years after his agent once again fills his head with sugar plums and fairies. Hopefully some of that money can be applied to keeping Sale and Betts around long term.

[moonslav59]

This injury prone DH will thankfully be gone in two years after his agent once again fills his head with sugar plums and fairies. Hopefully some of that money can be applied to keeping Sale and Betts around long term.

 

In Luxury Tax Dollars...

 

Just 2 guaranteed Contract in 2020:

 

$31M Price (assuming no opt out)

$13.75M Pedey

 

Arbs:

Betts 3 of 3

JBJ 4 of 4

ERod 3 of 4

Carson 3 of 3

Vaz 3 of 3

Wright 3 of 3

Workman 3 of 3

Barnes 2 of 3

Swihart 2 of 4

Leon 4 of 4

Hembree 2 of 3

Beni 1 of 3

Scott 1 of 3

Elias 2 of 3

 

Must replace:

JDM

Porcello

Kimbrel

Sale

Pom

Nunez

Moreland

ERod

Thornburg

Holt

HRam

 

Edited June 23, 2018 by moonslav59

[Bellhorn04]

JDM has been unbelievable. So consistent, so much power. The power to the opposite field is of course especially impressive.

 

He also seems like a good guy and a true professional. There's no poser in him.

 

Any way they can put that first opt-out in the shredder?

[S5Dewey]

As I was watching last night's game it occurred to me how many posters here got frustrated with the negotiations for JDM and were ready to move on.

That's why DD is the GM and we're just online posters.

[Bellhorn04]

As I was watching last night's game it occurred to me how many posters here got frustrated with the negotiations for JDM and were ready to move on.

That's why DD is the GM and we're just online posters.

 

I'm proud to say I was not one of those posters who said anything about 'moving on', I just wanted them to get it done. DD did his job.

[jacksonianmarch]

The Sox got themselves a steal. The deal is salary cap friendly in that there’s no way he’s not opting out at this juncture and they will have paid $50 mil over the first two, but will only be “charged” on the lux tax for $44 mil. They also didn’t go too long and should get two years of prime from him

[notin]

I'm proud to say I was not one of those posters who said anything about 'moving on', I just wanted them to get it done. DD did his job.

 

I think I was the loudest of the "just move on" crowd. I don't expect to be GM anytime soon anyway.

 

I might not have been so loud if the Sox had not spent most of the off-season with their biggest acquisition as some guy named Esteban Quiroz. ...

[moonslav59]

I think I was the loudest of the "just move on" crowd. I don't expect to be GM anytime soon anyway.

 

I might not have been so loud if the Sox had not spent most of the off-season with their biggest acquisition as some guy named Esteban Quiroz. ...

 

It was a late signing season for just about every team and major player.

 

There was no need to panic or worry as long as several options were still on the table.

[notin]

It was a late signing season for just about every team and major player.

 

There was no need to panic or worry as long as several options were still on the table.

 

Signing Martinez late was one thing. But coupled with the complete lack of activity from the Sox made it all the more frustrating.

 

Signing Martinez did very likely keep the Sox from getting another big name this off-season, but I'm ok with the early spending in that case.

[moonslav59]

Signing Martinez late was one thing. But coupled with the complete lack of activity from the Sox made it all the more frustrating.

 

Signing Martinez did very likely keep the Sox from getting another big name this off-season, but I'm ok with the early spending in that case.

 

We were probably never going to spend over the $40M line, so I don't think we missed out on anything.

 

Had we not signed JD, maybe we'd have gotten Lynn or Cobb.

 

As much as I hated the early Moreland signing, it has already paid for itself. (And my guy Moose and your guy LoMo are slumping.)

[Bellhorn04]

As much as I hated the early Moreland signing, it has already paid for itself. (And my guy Moose and your guy LoMo are slumping.)

 

And don't forget Duda...

[moonslav59]

And don't forget Duda...

 

Duda was my fall back. I preferred Moose and then LoMo, if the money was right.

 

I did talk up Duda a lot. He's been a dud.

 

I talked down Hosmer, and he's finally over .800, but he's on pace for 20 HRs and 75 RBIs.

 

JD was clearly a better choice there.

[a700hitter]

Duda was my fall back. I preferred Moose and then LoMo, if the money was right.

 

I did talk up Duda a lot. He's been a dud.

 

I talked down Hosmer, and he's finally over .800, but he's on pace for 20 HRs and 75 RBIs.

 

JD was clearly a better choice there.

I told you all that you needed to know about Duda after watching him in person for 20-25 games over the last few seasons and dozens more on TV. Also, I conferred with friends of mine who are Mets Season Ticket Holders. They would gladly have driven him to the airport. Those were all the stats and splits that I needed to be certain in my evaluation that "HE STINKS." He was always streaky, but now that his body is shot it is even worse, because he isn't an everyday player anymore, not even on a platoon basis. 2017 was his last gasp salary drive.

 

Telling me about Duda from Texas while using only stats would be sort of like me telling Emeril Lagasse about cooking while armed with just a recipe. But it was fun.

[Spudboy]

JDM has been unbelievable. So consistent, so much power. The power to the opposite field is of course especially impressive.

 

He also seems like a good guy and a true professional. There's no poser in him.

 

Any way they can put that first opt-out in the shredder?

 

He is also playing solid D in lf and rf. Metrics, be damned.

[Kimmi]

JDM has been unbelievable. So consistent, so much power. The power to the opposite field is of course especially impressive.

 

He also seems like a good guy and a true professional. There's no poser in him.

 

Any way they can put that first opt-out in the shredder?

 

Dombrowski deserves the utmost praise for getting JD on such a good contract.

[Kimmi]

He is also playing solid D in lf and rf. Metrics, be damned.

 

Shuddering...

[Spudboy]

Shuddering...

 

At what? The truth?

[moonslav59]

Here's a look at some of the 1B & 3B options that were available this past winter and their 2018 OPS numbers

 

.926 Matt Adams

.910 Moreland

.822 Valencia

.807 Abreu

.806 Hosmer

.803 Sandoval

.797 C Santana

.786 Moustakas

.783 Alonso

.762 Reynolds

.757 Donaldson

.734 Freese

.716 Duda

.711 Longoria

(.708 HRam)

.708 Frazier

.672 AGon

.640 Valbuena

.634 Morrison