VIDEO: John Lackey Welcomed To Boston

by Randy Booth on Dec 16, 2009 5:14 PM EST in News

It was a busy day in Boston. First Mike Cameron before noon and then later a little John Lackey action. Lackey is a officially a Red Sox, something that some of you might love or might hate. I guess we'll judge that come April.

A few details from the press conference and other news regarding Lackey:

His wife, Krista, went to the University of New Hampshire (a rival of mine, in a way, but that's OK) and was a big factor in Lackey coming to Boston.
Lackey's deal is actually front-loaded, which is good if the Red Sox ever run into problems with the big pitcher down the line. Lackey is due $18M the first season and $15.25 every season after that. His signing bonus is worth $3.5M.
Alex Speier of WEEI breaks down why the Sox chose to sign Lackey than trade for Roy Halladay. Halladay would have cost the team prospects and money -- a lot of money, as Halladay is going to get approximately $20M per season for the next three years.
Theo Epstein apparently sent Josh Beckett a text saying the Lackey signing had no effect on Beckett's future with the Sox. This is a good message to give to Josh early.

After watching the video of the press conference -- which can be found below -- I'm quite excited for Lackey to be in Boston. It's for many reasons (that I will break down in a post tomorrow), but one is just the combination of great pitching and a defense that should also be great, depending what happens at third base and first base. With three bonafide No. 1 starting pitchers, and three more good-to-great pitchers, this Red Sox rotation has to be considered the best in baseball going into Opening Day. With that defense behind them, this is going to be a dangerous team.

I think Lackey will be really good with the Sox. It helps, though, that Theo has improved the defense behind him. If that hadn't happened, Lackey's stats would suffer and I don't think we'd get full value out of him. But as it stands now, the combination of this pitching staff and defense could be lethal in the American League.

Here's the Lackey video:

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Comments

Remember

We need a third baseman before we can say the defense has improved.

Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway

by Sean O on Dec 16, 2009 5:28 PM EST reply actions

Not really, no.

Kotchman at first and Youk at 3rd would provide an improved defense with Cameron and Scutaro factored in.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Dec 16, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

A lot of that depends on Lowell moving to Texas

To zobrist; verb – to overlook the superiority of a person or object based on misleading sensory or conversational factors. e.g. "My teacher totally zobristed me on that paper – I’d included all the points he asked for but I didn’t drone on about Grover Cleveland enough. He’s totally biased towards Cleveland. What’s worse is that Danny Dukowski got an A, and his prose style is terrible. He’s a total Victorino." deadspy3 - Amazin' Avenue

by bloodysock04 on Dec 16, 2009 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

I wonder

if Youk vs. Lowell ’09 outdoes Kotchman vs. Youk ’09 at first.

Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway

by Sean O on Dec 16, 2009 5:35 PM EST reply actions

What?

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Dec 16, 2009 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

Wonder no longer...

It does. Kotchman is a plus defender at first, as good or nearly as good as Youk (or at least he was as late as ’07). Youk provides average 3B defense. Lowell provided as much range at 3B as a statue.

Rock me, sexy Jesus...

by nuthinboutnuthin on Dec 16, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

Meaning

I wonder if our IF defense will be improved vs. the end part of last season. I’m not really sure how youk at third compares to late ‘09 Mike Lowell, and how much worse Kotchman’s D is than Youk.

Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway

by Sean O on Dec 16, 2009 5:40 PM EST reply actions

I forever give up on replying, because I'm too tired and stupid

Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway

by Sean O on Dec 16, 2009 5:40 PM EST up reply actions

Youk at 3b didn’t seem to have a great year defensively last year, but he was good the previous years. Plus he was a 3b coming up, so I can’t imagine he’d wouldn’t be nearly as good as he is at 1b given some stability.

by brogshan on Dec 16, 2009 5:57 PM EST up reply actions

Youk isn't the greatest 3B

He’s about average, above-average. Kotch at first though is fantastic, same with Youk. So we don’t lose much there.

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by Randy Booth on Dec 16, 2009 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

You need to factor in the injury risk

Any position (infield or outfield)change would cause a 30% rise in injury risk.
Link to Will Carroll Study
Are you willing to take that risk for your best offensive player? I’m not.

by bloodysock04 on Dec 16, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

But

hasn’t the team been putting Youk at an injury risk the last two years by shuffling him back and forth? I couldn’t read the full article in your link, but if I recall doesn’t the injury risk go away after 30 games?

by brogshan on Dec 16, 2009 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

Lowell was so awful at 3B last year

that even if Youk was just average or slightly below average, he’d still be an improvement.

"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 Dec 16, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions

I hate his face. I really do.

by Ihatetheredsox on Dec 16, 2009 5:58 PM EST reply actions

AHEM

Lackey is a officially a Red Sox, something that some of you might love or might hate. I guess we’ll judge that come April.

No. I think I’ll judge it now. I don’t care how great the defense is behind a declining flyball pitcher in a field where the left-field wall is about 36 feet away. I don’t like this deal.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 16, 2009 7:09 PM EST reply actions

+1

I hate this as a baseball deal.

The silver lining is that you can buy Angels Fans’ Tears by the quart in every grocery store in Southern California. Tasty…

Rock me, sexy Jesus...

by nuthinboutnuthin on Dec 16, 2009 8:04 PM EST up reply actions

Except now they're turning the corner and being all....

WOO-HOO! GODZILLA!!! We got an old, Japanese DH for a season and we’re luvin’ it!

We got 5 years of Lackey. :(

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 16, 2009 8:06 PM EST up reply actions

Apparently, they never liked him...

Rock me, sexy Jesus...

by nuthinboutnuthin on Dec 16, 2009 8:28 PM EST up reply actions

I'm surprised about this as well.

I was pretty sure that the Rev wrote a @#$%ing limerick or something that he was awesome. Guess I dreamed it.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 16, 2009 10:36 PM EST up reply actions

"Everybody Loves Lackey"

by beantownboy171 on Dec 16, 2009 7:31 PM EST reply actions

Maaaaaaaaaaa!

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 16, 2009 7:47 PM EST up reply actions

Lackey is uglier than sin

I dont want to look at his shit face every 5 days. Can we get him a helmet with a facemask or something?

Miguel Cabrera IS the solution to our problems.
Release Jason Varitek before ST is over !
Do not pay Jason Bay !!
Trade Buchholz !!!

by gizmosandy on Dec 16, 2009 8:14 PM EST reply actions

I see now that

the reason we had Penny last year was to ease us into having to look at Lackey every 5 days.

by wolf9309 on Dec 16, 2009 9:10 PM EST up reply actions

Dude!

I just watched Iron Man! We could get him something like that.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 16, 2009 10:35 PM EST up reply actions

BUT THE ARC REACTOR WAS JUST A PUBLICITY STUNT!

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Dec 16, 2009 11:16 PM EST up reply actions

Red Sox Nation

Will learn to love John Lackey.

by Snowball on Dec 16, 2009 11:57 PM EST reply actions

it's probably true

It takes a while to get to like someone when you’ve just spent years learning to hate them though.

I don’t think there’s that many people here that truly dislike Lackey, just the deal that he got.

by wolf9309 on Dec 17, 2009 9:44 AM EST up reply actions

I would be one of the few that doesn't like him OR the deal, then.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 17, 2009 10:15 AM EST up reply actions

there's definitely a few!

by wolf9309 on Dec 17, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions

But now that he's pitching for us no matter what, will you begrudge him any success he has with us?

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Dec 17, 2009 3:53 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know.

I’m pretty sure how NG got the way he is…it unnerves me a little.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 17, 2009 6:48 PM EST up reply actions

some posts here are classless

you people who complain about his God-given face
should be ashamed of yourselves.

by Snowball on Dec 16, 2009 11:59 PM EST reply actions

Get off that there high horse, fella.

We’re paying the man’s salary.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Dec 17, 2009 12:49 AM EST up reply actions

Just having fun

You take people too seriously. First the WMP poll now this?

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Dec 17, 2009 1:08 AM EST up reply actions

I am ashamed of myself.

happy?

Miguel Cabrera IS the solution to our problems.
Release Jason Varitek before ST is over !
Do not pay Jason Bay !!
Trade Buchholz !!!

by gizmosandy on Dec 17, 2009 7:36 AM EST up reply actions

Awwwwwwwwwwwww....SNOWBALL!

It’s Christmas. Let’s hug and be friends again.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

I have a five-tool player in my pants.

by Bloggy on Dec 17, 2009 8:20 AM EST up reply actions

it's just joking around

I still don’t like his deal, but I don’t hold it against him, and I’ll be rooting for him as long as he’s on the mound for the Sox. He IS a good pitcher and I think he’ll be a solid addition.

by wolf9309 on Dec 17, 2009 9:43 AM EST up reply actions

From an Angel fan's perspective...

You guys will love they guy in 2010 and maybe 2011. He’s sometimes dominant, and sometimes he stinks but more often than not he steps it up for the big games so you remember the times he’s dominant and forget the times he stinks.

I don’t think he’ll hold up for the life of his contract though. There’s a reason the Angels front office refused to add the 5th year to their offer. In the long run he’s not worth the contract you offered him in my oppinion.

by Jietoh on Dec 17, 2009 12:52 PM EST reply actions

probably so

(okay, almost ‘certainly’ so).

One small thing that does help ameliorate the size/length of the contract is that it is apparently slighty front-loaded. The Sox will be paying the signing bonus (~$3M) and a bigger salary (~$18M+) in the first year of the contract. Then it drops to about $15M for the duration. That means after the first year, his contract will be just a little above Dice-Ks.

Does that make it more palatable?

by mmmmm on Dec 17, 2009 12:59 PM EST up reply actions