The Pen

[cp176]

As opposed to the other pitchers??!!

 

Why would you say that?

[kenmeister]

Knowing he'd say no.

 

Also, it's for 1 year not the 4-5+ he was seeking.

 

If anybody ever needed that one year contract to reset their value, it's Kimbrel. You simply don't get a 4-5 year contract given the second half and playoff performance he gave.

[moonslav59]

If anybody ever needed that one year contract to reset their value, it's Kimbrel. You simply don't get a 4-5 year contract given the second half and playoff performance he gave.

 

Too late.

 

CK misjudged the market.

 

He will still likely do better than $17.9M/1, but not by dollars per year.

[mvp 78]

Too late.

 

CK misjudged the market.

 

He will still likely do better than $17.9M/1, but not by dollars per year.

 

Sox should offer 3/40 and see if he takes it.

[moonslav59]

Sox should offer 3/40 and see if he takes it.

 

Even $40M/3 would keep us from keeping one of the big 5.

 

I'd still say no.

 

Too much money. Too risky for a declining closer.

 

Plus, I think that number would be insulting to CK- kinda like the Lester offer.

[Slasher9]

Maybe even from the Hamfighters.

 

my man!

[mvp 78]

Even $40M/3 would keep us from keeping one of the big 5.

 

I'd still say no.

 

Too much money. Too risky for a declining closer.

 

Plus, I think that number would be insulting to CK- kinda like the Lester offer.

 

Why? Ownership can afford it. I just don't understand all the handwringing about payroll when the owners are loaded and have gone above the tax threshold before. The make a killing of Sox merch, tix, NESN, etc. The Sox aren't the Sisters of the Poor.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

What's weird about this article

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-separate-paths-of-craig-kimbrel-and-the-red-sox/

 

is that it says the Red Sox will be picking 10 spots lower in the draft if they sign Kimbrel. I thought they were already slated to lose 10 spots? Can anyone clarify?

[jacksonianmarch]

What's weird about this article

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-separate-paths-of-craig-kimbrel-and-the-red-sox/

 

is that it says the Red Sox will be picking 10 spots lower in the draft if they sign Kimbrel. I thought they were already slated to lose 10 spots? Can anyone clarify?

 

They’re talking about the 2020 draft. Signing Kimbrel will push them past the upper threshold for the 2019 season as well. The Sox are already picking 10 spots back in 2019 due to overages in 2018

[Bellhorn04]

They’re talking about the 2020 draft. Signing Kimbrel will push them past the upper threshold for the 2019 season as well. The Sox are already picking 10 spots back in 2019 due to overages in 2018

 

I believe you are correct and the article is not.

[mvp 78]

What's weird about this article

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-separate-paths-of-craig-kimbrel-and-the-red-sox/

 

is that it says the Red Sox will be picking 10 spots lower in the draft if they sign Kimbrel. I thought they were already slated to lose 10 spots? Can anyone clarify?

 

Losing 10 spots when you're drafting that late doesn't mean s***.

[notin]

What's weird about this article

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-separate-paths-of-craig-kimbrel-and-the-red-sox/

 

is that it says the Red Sox will be picking 10 spots lower in the draft if they sign Kimbrel. I thought they were already slated to lose 10 spots? Can anyone clarify?

 

 

They’re already picking last anyway. And the really obvious impact players are usually gone in the top 5 or 6 picks...

[BillyWilliams]

Why would you say that?

 

Because the staff is in constant contact with all of the pitchers........

[jacksonianmarch]

Losing 10 spots when you're drafting that late doesn't mean s***.

 

You still may get the same player, but you lose $500K of draft pool which is very important when you try to sign cases that fall due to signability

[notin]

Maybe even from the Hamfighters.

 

 

The name of that team is the Fighters.

 

But yes, Ham Fighters does sound too awesome to ignore...

[Slasher9]

Losing 10 spots when you're drafting that late doesn't mean s***.

 

the reigning AL MVP was taken in 5th round with the 172nd overall pick in the 2011 draft. the loss of 10 spots can suck a dick.

[harmony]

The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated reliever Josh Fields for assignment:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fieldjo03.shtml

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/dodgers-claim-donnie-hart-waivers-orioles-dfa-josh-fields.html

[notin]

The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated reliever Josh Fields for assignment:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fieldjo03.shtml

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/dodgers-claim-donnie-hart-waivers-orioles-dfa-josh-fields.html

 

Sox would have to trade for him. Zero chance he goes unclaimed and probably doesn’t even get out of the NL...

[moonslav59]

Why? Ownership can afford it. I just don't understand all the handwringing about payroll when the owners are loaded and have gone above the tax threshold before. The make a killing of Sox merch, tix, NESN, etc. The Sox aren't the Sisters of the Poor.

 

If you want to assume Henry will continue to spend and spend, that's up to you.

 

I'm not suggesting we will go "poor". By going just under the luxury line for one year, we would still be a top 4-5 spending team. Then, as I suggested might happen, we might go back to spending significantly over the line. That's not "poor" either.

 

It seems obvious to me, Henry cares about what we spend, but maybe I'm missing something. It wouldn't be the first time I read a trend the wrong way.

 

[harmony]

The potential closer:

 

[notin]

The potential closer:

 

 

 

Down the road, maybe. The “high uniform numbers” is a subtle hint at the competition he was facing...

[oldtimer]

If you want to assume Henry will continue to spend and spend, that's up to you.

 

I'm not suggesting we will go "poor". By going just under the luxury line for one year, we would still be a top 4-5 spending team. Then, as I suggested might happen, we might go back to spending significantly over the line. That's not "poor" either.

 

It seems obvious to me, Henry cares about what we spend, but maybe I'm missing something. It wouldn't be the first time I read a trend the wrong way.

 

 

Management decisions in the past have kept our payroll high, while not getting full value for the money spent. They have also depleted our minor league system. They did result in excellent performance including a WS win. Other teams have made poor management decisions, and it is not that uncommon. The better managements make the fewest bad decisions.

 

So going forward, I would hope we could stay below the second salary threshold and maybe even below the first while still fielding a competitive team that can vie for postseason play. To do that, we need to keep our real stars, supplement those with solid but not overly costly pros like Moreland and Pearce and bring along young players being developed in farm system. Bennintendi and Devers are typical ofr those. It is time for DD to concentrate on the farm system to make that happen. In a way, our excellent performance these past years has made farm system development more difficult as we draft so low.

[moonslav59]

Management decisions in the past have kept our payroll high, while not getting full value for the money spent. They have also depleted our minor league system. They did result in excellent performance including a WS win. Other teams have made poor management decisions, and it is not that uncommon. The better managements make the fewest bad decisions.

 

So going forward, I would hope we could stay below the second salary threshold and maybe even below the first while still fielding a competitive team that can vie for postseason play. To do that, we need to keep our real stars, supplement those with solid but not overly costly pros like Moreland and Pearce and bring along young players being developed in farm system. Bennintendi and Devers are typical ofr those. It is time for DD to concentrate on the farm system to make that happen. In a way, our excellent performance these past years has made farm system development more difficult as we draft so low.

 

Who are the real stars we keep?

 

How do we do that and stay under even the $20M line?

 

It's going to be very difficult to do all these things:

 

1) Keep all the best stars.

2) Get under the luxury tax line for just one year.

3) Rebuild the farm.

4) Stay HIGHLY competitive throughout.

 

I'm hoping we can have just one "down year". Maybe, we can even have a winning record that year or push for the wild card with the core players we keep, but I still think it will be a miracle to pull off all 4 on the list. Even 3 out of 4 might be real tough.

 

[vegasbob]

Tyler Thornburg is quickly making the bullpen resolution more difficult with another poor outing vs the Mets today. Matt Barnes first appearance , also knocked around, can be overlooked because we know how good he really is. You would not want the last almost 3 weeks of ST to exacerbate the mindset that the bullpen is a serious question on this team, but the ship hasn't found its course yet.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

If they release Thornburg before the start of the season, I think they would save 1.75 million.

 

That injury/surgery was a big deal -- I don't know if pitchers always recover from that.

[notin]

If they release Thornburg before the start of the season, I think they would save 1.75 million.

 

That injury/surgery was a big deal -- I don't know if pitchers always recover from that.

 

It is a possibility.

 

I’m still hoping the Sox can trade for Josh Fields...

[moonslav59]

Maybe they trade or cut Leon, Thornburg and Wright and free up enough money to sign a last minute cheap free agent RP'er, while still leaving a buffer for a summer deal(s).

[notin]

Sox would have to trade for him. Zero chance he goes unclaimed and probably doesn’t even get out of the NL...

 

So much for “zero chance.” Fields cleared waivers and was released.

 

Not sure why no waiver claim from Dombrowski here,unless there is something physically wrong with Fields. Which would explain his otherwise confusing DFA to begin with...

[vegasbob]

Today, Brandon Workman joins Thornburg in raising more questions than answers for the bullpen. Velasquez also got hit pretty good. Sox are having a combo of light hitting and little pitching as the dog days of Spring training roll on.

[Kimmi]

Today, Brandon Workman joins Thornburg in raising more questions than answers for the bullpen. Velasquez also got hit pretty good. Sox are having a combo of light hitting and little pitching as the dog days of Spring training roll on.

 

We have been outscored something like 40-6 in the past 5 games, all losses.

 

Good thinking on the part of the relievers. Get it out of your system now.