I'm Bored so let's talk about off season moves!

by radiohix on Oct 6, 2009 10:35 AM EDT Comment 23 comments

So what's on Theo's list for the coming off season?

Signing Jayson Bay to an extension at the right price
Finding a SS (Drew, Hardy or Gonzalez) in case Lowrie doesn't fully heal.
A fifth starter: I would love to have Wake back but when you see his injuries record the past 3 years, you might think that he's an unreliable option and Hey! you never have enough pitching!
The backup Catcher situation: Will Tek be back?

For Bay case, I think that the Sox FO have already fixed a price tag for him and they will let him walk if they are outbid by another team: It looks to me that this team will be the Giants who are one big bat away from contending in the weak NL West. So what are the Sox other options? One name come immediately to mind: Matt Holliday and his superb 5.5 WAR but there's some points that makes skeptical about this signing:

He's a Boras client: He'll ask for a huge contract in terms of money and years and Theo doesn't like dealing with him (It's an impression that I have, not a fact) especially after the Texeira debacle.
His defense is declining at an alarming pace (UZR 07: 14.2 08: 9.1 and 09: 3.9)
The MFY will be looking for a LFer after clearing up some space in their payroll: Matsui and Damon gone.

So let's say No Bay and No Holliday, what are the other options?

Internal options? Kalish and Reddick are not ready yet, they need more seasoning in AAA
Trade? I would love to have Connor Jackson from Arizona but with his sickness and his struggle versus RH pitching make this deal hypothetical.
What about Carlos Beltran? The Mets could be front runners in the Holliday chase if they can clear up some payroll and there's this dumb impression in their fan base that he doesn't play the game to win so maybe we can trade for him to play CF and move Taco to LF (where he plays above avg defense). I Know it's a wishful thinking but if the Sox go after him aggressively, a deal could be done.

The SS situation, I would love to have a fully healthy Lowrie and Gonzalez in a utility infielder role but if he's not fully healthy, we should pursue JJ Hardy and wait to see what Jose Iglesias can do with the bat.

For the 5th starter situation, I have a simple answer: RICH HARDEN because it's one of those low risk-high reward deals that Theo's loves to make, plus I'm a big believer in the shoulder program that the Sox have, you could ask Brad Penny about it!

For the catcher situation, I don't think that V-Mart could play a full season at the catcher position and I think Tek will be back for the final year of his career but if he's not back, there's some good options and here's my 3 favorites:

Trade for Suzuki: Remember that the Sox were very high on him and they were hesitant which one to draft between him and Pedroia.
Sign Bengie Molina as a FA: he will not be back to SF now that Posey is taking over, although I think that the Mets are the front runners.
Promote Mark Wagner from AAA: He still needs some seasoning in Pawtucket but the defensive skills are ML ready.

Thoughts?

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I'm disappointed.

Thought this post was titled “I’m Bored so let’s talk about off season movies!”

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Oct 6, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Sorry to disappoint you!

"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur

by radiohix on Oct 6, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought so too...

Hey, the Laundry needs some comments.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 6, 2009 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I highly doubt the Yanks

go after Bay or Holliday. Both will want big contracts and after last year’s spending spree that is increasingly unlikely. My guess is they retain Damon for a year or two and hopefully make a run at Carl Crawford after 2010 (presuming his option is either picked up and traded out of the AL East or picked up and played out thru 2010) TBay of course, could extend him with the money they saved with Kazmir and this would all be a moot point.

Either way, I don’t see the Yankees playing much of a factor in the Bay/Holliday race besides token interest to drive the price up.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 6, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I remember Cashman sayin'

That the yankees were happy with the option of Swisher playin’ first base before going after Tex and I really think that they’ll be major players again because I don’t see them resigning Damon, Cashman goal remain of getting the team younger and more athletic.

"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur

by radiohix on Oct 6, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I expect Damon's homer-happy ways in NYS have earned him another couple years with the Yanks.

I also don’t think they’re quite ready to commit another 7.5% of their payroll to a single player.

by USG on Oct 6, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

what CasanovaWong states would accomplish this goal:Crawford is younger than Bay and Holliday, and is a better value-he is a high WAR player with a good glove and limited power-those guys are always a better buy. The only thing here is if Damon would stay in NY given a limited contract. We all know he will go where the money is, and some team will (relatively) overpay him based on his performance at the plate this year. I doubt he will take a one year deal. The Yankees will either have to really pay him (for more than 1 year, and perhaps more than 2), or he is gone. Also, I doubt the Rays are going to let Crawford hit FA.

by Buzzy on Oct 6, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree on the fact that the Rays will deal Crawford before he hits FA

They have a very nice option in Jennings (.325/.419/.491 in AAA) and I even think that they’ll trade him this winter to maximize the return.

"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur

by radiohix on Oct 6, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heck,

The Rays could even put Zobrist out in LF. Desmond Jennings is sooooo good though, he’d probably be a better bet. Crawford probably gets his option picked up and traded out of the AL East.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 6, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is true,

but I don’t think anybody really bought that. I know I didn’t. I doubt any of you did either.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 6, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nooooooo....

If the MFY get Crawford, we definitely have to get Span.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 6, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yanks have the new stadium

so I think they could easily go after Matt Holliday to play LF. Matsui and Damon represent a good chunk of change coming off of their payroll, and they will have other guys coming off the books in the coming years.

Holliday IS younger and more athletic (compared to the guys who are walking), and a much better defender than Bay. And the fact that he’s represented by Boras means that he’ll play up the Red Sox/Yankees bids and wait until the last minute to sign, a la Teixeira.

I would love to get Crawford, but his top-notch glove would be somewhat wasted in Fenway. No one would ever get a hit to left again, though, short of the Monster.

Red Sox Talk redsox.wordpress.com fantasyscope.wordpress.com

by redsoxtalk on Oct 9, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Suzuki

I don’t see Beane dealing a young, cost controlled guy like that. I would love to have him, but it creates another logjam with Lowell/V-Mart/Youk/Suzuki (assuming Varitek is done, of course).

I’d like to see them resign Bay, you got a guy who has proven he can play in Boston and is a class act, why risk it with Holliday? I’m really excited about the future of our OF: Reddick, Kalish and to a certain degree Westy, Lin, and Fuentes (further down the road of course).

I as well have thought about Harden, but you got Bowden and Tazawa ready.

I realize its a long shot, but I would LOVE to see Prince Fielder in a Sox uniform. Deal Lowell, move Youk to 3rd, and put together a respectable package for Milwaukee, they have the recourses to get a deal done. Wishful thinking, I know, but I can dream.

by ritz on Oct 6, 2009 8:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

One man's logjam is another's flexibility.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 6, 2009 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My moves

LF – Sign Bay or Holliday – which ever contract makes the most sense.
SS – Gonzo or Wilson – Decline Gonzo’s option, try to sign him to a 1 year/$3M deal. If he declines, try to bring in Wilson for $5M or less. Lowrie becomes a utility infielder (or possible trading chip) with Iglesias a potential ’11 option.
1B – Make a run at Adrian Gonzalez.
C – Don’t pick up Tek’s option, I doubt he picks up his player option to be VMart’s backup. If so, I look for an experienced one year stop gap backup (ex: J. Molina).
SP – Ink a top notch, but injury risk starter. Webb (assuming D-Backs don’t pick up his option) is my first choice followed by Harden and Bedard.
RP – Pick up Saito’s option. Assuming Wagner doesn’t return, final spot goes to FCab or a free agent (ex: Lyon).
Overall – I make a run at Chapman if the scouting reports are favorable the price reasonable. I stash him in the minors for ‘10 unless he’s too good to ignore.

My ’10 roster:

Ellsbury (cf), Pedroia (2b), Ad. Gonzo (1b), Youkilis (3b), VMart {c}, Holliday/Bay (lf), Ortiz (dh), Drew (rf), Gonzo/Wilson (ss)

Molina {c}, Lowrie (inf), Lowell (3b/1b), Baldelli (of)

Beckett, Lester, Buchholz, Matsuzaka, Webb/Wakefield

Papelbon, Bard, Ohkajima, Ramirez, MDC, Saito, FCab/Lyon

by mg050369 on Oct 6, 2009 8:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sounds good.

The Adrian Gonzalez talk though might be a little unrealistic.

"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw

by BTLove on Oct 7, 2009 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps but not outside out the realm of possibilities

Gonzalez is young, talented, cost controlled and an integral part of the SD roster. However, they aren’t going to win with or without him in the next season or two. They also have top 1B prospect (Kyle Blanks) that at 6’6", 285# is probably a bit misplaced in SD’s large outfield. Therefore it’s conceivable that the Sox could pry him away with the right mix of major league ready players and prospects, both of which the Sox have.

by mg050369 on Oct 7, 2009 7:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem is that he makes very little money,

so SD is in no rush to trade him. I think he will be traded before the end of his deal, but he has such a team friendly contract that they lose very little if they do not trade him. Especially this off-season. What would it take? The deal would start with Clay Buchholz and Ryan Westmoreland is my guess and then it would take more.

"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw

by BTLove on Oct 7, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wake's going to get the back issue fixed with this surgery...

So he should be able to pitch the rest of the season once he is ready.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 6, 2009 8:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

For $4M, I'm happy if he takes his time

Let him come back in the second half. He should be completely healthy by then, and we know he can handle half a season. If we assume he’ll be the team’s #4 starter, he’ll probably be the best #4 starter in the league at that point.

by RSNexile on Oct 7, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see him more as a 5th starter, after Beckett, Lester, Buchholz and Dice-K

When you have a guy like that as your 5th starter it means that you’re set up with pitching but again all those back and shoulder injuries are worrying me so I think we should go after guys like Harden!

"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur

by radiohix on Oct 7, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not counting on Dice-K until we see if he's in shape in the preseason

by RSNexile on Oct 7, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Marco Scutaro

How about Marco Scutaro for SS

I know he’s 35 but he can hit, plays decent defense and is the top SS on the market

Because lets face it Orlando Cabrera obviously pissed off the organization (Otherwise why would they continuly pass on him) and the only other solid SS option is the inconsistent Hardy

by mariangaborik10 on Oct 10, 2009 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs