Red Sox Sign Mark Kotsay

Bastards! This isn't funny anymore. Their 4th and 5th outfielders could be starters on most teams.

KW must figure Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens are better than Kotsay and Baldelli. This is just frustrating. Sorry for the two posts in a row but...damn.

I forgot there wasn't a back up 1B and that Casey isn't with the team.

You know Drew will be on the DL at some point so Baldelli will get some playing time. They'll need a 4th OF at that time. Good move.

after they signed Rocco i was really hoping they would pick kotsay up to be a back up Healthy outfielder and back up 1st baseman. this really solidifies the bench and the out field. the only next question is really the back up infield spot, lugo and lowrie just going to battle it out to start with the other playing back up? then of course catcher. But perfect compliment to Rocco really happy about this!

Wow...this is a surprise to me. I didn't think he'd be willing to take on a backup role. I really liked what I saw out of him last year, defensively at least. If he can hit more like he did during the four months he was with the Braves than I say great re-signing.

Now if we can just fix the gaping whole behind the plate we'll be in good shape.

You're going to need alot more than Mark Kotsay to compete with us.

And your post is better then mine because????

Yeah, we have that, it's called a reliable farm system. It's really been quite nice to us: Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon, Youkilis, Ellsbury, Lowrie, Masterson, Delcarmen, Bowden...

Your Yankees should consider getting one.

I think this is a pretty good move for the Sox. Francona has always loved to have five outfielders who contribute something. Kotsay can also back up Youkilis, which is a plus. An outfield of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, JD Drew, Rocco Baldelli, and Mark Kotsay is talented and diverse. I like what they are doing there, not huge signings but quality ballplayers.

Really?

Posada,Jeter,Mariano,Veras,Edwar,Joba,Hughes,Robertson,Wang,GArdner.

I forgot that we have no farm system. Thanks for reminding me.

He played better for the Braves last season than he did for the Red Sox. But he was one of Terry Francona's favorite players and he hit the ball hard in the playoffs...usually right at the defense though. Tough breaks in baseball. He can hit a little better.

in pawtucket...

c - dusty brown, george kottaras
1b/dh - jeff bailey, chris carter
of - jonathan van every

yikes

oh, and at 2b jeff natale...duh!

Ryan - Kotsay raked the first couple months in Atlanta before his back flaired up.

If JD misses time for you guys, a Baldelli/Kotsay platoon could be a more than viable replacement.

"You're going to need alot more than Mark Kotsay to compete with us."

The Red Sox and yanks are very evenly matched even with the yankee spending spree. Hitting is a toss up, defense favors the Sox, starting staff is very even despite the addition of Sabathia and Burnett. Bullpens are always a mixed bag and Paps v Rivera is a push as well. The bashing you've done on signing Kotsay, Baldelli, and Smoltz is a typical style of a fan who doesn't seem to realize the reason why a team has a 25 man roster. At this point bench depth goes to the Sox.

"I was bored and wanted to spark some discussion"

A discuss starts with a sentence like this: "What will Kotsay's role be" or "Why the hell didn't he hold out for a full time job" or "Wow... now the Red Sox have more viable outfielders than the Nationals." You just came off as an @sshole yankee fan.

On Kotsay's signing. I'm shocked. I fully expected with Baldelli off the market that Kotsay would get a full time offer. He showed he could still hit and raised his value by showing he could be a viable and surprisingly defensive first baseman. But hey, the more bench depth the better.

Is it just me...or does Kotsay remind any of you of Kid Rock? Whenever he would get a hit I would shout "Go Kid Rock!" last season...haha.

Wow, as a West Coast guy myself, Dynasty26 just showed me how much more current talent the Red Sox have in their farm system than the Yankees. You know it's sad when you still talk up your farm system for guys that came up in the mid-90's. Boston's youngin's have taken them through a World Series. The Yankees boys have, well, uh, yeah.

Posted by: WestCoastBias | January 09, 2009 at 12:29 AM

Really? Can you name me the home grown talent that was on the team when they won their two WS?

Dynasty26, you're actually touting Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Robertson and Brett Gardner? Really? These are all marginal major leaguers. I'll give you Joba, who will be dominant if he stays in the bullpen, and Wang, who is a solid starter. As for Jeter, Rivera and Posada, that does show how overhyped most Yankees prospects are since you have to go back to the mid-90s to find homegrown products to brag about. The Red Sox clearly have a farm system of prospects that have proven themselves on the major league level (under Theo Epstein's tenure).

As for Pawtucket's projected for 2009, it is understandable why it does not look impressive, beyond Jeff Bailey and Chris Carter (who are major league ready hitters) and Buchholz, Bowden and Daniel Bard. The Sox have graduated so many top prospects to the majors that a bulk of their next wave of studs are at Double-A Portland and at the Single-A levels. Believe me, you'll be hearing about Lars Anderson, Josh Reddick, Argenis Diaz, Yamaico Navarro, Ryan Kalish, Che-Hsuan Lin, Luis Exposito, Stolmy Pimentel and Nick Hagadone. Some will likely make their way to the big leagues on other teams, and some might not make it, but the fact is that Red Sox prospects have a proven track record in the bigs (in Epstein's tenure) and most Yankees prospects are simply overhyped, which brings me back to most of the guys you mentioned.

Jeff
http://www.soxandpinstripes.com

Posted by: Jeff Louderback | January 09, 2009 at 12:43 AM

Lol. Ok. If you want to go to Double A and A. Jesus Montero is one of the top catching prospects in the game, Austine Romine is one of the top catching prospects, Austin Jackson, Dellin Betances, Andrew Brackman, Zach Mccallister, Mark Melancon. Please stop saying jsut because they are Yankees that they are overhyped.

Not much homegrown talent on the 2004 team, but the 2007 team was stocked with it (Papelbon, Lester, Pedroia, Delcarmen, Ellsbury and Youkilis, and Buchholz significantly contributed in 2007).

John Henry only took over the team in 2003, the graduates of the farm system have just now started showing up Mr. 1 liner.

Correct also ppl, Boston just graduated the top class of Pawtucket AAA in Lowrie, Buch, (pending)Masterson and to some extent, Ellsbury. You can't bring up 3-4 guys every year from AAA, all teams have to reload and Boston will this year at AAA with Danial Bard for certain and Lars Anderson probably getting promoted to there during the season, if not beginning it there.

"Francona becomes enamored with certain players and goes with them far to long sometimes is about the only fault I have with him."

Yeah, that's about the only significant problem I have with him as well. He gave Craig Hansen and Mike Timlin way too many chances last year...I still cringe when I think about that July 2nd debacle in Tampa and Hansen's God-awful performance in it (13 pitches, 9 balls, three batters faced, two walks, a hit, 2 inherited runners scored, and 3 earned runs in 0 IP).

Red Sox > yankees

Posted by: ptk420biatch | January 09, 2009 at 12:48 AM

Well thought argument. Congrats.

Thanks! They are better, and have chemistry. And im not a fan of either. Where has money got the spankees?

As for this year's rankings, of course Boston will have slipped from the top five down to 13. As I mentioned, most of their top prospects have graduated to the big leagues and are actually contributing. The Sox are well-stocked with pitching prospects and position players at Double-A and below. By 2010, they will be back in the top five in the farm system rankings.

Not much homegrown talent on the 2004 team, but the 2007 team was stocked with it (Papelbon, Lester, Pedroia, Delcarmen, Ellsbury and Youkilis, and Buchholz significantly contributed in 2007).

Posted by: Jeff Louderback | January 09, 2009 at 12:50 AM

The Starting lineup for 2007 included Youk and Dustin. Ellsbury only played 33 games. Lester only pitches 63 inning and you had Papelbon. Please get off of this Yankees have no homegrown talent

Dynasty, you ignore that Ellsbury and Lester finished the year as starters and please, Lester would have clearly broken camp as a start without the cancer.

The Yankees do have home grown talent, better than in ages, and its good to see, but it just doesn't compare to the Sox, which doesn't compare to the Rays.

Sox farm system is clearly better than the Yankees - the proof aside from results, is that the Sox system is always rated ahead of the Yankees in every rating like Baseball America.

The Yankees prospects are over-rated, in the last few years you have Wang and Joba. Cano and Melky looked good but have regressed, and everything else has come no where near to living up to the hype. Hughes should but hasn't, Cano should but hasn't.

Youkilis, Pedroia, Papelbon, Lester have all surpassed expectations, Ellsbury had a solid rookie season, but needs to grow, as does Masterson, Bowden had a good start, Delcarman was the one who stepped back, but if the only home grown guy out of a plenty to step back is a 6/7th inning reliever, you are doing well.

Posted by: quintjs | January 09, 2009 at 12:55 AM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Please stop the insanity. Stop bring up irrelevant relievers!!!!!!!

Sure, Ellsbury played only 33 games, but he hit .353 in the regular season and was instrumental in the post-season. How soon you forget. Lester won Game Four of the World Series, pitching a gem. You're the one who challenged us to mention homegrown players who contributed to the World Series win, and that's what I did. You have no ground to stand on with this argument. Look at all of the Red Sox prospects who have contributed at the big league level the last few seasons, and then look at the Yankees. You will see that Boston's prospects have clearly done more than their Yankees counterparts.

Sure, Ellsbury played only 33 games, but he hit .353 in the regular season and was instrumental in the post-season. How soon you forget. Lester won Game Four of the World Series, pitching a gem. You're the one who challenged us to mention homegrown players who contributed to the World Series win, and that's what I did. You have no ground to stand on with this argument. Look at all of the Red Sox prospects who have contributed at the big league level the last few seasons, and then look at the Yankees. You will see that Boston's prospects have clearly done more than their Yankees counterparts.

Posted by: Jeff Louderback | January 09, 2009 at 01:00 AM

33 games!!!!

You guys love to think that you have so much more homegrown talent then the Yankees and its extremely false. We are very even and if you cant realize that then you do not know what you are talking about.

Who's your catcher?

LIke I said, Dynasty, look at what SOx prospects have done at the big league level in the last couple years, and look at what Yankees prospects have done. As I have written on Sox and Pinstripes, anytime the words Yankees and top prospect are used together, everyone should be skeptical until that player actually shows he can produce at the major league level.

Who's your catcher?

Will george gey be healthy?

How does my post get filtered but other people say worse?

"His slider was freakin' filthy, but he had no control."

When he was on, his slider and his fastball were both filthy. I really do hope that he can put it all together with the Pirates, it's sad to see that kind of raw talent go to waste.

That being said, I laughed my ass off when he got demoted to the Pirates AAA team. I mean, the Pirates basically are a AAA team themselves...

Irrelevant relievers? Really? From the guy who just named Edwar Ramirez on his list of wonderful Yankees prospects? the Sox bullpen was a train wreck before Masterson got moved there. They put it all together when he was setting up Pap. Not exactly irrelevant, if you ask me...not unlike how your bullpen isn't as good without Joba in there.

Nice signing by the Red Sox.

Dynasty26 is an Idiot and a Troll.

Boston Belongs To Me, I think if you look closely at the Pawtucket roster, there is some good insurance. The bullpen has some decent arms like Bard, Hunter Jones, Jarod Plummer and Dewon Day. Hansack can help as a starter or reliever, and of course Buchholz and Bowden will be there if one isn't traded for a young catcher. I really like Carter and Bailey, Dusty Brown is a viable backup catcher,and Bubba Bell and Jonathan Van every are decent fourth outfielder candidates if needed. You are correct though; Triple-A is often used as a source of veterans who can help at the big league level for the short-term, if needed

bubba bell? i think he peaked at lancaster two years ago. i wasn't questioning the pawsox pitching depth (c'mon dewon day, really??) but they do have pauley, e. martinez, littleton (if he excepts a demotion) bowden, bard, etc. but my focus was on the offense. especially with the health concerns of the big league club.

Boston Belongs To Me, I agree with you to an extent about homegrown players. It is better to have a mix of homegrown talent and difference-making free agents and trade acquisitions than relying on homegrown talent alone. But what a well-stocked and productive minor league system does is it allows the general manager to fill holes from within, create depth and also trade for important players in the off-season and at the trading deadline, so in those respects, it is valuable to have a flourishing farm system. I don't think the Sox would have won the 2007 World Series (and before that the AL East) without contributions by call-ups that season like Ellsbury and Kason Gabbard. In 2008, they would have been in trouble without Masterson and Lowrie, and even Moss (before he was traded). It is great to have prospects you can rely on to help win games. Boston is a tough place to play as a veteran, much less a call-up, so that makes what the prospects have done in recent years even more amazing.

"Can you please give me an example of an overhype please?"

Over the last 5 years:
Eric Duncan, had a good time in rookie league. Suddenly he was the next Chipper Jones. I still hear yankee fans every now and then try to bring him up as a viable prospect.
Bronson Sardhina, poor number in the minors in 2006 yet still was hyped as a 25 hr threat.
Tyler Clippard, before the trade I kept hearing fans call him a solid number 3 arm.
Ian Kennedy, had a couple of good starts in NY at the end of the year and suddenly he's the next big thing.

There you go... overhype examples.

jeff louderback...

i'm not dismissing the "homegrown" aspect...but on this site it's a common arguement that finds it's way on every sox/yankee post. and it gets absurd.

and regarding your point about the 2007 world series, don't forget..."homegrown prospects" got you josh beckett and mike lowell.

"but the fact is that Red Sox prospects have a proven track record in the bigs (in Epstein's tenure) and most Yankees prospects are simply overhyped, which brings me back to most of the guys you mentioned."

Can you back this up with some evidence please? I would love to hear this. I you want to be unbiased and unhomerish, as of now our farm systems are about equal. I believe Baseball American rated the Red Sox 13 and Yankees 14.

Posted by: Dynasty26 | January 09, 2009 at 12:51 AM

From BaseballAmerica.com

"Despite their willingness to spend on draft and international talent, the Yankees have not developed any recent impact players beyond Chamberlain. (Cano would have counted before he regressed offensively and defensively in 2008.) They failed to sign two of their top three picks in the 2008 draft, including first-rounder Gerrit Cole—considered the most electric arm in the class of prep pitchers." - By John Manuel

"Despite graduating four of their top five prospects from a year ago to the majors, the Red Sox have more talent on the way. First baseman Lars Anderson tore up Double-A at age 20 and could force his way into the big league lineup in short order. Righthander Michael Bowden, who's just a year older, has little left to prove in the minors and won his first major league start in August. Hard-throwing righty Daniel Bard found his niche as a reliever and could push for a bullpen spot by mid-2009."

"The Red Sox are hitting on all cylinders. They may not have won another World Series in 2008, but they'll continue to contend for championships on an annual basis." - By Jim Callis

Yeah, we get that debate on Sox and Pinstripes, too, and sometimes it gets a little crazy. But, hey, it's the Sox and Yankees rivalry. Isn't it supposed to be absurd :)

BTW, this was another excellent signing by Theo and company. Kotsay gives us insurance in the OF(especially CF) and at 1B. He is a much better hitter and all around player than Casey. This might also mean that Carter or Bailey gets thrown into a package for a young catcher. I was thrilled when the Sox didn't get Teixeira. He is a wonderful player, but he would have been an albatross to their long term payroll flexibility. These smaller, more financially acceptable moves have added to the clubs depth and flexibility. The Sox aren't interested in "winning the off-season", they're trying to win during the season.

As a respectable Yankees' fan (and yes, I am diehard... I have a freakin' yankees' tattoo on my for goodness sake), this is a solid signing for the Sox. As is the Baldelli and Smoltz signings. Low-risk, high-reward. Those signings do not always pan out, but the Sox have enough money to do it.

And as far as that argument is concerned, as a Yankees' fan and baseball fan in general, I would love for the Sox fans to stop being the "little engine that could". You have more than enough money and flexibitily to spend, so please spare me the nonsense. You have a solid team and enough money to compete with anybody. It is a very annoying and dull argument to keep hearing.

With that said, AL East is going to be a competive yr, may the best team win.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kotsay ends up as trade fodder at the deadline next season. Seems like one of those types of signings.

Of course the Red Sox farm is better, you guys had a head start! We will do our share in the coming years. As everyone knows pitching is where our minor league depth is. Too bad we don't have those great positional prospects but we take the best talent available in the draft and usually that is the pitching. Well we are at the 1st round you can never get that "elite" hitter. Sox have done a great job no doubt. Give the Yanks 2 or 3 years and see where we are at. I think if all goes like its suppose to, we will have some great talent coming up.

dynasty - I'm really sorry but results are what we have. Being a Giants fan, I am unbiased and i'm here to tell you, YOU ARE WRONG.

We're are talking about last season's stats, not jeter, rivera, or posada. OK?

Kevin Youkilis: .312/29hr/115rbi
Dustin Pedroia: AL mvp...need i say more
Jacoby ellsbury: .280/ 98 runs/ 50sb
Jon Lester: 3.21era/16-16/210.3 ip
Justin Masterson: 3.16era/6-5/88.3 in relief
Jonathan Papelbon: 2.34era/5-4/41 saves

^^ that equals disgusting young talent...now lets look at your "great young player's 08 numbers...shall we?"

Robinson Cano: .271/14hr/72rbi
Melky Cabrera: .249/8hr/37rbi
Ian Kennedy: 8.17era/0-4/39.7ip
Phil Hughes: 5.77era/0-4/34ip
Joba Chamberlain: 2.60/4-3/100.3ip

OK, so now in review: Red sox: all star first basemen/al mvp/ 50 steal centerfielder/beast setup man/ all star closer/solid number two starter

Yankees: let down pitching prospect #1, let down pitching prospect #2, melky...who's year sucked, cano who is OK, but certainly not pedroia or youk status, and joba who is your ONLY glimpse of young talent's success from last year.

I don't really like the red sox, but it offends me, (myself being a huge baseball fan) to listen to an ignorant looser (wanted to say a more vulgar word) such as dynasy26 talk from his asscrack.

I hope I was able to lay out, just how wrong you were about the red sox young talent last year. Maybe in one or two years this could change, but as of now the red sox major league young talent is FAR superior to that of the yankees. dynasty shut your mouth.

wow red sox fans you guys are going to have the most dynamic DL in baseball this yea...oh man you's are lucky....The all DL team
Smolts Penny BigPapi Lowell Baldelli Bay Beckett holy sh*T thats some list .... you guys must have been jelouse of the great DL the yanks had last year