2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[vivalaultra 0]

There was a blog on the Houston Chronicle website talking about how now that Boston has signed Matsuzaka, their rotation is pretty much set, but they're still looking for a closer. The writer suggested a good fit for trading would be a Lidge for Josh Beckett deal. While reading it, I was thinking that if the Sox are financially and logistically able to sign Roger Clemens and put him in the rotation, they could, conceivably, move Josh Beckett into the closer's role. Personally, I think Beckett would make a great closer, and I would fully support a Brad Lidge for Josh Beckett trade if that were to happen.

 

Also, Luke Scott's strong second half of 06 has made a few teams interested in him. There was a proposed three-team deal a few weeks back that involved the Astros, Tigers, and Baltimore that would've sent Luke to Detroit and Rodrigo Lopez to Houston. I'm pleased that didn't happen. However, the Tigers are still supposedly very interested in trading for Luke Scott, and the Astros might be interested in trading him, as golden prospect Hunter Pence would probably be better defensively and possibly offensively. I'd support any deal that involved Luke as long as it also involved Nate Robertosn or Jeremy Bonderman, although I doubt that would happen.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

There was a blog on the Houston Chronicle website talking about how now that Boston has signed Matsuzaka, their rotation is pretty much set, but they're still looking for a closer. The writer suggested a good fit for trading would be a Lidge for Josh Beckett deal. While reading it, I was thinking that if the Sox are financially and logistically able to sign Roger Clemens and put him in the rotation, they could, conceivably, move Josh Beckett into the closer's role. Personally, I think Beckett would make a great closer, and I would fully support a Brad Lidge for Josh Beckett trade if that were to happen.

 

It's not crazy. I've heard all sorts of rumors, from Clemens becoming closer, to Beckett or Wakefield closing, to dealing Crisp or Pena for a Cordero/Lidge type. I'm just not that crazy about giving up talent for a closer. Bob Ryan said the other day that the Red Sox would be the best team in baseball for the first eight innings, but that they wouldn't get anywhere without a lockdown closer. I don't buy that at all. Adam Wainwright and Todd Jones were the closers for the two teams who just went to the World Series. I think having a relief ace in the pen is important (and in the Sox case, an actual decent bullpen would help as well), but the whole notion and importance of the "closer" is totally overblown.

[Guest NYankees]

Why would Josh Beckett want to be a closer? I also cant picture the Red Sox signing Roger Clemens to a 12 million plus contract for half a season. Plus they are already close to going over the luxury tax payroll limit. The last thing is that I cant picture Roger facing off against his man crush in Pettitte for a division.

[Mik 0]

So Josh Beckett (predictably) regressed after moving from the cavernous pitcher adoring Dolphins Stadium to the bandbox that is Fenway park and you mutants already want to make one of the best young pitchers in baseball into a closer? It's been shown countless times that a great starter is more valuable than a great reliever and maybe Beckett is taking some lumps in the American League but is the 2003 postseason that far behind you that you can't remember that Beckett possesses the capability to be untouchable?

 

If you need a reminder, please find Game 5 of the 2003 NLCS along with games 3 and 6 of the 2003 World Series.

 

And stop whining.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So Josh Beckett (predictably) regressed after moving from the cavernous pitcher adoring Dolphins Stadium to the bandbox that is Fenway park and you mutants already want to make one of the best young pitchers in baseball into a closer? It's been shown countless times that a great starter is more valuable than a great reliever and maybe Beckett is taking some lumps in the American League but is the 2003 postseason that far behind you that you can't remember that Beckett possesses the capability to be untouchable?

 

If you need a reminder, please find Game 5 of the 2003 NLCS along with games 3 and 6 of the 2003 World Series.

 

And stop whining.

 

Wait, who is this being addressed to? Viva suggested Beckett becoming a closer and I shot it down. There is a 0% chance that Beckett is closing next year or that he is traded for one. His struggles last year had more to do with flukey HR and BB numbers than anything else. If those persist, there might be a long-term problem, but for all the struggles there was an equal amount of growth in Beckett as a pitcher (his first 200 inning season, no blisters, etc.) last year.

[geniusMoment 0]

Ex-Rays catcher Toby Hall, nontendered by the Dodgers, said several teams called and he expected better options (Phillies? White Sox? Yankees?) than a minor-league contract the Rays might offer. "That was funny," Hall said. "I guess it would be a minor-league contract because they're a minor-league team."

 

 

Nice, more players should be brash like that.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

If you need a reminder, please find Game 5 of the 2003 NLCS

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that series.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Gawd, I'm tempted to cheer for an east coast team so I'd have some signings or trades to pay attention to these days.

[sfaJack 0]

I set fire to the tapes of game 6 & 7 of that series I had a couple of years back. Very therapeutic.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Ex-Rays catcher Toby Hall, nontendered by the Dodgers, said several teams called and he expected better options (Phillies? White Sox? Yankees?) than a minor-league contract the Rays might offer. "That was funny," Hall said. "I guess it would be a minor-league contract because they're a minor-league team."

 

 

Nice, more players should be brash like that.

 

Toby Hall isn't worth much more than a minor league contract. Seems like he would keep his mouth shut and take whatever job offer he got.

[Cartman 0]

LOL @ Beckett as closer.

 

*sigh*

 

Beckett won 16 games despite having an ERA over 5 and honestly he had a decent first year in the AL overall. He did have quite a few "quality starts" that get forgotten because of the games he got absolutely bombed in. I believe he was so concerned about suffering from the blister issue that he was neglecting his nasty curve too much thus making him very one-dimentional. I would rather have him go all out and give everything he has and rish the blister issue leading to a DL stint or two in the middle of a long season.

 

If we got 25 really good starts out of him with some missed time in between I would be content with that. Just make sure he's healthy come Playoff time. Let the rest of the rotation carry the load.

 

If Diceman pans out for 15-18 wins, Schilling 15 wins, Beckett 14-16 wins, Wakefield 12-14 wins, and Papelbon 12-15 wins that is a helluva rotation.

 

Throw Clemens in and ship Wake to the bullpen in July and watch out

[geniusMoment 0]

Here's a list of the songs players use when coming up to bat

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_baseball_entrance_music

[devo 0]

Guillermo Mota, New York Mets: "I Like to Move It", Reel 2 Real

Oh dear. How did I not notice this last year? Also...

 

Gil Meche, Seattle Mariners: "I Can't Drive 55", Sammy Hagar

 

Hmm.

[Guest]

I think I like Rob Mackowiak.

[Cartman 0]

BTW I am truly sick and tired of the Red Sox front office injecting itself in the news all the time. The Theo crap last year was manufactured in my opinion to take attention away from the departure of a local hero(Damon) among other things. This year it's all their big money spending on free agents and the Diceman stuff. They love whoring themselves to the media and I am convinced they love seeing themselves on TV quite often as well.

 

 

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins: "Stand Up and Shout", Steel Dragon

 

Awesome

 

A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox: "I Am (A.J. Styles)"

 

lol

 

Joel Zumaya, Detroit Tigers: "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", Jimi Hendrix

 

"Hollywood" Joel Zumaya

 

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: "Enter Sandman", Metallica

 

Winner

[randomguy 0]

Josh Beckett is a guy who flashed potential but is inconsistent and very average over all. Three great games doesn't turn a guy into a great player and 2003 was a while ago now. Since that point he hasn't developed much at all.

 

Red Sox bullpen this year should be...interesting? Best team in baseball for the first 8 innings? Maybe the first 5-6.

[Brett Favre 0]

I think I like Rob Mackowiak.

 

I was just about to mention him. He has good taste.

[2GOLD 0]

However Brian Anderson of the Chicago White Sox might just have the worst taste in music in all of baseball.

[randomguy 0]

Pat Burrel - "Holy Diver", Dio

 

Brendan Donnelly, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: "Thunderstruck", AC/DC

 

Cliff Floyd, New York Mets: "Theme from Sanford and Son" (LOL wtf!)

 

Keith Foulke, Boston Red Sox: "Mother", Danzig

 

Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers: "Welcome to the Jungle", Guns N' Roses

 

Tom Gordon, Philadelphia Phillies: "Theme from Flash Gordon", Queen (Another LOL wtf)

 

Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres: "Hell's Bells", AC/DC - this is an awesome song to come out to because the opening is so distinct

 

Mike Myers, New York Yankees: Theme from "Halloween" (someone has a sense of humor)

 

Robb Nen, San Francisco Giants: "Smoke on the Water", Deep Purple

 

 

Obviously Mariano Rivera has the best theme, because it's awesome and so is he.

 

Worst theme?

 

Jason Varitek, Boston Red Sox: "Kryptonite", 3 Doors Down

 

A "dirt dog" has a 3 Doors Down song as their theme? Please.

[2GOLD 0]

Tom Gordon, Philadelphia Phillies: "Theme from Flash Gordon", Queen (Another LOL wtf)

 

Actually it's the perfect song for Tom "Flash" Gordon. Guy has been going by that nickname for a very long time now.

[Guest Smues]

John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves: "Thunderstruck", AC/DC

 

When he first started closing he came out to "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. ABBA, AC/DC, what's the difference?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

BTW I am truly sick and tired of the Red Sox front office injecting itself in the news all the time. The Theo crap last year was manufactured in my opinion to take attention away from the departure of a local hero(Damon) among other things. This year it's all their big money spending on free agents and the Diceman stuff. They love whoring themselves to the media and I am convinced they love seeing themselves on TV quite often as well.

 

What are you talking about? They are in the news because they are the front office of the second highest profile baseball team in the world. Signing big name talent like Matsuzaka, Drew and Lugo is news... they aren't manufacturing it. They love whoring themselves out on TV? Really? Is that why Theo stopped attending games? Is that why he comes to the ballpark disguised on the evenings and weekends to get his work done? Is that why they axed a bunch of front office guys who kept talking to the media when they weren't supposed to?

 

The Theo thing was manufactured? What in the world are you talking about? That was the culmination of a nearly three year long power struggle between Lucchino and Epstein. It wasn't a cover-up for Damon. Damon left BECAUSE of the the way the Theo/GM thing went down. Just please stop posting. It's such a pain to wade through all the crap you place in your posts.

[Guest]

They are in the news because they are the front office of the second highest profile baseball team in the world.

So the Dodgers are the highest profile team in the world?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

They are in the news because they are the front office of the second highest profile baseball team in the world.

So the Dodgers are the highest profile team in the world?

 

I was going to say the Yankees, but go ahead and think whatever you want, king.

[Guest]

My post was more focused on the fact that you pushed aside such a huge market, with the baseball team that has been seen by more fans than any other in the world, but ok.

 

And I was going to say more, but I don't want to look like vivalaultra.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

My post was more focused on the fact that you pushed aside such a huge market, with the baseball team that has been seen by more fans than any other in the world, but ok.

 

And I was going to say more, but I don't want to look like vivalaultra.

 

Sorry I pushed your team aside. That wasn't really the point of the post anyways. They can be 2nd or 10th or whatever, they're still high profile.

[Guest]

Yeah, they're high profile and Cartman was wrong.

[Cartman 0]

Damon left because he got an offer that was never going to be matched by anyone, not to mention he has the chance to become a celebrity in yet another big(ger) city. There is nothing Johnny Damon loves more than himself.

 

If the front office shenanigans was truly as digruntled as they portrayed to us all then Theo would not be there right now.

 

All I was saying is that I can see why fans of other teams besides Boston and New York get pissy about those two teams when they both consistently whore themselves to the media. Theo is not the problem I was refering to Luccino/Werner/Henry and how they make everything a much larger media deal than it needs to be. Matsuzaka is huge news but the depths of the coverage around here is sickening already and it's totally team driven.

[Guest NYankees]

What is Manny going to do when the locker room is filled with 30 Japanese baseball writers who have have cover a story on D Mat every day?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Damon left because he got an offer that was never going to be matched by anyone, not to mention he has the chance to become a celebrity in yet another big(ger) city. There is nothing Johnny Damon loves more than himself.

 

If the front office shenanigans was truly as digruntled as they portrayed to us all then Theo would not be there right now.

 

All I was saying is that I can see why fans of other teams besides Boston and New York get pissy about those two teams when they both consistently whore themselves to the media. Theo is not the problem I was refering to Luccino/Werner/Henry and how they make everything a much larger media deal than it needs to be. Matsuzaka is huge news but the depths of the coverage around here is sickening already and it's totally team driven.

 

I've mentioned this before, and I am going to say it again. Read Feeding the Monster by Seth Mnookin before you post anything else about Boston's front office because it's obvious that you have no clue as to what's going on. It goes into painstaking detail the entirety of the Damon negotiations, the front office balance of power, the dealings with the media and long-term plan of the team, all of which you think you know about but don't seem to have any clue.