David Ortiz "Will Be Back"; Andrew Miller Re-Signed

If another team wants Madson, and they make him an offer and he threatens to accept arbitration, then the other team will have to up their bid in order to get him to sign.

Sure, it probably makes the Phillies worried to an extent (not sure what he would get in Arb.) but if the Red Sox were desperate for him, they would need to up their offer in order to get him. I think that’s what South Coast Ghost meant. If I’m not mistaken, he/she was saying that with these two in particular it is an empty threat because neither has a chance to close for their teams (barring injuries to Pap/Axford) and thus at the end of next year they’ll likely be in a similar situation. They aren’t going to increase their value over what it is now by being set-up men for the next year and at best can hope to maintain it and pray there are more closer openings next year.(in my opinion)

It’s a risk for them, especially K-Rod who has stated that he wants to end his career with the most Saves ever. He wants to be a closer, plain and simple.

then we are F’d, royally. Not even counting the fact that BOBBY JENKS would be our closer on opening day.

Our all star right fielder sucked last year, so replacing him with Kalish/ Reddick is probably a wash. Also, we won 90 games last year and missed the playoffs by one game.

Am I saying that the Red Sox are a lock for the 2012 postseason? No, of course not. This team, as constructed right now in December 2011, has some significant holes. But even with those holes, we’re a good team. If we can patch the holes reasonably well (not out of the question even with the limited available budget), the 2012 Red Sox have a good chance of being a powerhouse team.

If I recall, we only had one lefty in the pen at a time last year too. We didn’t miss out on the playoffs last year primarily because we only had 1 lefty. Lavarnway can certainly be the backup catcher and McDonald can be the 4th OF if we need him to be (even if you don’t like him), the Sox have shown they think Kalish is major league ready, if he’s healthy (always a question) I can’t imagine he’d spend much time at all in AAA if we need him, Lin could get a look as a defensive replacement too. RF/4th OF isn’t a position we have to look very far outside the organization to fix.

There are a lot of questions, but they’re the same questions every organization has to answer, I mean, what if Matt Moore get’s hit by a meteor this winter? Are the Rays screwed? What if Robbie Cano decides to go full time with his secret hobby of numismatics and quit baseball forever? My point it, you can ask a million questions to make things seem worse than they are, but they really aren’t that bad once you take some of the ridiculousness out, like Beckett actually gives two and a half shits about whether the year is cleanly divisible by 2 or not.

The team as it stands is far better off than most of the league. Get Ortiz and a bunch of cheap SP depth and the rest is just tinkering.

That don’t have this amount of questions that could be brought up.

I hadn’t thought of the trade chip part with him. I think that was likely the thought process of the Padres when they went out and got Huston Street as well. His numbers in Petco are likely to look good, so when the trade deadline comes there will inevitably be teams looking to add a reliever or two and he will almost certainly be made available.

$11.5 million + (half of the buyout of his option/2)

If I were the Red Sox, I would much, much prefer to commit $14 million this year than to offer $13 million this year AND $11 million next year. Much different commitment size. Doesn’t really guarantee stability because what if last year was flukey or he is genuinely regressing this year? In return for the stability, if I were the Sox, I’d probably max out at 2 years, $10 mill/year. If I were Papi, I’d accept arbitration there, but I wouldn’t offer more as the team. The last thing I want is a one dimensional player on the roster who is losing his one dimension.

And I say all that as probably one of the biggest Papi fans here.