BZ's Pick 5: Update

it’s hard to hate that deal too much. For the potential he brings, even though you know he’ll be injured some of the time, he could well be worth it. Especially because it’s 5 years, not, say, 7. There are plenty of people who are going to complain that almost any free agent contract sucks and, well, it’s because most of them do. But that one is unlikely to be completely crippling.

I may be wrong though. Not too thrilled about Miller in the rotation. I don’t think Lannan’s bad enough to be in that “bullpen” slot in the rotation. Would definitely be interesting nonetheless.

who, if everyone has missed it, has become quite a good pitcher.

Play Reddick, hope he has a hot few months, and hope Kalish is ready by June or July.

I don’t want Beltran, Cuddyer, Willingham or whomever else we can sign in RF. Just go with Reddick/Kalish.

Now, when we start talking pitching? Wolf… I’ll say you’re convincing me that Jackson might be the best deal we can make (costs us less than a trade, and seems reasonably good). I wonder why the market for him has been so quiet.

If Lavarnway is tearing shit up in AAA, do we bring him up and trade Shoppach or Salty?

Salty knows the team better, but Shoppach has the good bat against lefties.

Shoppach is likely gone part way through the year, eventually Lavarnway is going to take the job, maybe even the job Salty has. But I full expect Shoppach will be the one to go.

… before the Lowrie trade, if Scoot hit the DL, Lowrie becomes the everyday starter and blocks Iglesias’ call up. Obviously, Punto and Aviles are utility guys, so hopefully we don’t see either of them get the starting role for an extended amount of time (unlike Lowrie, who would have been given the chance).

So, therefore, without Lowrie blocking him, that opportunity should go to Iglesias, and we’ll see if he can learn how to hit at the major league level.

And I’m with Rogue on Melancon… as long as we don’t sign another closer, this was a good pick up (and I don’t care if Melancon closes, or ends up setting up for Bard).

Sure, I think we could have created another set up guy from one of our back end starter types… but if Melancon’s history of closing is what allows the front office to toy with Bard as a starter without signing Madson or trading for Bailey, then I’m okay with him in that role.

If we drop money or prospects on a closer instead of a starter, I’m going to like this deal less.

And, yes, since this thread was spun off my suggestion that a lot of folks in here would have been happy trading Ellsbury away in December 2010 due to his being “soft” and “injury prone” and a bad defensive CF; I’ll agree that he isn’t a perfect comparison for Lowrie, as he was starting for the 2011 Sox whether we wanted him to or not, and Lowrie wasn’t starting for the 2012 Sox.

However, my point was… if we had traded Ells for another starter in December 2010 (say a C that was better than Salty, or a #5 SP), I think a lot of folks in here would have cheered as much as they are cheering Lowrie being packaged for a set up guy. A lot of folks in here had given up on Ellsbury, who had only shown a few streaks of hot performance (late in 2007, and with an unsustainable BABIP in 2009), and then broke out in 2011 with an MVP type season.

Will Lowrie have an MVP type season? Of course not. Could he have a break out year as an everyday starter in Houston? You know, stay off the DL for a change and hit 20 HRs (in that bandbox) and 80 RBIs, with a .280/.370/.510 slash line? And if he does, would you be happy that he was traded in a package for Melancon?

And I feel like a few teams out there have converted back end starters into set up guys or closers: Jon Rauch comes to mind.

I think we ruined his confidence and any shot he had in the pros.

Plus, looking back at him, I think he was overrated, he wasn’t very consistent at all, his K rate fluctuated between 6 and 10, his walk rate between 1.5 to 3.

Doubront was a little more consistent, his walk rates have never been great but his control has appeared to be more steady. Tazawa was blowing guys away in his rehab from TJ surgery, I think he is worth a shot. Wilson may be more of a long shot but I think he can top out in the mid-high 90s as a reliever which is worth looking into.

if he’s getting playing time – which we would hope he was not (Youk, Scut, Pedroia are healthy) So to hold onto a middle infielder just because he “might” be good just seems like soemthing this team didn’t really need to do – the pen definitely needed an upgrade