moonslav59

Even $16.5M/2 is a steal. I was thinking he'd get $33-36M/3. I said it the minute we signed Moreland: it was a big mistake. Now, we're hearing HRam is going to be the FT 1Bman, so we're not even going to get much benefit from Moreland's 1Bman's glove. SHAME!

Apparently, there are escalators and a vesting option that could make it $16.5M/2.... still better than Moreland at $13M/2.

Twins to sign Logan Morrison for $6.5M/1. I'd much rather have had Logan for the same yearly money Moreland got for 2 seasons! Looks like late signings will be bargains.

Velazquez has options remaining and offers a very nice depth choice. Cutting him would be lunacy. (Elias has an option as well, and may very well start the season in AAA.)

Of course, injury history plays a role in the amount any team might offer a player. I do not think his injury history was the reason the top spending teams avoided bidding on JD. The two other biggest spenders, the Yanks and Dodgers, are looking to reset their tax rates. The Cubs, Giants and others chose different spending routes. Was JD's injury history the reason they went another way? I doubt it. The Cards and CWS are in different spending modes right now. I think we'll find out the AZ offer was woefully short of what the Sox offered. JD is not the only big FA looking at signing for much less than expected. There's still a lot of big names out here unsigned. Let's see what they sign for, and I think we'll see that injury history is not the driving force behind less bidding wars.

Latest on J.D. Martinez, Red Sox By Kyle Downing | February 25, 2018 at 10:50am CDT SUNDAY: The two sides “have continued to work though contract language,” tweets Heyman, who notes that there’s a “high probability” they’ll complete the agreement.

Good for them. If you really think cap space is all there is to determining who might be interested in any FA making JD's type money, then you're losing some of the respect I've always had for you. There's no way 26 or 27 teams might have signed JD to anywhere near what the Sox paid had they not been worried about injuries.

Except the two biggest spenders other than the Sox.

https://thesporttank.com/2018/02/23/concern-level-rising-over-handling-of-j-d-martinez-situation/

Maybe we found that starter depth we hoped for,

Yes. Cap space.

There may be a reason we are now.

Some of the early season low game totals were not injury related. Some of his injuries have been minor. I'm not saying I know what the issue is now, but I'm glad we're giving it due diligence.

If there's something wrong, it's good we found it while there's still some good FA options out there. If it's minor, the signing will be announced soon.

MLBTR... The Red Sox have signed left-hander Tommy Layne to a minors pact; he’d been playing in the MLBPA camp. Brian MacPherson (formerly of the Providence Journal) was first with the news; Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal has since confirmed the report. Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets that the deal does not include an invite to spring training. This’ll be the 33-year-old’s second stint with the Red Sox, for whom he pitched 95 1/3 innings and earned 20 holds from 2014-2016. He put up a 3.30 ERA during that span, but with an unsettling walk rate (4.63 BB/9). Originally a late-round pick by the Diamondbacks, Layne has also spent time with the Padres, Yankees and Dodgers organizations. He’ll compete for a spot on a Boston roster that has plenty of high-end lefty starters but little in the way of lefty relief options.

Will do. We jet ski on Long Lake now and then.

I'm not sure what Cora's position is, but I've never been for making a line-up into a lefty, then righty thing. I'd prefer going with the best hitters, which I think Cora wants. I do think it's a good idea to adjust the line-up to move guys up who do very well vs righties or lefties. If Cora is against that, then I guess I disagree, but that doesn't mean I think I'm smarter or dislike Cora. I liked his hiring. I liked the JF firing. I like our direction.

Yes, we take the pontoon through the locks and into Long Lake every now and then. I love that area.

You're watching the wrong half innings. Watch the glove. (He's also half way decent vs lefties at .710 career)

I lived in Mexico City for nearly 5 years, then I moved to Sugar Land, Texas. I've been here ever since. The summers are brutal, but we go to Maine every summer. I can deal with the hot Mays and Septembers.

Some of the early talk on Bogey was that he was going to "fill in" and maybe even outgrow the SS position. Some expected plus power that has never really materialized. I'm fine with him never being a power hitter. I've often suggest he should lead off or hit second, even if just against lefties. Although he declined last year, his OBP was just .001 worse than Betts, who was 3rd on the team. He was .373 vs lefties last year and career .384.

It puzzled me that the pins were not removed already, but I guess the original plan was to leave them in. I've always liked Marco, but admit my good feelings were not based on anything concrete.

MLBTR reports... Latest on J.D. Martinez, Red Sox By Kyle Downing | February 24, 2018 at 1:28am CDT 1:28pm: Both sides are being cautious, but the Red Sox and Martinez’ camp still expect to finalize the deal, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reassures. He adds that the delay mainly stems from “a desire to make sure the exact language of the contract is right in light of these potential red flags.” 10:01am: The Red Sox and slugger J.D. Martinez recently agreed to terms on a five-year, $110MM pact, but an official announcement has yet to come from the team, even though a press conference was expected as far back as Thursday. Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston shed some light on the situation today, reporting that the two sides are sorting through a “medical matter” following Martinez’ physical. There’s a belief that the matter will not have any effect on the outfielder’s ability to take the field in the immediate future. At this time, there’s no further clarity as to what the issue is, but Drellich writes that “a better understanding between the parties” could come at some point today. There are apparently some additional medical experts involved, including a few consultants referred by agent Scott Boras. It doesn’t seem as though the contract itself is in any real jeopardy. The process of ironing out the issue is reportedly “thorough and cooperative”. Yesterday, in a more speculative piece on the subject, Drellich suggested that a collapse of the contract at this point would be a “wildly unexpected scenario”. It’s entirely possible that the agreement will proceed untouched or be revised in only a slight way. Nevertheless, whatever snag the two camps have hit regarding Martinez’ physical only serves to delay the slugger’s spring training debut. There are more questions than answers surrounding the situation at the moment, but we’ll be sure to provide updates as they come.

Speaking of the Sox medical staff, is anyone else scratching their head over what's going on with Marco? He was supposed to be ready by ST'ing, then maybe not. Then he has a "set back". Then he goes to have the pins removed from his shoulder. In that order. Am I missing something by not being in the Boston media market anymore?

If just 4 or 5 of the 10 come true, the season could be very special.