guapo34

Gonzalez upside offensively is much higher. In 2004 he hit 23 home runs with florida as his home park. There are reports he was hurt last year and his power numbers should go up from his 5 home runs and .368 slugging. He's also believed to be better defensively than Cora. It seems we can get this guy cheap. Who else needs a starting SS anyway? One year for $3 million isn't bad. As for the draft, I think the Sox are definately going to spend some money on some tough signs regardless of what happens with Gonzalez. We saved money by trading edgar, and we saved money by letting Damon walk. If we trade Wells or Clement thats more money saved.

While I like Crisp I don't think Kearns is a big step down. Kearns is still young and has been inconsistent but has better patience at the plate. I think most defensive metrics rate him better too, but I'm skeptical of those.

Youk, but Snow can start every game you rest both Youk and Lowell. Snow should never start against a lefty, but snow can start 2/10 games while resting Youk and Lowell. Obviously Snow also needs to play late innings with a lead.

I'd be shocked if this deal doesn't happen. The Guardians couldn't have thought Mota was a huge upgrade of Riske. Did they think they'd be getting the old version 100% if his physical was spotless? Why would they even expect his physical to be great when he was injured fairly recently? The key pieces to the trade, Crisp and Marte, have nothing wrong with them.

Is anyone confused by the medias criticism of the team as being lost and confused. The big show along with fox sports tonight both tore apart how the Red Sox have handled bringing Theo back as general manager. If someone can explain this view point i'd love to hear it.

This only makes sense if we only have one team to turn to. By this logic, if we have 3 teams to turn to, and they all think they can ask for more than their player is worth, then only one of them can be right. So why wouldn't a team lower their price when it looks like we aren't dealing with them any more? If another team thinks they can improve themselves they aren't going to ask for more unless they are the only option.

Sure why not. I'm in.

I was the one, or one of the people, who said Jacobs field is a pitchers park, and it is. I looked up espn's park factor stat and you're right, it lists Jacobs field as one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball. Either that stat is completely useless or there was an error in calcing Jacob field. In the last 3 years the Guardians have scored 129 more runs on the road than at home. They allowed 108 more runs on the road. Every single year for the last 3 years(and probably more than that. I didn't research it further," they have both scored more runs on the road, and allowed more. Yet, park factor lists it as the most hitter friendly park in the majors. Not possible.

I completely understand the people who dont' like the trade because they hate losing Marte. What I don't get is the people who think Crisp isn't a very good player, and those that think Jason Michaels is better. Crisp rates as an above average left fielder. I don't see how an above average left fielder can be an awful center fielder. The red sox scouts obviously believe he isn't a liability out there or they wouldn't give up Marte to get him. Offsensively, Crisp is much better than Michaels. Yes Michaels had a higher OBP. However, their road OBP's were nearly identical. Crisp road slugging% was 100 points higher. Thats a pretty significant difference. Crisps' OPS+ which is park adjusted was 11 points higher, but thats as a left fielder. His OPS+ goes up if you compare him to the average CF. Anyone who thinks Crisp isn't a good pickup is either too lazy to consider the stats or too ignorant to figure out hes an excellent player. This move shows the Red Sox are not willing to wait on the future at the expense of the present. While we have Manny, Schilling, and Tek on the team making lots of money i think the right thing to do is try and win this year.

Crisp is a better player than Michaels. It sucks if we trade Marte, but that was the price of Crisp. Michaels plays in one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball while Crisp plays in one of hte most pitcher friendly. Look at both hitters road numbers and tell me Michales is the much better player and Crisp sucks. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=4653 Michaels http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=5299 Coco

The herald report states that the Red Sox and Guardians agreed in principle to the deal under the condition that the Guardians are able to trade for Jason Michaels. It said that deal "could be completed as soon as last night." but never said it was. Its very possible Massaroti is right and the Jason Michaels trade is whats holding it up.

Definately a possibility down the road. This year I'd think he stays at first unless Lowell is really bad and Snow is looking good.

In his last 100 innings Mota's ERA has been over 4.7. Calling him a lights-out reliever is a bit of a stretch. Maybe he regains his form, but maybe he doesn't. I'd say theres a better chance of Foulke being lights out. He has a much more proven track record than Mota, who was only really good for about a season and a half.

I don't think hicks will go to $15 million to get Clemens, and I think thats the minimum he signs for.

Willie Harris has played 5 games at SS in his career. I'm not sure he'd be a better option than graffanino.

Right, that was my point. Gonzalez is more valuable to us cuz then we'd have 2 guys that can play short.

I'd be surprised if gonzalez gets a lot of money from us if we do sign him as rumored. For 2.5 million hes not a terrible signing. If we go with Cora we don't really have a backup SS. Pedroia won't be on the major league team as a backup. Its much more valuable to keep him at Pawtucket where he'll get ABs regularaly. I don't think Graffanino is a viable back up option at SS or else he'd get the starting job cuz he can actually hit.

Your points are well taken, but a blitzing safety should get better penetration than a D-lineman. Plays are generall designed for D-lineman to take up the blockers so the blitzing safety can run free.

The decline started 2 years ago actually. His OPS the last year years are: 1.023 .927 .891 While .891 is still very good, its not terrifying like 1.023 is.

Alright, if this Crisp trade becomes official, we are left with no major holes on our major league roster and we still have 7 potential starting pitchers. Schilling Beckett Wakefield Wells Clement Arroyo Pappelbon It appears less likely Pappelbon will be in the starting rotation to start the season. So between Wells, Clement, and Arroyo one of them needs to be traded or Arroyo needs to go to the bullpen. I think theres a good chance the team waits until spring training to trade one of them. If a team that expects to compete for the post-season has a pitcher go down then our SP trading chips will be at their most valuable. I don't think Arroyo will spend much of the season in our bullpen after the contract we just gave him. If we can get a solid 4th outfield option for one of them we could go for that, but i think we could do better. Thoughts on what happens to our surplus of starting pitching?

Cano can hit. I'll give you that. But come on, even with never seeing Loretta play 2b, hes gotta be better than Cano. Cano looked awful out there.

Crisp had an OPS+ of 119 last year vs 113 for damon. The number is park adjusted, and Crisp is more likely to get better seeing as hes much younger. OPS+ for Varitek was 125 vs 105 for Posada. The two previous years Posada edged varitek though. As for the ideal lineup for the sox i think its: Youk Loretta Ortiz Manny Crisp Nixon Tek Lowell Gonzalez/Cora and you flip Nixon and Lowell against lefties. Nixon isn't as much of a liability against lefties hitting 8th. Youk gets on base more than Crisp and Crisp has more power, so I like him better 5th.

I think thats where willie harris fits in. He's solid defensively, and can pinch run and steal bases. Hes somewhere close to 80% for his career in steals.

Wow. Pitt, Florida, and Duke were a combined 49-0 until today and they all lost.

The guy traded for Pedro Martinez TWICE! Hes worse than epstien, but I'd take him over nearly half the GMs in the game today. Of course i think there are a lot of morons as GMs. edit: and i'll believe the texeira negotiations thing when i see a link.