A Realistic View at 2020: Part II

[vegasbob]

And if Castillo's performance and upside warranted it, any team in MLB could have him or he may have wound up in the Boston OF a couple years ago. Neither happened so that's on Rusney's abilities and execution, not the literal contract. Meanwhile he is one of the wealthiest young immigrants in the USA. Nothing to feel sorry about.

[Bellhorn04]

Castillo is being paid more money per year than 90% of the other guys on major League clubs. He is also being paid more than 99% of the adult population of the United States. I just don't see how he is getting "screwed"

 

Obviously few will have any sympathy for him because of how much money he's making, but as a baseball player he did kind of get screwed by MLB, in the way they closed their own loophole in the tax rules, and effectively forced the Red Sox to keep him in the minors.

[moonslav59]

When you were born you were crying and everyone else was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone else is crying

 

Well said. I got real choked up a couple time times during my eulogy.

[notin]

Obviously few will have any sympathy for him because of how much money he's making, but as a baseball player he did kind of get screwed by MLB, in the way they closed their own loophole in the tax rules, and effectively forced the Red Sox to keep him in the minors.

 

 

Going out on a limb here, but I think Castillo has made more money playing minor league baseball than any other player in history, right? And he still has one year left...

[Bellhorn04]

Going out on a limb here, but I think Castillo has made more money playing minor league baseball than any other player in history, right?

 

Guaranteed.

 

The only other remotely similar case I can think of is Kei Igawa. I think that was 'only' 24 million or so.

[notin]

Guaranteed.

 

The only other remotely similar case I can think of is Kei Igawa. I think that was 'only' 24 million or so.

 

Yasmany Tomas is another candidate who almost made me wrong. So far he has made about $44 mill (of his career earnings of $51.5mill) playing minor league ball, and is set to earn $17mill this year and is unlikely to crack the DBacks roster.

 

But he might still fall a bit short of Castillo...

[Bellhorn04]

Yasmany Tomas is another candidate who almost made me wrong. So far he has made about $44 mill (of his career earnings of $51.5mill) playing minor league ball, and is set to earn $17mill this year and is unlikely to crack the DBacks roster.

 

But he might still fall a bit short of Castillo...

 

Castillo will have drained 72.7 million from the team coffers. Not much tax though, if any!

[moonslav59]

Must be little to talk about, if Castillo is back on the front burner.

[Elktonnick]

Castillo will have drained 72.7 million from the team coffers. Not much tax though, if any!

 

Castillo probably will go down in the record books as the International League's highest paid player. I am sure he is crying at the way he has been treated all the way to the bank.

[notin]

Castillo probably will go down in the record books as the International League's highest paid player. I am sure he is crying at the way he has been treated all the way to the bank.

 

And Yasmani Tomas will be the highest paid player in PCL history. Such an honor for Cuba!!

[Bellhorn04]

Castillo probably will go down in the record books as the International League's highest paid player. I am sure he is crying at the way he has been treated all the way to the bank.

 

It's not really a question of how he's been 'treated', certainly not by the Red Sox.

 

I just think it was questionable on MLB's part not to make some sort of 'grandfather clause' allowance in his case, when they closed their own loophole, the way it's generally done with governmental tax changes.

[moonslav59]

It's not really a question of how he's been 'treated', certainly not by the Red Sox.

 

I just think it was questionable on MLB's part not to make some sort of 'grandfather clause' allowance in his case, when they closed their own loophole, the way it's generally done with governmental tax changes.

 

I agree.

 

I will say that had the Sox been able to call him up without being taxed, I doubt he'd done well enough to prove he belongs in the bigs. That being said, he deserved a chance. By the time he gets his next chance, he'll be post-prime.

[mvp 78]

I don't get it. People feel sorry for overpaid Castillo because he's stuck in AAA even though his performance isn't good enough for him to be an MLB regular. However, the second best baseball player in the world is too uppity for wanting to be paid like it.

 

We're at the point now where it seems that the people who are the most vocal and upset about the Betts situation are those who didn't want Betts around at his market value anyway. So the anger boils down to "Betts should have been grateful for the first below market offer Henry gave him."

 

He's gone. He's not coming back. Can we talk about stuff that will actually affect the Red Sox going forward?

[moonslav59]

I don't get it. People feel sorry for overpaid Castillo because he's stuck in AAA even though his performance isn't good enough for him to be an MLB regular. However, the second best baseball player in the world is too uppity for wanting to be paid like it.

 

We're at the point now where it seems that the people who are the most vocal and upset about the Betts situation are those who didn't want Betts around at his market value anyway. So the anger boils down to "Betts should have been grateful for the first below market offer Henry gave him."

 

He's gone. He's not coming back. Can we talk about stuff that will actually affect the Red Sox going forward?

 

I don't "feel sorry" for Rusney. I firmly believe he was not good enough to be anything more than a 4th OF'er, but it does seem unfair that some stupid rule prevented him for even getting a chance to do that.

 

He's making $72M, so no sympathy here.

[cp176]

Obviously few will have any sympathy for him because of how much money he's making, but as a baseball player he did kind of get screwed by MLB, in the way they closed their own loophole in the tax rules, and effectively forced the Red Sox to keep him in the minors.

 

This I agree with very much. He certainly has been paid well. I don't know him so I kind of project myself in his shoes. He was screwed. Obviously his contract was ridiculous. He is quite likely good enough to play at the major league level. In my world, obviously there are things more important than adding millions to millions.

[notin]

I don't get it. People feel sorry for overpaid Castillo because he's stuck in AAA even though his performance isn't good enough for him to be an MLB regular. However, the second best baseball player in the world is too uppity for wanting to be paid like it.

 

We're at the point now where it seems that the people who are the most vocal and upset about the Betts situation are those who didn't want Betts around at his market value anyway. So the anger boils down to "Betts should have been grateful for the first below market offer Henry gave him."

 

He's gone. He's not coming back. Can we talk about stuff that will actually affect the Red Sox going forward?

 

When are the Sox going to add SP? The depth chart has 4 names on it. And anyone trying to name 5 uses Ryan Weber....

[Elktonnick]

Obviously few will have any sympathy for him because of how much money he's making, but as a baseball player he did kind of get screwed by MLB, in the way they closed their own loophole in the tax rules, and effectively forced the Red Sox to keep him in the minors.

 

This I agree with very much. He certainly has been paid well. I don't know him so I kind of project myself in his shoes. He was screwed. Obviously his contract was ridiculous. He is quite likely good enough to play at the major league level. In my world, obviously there are things more important than adding millions to millions.

 

I don't feel sorry for anyone who made a decision and now has to live with the consequences of that decision. Especially so when the consequences are millions of dollars allowing him to live the lifestyle beyond the reach of 99% of the population.

[notin]

I don't feel sorry for anyone who made a decision and now has to live with the consequences of that decision. Especially so when the consequences are millions of dollars allowing him to live the lifestyle beyond the reach of 99% of the population.

 

Not to mention, it’s not like he’s attempted to renegotiate anything to make himself more appealing to the Sox or other teams. Really, CBA or not, he was always a risk for being nothing more than an overpaid minor leaguer, like Yasmani Tomas and Kei Igawa and probably a few others before him. He went for the most money knowing this risk, and hasn’t complained at all. I’m not so sure he’s even unhappy...

[mvp 78]

I don't "feel sorry" for Rusney. I firmly believe he was not good enough to be anything more than a 4th OF'er, but it does seem unfair that some stupid rule prevented him for even getting a chance to do that.

 

He's making $72M, so no sympathy here.

 

If he was good enough, he'd be in MLB right now. He's basically a AAAA guy with little upside.

[mvp 78]

When are the Sox going to add SP? The depth chart has 4 names on it. And anyone trying to name 5 uses Ryan Weber....

 

It's looking more and more like Bloom is going to go with a AA/AAA guy and some combination of openers. It's definitely an interesting plan. And I'm not sure there are arms left that would really be a much better option than that.

 

I wonder if Bloom was the one really pushing for the opener last year. I was listening to the TB broadcast and the broadcaster was stating that the Rays are going to be using the opener much less this year and seem to have a 5 man rotation. The opener worked well for them last year. We'll see how it goes in BOS.

[mvp 78]

Not to mention, it’s not like he’s attempted to renegotiate anything to make himself more appealing to the Sox or other teams. Really, CBA or not, he was always a risk for being nothing more than an overpaid minor leaguer, like Yasmani Tomas and Kei Igawa and probably a few others before him. He went for the most money knowing this risk, and hasn’t complained at all. I’m not so sure he’s even unhappy...

 

There's been no indication from him that he's unhappy with the situation. My guess is that if you showed him up front what was going to happen than he'd still do the deal 99/100 times.

[mvp 78]

https://bosoxinjection.com/2020/02/19/boston-red-sox-outfielder-rusney-castillo-preparing-contract-year/

 

“I understand that I have to go out and have the best year I can because it is a contract year for me,” Castillo told WEEI’s Rob Bradford through a translator. “Whatever happens afterwards, happens but I’m just preparing myself to hopefully get a chance to be up in the major leagues.

 

While players around him are fighting for roster spots, Castillo knows there won’t be one waiting for him no matter how well he performs. He just keeps working, hoping his day will come again someday.

 

“At first, it was a bit frustrating but it doesn’t change the way I go about my business,” said Castillo. “I try and work hard and try and take advantage of the opportunity I have in Triple-A and if they give me that opportunity to get back in the majors, I’m just always ready for that moment.”

[notin]

There's been no indication from him that he's unhappy with the situation. My guess is that if you showed him up front what was going to happen than he'd still do the deal 99/100 times.

 

At the end of the day, he will have received $72mill for playing baseball. Is that such a bad life?

[mvp 78]

At the end of the day, he will have received $72mill for playing baseball. Is that such a bad life?

 

They get paid TO PLAY A KIDS GAME!!!!!!!

 

That attitude should have died in the 1980's with the wave.

[notin]

They get paid TO PLAY A KIDS GAME!!!!!!!

 

That attitude should have died in the 1980's with the wave.

 

 

My exact words were “play baseball.”

 

While I realize Castillo has positioned himself to be denied competing in the sport at the highest level, one of the big advantages there is the drastic increase in pay. He has that already. He can work and try to get back to the highest level. But for him, worst case scenario is he plays at the second highest level while being compensated as if he was at the highest. It’s not a bad life...

[Slasher9]

 

He's gone. He's not coming back.

 

you dont think we have a punchers chance of signing him in FA?

[jad]

Good luck to him.

 

Not to mention, it’s not like he’s attempted to renegotiate anything to make himself more appealing to the Sox or other teams. Really, CBA or not, he was always a risk for being nothing more than an overpaid minor leaguer, like Yasmani Tomas and Kei Igawa and probably a few others before him. He went for the most money knowing this risk, and hasn’t complained at all. I’m not so sure he’s even unhappy...

 

I don't believe the CBA allows such renegotiating, does it? (Castillo cannot say--look, I'll play for 5 million/year if you put me on the roster; nor can you 'restructure' [one of the more amusing euphemisms for owners f*cking players over] the deal to be paid over, say, 40 years. ) Players can do this in the NFL (where contracts mean s***), but not in MLB. Was that not the sticking point of the aborted trade for Arod years ago? (and why Manny ended up with the RS?)

[notin]

I don't believe the CBA allows such renegotiating, does it? (Castillo cannot say--look, I'll play for 5 million/year if you put me on the roster; nor can you 'restructure' [one of the more amusing euphemisms for owners f*cking players over] the deal to be paid over, say, 40 years. ) Players can do this in the NFL (where contracts mean s***), but not in MLB. Was that not the sticking point of the aborted trade for Arod years ago? (and why Manny ended up with the RS?)

 

Castillo could restructure the deal, keeping the same money over more years but lowering his AAV. He could “retire” and come back later as a free agent.

 

While I think he’d like to get back to the Show, I don’t think he has too many regrets...

[Noles_1335]

where does this rotation go when Sale gets shelved for a couple stints on the DL. The opener scenario will be an afterthought and we will be struggling with a 3 man rotation the likes of Erod-EVo-Perez. With no help on the way.... can DHern not be pushed into a starting role at some point.

[jacksonianmarch]

where does this rotation go when Sale gets shelved for a couple stints on the DL. The opener scenario will be an afterthought and we will be struggling with a 3 man rotation the likes of Erod-EVo-Perez. With no help on the way.... can DHern not be pushed into a starting role at some point.

 

It sounds like the sox think Weber is good to be the bulk guy. Perez and Eovaldi are just as injury prone. To be honest, I am baffled the sox haven't stacked the roster with bargain basement MiLB signings of veteran pitchers coming off bad years. I am frankly stunned