Mookie Betts: Trade or Extend

[OH FOY]

Dodgers did it right, spent a real lot, but in the meantime built one of the strongest Farms there is. Now it's starting to pay-off, all these kids are up, and more coming which means starting next and probably next 5 they will have tons of Money to spend o pick and chose, if they want FA's.

They did not Trade any Great Prospects, they paid the FA's, in the meantime grew a great Farm. Spending is good, if your building behind it. So simple a Caveman can do it.

When Mookie is a FA, the Dodgers will have $80,625,000 to committed contracts, with after everything $121, 541,667 in Tax Space in 2021.

The Sox will have $126,725,000 committed to contracts, with $58, 066,667 in Luxury Tax space.

So I don't see the Reset in 2021 either, unless they get rid of Cash Commitments.

Best way to reset is get rid of the money, and hope you get the right Prospects back.

[Larry33]

Boras isn't Mookie's agent, thankfully.

 

My bad Boras is Bogaerts and JBJ's agent.

[Bellhorn04]

Dodgers did it right, spent a real lot, but in the meantime built one of the strongest Farms there is. Now it's starting to pay-off, all these kids are up, and more coming which means starting next and probably next 5 they will have tons of Money to spend o pick and chose, if they want FA's.

They did not Trade any Great Prospects, they paid the FA's, in the meantime grew a great Farm. Spending is good, if your building behind it. So simple a Caveman can do it.

When Mookie is a FA, the Dodgers will have $80,625,000 to committed contracts, with after everything $121, 541,667 in Tax Space in 2021.

The Sox will have $126,725,000 committed to contracts, with $58, 066,667 in Luxury Tax space.

So I don't see the Reset in 2021 either, unless they get rid of Cash Commitments.

Best way to reset is get rid of the money, and hope you get the right Prospects back.

 

The Dodgers are doing things very well since they swiped Friedman from the Rays, without a doubt.

 

Still, it's all about the championships, and they really need one soon.

[OH FOY]

The Dodgers are doing things very well since they swiped Friedman from the Rays, without a doubt.

 

Still, it's all about the championships, and they really need one soon.

 

Agree and that's what Dombrowski did, Now its time to pay the Fiddler. I see nothing wrong with what DD did. He should be gone, but don't complain now, and say I said he should have been fired. The Players failed, simple.

Here's a funny thing said on Boston Sports Inf. He's going through the whole payroll soon, he's the best.

[notin]

I agree with you on this. Also, if this is leaked now, the likelihood is this was leaked from someone in the FO. This isn't a speculation piece

 

I know you’re desperate to see the Red Sox Trade away all their good players, but get real. This wasn’t a leak. The headline uses the word “unlikely.” The article makes no definitive statements about the future of either player, and there are no references to sources, not even unnamed ones.

 

It’s just an article about Sox contracts and payroll and what Speier thinks needs to be done here to fix this situation financially...

[Key2Delock]

IF the Red Sox trade Mookie Betts, J. D. Martinez, David Price and Nathan Eovaldi for five or six (or more) long-term prospects and some payroll relief, then as a Red Sox fan for over 60 years, I worry that history might be repeating itself 100 years later with a long playoff drought after winning four World Series championships from the ‘04 through the ‘18 seasons.

 

After those four, recent Red Sox World Series championships, I could die now, knowing that I still got to enjoy those moments. (As a long-time New York/San Francisco Giants fan, I also got the added bonus of witnessing another three World Series championships from 2010 through 2014, so seven World Series championships during the past 16 seasons is, as Larry David would say,

!) I'd just worry about the next ten years, considering that the Red Sox currently have what some believe is the worst farm system in the Major Leagues.

 

It doesn’t take much to be reminded of what happened to the Red Sox after they won the 1918 World Series and had to get rid of their star player. It took them 28 years before they reached the World Series again and 86 years before they won another World Series. From 1919 through 1933, they finished last in the eight-team American League in nine seasons and higher than sixth in only two seasons when they finished fifth. They won fewer than 80 games every year between 1919 and 1936.

 

As for trading Mookie Betts before the 2020 season, today I'd have to say, No, No, Nanette! (Yes, I know that it was My Lady Friends, the play on which the Broadway musical No, No Nanette was based, and NOT No, No Nanette that led to the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees.)

[moonslav59]

IF the Red Sox trade Mookie Betts, J. D. Martinez, David Price and Nathan Eovaldi for five or six (or more) long-term prospects and some payroll relief, then as a Red Sox fan for over 60 years, I worry that history might be repeating itself 100 years later with a long playoff drought after winning four World Series championships from the ‘04 through the ‘18 seasons.

 

After those four, recent Red Sox World Series championships, I could die now, knowing that I still got to enjoy those moments. (As a long-time New York/San Francisco Giants fan, I also got the added bonus of witnessing another three World Series championships from 2010 through 2014, so seven World Series championships during the past 16 seasons is, as Larry David would say,

!) I'd just worry about the next ten years, considering that the Red Sox currently have what some believe is the worst farm system in the Major Leagues.

 

It doesn’t take much to be reminded of what happened to the Red Sox after they won the 1918 World Series and had to get rid of their star player. It took them 28 years before they reached the World Series again and 86 years before they won another World Series. From 1919 through 1933, they finished last in the eight-team American League in nine seasons and higher than sixth in only two seasons when they finished fifth. They won fewer than 80 games every year between 1919 and 1936.

 

As for trading Mookie Betts before the 2020 season, today I'd have to say, No, No, Nanette! (Yes, I know that it was My Lady Friends, the play on which the Broadway musical No, No Nanette was based, and NOT No, No Nanette that led to the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees.)

 

As long as Henry is the owner, I'm not worried about long stretches with no rings.

[notin]

As for trading Mookie Betts before the 2020 season, today I'd have to say, No, No, Nanette! (Yes, I know that it was My Lady Friends, the play on which the Broadway musical No, No Nanette was based, and NOT No, No Nanette that led to the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees.)

 

An overblown reaction to compare trading Mookie to trading Babe Ruth. Free agency exists now, so it's just one year of Mookie and then he will hit free agency, as he has repeatedly said he wants to, and the Sox can try to get him back.

[jacksonianmarch]

I know you’re desperate to see the Red Sox Trade away all their good players, but get real. This wasn’t a leak. The headline uses the word “unlikely.” The article makes no definitive statements about the future of either player, and there are no references to sources, not even unnamed ones.

 

It’s just an article about Sox contracts and payroll and what Speier thinks needs to be done here to fix this situation financially...

 

Not desperate at all. We beat the ever living s*** out of your squad this year. If you’re gonna keep coming back with the same sorry club and spend more then great! I hope whomever you hire tries their best to win it all next year. I hope you don’t trade off Mookie and ERod. Heck, I hope you sign Mookie for a decade! I want the Sox to deepen the cliff. I think reason suggests Henry wants value back for expiring assets and will want to rebuild. It’s probably better he does that for the long term health of your club. But, if you want to keep the band together and try again next year, then go for it!

[notin]

Not desperate at all. We beat the ever living s*** out of your squad this year. If you’re gonna keep coming back with the same sorry club and spend more then great! I hope whomever you hire tries their best to win it all next year. I hope you don’t trade off Mookie and ERod. Heck, I hope you sign Mookie for a decade! I want the Sox to deepen the cliff. I think reason suggests Henry wants value back for expiring assets and will want to rebuild. It’s probably better he does that for the long term health of your club. But, if you want to keep the band together and try again next year, then go for it!

 

And I hope you spend your entire offseason budget on Gerrit Cole, who will want a Price contract. And the bloated budget kills your ability to pay both Judge and Torres in arbitration as Cole starts his decline...

[Key2Delock]

As long as Henry is the owner, I'm not worried about long stretches with no rings.

 

Understood, and I'll accept the blame for exaggerated concerns. Call it a slight fear of the unknown and a desire to have the Red Sox keep Mookie Betts around for as long as possible, unless some team makes the Red Sox an offer that they can't refuse.

 

From an historical perspective (which is where I started with my previous comment), I'd hoped that Fred Lynn would be with the Red Sox throughout his career, but he lasted only six full seasons at Fenway, and I don't think that he ever was as good a player after he left. I don't know what might've been had he lasted longer with the Red Sox.

 

Next season would be Mookie Betts' sixth full season with the Red Sox. If I use Fred Lynn's example, then maybe I'd say that it wouldn't be so bad to lose Mookie Betts after this season or after his sixth full season in 2020, and that trading him before the 2020 season would make sense.

 

As for the Red Sox ownership, having been a long-time Arsenal fan who's now suffering through Liverpool's ascendancy in the EPL and their UEFA Champions League championship in 2019 under Fenway Sports Group's ownership while Arsenal is in decline without any "hardware" in recent seasons, I can attest to the benefits of having the Fenway Sports Group's ownership of the Red Sox. (Could Virgil van Dijk become a reliable closer for the Red Sox like he closes down scoring opportunities for the Liverpool Reds' opponents?)

[kenmeister]

An overblown reaction to compare trading Mookie to trading Babe Ruth. Free agency exists now, so it's just one year of Mookie and then he will hit free agency, as he has repeatedly said he wants to, and the Sox can try to get him back.

 

I just think these $30 million per year contracts ultimately are just too crippling, especially for a team that needs starting pitching. Personally, I trade Mookie this offseason for pitching prospects.

[oldtimer]

I just think these $30 million per year contracts ultimately are just too crippling, especially for a team that needs starting pitching. Personally, I trade Mookie this offseason for pitching prospects.

 

That's a lot of money, particularly when coupled into a long term contract. Injuries or declining performance are always a consideration. He is really a top of the line players so it is hard to assess what is fair but I would like us to stay strong 1 through 9 and also have good pitching. Will he accept a fair and equitable decision or will he just look for top dollar anywhere? Maybe paying top dollar for a DH is hampering us somewhat in making the Mookie decision. There are financial limits and in the not too distant future Devers will also command big money.

[jacksonianmarch]

And I hope you spend your entire offseason budget on Gerrit Cole, who will want a Price contract. And the bloated budget kills your ability to pay both Judge and Torres in arbitration as Cole starts his decline...

 

While a humongous contract is not something that is always good, I do think we can absorb Cole's contract without a big problem to the underlying budget. You see, Cash built this club with a $22 mil AAV contract essentially sitting there useless in Ellsbury. First year arb isn't cheap, but it is nowhere near FA levels. Judge and Sanchez enter arb for 2020, but beyond 2020, Tanaka and Ellsbury come off the books, freeing up $44 mil AAV by the time Judge and Sanchez enter their 2nd arb year which is usually more pricy. Adding a Cole contract, though, would certainly accelerate a problem if we don't have talent coming behind him. Paxton is a FA after next year, so we would have to decide whether to pay him. Thankfully, Montgomery is healthy again and Sevy and Domingo are around for awhile. But the most important thing for keeping windows open is being able to replenish internally. Cole and Sevy atop a rotation with our pitching depth filling in behind wouldn't be a terrible thing for us

[OH FOY]

This is pretty good from MLB TradeRumours.

https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-boston-red-sox-info/

[Bellhorn04]

This is pretty good from MLB TradeRumours.

https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-boston-red-sox-info/

 

Except that the luxury tax payroll number is off by about 15 million.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think they counted in Castillo

[Bellhorn04]

I think they counted in Castillo

 

It's impossible to tell because they just show totals. Cot's Contracts gives the full details of the Luxury Tax numbers, it's much better.

[OH FOY]

Sportstrac has the same thing. Cots ok too.

[OH FOY]

Take that back, Cot's is better.

[oldtimer]

I think they counted in Castillo

 

Maybe that explains it. I was thinking it might have been one more reason for firing DD.

[moonslav59]

Maybe that explains it. I was thinking it might have been one more reason for firing DD.

 

Castillo is on Ben.

[oldtimer]

Castillo is on Ben.

 

Yes, I knew that but I didn't know the statements about $257 Mil were usiing Castillo's cost until I saw it in the string.

[Kimmi]

Just a few months ago, almost no one thought it was a good idea to trade Mookie. There were all kinds of comments about giving him a blank check and doing whatever it takes to make sure he stays in Boston.

 

Have things changed that drastically between now and then?

[moonslav59]

Just a few months ago, almost no one thought it was a good idea to trade Mookie. There were all kinds of comments about giving him a blank check and doing whatever it takes to make sure he stays in Boston.

 

Have things changed that drastically between now and then?

 

I am 100% against trading him. I want to extend him for 10 years and $300M or more.

 

That being said, if the Sox plan is not to re-sign him, then I see the benefit in trading him before we get nothing after he walks.

 

Not knowing what the Sox plans are makes debating this issue hard to take a side.

[Bellhorn04]

Just a few months ago, almost no one thought it was a good idea to trade Mookie. There were all kinds of comments about giving him a blank check and doing whatever it takes to make sure he stays in Boston.

 

Have things changed that drastically between now and then?

 

It's hard to know what the right thing to do is. The money and the risk are exorbitant.

 

Speaking of which, Mike Trout is having a foot problem right now...

[Slasher9]

Just a few months ago, almost no one thought it was a good idea to trade Mookie. There were all kinds of comments about giving him a blank check and doing whatever it takes to make sure he stays in Boston.

 

Have things changed that drastically between now and then?

He is going to free agency so my blank check idea won’t work right now.

I want to trade him for prospects, reset the LT, and hand him the blank check after 2020 season.

[fxkatt]

It's hard to know what the right thing to do is. The money and the risk are exorbitant.

 

Speaking of which, Mike Trout is having a foot problem right now...

 

Ha. And he's definitely not the small sinewy type. These guaranteed contracts create a Vegas-like atmos. around signing players in the MLB. I really can't predict Mookie's future... let him go with his confidence about free agency. I imagine his statement is meant to mean "Trade me this summer." Besides, we're pretty damn good at coming up with great position players/hitters.

[notin]

He is going to free agency so my blank check idea won’t work right now.

I want to trade him for prospects, reset the LT, and hand him the blank check after 2020 season.

 

And that line of thinking is why I plan to make you my assistant GM if the Sox hire me.

 

I take my coffee black...

[kenmeister]

I am 100% against trading him. I want to extend him for 10 years and $300M or more.

 

That being said, if the Sox plan is not to re-sign him, then I see the benefit in trading him before we get nothing after he walks.

 

Not knowing what the Sox plans are makes debating this issue hard to take a side.

 

I would much rather have extended Betts over Sale, that's for sure!