What should Bloom's plan for 2020 be?

[mvp 78]

You just contradicted your previous post which said ratings have fallen for years. Which is it; ratings have fallen for years or, the people who still watch will always watch?

 

It's both.

[mvp 78]

We were very fortunate in 2013. A lot of things had to go right and they did. Like Lackey, for example.

 

But that team isn't really a blueprint for success. Especially when you look at what happened the next year.

 

And the year after that.

[Elktonnick]

It's both.

 

It is logic such as yours which is the reason that Montgomery Ward, Zayre's and Bradlee's are in such great shape today. Maybe Sears / K Mart should hire you to do its marketing. Maybe you will have them do spots on the Mutual Radio network and the Dumont television network

[mvp 78]

It is logic such as yours which is the reason that Montgomery Ward, Zayre's and Bradlee's are in such great shape today. Maybe Sears / K Mart should hire you to do its marketing. Maybe you will have them do spots on the Mutual Radio network and the Dumont television network

 

I should have kept the boomer joke that I put into the previous post. It was a real zinger.

 

1. Majority of NESN viewers are boomers.

2. Boomers will watch no matter what. This is the baseline of viewership that won't go away.

3. Most younger fans have tuned out and will continue to do so for a myriad of reasons including how slow and boring modern baseball is.

 

I know several boomers who pat themselves on the back for watching every single pitch during a season. I know of zero people under 50 that would even think of saying that. Baseball is an old, dying sport. Kids no longer care about playing baseball they way they did decades ago. Right now, baseball is good for boomers with excess income that can afford expensive season tickets and corporate sales guys that want to treat their clients to a night out. Once there is a mass extinction of boomers, baseball will be a niche sport.

[Bellhorn04]

@OMFonWEEI

 

@LouMerloni

says the #Redsox offered Mookie Betts a 10 years, $300M deal in the 2019 offseason. Mookie countered with 12 years, $420M

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He will not re-sign with the Sox because they are not going to pay him the "crazy money" that he wants. The 2013 Sox proved that you can take $30 million and get 3 really good $10M players rather than have one making $30M.

 

It might be four players, if you believe Merloni's source, who says Mookie already turned down 30 and wants 40...

 

But I agree with those who say it's both tricky and lucky to land so many guys in one offseason and hit on all of them at once; naturally, it's safer to splurge for the sure thing -- but even future HOFers don't usually play great for entire longterm contracts.

 

I just can't agree with those who put number limits on AAVs, as in "he's worth X, but not worth Y". Whatever Betts signs for will establish the current market value for a player of his talents... unless he suffers an injury in before next winter.

[mvp 78]

@OMFonWEEI

 

@LouMerloni

says the #Redsox offered Mookie Betts a 10 years, $300M deal in the 2019 offseason. Mookie countered with 12 years, $420M

 

Do it.

[Tedballgame]

Do it.

If the Sox met his price it would set the franchise back for 12 years. $35M a year for 12 years! That is nuts and terrible business. Goodbye Mookie.

[mvp 78]

Hate when HOF caliber players set the franchise back!!! Like when Yaz signed his outrageous deal!

[Monster24]

I should have kept the boomer joke that I put into the previous post. It was a real zinger.

 

1. Majority of NESN viewers are boomers.

2. Boomers will watch no matter what. This is the baseline of viewership that won't go away.

3. Most younger fans have tuned out and will continue to do so for a myriad of reasons including how slow and boring modern baseball is.

 

I know several boomers who pat themselves on the back for watching every single pitch during a season. I know of zero people under 50 that would even think of saying that. Baseball is an old, dying sport. Kids no longer care about playing baseball they way they did decades ago. Right now, baseball is good for boomers with excess income that can afford expensive season tickets and corporate sales guys that want to treat their clients to a night out. Once there is a mass extinction of boomers, baseball will be a niche sport.

 

My 14 year would disagree with this

[moonslav59]

If the Sox met his price it would set the franchise back for 12 years. $35M a year for 12 years! That is nuts and terrible business. Goodbye Mookie.

 

It's his ask not his settle on number.

 

I doubt anyone offers close to that, so no need for good byes just yet. I'd counter with $33M x 10 or and maybe $31M x 12.

 

If he says no, trade him, now, re-set the tax, and then offer $34M x 10 or $32M x 12, assuming he has a great 2020 and is healthy.

 

If someone pays more, then say "adios."

 

I might go to $350M/10 or $380M x 12, but it's probably way too much.

[moonslav59]

It might be four players, if you believe Merloni's source, who says Mookie already turned down 30 and wants 40...

 

But I agree with those who say it's both tricky and lucky to land so many guys in one offseason and hit on all of them at once; naturally, it's safer to splurge for the sure thing -- but even future HOFers don't usually play great for entire longterm contracts.

 

I just can't agree with those who put number limits on AAVs, as in "he's worth X, but not worth Y". Whatever Betts signs for will establish the current market value for a player of his talents... unless he suffers an injury in before next winter.

 

So offer him $420M for 100 years and it's just $4.2M on the lux tax!

 

LOL

[notin]

Hate when HOF caliber players set the franchise back!!! Like when Yaz signed his outrageous deal!

 

And Pedro with his outrageous contract!

[oldtimer]

It's his ask not his settle on number.

 

I doubt anyone offers close to that, so no need for good byes just yet. I'd counter with $33M x 10 or and maybe $31M x 12.

 

If he says no, trade him, now, re-set the tax, and then offer $34M x 10 or $32M x 12, assuming he has a great 2020 and is healthy.

 

If someone pays more, then say "adios."

 

I might go to $350M/10 or $380M x 12, but it's probably way too much.

 

We don't know whether the competitive balance ceiling with penalties will continue in its present form or be replaced. Assuming something very like it stays, then the entire 40 man roster needs to be considered with a plan and budget that allows staying under the ceiling or at least being able to reset at regular intervals.

 

One star doesn't make a team. Paying your star $35 Mil for a year or two is one thing, but stretching it out to 10 years or even 12 raises the risk of nonperformance for many years. In the Sox case, they will be paying the Ace and perhaps the second starter close to $30 mil with others getting progressively less while we have a big contract out for DH and SS. Other younger players will also get theirs. To have a competitive team, we need quality at every position. It will be interesting to see teams with these big long term contracts perform over the years. I guessing they won't work out in the long term interests of the team.

[Elktonnick]

I should have kept the boomer joke that I put into the previous post. It was a real zinger.

 

1. Majority of NESN viewers are boomers.

2. Boomers will watch no matter what. This is the baseline of viewership that won't go away.

3. Most younger fans have tuned out and will continue to do so for a myriad of reasons including how slow and boring modern baseball is.

 

I know several boomers who pat themselves on the back for watching every single pitch during a season. I know of zero people under 50 that would even think of saying that. Baseball is an old, dying sport. Kids no longer care about playing baseball they way they did decades ago. Right now, baseball is good for boomers with excess income that can afford expensive season tickets and corporate sales guys that want to treat their clients to a night out. Once there is a mass extinction of boomers, baseball will be a niche sport.

 

The above is very interesting but not germane to either the discussion specifically about your two consecutive posts which contradicted one another. You wrote " Ratings have fallen for years" then you wrote "the people who still watch will always watch." If the people who still watch will always watch is true then ratings literally wouldn't be declining. If ratings have fallen for years is true then the obviously fewer are watching which means the people who still watch will always watch is not true.

 

One of your statements is true but both can not be true regardless of whether the viewers are boomers or not.

 

In any case, if the Red Sox trade Betts before the trade deadline it will be an admission they have given up on being competitive in 2020. Both Fenway attendance and NESN viewership will decline accelerating the process you claim is happening with the transition to baseball as a niche sport in Boston.

 

BTW you realize that Minor league attendance increased last year. Just saying!

[Tedballgame]

And Pedro with his outrageous contract!

Pedro's 75 million dollar contract in 1997 was for 6 years and is about 20 million a year in today's dollars. Yaz became the highest paid player at 167,000 per year in 1971, about 1M in today's dollars. That is a far cry from 35 million a year for 12 years. Apples to oranges. Not even a comparison.

[Tedballgame]

Hate when HOF caliber players set the franchise back!!! Like when Yaz signed his outrageous deal!

Yaz's deal would be 1M a year in today's dollars. A little different than 35 million a year. Yaz got a 3 year contract, not 12. Not a good comparison.

[harmony]

Red Sox sign Mitch Moreland:

 

[jacksonianmarch]

A cheap deal for depth. Makes sense

[moonslav59]

I've always thought we overpaid for this platoon 1Bman, but this seems about right.

 

No need for Myers, now.

[mvp 78]

And Pedro with his outrageous contract!

 

100%

[mvp 78]

Yaz's deal would be 1M a year in today's dollars. A little different than 35 million a year. Yaz got a 3 year contract, not 12. Not a good comparison.

 

Back then, Fenway was half empty and you could buy a ticket with a button.

[mvp 78]

Red Sox sign Mitch Moreland:

 

 

Been saying this all offseason.

[jung]

OK with the Moreland deal. At least the Sox have reset the rate for that calibre of 1st baseman to something realistic and they know what they have and don't have in Mitch.

[notin]

Moreland just doesn’t excite me. Every off-season I hope for the simple task of improving 1b. And every off-season they bring back Mitch Moreland...

[Bellhorn04]

I like Mitch - especially at this price. Good job Bloom.

[notin]

I like Mitch - especially at this price. Good job Bloom.

 

To me, Mitch Moreland is like a Vin Diesel movie. The actually work isn’t always bad on it’s own, but there is always a better choice somewhere else...

[Bellhorn04]

To me, Mitch Moreland is like a Vin Diesel movie. The actually work isn’t always bad on it’s own, but there is always a better choice somewhere else...

 

So who could we have got who's better, at this price?

[notin]

So who could we have got who's better, at this price?

 

I think I gamble on Matt Adams if the goal is a LHH 1b.

 

I don’t know if Greg Bird would be better (very likely not) but he was the low risk high reward candidate.

 

Or the Sox could have looked to 2b at Yolmer Sanchez, Scooter Gennett or Addison Russell and moved Chavis/Dalbec to 1b full time...

[mvp 78]

I like Mitch - especially at this price. Good job Bloom.

 

2.5M is well worth it to have Mitch.