Bregman to sign 5 yr 175 million deal with the Cubs

[Kimmi]

23 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The Price and JD signings were huge, and both did well to very well as long as DD was with BOS. No doubt there was a shift. We went from letting Lester bolt, because he was over 30, but then paid Price way more than anyone else to that date. He made more than Pablo + HRam in total dollars. 

The thing is, that was about it. We seem to remember that he spent money, left and right on free agents. He really did not. I know Nate counts as a FA signing, although I view it as an extension, but even counting it as a FA signing during his last year w BOS, Nate was just the 11th highest paid FA in Sox history. Guess who the next ranked one is? Mitch Moreland at #34 at just $13M/2 in 2018! (These FA signings don't count Dice-K, Rusney or Moncada.)

Price was and still is #1 in total dollars given. JD was 6th. DD's main reason for success, IMO, was his trade success, and some of his additions were high-salaried. The guy rarely missed on his trades, and when he did, they were minor misses like Thornburg and some other RP'er I forgot.

His budgets got high due in large part to players from trades and rising arb costs.

I still haven't forgiven the Sox for letting Lester go.  If I recall correctly, the contract that he was looking for before he hit free agency was pretty reasonable.  I would not have matched the Cubs offer for him, but they could have gotten him for less had they extended him before FA.  But, I digress.

Yes, the Sox did a big pivot in signing Price.  It seems that Henry had a 'win at any cost' itch, then pivoted back to his more rigid philosophy.

[moonslav59]

Just now, Kimmi said:

I still haven't forgiven the Sox for letting Lester go.  If I recall correctly, the contract that he was looking for before he hit free agency was pretty reasonable.  I would not have matched the Cubs offer for him, but they could have gotten him for less had they extended him before FA.  But, I digress.

Yes, the Sox did a big pivot in signing Price.  It seems that Henry had a 'win at any cost' itch, then pivoted back to his more rigid philosophy.

He's done a few pivots over time, and the Lester loss stung almost as much as Betts. The thing about Betts is we are still waiting for his replacement. At least they tried with Price.

[Kimmi]

23 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Just irt the rigidity issue, and picking lanes, etc., Breslow has been here two years.  Just because he traded for and extended Crochet doesn't mean he is big-market poker player, and nor does the fact that he either didn't believe Bregman or didn't care to match the Cubs, doesn't make him cheap.  You need years to attach a pattern to people.

Good points Joe.  As with most baseball moves, we need more than a couple of seasons to fully assess what's going on, good or bad.  

To date, I have been happy with Breslow overall.

[Bellhorn04]

5 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Good points Joe.  As with most baseball moves, we need more than a couple of seasons to fully assess what's going on, good or bad.  

To date, I have been happy with Breslow overall.

He's growing on me.

[moonslav59]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

He's growing on me.

Just don't pat the back of the 12th round pick HOBO.

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

Just don't pat the back of the 12th round pick HOBO.

Sometimes 12th rounders turn out to be stars.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Sometimes 12th rounders turn out to be stars.

Nobody can say Brez has sat on his hands, even if we have lacked mega signings.

Big trades.

Big extensions.

Major overhaul to the pitching roster and systems.

Whole roster nearly overhauled in less than 2.5 years.

He's no Bloom... his deadline inactions notwithstanding.

[JoeBrady]

44 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He's done a few pivots over time, and the Lester loss stung almost as much as Betts.

It was worse, far, far worse.  I never thought Betts was staying, but one could argue that either way.  And I understood getting rid of Price and getting under the cap.

But Lester was an insult.  He said that they would have to 'tear this jersey off my back', and they did.  He supposedly wanted the Homer Bailey contract, which he certainly deserved.

Does anyone remember the poster that said Lester was a #5 SP, while he was still with the Red Sox?

[JoeBrady]

52 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Good points Joe.  As with most baseball moves, we need more than a couple of seasons to fully assess what's going on, good or bad.  

To date, I have been happy with Breslow overall.

So I just got back from lunch with my lovely spouse, went for a very nice 5-mile walk thru the woods, only to find that Breslow is now the most free-wheeling spendiest GM in Red Sox history.

[JoeBrady]

43 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Big trades.

Big extensions.

But I thought he didn't communicate well?

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

So I just got back from lunch with my lovely spouse, went for a very nice 5-mile walk thru the woods, only to find that Breslow is now the most free-wheeling spendiest GM in Red Sox history.

Ok, if this is all it took. Tomorrow go get a massive brunch, followed by a very nice 10-mile walk thru the woods with your lovely spouse. And we will sign Bichette! Do it for the boys of Talksox!

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

But I thought he didn't communicate well?

Never bothered me.

(I'm used to be surrounded by poor communicators. LOL.)

[moonslav59]

Quite a mood shift on this board, no?

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Quite a mood shift on this board, no?

Like I said, I don't blame fans for complaining about the spending.  But 90% of the posts had a pro-script "but the RS won't do it because JH is too cheap".

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Like I said, I don't blame fans for complaining about the spending.  But 90% of the posts had a pro-script "but the RS won't do it because JH is too cheap".

Then when I said we dont know what he'll do, because he's pivoted and cycled so many times, they acted like I was defending him.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Then when I said we dont know what he'll do, because he's pivoted and cycled so many times, they acted like I was defending him.

I think a fair amount of said that you need to let these things play out.  I had Alonso going to the RS even if i didn't like him all that much.  I liked Bregman a lot more, but like I said, so long as the RS were willing to spend the $32M+ they offered Bregman, to someone else, the level of our improvement was going to be about the same.

[Hitch]

10 hours ago, Kimmi said:

Good points Joe.  As with most baseball moves, we need more than a couple of seasons to fully assess what's going on, good or bad.  

To date, I have been happy with Breslow overall.

Completely agree. I think he's doing a pretty good job. 

[Hitch]

6 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Quite a mood shift on this board, no?

Give it a week. 

[Hitch]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Then when I said we dont know what he'll do, because he's pivoted and cycled so many times, they acted like I was defending him.

FO apologist is the term I believe.  🙄

They were always going to spend this year, on who and if they got it right were the only questions. 

We've now lost our 2nd and 5th picks and $1m in International money with the Suarez signing. No small hit.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

10 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Quite a mood shift on this board, no?

Why wouldn't there be? Is someone supposed to boo because the Red Sox just signed a good pitcher?

A lot of posters' worries were only based on the facts from most of the offseasons of this decade. The Sox were also only the last team -- out of 30 -- to sign a big league free agent.

Ranger Suarez can't hit third in the batting order, but no one is going to argue that Boston didn't just improve.

[moonslav59]

19 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Why wouldn't there be? Is someone supposed to boo because the Red Sox just signed a good pitcher?

They can smile, laugh and say "ooops, I thought JH would not sign even E Suarez, because he's too expensive."

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

But I thought he didn't communicate well?

He doesn't. 

[mvp 78]

26 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

They can smile, laugh and say "ooops, I thought JH would not sign even E Suarez, because he's too expensive."

Weren't you the guy crowing about "they haven't signed a long term deal since David Price?" 

[mvp 78]

5 hours ago, Hitch said:

FO apologist is the term I believe.  🙄

They were always going to spend this year, on who and if they got it right were the only questions. 

We've now lost our 2nd and 5th picks and $1m in International money with the Suarez signing. No small hit.

And now they need to spend close to the 3rd threshold. It's just money at this point. 

[Hitch]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

And now they need to spend close to the 3rd threshold. It's just money at this point. 

I'm pretty sure they're going to keep spending. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see some money come off the books, which is why I feel a Bello (or Sandoval if there's a market) could be going for the infield help.

They've got a free hit now. Reset next year on LT with new bargain deal. Next year is Year 1 being over. After that - no more Yoshi or Story (and obviously Gray). So we've got breathing room and hopefully a few more position players start looking ready (Arias). 

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I'm pretty sure they're going to keep spending. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see some money come off the books, which is why I feel a Bello (or Sandoval if there's a market) could be going for the infield help.

They've got a free hit now. Reset next year on LT with new bargain deal. Next year is Year 1 being over. After that - no more Yoshi or Story (and obviously Gray). So we've got breathing room and hopefully a few more position players start looking ready (Arias). 

I think they can deal Sandoval considering all their offseason acquisitions. I'd do it for a low level DSL prospect as a straight salary dump. I think that's not a "them being cheap" move, but a move to give them flexibility to complete their roster now and at the deadline since they are stuck with Masa and Hicks.

I think they would like to deal Duran, but haven't found someone to meet their asking price. BOS is probably better off with Duran or just dealing him for prospects.

[Hitch]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think they can deal Sandoval considering all their offseason acquisitions. I'd do it for a low level DSL prospect as a straight salary dump. I think that's not a "them being cheap" move, but a move to give them flexibility to complete their roster now and at the deadline since they are stuck with Masa and Hicks.

I think they would like to deal Duran, but haven't found someone to meet their asking price. BOS is probably better off with Duran or just dealing him for prospects.

Yeah I'd agree with all that. 

I think Duran likely has to go for prospects now. There doesn't seem a natural fit for another infielder, and the prospects (or ours) can be flipped. We should be be able to get a very decent haul of prospects for him. 

But when it comes down to it, I'd quite like him to stay now. This offence is lacking already, subtracting him would hurt us all the more, even with last year being a down year.

[Old Red]

48 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He doesn't. 

Brez not communicating well probably did not help the Bregman situation at all according to reports from the very outset.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Weren't you the guy crowing about "they haven't signed a long term deal since David Price?" 

Yes. How am I contradicting that?

I don't really consider the Masa, Story and Suarez deal as all that "large and long," but they are significant.

I was speaking to those who felt JH would not even pay enough to sign E Suarez, but even then, I never claimed he would. My position has been I don't know and I'm not optimistic. Others claimed "He will not," like it was a sure fact.

This is a significant signing. $130M is kinda large. 5 years is long enough to be called "long," but in my view, just barely. We spent less on Ranger, figuring inflation, than Story, but who cares?

We added a major piece to help us win more games. It never hurts to add at or near the top of the rotation. This was unexpected, by me, but I love the signing. I think we ha ve some players and prospects, some who look logjammed by position. I hope we trade the right people for the right player(s.)

[moonslav59]

57 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

And now they need to spend close to the 3rd threshold. It's just money at this point. 

Agreed. It should be about $16-18M. According to some sources, KMarte's AAV is under $16M, but he is likely a mega-longshot get.

I think we look to the Cubs for Hoerner (1 yr) or Shaw (4 yrs,) but maybe we trade for Donovan (2 yrs) or Vientos (4 yrs.) I'm sure there are others.