marklmw

Do you think that Boston will need to pay more on their bullpen than they paid this season? Some pen money is coming off the books but that money will still be used for the same purpose. Dempster will most likely be dealt to a NL team and Boston will gladly eat some of his contract. Boston has some arms in the Minors that could be used in the pen next season at no cost at all. I think that financially the club is in great shape with respect to staying under the cap. Peavy will be back next year but that should do it for his salary. Lester is a big question mark and a lot depends on what he does this post season and next season but word is that he has a good relationship with Farrell. I think that the Sox future has never looked brighter.

You are right ... a deal with Abreu may not get done until the end of the summer ... who knows really ... however I am sure that Boston's ownership has some friends in high places in the US Government to speed things along. Napoli may want to stay in Boston even if he does not receive a QO from Boston. Of course Boston does risk losing him but I am sure that there will be many back room discussions between both sides. They managed to deal with a Napoli's health situation before and they can again. Napoli's health situation has not been upgraded. It is not the type of health situation that heals like a broken bone.

Another thing to consider about Qualifying Offers is that they do hurt the player in some instances. With Drew and Napoli a QO from Boston makes it more difficult to find a new contact with another club as the club may feel that it is not worth sacrificing a top draft pick to sign that player. Boston can be nice guys by not offering QO's on Napoli and Drew. In fact behind the scenes the agents of these players may be pleading on their clients behalf not to make the QO. These situations are not as cut and dry as you would think. With Salty for example a QO makes perfect sense while Boston works on signing him to a multi-year extension.

The Sox would not give Napoli a 2/24 deal last year what has changed? Now you think that a team is going to give him a 2/24 and also give up their daft pick. I highly doubt this will happen. If the Sox sign Abreu it may cost close to 12 - 14M per so I doubt the Sox will want to pay another 13M for Napoli ... that will be 25 - 27M for 1st base position. Carp or Nava can spell Abreu for a lot less and against right handed pitching. Abreu bats from the right side like Napoli.

No doubt ... but you said it best ... If BC goes after Abreu and signs him then Napoli is the odd man out. If the Sox do not get Abreu they might offer Napoli a similar deal that he signed for 2013 but a QO if accepted changes the terms in Napoli's favor if his health takes a turn for the worse.

I will be somewhat surprised if BC does not have a hardon for Abreu. If Abreu was in Pawtucket mashing 35 hr's do you really think he would be making a QO to Napoli. I seriously doubt that Napoli will receive a QO. Remember that Napoli signed for $5m this season with incentives. A QO cannot be structured with incentives. What exactly has changed? This is not Napoli's best season is it? Napoli' health condition has not been upgraded has it? Even if Abreu was not in the mix why would the Sox offer Napoli a QO? Do you think that teams are going to be lined up to sign him to a multi-year deal greater than 14m per? Thank God that Napoli's health has not been an issue but you know it is serious if the Sox were able to go from 39m / 3 year deal to a 5m / 1 with incentives. What team is going to sign Napoli and give up a pick? Do not get me wrong I like Napoli. I doubt that Drew will get a QO from Boston as well. Will a team want to part with a draft pick to sign him to a multi-year deal? Again, I am a Drew fan but not over Bogaerts. Bogaerts has proven (although with a small sample size) that he has the ability to be the Sox long term solution at SS that the club has been searching for. You cannot pay that kind of money to Drew to be a back-up to Bogaerts. You cannot continue to be moving Bogaerts between short and third. From what I have seen Bogaerts has made some nice plays at short and has a strong arm and good range. The Sox can have a nice infield with Abreu, Pedroia, Bogaerts, Middlebrooks and Salty and for an average salary of The Sox will sign Salty to a 3 year deal. Sox have plenty of Offense with this club ... they have to spend their resources on pitching.

I think you had better do a search on Abreu ... Granted that he has not played one game in MLB but his upside is off the charts. No MLB team is going to show their cards with respect to Abreu but most wish that they were in Boston's shoes. We can talk all day about Napoli but Napoli is not going to take the same contact that he had this season. He has done enough good things and any QO will not be incentive based like this 2013 contract. Sox will sign Abreu and that leaves Napoli off the team.

I agree with that. I think Middlebrooks has potential to be a consistent 30 HR kind of guy and in the post steroids age that is pretty good.

Well it is called risk reward. If Abreu meets or exceeds his expectations than 14m in years 5-8 will seem like a bargain and free up money for other needs.

No doubt that Middlebrooks has flashed signs of baseball excellence and as he matures as a hitter he will more than likely figure things out so that he stops over-thinking things ... he has all the tools to become a great player.

As I said before I like Napoli and Boston obviously did when they offered him 39m / 3. Boston knew the Napoli's numbers against them and in retrospect they got the right guy. Look at the turnaround this season. Amazing. Napoli is a key player and so his obviously deserves credit for where the Sox are today. The reason why the Sox will sign Abreu is because signing Abreu now might be the equivalent of having another Big Papi for the next 8+ seasons. Papi is in his 11th season with Boston and he has been a monster. Napoli might have a couple more seasons left but that is it. If you can sign Abreu for Napoli type money and sign him for 8 years that will take him to age 34. Years 3-8 are years that the Sox cannot get from Napoli.

I believe that it will be very hard for Boston to pass on Abreu especially if they can sign him in the general neighborhood as Cespedes and Puig. Only 26 years old, not given up a draft pick or any top prospects, Power Hitter. I have a feeling that his price tag will be in the 13-14m range but the Sox had no issues signing Napoli for 39m / 3 until his health issues were brought to light. I happen to like Napoli and what he has brought to this team .... in the clubhouse, at the plate, in the field but an opportunity is an opportunity.

I agree with you with respect to Middlebrooks but as a fan it will be great to see him figure things out. He is becoming to predicable at the plate and taking to many first strikes ... it would serve him well to come out swinging every now and again. At the end of the season his OBP and OPS numbers will be what they be and right now they are not impressive enough to be the starting 3rd baseman for the Boston Red Sox. Then again if he lights it up in the post season a lot can be overlooked.

Yeah .... I suppose you are right. I have been following the Sox since I was 8 ... so 45 years. Perhaps I just place too much value on having a top lead off man. Ellsbury also takes care of himself ... he will still be go for 30 - 40 bags for the next 5 years.

Palodios you make perfect sense to me.

Cespedes contract is 36M / 4 while Abreu is going will probably project at 14m per. At the time the A's needed Cespedes more than the Sox need Abreu now. I just feel that the stars are aligned with the Abreu situation as the Sox dealt Gonzalez to dump the contracts of Beckett and Crawford and now they have an opportunity to replace Gonzalez with a player that may out preform Gonzalez and for less money. Gonzalez was also being overpaid based on his numbers for 2012 and 2013. Sox will get by with or without Abreu but you have to admit Abreu should make the Sox better than they are now.

Of the 25 1b listed on the ESPN Stats Page Adrian Gonzalez sits at number 13 with an OPS of .800 on the nose. Pujols is at .767 but that is not typical as he has been injured. Abreu has a chance to be near the top of this list if the projections hold true to form. A big 'If' for sure but he seems to be as sure a MLB prospect as ever there was one. It will be a very interesting off season. I feel pretty confident that Ben will find a way to get Abreu and sign Ellsbury and Salty .... a triple play. Bogaerts is my first choice to start at short next year.

All depends upon Abreu really. If the Sox sign him for 5 years then they are not going to give QO to Napoli or Drew. Sure it would be nice to pick-up some draft picks but the Sox could very well end up with expensive back-ups ... makes no sense. I think they will come to terms with Salty on a 3 year deal. I would have no problem with a 70m / 5 or 112m / 8 for Abreu.

I read some place that Abreu projects to be .850 OPS as a floor. This puts him in elite company ..... top 20 players in the majors. The Sox are going to sign this guy.

The Sox have will have an interesting situation when we win the WS this year. Naturally one wants to keep the same team in tact but this would be a big mistake for a number of reasons. Although Napoli is hitting well as of late and he can very well have an amazing post season but would you take him when you have a very good shot at Abreu from Cuba? If his birth certificate is correct you have a player in Abreu who is younger, healthier, and has more upside than Napoli. Signing Abreu more or less will end the discussions about Middlebrooks playing first or even platooning the 1st base position with Carp. Middlebrooks has been hot since returning to the team and seems to have figured things out. If Middlebrooks continues on this way I see him as the everyday 3B next season. With Abreu and a hitting Middlebrooks the Sox should be a plus to this years very prolific run scoring team. If the Sox spend money on Abreu and it will cost a bit to sign him but not much more than Drew and perhaps less than Napoli. I think that the Sox will part ways with Drew and I agree that they probably will not make a qualifying offer to him. From every indication it appears that Bogaerts will be ready to take over at short. What an infield and team. Sign Salty, and Ellsbury, Carp, Gomes, Nava will keep the team rested. Sox will be good for many years to come.

I suppose you are right at this one.

I would be for that!

Your proper response to begin with is that Carp is under team control until 2017. Period ... and my response would have been ... Thank you for that information.

I agree that Abreu is the correct play especially since the Sox would be adding a tremendous player without given up players or draft picks to get him. Abreu is in his prime years and can be the guy to replace Ortiz's power from left side of plate. Most if not all the big spending teams already have 1st base taken care of. Other Cuban players that are succeeding in MLB have vouched for Abreu saying that he is the real deal. Carp is a good alternative for sure. One thing about Carp that is not being considered is that in fact he has matured as a player, he is in his prime years as a player, and to say that he could not put up the same numbers that he has produced this year if he played more is pure speculation. Carp's OPS is a close second to Ortiz.

Tricky Dick do you have to be a dick? http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carpmi01.shtml