Maybe the Tigers and Rangers want to re-think their respective stances on Mike Lowell. Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston reported yesterday that the two clubs were losing interest in the Red Sox infielder, but Lowell homered three times in a rehab game for the Pawtucket Red Sox tonight. The Rangers are in on Jorge Cantu and others, while the Tigers may not add a bat this week, but Lowell is doing all he can to restore his trade value and his hip to full health. Here are the rest of tonight's Red Sox rumors:
- The Red Sox have yet to begin negotiations with supplemental rounder Anthony Ranaudo, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Experts considered the righty one of the top arms in this year's draft, but his stock dropped due to forearm issues. Ranaudo proved his value with a standout performance in the Cape Cod League this summer, but he and agent Scott Boras have yet to begin negotiating with the Red Sox.
- David Ortiz told WEEI's Big Show that he wants to re-sign in Boston after the season, but not just on a one-year deal. Designated hitters Hideki Matsui and Vladimir Guerrero signed one-year deals last winter, but Ortiz doesn't believe they're great comps for him. Big Papi would prefer the security of a multi-year deal, but he won't have complete say in the matter; the Red Sox hold a $12.5MM option for his services in 2011.
Wow. nice job, Mikey!
How are Matsui and Guerrero not comparable!! Don’t be stupid, Papi.
cause they were coming off injuring and he isnt.that was the point he was trying to make.
So his wrist was never broken out of socket? and its not an injury but i consider the worst slumps ever kind of an injury on my eyes to watch.
Correct, his wrist was never ‘broken out of socket.’ He did have a torn tendon sheath, though.
Yaztrzemski was never really the same player after he tore his during the ’71 season and you might notice that Ortiz’s stats have dropped quite far since then also, especially in the power area. he wants to stay? rather than the 12.5m option.. Split it to 2/12m total, but no more, if even that much salary.
I am wondering how Matsui and Vlad are not great comps for Papi.
They don’t have cool nicknames.
Are you kidding? On what planet is “Big Papi” a better nickname than “Vlad the Impaler”?
And Matsui’s nickname is “Godzilla!”
Ortiz has the worst nickname out of the trio. Easily.
When you factor in saying “Godzilla” in a Japanese accent it just becomes cooler.
First of all, both Vlad & Matsui each only have one ring to their credit.. Second, before his contract year, Ortiz slimmed down and put some speed on his bat. His eye is better. He stays more in shape because he’s used to a longer season. Vlad & Matsui swing at everything. He can run and play adequate first base.
A better eye? Is that why Ortiz strikes out more and walks less? Look at his numbers. In 2009 he had a career high in strike outs (134). And, in 2008 and 2009 he had his lowest number of walks since joining the Sox in ’03 (70 & 74 respectively) and he’s on pace to have similar walk numbers this year.On the flip side, neither walk as much as Ortiz, but both strike out FAR LESS. Vlad has never once strike out more than 100x and Matsui has only done it once (in his 2nd year in the US). To put that in perspective, Ortiz has struk out 100+ times 5/6 years and already has 90 in 2010. The year he didn’t K 100+ times he only played 109 games and still whiffed 74 times.I don’t know what David Ortiz you’ve been watching, but clearly it’s not the #34 one in Boston. If it were, you’d never make a claim that his bat has sped up when it’s clear to everyone else that his bat speed has exponentially decreased over the last 3 season. I would happily take Matsui over Papi any day.
Yeah Papi can run you see him hustle home all the way from 1st tonight?
He can run and play an adequate first base? Are you kidding? He is a miserable defender and cant run at all. You really should try and look at things objectively, that way you wont come off as being so ridiculous.
Players dont win rings by themselves, so your proclamation that they only one have one ring means absolutely nothing. Also you are incorrect as Vlad doesnt have a ring but that doesnt really take away from the quality of player he is. Is it Vlads fault that the Expos sucked? Eric Hinkse has 2 rings are you trying to me he is comparable to Rickey Henderson? or even David Ortiz? Scott Brosios won 3 rings so I guess he better than those two guys. Vlad Guerro might have not have a ring and swing at everything but he has a legit chance to get inducted into the Hall of Fame something that will never happen to David Ortiz
It’s funny. In the article, Papi talks about being a “true DH” as though it were a good thing, rather than a guy who can hit but isn’t good enough to help you on the field. He talks about Vlad and Matsui’s ability to play the field like it is a negative thing. Nice spin.
Listen, I like Papi, but it is starting to become clear that things are going to get pretty ugly this winter. I think he still considers himself one of the elite hitters of the game, but the reality is that he hasn’t been that since 2007. I predict the Red Sox will bring him back for more than they should (out of some strange combination of loyalty and public relations), but he will still feel slighted.
big papi is doing what he has been forever…overrating himself…guy for some strange reason fate let you win the home run derby…and for some ODD reason you were an all star this year…but Ill be the first to say…there is nothing all star about you guy….take a hike.
Not great comps? OPS+ for the last 3 seasons combined:
Matsui: 116
Ortiz: 117
Vlad: 123
Ortiz is a clown if he thinks he deserves more than a one-year deal. After his flashes of near-ineptitude in each of the past two seasons, I think everyone knows his days of productivity are numbered. No team should risk two years on that.
Apparently he also forgot that he missed 2+ months of 2008 with a torn wrist tendon when talking about Vlad’s injury history.
Keep rationalizing, Papi. You’re still the elite slugger you were four years ago in your own mind, and that’s what counts goshdarnit.
I’ve been yelling for a long time now that Lowell deserves every-day starts. It doesn’t have to be with the Sox, but give the guy a chance!
Well, some teams would be willing to if it weren’t for his price tag. And Boston isn’t willing to lose him without getting something in return. So, it looks like it’s still going to be a little while yet.
When they traded him in the Spring to Texas, they got a nobody minor league catcher–with little hope of ever making The Show–in return and agreed to pay 10/12 million owed him. So, ummm, huh?
Max Ramirez has played 45 games in the major leagues and is projected by scouts to be an above average hitter in the major leagues while being adequate enough defensively to stay behind the plate.
A blue chip prospect? No. But not a “nobody minor league catcher– with little hope of ever making The Show”
Yeah, my bad. What was I thinking saying a 26 year old catcher with a .217 career average and 37 strike outs in 140 PAs was nobody? But hey, I guess he’d be a perfect fit on the Sox: he’s started 22 games this year and had 24 bags swiped against him…
My only recant is that instead of saying he’ll never make the show, I should’ve said he never “should have” made the show.
yes, because clearly nobody experiences a slump when they first come up to the big leagues. Everyone works up to their full potential immediately. You can’t replace all the information gleaned from scouting and from his success in the minor leagues with a major league sample of 45 games.
This is old now and I forgot to check back, but just to rebut:
In his first 150 at-bats, spanning 54 games, Dustin Pedroia hit .180. He had 11 hits. Let’s put to bed the notion that 140PAs is indicative of future success, especially moreso than minor league stats accumulated over years.
Ramirez is also a different case because whenever he was brought up to Texas, he didn’t have regular playing time. He was their backup catcher, etc.
I’m not saying Ramirez is another Pedroia. We all know he isn’t. But he has pretty good numbers offensively in the minors, so saying that he isn’t going to ever be a good offensive player in the major leagues is a bit misguided.
Hitting 180 into June gets you a multiyear deal now? Not only did Vlad and Matsui take paycuts, Keep in mind Thome signed for about 1/10th of what Ortiz is making this year
If the Red Sox dont sign Ranaudo it will be the biggest failed signing next to if the Nationals dont sign Bryce Harper
How do you figure that over someone like Jameson Taillon or Manny Machado? The Red Sox will survive without Ranaudo (though I think they’ll sign him)… Taillon or Machado not signing would be disastrous for the Bucs or the O’s.
Ranaudo will sign. He can’t risk another disappointing year in a better draft class.
Ranaudo will sign on the last day, probably last hour for top 15 pick money.
especially with all the money they saved by being outbidded by the Yankees for Mark Texiera
Papi should just shoot feel-good commercials until June while taking his strokes in Ft. Myers , then he’d be good to go for 5 more years on the modified PedroPlan.
Ring Count:
Vlad- 0
Matsui- 1
Big Papi- 2
Ring count:
Scott Brosius – 2
Ted Williams – 0
Barry Bonds – 0
Those rings really tell a lot!
Brosius has 3
Oops, typo. When I make a post of that nature I really should check what I wrote. 1998-2000. Pretty hard to count that wrong.
Ha no worries I agree with your point and used Brosius as an example also
Am i the only one here who wants to keep mike lowell. Papi isn’t hitting well against lefties and is great insurance in case of yet another injury ie Beltre. I mean they aren’t going to get really anything for him however he is projected as a type b free agent. I’d rather keep him for insurance and let him walk after the year and take the picks in a deep draft.
He’s wasted in Boston. He said he doesn’t want to DH and his range at 3B is terrible at this stage of his career. Lowell is a liability anywhere other than 1B and the Sox already have Youk, Vmart and Jed for that. It’s best for everyone if the Sox can find somewhere that wants and NEEDS Lowell.
seriously? its practically August and he’s been all but absent from the Red Sox. If they’ve gone this long without him, they certainly dont need him for the next 2 months.
Highly doubt Boston will offer him arbitration.
Agree with alphabet_soup5, there is no way Lowell gets an arb offer.
The Red Sox should really just cut ties with him ESPECIALLY if Adam Dunn hits Free Agency. Even then there will be much cheaper options that can give the same production.
Sorry David Ortiz you’re not worth more than 1 year at half of your current salary
Agreed, plus may is the only month he hit over .250, he’s still got power but if you take may out he’s been a .240 hitter the last two years. Cut ties, sign dunn or get go for werth or crawford and have a rotateing DH
After the season prediction:
Sox will offer Papi a 2-year deal @ $6M per, including a mutual option for year #2. He will take it.
Why would a team want a broken down always hurting 3rd baseman like Mike Lowell always hurt, when you can pick up the best defensive 3rd baseman in the American League % wise right now in Jhonny Peralta with the Cleveland Indians for very little, and guess what he has not missed any time and hasn’t been on the DL for the last 6 years and he was a ShortStop for a few years before moving to 3rd base and his line is also pretty good .
Go ahead and trade for Lowell but when he has a hang nail and goes on the DL and starts crying about ” I think I’m ready to call it a Career “then what are you going to do.
Ortiz is only setting himself up for disappointment when Boston offers a one year deal this upcoming offseason and with his body type he is going to break down during the season a little bit more frequent
Scott Brosius was a good ballplayer who had class. Nobody could barehand a ball and throw it to 1st base like he could.