Bellhorn04
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Everything posted by Bellhorn04
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I'm sure there's a limit, but we have not seen anything definitive about what that limit is. We went 40 million + over the first threshold last year. We're already about 35 million over it this year. We signed Pearce and Eovaldi. It doesn't look like belt-tightening just yet.
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I just read this piece, but I don't see anything in there about 'this isn’t the first time he’s done so'.
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I don't think that's necessarily the case. Dombrowski waited it out much longer than this with JDM last year. And so many of the big name closer types are still unsigned.
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Well, I don't see the huge harm in signing a guy for 3 years and $30 million or something like that. I realize there will be tax on top of that. I just think this team is obviously going for it in 2019, and the payroll is already massive, so I don't see the point in suddenly cheaping out completely on the pen. If there was any intent to save tax this year, why on earth sign Pearce?
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I do think that they're looking for a cheaper solution. But I keep coming back to the Pearce signing. I can't believe they signed him and Eovaldi and then pulled out the calculators and went 'Dadgum it, there's no money left for the pen now!'
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But waiting it out isn't the same as being out of it.
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What other things?
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Henry made that world for us.
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Are you basing this on the rumors about trading someone to free up payroll for the bullpen?
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You mean Eovaldi not Price, right? Now that you mention all these candidates for arm trouble, it makes me think that keeping Durable Dick Porcello around might be kind of nice.
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That's true, but Kimbrel just doesn't seem like the guy you would want to take this kind of risk with right now. Not when you could sign a guy like Ottavino instead.
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Interesting idea but too risky as you say.
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What would make it more fun is if fans could follow the auctions too. Subscription only, of course - might as well pour some more money into the coffers in the process.
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Uehara and Papelbon were secondary options that worked out after the primary options had failed. Papelbon was converted from a starter to a closer after Foulke washed out in 2005. They even used Schilling at closer for a while that year. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that. Circumstances are different now. We're a team with a monster payroll and a small window. I don't see the great harm in signing a guy like Britton or Ottavino or Robertson.
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If memory serves, it wasn't that long ago you were in favor of signing Ottavino and Familia. Am I misremembering?
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Trading for an unproven closer seems kind of an iffy way to go. To me it doesn't make much sense to sign Steve Pearce, who I love to have but who is somewhat of a luxury piece, and to have that prevent them from being able to sign a closer.
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Which closer are you thinking?
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It makes sense in a Yogi Berra way, though.
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Just look at Rivera's numbers.
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Maybe what Henry and DD decided was they couldn't re-sign both Kimbrel and Kelly, they were only going to spend on one closer type.
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Over, of course. But I'm not really getting your point. Mine is, how do we know the Sox are passing on all of the 4 guys I mentioned until those guys sign elsewhere?
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It's premature to say that with Kimbrel, Britton, Robertson and Ottavino all still out there.
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It might be, but I wouldn't bet a bundle on it. There is a lot to play out over the next year.
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a) Henry permitted the team to go more than 40 million over the threshold in 2018, and they are already close to being there again this year. The man is not averse to paying some tax. He knows the closing of the window might happen after this season, with Sale, Porcello, Bogaerts and JDM possibly all gone. c) He's 69 years old. Sometimes age can play a role in how we look at things. All that said I don't expect him to throw all economic concerns to the wind by any means. But I certainly won't be surprised if he authorizes the signing of a guy like Ottavino.
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It's really hard to say what's going on. We've heard rumors about the Sox being open to trades to create payroll room. We've also heard rumors about them remaining in touch with Kimbrel and being in on Ottavino. I think they're watching the market and probably keeping an eye on the Yankees too. At the same time there's no denying we've got serious luxury tax issues, unless JH finally just says 'Ah screw it, you only live once, let's go for it again.'
