Red Sox 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[SoxFanForsyth]

Originally Posted by jung

Ross has had a pretty decent career before ever walking into Fenway Park. So I don't think teams will not express interest in him and he was not making that much money in Boston. Will I think the bidding will get ridiculous for him....no....Do I think the Sox could have had him for much less than they are going to end up paying for him if they had just made a contract offer before FA....yes. Could it be enough of a dif for them to pass....no doubt. It's not harder than that. So he may end up back in Boston but I just don't understand why the Sox didn't get something done on him before FA.....other than the same reasons we have been discussing generally with regard to this FO.

Probably because the Sox are going after him with Willingham's contract (2/14 with an option), and he's refuting that with probably a 4/60 deal.

I'm sure they're not close. if he hits the market, he'll get 3/30 probably. Not sure the Sox would go that high (or long) on him. If he goes, he goes. He wasn't a superstar by any means.

I'd just as soon see Hunter or Melky Cabrera out there.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think Hunter is ending up in the Bronx

[Palodios]

I never have a problem with the Yankees's roster replacing its players with older player with slightly worse stats.

[jung]

The Yanks are in the unenviable position of thinking they are only a player or two away from going all the way.....That is a tough place to make decisions from....we have not faired well from that spot either I think. Ichiro surely worked out for them but that was a trade deadline find.

[SCM33]

Id also take a flier on Soria.

But I am pretty pissed off that we will throw significant money at guys like Soria or Soriano........when we could have just gave Papelbon his money and kept Bard in the pen.....I dont know, maybe its only me, but that seemed like it was working pretty well.

Instead, players like Crawford/Lackey and Gonzalez get their money from the FO.....yeah, that makes sense.

[jung]

Well Crawford and Gonzalez were mistakes that were corrected. Soriano is not going to get the money Boras is whispering in his ear about from anybody much less the Sox. Soria is a low cost, risk/reward kind of deal that could work out pretty good or be a bust. He is going to cost way less than Soriano regardless of what Soriano gets.

I don't think we are going to see big money thrown at closers not named MO, not with the Paps example staring everybody right in the face. It is simply to easy to see that you can be made to look pretty silly spending 4/$44 for a closer when you did not end up having enough team for a 9th inning guy to pay off anyway.

As solid as the Phillies looked they ended up 3rd beating out the pitiful Mets. The "big money for closers" argument certainly did not get any help there. If Boras tries to throw the Paps/Phillies deal around in an effort to get Soriano a big pay day he will likely be laughed out of the room. While Paps is proven at some level, there is and I think will likely only be one MO. Soriano is not even proven at a Paps level.

[bubbakeg52]

Originally Posted by seabeachfred

Youk's not my first choice iortiz but I would take him in a second over James Loney. Good God, I hope we don't ask that bum back. He is close to worthless. But do you think Kevin would really want back in Boston?

Youker wants to go to Cincy...lil monking bird can nest up in the virgina mts for all i care.... he fucking bitches at every foul ball he can't get a hold off and no longer draws walks at the rate he use to... time to move on and stop worrying about Mike Stanley..I do like the guy as a ball player but these new prospects that are really good are becoming younger and younger by the day..

[SoxSport]

It would be a mistake for the Yankees to sign Hunter. They need to get younger.

Somebody is going to get Hamilton. He should be the target for the Red Sox. They can afford to pay him $30 mil ----more than the Yankees can--at this point.

Signing Hamilton would bring some excitement to Boston.

[jung]

Man...talk about some age in the lineup...Imagine the Yanks starting Ichiro, Grandy and Hunter in the OF......Arod, Jeter, Cano and Tex around the horn, Martin catching with Raul in the DH spot. Bring on the Geritol commercials.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Free Agency has officially started.

Wonder if the Angels exercised Haren's option and traded him, exercised and kept to work out a deal later, or let him walk?

[SoxFanForsyth]

I have thought about it for a bit, and I think I would call the Twins on Mauer, and see what they want and how much they'd eat.

Looking at his numbers, he's got a .399 OBP over the last 3 years and a .416 OBP in 2012.

His power numbers got crushed by Target field and while he'll never be a 28 HR guy again, he can certainly be a 18-20 HR guy with his opposite field swing. Add that to a .400+ OBP and his versatility, and he's exactly the type of player that the Sox are looking for.

If the Twins will eat his salary down to around a $17mm AAV, I'd check into him certainly.

[SCM33]

Please kick the tires on Michael Bourn and explore trade possibilities for Ellsbury....

[SoxFanForsyth]

meh. not sold on Bourn. He's looking for a $100mm+ contract, and he's only had an OBP over .350 once in his career.

Career .339 OBP, .702 OPS. I'm just not that sold on him.

[Palodios]

I don't touch Upton or Bourne with a ten foot pole. Crawford majorly fucked up the market for speedy outfielders. I'm still very much sold on Shane Victorino however.

[Station 13]

Originally Posted by SCM33

Please kick the tires on Michael Bourn and explore trade possibilities for Ellsbury....

Would be just another Crawford bad signing. Same agent as Ellsbury. Looking for $80-100M for his client.