Cost of living may be cheaper around the Boston area than around the Bay Area? I mean both are expensive, so we are talking relative differences here.mloyko54 said:
Red Sox & Pablo Sandoval agree to 5 Year, $100 Millionish Deal
- Thread starter ScubaSteveAvery
- Start date
EricFeczko said:
We may never know the real reason. But it's clear something happend while in SF that he didn't like and he wanted to leave despite money being equal.
Or that he doesn't believe he'll be a good fielder for the next five years, so went for a team where he has non-fielding options?
Maybe he just legitimately believes the Redsox will be a more consistant championship contender over the length of the deal. He heard the pitch from Papi, I'm sure he knew about Hanley coming on board, obviously I'm just speculating obviously but those factors and who's already here probably had a lot to do with his decision.mloyko54 said:
As of right now this looks crazy. IMO, this could be Adrian and Crawford all over again in as little as 2 years. I don't get it. I'm sure things will come to light soon, but this is awful clusterfuck-like. We know where the beef is, where's the pitching?
Maybe he just wanted a change of scene. I moved to Oregon years ago for mainly this reason. Something new. It does not have to be a drama. I suspect these "reports" come from people other than Sandoval.
Eck, buddy, we're not even at the Winter Meetings and the lineup is completely set. The Sox have trade assets and money left over for pitching. They've got months to acquire pitching and it looks like the market for pitching is going to be a slow burn anyway.Eck'sSneakyCheese said:
The comps to the Crawford/Gonzalez deals need to stop already. Those deals were for a collective $100M and at least 4 years more than today's, and Sandoval/Ramirez aren't costing them any prospects, let alone one as good as Rizzo.Eck'sSneakyCheese said:
Not to mention that Crawford's supposed assets were an ill fit for the team at the time even before he took the field and undershot even the most pessimistic of expectations. He was a disaster. Gonzalez wasn't and was collateral damage in dumping Crawford's albatross (and Beckett too).
I know... I said I'm sure there's other moves to be made, it just doesn't smell right at the moment.MakMan44 said:
I don't think the comps are that far off. Sure those contracts were for more years which makes the Adrian/Crawford deals way worse, but an overpay is an overpay. Hey, maybe the landscape is truly changing and this is the kind of player you get for 20+ mil a year. I don't see it yet. I'm glad that everyone is at least going to get a long with Papi. That "team" mentality can go along way.Red(s)HawksFan said:
What doesn't smell right? Seems like both of these were strike now kind of deals and they didn't want to miss out on either player. And if the kid is to be believed, they've got a real offer out on Lester too.Eck'sSneakyCheese said:
He told the Giants he was looking for "a new challenge and he wanted to try something new." He also said that he's spent the last few days with family making a decision. Evans described the conversation as "emotional." The extended timeline certainly seems like he gave it a few sleeps before deciding for sure.LahoudOrBillyC said:
It wasn't about monetary disrespect: In Spring, he asked for a five-year extension. The Giants offered a four-year deal that started in 2015, $75 million with a vesting option that brought it to five years and $86 million. That's not disrespectful, that's a very reasonable offer.
My unfounded conclusion: I think Sandoval's family convinced him to leave for Boston. Maybe it was because of disrespect, maybe the fun of a new challenge, maybe to see if the grass is greener on the AL side. Who knows. He's already doing the Lo Viste goggles and tweeting photoshops of himself with Papi.
Too much money. A year ago Papi and Nap production was worth 15/16 mil a year. Panda at 20 and Hanley at 22 makes me squirm. Hell, it's not my money right?MakMan44 said:
Maybe they're going towards a change in philosophy over the next few seasons. Instead of breaking in 3 young positional starters with no backup options around they plan to instead fill a bigger portion of the lineup from the farm but in the lower leverage positions?Eck'sSneakyCheese said:
What I'm saying is that instead of paying $5M for your 4th OF in a guy like Gomes you go with Nava, Bradley or Brentz for 2016 (probably not Nava as he'll be in arb. then). Instead of paying some vet to be your MI you have Marrero. Instead of paying for a bunch of veteran relievers so you only break in one or two young relievers at a time you move all the fringe starter times (Workman, Ranaudo, Webster, Escobar) into the bullpen for a year or two at a time, not as the closer, setup man, or even 7th inning guy but as your 5, 6, and 7 relievers.
These are the things small market teams do to save money. They don't pay market rate for depth when managed right. The Sox could adopt that mindset thanks to the very deep farm they currently have and instead spend the saved money being able to give marginal (in the grand scheme of things $1-$2M per season is marginal) overpays to ensure the ability to pay your top 6 or 7 guys ~$20M per season each. Keep those deals relatively short and rotate that top 6-7 group, and you have a recipe for sustained long term success.
You've demostrated a great skill at taking the thoughts in my head and presenting them in an effective and concise manner. Well done and I concur with all you wrote.Drek717 said:
Heart will always be in San Francisco? I hate him already even before he takes any crazy hacks.Corsi said:
JK! Those are the kind of notes you love seeing a guy put out when he heads out of town. Keeping it classy.
Now bring your chubby butt, above average glove, above average bat, and solid clubhouse presence over here and get to know your new friend Wally!
The problem isn't the rate of decline; it's that heavy players tend to peak earlier. That's why the oft-repeated fact that he's 28 and only signed through 33 isn't particularly compelling: he's already declined significantly. His best years were at an OPS+ in the 150s, but he hasn't done that since 2011; currently in the 110-115 range. If he loses another 10%, he's no longer an above average hitter, and by the time he theoretically gets moved to DH, he could be in nosedive territory.Snodgrass'Muff said:Fangraphs has an interesting piece up about Sandoval that's worth a read if you have some free time.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/which-pablo-sandoval-did-the-red-sox-buy/
I don't agree with all of it. Sarros concludes that Sandoval is scary because the aging curve for heavy players is shifted lower than that of normal players. Here's the graph.
The problem with that reasoning is that the decline isn't any more steep in the age 28, 29 or 30 years. It's going into the age 31 season that it grows more steep. So Sandoval is not more likely to decline (according to this) than a player with a normal body mass index in the first three years of his contract and the decline can be mitigated in the last two years by moving him off of third. The chart includes defense in their measure of production, so a shift to first or DH can help to keep him in the lineup and as productive as possible.
The one thing the Nats need and don't have is a second baseman. This makes me wonder if Betts for one of their starters is the deal that happens. Unless it is for Strasburg, who i think has 3 years of control left, I won't like it.sean1562 said:
I agree with this as well. It was the basis of my arguments last offseason, too. They have a farm that is well positioned to provide 4th and 5th starters, middle relievers, and bottom of the order hitters. They also have 2 or 3 potential star position players on the cusp, and maybe a #3 almost ready in Owens. They need to use those near minimum salary pieces to subsidize low variance excellence at other positions.Drek717 said:
Ramirez and Sandoval are the first two such additions this offseason. They're both quite youngish for free agents, which fits the stated desire not to be on the hook for years 35+. Now they need two top of the rotation starters and a relief ace, with their tradable assets and remaining cash that should be doable.
We thought this about Xander as well. Maybe less so now. I'd like to see Betts over a full season before we announce him the second coming of Craig Biggio.ivanvamp said:
I know you're not giving up on Bogaerts or anything, but this still seems a little harsh. He started and finished strong at the plate, and the slump looks like a combination of injury and adjustments (which he eventually made); that's a fine first MLB season for a 21 year old.foulkehampshire said:
Having generational talents like Trout, Stanton and Harper around kinda skews the perspective (man this is a great time to be a baseball fan), but it's pretty common for a young guy to take a year or two to develop sustained success at the MLB level before rounding out into a cornerstone player. Heck, Craig Biggio didn't exactly set the world on fire.
Yup. Betts and Swihart should be untouchable, especially when they have as many other chips to deal as they do.ivanvamp said:
3 for Papi, 3 for Panda, Two for Pedroia, two for Lester and one for Hanley......whoops, none for Hanley 10, not 11LahoudOrBillyC said:
EricFeczko said:
I live out here, my bro lives right outside Boston. Comparable. You can find ungodly expensive places in either area. I found out where Buster Posey lives. Nice neighborhood...
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
Panda deal with boston is 95M for 5 yrs plus team option
Heyman edited the contract details
Panda deal with boston is 95M for 5 yrs plus team option
Heyman edited the contract details
And his weight will get bought up as an explanation for why he's not performing. Every market in baseball would bring it up, we're talking about a guy who looks pretty fat when he's overweight. He's not Papi or Mo Vaughn, he looks more like Prince Fielder or Ray King when he's been hitting the sundaes.
I think he'll do well for a few years, but I could envision a Crawford-esque situation happening where a guy underestimates the market, gets off to a bad start, and everything just snowballs.
I think he'll do well for a few years, but I could envision a Crawford-esque situation happening where a guy underestimates the market, gets off to a bad start, and everything just snowballs.
Alex Speier @alexspeier 16s16 seconds ago
Ryan Lavarnway designated to clear roster spot for Sandoval.
Ryan Lavarnway designated to clear roster spot for Sandoval.
Live feed beginning at 1:
http://nesn.com/2014/11/watch-red-sox-press-conference-online-live-stream/
http://nesn.com/2014/11/watch-red-sox-press-conference-online-live-stream/
Alex Speier @alexspeier 1m1 minute ago
Sandoval terms: $3M bonus 2015-17: $17M 2018-19 $18M 2020: $17M option with $5M buyout. A 5 yr, $95 M commitment.
Sandoval terms: $3M bonus 2015-17: $17M 2018-19 $18M 2020: $17M option with $5M buyout. A 5 yr, $95 M commitment.