The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Thread

Sorry I just don't understand your post, I think you left some words out at the first sentence.

 

Lohse will definitely get a multi-year deal. I don't see him as an option, nor do I really want him either. I think he's a NL pitcher.

 

Thanks for reposting.

When does spending period end? I.E. Does it start on Jan 1st until Dec 31st? Is it at the end of the regular season to the end of next year's regular season? Do you know?

 

According to Baseball America just because Otani was drafted he can still sign with a MLB team at any time and does NOT have to wait to be posted OR wait until March or April to sign.

 

Thanks for the info LiferYank!

 

Good article by (no surprise) Alex Speier of WEEI where he talks to Texas GM Jon Daniels about his 2007 trade of Mark Teixeira & Ron Mayhay to the Braves where it netted them Elvis Andrus, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Matt Harrison, Neftalia Feliz and Beau Jones and how he sees similiarities to the "Nick Punto Trade" the Red Sox made over the summer.

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/bo...25/why-the-rangers-offer-hope-to-the-red-sox/

Obviously the Texas trade was one of the best star player for prospect trades in the past 10 years and while the Sox didn't get that haul, that trade was still the best thing for the franchise moving forward. Also interesting that Daniels called Cherington after the deal to congratulate him. I wonder how many people did the same to the Dodgers' GM.

 

Not shocking at all. Sox also asked and received permission from Baltimore to interview Rick Peterson for the pitching coach job.

 

Interesting article about the futures of the Red Sox and Yankee organizations on ESPN, its an Insider article so if you don't have it you can't view it:

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8545593/boston-red-sox-better-shape-new-york-yankees-mlb

Although there are some points I disagree with on both sides the general feeling in is when you look at the big picture of players on the current rosters, farm systems, payroll and long term contracts the Red Sox will be in the better position to contend in the long run since the Yankees have so many massive contracts to older players in the decline so there's not much roster flexibility and the Yankees need to decrease their payroll if get hit with that massive luxury tax.

Of course again like anything like this is fun to talk about in theory but a lot can and usually does happen on and off the field that can change opinions/positions. Again everyone loved that 2011 Red Sox team coming into the season when it got Gonzalez and Crawford and a full 12 months later the team finishes in last place and trades away both guys. Baseball is funny and yet great like that.

 

Ugh.... just passing along what I think is an interesting article about the Red Sox. I would have done the same if it compared the Red Sox to the Royals or Braves or Orioles for example. If you have an issue with people comparing the Red Sox to the Yankees perhaps you should write an email to the writer(s) of such article(s).

 

Baseball America released their Red Sox top 10 prospects this morning:

1. Xander Bogaerts - SS
2. Jackie Bradley, Jr. - CF
3. Matt Barnes - RHP
4. Allen Webster - RHP
5. Henry Owens - LHP
6. Blake Swihart - C
7. Garin Cecchini - 3B
8. Bryce Brentz - LF/RF
9. Jose Iglesias - SS
10. Deven Marrero - SS

No real surprises with the list except for maybe Jose Iglesias still in the top 10. It just goes to show you just how great his defense is. Rubby De La Rosa, the other pitcher acquired in the Punto Trade would have been at #4 between Barnes and Webster. The big omission on this list is Anthony Ranaudo who had a lost year due to injuries. Surprised Drake Britton didn't get a little more love but I'm guessing he was in that 10 to 15 range.

Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley are probably the closest prospects to the major league level (discounting Iglesias obviously). I wouldn't be shocked or surprised to see either guy get some playing time this year depending on injuries of course and need at the ML level.

Anyway BP should be releasing theirs soon and Keith Law releases his in January so it will be interesting to see how their lists match up.

 

I've heard they both agreed on the number of years (2) but it's on the salary now. This deal will get done, not worried about it at all.

 

I listened to the WEEI Podcast Alex Speier had with BA's Jim Callis, the reason why Iglesias is still in the top 10 is because they still believe he will hit just enough to be an everyday MLB SS because his glove is that good and the offensive potential at SS isn't what it use to be in the late 90s/early 2000s as teams would rather sacrifice offense for a sure thing with the glove.

They like Owens because he's a tall young LHP who throws hard and hides the ball well.

 

Because then you're not guaranteed that Haren will sign with your club if he becomes a FA or if they wait and see it's possible he's traded to a different club. If they make the trade for him, they are the ones that have control of the situation. If they simply sit back and wait there are a lot of other factors involved and there's a higher chance you don't get him.

It's a tough call on what to do but it all depends on the pay tag. If they can get him without giving up a good prospect(s), I say go for it. Assuming his medicals come back clean of course.

 

Rumor from LAA beat writer: the Angels are trying to trade Dan Haren and Vernon Wells for John Lackey.

Haren is owed 15.5M for this year while Wells is making 21M in '13 and '14 totalling 57.5M. Lackey is making 15.25M in '13 and '14 and because he got hurt and missed the '12 season there is a team option for him in 2015 for 500k(!!), totalling 31M so obviously money will have to exchange hands to even out the deal, I would think.

Personally, as crazy as this sounds I'd rather keep Lackey for the next 3 years instead of trading for 1 year of Haren and dead weight in Wells. Unless the Sox feel like Wells can have a bounce back playing part time at Fenway or if Lackey is really a clubhouse problem (something we have no idea of knowing but the players seem to absolutely love the guy) or if the Sox can get a lot of money back from the Angels or another player/prospect I'd pass.

EDIT: Red Sox beatr writers already shooting this down saying the Sox have zero interest in Wells.

 

You're assuming that it's the Sox side being the hold up. Perhaps Ortiz is asking for more money now.

 

I think it's more likely Ortiz asking for more a year than the Sox low balling him. But that's simply a guess.

I think the deal will get done, just take a little longer.

 

But Vernon Wells is basically a waste of a roster space and depending on the money going back and forth it might not even be worth that. Of course again if Haren walks they're out an arm, while with Lackey they have him for at least 2 years and the 3rd year he'd be making peanuts. The contract lengths are important too.

 

Word is Sox and Ortiz agreed to a 2 year 26M deal.

 

He's a 31 year old platoon player. He kills lefties and yes Fenway is built for him but he's replaceable. Would I like the Sox to resign him? Yes, but I think he and his agent are looking for a bigger/longer contract than he's really worth. If he signs elsewhere I'm not going to lose sleep over it. He's not the type of player to offer a long term deal to.

 

Take it for whatever it's worth but ESPN.com's Keith Law posted his top 50 free agents of this offseason and Cody Ross didn't even make the cut. I think people are overrating him a bit. He's a nice player, a useful one as a platoon but let's not go crazy about him.

The only Red Sox FA that made the list was Matsuzaka at #47 (Ortiz obviously didn't make it because he was never a FA).