Red Sox cut catcher Josh Bard
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 12:01 PM EDT
in News
68 comments
The Red Sox have placed catcher Josh Bard on "unconditional release waivers," according to the Globe.
Bard signed with the Red Sox in early January.
This leaves the Sox with three catchers in camp: Jason Varitek, George Kottaras and Dusty Brown.
I won't go and find my comments, but I was saying shortly after this signing that I didn't expect Bard to be on the roster come Opening Day. Ching! He's been cut and now we'll see who can be Varitek's backup. Perhaps a trade is in the works? It seems a little fishy the Sox would cut a veteran over two rookies, but performance is performance.
Bard was batting .429 in 14 at-bats before being cut.
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You beat me to it, Randy.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on Mar 18, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t call .429 over 14 spring training ABs poor performance, however.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on Mar 18, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This move makes no sense
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 12:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
What if we bring in a new catcher via trade?
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was just thinking that
That’s the only way this makes sense.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wake
I would say this is largely due to the fact that whoever is our #2 catcher will have to catch wakefield every fifth game. Kottaras can catch the knuckleball while Bard struggled heavily in his last attempt with Boston. If there is any dropoff in offense, Kottaras’s run prevention more than makes up for it.
by Schulz on Mar 18, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He was supposedly putting in a lot more work to try to learn it.
Wake was impressed, IIRC.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Mar 18, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is crazy
Let’s see. We have a catcher who will likely struggle to hit 230 and is hitting 160 in the Spring while he “is working on his new batting stance.” We have a guy in Kottaras who is even worse defensively than Bard, and has never played in the show. Then we have a guy who hit 330, and 280 in his last healthy seasons, is recovered from injury last year, and has hit fine in the Spring. Let’s cut that guy.
To be honest, this seems crazy.
by Buzzy on Mar 18, 2009 12:31 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Exactly
I was half expecting Bard to be seeing at least half the playing time judging by his performances in ST, but I don’t even know what to think now. Unless a trade is in the works, I’m not seeing the logic in this trade. Someone help me out???
by Brad West on Mar 18, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
me too. The point about catching Wake is sort of missing the point: I don’t want our other catcher just to catch Wake (who, by the way, used to throw to Tek), I want a platoon at least because Tek is an absolute liability at the dish.
by Buzzy on Mar 18, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looking at their splits, a Tek/Kottaras platoon would probably be the most effective. The problem is that I have no confidence that they will be used that way. But if Kottaras shows he can hit, maybe Tito will go to him consistently.
by BTLove on Mar 18, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kottaras is out of options
If the Red Sox kept Bard, Kottaras would have to be placed on waivers. I guess the Sox F.O. liked the long-term prospect of Kottaras better than Bard.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on Mar 19, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey, Tek hit a homer yesterday.
Maybe he’s found a better stance.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Mar 18, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, he raised his AVG to .160!
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd
Couldn’t agree more.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd Buzzy
Reply fail.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Huh? WTF?!
I thought the catcher strategy was to throw players at the spot until two of them stuck. Now we’re RELEASING the guy who was showing THE MOST PROMISE?!!
I’m guessing this is a roster issue. Kottaras is out of options, so to keep him he needs a spot (according to the Globe link). Kottaras is also younger and less costly. None of which matters if he can’t handle the position.
This would have been less of an issue if we had simply not resigned Jason Varitek to begin with. I think Bard is as likely to provide the same production as Tek for $1.7 million (Tek will cost us at least $8 million over two years).
Maybe something else was behind this decision. Maybe John Henry has a daughter that Bard was romancing. Maybe Bard was caught trying to steal the World Series trophies… But as a pure baseball decision, this is a head-scratcher.
"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 Mar 18, 2009 12:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Next Step??
So if the F.O. is thinking of a trade (I f*ing hope so***), what does everyone think the possibilities are? Just like to here some thoughts….
by Brad West on Mar 18, 2009 12:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Buchholz and Bard to the MFY for Cash
:-)
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but only if we fly him in from...
…the West Coast hours before a game, and give him a police escort from Logan to Fenway.
"and THAT happened" -John Mayer announcing Pedrioa at-bat in Tokyo
by DJDP23 on Mar 18, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cash, money, or Cash, the player?
And hell no to either.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Mar 18, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Player. It's capitalized.
Well, I'll appreciate for you to keep my zingers outta your mouth!
by BoSox415 on Mar 18, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We've discussed the possibilities before.
Here, for example, is a bunch of talented catching prospects. Most people latch onto the Texas kids, Max Ramirez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden, but the Cardinals’ Bryan Anderson is also promising (and blocked).
It seems unlikely that the Sox are trading for anyone though, especially at this point in the season.
"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 Mar 18, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There's a kid named Flowers
Who is supposed to be promising as well.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on Mar 19, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sickels ranks him a B.
According to this. Kid used PEDs, which is probably a turn off for the Sox FO.
"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 Mar 21, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ve been calling to bring back Mirabelli for years (well, actually one year I guess…)
Bring back Daubach too…F*** Wilkerson
"Well let me just quote the late-great Colonel Sanders, who said...'I'm too drunk to taste this chicken.' "
-Ricky Bobby
by nepats108 on Mar 18, 2009 1:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If we're bringin back Dougie...
We may as well bring back Batshit McCraken too.
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
by sox-inda-south on Mar 18, 2009 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No way is he leaving J. Lo.
"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 Mar 18, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't get it
We have to be missing something. It’s clearly not performance based when he’s hitting .429 this spring. It’s not about catching Wake because Tek isn’t capable of playing four games out of five anymore, so he can catch Wake, just like he used to do. And I don’t see who the Sox trade — are they gutting their newly dominant bullpen for one of the Rangers’ young catchers, or are they trading pitchers like Bard or Buchholz? That doesn’t sound likely either.
by RSNexile on Mar 18, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think it's as simple as him not being able to catch Wake.
And the Sox being unwilling or unable to convince ‘Tek to do so. Apparently Kottaras and/or Brown have been more impressive blocking the knuckler, so we’ll just have to see how it goes.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Mar 18, 2009 2:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Darn.
Now I can’t say “YOU SPOONY BARD” as much.
Adopted Giant: Clayton Tanner (unless someone tells me he's already been adopted)
"He [Sandoval] is a big, puffy crouton in our wilted salad of a lineup. Do No matter how bad a movie is a eight game sweep is wacky in baseball, so a one run loss in the series is not the end of the world. disparage the comedian." -sfgiantstoday
by walkoff baltimore chop on Mar 18, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I fail. I almost forgot about him.
Adopted Giant: Clayton Tanner (unless someone tells me he's already been adopted)
"He [Sandoval] is a big, puffy crouton in our wilted salad of a lineup. Do No matter how bad a movie is a eight game sweep is wacky in baseball, so a one run loss in the series is not the end of the world. disparage the comedian." -sfgiantstoday
by walkoff baltimore chop on Mar 18, 2009 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bard x Masterson - Buchholz = new catcher
This is a wacky theory, but I threw it out there on TBL…
The FO said Masterson wil get one more start and then they need to decide if he will be a starter or a reliever.
Perhaps Daniel Bard has impressed enough to earn a bullpen spot in the majors… enabling Masterson to stay a starter, and giving Penny more time to get healthy.
This makes Buchholz (who’s stock has doubled thanks to a solid spring) trade bait for Slaty or Montero…
Thoughts?
by bottomlinesox on Mar 18, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Thank you for saying it much better than I could
"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"
by MerryGoByeBye on Mar 18, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Buchholz is worth MUCH more than Salty or Montero
Buchholz is a potential top-of-the-rotation starter, the most valuable commodity in baseball. Masterson’s ceiling is a mid-rotation starter/swing-starter/reliever. Bard is a reliever. Thus, in terms of value, Buchholz > Masterson > Bard. That’s why Bard’s name has been mentioned in all of the rumors. The Sox would rather part with a reliever than a starter (who wouldn’t?).
As for Salty, he still hasn’t shown that he will stick at catcher. He is a work in progress. If he stays at catcher, he would be considered a good offensive player. But he doesn’t hit well enough to be a 1B or a DH. I wouldn’t trade Buchholz or Masterson for him—or Montero, who isn’t exactly a stud catching prospect. I may be willing to trade Bard for Salty straight up, but Texas would want more.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree mostly.
But I think Bard is gaining a bunch of value. If he is really as lights out as he looks, he’ll be a true closer in the majors which would make him worth more than Masterson.
by BTLove on Mar 18, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The reason this doesn’t work is because the Sox all along know Masterson is capable of starting, but his cieling isn’t as high as Buchholz’s. So why wouldn’t the Sox make that trade in the offseason when it was rumored it was offered? A really good Spring by Buchholz wouldn’t make the Sox more willing to trade him…
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's what I think
We shouldn’t have resigned Corpse. Just that. He’s not only a fucking hole in the line-up, he’s a hole in the position, because what’s the fucking point of having a decent catcher if we have THE CAPTAIN?
What’s the point of having the best line-up in the majors, if we can have a good one?
"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"
by MerryGoByeBye on Mar 18, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
But how much better is Bard/Brown/Kottaras really going to be over Varitek? It’s not like we’re going from Varitek to a Mauer or McCann.
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cheaper
for a start. My guess is the net when all things considered is that keeping Tek is the right thing to do, but just barely. I agree that Bard is not really a starting catcher, and he could not catch Wake, and Kotteras has some ability with the bat. Still, our whole catcher situation is a mess.
by Buzzy on Mar 18, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t really think money is an issue. We were ready to pony up a crapload for Teixeira and ended up not doing it and not putting it anywhere else. That’s Manny’s money. With all this loose cash the Sox could make a big move at trade deadline.
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Money
is always an issue. The 8+ million could be used for useful signings. In this case, it was not enough money to make the other options worth it. In my opinion, just barely worth it.
by Buzzy on Mar 18, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s $8M if ‘Tek EARNS the $8M. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. If he does, awesome.
by Randy Booth on Mar 18, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Per Cot's
Tek is being paid $5 million this year, with a player option at $3 million for next (team at $5 million). Incentives could raise his player option for 2010 to $10 million (based on games played. For it to hit $4.2 million, all he needs is to appear in 100 games.
"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 Mar 18, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
that is closer to what I thought. He is not worth it, but he is familiar with the staff/team, so without a good alternative, we are stuck. I liked the idea of a Bard?Tek split, with Bard getting more than just 5-day time. Hopefully, Kotteras does not shit his pants behind the plate.
by Buzzy on Mar 18, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know how Kottaras or Brown would handle the position
but I do know that the odds are against Tek. He’s 37, coming off the worst season of his career. There’s a chance that the young guys will be .250 / .330 / .390 hitters, or better – the odds of Varitek doing that well are poor.
More to the point, we’re on the hook for Tek NEXT YEAR as well. So even if Tek pulls a decent year out of his hat, the chances of him doing that in 2010 are even worse.
I think this was a signing colored by emotion, a la Mike Timlin. The FO has had Tek so long that they are willing to give him another shot, despite him not deserving it.
"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 Mar 18, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Mar 18, 2009 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Somebody rec'd a "+1" ?
I agree witht he original comment though
by Schulz on Mar 18, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Personally...
I think Theo is just waiting out for 2010 when he can give a Texeira size contract to Mauer. I don’t agree with this, but it is what my gut is telling me.
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
by sox-inda-south on Mar 18, 2009 4:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Who may or may not be able to kneel behind the plate for hours at a time much longer.
A back injury for a big catcher is scary shit. Even if the evals have come back negative for anything horrible, it’s still a red flag.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Mar 18, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Stupid
So we keep cutting this guy because he can’t catch a mediocre major league pitcher despite the fact he is a much better hitter the the human fan VTek . Vteckwho refuses to do what is best for the team because his ego is so huge he was willing to risk 10 million on the fact some team might sign him for even more even though he is 30+ and had a horrible offensive year the past season and getting worse. This is complete utter B.S.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Mar 18, 2009 6:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe we think Joe Mauer will be available next winter (or this summer)?
It doesn’t really apply to the Bard cut, but maybe we are counting on making a push for Mauer and thats why we didn’t want to sell the farm for Teagarden, Salty etc. Mauer will be a FA after the 2010, so if the Twins start poorly this year maybe they get rid of him this year. For Mauer we give them Buch, Bard and Masterson.
by BTLove on Mar 18, 2009 7:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Mauer's a better bet in Free Agency than Trade
Our farm system has been depleted somewhat by promotions (Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Lowrie all on the big team), and other systems have also gotten better. Other teams probably have better prospects to offer. Free agency might be more likely, since Posada’s signed for the 2011 season. Then again, someone else might offer him way too much money, and Theo, being reasonable would not top the bid.
"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 Mar 19, 2009 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What about Bowden?
Do you see us keeping him, or putting him on the trading block? …or can we even trade him? , sorry, don’t know all that much about the logistics of the farm system. Personally, I hope we keep him, but I don’t speak for the FO
by Brad West on Mar 19, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We certainly can trade him, and I’m sure we would if we could get someone highly valuable in return.
by BTLove on Mar 20, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Bowden gets a full season in AAA
and a call-up in September. If they need more depth in Boston, he may come up earlier. He’s under team control for quite some time, so there’s no reason to trade him.
Theo’s strategy seems to be to hold onto and develop pitching prospects, rather than trading them. Last offseason we could have moved Lester or Buchholz for Santana, but that didn’t happen. Lester wasn’t spectacular until this year, but he was given plenty of time to develop in the majors. I see that happening with Buchholz and Bowden. They could be traded, but given recent history, that seems unlikely.
"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 Mar 21, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So
Anybody think that tek is going to have a bad season or just me!!!
by CB,DT,LB,OR DE is what we need on Mar 23, 2009 9:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You are gong to have a terrible season.
Manny ain't the only bad man.
by tommy.otm on Mar 23, 2009 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He's a gong?
That explains a lot.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Mar 24, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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