Imperial59

Buchholz should still have the benefit of the doubt and the Red Sox can decide in Spring Training. If Wakefield is the odd man out, he goes to the bullpen. If Buchholz is the odd man out, he probably goes to the bullpen. I sounds like you meant the "great news" sarcastically. But it actually is great news that Wakefield is feeling healthy enough to start going into the regular season.

Today, the Red Sox came to terms with their final arbitration eligible player, Jeremy Hermida. So we finally have an accurate idea of what the team's salary will be for next year. Hermida's one year, non-guaranteed contract bring the amount of money we have committed to players to $165,820,833. But that only includes the 25 players on the Red Sox 40-man who are making more than the league minimum. Even if the Sox were to have a player making the league minimum at every other position on their 40-man roster, and none of their big name players reach any incentives in their contracts, that would mean they would be over the Luxury Tax Treshold by $1,820,833. However, there are a few things to remember here. First of all, a team's salary for the purpose of the luxury tax, is the average team salary over the entire season. There are a variety of ways in which the Red Sox can remain under the luxury tax threshold next year. 1. They could trade Lowell, and get another team to take on a portion of his salary. This seems like a likely move for the Red Sox. 2. They could cut Jeremy Hermida in spring training, and since he doesn't have a guaranteed contract, they would only be liable for 30-days pay. However, they would have to be able to demonstrate that Hermida was statistically inferior to the average player in Spring Training or the Player's Association would likely file a grievance which would lead to the Red Sox having to pay all of Hermida's 2010 salary and Hermida would become a free agent. 3. They could make a variety of other moves to shed salary. Trading Papelbon, Beckett, Matsuzaka or Varitek are some of the more likely options. So as if now, things could go either way. We'll have to wait and see whether the Red Sox will have to pay the luxury tax for 2010. But as of now, it seems like they could stay under the luxury tax threshold if it was something that was really important to them.

Apparently, it is typical. If a player goes to arbitration, they automatically get a non-guaranteed contract. Okajima also signed to a non-guaranteed contract, I'm not sure about the other arb eligible players the Red Sox signed. http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/story/1425995.html?storylink=mirelated Even though this is a non-guaranteed contract, there is only one situation which I've found in the CBA, under which Hermida could be released without the Red Sox having to pay his entire salary. And that is if he fails to demonstrate "sufficient skill or adequate ability" during Spring Training. If he fails to demonstrate "sufficient skill or adequate ability" in Spring Training, then the Red Sox would only have to pay 30-days worth of his current contract (45 days worth of salary if they do it within 16 days of the regular season). If the Red Sox were to release Hermida during the regular season, they'd have to pay the remainder of his salary. That's what it says on page 27-78 of the CBA. http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/pdf/cba_english.pdf If anyone's wondering if there's some kind of preceent for a player being terminated for not being able to demonstrate "sufficient skill or adequate ability", Todd Walker was terminated for this same reason after hitting .225 for the Padres in 50 at bats in Spring Training of 2007. The Player's Association filed a grievance against the Padres for the termination and lost the case. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?...mlb&id=2818207 Rather than having to pay Walker's full $3.95 million, they were only on the hook for $971,311.

I wouldn't say many members of this thread were lacking in intellect, I think most of them had plenty of intellect but they were being stubborn and proud. That certainly includes myself.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/01/sox_agree_to_te_1.html The Red Sox have now come to terms with all arbitration eligible players. To review those agreements: Papelbon - $9.35 million Hermida - $3.345 million Ramirez - $1.115 million Delcarmen - $0.905 With that, the Red Sox have a $163,820,333 committed to players for 2010. That doesn't include players like Ellsbury and Buchholz who are in line for a league minimum salary.

So what did Huck say Spudboy? Was it "the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way"?

Hey, we agree on something!

I don't know you personally, but I have a feeling you don't go around telling everyone how stupid and illogical they are in real life.

I don't understand why you feel the need to continuously point out how stupid or illogical all the other posters are.

Looks like the Bruins are trying to trade Thomas. http://www.hockeyleaks.com/index.php?page=rumors

If he was just being sarcastic or joking around, that would be one thing. But I think he was was being quite literal when he insulted pretty much everyone in this thread who disagreed with him. It takes two to argue, if he was tired or frustrated with the discussion, he could have stopped at any time. I have read the book, what's the connection with the book that you were talking about earlier?

Well there ya go 26

I'll give you credit, you have remained very consistent about one thing. Whenever someone points out inconsistencies in what you say, you make personal attacks against them and/or act as if you're exponentially more logical or intelligent than them.

It's awfully confusing, that's all.

And around and around we go...

Like I said, I don't really feel the need to discuss it further because it doesn't matter.

Nady just signed with the Cubs for a guaranteed $3.3 million with a $2 million in incentives. That appears to give some credibility to the rumors that Cashman only has $2 million to spend. Either that or he's going to wait if/until Damon signs elsewhere to go after a different option.

You're right, the discussion is really kind of silly. You know you're getting close to spring training when the hottest topic is whether or not the Red Sox smeared Jason Bay by claiming they didn't sign him because of his knees.

I've already stated that I think the Red Sox were the most likely ones to supply the information to Gammons. I just don't see how it's smearing Bay. The Red Sox didn't make up the MRI results. They didn't make up the fact that they offered Bay incentive laden contracts to protect them against a major injury and Bay turned them down. And there's a good chance similar information would come out if he signed or not. Information about Drew's shoulder came out after he signed with the Red Sox. How is this any different than when Cashman listed Matsui's knees as a main reason for why he didn't resign Matsui? I didn't see you take issue with that. http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091215&content_id=7812950&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy I guess it's only a smear campaign when the big, bad evil Red Sox do it. :dunno:

You're right, back when A-Rod first came to the team he did have a reputation for not being able to come up with the big hit. Whenever he hit a home run, people would point out how it was in an unimportant spot in the game. But like you said, ever since 2007, not many people doubted his ability to come up with a big regular season hit.