2017/18 Hot Stove Thread

[Jack Flap]

JD is older and will be a DH sooner rather than later. I think he'll get a higher AAV than Hosmer, but he shouldn't get 7 years.

[S5Dewey]

I would disagree. The opt out clause helps teams immensely. I'd rather see Price give the Sox three good, well-paid years and then move on rather than aging poorly and spending his last year or two as a financial sinkhole that limits the Sox from making moves and retaining younger players. Any deal over 5 years for a player 30 or over without an opt-out clause is a huge mistake, IMO.

But that only works if Price opts to move on. If he doesn't move on we're stuck with his salary over the last two years of his contract when, as you said, there's a better chance of his becoming that financial sinkhole. Based on the first two years of the contract he'd be nutso to give up a guaranteed $30MM to move on after this year even if he pitches well.

Maybe I'm too conservative but if I were in his position I wouldn't walk away from $60MM in the hope I might get $65MM... or not. It would be interesting to see if anyone would give him that kind of money based on a good year in 2018 considering what he did in 2016 & 2017, his playoff record, and that elbow.

[S5Dewey]

If Eric Hosmer has a seven-year, $147 million offer from the Kansas City Royals, as reported:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...als/998796001/

... I suspect J.D. Martinez will get better offers.

The loser of the apparent Hosmer bidding contest between the Royals and the Padres may turn their attention to Martinez.

If Hosmer has that kind of money in front of him he should sign quickly before the Royals change their mind.

[mvp 78]

Scherzer would have been a better acquisition, obviously. Have to blame Henry on that one, I think.

No doubt!

[mvp 78]

I couldn't believe Dave got snookered into this contract at the time. It guaranteed that Price would be one of the highest paid pitchers in the league for the first three years, almost guaranteed that he'd leave after three years if he was pitching well, and guaranteed that we'd be paying him $30MM/year if he was pitching poorly. Would you want that guy negotiating YOUR divorce??

Who knows? Maybe JDM is holding out for a contract like this, thinking Dave will make the same mistake twice.

Reminder to Dave: Just say NO to long term expensive contracts with an opt out clause only for the player.

You can blame Dave all you want, but I guarantee that Henry approved of the deal.

[S5Dewey]

I'm with you... I've never agreed with the premise that the opt-out is only good for the player. Even if Price had three healthy, Cy Young caliber years in Boston, I'd still happily let him walk and let someone else overpay for his mid and late 30's, knowing we got what was likely the best part of the original deal at a reasonable price and could then spend that $30 million on younger players.

I'd probably never offer a long-term contract without one.

Really? One of the things that's usually understood in these long term contracts is that you're getting his best years first and you pay later for the right to those best years. If Price had already had three CY caliber years in baseball he could opt out and leave a hole in the Sox pitching staff that most likely wouldn't be filled with $30MM. Those CY guys don't grow on trees and they don't come cheap.

Spending what's left of that $30MM on younger players after signing someone who isn't CY caliber isn't a bad idea, as long as the team doesn't plan to be competitive every year.

[S5Dewey]

You can blame Dave all you want, but I guarantee that Henry approved of the deal.

Meh. I wasn't establishing blame as much as lamenting the fact that the FO signed off on the deal. DD was just the front man.

[Station 13]

Why is San Diego so desperate to sign a 1B? Isn't Myers their half-assed 1B already? Why would they invest twice as much for another?

[mvp 78]

Why is San Diego so desperate to sign a 1B? Isn't Myers their half-assed 1B already? Why would they invest twice as much for another?

Myers would go back to OF.

[Hitch]

Slav, if you sign Machado, you lose $1 mil in INTL funds, which also drops how much you can trade for btw. You also lose a 2nd and 5th rounder. By signing Machado and going over the final threshold, your 1st rounder will be 10 spots back. You're losing 10 spots in the draft including the slot allotment, 2 other draft picks one being a second rounder, and the opportunity to spend $1.8 mil in the INTL realm (you can trade for up to 80% of your allotment). That is an absolute season killer in terms of bringing in talent

I agree that there is almost zero chance we sign both, but there won't be a QO for Machado.

[mvp 78]

I agree that there is almost zero chance we sign both, but there won't be a QO for Machado.

Yup, because he's being traded midseason 100%.

[Hitch]

I wouldn't be shocked if we work a deal out with them this winter. But it's a long shot, no doubt.

[OH FOY!]

OK say we Trade and get Machado, what's the contract, that guarantees he stays? Otherwise he's walking after one year. Don't get caught up on who we gave up, just the salary. Your best guess.

[moonslav59]

Scherzer would have been a better acquisition, obviously. Have to blame Henry on that one, I think.

Or, Larry/Ben.

We spent a lot of money that year- just not on Scherzer.

HRam + Pablo instead of Scherzer.

[Hitch]

OK say we Trade and get Machado, what's the contract, that guarantees he stays? Otherwise he's walking after one year. Don't get caught up on who we gave up, just the salary. Your best guess.

10 @ $300m is my guess.