Odds & Ends: Lilly, Iwamura, Beckett, Marlins, Dunn, Cubs

Yeah, he already has been at a discount for Boston for three years, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted a big payday.

As for Dunn in St. Louis, I agree. In my opinion, Adrian Beltre would be an ideal fit. He would give them a power hitter with big upside as well as one of the best defensive 3B in the game, and the Cardinals can use the additional money to figure out the second base situation, with Schumaker moving back to the outfield, Rasmus and Ludwick obviously fill the other two spots.

I think pettitte will retire if they win. Great way to end your career

You're definitely right about that 04Forever... though I think that the Sox will be aggressive in their pursuit of King Felix anyway... too many people are expecting them to chase after Adrian Gonzalez when if rumors are true they were attempting to use the Padres as a means to acquire Hernandez at the trade deadline.

He doesn't need to know what Beckett is thinking. VERY few players today will take hometown discounts, and like scribble said, Beckett has een a discount the past few seasons in Boston - he is due for a big payday.

And I really, really doubt King Felix to Boston will happen. They'd at least try to reach an extension with him before dealing him off.

"

I would pay NOT to see Dunn with STL, he's a wooden glove in the OF and Pujols needs quality protection, which Dunn is not, he's as good as Ryan 'the Stud' Ludwick at best and he got dropped from cleanup duties. Resign Holliday or a serious, serious rethink.

Posted by: Aranathor | November 04, 2009 at 02:06 PM"

Well, Dunn is a much better hitter than Ludwick, but you are right, his defense is horrendous and he isn't really a good fit for StL.

one way or another, theo really has to pull his resources to bring in a power hitter (holliday or through trade) and probably attempt the Felix thing. The yankees are no doubt the big dog in the division again, all the stops have to be pulled now

"Forget the fact that Beckett has already stated that it isn't about the money. Its about respect and the Sox will happily pay him a respectable contract and keep him for another four years.

As for King Felix... if Seattle was really planning on keeping him you wouldn't be hearing all the rumors about him getting traded.

Posted by: Blackcourt | November 04, 2009 at 02:15 PM "

Where exactly has Beckett said it isn't about the money? Even if it isn't, it doesn't mean he won't want his money. He is still going to want a lot of money - a hometown discount would mean he is getting less than market value. Beckett will most likely take the offer if/when he hits the open market that offers him the most money.

And we've heard about King Felix trade rumors, but also extension rumors. He is their franchise right now, they won't deal him when he still has 2 years on his contract and they haven't even tried to extend him yet.

Dunn needs to be in the AL where he can DH.

Beckett is great and all but seriously - he might just be the most over-hyped starter ever. In 4 years at Boston he has been poor 1 year, great for 1 year, and pretty good for 2 years. He's in line for a big paycheck - I just hope the club isn't thinking CC type money. 4-5 years at $17-18m per would be the most I would pay.

"Where exactly has Beckett said it isn't about the money? Even if it isn't, it doesn't mean he won't want his money. He is still going to want a lot of money - a hometown discount would mean he is getting less than market value. Beckett will most likely take the offer if/when he hits the open market that offers him the most money."

Click on the link by Rob Bradford's name in the article and read his article on it. He quotes Josh Beckett saying that it isn't about money. Never has been for Beckett. He just wants the respect he feels that he deserves and goes into great detail about how he has never felt better about playing for a team than he has for the Red Sox. He'll get something around $18M per year and the Red Sox will continue to have the best pitching staff in baseball for the foreseeable future.

With the man love crush ownership has for Beckett, they will compensate him.

"But, if the Sox offer him 16 a year and some other team comes out an offers, 20, or even 18, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Beckett take the biggest offer."

How can another team offer him a contract when he is signed with the Sox through 2010?

From 07-09, Beckett has been worth nearly $23 million per year. I could see the Sox giving him 17-18 million per year.

"I think pettitte will retire if they win. Great way to end your career"

I thought a report said Pedro would retire if they won. Either way, it very well could be the last start by both guys. I hope both throw a great game.

"But, if the Sox offer him 16 a year and some other team comes out an offers, 20, or even 18, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Beckett take the biggest offer."

How can another team offer him a contract when he is signed with the Sox through 2010?

Posted by: Blackcourt | November 04, 2009 at 02:36 PM

I think he was talking about if/when Beckett became a FA

"For when he hits the market dude."

He isn't going to hit the free agent market. That is why they are discussing the contract extension.

""For when he hits the market dude."

He isn't going to hit the free agent market. That is why they are discussing the contract extension.
Posted by: Blackcourt | November 04, 2009 at 03:05 PM "

Just like Jason Bay right? You cant say someone is going to stay until they actually resign.

Actually its a very similar situation.

Entering his contract year Boston media/fans told me how much Jason Bay loves playing in Boston and he proved he could handle the pressure of the postseason. In ST they were in discussion for an extension and Jason Bay isnt the type to run out and get every last dollar, hes not a Boras client. At the ASB they reopened negotiations right? And Boston fans said dont worry he wants to stay. After the season closed they said dont worry Bay will take 3years/30m, he wants to stay. Well nows hes a few days from seeing FA.

That's how its similar. You dont believe players/agents until the contract is actually signed. Drew said he wasnt going to opt out of the Dodgers contract, then he opts out and gets 70m from Boston. Torii Hunter had all these connections to Texas and how he wants to help the youth with baseball, then signs with LA for 90m.

"please... enlighten me with your opinion that you like pass off as a fact"
-how is that any different from what you're doing? You said hes not hitting FA just because they are talking. I said he's hitting FA until he signs an extension.

"Entering his contract year Boston media/fans told me how much Jason Bay loves playing in Boston and he proved he could handle the pressure of the postseason. In ST they were in discussion for an extension and Jason Bay isnt the type to run out and get every last dollar, hes not a Boras client. At the ASB they reopened negotiations right? And Boston fans said dont worry he wants to stay. After the season closed they said dont worry Bay will take 3years/30m, he wants to stay. Well nows hes a few days from seeing FA."

You can make up whatever comments you want to and I'm sure that there was some uninformed fan out there who thought that they were true. Doesn't change the fact that Jason Bay and Josh Beckett's negotiations are completely and total different. But keep pretending they aren't if you want to.

As for the last part... Beckett isn't a free agent until the end of the 2010 season. Until that happens I'm correct. Just wait and see though, don't take my word on it.

if im the Sox i seriously consider letting the season play out without resigning Beckett. Hes really only had 1 very good season with the Sox and playing for a contract likely brings him back to '07 form if not better. If they cant re-sign him go after Halladay who is also a FA after 2010.
Halladay is slightly older for for the same money id take Halladay any day and this is coming from a huge Sox fan

I dont disagree that Dunn would be a drop off fielding wise from Holliday however I believe it would be nice for them to have Dunn in the lineup because it balances it more. With Holliday almost the entire lineup was Right Handed. So in that sense they could use a LH Bopper in the middle of that lineup to break up all those RH bats

Considering that Rasmus has a boatload of speed and could cover parts of left and that Ludwick covers right fairly well, I don't think it would be that awful to trade for Dunn. We don't really have the prospects to get it done, so we'd have to eat at least half of his contract to get something started. This could be Anderson's way out of the minors. Jones, Anderson, and Half of Dunn's contract for Dunn Himself. I don't think that's a bad deal.

Bat Dunn in the two hole in front of Albert and watch him see a ton of fat pitches and score a crap load of runs. I kind of like the idea.

I don't think that the Cubs will look to find another starter. They've got Zambrano, Dempster, Wells, Marshall, Gorzelanny to use while Lilly is gone, and most teams don't even use a fifth starter until April is half-way done anyway.

"Agree with your premise though he's obviously not the most over-hyped ever. His reputation is built mostly on a few good season/post-seasons and the fact that he was a highly touted prospect. While he is a good pitcher he's not in Sabbathia/Lincecum/Lee territory."

You might want to check your facts again... that comment is very uninformed considering that Sabathia and Beckett's numbers are almost identical across the board. Lee has had all of two good years in his entire career and Lincecum has only pitched for two years.

Blackcourt while Beckett is a quality pitcher, one must consider his durability in his value. Lincecum/sabathia/lee can throw 230 innings two years in a row can beckett even throw 210 consecutively. And I am not a fan of the yankees,giants,phillies,or red sox just an observant bystander.

"Blackcourt while Beckett is a quality pitcher, one must consider his durability in his value. Lincecum/sabathia/lee can throw 230 innings two years in a row can beckett even throw 210 consecutively. And I am not a fan of the yankees,giants,phillies,or red sox just an observant bystander."

Its not a bad observation but I don't know how much you would take it into consideration. Looking at Sabathia I think its just a matter of time before he is worn down and completely useless and Lincecum has been in the league for two solid years and was already looking like he was starting to break down from his innings count this year. You do have a point however and its one of the reasons why Beckett won't make quite as much as Sabathia did in free agency.

I agree that is is only a matter of time before cc's arm falls off. Not only is it the number of innings, but the fact that he is called on to make repeated short rest starts at the end of the season. The brewers rode him hard and put him away wet, and the yankees are doing the same thing.

My fault, he pitched twice this postseason on short rest- yeah his arm is going to fall off.

Not only did he pitch on short rest twice this year, he got more than normal rest 13 times in the regular season. And never pitched over 123 pitches this season or postseason He also pitched 1 game this postseason with 8 days rest and 1 with 7 days rest.