So it looks like I was dead wrong on this one. MLB.com is reporting its official. A two year deal, no financial terms reported yet. It will probably be out there by the time you East Coast guys are up, but nothing now. Two years is better than three. And they supposedly are really high on this 19 year old Dominican kid they signed (Iglesias) and think he could be ready in two years. So I guess it fits. Plus, he can play some other positions in case of injury or the emergence of Lowrie as a stud, Scutaro could then be a super sub. I'm surprised that this one happened so quickly.
I don't love signing a guy off a career year. That said, I don't think the difference between the Sox being good and the Sox being great next year, will come down to who is playing SS and batting 8th or 9th. They need offensive consistency. And need better production in the 3-4 spot in the rotation, whether its Dice-K, Bucholz or getting Halladay or maybe even a guy like Randy Wolf (if they move Clay to get a bat.)
Well, once the Sox got the draft picks from Atlanta (for signing Wagner), they could make this move without really losing draft picks (including a first-rounder).
ReplyDeleteObviously they expect a decent year from Scutaro, and let's face it they haven't had a solid SS since O-Cab (offensively and defensively). My guess is that they are hoping for a solid fielder that can hit .260 and draws some walks. They aren't looking for this position to be their power bat (at least since that can't get Hanley Ramirez).
The problem that I have is that if they sign Bay as their power bat, that they are essentially the same team as last year with Scutaro at SS and they will have Victor Martinez for the entire season.
I think to contend that the Sox need power hitters in LF and at a corner infield spot, plus a top of the rotation type (Halladay or Lackey). Now you are looking at adding another $50-$60MM to the payroll per year.
I am beginning to think that the Sox might use this year to evaluate the following:
Beckett's worth
Matsuzaka
Minor League SS
Let's also not forget that V-Mart's contract is up next year (I am 99% sure...so they'll have to resign him).
Key comment in there, "The Sox might use this year to evaluate...."
ReplyDeleteI hinted at it before, and while the Sox will never fully rebuild, this year might be a step back before 2011. They have all the $$ coming off the books next year and the FA class is much better.
That said, wiht a 1-2 of Beckett and Lester, not to mention a payroll likley in the $120-130MM, range, they definitely can compete. I just think we should prepare for the possibility that this will be a frustrating season.
Ok...well here comes the Grieve list
ReplyDeleteCF Ellsbury
2B Pedroia
DH Papi
1B Youk
C Martinez
RF Drew
SS Scutaro
3B Lowell
LF Hermida
Papi? Don't know
Drew? Don't know
Scutaro? .260 10 HR 45-60RBI
Lowell? ???
Hermida? ok, he's probably just the bench guy.
...that's a lot of possible good, but just as much bad in the lineup.
Beckett
Lester
Buchholz
Daisuke
Wakefield
Again, too much unknown.
With all those unknowns, though, what can Theo do? Not much. Seriously Daisuke could be an 18-20 game winner this year. Buchholz could be a stud. They could also both be terrible. The lineup could be great or meh. I say that they have to add a big bat and another big starter. If they could make a deal for Halladay and sign him to an extension then they sort of build in insurance for Beckett's possible departure.
I feel like Theo has painted himself into a lot of corners. I also believe that the Sox will win around 90 games making them competitive and a playoff contender if all goes well. This could also easily be an 85-win team where the organization will be able to say "without this injury" or "just a bounce here or there" and "we would have made the playoffs".