Why was Mookie traded, exactly?

[Bellhorn04]

Mookie missed Saturday's game for a scheduled rest day, and yesterday's game due to shoulder soreness.

 

That makes 3 different injury issues he's had already this season.

[mvp 78]

Verdugo’s stays this year are a little better then Bett’s stats, but for a fraction of the cost!

 

Do you think that will continue for the next decade?

[mvp 78]

WRC+:

Betts 129 > Verdugo 123

 

fWAR:

Betts 1.4 > Verdugo 1.0

[Larry Cook]

Home runs

 

Verdugo 6

Betts 5

 

RBI

 

Verdugo 20

Betts 16

 

Salary

 

Verdugo - cheap

Betts - way too much

[Bellhorn04]

Red Sox fans and media are a tough bunch. They have very little tolerance for underperformance, whether it's injury-related or just a slump. Maybe that's something Mookie was thinking about when he resisted signing the big deal with the Sox.

[redsoxrules]

Red Sox fans and media are a tough bunch. They have very little tolerance for underperformance, whether it's injury-related or just a slump. Maybe that's something Mookie was thinking about when he resisted signing the big deal with the Sox.

 

It's like this for most big market teams.

[redsoxrules]

Do you think that will continue for the next decade?

 

Only time will tell but in terms of value Betts won't be worth the price for at least half the portion of this contract. Name me an outfielder who was successful after turning 30 who was built for speed. And don't say Rickey Henderson. Even he declined when he hit 30. And it wasn't a small decline either

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Do you think that will continue for the next decade?

 

I think Verdugo will continue to improve. Neither of us knows what his ceiling will be.

[moonslav59]

Only time will tell but in terms of value Betts won't be worth the price for at least half the portion of this contract. Name me an outfielder who was successful after turning 30 who was built for speed. And don't say Rickey Henderson. Even he declined when he hit 30. And it wasn't a small decline either

 

I wouldn’t say Betts is just “built for speed.” If he wasn’t fast we might be comping him with Aaron or Mays

[moonslav59]

This has been said numerous times, but I think it needs to be said again, there is no way we’ll ever know if he would have re-signed with us.

 

The trade was officially for one year of Betts, and it turned out to be a 60 game season lost.

[Bellhorn04]

This has been said numerous times, but I think it needs to be said again, there is no way we’ll ever know if he would have re-signed with us.

 

The trade was officially for one year of Betts, and it turned out to be a 60 game season lost.

 

It also turned out that the same pandemic that turned it into a 60 game season may have heavily influenced Mookie's decision to take the Dodgers' offer.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm actually ambivalent about Mookie's performance going forward. I don't wish him bad tidings in any way, but I'm also not interested in rooting for him to perform at a high standard. He's just not a Red Sox player anymore. But I'll never get over the fact that Boston traded its best homegrown player in a half century when he was 27 years old.

 

It would certainly help fans move on if someday, Mookie or a family member admits that he wasn't going to re-sign in Beantown because he didn't want to play the rest of his career in New England. It would be a lot easier to accept, and make Bloom and Henry look even better with what they were able to get in return from LA (which already surpasses most superstar salary dumps). Plus, the deal also allowed the Sox to axe Price.

[Bellhorn04]

It would certainly help fans move on if someday, Mookie or a family member admits that he wasn't going to re-sign in Beantown because he didn't want to play the rest of his career in New England. It would be a lot easier to accept, and make Bloom and Henry look even better with what they were able to get in return from LA (which already surpasses most superstar salary dumps).

 

I don't think you'll ever hear Mookie say that even if it's true. He's got too much savvy and class to do that. He knows no good would come of it.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don't think you'll ever hear Mookie say that even if it's true. He's got too much savvy and class to do that. He knows no good would come of it.

 

...maybe when he's older, maybe when/if he becomes more outspoken; reasons for wanting to leave don't all have to revolve around social issues, but could just be weather-related (as was rumored).

 

Betts doesn't look to be a player who returns to Boston after his playing career as an announcer or ambassador (like a lot of ex-Red Sox) -- he won't miss the adulation, which he already has in LA, and certainly won't need the money. Then again, who would have ever thought Rice would become part of the media?

[moonslav59]

It also turned out that the same pandemic that turned it into a 60 game season may have heavily influenced Mookie's decision to take the Dodgers' offer.

 

Yes, and we also did not have to pay $16M to Price.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, and we also did not have to pay $16M to Price.

 

Which shaved a little fraction off the team's massive financial losses from the pandemic. Not much of a cause for celebration.

[moonslav59]

Which shaved a little fraction off the team's massive financial losses from the pandemic. Not much of a cause for celebration.

 

No, but $16M is a lot of money.

 

I doubt it affects how Henry plans to open his wallet 2 years later, but it doesn't hurt.

 

Losing Pedey's contract will help.

 

Here's another look at next winter's finances:

 

Contracts expiring (or options/opt outs where noted) in Lux Tax Dollars:

 

$22.0M JD (opt out)

$13.8M Pedey

$10.0M Richards (team option)

$8.9M Ottavino

$8.3M Rodriguez

$5.0M Perez (team option)

$4.5M Barnes

$4.5M Vazquez (team option w $500K buy out)

$3.0M Gonzalez

$2.8M Beni

$1.9M Andriese (team option with $250K buy out)

Major/minor Santana

 

After 2022 (all option players kept listed above, including JD, Richards, Perez and Vazquez):

$20M Bogaerts (opt out)

$17M Eovaldi

$16M Price

$7.0M Kike Hernandez

4th arb Plawecki

$1.2M Sawamura (team option with $600K buy out)

 

 

[notin]

A year ago, a JD opt out felt like a fantasy. But after the way he got started this year, it’s looking pretty likely. Especially with only one year left if he doesn’t...

[Hugh2]

Remember the return for Mookie = Verdugo + Jeter Downs.

 

You could add in how the spend the cash Mookie is getting now, but that will be almost impossible to quantify over the next several years.

[mvp 78]

A year ago, a JD opt out felt like a fantasy. But after the way he got started this year, it’s looking pretty likely. Especially with only one year left if he doesn’t...

 

34 year old DH's don't typically command a big pay check. Guys like Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz were more likely to get 1-2 year deals each offseason.

[moonslav59]

Remember the return for Mookie = Verdugo + Jeter Downs.

 

You could add in how the spend the cash Mookie is getting now, but that will be almost impossible to quantify over the next several years.

 

It is impossible to quantify, but you can figure we'll get a few players every year as the "offset."

 

Also, don't forget the mighty Connor Wong!

[moonslav59]

34 year old DH's don't typically command a big pay check. Guys like Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz were more likely to get 1-2 year deals each offseason.

 

And Cruz only got $13M per.

[moonslav59]

We might get JD to restructure his deal, where he gets more years at a lower AVV.

[mvp 78]

And Cruz only got $13M per.

 

Maybe JD would get an offer of 3/45, but does that surpass what he'd get if he stuck around? He'd get 19.35 year 1, go to FA and get 2/30ish?

[notin]

34 year old DH's don't typically command a big pay check. Guys like Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz were more likely to get 1-2 year deals each offseason.

 

Cruz got a 4 year/$57 mill deal from Seattle at age 34...

[mvp 78]

Cruz got a 4 year/$57 mill deal from Seattle at age 34...

 

At 14AAV. You think JD would take that?

[notin]

Maybe JD would get an offer of 3/45, but does that surpass what he'd get if he stuck around? He'd get 19.35 year 1, go to FA and get 2/30ish?

 

Again, if he gets a deal like Nelson Cruz got at the same age, he gets more money and years. And at his age, he might prioritize years over money...

[notin]

At 14AAV. You think JD would take that?

 

He might. If guaranteed years mean more to him than salary.

 

The biggest factor will be what his agent tells him he can get him.

 

Also not sure why you think a $14mill AAV is insulting and then think a $15mill AAV should do the trick...

[Bellhorn04]

No, but $16M is a lot of money.

 

It was only $6 million saved for 2020 because of the pro-rating.

 

Sorry, but bean-counters gonna bean-count.

[mvp 78]

Again, if he gets a deal like Nelson Cruz got at the same age, he gets more money and years. And at his age, he might prioritize years over money...

 

This is assuming that he makes $0 after 2022 if he keeps the 19.35. Maybe he bets on himself and realizes that he could still probably get 14AAV after 2022?