Hoplite

If we're going to sign an all-offense catcher, why wouldn't we sign George Kottaras for 1/20th of the price? He's hit better than Salty the last three years and projects to hit better than Salty next year. It just goes to show you how overrated Salty is that a backup catcher who just got DFA'd hits better than him.

Carp and Brentz are far from top tier prospects. If we could get Hanigan for less, great. But he's arguably the second best defensive catcher in baseball and his offense is average for a catcher. He had a .216 BABIP last year and was dealing with an injury. His strong plate approach makes him a pretty safe bet to bounce back. Plus, he hits really well in high leverage situations, unlike Salty. We're hardly the only team interested in him, it may take more than Sean Coyle. I was more interested in Cain for his tremendous defense. Stolen bases are overrated. But the backup outfielder in this scenario would be pretty interchangeable, as long as they have an option year remaining. I think Bradley will do just fine.

I'd trade Carp, Workman or Brentz for Ryan Hanigan. He's an elite defensive catcher, who's lead the league in caught stealing percentage in each of the last two years and is one of the best catchers in baseball at handling a pitching staff and framing pitches. I'd give Hart a one year pillow contract. Fenway would be the perfect place for him to rebuild his value and it between Napoli walking and Hart walking after next year, it could potentially net us two draft picks. I'd bid $71 million for Mashairo Tanaka and then sign him to a $75 million deal. He wouldn't cost a draft pick and the $12.5 million cap hit would be very reasonable. He's not Yu Darvish, but he does project to be like Hiroki Kuroda. If that isn't enough to get Tanaka, I'd be willing to go five years on a contract for Shin-Soo Choo. He's on base percentage would be great at the top of the lineup, and we have a guy in Gomes who would mitigate his issues against lefthanded pitchers. I'd also see if we could get anything useful for Dempster, and Nava or Carp, Mookie Wilson, Bryce Brentz, etc. If we could get a backup option in centerfield like Lorenzo Cain (poor man's Peter Bourjos), that would be ideal. I believe he has minor league options left as well. We may also be able to upgrade the bench and get someone better than Brock Holt as our backup shortstop/third baseman, or add another quality reliever.

This isn't 2011. Dodgers have four starting outfielders and Kemp's the only one they can move. They desperately need starting pitching, and Dempster was a pretty good starting pitcher in the National League, he's probably a #3 on a National League team. We'd also include someone like Mookie Betts to sweeten the deal. He'd immediately become one of the Dodgers top 5 prospects, we could also throw in a minor league starter or Workman. If it took much more, I wouldn't be interested. He's coming off a shoulder surgery and could potentially be a bust.

Sox have reportedly talked to the Dodgers about Kemp. That would blow Corey Hart out of the water. Dodgers need pitching (they currently have Josh Beckett slated as their #4 starter). They have four starting outfielders, and Kemp's the only one they can move. I wonder if we can get them interested in Dempster. He was a pretty good starter in the National League from 2008-2012. We could throw in someone we probably won't have a use for, like Mookie Betts. The Dogers would probably eat $30 million or so. Farrell may have alluded to this move the other day. Red Sox Stats ‏@redsoxstats 21 Nov Farrell on MLBN Radio just said, "Scenario you can see Jackie Bradley in center -- IF -- we add some power to the corner." That would be our righthanded bat. Then Nava would move to first base and we'd only have to find a catcher.

Another idea. 1. Bid $71 million for Mashairo Tanaka. Offer him a 6 year/$54 million deal. 2. Shop Felix Doubront around. Maybe a trade could be worked out with the Padres with Doubront, Middlebrooks and Workman in return for Chase Headley. Or maybe a trade could be worked out with the Cubs for Luis Valbuena and Pedro Strop. 3. Offer one of Britton, Brentz or Hassan for Ryan Hanigan. Alternatively, offer 1 year/$2 million deal to Dioner Navarro. 4. Offer Corey Hart 1 year/$8 million deal. Alternatively, offer Mike Napoli 2 year/$26 million deal. Alternatively, offer Jeff Baker a 2 year/$8 million deal and platoon him with Mike Carp. 5. If a deal for a third baseman was unable to be worked out, offer Juan Uribe a 2 year/$12 million deal. Alternatively, offer Jerry Hairston Jr. a 1 year/$3 million deal. 6. If there’s money left over (which there would be if Headley isn’t acquired or Hart is signed) offer a 1 year/$3 million minor league deal for Colby Lewis. I’d offer a similar deal to Grady Sizemore if there’s still money left over. Anyone who could provide some extra production or net a draft pick next year would be worth looking at. If Tanaka was signed and Doubront was traded, that would still leave us with 6 starters. If need be, one of them could be traded to free up more salary room. We don’t need to save any room for a Lester extension, because if we were to extend him we’d do it after the start of the season so he wouldn’t count against this year’s luxury tax hit.

Sign Corey Hart to a 1 year/$10 million deal. Sign Carlos Ruiz to a 2 year/$14 million deal. Sign Juan Uribe to a 2 year/$12 million deal. Sign Chris Young to a 2 year/$8 million deal. Sign Jesse Crain to a 1 year/$3.5 million deal. This would net us three draft picks, we wouldn’t have to give up any prospects in a trade, we wouldn’t have to trade a starter to clear salary (it would be cost roughly $30 million of our $32 million budget), and it would provide us insurance if two of Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. or Will Middlebrooks struggle. It would also be flexible. Ryan Hanigan could be substituted for Ruiz (this would require a trade). Reed Johnson or Rajai Davis could be substituted for Chris Young. Ryan Madson could be substituted for Jesse Crain.

Defense, defense, defense. No use in re-signing a player who gives away games.

Thank god.

Salty sucks. Sign Carlos Ruiz. He sucks less and he's cheaper.