2019 Spring Training Thread

[a700hitter]

Watching game on ESPN today. Another season of Jessica Mendoza on Sunday Night baseball. Oye!

[bkzwhitestrican]

Watching game on ESPN today. Another season of Jessica Mendoza on Sunday Night baseball. Oye!

 

I thought she got hired by the Mets to do something?

[mvp 78]

I thought she got hired by the Mets to do something?

 

She'll still do both even though there seems to be an issue with conflict of interest (same can be said for ARod and David Ross).

[kenmeister]

I don’t think Nunez is “deadweight” compared to Lin. He did have an .832 OPS after the Sox acquired him. Last year he did struggle but was hampered by injuries.

 

Also depleting the Sox bullpen depth - already questionable - to accommodate a situational lefty might not be the best move.

 

The kids will get their time this year. There’s no reason to not keep everyone possible and have some depth...

 

Time Nunez plays is time Devers / Holt / Lin / Pedroia doesn't, which is the angle I'm coming from.

 

I still don't think Thornburg has anything left, but happy to be proved wrong. Hembree we'll see..., but I still would prefer Velazquez to start the season in the majors.

[notin]

Time Nunez plays is time Devers / Holt / Lin / Pedroia doesn't, which is the angle I'm coming from.

 

I still don't think Thornburg has anything left, but happy to be proved wrong. Hembree we'll see..., but I still would prefer Velazquez to start the season in the majors.

 

 

I have no idea what Thornburg has left, but Dombrowski did sign him after the season to avoid arbitration.

 

The Sox probably start the season with 7 relievers. But the only guarantees right now seem to be Barnes, Brasier, Hembree, Workman and Johnson. Thornburg should grab one of the last two spots, but that’s not guaranteed. The other options on the 40-man include Poyner, Brewer, Lakins, and the distant possibility of Hernandez. Some of the NRI players are certainly trying to impress.

 

At his relatively low salary, I think Thornburg does get a shot. DD has shown he has no problem releasing players making much more...

[a700hitter]

If DD moves Nunez, would that clear space to sign Kimbrel? I apologize if I am lagging and that has already been asked and answered.

[moonslav59]

If DD moves Nunez, would that clear space to sign Kimbrel? I apologize if I am lagging and that has already been asked and answered.

 

$5-6M freed up by trading Nunez plus the $4-5M we have under the max line would not be enough to sign CK and avoid mega taxes and the draft penalty.

 

I doubt DD is even thinking about CK or any way to bring him back, even if he has the okay to go over the max line.

 

It's just not cost-effective.

[a700hitter]

$5-6M freed up by trading Nunez plus the $4-5M we have under the max line would not be enough to sign CK and avoid mega taxes and the draft penalty.

 

I doubt DD is even thinking about CK or any way to bring him back, even if he has the okay to go over the max line.

 

It's just not cost-effective.

He will have much bigger concerns next off season. If he brings back Kimbrel, he gets to make a run for back to back rings with the same roster as last year.

[moonslav59]

I seriously doubt there are any takers out there, but in theory, if we could trade Nunez ($5M), Hembree ($1.3M) and Swihart ($900K) for a better RP'er than Hembree, while not costing the combined $7.2M, I'd be all for it.

 

We might regret trading Nunez, if Pedey's recovery never materializes, and our IF depth is tested with just Holt, Lin & Chavis/Dalbec.

 

We could add or sub in Thornburg ($1.75M) as well.

 

If we really trust Chavis or Dalbec, we could consider Moreland ($6.5M), but again, who would be the "taker?"

 

In theory, trading all of these guys would really hurt or bench, but with the $15.5M saved plus the $4M we have now, we could add one (CK?) or two decent FAs (Tony Sipp & ???) at discount rates.

 

Not going to happen, but...

 

Kimbrel for Hembree

 

Centeno for Swihart

 

Lin for Nunez

 

Chavis for Moreland

 

Velazquez for Thornburg

[notin]

He will have much bigger concerns next off season. If he brings back Kimbrel, he gets to make a run for back to back rings with the same roster as last year.

 

The Sox, along with fellow normal big spenders LA, NY, and Chicago, appear to be trying to avoid long term heavy deals that don’t involve their core players. DD isn’t just thinking about 2019 and “back to back.” He’s also thinking about 2020 and beyond and making sure he keeps as many of Betts, Bogaerts, Sale, Martinez, and maybe another name or two as possible. I don’t think he views Kimbrel as part of that core. That means any big deal for Kimbrel gets in the way of keeping that core...

[moonslav59]

He will have much bigger concerns next off season...

 

That's the main reason CK is a no go.

[mvp 78]

The Sox, along with fellow normal big spenders LA, NY, and Chicago, appear to be trying to avoid long term heavy deals that don’t involve their core players. DD isn’t just thinking about 2019 and “back to back.” He’s also thinking about 2020 and beyond and making sure he keeps as many of Betts, Bogaerts, Sale, Martinez, and maybe another name or two as possible. I don’t think he views Kimbrel as part of that core. That means any big deal for Kimbrel gets in the way of keeping that core...

 

But the cliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffffffffffffffffffff........................

[moonslav59]

I'd certainly rather have Betts, Sale, Bogey, JD and JBJ over Kimbrel, if it came down to an either-or situation.

 

Trying to set things up, so we can keep as many of those big 5 as possible will lessen the severity of the "cliff" while also keeping a solid core to begin rebuilding around after a year or tow without being highly competitive.

 

If we can keep Betts & Sale along with Beni, Devers & ERod, we'd have a nice core to add to once we reset the tax and look to spend again afterwards.

[a700hitter]

Maybe he could ink Kimbrel for 1 season.

[moonslav59]

Maybe he could ink Kimbrel for 1 season.

 

It would be funny, if it was for less than $17.9M.

 

Even so, it solves the 2020-2021 issue, but when you count the tax on the contract, it would be an absurd number.

 

I still think, no.

[mvp 78]

It would be funny, if it was for less than $17.9M.

 

Even so, it solves the 2020-2021 issue, but when you count the tax on the contract, it would be an absurd number.

 

I still think, no.

 

You seem to care more about the tax than ownership does. Are your rooting for their bank account for some reason?

[moonslav59]

You seem to care more about the tax than ownership does. Are your rooting for their bank account for some reason?

 

I think they care more than I do.

 

We'd have Kimbrel or Robertson, if they didn't.

 

I care about keeping Betts & Sale and possibly 1 more from Bogey, JD and JBJ.

 

[vegasbob]

The reason that CK is not signed to a long , high dollar contract is that 30 GM's and FO's cannot see the that value in Kimbrel right now.. If it was even close, one team would jump up, rationalize their shot at a pennant and make the move. 2 years at $30MM might get a team interested in this experienced closer, but CK might rather sit until someone breaks down among the contenders and goes deep for him, not off him.

[notin]

You seem to care more about the tax than ownership does. Are your rooting for their bank account for some reason?

 

 

It’s a really, really safe bet John Henry cares about taxes. He didn’t get to be a billionaire by paying too much for everything ...

[Kimmi]

It’s a really, really safe bet John Henry cares about taxes. He didn’t get to be a billionaire by paying too much for everything ...

 

Of course he cares about taxes.

[Slasher9]

You seem to care more about the tax than ownership does. Are your rooting for their bank account for some reason?

 

kraft just got busted because he didnt want to spend more than $79 for a BJ. there's a reason these guys are billionaires. its f***ing hard to get them to part with their cash.

[moonslav59]

kraft just got busted because he didnt want to spend more than $79 for a BJ. there's a reason these guys are billionaires. its f***ing hard to get them to part with their cash.

 

Exactly, and that's one reason they got so filthy rich in the first place.

 

Plus, these guys care a lot about image, and even though I have nothing to back up my opinion here, I don't think Henry wants to be called the next George "buy a championship" Steinbrenner.

 

It's my opinion, Henry will reset the tax after 2019 or 2020, and then try not to ever go over the max line again- perhaps even trying to stay under the $20M line, too.

 

[mvp 78]

kraft just got busted because he didnt want to spend more than $79 for a BJ. there's a reason these guys are billionaires. its f***ing hard to get them to part with their cash.

 

You think he never spent more? This was a convenience thing.

[Slasher9]

You think he never spent more? This was a convenience thing.

 

i actually dont want to argue about this but convenience is definitely the wrong word. FAA tracking says he flew from boston to florida for those 2 days and then to KC for the AFCCCG. kind of inconvenient way to fly to KC IMO.

also, whats more convenient than calling a $500/hour hooker to come directly to your hotel room???

[a700hitter]

You think he never spent more? This was a convenience thing.

I think that he was out doing his weekly shopping and decided that it was on the way.

[SCM33]

I think that he was out doing his weekly shopping and decided that it was on the way.

 

a700hitter sucks.

[Nick]

Exactly, and that's one reason they got so filthy rich in the first place.

 

Plus, these guys care a lot about image, and even though I have nothing to back up my opinion here, I don't think Henry wants to be called the next George "buy a championship" Steinbrenner.

 

It's my opinion, Henry will reset the tax after 2019 or 2020, and then try not to ever go over the max line again- perhaps even trying to stay under the $20M line, too.

 

 

Not reseting.

[Slasher9]

Not reseting.

 

it will be very interesting to see what john henry does next offseason and the one after that. those 2 will be much more interesting than this past hot stove.....

[SCM33]

a700hitter sucks.

 

he sucks

[moonslav59]

I can see a reset and then an immediate bounce back to being the top spender. The amount of taxes saved would be enormous-- enough to overpay for someone like Betts & Sale.

 

Assuming Betts makes $34M and Sale makes $32M, the difference between 50% and 0% tax is $33M year 1. Then 20% vs 50%= $20M saved year 2. Then 30% vs 50% in year 3 is $13M saved. In total, the savings could be $66M.

 

Believe me, Henry cares about $66M, and if it just means a 1 year reset and "cliff" or down year, my guess is he chooses to reset.