Look out, Koji. All of the sudden, the competition for "third favorite Red Sox" just got way harder.
Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt said:Damn. I was really hoping for that sandwich pick.
How can you not just love this guy? Selfie! Gotta believe he is just as happy as we are.Corsi said:
See, now, I was just being dry about that sandwich pick. Now I can't tell if you are being uber-dry or if you're just crazy.FanSinceBoggs said:Me too. I liked the idea of saving money, giving Carp a chance, and getting that draft pick.
Now that Napoli is returning, I am against signing any QO free agents -- I don't want the Red Sox to lose their first round pick. I'm hoping the market soon picks up for Drew, giving the Red Sox 3 picks between 25-40.
DennyDoyle'sBoil said:If you need any confirmation on how crazy free agency is getting, consider this -- even if Papi meets his incentives, Napoli will have the highest AAV and highest salary of any Red Sox player next year. He beats Lackey's AAV, I believe, by $50,000. Obviously, that's highly misleading, because it was a two-year deal, and that's the important part, but it's still pretty amazing that we're over the moon and using words like "steal" for our new highest paid player on our $189 million team! Things are really getting distorted.
DennyDoyle'sBoil said:If you need any confirmation on how crazy free agency is getting, consider this -- even if Papi meets his incentives, Napoli will have the highest AAV and highest salary of any Red Sox player next year. He beats Lackey's AAV, I believe, by $50,000. Obviously, that's highly misleading, because it was a two-year deal, and that's the important part, but it's still pretty amazing that we're over the moon and using words like "steal" for our new highest paid player on our $189 million team! Things are really getting distorted.
mpx42 said:
Sprowl said:
If Napoli bolts, Carp has earned the lead half of a platoon: getting out of Safeco has shown his quality. Complementary right-handed hitting first basemen are not hard to find. Turtle teaches us: don't spend big money on a first baseman (medium-term medium money for an injury-hedged Napoli would be OK): 2 years, small raise over 2013. With Bogaerts, Bradley and Carp, the Red Sox are in a good position to see their Qualifying Offers fly away. Set them free.
That's pathetic. Enjoy the here and now, man. We got him back on a steal......a guy who celebrated a World Series by roaming Boston shirtless and pounding drinks. I would have been cool with 3/45!Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt said:Damn. I was really hoping for that sandwich pick.
Clears Cleaver said:It's all good here. I still like the idea of kemp. But they don't have a true lead off hitter unless JBJ can grow into the roll by year end.
Be interesting to see if they offer/can keep Drew on a similar deal. At this point I can't see them offering him more than Napoli. I'm guessing he's a goner.
After that its probably all trades to clear 40 man and shore up UIF and OF.
https://twitter.com/nickcafardo/status/409157306916831232Napoli two year 32 mill deal contains no language pertaining to his degenerative hip condition
Beltran to the Yanks at 3/45 so he is off the board.TheYaz67 said:
Yup - trade one of Dempster/Peavy and you can free up quite a bit for another OF (if Beltran will take 2/$28 or something like that I feel good about him) and bank the rest for needs as the come up (or a UIF), and stay under the $189M - X takes over at short, which is necessary given the 8 players making between $10 and $16M already.....
Awesome job for Ben getting this done, and good psyche for Naps and the Sox "completing" the original deal in a sense, and rewarding Naps for his being willing to shift the risk to himself last year re the hips - he earned the extra cash, and if we trade one of Dempster/Peavy, we can definitely afford to give him that bump...
For right handed power and clubhouse chemistry, he was the most important of the FA's to resign....
Sampo Gida said:I do expect some regression from his 367 BABIP though...
https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/409161186924437504When looked like Texas might be in lead for Napoli today, large group of Red Sox players urged for front office to make push. They did.
When looked like Texas might be in lead for Napoli today, large group of Red Sox players urged for front office to make push. They did.
Even though some players were annoyed Ellsbury left I wonder if this is an indictment on him as a teammate. You never heard about players pushing to see him resigned at all costs like this.Corsi said:
http://bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox_mlb/clubhouse_insider/2013/12/mike_napoli_leaves_money_on_the_table_to_return_to_redHow badly did Napoli want to return to Boston? According to a source, it is believed he left three years and $39-$42 million on the table from the Rangers, his former club. Think about that one for a minute. An extra year and as much as another $10 million, and Napoli walked away.
It's not like they chose Nap over Ellsbury. They weren't signing the latter at that money/length no matter what.Dan to Theo to Ben said:I love the lack of length of the contract, but count me in the minority - who thinks 16 per is too much for a non-elite talent (1B sub .850 OPS) like Napoli.
I'd rather have Ellsbury + more AB for Lavarnway, Nava, and Carp, than Napoli + AJP.
Really hope I'm wrong once 2016 rolls around.
Corsi said:
For what the Sox would have had to pay to lure Ellsbury back, they'd have been stuck paying him a whole lot more than $16 million long past the the point he ceased being a non-elite talent himself.Dan to Theo to Ben said:I love the lack of length of the contract, but count me in the minority - who thinks 16 per is too much for a non-elite talent (1B sub .850 OPS) like Napoli.
I'd rather have Ellsbury + more AB for Lavarnway, Nava, and Carp, than Napoli + AJP.
Really hope I'm wrong once 2016 rolls around.
Corsi said:
Dan to Theo to Ben said:I love the lack of length of the contract, but count me in the minority - who thinks 16 per is too much for a non-elite talent (1B sub .850 OPS) like Napoli.
I'd rather have Ellsbury + more AB for Lavarnway, Nava, and Carp, than Napoli + AJP.
Unfortunately that's the key right there. There was no 1B counterpart of JBJ in the minors.Pumpsie said:There really isn't anyone in-house who could do nearly as good a job there.
It was sarcasm. YOU enjoy the here and now.CaskNFappin said:That's pathetic. Enjoy the here and now, man. We got him back on a steal......a guy who celebrated a World Series by roaming Boston shirtless and pounding drinks. I would have been cool with 3/45!
radsoxfan said:
If it really was 3/39 vs 2/32, I don't think thats really leaving that much on the table.
Sure, he has the hip issue and thats a bit of a wildcard in his individual case. I'd probably go 3/39 over 2/32, and definitely appreciate that Nap wants to come back to Boston.
But it's really not that big of a difference. Not crazy for him to bet on himself and think he could get at least a 1/7 deal at the age of 34 to make up the difference, and perhaps he could do much better.