Baseball Winter Meetings Thread...

[storrsroars]

For RedSox nation... given the Pirates have money they're not going to be paying AJ Burnett, and have a need for a SP and LH hitting 1b, what do you think it would reasonably take to get Dempster and Carp from the BoSox. I have to think Boston would love to dump Dempster's $13.25 mill.

And don't say Taillon or Polanco because that's just stupid.

 

[Dove]

Red Sox are still the team to beat in the AL East. Overall the A's may have poised themselves to get to the WS. I would think the Nationals will blossom this year into what they missed on last season.

 

[Waquoit]

Red Sox are still the team to beat in the AL East.

Maybe, but if so, not by very much. Losing Ellsbury has brought them back to the pack. They need another bat.

 

[60'sfan]

Maybe, but if so, not by very much. Losing Ellsbury has brought them back to the pack. They need another bat.

The Sox had an unusual season last year. They were out-hit (B. Ave)and out-pitched (ERA) by both the Tigers and the Cardinals and out-pitched by the Rays and yet they won each series in less than the maximum number of games. They won because they had the best team and not the best players. Losing Ellsbury and Salty will hurt them talent-wise but perhaps not team-wise. I am more concerned with the addition of Pierzynski. Ellsbury was a quiet, in the background kind of player who did not do much with his teammates or the community. He may have not ever gotten over the criticism he received when he spent extended time on the DL. Salty was bitter when he was benched in the post season for his defense.

 

[Cheddie]

The Yankees have "absolutely no intention" of trading Gardner, per Randy Levine.

Great way to cut the legs out from under your GM, Randy! Cashman said he didn't want to trade Gardner, but would listen to offers (i.e., give me a decent pitcher and he's yours). Gardy will be in his walk year and I'm not sure NY will pay what he'll want.

 

[mauconnfan]

The Yankees have "absolutely no intention" of trading Gardner, per Randy Levine.

Great way to cut the legs out from under your GM, Randy! Cashman said he didn't want to trade Gardner, but would listen to offers (i.e., give me a decent pitcher and he's yours). Gardy will be in his walk year and I'm not sure NY will pay what he'll want.

they need to trade him as he has no intentions of standing next to Ellsbury next week unless they pay him......get something for him NOW.........

 

[Dogdeacon]

The Sox had an unusual season last year. They were out-hit (B. Ave)and out-pitched (ERA) by both the Tigers and the Cardinals and out-pitched by the Rays and yet they won each series in less than the maximum number of games. They won because they had the best team and not the best players. Losing Ellsbury and Salty will hurt them talent-wise but perhaps not team-wise. I am more concerned with the addition of Pierzynski. Ellsbury was a quiet, in the background kind of player who did not do much with his teammates or the community. He may have not ever gotten over the criticism he received when he spent extended time on the DL. Salty was bitter when he was benched in the post season for his defense.

How was Salty bitter? I don't recall anything. Can't blame him really as no competitor would or should want to sit in that situation, but at same time given stakes his only choice was to quietly take it (cuz he wasn't hitting or fielding well).

 

[mauconnfan]

The Sox had an unusual season last year. They were out-hit (B. Ave)and out-pitched (ERA) by both the Tigers and the Cardinals and out-pitched by the Rays and yet they won each series in less than the maximum number of games. They won because they had the best team and not the best players. Losing Ellsbury and Salty will hurt them talent-wise but perhaps not team-wise. I am more concerned with the addition of Pierzynski. Ellsbury was a quiet, in the background kind of player who did not do much with his teammates or the community. He may have not ever gotten over the criticism he received when he spent extended time on the DL. Salty was bitter when he was benched in the post season for his defense.

I think they will have more trouble getting those "special" seasons from the likes of Napoli and Gomes........Piercynski for Salty is actually a win.........Ellsbury for Bradley a a loss.......

 

[Danzz]

My biggest concern is the loss of Mo and whether Robertson can take that job over.....they actually could have addresses that simply by keeping Soriano last year but now they have to rely on the hope of this guy becoming more consistent. I'm not one who believes he has the makeup but we'll see.....they need bullpen help nonetheless as well as what arnie said - a solid top3 starter (tanaka?) and a bottom 4-5 guy..........Infante may reap the rewards of Cano signing and a 3rd baseman works too, if there is anything. Otherwise we'll see Nunez and Johnson there (maybe even Jeter)......

Interesting next couple of days with all of their needs......by the way I am all in on trading Gardner if they get a front-line pitcher or a 3rd baseman, preferably an arm.

That would be my concern, they aren't replacing Mo. Surprised they didn't go after Nathan.

 

[mauconnfan]

That would be my concern, they aren't replacing Mo. Surprised they didn't go after Nathan.

Agree that's who I thought they would target Danzz........all eggs in the Robertson basket makes me very nervous......

 

[Cheddie]

........all eggs in the Robertson basket makes me very nervous......

Phillies want to move Papelbon. Speculation in the Boston Globe that NY is talking to them.

 

[Dove]

Yankees honing in on the 2B gimp from Baltimore, Brian Roberts.

I have always liked this guy in the 40 games/year he plays. I hope for a miracle he plays 130. Sleeper here.

 

[Cheddie]

Yankees honing in on the 2B gimp from Baltimore, Brian Roberts.

I have always liked this guy in the 40 games/year he plays. I hope for a miracle he plays 130. Sleeper here.

Short-term, cheap fix ($2M, one year). He'll probably platoon with Johnson and maybe Ryan/Nunez.

 

[60'sfan]

Yankees honing in on the 2B gimp from Baltimore, Brian Roberts.

I have always liked this guy in the 40 games/year he plays. I hope for a miracle he plays 130. Sleeper here.

If the Yankees get the Brian of 2005-2009, they have a steal and the pain of losing Cano will be bearable. However, if they get the Brian of 2010-2013, they will not have much. I wonder what happened to him? I bet Mau knows.

 

[mauconnfan]

If the Yankees get the Brian of 2005-2009, they have a steal and the pain of losing Cano will be bearable. However, if they get the Brian of 2010-2013, they will not have much. I wonder what happened to him? I bet Mau knows.

....I could never guess as to how he has fallen into the abyss of the injured ex-star that seems to mystify MLB baseball the last 20 plus years??? Maybe he was wearing Pro-PED's?

 

[60'sfan]

Phillies want to move Papelbon. Speculation in the Boston Globe that NY is talking to them.

If the Yankees do get Papelbon it will be with motivation other than to simply improve the team. He is a very expensive option and at 33 may be beginning to break down. 2013 was the first time that he had less strikeouts than innings pitched although he still had a pretty good year. It might make more sense for them to take a chance on Joel Hanrahan. Although he was injured last year, when he pitched he was averaging 97-98 on his fastball.

 

[The Viking]

If it was Cafardo pay no attention to it. I'm shocked he still has a job. Nice guy, but he throws a huge amount of stuff against the wall. 99% never sticks.

 

[60'sfan]

If it was Cafardo pay no attention to it. I'm shocked he still has a job. Nice guy, but he throws a huge amount of stuff against the wall. 99% never sticks.

Here's the article. http://yanksgoyard.com/2013/12/17/slamming-door-remaining-closer-options-yankees/
It wasn't Cafardo but sometimes these writers will write anything to draw interest.

 

[Dove]

I would think the Matt Thornton signing was a a "cheap" insurance policy against DRob. Thornton was a quality setup man for a while but his so/9 is dropping like a stone.

 

[Cheddie]

I would think the Matt Thornton signing was a a "cheap" insurance policy against DRob. Thornton was a quality setup man for a while but his so/9 is dropping like a stone.

I think he's more a set-up guy to replace Logan than a perceived closer. Part of their "penny-pinching." Thornton got $7 for two; Logan $16.5 for three.

 

[Cheddie]

If it was Cafardo pay no attention to it. I'm shocked he still has a job. Nice guy, but he throws a huge amount of stuff against the wall. 99% never sticks.

It was Cafardo in the Sunday paper.

 

[Danzz]

Sox trade Morales to Rockies for Herrera
I liked Morales, he could eat up innings from the left side when healthy. Herrera is a utility infielder and I'm thinking Drew is gone. Herrera can fill in for Bogarts at SS and also at 2B and 3B. A .265 lifetime hitter so he won't be a hole in the order when he is in there. I think I like this deal. Bogarts is going to have to live up to his hype next season and be at least average at SS for the Sox to compete for the AL East title.

 

[60'sfan]

Sox trade Morales to Rockies for Herrera
I liked Morales, he could eat up innings from the left side when healthy. Herrera is a utility infielder and I'm thinking Drew is gone. Herrera can fill in for Bogarts at SS and also at 2B and 3B. A .265 lifetime hitter so he won't be a hole in the order when he is in there. I think I like this deal. Bogarts is going to have to live up to his hype next season and be at least average at SS for the Sox to compete for the AL East title.

Morales pitched for more than 50 innings only once in his career. He has been very fragile. They did throw in Chris Martin, a string-bean right-hander, who was showing some promise but he is already 27 and did not fit in with the Sox plans. Herrera is a good utility infielder but I don't think whether they sign Drew or not was a consideration. If they sign Drew (and Farrell like Drew), Bogaerts moves to third and they have to figure out what to do with Middlebrooks. Ideally, Middlebrooks finds his stroke and learns to lay off pitches out of the strike zone and the Sox have one of the better infields in baseball at least offensively.

 

[Danzz]

Morales pitched for more than 50 innings only once in his career. He has been very fragile. They did throw in Chris Martin, a string-bean right-hander, who was showing some promise but he is already 27 and did not fit in with the Sox plans. Herrera is a good utility infielder but I don't think whether they sign Drew or not was a consideration. If they sign Drew (and Farrell like Drew), Bogaerts moves to third and they have to figure out what to do with Middlebrooks. Ideally, Middlebrooks finds his stroke and learns to lay off pitches out of the strike zone and the Sox have one of the better infields in baseball at least offensively.

I'm probably higher on Middlebrooks than you are. I think he overadjusted and became too selective and pretty much stopped trying to pull the ball. As a result he took a lot of third strikes and hit weak balls to the right side. He has proven he can hit but as you said he needs to be more selective but just as selective on swinging at strikes aggressively earlier in the count. Good hitters with 2 strikes are rare.
I'm not a huge Drew fan but I know Farrell is. The guy is anemic against LH pitching; very solid defensively but there are plenty of those. He just isn't worth the money Boras is asking and I'm guessing the Sox pass unless they can get him at a deep discount.

 

[Cheddie]

If it was Cafardo pay no attention to it. I'm shocked he still has a job. Nice guy, but he throws a huge amount of stuff against the wall. 99% never sticks.

Cafardo brought up the Papelbon to NYY thing again - for the second straight week.