Red Sox & Pablo Sandoval agree to 5 Year, $100 Millionish Deal

[ScubaSteveAvery]

Same guy who broke the Hanley news 6 hours in advance:
 
The Boston Red Sox have signed Pablo Sandoval to a 5 year, 102 million dollar deal. Source with Hanley story has confirmed. It's done
 
https://twitter.com/mlb_nl_al/status/536760120261509120

 

[BornToRun]

Now sign Lester and flip Cespedes so that we can all hang out here and get giddy in anticipation of opening day.

 

[mBiferi]

I really, really hope that this doesn't prevent the signing of Lester.

 

[jimbobim]

Easiest job in the world tomorrow = WEEI radio talk host

 

[Oppo]

Of course neither ESPN nor MLB are covering this

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

More than $20 per? Insane for someone going OPS+ 123, 116, 111 the last 3 years, at a position already filled.

 

[MakMan44]

I really, really hope that this doesn't prevent the signing of Lester.

Very little chance of that. 
 
Like the years, not a big fan of the AAV. Hope it's true. 

 

[MakMan44]

More than $20 per? Insane for someone going OPS+ 123, 116, 111 the last 3 years, at a position already filled.

Clearly this isn't correct. 

 

[BornToRun]

I really, really hope that this doesn't prevent the signing of Lester.

I agree with Mak that I seriously doubt this precludes Lester coming back. I have a hard time believing that our FO would've pulled the trigger on the deal if that were the case.

 

[MakMan44]

I agree with Mak that I seriously doubt this precludes Lester coming back. I have a hard time believe that our FO would've pulled the trigger on the deal if that were the case.

Yeah, I'd rather have Pablo at 3rd than Hanley but SP is the greatest need and I can't see the FO pulling the deal on anything that hinders that. 

 

[jimbobim]

This is fucking nuts.

+ 1,000,000

 

[PrometheusWakefield]

Completely insane. I have no idea what they are doing with this. 

 

[E5 Yaz]

Of course neither ESPN nor MLB are covering this

 
MLB doesn't have live programming at this hour

 

[BornToRun]

This is fucking nuts.

A mild way of putting it.

 

[SumnerH]

Completely insane. I have no idea what they are doing with this. 

The only thing I can think of is that they believe there's a market spike coming soon that will make this look cheap soon. Confusing but plausible, maybe.

 

[Darnell's Son]

:excitedclap:

 

[E5 Yaz]

We can excuse him because he's 14, but I doubt the Sandoval deal (if legit) is already signed. Agreed to, perhaps

 

[kazuneko]

Absolutely insane. We can only hope that this kid has run out of luck...

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

Completely insane. I have no idea what they are doing with this. 

sign and trade with SF. Packaging him, Cespedes, AR and Clay for Madbum and Strickland-Bard.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Screw Black Friday.  Ben Cherrington is starting Black Monday.

 

[ehaz]

$70 million on Castillo
$90 million on Hanley
$100 million on Sandoval
 
By all indications, still thinks he can sign Lester.  Cherington has really put his ass on the line these last few months.  I'm not Sandoval's biggest fan, I may have rather given Scherzer 170 than Sandoval and Rusney, but it's not my money and I trust what they're doing.  The upside of being a 900/1000 run team in an offense stared era is huge.

 

[ScubaSteveAvery]

We can excuse him because he's 14, but I doubt the Sandoval deal (if legit) is already signed. Agreed to, perhaps

 
Heh, good point. I'll update the title.  Also why I added unconfirmed too. Can't tell if kid caught lightening in a bottle on Hanley or not.  

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
MLB doesn't have live programming at this hour

 
 
Nor does NESN. of course.

 

[santadevil]

Maybe they've signed Pablo to play when Hanley is hurt...

 

[Doc Zero]

Lester, Miller, + SP trade would make me quiver.

 

[notfar]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

 

[MakMan44]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

Like none of this is true. 

 

[kazuneko]

When this kid supposedly "broke" the Hanley story wasn't he actually just referencing a previous post by the guy who broke the Stanton signing (Christopher Meola)? 

 

[BornToRun]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

Carl Crawford was signed for 2 more years at 40 million extra dollars. He also doesn't have the postseason track record of Sandoval which I think makes Pablo a good bet to handle the pressures of playing in Boston.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

When all this is over, Jake Wesley will have broken more news while snap-chatting, Instgramming and playing NBA 2k15 than any other sports journalist in 2014.  There should be some sort of award for this kid outside of his allowance and the fact that he probably has better living conditions than 99% of the other kids his age on this planet.

 

[nvalvo]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

 
You're right: you don't understand. Sandoval is good at D and doesn't hit many home runs. And he actually does get on base decently, with both a high average and a respectable walk rate, in spite of his willingness to expand the zone. 

 

[E5 Yaz]

 
You're right: you don't understand. Sandoval is good at D and doesn't hit many home runs. And he actually does get on base decently, with both a high average and a respectable walk rate, in spite of his willingness to expand the zone. 

 
And a low strikeout rate

 

[curly2]

Love Hanley at 5-$90. Not loving this one.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

So are Sandoval and Napoli each going to catch 40 games next year?

It's disturbing that they are throwing around all this money but still have a total mess of a rotation. Obviously more moves will come, but our two biggest needs were two good starting pitchers and we still have those glaring holes in our rotation despite spending $200 million or so on other positions.

Top of the rotation starters are really difficult to acquire and will cost a lot of money or talent or both. We just spent a big percentage of our budget on two third baseman (or a third baseman and another outfielder. Do we have six or seven outfielders now? I can't even keep track anymore.)

I really hope Cherington has a trade for a pitcher all lined up and that Lester signs soon. Then this would start making some sense.

 

[Madmartigan]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

 
I don't get it either.  I'm not a fan of Sandoval at all and I'm adamant that this money could have been better spent on pitching.  Sure, the FO will probably trade for pitching now, but if that involves moving either X or Betts then I hate this plan.  

 

[MakMan44]

So are Sandoval and Napoli each going to catch 40 games next year?

It's disturbing that they are throwing around all this money but still have a total mess of a rotation. Obviously more moves will come, but our two biggest needs were two good starting pitchers and we still have those glaring holes in our rotation despite spending $200 million or so on other positions.

Top of the rotation starters are really difficult to acquire and will cost a lot of money or talent or both. We just spent a big percentage of our budget on two third baseman (or a third baseman and another outfielder. Do we have six or seven outfielders now? I can't even keep track anymore.)

I really hope Cherington has a trade for a pitcher all lined up and that Lester signs soon. Then this would start making some sense.

We're not even at the Winter meetings yet. Chill. 
 
EDIT: I mean, we can't comment on the Hanley deal because that came out of LF, but by all accounts Pablo wanted a deal done quickly. If the Sox wanted him, they couldn't afford to wait around and the let the SP market develop. They wanted their guys, got things done and now have the rest of the offseason to focus on pitching. 

 

[ScubaSteveAvery]

So the cost of Will Middlebrooks refusing to wear contacts is $102 million. 

 

[kazuneko]

Per FoxSports:
"In any case, the first person to report that the Red Sox were closing in on Ramirez was Christopher Meola, who tweeted at around noon ET on Sunday, “Hanley is signing with Boston . . . deal is finishing up.”
Meola is not a working journalist, but he is the same person who first reported the terms of Giancarlo Stanton’s record contract with theMarlins. Stanton and Ramirez both are represented by the Wasserman Media Group."
 
I believe Wesley was one of the first people to repost Meola's info, but I don't think he actually broke the story. Meola posting anything about this? I certainly hope not..
 
 
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Hanley-Ramirez-headed-to-Boston-to-sign-long-term-deal-with-Red-Sox-112314

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I don't understand this deal. It is like the Crawford deal, except Sandoval is bad at D, is fat and can't run and gets on base less. Home runs though.

Every scout says that his D is pretty damn good...he's fat that doesn't mean the dude is a bad player. Obviously the Red Sox disagree with your assessment.

 

[Harry Hooper]

So are Sandoval and Napoli each going to catch 40 games next year?

It's disturbing that they are throwing around all this money but still have a total mess of a rotation. Obviously more moves will come, but our two biggest needs were two good starting pitchers and we still have those glaring holes in our rotation despite spending $200 million or so on other positions.

Top of the rotation starters are really difficult to acquire and will cost a lot of money or talent or both. We just spent a big percentage of our budget on two third baseman (or a third baseman and another outfielder. Do we have six or seven outfielders now? I can't even keep track anymore.)

I really hope Cherington has a trade for a pitcher all lined up and that Lester signs soon. Then this would start making some sense.

 
Ben has a juicy Toronto offer for Middlebrooks in his pocket. 

 

[E5 Yaz]

 
Ben has a juicy Toronto offer for Middlebrooks in his pocket. 

 
Miami

 

[4 6 3 DP]

If Panda was 5/90 and Hanley was 5/102 I might actually feel better about this. But assuming Cespedes can be flipped for a legitimate arm, if Castillo can hit, this is a potentially devastating offense. Which I am all for. We can move back towards the 2003-4 model with guys like Todd Walker and Mark Bellhorn/OCab hitting ninth.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

 
You're right: you don't understand. Sandoval is good at D and doesn't hit many home runs. And he actually does get on base decently, with both a high average and a respectable walk rate, in spite of his willingness to expand the zone.

 
He doesn't just expand the zone.  He bends space-time all up in that bitch.  That said, I agree to everything else you posted.  You and some of the other Giants-watching contingent here at SoSH know what the Sox are getting if this "report" is accurate.  I don't think many others do.  Pablo Sandoval as a Red Sox  might just be the most confounding player this board has ever witnessed.  There are people here who were pounding the table for him and they will absolutely turn on him at various points next season if he joins the team.  I wish I could wager on this as its the most mortal lock in the history of mortal locks.

 

[4 6 3 DP]

Why? Out of some sort of principle? What difference does it make?
 

I was making fun of myself, thats my point. There is no difference. Just my foolish reaction to how they spend John Henry's money.

 

[E5 Yaz]

If Panda was 5/90 and Hanley was 5/102 I might actually feel better about this. 

 
Hanley is older and has a longer injury history. I don't get what you're going for here

 

[BornToRun]

Why? Out of some sort of principle? What difference does it make?

Really. It doesn't really matter who gets which contract if they're both on board.

 

[Darnell's Son]

Lester, Miller, + SP trade would make me quiver.

If that happens I'm sending you a celebratory quiche.

 

[SumnerH]

Carl Crawford was signed for 2 more years at 40 million extra dollars. He also doesn't have the postseason track record of Sandoval which I think makes Pablo a good bet to handle the pressures of playing in Boston.

Yeah, I hated the Crawford deal. He was paid a lot more money for more years, as though he was a perennial borderline MVP candidate. Adjusting for the year, this is a much smaller deal with a lot less long term risk, more in line with both players' skills. I don't love it, but it's nowhere near the obvious overpay that Crawford was.

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

So the cost of Will Middlebrooks refusing to wear contacts is $102 million. 

 
Thanks Obama.

 

[Hee Sox Choi]

WHERE IS MONCADA GOING TO PLAY?!?!?!?!