Teams are calling the Red Sox about potential trades involving Boston’s outfielders, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reported earlier today. Here are some Red Sox-related notes as the team prepares for the second half…
- A National League GM called the Red Sox to inquire on Jon Lester a couple of weeks ago and was told Boston intends to win in 2012, Peter Gammons of MLB Network tweets.
- Gammons recently suggested on 98.5 The Sports Hub that Lester could benefit from a change of scenery (transcript via the Boston Herald). “I just sense that Jon is so unhappy here that I’m sure it would be good for him,” Gammons said. But Lester said on Twitter that he loves Boston and is happy pitching for the Red Sox. “Nothing better than playing for the Red Sox,” he wrote. “Hope to be here for my entire career!”
- The Red Sox aren't going to trade David Ortiz this summer, so it's no surprise the slugger told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he hasn't thought about being dealt. “My name has never been mentioned in a trade, so why should I think about it? If I have to, I have to,” he said. Ortiz's ten and five rights allow him to block trades to any team, but he said he'd consider waiving no-trade protection under certain circumstances.
- The Red Sox are about $10MM over the luxury-tax threshold, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.
Lester is going absolutely nowhere.. People will come here and say he is having a sub standard half season, but he has been a top notch LH SP, in the AL east with the best winning % in decades over the last 4 seasons. Something nobody else can proclaim and he is signed for less than many others, who have less than his talent through 2015.
Every team in the game would love to have him.
Lester is awesome even if not this year.
Numbers have been getting worse every year. Not to mention he doesn’t seem to be happy in Boston(who does). He’s a steal for what’s he’s getting paid but is it worth it to keep a unhappy underperforming Jon Lester? Dude clearly is not an Ace
“Numbers have been getting worse every year?” Wow.. I guess from last September up until now he has slipped a little…
“Dude clearly is not an Ace?” Nobody ever said he was…
Said before and say again.. Some of these Rangers fans have been blinded by a season and a half of decency into thinking every player they have is gold and every good player (who has as good of or better track record than many others around) is worth little to nothing in their eyes.
Lol!!!! “some of these rangers have been blinded by a season and a half of decency into thinking every player they have is gold.” Haha coming from a RS fan? The team that went 90 years without a championship and all of a sudden are the they are the best thing since sliced bread.
“Numbers have been getting worse every year.”
Huh?
Lester has a better FIP and xFIP in 2012 than he did in 2011 despite a 40 point disadvantage in his BABiP. He’s maintaining the lowest walk rate of his career, and his velocities across the board are at or above his career norms. His K rate was low early in the season, but has been over 9 since the start of June. People are looking at mediocre stats like ERA (4.49) and W-L (5-6) to make baseless judgments about a guy who is pitching as well right now as he has in a long time. He’s probably going to post a 4+ win season again, and everyone will shut up.
Keep in mind, Gammons is making this assessment based on the tone of a handful of Lester’s tweets. TWEETS. He didn’t interview Lester personally. Have you seen Lester in press conferences? he is notoriously hard on himself, even when he pitches well. He never looks happy, even when he had a good game. Its just how he is. I think Gammons is off-base here, and I’m not trusting any rumors about the Red Sox clubhouse that are generated by “sources” and not directly from players’ mouths.
Which means its the perfect time to trade him. Sell high. I want that boatload of prospects rather than the lefty who has never fulfilled the extent of his promise. He has not been a top notch lefty in the AL East. C.C. Sabathia is the clear beast of the AL East. Moreover, I would give that honor to David Price, before Lester. Price has a better ERA and WHIP than Lester and has pitched for far less talented teams, at least offensively speaking.
Sell High? How so? It’s the opposite actually. And how is Tampa defense any less talented than the Sox? Defense affects pitching. The offense affects W & L which is a TERRIBLE way to judge pitching anyway. W & L is how you judge a team.
I think you waited far too long to reply here, and misconstrued what I’ve said. Selling on him 2 weeks ago would have been selling high. Now, he’s practically worthless, especially after a massive meltdown today. I did not say Tampa was worse, defensively. I specifically pointed to “offensively.” I didn’t judge Lester’s pitching by W/L’s, I cited pitcher peripherals. But Cy Young voters (BWAA) still predominantly look at W/L records in deciding who qualifies (although, even that is changing).
A lot of teams with DH needs who could have had Ortiz had they given him the extra year are definitely regretting not signing him. When rosters are looked at in the Offseason, some mindsets automatically becomes “Oh the team has to get younger, so let’s not hamper ourselves down with a DH when we could be using that spot to get players half days rest.” In my opinion, this notion is perfectly understandable and justifiable if you have you already have an older squad or the available names are guys like Damon, Lee, Matsui, Guerrero (ie, players at the end of their career) but when that guy is David Ortiz who is 35 years old, has proven he does nothing but tear the cover off the ball and is entering his age 36 season you make that move / commitment for him to be your DH in a heart beat. This Offseason, Harold Reynolds was saying on MLB network that teams should be more willing to sign Ortiz while he’s available and in contract disputes with Boston. His logic was the right one. A presence like Big Papi will not be there for the taking often. He is a proven star in this league. When you have a young team (like the Orioles for example) who could have used an impact bat, you have to make the commitment on Ortiz because not only does it hurt your rival, but it can completely change the complexion of your season’s outlook. This coming Offseason, Ortiz has a bit more risk because he will be another year older, 36 entering his age 37 and maybe 38 (if he scores a multi year contract) seasons but I STILL seriously hope teams realize just how good he is and just how impactful he can be on a young ball club who is only a few pieces away from competing. Big Papi is proving his doubters Wrong yet again. He’d be a more than welcome addition on any team.
Ortiz would have cost a draft pick as he was offered arbitration by the Red Sox. The hypothetical justifications you just meantioned are largely unimportant. Ortiz remained on the red sox because he would have cost his new team a first round draft pick.
As he will again after the upcoming season and Boston can theoretically offer him a paycut with the new CBA rules from 14.75m to 12.5m…
Wonder how many teams would like to lose a pick and give Boston another supplemental to sign a 37YO DH?
Plus have to beat the $12.5MM minimum offer for a DH only, who can just barely cover 1B on an as needed basis.
As I understand it, that’s the old rules compensation for players signing with other teams, has changed. The team that loses the player no longer gets any compensation. The team that signs the players CAN still lose a pick, but no-one gets that pick
Everything has it’s price. In 2009 the Yankees lost out on Mike Trout because they signed Mark Teixeira. The Angels were then granted that pick as compensation. In the end, Teixeira was a piece that helped the Yankees win the World Series and Trout was the 25th pick overall. If you ask Yankee fans what they would prefer, the fast majority of them would say 27 > 25. Now, Ortiz is older than Teixeira but he’s certainly proven that he can way outproduce Teixeira’s numbers. Any team with an aspiration of competing who is / (was this past offseason) worrying over a first round pick, when it means signing a name brand slugger like David Ortiz who is currently producing a 1.013 OPS season and is on pace for 41 homeruns, 107 rbi, 181 hits, 47 doubles, and 100 walks needs to get their head examined.
Sign the player who will help the big league club. That’s my motto.
Ortiz is so valuable to Boston. Worry about the future when it becomes the present.
teixera was signed to a long term deal, theres a massive difference
As a Sox fan i want him to stay right where he is. If I was in charge I’d offer him a two year deal (extension) right now. First year @ $12.5M, second year @ $7.5M with performance bonuses (at-bats for instance) up to another 5-7M. Plus I’d offer him a 10% ownership stake in the team and lifetime season tickets for his family. The last two items being “pot sweeteners”
10% ownership as a “pot sweetener”? HA I don’t think you realize how much $$ 10% of the Red Sox would be worth. A lot more than David Ortiz for two years is worth.
10% might be high but you get my point, no? I would give him a minority stake in the team. mostly to allow him to be a goodwill ambassador to the Dominican Republic on behalf of the team (if a billionare in a suit and a fellow countryman come talking the compatriot would probably have an advantage in negotiations, and besides that, he’d probably be able to help the country more which is a good thing
Forbes says the Red Sox are worth $912 million, so this would be a $91 million bonus. Why does the guy need any bonus aside from his salary? I know he’s whining about respect, and the truth is that he could have made more, but he’s made plenty. The Sox will owe Ortiz their gratitude when he’s done, so the season tickets are fine, but I’d hold back on the $91 million gift.
Something they never offered Yaz, Williams and others who were credited for bringing people to the stands period.
Yaz, who was the catalyst behind the ’67 team and brought sellouts to a stadium that a couple of years earlier couldn’t sell 10-15k tickets.
then give him the money to help the Dominican republic. 10% is high I admit I just threw that out as an example number how about a 2% stake and a gift for the Dominican Republic.
Dude…just stop right now.
10% ownership?!?! That’s a lot how about 3-5% ownership and lifetime season tickets for his family.
10% is still a vast minority, but fine I get your point. My point is that I’d do what I could to make him happy. I said 10% because it’s a nice even 10th of the number and it’s still a minority. when you are talking in the millions of dollars lets say the sox are worth 750 million dollars. 10% of that is 75 million, 5% is 37.5 million. It’s still a lot.
he will be in Baltimore next season
don’t see it sorry
The O’s have a thing for aging DH types and could use a power bat. Ortiz says he feels disrespected by the Sox for giving him his current contract. The O’s have looked much more respectable this year and are an up and coming team. Ortiz would probably like nothing more than to play for another AL East to prove to Boston that he is worth the money. It is not a definite thing, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I was half-joking originally, but I could see it happening.
I hate the way Ortiz is so disrespected with a 14 mil contract for a DH (I wish I could be so disrespected). Boston will make him a qualifying offer of at least 12 mil. Will Baltimore offer him more than 12 mil for the DH slot?
Trust me, I think the whole concept of being disrespected by receiving $14 mil to bat 4 times a day is ridiculous, but that’s what he thinks.
I don’t understand how he is disrespected.. He’s the highest paid DH in the league as is..
Ortiz play and help your team which is what you are being paid for. If you continue to perform the Sox will pay you or they will offer you arb which you can accept or reject. If a team offers you more than the Sox you win –if you accept arb you win.
No one is disrespecting Ortiz.