A Realistic View at 2020: Part II

[Kimmi]

I hope a Mookie isn’t too mad at his mom for telling him to walk away from $200 million...

 

No one could have foreseen this, but you never know what could happen.

 

I posted before all of this coronavirus stuff that if I were Mookie's mom, I would have told him to take the guaranteed money. Whatever the amount the Red Sox were offering, it was way more than enough for a lifetime of security.

 

That said, Mookie will be fine either way. He might not get as much as he was thinking he would get, but he'll still make out just fine.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

No one could have foreseen this, but you never know what could happen.

 

I posted before all of this coronavirus stuff that if I were Mookie's mom, I would have told him to take the guaranteed money. Whatever the amount the Red Sox were offering, it was way more than enough for a lifetime of security.

 

That said, Mookie will be fine either way. He might not get as much as he was thinking he would get, but he'll still make out just fine.

 

The whole idea of an athlete (or entertainer or anyone not developing a vaccine) getting an offer and signing a contract for hundreds of millions of dollars in a heightened time of worldwide unemployment, hunger and constant fear of becoming infected with a contagious, incurable disease is hard to fathom right now... for me, at least. I can't call it distasteful, but it just doesn't make any sense any more. Can the concept of business-as-usual even exist? Many of us are already accepting the unusual as the new usual...

[Hitch]

That seems like it would be the case, but who knows what will happen? Interesting times ahead, indeed.

 

How are you doing?

 

Very good, thanks. I hope you and the family are all safe and doing well?

[Kimmi]

The whole idea of an athlete (or entertainer or anyone not developing a vaccine) getting an offer and signing a contract for hundreds of millions of dollars in a heightened time of worldwide unemployment, hunger and constant fear of becoming infected with a contagious, incurable disease is hard to fathom right now... for me, at least. I can't call it distasteful, but it just doesn't make any sense any more. Can the concept of business-as-usual even exist? Many of us are already accepting the unusual as the new usual...

 

I do not disagree with you 5GG, especially when so many people can't even afford to put food on the table.

 

I would like to say that it's nice to see more and more athletes and celebrities stepping it up and contributing to one worthy cause or another to help fight this pandemic.

[Kimmi]

Very good, thanks. I hope you and the family are all safe and doing well?

 

I'm glad you're doing well. My family and I are all safe and doing well. We're taking it one day at a time and remembering all the many things that we have to be thankful for.

[moonslav59]

I'm glad you're doing well. My family and I are all safe and doing well. We're taking it one day at a time and remembering all the many things that we have to be thankful for.

 

Well said.

[notin]

The whole idea of an athlete (or entertainer or anyone not developing a vaccine) getting an offer and signing a contract for hundreds of millions of dollars in a heightened time of worldwide unemployment, hunger and constant fear of becoming infected with a contagious, incurable disease is hard to fathom right now... for me, at least. I can't call it distasteful, but it just doesn't make any sense any more. Can the concept of business-as-usual even exist? Many of us are already accepting the unusual as the new usual...

 

Well, no one is negotiating new deals right now. At least not publicly.

 

And while extending an athlete to a multi-trillion dollar contract would certainly be in poor taste, discussing said action on an Internet message board is not, as it requires us to stay home and socially distance properly...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Well, no one is negotiating new deals right now. At least not publicly.

 

And while extending an athlete to a multi-trillion dollar contract would certainly be in poor taste, discussing said action on an Internet message board is not, as it requires us to stay home and socially distance properly...

 

Right? We were kinda exceeding "the guidelines" before the feds created the guidelines. Even during our protests (of each other's opinions), we're still model Americans, sitting far, far apart...

[notin]

Right? We were kinda exceeding "the guidelines" before the feds created the guidelines. Even during our protests (of each other's opinions), we're still model Americans, sitting far, far apart...

 

Absolutely. I’m a model American...

[Elktonnick]

Well, no one is negotiating new deals right now. At least not publicly.

 

And while extending an athlete to a multi-trillion dollar contract would certainly be in poor taste, discussing said action on an Internet message board is not, as it requires us to stay home and socially distance properly...

 

I think one of the big problems negotiating contracts right now, is no one real knows the business climate in 2021 regardless of the medical situation. Will the economy be strong weak or so so? I think it is really premature to commit multi million dollars given the uncertainty economically.

[Swiharts Ghost]

I think one of the big problems negotiating contracts right now, is no one real knows the business climate in 2021 regardless of the medical situation. Will the economy be strong weak or so so? I think it is really premature to commit multi million dollars given the uncertainty economically.

 

Ok I’ve seen enough info to see the mortality rates are Waaaaaaaay below what had been reported a month ago a week ago a day ago .The Clovis 19 was scary with huge fangs as originally sold by the media .Truth is it’s not at all what they sold you .Time to get back to Life .I don’t think we need anything but social distancing and hand wipes at this point .Baseball should start and with Fans .Start a month in Arizona then have teams go back to home stadiums and start the season in Mid June .I don’t care what you think this is the truth .Season should start with fans in Mid June We must not Fear or be fools .

[moonslav59]

Good read...

 

http://news.soxprospects.com/2020/04/cup-of-coffee-retrospective-of-eduardo.html?fbclid=IwAR1qIBG-fq12_zN87O7VAP1Ge_ieAPb970T2qllZqsKlp7_OHFrT52N7Q8k

[mvp 78]

@SmittyOnMLB

Vin Scully, Dodgers legendary broadcaster, hospitalized after fall; ‘I won’t be doing anymore headfirst sliding’

[moonslav59]

Another Yankee exposed as a creep...

 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mickey-mantle-greeting-card-diane-shah_n_5ea1ae3dc5b6c12e6a5e9cdc

[mvp 78]

@FrancysRomero10

Sources: Yasiel Puig is very close to sign with San Francisco Giants, a source tells me. The contract amount is unknown, but would have a one-year option.

 

Both sides, Puig and Giants are waiting for MLB to clarify the return date of baseball to make the official agreement.

[jacksonianmarch]

Another Yankee exposed as a creep...

 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mickey-mantle-greeting-card-diane-shah_n_5ea1ae3dc5b6c12e6a5e9cdc

 

Not surprising at all. He was a drunk womanizer

[a700hitter]

Let's see how long this lasts.

 

Alex Verdugo At Full Health

 

By Jeff Todd | May 4, 2020 at 4:56pm CDT

Newly acquired Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo seems to be healing up nicely during the pandemic pause, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald writes. He had been sidelined with a stress fracture in his lower back when Spring Training was halted.

When last we heard from Verdugo, a key piece of the offseason blockbuster with the Dodgers, he had resumed baseball activities. But his outlook remained largely unclear, particularly given the vagaries of lower-back issues.

Now, Verdugo says, he’s at full health. Soon to turn 24, the left-handed-hitting outfielder is optimistic that he’ll be ready to roll whenever the second spring for the 2020 season begins.

“I’m at such a good position mentally and physically that I’m not worried about (my performance),” he told reporters. “I’m just ready to go play.”

While he’s anxious to get back underway, Verdugo also acknowledged that getting back to action involves rather complicated considerations and says he doesn’t want to do so prematurely. Mastrodonato covers his opinions on the resumption of play in full.

And what about the possibility of a lost season … such that the Dodgers would lose Mookie Betts to free agency before he suits up for them? Per Verdugo: “We can’t expect these things and for the Dodgers that’s a tough deal. But, hey, everything happens for a reason.”

[moonslav59]

Good news.

 

The trade sure looks great, now.

[Nick]

Good news.

 

The trade sure looks great, now.

 

Yep....

 

Am I right in thinking that 1) players will not receive full year's pay if the season is shortened? 2) our payment to the Dodgers for Price is reduced for 2020?

[Thunder]

I really like Verdugo, if we keep him and he can stay on the field. Pretty lovable dude

[mvp 78]

Article on Benintendi’s struggles last season.

 

https://www.rotoballer.com/analyzing-andrew-benintendis-2019-struggles/735221

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/05/examining-the-red-sox-potential-trade-chips.html

 

If and when Bloom returns to the trading floor, he won’t have a Betts to work with. It’s quite unlikely he’ll seriously entertain talks for long-term core player such as Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts. It’s not likely the team will be keen to discuss Andrew Benintendi and Christian Vazquez given that each has multiple seasons of affordable control remaining. Even younger players like Alex Verdugo and Michael Chavis surely aren’t going anywhere.

 

But Bloom sure has a lot of other guys that would be worth talking about …

 

Brandon Workman, RP: In retrospect, it’s surprising there wasn’t more talk of Workman in the offseason. He ran up over seventy frames of sub-2 ERA ball last year with big strikeout and groundball numbers. And he was approximately the only pitcher in baseball that seemed immune to the long ball, though walks remain a concern. With only a $3.5MM salary, Workman is a really nice target for the many teams that will be looking to compete as hoped without adding financial obligations.

 

Jackie Bradley Jr., OF: The salary considerations go in the opposite direction here, as Bradley’s $11MM walk-year payout isn’t very friendly to the pocketbooks. He’s not likely to be a sought-after player unless he really makes a rebound at the plate. But he has shown that ability before and is a quality up-the-middle defender.

 

Kevin Pillar, OF & Mitch Moreland, 1B: These veterans are both going to have to show what they’ve got on the field before any other teams take a look. But each could be a mid-season rental target.

 

Eduardo Rodriguez, SP: Perhaps the most valuable potential Red Sox trade target that could realistically be shopped, the quality southpaw only just reached his 27th birthday after a productive and healthy 2019 season. He’s due a reasonable $8.3MM (on a full season basis) with one more arb year to go, so the Red Sox will probably intend to hang onto him for 2021 … though their plans could probably be changed with the right offer.

 

Matt Barnes, RP: He keeps producing monster strikeout numbers with good but not great results, due in part to some free pass proclivities. There’d be a ton of interest if the Red Sox make him available, but as with Rodriguez, there’s little reason for the team to sell short. Barnes is earning a full-season $3.1MM salary in 2020 with another pass through arbitration to come thereafter.

 

J.D. Martinez, OF/DH: Might there be added interest with a temporary National League DH? That’d be a risky strategy since the designated hitter could disappear in 2021, particularly given Martinez’s significant post-2020 obligations ($19.375MM apiece in 2021 and 2022). The slugger’s now less likely than ever to opt out of the remainder of his deal.

 

Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez & Collin McHugh, SPs: None of these hurlers would be moved at the moment, but perhaps that could change if mid-season trades are possible. The former is owed a lot of coin, but could conceivably be swapped in the right circumstances — if he returns to form. The latter two are buy-low free agent signees who’d be possible deadline flips in a normal year. Perez does come with a 2021 option.

[mvp 78]

Happy to contribute the first trade JBJ 2020 post.

[mvp 78]

My guess:

 

Workman is traded.

 

They shop JD and Eovaldi but get no takers.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Can there even be a mid-season this season? Even if, I don't see the usual trade activity with half the games, expanded rosters and more postseason berths on the line. Any hot streak can turn a pretender into a contender... especially with an entire first-round of best-of-three playoffs. We may see .500 teams qualify for the tournament; with longer regular-season series proposed -- say six games in one ballpark, instead of the usual three -- it may be difficult for any visiting teams, even good ones, to go 4-2 or 5-1 while cooped up in the same hotel rooms all week on the road.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

My guess:

 

Workman is traded.

 

They shop JD and Eovaldi but get no takers.

 

If I had to pick, I'd say JD will be traded -- especially if Bloom thinks the NL will keep the DH after this half-season; as Tomase wrote today, that would open up an entire market for JD's bat... and we know Bloom will be all over taking bids, looking for the best possible piece before JD opts out. Plus -- maybe Bloom values the DH slot as a platoon position from his TB days -- and after all, JD is Dombro's signing, not Bloom's.

[oldtimer]

If I had to pick, I'd say JD will be traded -- especially if Bloom thinks the NL will keep the DH after this half-season; as Tomase wrote today, that would open up an entire market for JD's bat... and we know Bloom will be all over taking bids, looking for the best possible piece before JD opts out. Plus -- maybe Bloom values the DH slot as a platoon position from his TB days -- and after all, JD is Dombro's signing, not Bloom's.

 

I seriously doubt if any club is going to come up with more than $19.5 mil per year for a DH in the new reality of baseball contracts. I think JD will remain with the Sox for the next 2 years and that is a good thing for us.

[mvp 78]

I seriously doubt if any club is going to come up with more than $19.5 mil per year for a DH in the new reality of baseball contracts. I think JD will remain with the Sox for the next 2 years and that is a good thing for us.

 

I agree. I don't see an NL team reaching for JD when they don't know if they'll need a DH in 2021.

[notin]

I agree. I don't see an NL team reaching for JD when they don't know if they'll need a DH in 2021.

 

But can he get a better deal than $38.75mill over 2 years on the market? Maybe a lower AAV but for more years?

 

He still has one opt out remaining...

[mvp 78]

But can he get a better deal than $38.75mill over 2 years on the market? Maybe a lower AAV but for more years?

 

He still has one opt out remaining...

 

Doubtful.