2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

You do realize that the Yankees payroll is about $80 million/year higher than the Red Sox don't you? That's about the same difference between the Red Sox and the Royals. The Sox live in a payroll world occupied by the Angels, White Sox, Mets, Phillies and Cubs. The Yankees are on a completely different plateau.

 

The Red Sox have huge advantages over almost every other team in the league, and I won't complain ever about the money they spend. But they can't compete financially with the Yankees. I don't see how going after Matsuzaka signifies a changing of the guard (especially when the Mets bid $38.5 million and Yankees around $35 million... they bid what they had to secure the best available pitcher on the planet).

[Annabelle 0]

It has become official. RED SOX FANS can never EVER EVER bitch about the Yankees Payroll.

 

the sox have been buying people since as long as the yanks. why are you saying this now?

 

who thinks the yanks will try to go after zito like they did damon to out-do the sox. the great arms race. who cares, zito is going to the dodgers.

 

i dont think red sox fans should go crazy by calling this jap the best available pitcher. he is the most intriguing pitcher, but its too early to say best. zito was dominant three years ago. and hasn't been too shabby since the cy young.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Somebody remind me again why we're supposed to sympathize with the poor underdog Sox' plight of being trapped in the same division as the big meanie Yankees.

 

Yankees vs. Red Sox is the baseball equivalent of Hitler vs. Stalin.

[naiwf 0]

You do realize that the Yankees payroll is about $80 million/year higher than the Red Sox don't you? That's about the same difference between the Red Sox and the Royals. The Sox live in a payroll world occupied by the Angels, White Sox, Mets, Phillies and Cubs. The Yankees are on a completely different plateau.

 

The Red Sox have huge advantages over almost every other team in the league, and I won't complain ever about the money they spend. But they can't compete financially with the Yankees. I don't see how going after Matsuzaka signifies a changing of the guard (especially when the Mets bid $38.5 million and Yankees around $35 million... they bid what they had to secure the best available pitcher on the planet).

 

Red Sox fans are the ones always ragging on the Yankees for overspending. You can't do that again after getting Matsuzaka and Drew. No one's saying the Yankees aren't the worst, but the Red Sox can't play the victim card anymore.

[randomguy 0]

The Red Sox have been the #2 team in spending for years. Their "evil empire" talk is total bullshit.

 

They are just whiners because one team in baseball manages to outspend them.

[Brett Favre 0]

Atleast the Yankees are upfront about the spending. Yeah we spend, so what? I guess that would be the difference. The Red Sox act like they don't spend when they do. But it doesn't matter. Good move by them.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Red Sox keep a payroll in the neighborhood of $120-$130 million. Heading into next season they have $95 million committed (or $85 million if insurance covers the remainder of Clement's contract). That leaves a lot of money to go after players, and with huge gaping holes in SP, RP, SS and RF, why wouldn't they try and make a splash in free agency?

[The Man in Blak 0]

I don't think anybody's questioning the motives behind Boston's bid for Matsuzaka, especially given the lack of quality of starting pitching on the market.

 

I think the disagreement comes with the constant positioning of the Red Sox as some woebegone bridesmaid that can never compete with the Yankees financially; that contention does look a little sour when Boston posts a winning bid that's larger than the entire payroll of some MLB teams.

 

In my opinion, it's absolutely ludicrous that this bid isn't included in the luxury tax calculus - how is bidding an exorbitant amount of money for a Japanese pitcher with no major league experience not the very definition of a "luxury"?

[Guest Felonies!]

I just hope Matsuzaka has the mentality to be able to transition from a Japanese baseball atmosphere (which seems pretty controlled from what I've seen) to a real hardcore baseball town where people are picking apart your every start every day. With the money we're talking about, he's probably going to be expected to win 20 games next year.

He probably can't understand English, let alone Boston English, so words won't harm him.

[Guest Paul]

Czech has a point...

 

Good for the Sox, after the "total domination" of Schilling and Beckett. They're gonna need better pitching. Let THEM roll the dice.

 

I have a feeling this guy won't be as dominant in MLB.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

In other news, it is being said that the Astros don't have much interest in bringing Aubrey Huff back.

 

I wouldnt mind seeing him in an Orioles uniform next year. He could play the OF or 1B or even DH and he could probably be had cheaply and those are all weak spots in the Os lineup.

[Guest NYankees]

According to the NY Daily News, the Red Sox won the bid by paying 50 million dollars, the Mets were second at 38 million and the Yankees finished third at 30 million. This guy is going to get a 100 million dollar contract.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

According to the NY Daily News, the Red Sox won the bid by paying 50 million dollars, the Mets were second at 38 million and the Yankees finished third at 30 million. This guy is going to get a 100 million dollar contract.

 

Daily News is wrong then. Red Sox bid $42 million, and I am sure he won't get $100 million. Probably 4/$45 million, or something along those lines.

[devo 0]

http://www.metsblog.com/blog/_archives/200...14/2499354.html

 

Hernandez is getting up there in years, and two years/eleven million is a bit of a risk. Still, I think it's a decent deal.

[Guest NYankees]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/471180p-396558c.html

 

Bill Maddens article which states that the 50 million posting fee has been confirmed by several MLB GM's. I can only imagine what the other pitchers are going to get this off season.

[Mik 0]

Half of the posting fee goes toward the contract.

[CanadianChris 0]

In a shocking example of voters actually getting one right, Brandon Webb is your NL Cy Young Award winner.

[Bored 0]

Yet they managed to give 12 first place votes to Trevor Hoffman.

[tominator89 0]

Phillies make Soriano an offer

[vivalaultra 0]

Congrats to Brandon Webb for winning the Cy Young. Even though Roy Oswalt placed 4th, I am making a semi-bold prediction and saying that the 2007 Cy Young in the NL will be Roy Oswalt...or Aaron Harang. In other news, the Astros named their new pitching coach. Much to the surprise of me and about 7 other people, it's not Larry Dierker. It's Dave Wallace, he of Red Sox and Mets championship season pitching coaching. Good for him.

[strummer 0]

Cubs sign Mark DeRosa to a 3 year 13 million dollar deal

[Guest Felonies!]

Cubs sign Mark DeRosa to a 3 year 13 million dollar deal

Replacing Mabry on the bench, I assume?

[The Man in Blak 0]

Another hurdle cleared in the never ending quest to field an entire team of middle infielders.

 

Vivalaultra, prepare thyself - Jim Hendry will surely be calling for proven draw Brandon Backe, to bolster the Cubs rotation.

[The Man in Blak 0]

In all seriousness, though, Mark DeRosa could be a great platoon partner for Jacque Jones, if Sweet/Crazy Lou actually deploys him correctly (career line of .306/.367/.497 vs. LHP). Plus, he has an annoying tendency to take a walk from time to time.

[strummer 0]

he has an annoying tendency to take a walk from time to time

 

Good thing Dusty is gone. DeRosa is a noted clogger of bases.

[Guest Felonies!]

I suppose he could play at second instead of The Riot, but I'm worried that last year was an anomaly and he's just going to be an average infielder again like he was with the Braves. So of course, Hendry threw a giant contract at him. I think he'd be a great utility man if you just kind of rotate him in when the 75 million dollar man's groin hurts, or if the middle infielders are in a slump, but I don't see him as an everyday guy. He could also platoon with Strap, but I think his days on the North Side are numbered.

 

Plus, he has an annoying tendency to take a walk from time to time.

He had 102 Ks last year, so he has that tendency too.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Well, with the market the way it is, four million may not be too outrageous for a guy that should probably get 200-300 ABs filling in for Jones in RF against lefties and spelling Theriot and other various and sundry middle infield lifeforms.

 

COUNTER-EDIT QUOTE COMBO:

He had 102 Ks last year, so he has that tendency too.

 

Yeah, and a disturbing percentage of those came against right handed pitching. He had 27 Ks to 13 BBs against LHP in 146, which is a much nicer figure.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Congrats to Brandon Webb for winning the Cy Young. Even though Roy Oswalt placed 4th, I am making a semi-bold prediction and saying that the 2007 Cy Young in the NL will be Roy Oswalt...or Aaron Harang. In other news, the Astros named their new pitching coach. Much to the surprise of me and about 7 other people, it's not Larry Dierker. It's Dave Wallace, he of Red Sox and Mets championship season pitching coaching. Good for him.

 

As a devoted fan to the Red Sox, I must forewarn you that Dave Wallace is nothing to get excited about. For the past few years, every pitcher who joined the Red Sox got noticeably worse (Beckett, Clement, Seanez, Tavarez), guys who struggled never recovered (Timlin, Foulke, Hansen) and those who left thrived (Arroyo, Meredith, Lowe, Bradford). Seems like more than a coincidence to me.

[Annabelle 0]

derosa is supposed to be the starting 2nd baseman, i guess.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I have no issue with Brandon Webb winning the Cy Young award, but the distribution of the voting was very odd. None of the pitchers were named on every ballot, which seems odd considering there were really only three justifiable choices. Also, it was weird to see such a gap between Webb, Carpenter and Oswalt as all three men were basically identical in performance this year.

 

What did Trevor Hoffman do to warrant consideration? Was this a lifetime achievement vote? His year was okay, but nothing special. He wasn't even the best reliever in the league (Billy Wagner was much better). And no votes for Bronson Arroyo? Strange.