Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Finally, new stuff

Thank God the offseason is almost over. There's actually some real Red Sox news. Some recent stories on current, former, and soon-to-be-former Red Sox:
  1. Keith Foulke has been getting "injections", of something other than cortisone, in his knees. Yikes.
  2. Tony Graffanino will probably be traded, but hopefully in a way agreeable to both him and the Sox.
  3. Josh Beckett's stuff is begrimed.
  4. Cla Meredith is trying not to let his amazingly awful 2005 outings bother him.
  5. Mike Myers is surprised not to have gotten an offer from the Sox. (We were too.)
  6. Johnny Damon gives way too many interviews.
  7. Mike Timlin is a freak.

10 comments:

  1. And the WBC is only a few days away. It will be great to get back to real baseball and less silly baseball news.

    You know I'm sure the Sox are trying like crazy to deal T-Graf and he was an important piece to the team last year, but he has never been an everyday player (career highs are 110 games and 380 AB - both last year). He is due to make $2.0 MM.

    I'm sure the Sox are only looking for a marginal prospect at this point, but something tells me the most likely scenario is him getting cut prior to opening day and then the Sox only owe him termination pay of about $400K.

    I don't think we have read much about that option because he is such a good guy.

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  2. I hope the Clement for one of the Nationals happens...Soriano (although with a ton of errors) adds some serious pop to the top of this lineup, and the money isn't too far off, as we paid a lot for Clement.

    Nick Johnson is interesting, too. I couldn't believe when the Yankees let him go, but then he gets injured a lot, too, so maybe they knew something...

    Ryan Church is the other possibility. He'd be a possible takeover in RF for Nixon after this year. Because...I am thinking that if Trot doesn't take the short money to stay here in Boston, he is gone next year.

    So this question becomes, do you get Soriano for immediate impact? Nick Johnson? I see him as the least likely as JT Snow and Youk are in place. If they could deal Youk, too, then I could see this deal happen. Church? Big upside, but not immediate impact. You would have an outfield with two cheap, good players next year in Crisp and Church...

    Tough call..

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  3. Word out of Washington is that:

    a) they are not interested in Clement (if anything they would want Arroyo
    b) Soriano will not be traded

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  4. I'd be more excited about Nick Johnson than Soriano. Though I don't understand why the Nats wouldn't want to get rid of Sori -- he's refusing to budge to the outfield. Of course, their GM is Jim Bowden, so logic isn't really involved.

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  5. And soriano is a one year rental for them. He is a FA next year. And the early line says he ends up back in NY one way or another.

    either a) Cano struggles this year and the Yanks trade for him at the deadline, b) Cano struggles this year and the Yanks sign Soraino next year and deal Cano, c) Cano is decent and the Yanks trade him for some pitching but sign Soriano to play second.

    Should be interesting to see if George will demand these types of deals instead of letting Cashman's likely cooler head.

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  6. I am not sure I'd want Soriano for multiple years, unless he lights it up in Fenway...He makes way too many errors, and we have some guys who can play the middle-infield.

    But for a one-year run I'd take his bat in this lineup...

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  7. What would you do with Loretta?

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  8. Plus the price would be steep. Sure he is being an ass right now (can't say I blame him entirely as a FA 2B will make much more than an OF). The Nats gave up Brad Wilkerson and Termel Sledge - two very nice players. so if they deal Soraino now, I'm sure they would be looking for some top, top talent (think Jon Lester - whom I'm now very glad we did not deal to TEX in the A-Rod/Manny deal) for a one year rental.

    Getting Soriano would be an old Steinbrenner trick or a fantasy league move. It just won't work for this team.

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  9. The deal that is being discussed is Clement for Soriano straight up. Vidro is apparently healthy, and Soriano doesn't want to play in the OF. So what do you do with him? They want pitching and the Sox have strength from that position.

    Also, the Sox don't have to do the deal because they have Loretta. I am sure the Sox front office would have no problem, however, using Loretta to spell Soriano at 2b or use him as a defensive replacement late in games.

    I think that if you are going to deal a guy like Clement that you have to get a lot for him. Soriano made 7.5MM last year and Clement 6.5MM...The money's fairly even.

    I think if you can get a guy with good power and some speed to add to this lineup you should do it...

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