like Carl Everett? Darren Oliver did have a 20 year career in the league, 3/4th of it spent in the ALYep, I'd sell off Martinez for a Darren Oliver-like bag of balls.
like Carl Everett? Darren Oliver did have a 20 year career in the league, 3/4th of it spent in the ALYep, I'd sell off Martinez for a Darren Oliver-like bag of balls.
Mookie would not sign back with the Sox if they traded Xander firsttrading xander right after signing him to a team friendly deal would probably ensure that every young prospect that we ever have goes to free agency every single time. i would 100% rather keep xander then throw a 10/300 mil plus deal at mookie betts. the guy took a below market deal to stay here. trading him away and rewarding the guy who is going to free agency no matter what doesnt seem like a good idea
They kinda did that with Bronson Arroyo and it didn't hurt them. Well, outside of Wily Mo Pena sucking.trading xander right after signing him to a team friendly deal would probably ensure that every young prospect that we ever have goes to free agency every single time. i would 100% rather keep xander then throw a 10/300 mil plus deal at mookie betts. the guy took a below market deal to stay here. trading him away and rewarding the guy who is going to free agency no matter what doesnt seem like a good idea
Not sure the two situations are all that analogous. For one, Xander is a much higher profile player now than Arroyo was at that time. Anyway, Bogaerts is not going anywhere; they're not going to eviscerate both their lineup and their defense chasing dragons.They kinda did that with Bronson Arroyo and it didn't hurt them. Well, outside of Wily Mo Pena sucking.
Oliver didn't become useful til after his Sox time. But if the salary implications of dumping an opted-in JD makes it significantly more likely that they can deal with the rest of the roster, then I think the offensive drop off from him to another DH in 2020 will be worth it. Ultimately, 2020 will depend almost solely on whether Sale, Price and Eovaldi can pitch in the Major Leagues. But taking both the cash outlay and the uncertainty of JD's options out of the picture probably helps the FO plan otherwise, including on how far to go with Betts.like Carl Everett? Darren Oliver did have a 20 year career in the league, 3/4th of it spent in the AL
In his four boston seasons he's had two years shortened by injury where he's registered fewer than 2 bWAR -- meaning he's giving them less than $18m value on the market while costing $31. Personally, I think as he gets older, if the Sox can get him and 2/3 of his salary out the door, they can do something better with the $20m savings, including the short-term urgency to getting under the LT and signing Betts.Great point. It really makes no sense for the Red Sox to be trading anyone currently on the roster and paying part of their salary to play elsewhere. That's what you do with players who aren't contributors when healthy, and every potential albatross on the payroll is entirely tied to the player's health and ability to take the field.
When healthy, David Price is a big time contributor and likely to be of more value to the Red Sox pitching for them at $31M AAV than pitching elsewhere while still costing them $10M+. Same goes for Sale and frankly, Eovaldi too. I don't think you can or should trade any of them unless their entire salary is being cleared off the books.
You're right in pointing out that Xander is probably the second-most valuable guy on the team right now because of his contract. But while he would bring back a lot of prospect value, I don't see how that uncertain value is a good substitution for the realized value X brings, even before all the other problems discussed here get factored in. [And I'll add, they probably have a leg up on signing guys from the Dutch Antilles, which they can kiss goodbye if they do X like this.]I would too.
I'm just throwing that out there as a way to pull back the spending but also add some affordable long term pieces. X and Devers are my favorite two players- even more than Betts... but I could see something like this happening. Like I said.... not advocating.
Could he retire and then sign a contract to be an assistant bench coach for two years for $25 million?The short answer is no. He cannot negotiate a buyout with the FO to circumvent the luxury tax. If that were possible no team would ever need to insure player contracts. The Mets insured David Wright's contract and only had to pay 25% of the contract's value when it was determined that he could no longer play due to spinal issues. Pedroia's contract is not insured. If Pedroia retires he would get nothing. If he doesn't retire, the Red Sox only choice would be to release him and pay him the entire balance of his contract. I don't believe there is any middle ground.
It's an interesting idea. I don't know if the CBA / MLB would allow this, but it sounds like something that would not be allowed, but that's just a gut feeling.Could he retire and then sign a contract to be an assistant bench coach for two years for $25 million?
He would absolute kill that contract on the open market. There would be a big trade market for him, you'd get something interesting for sure, but you'd be worse off and need to get someone to replace him that is a worse player and costs more.Would JBJ get an $11 million contract from anyone on the free agent market? I feel like a 90 OPS+ guy with a good glove would have a hard time finding a guarantee over half that amount. I think you have to non-tender him and let him go or see if you can bring him back on a friendlier deal.
Our offense will be fine, good enough to be a postseason team.Dumping Owings, Gorkys, Wright, and Leon sheds $8.3 million, and replacing them with 4 minimum salary guys costs a little over $2 million, so you save about $6 million from that.
If you dumb Hembree too, that makes the total savings about $7 million for 5 guys.
After that, we only need to dump another $25 million or so from an 84-win team-- we should be really good next year!
Replacing Leon with a replacement level catcher would likely be a marginal improvement.Dumping Owings, Gorkys, Wright, and Leon sheds $8.3 million, and replacing them with 4 minimum salary guys costs a little over $2 million, so you save about $6 million from that.
If you dumb Hembree too, that makes the total savings about $7 million for 5 guys.
After that, we only need to dump another $25 million or so from an 84-win team-- we should be really good next year!
Obviously you’re a bit biased here, but look at the evidence from last off-season. Adam Jones had nothing but a 1-year, $3 million contract offer. Brett Gardner only got $7.5 million. Avasail Garcia only got $3.5 million. Robbie Grossman got $2 million. Defense only players like Austin Jackson were never signed.He would absolute kill that contract on the open market. There would be a big trade market for him, you'd get something interesting for sure, but you'd be worse off and need to get someone to replace him that is a worse player and costs more.
This is why they need someone like Bloom to come in here and make some creative deals.
What do you think he would get? I can't think of any good comparisons from the last few years, Dexter Fowler, Cain and Pollock were all decidedly better offensively heading into FA. 3/30 maybe? I think he has a little trade value but not a ton.He would absolute kill that contract on the open market.
None of these are good comparisons, though. The only relevant one is Gardner and he was 5 years older and has said lots of times publicly he far prefers staying in NY to going anywhere else. Bradley's main selling point is his superlative CF defense, you need to compare him to other CFs.Obviously you’re a bit biased here, but look at the evidence from last off-season. Adam Jones had nothing but a 1-year, $3 million contract offer. Brett Gardner only got $7.5 million. Avasail Garcia only got $3.5 million. Robbie Grossman got $2 million. Defense only players like Austin Jackson were never signed.
Right, I listed the obvious easy moves that save a little money. How do we cut $25 million more after that though? That's the question, and the answer is why we're probably not competing next year if they really try to get anywhere near the first luxury tax line.Replacing Leon with a replacement level catcher would likely be a marginal improvement.
Owings and Gorkys suck. No loss there.
Cain had 20.5 bWAR in the 4 years before FA, 8.4 the 2 years before. JBJ has 12.6 the last 4 years, 4.1 the last 2 years.Cain's a good comp. He was 31 when he signed. But JBJ is 29. I don't think Pollock and Fowler are in the same ballpark as JBJ defensively.
Cain had 20.5 bWAR in the 4 years before FA, 8.4 the 2 years before. JBJ has 12.6 the last 4 years, 4.1 the last 2 years.
The Red Sox don’t need to pay a premium for CF defense. There aren’t really any good straight comps out there AFAIC.None of these are good comparisons, though. The only relevant one is Gardner and he was 5 years older and has said lots of times publicly he far prefers staying in NY to going anywhere else. Bradley's main selling point is his superlative CF defense, you need to compare him to other CFs.
Hembree is not a problem, and he isn't expensiveDumping Owings, Gorkys, Wright, and Leon sheds $8.3 million, and replacing them with 4 minimum salary guys costs a little over $2 million, so you save about $6 million from that.
If you dumb Hembree too, that makes the total savings about $7 million for 5 guys.
He absolutely would. He was really pretty excellent at the plate from May 20 on. I know we do this sort of thing every year, but he’s hardly the problem.Would JBJ get an $11 million contract from anyone on the free agent market? I feel like a 90 OPS+ guy with a good glove would have a hard time finding a guarantee over half that amount. I think you have to non-tender him and let him go or see if you can bring him back on a friendlier deal.
This all makes total sense to me, except I don't think he would agree to postpone FA for 2/16 more, especially watching what Mookie is doing in a similar situation.I think he’d get 3/$30 or so if he were on the open market now. Another option is to extend him for something modest that can bring down his 2020 AAV — tacking on 2/$16 for a total of 3/$27m. Benny isn’t an option for center and if Mookie’s gone too it could get pretty clunky out there.
Which contending team needs a defense only CFer and has $30 million lying around? Yankees- nope. Indians—nope, Twins—nope Rays — nope. A’s — nope. Angels— nope. Astros — nope, Dodgers - nope. Cards —nope. Nats—nope. Mets—nope. Braves — nope, Phillies — nope,He absolutely would. He was really pretty excellent at the plate from May 20 on. I know we do this sort of thing every year, but he’s hardly the problem.
I think he’d get 3/$30 or so if he were on the open market now. Another option is to extend him for something modest that can bring down his 2020 AAV — tacking on 2/$16 for a total of 3/$27m. Benny isn’t an option for center and if Mookie’s gone too it could get pretty clunky out there.
Bradley’s market isn’t limited to contenders. His defense is an ancillary benefit to building and developing a pitching staff, and he’s one of the most durable center fielders in MLB (1st in CF innings in 18-19; 3rd from 17-19).Which contending team needs a defense only CFer and has $30 million lying around? Yankees- nope. Indians—nope, Twins—nope Rays — nope. A’s — nope. Angels— nope. Astros — nope, Dodgers - nope. Cards —nope. Nats—nope. Mets—nope. Braves — nope, Phillies — nope,
Cubs or White Sox maybe? Mariners?Rangers.?
ok, let's start the Punto-esque trade rumors start now Dodgers and Braves collapse and they have CBT room to take on the bad contractsIf JD opts out, trade JBJ and let their FAs walk, they have a reasonable chance to get under $208 and a reasonable chance to be competitive, depending on the health of their SPs. But if JS doesn't opt out, they would have to trade JBJ, lets and FAs walk AND make a Punto-type deal involving one or more of the SPs, which is what Sam Kennedy probably means when he says it would be "difficult" to get under 208 with both JD and Mookie (and I don't think they really have any intention of trading Mookie). And if they make that Punto-type deal, that also probably kills any chance at competitiveness in 2020 because of the resulting holes in the pitching staff. Which is maybe why they are leaving themselves wiggle room on the 208 (a goal not a mandate).
So I think they are really hoping that JD opts out.
the Braves also need an RF with Markakis being a FA (and he was bleh anyways).Yesterday was a good day for the Red Sox, in the sense that there's probably a slightly higher chance now that the Braves or Dodgers might have just a little more interest in a subsidized trade for a playoff-tested pitcher like Price or Eovaldi.
I disagree on the Indians. They need OF help anywhere they can get it. And for 1/11 or so even they might we willing to take a shot.Which contending team needs a defense only CFer and has $30 million lying around? Yankees- nope. Indians—nope, Twins—nope Rays — nope. A’s — nope. Angels— nope. Astros — nope, Dodgers - nope. Cards —nope. Nats—nope. Mets—nope. Braves — nope, Phillies — nope,
Cubs or White Sox maybe? Mariners?Rangers.?
If the Mets want to upgrade their CF from Nimmo, and play him in a corner with Conforto, they can trade JD Davis, who’s have no eole in the case, for someone much much better than Jackie Bradley.I disagree on the Indians. They need OF help anywhere they can get it. And for 1/11 or so even they might we willing to take a shot.
I strongly disagree on the Mets. They have no CF. Bradley is EXACTLY what they need. A minimal risk good defensive CF to play Conforto and Nimmo on the corners, keep McNeil in the INF and worry about the bullpen and 5th starter spot.
The Indians need offense from a corner outfielder and have a limited budget. They love Oscar Mercado and will also have Bradley Zimmer healthy and competing for a MLB job (not to mention Greg Allen as a 5th outfielder). There is zero chance they acquire or spend money on a starting center fielder this winter... especially not one who's going to hit like a pitcher for 2-3 months of the season.I disagree on the Indians. They need OF help anywhere they can get it. And for 1/11 or so even they might we willing to take a shot.
I strongly disagree on the Mets. They have no CF. Bradley is EXACTLY what they need. A minimal risk good defensive CF to play Conforto and Nimmo on the corners, keep McNeil in the INF and worry about the bullpen and 5th starter spot.
That's fine.If the Mets want to upgrade their CF from Nimmo, and play him in a corner with Conforto, they can trade JD Davis, who’s have no eole in the case, for someone much much better than Jackie Bradley.
The indians went to the WS with a platoon of Chisenhall/Guyer in RF.The Indians need offense from a corner outfielder and have a limited budget. They love Oscar Mercado and will also have Bradley Zimmer healthy and competing for a MLB job (not to mention Greg Allen as a 5th outfielder). There is zero chance they acquire or spend money on a starting center fielder this winter... especially not one who's going to hit like a pitcher for 2-3 months of the season.
Or they could use JD Davis in a separate deal to fill another hole, like the bullpen.If the Mets want to upgrade their CF from Nimmo, and play him in a corner with Conforto, they can trade JD Davis, who’s have no eole in the case, for someone much much better than Jackie Bradley.
I've been a hardcore Indians fan for about 35 years. It's the hardest of nos… that with the offensive upgrade they need in either LF or RF – holes that killed their chances this year – they would add a center fielder who can't hit and would tap into their limited off-season budget unless he's nontendered and no one wants him. As I said, they have 3 center fielders – Mercado's a 24-year-old who just had a better season than JBJ, and Zimmer is a younger, much cheaper version of JBJ who might have more offensive upside now that's he finally healthy again. That's not cheaping out, it's choosing not to waste limited resources to acquire a downgrade.The indians went to the WS with a platoon of Chisenhall/Guyer in RF.
Getting really good defense out of RF can be valuable (see Adam Eaton in Chicago pre-Nats trade). Give him a cheap platoon guy and you can steal a useful spot for the lineup.
CLE isn't a perfect fit, but it's not a hard no either. But they will probably cheap out again.
According to a link from the article you posted, the Sox made $84 million in profit from 2018. https://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/list/#tab:overallRe: Henry's claim that the Red Sox lost money last year.
From a Forbes article last year (I can't locate current valuations)
Red Sox Revenue (albeit 2018): $484,000,000
Red Sox Athlete Payroll (incl tax) for 2019: $242,269,000
Operating and Other Expenses: ?????? (anyone know?)
Team Value (per Forbes): $3,200,000,000
Purchase Price (2002): $380,000,000
Potential ROI: $2,820,000,000 (not including profits from 2002-2019)
Maybe he should sell?
(Please chime in and correct numbers)
Fair enough.It's all in the bookkeeping. Neither that gain nor any loss means anything in terms of if the team actually was profitable or not
Not sure I agree. The article specifically mentioned operating profit, and it's not hard to envision that the Sox could have lost money on an operating basis in 2019.It's all in the bookkeeping. Neither that gain nor any loss means anything in terms of if the team actually was profitable or not
Would you be all that surprised if the 2019 revenue was $80m+ less than the 2018 revenue?Unless you or I work there we have no idea what expenses they do or don't charge against the team as opposed to charging to Liverpool, FSG, or any of a number of other entities.
Capitalization of expenses and Depreciation are other black holes that may or may not reflect actual current costs.
I wouldn't be surprised if creative accounting could drop or raise expenses by 100 million in a season