BSN07

I've had the same thought too. I'm not totally selling the team not being able to attract front line FA talent. But Boston doesn't have the shine it used too. I think it hurts them this off season. I think even if the team doesn't win a lot next year but shows some franchise unity and a direction this year without the circus, it will become a more desirable place to play rather quickly again. If the circus returns next season it could have some more lingering effects.

You did not just compare Anibal Sanchez to Pedro Martinez? I'm seriously debating about hiring a midget to come to your house and kick you in the nuts...

So they aren't working on anything other then whats being reported in the media? And he hasn't signed anyone yet? It's not even December. Out of all the guys signed so far who would you have wanted? Hunter would have been nice, but his 1st choice was Detroit and didn't give other teams a chance to make an offer. Guthrie? 3 years? God no. Kuroda? Again would have been nice, but it was reported it was going to be Yankees or Japan. Not much you can do there. Any other gem the FO missed out on that I've over looked? This year has been backwards for the most part. The guys that are usually signing late in the off season are signing quick and the big name FA's aren't guessitmated to sign until well into December. But as for the pace of the off season? I don't see it as any different as any other off season. Major things typically don't happen until after Thanksgiving and sometimes not even until the Winter Meetings. .

Damn too bad, that story was funny lol

Ya it was rumored he was either playing for the Yankees or going back to Japan. AAV is a bit high but on a one year deal it's hard to argue with it.

On a 3 year deal. You honestly can't be too disappointed? He was a one year type, I'm not sure anyone other then the Royals would have offered him multiple years. I'm glad the Sox didn't offer him something similar to KC's offer.

idk but I remember there being some weird post game interviews and didn't he used to routinely lie about injuries and what he was doing with the lineups/rotations? This could end up being a dumpster fire in Toronto. I'll put the over under on knock down drag outs between him and Rasmus at 1.5 for the first half of the season :thumbsup:

Forgive me if this has been discussed earlier and I missed it. What are thoughts on Liriano on a one year deal? He walked too many guys last season but still struck out more then a batter an inning. If they can get his control under... umm control then he could be a solid addition. Any other teams in the majors with 3+ LHP in their rotations?

meh, I'm not sure I'd be thrilled if I was a Blue Jays fan. He was a .500 manager last time through. And had issues with players. Are they not concerned about possible issues between Gibbons and players like Rasmus and Lawrie? I really thought they were going to go Hargrove which I thought made some sense. But apparently AA has a long history with the guy and well if it fails neither one is going to be around to pick up the pieces.

I think Cecchini is a trade chip too. I expect his name to be part of any significant Red Sox trade this off season. Brentz I can see being one. But I can also see them holding on to him.

The closer is interesting. I wouldn't hand him the job tho. I'd let Bailey, Bard and him duke it out. I don't see Nakajima being a better option the Iglesias. Iggy is an elite defender, something Nakajima has not been touted as. Both are a ? offesnively at the ML level. Nakajima might end up making more money. It doesn't make sense IMO. And yes I know I have thrown out some duzzies out of utter boredom recently, but this is an actual level headed opinion and not just talking to talk

Well of course they will shoot for the moon and ask for Bogaerts, and they will get shot down. Which they should. That we certainly agree on. But don't discount Iggy's value. Elite defensive cost controlled SS could have a lot of value on a young rebuilding team. Especially if the don't have an in house option to replace Cabrera.

He's intriguing. One the one hand he's a good SS that hits. But he's only signed for 2 more years. And will probably be looking for at least 15M+ AAV for 5+ years. At that point he's 30 and that deal would worry me a little. He makes sense if the team is making a push this year or next. He doesn't if they are in rebuild mode IMO. Unless he's considered a stop gap for Bogaerts? If however a trade were to happen, I think Iglesias is part of the deal. Team isn't going to let him rot in AAA making 2.5M a year. Iggy+P prospect(maybe another low level throw in) for Asdrubel and his contract(16M total for 2 seasons) seems like a solid offer IMO. They guy isn't Tulo, it's not gonna take a handful of top guys to get him. There's no telling what some GM will actually offer. Clevelands asking price is front line pitching, an well I don't see anyone giving up their best pitching prospects for this guy. Some I guessing they settle for something less. BTW does Cleveland have SS prospect? I admit I have no idea so my Iggy thought might be moot.

They don't care about filling the stadium. That's the whole point. Your looking at the Marlins like they are an ordinary logically thinking team. They are anything but. And no the don't want to trade him. Who in their right mind would want to trade him? I'm talking about a scenario in which he doesn't want to be there, an the Marlins cash in on him and dump another 12M in payroll in the process. Is it likely? Of course not? Is it something to consider and pass the time with? Why not?

The whole conversation started by saying Mike Stanton would have to force his way out of Miami. I don't expect the team to openly shop him. But if you don't think they will listen about a trade involving him that includes dumping another 25% of the payroll then your kidding yourself. They have absolutely s*** on the fan base there. No one is coming to watch that team even if Stanton is part of the team. If they can dump more salary, get a disgruntled employee out of town while getting back ML cost controlled talent plus prospects they will consider it. Maybe the players I had mentioned going the other way don't fit, but I still remain convinced at the right price he could be had. And if there is ANY small market team to dream about them trading their talent away to my particular team, it's the Marlins. Every other team is a distant 2nd. Bogaerts is really as close as it gets to untouchable for me. There are very few players I would be comfortable seeing them trade him for. Butler is not one of them. I think they can get Butler without him. If Moore insists upon having him then pass.

Your probably right. I tried to construct a package without Bogaerts. You caught me

It's not likely but I on't think it's impossible. Stanton is going to have to o his part to force it. Not sure he has the leverage. Then it's going to take some combination of high end prospect talent and ML ready controllable talent. It might help if the Sox take on Nolasco(11.5M next season) as well for financial motivation on the Marlins behalf. Stanton(490,000) + Nolasco(11.5M) for Kalish+Doubront+Cecchini+1 OF and P prospect Kalish can start in the OF, Doubront is probably a mid rotation SP in the NL with upside, Cecchini is a good prospect but is buried by Middlebrooks/Bogaerts. All that plus two good prospects to groom seems to be to be a reasonable offer and one That doesn't destroy the Sox farm system. They could also get a 3rd team involved with Ellsbury going to the 3rd team and the Marlins receiving something else.

Thanks for gathering all the this info Station, I have high hopes for Swihart.

I lol'd, might be the funniest thing I've ever seen you write So what's going on over here in Yankee land? Are they really serious about getting below the threshold? What do you think is the fall back plan is Kuroda heads west? What youngsters are in the pipeline? I'm not up on the Yankees farm system. What happened to those 2 young pitchers?

I don't disagree with him doing that. He should. My statement was meant more to express that Upton being a viable option for the Sox right now doesn't seem likely.

I think we have all given up on Upton actually being available. Towers is doing his same old song and dance. He's dangling to see if someone blows him away.

Doubront + Kalish + 2 upper tier prospects for Gordon+ Butler is not a bad offer considering Gordon's deal is 13:$9M, 14:$10M, 15:$12.5M, 16:$12.5M player option and Butler's is 13:$8M, 14:$8M, 15:$12.5M club option ($1M buyout). If the Sox are taking on all the $ it's a solid offer.

Couple intriguing names there.

Yes like Drew or Lackey's deal. Something that will help the team if s*** hits the fan so to speak. I think they can find some way of helping him get comfortable in Boston. No ideas on how to do it, just seems to me that the team should be able to protect him so to speak if it's needed.

Ya, SoCal seems to be his ideal landing spot. I think he could sign with any of the teams in California. Hamilton even with all the issues is intriguing. But certain things need to be in place for it to work IMO. It needs to be a 4 max 5 year deal. If they want to add some club options in there just in case he's a HR(pun intended) in Boston I'd be ok with that too. But they need protection in the way of verbal protection in the contract if the wheels fall off. They also need a program in place similar or even stricter then the one he had in Texas. And he needs to be ok with it. They also need a good plan of how the media will have access to him. Don't get me wrong, there is good reporting done in the Boston media. But there is a lot of BS stirred up just to feed the media monster. I don't know exactly how they should handle it. But they need to be prepared. Now if all that is handled accordingly then looking at his contract I think you look at it as 2 years in the OF and then takes over at DH for Ortiz for the remainder of the deal. 20-25M is a lot for a DH, but I don't mind the higher AAV to keep the length of the deal short. It's a lot of hurdles, but it's not impossible. It's hard to argue the impact his bat would have on the line up. The Hot Stove must be getting to me, I seem to be much more at ease with going after Hamilton and Grienke then I was early on this off season