Here's a look at items out of the AL and NL East..
- Agent Scott Boras told Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald that a contract extension is possible between the Red Sox and client Jacoby Ellsbury. Boras noted that Ellsbury likes playing in Boston and would be happy to continue playing there, but the agent will be looking for superstar money in a new deal. “The only thing I can say about Jacoby is that there are few players like him. He is a proven successful player in Boston and in the American League East environment, and he plays a premium position at Gold Glove levels. He is a franchise player," Boras said.
- Now is the time for the Red Sox to move on from Bobby Valentine, opines Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Speier writes that it is now clear that Valentine is not the right manager to guide the club going forward and there is little sense in having him in place for the final month of the season.
- The Mets should consider trading R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese, and David Wright this offseason, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. With the club financially handcuffed in the short-term, Sherman writes that it would make sense for them to replenish their system with eight-to-ten prospects that can help them build for the future.
I’m hoping the Sox will grab Sal Fasano for the managerial role; he’s young, tough, but still a good player’s manager.
Dat mustache.
Really hoping that the jays have not been grooming so much that they loae gim to another organization.
Nope, gonna be Ryne Sandberg. Matheny and Ventura are having great years, so give Ryno a chance.
If I wasn’t aware of the New York Post, I would seriously question how Joel Sherman still has a journalist job. Instead, I just question what kind of person would consider reading the Post in the first place.
He continuously rips on the Mets. It’s just comical at this point.
I think he’s hilarious if you look at him like a writer for The Onion or something, but it’s saddening to see people taking him seriously.
I’m very grateful for the NY Post as are the two puppies I house broke. It’s less expensive than the Times and the puppies seemed to enjoy Sherman’s columns.
Priceless my friend.. You are priceless..
Hats off to you (as always) and one day perhaps? “writers” like Sherman and Shaugnessy will not be able to type rubbish like they do, or at least have jobs that pay them to do it.
A+
“The only thing I can say about Jacoby is that there are few players like him”
Get the hip waders on.. Boras is already talking doggy-doo-doo.
I want Boras to negotiate EVERYTHING in life. “Waiter, if you look at historical numbers, your restaurant is empty on Labor Day weekend and Jacoby Ellsbury has eaten more at finer dining establishments. Jacoby deserves more food.”
I guess Ellsbury and Boars eat at Bob’s Big Boy or Golden Corral practically every night according to your little theory.
Remember that time Scotty Pods batted 3rd and the Mud Dogs won the Bourbon Bowl?
Did you expect Boras to say anything less. He is always known to include any big financial team that he can. Ellsbury performed like a superstar in 2011. Uless he can repeat that ever he won’t get superstar money. Al east is hard on pitchers but less so on hitters.
Sherman is right in just about every way. The only surefire prospect they have coming up is Wheeler, and then the other good prospects they have are serious wildcards (Familia, Mejia, Flores, Nimmo), and after that there isn’t much. Niese would bring in excess value given his contract, as would Dickey, and Wright could bring in a superstar return for someone who really isn’t a superstar.
Unfortunately, management will be playing to please the ignorant fan. At most, I could see Wright being traded, but at a point that will minimize his value (i.e. mid next season). It’s time to prepare for a couple more seasons of mediocrity.
Not sure about you’re sentence regarding Wright, “…and Wright could bring in a superstar return for someone who really isn’t a superstar.”
Okay, if he isn’t really a superstar how can he net a superstar prospect? That’s a pretty steep price the trading team will have to pay considering that there’s no guarantee that he’ll sign a contract once traded.
I was implying that he might be overvalued based on this years stats. Looking at his totals shields how awful he’s been in the second half, a second half that I feel is close to his actual production, particularly in the K department.
Not the most eloquent way of putting it perhaps, but that’s what I meant.
Ok gotcha wasn’t really sure what you were implying there. Thanks for clearing that up.
Yeah the Mets are in a tough situation. If teams take what you said, I hope they do, then I’m not sure his return would be that great but then again the Mets are looking for prospects so I’m sure one team might overpay for him.
David Wright has had 3 elite seasons in the last 5 years, the overall numbers when it comes to hitting always show a better picture than any small streak one way or the other, of course he wasn’t going to keep up his 165-170 wRC+ he isn’t that great of a hitter but still you are looking at a elite player, but he is now at 145 wRC+ which is slightly above his career average and is still elite. Since start of 2008 he is 18th in positional WAR, and he has some declining players above him like Chase Utley, Joe Mauer, Adrian Gonzalez, and Hanley Ramirez.
If you wrote this a year ago, Wright would appear to be declining much more than those you mentioned. Agon, Mauer and Ramirez are pretty much the same age as Wright so it seems odd that you imply that Wright would surpass them in WAR because they are declining.
Wright isn’t a superstar but Wheeler, the prospect, is a surefire bet to be great? No offense but you shouldn’t be ranking on the “ignorant fan” with comments like this.
Again, my lack of eloquence shines through. Wheeler is a top 20 prospect (highest I’ve seen him is 4). Surefire is not the right word, as no prospect is truly surefire. Elite would be more appropriate.
As for my Wright comment, I explained that below. They can sell his overall numbers this year when his first half production was far above his production the last couple of seasons.
could not agree with you more.
Prospects are possibles, Wright and Dickey are definites. No thanks on continuing to pray that one of the hundreds of minor league players becomes a rare elite player AND praying he just happens to come in a trade for Wright or Dickey. No one is giving up a Trout-esque prospect for either guy. Mediocrity will continue because the owners are cheap and incompetent, not because they didn’t trade two of the three guys that people go to the park to see.
Time to trade Ellsbury. No sense keeping him and signing him to a large deal when he’s injury prone and not as reliable as Boras claims him to be.
I love Ellsbury, but the facts are the facts. He is not the game changer he was in 07-08-09. He is not running like he used too. His power in 11 may or may not have been a fluke. Serious injuries, albeit from hustle not from hangnails are still serious injuries costing him in essence two seasons. If we sign him to an extension now it has too be based on what he has done and reasonable expectations based on history, and not what he might do as spoken by Boras.
@soxin10:disqus
You’re quite right on Ellsbury, I also have a man crush on him. I thought that ’11 was going to be the break out year for him and expected the same this year. Right now it looks as if he’s the guy from previous years. Still it would be great to have him manning CF in pinstripes, as much as I’m happy with Granderson, I’ll take Ellsbury anytime.
That being said, he’s not a superstar, a game changer as you state nor a franchise player, Boras is going to have to work hard to sell that. If Ellsbury takes control of the negotiations and does not allow Boras to over price him, there’s no reason the Red Sox shouldn’t re-sign him to a decent and fair contract for both sides.
The only glitch would be if Boras makes unreasonable demands, given the mood of ownership, they could trade him for prospects if they feel they’re being strong-armed.
If Ellsbury really wants to stay in Boston, he’s going to have to ‘play nice’ with the Bosses.
Reading everything about Boston’s catastrophic season, I don’t believe there is a manager in this world that is right for the Red Sox. Anyone who takes over will be roasted slowly over hot coals, then spit out like apparently Bobby Valentine will be disposed.
There’s an old adage in life that says, don’t be the guy that replaces the one who was beloved. Be the one to replace the guy that replaces the beloved one. Yeah it’s not worded exactly perfect, but it’s true. Joe Torre replaced Whitey Herzog for the Cardinals and really never had a chance of being successful there. Tony LaRussa then replaced Torre and had one of the best runs ever for 16 seasons. If i was a guy that wanted to be a manager i’d try to be first in line after Valentine is gone.
I think Boston would love to pull John Farrell away from the Blue Jays.
I think it’s completely unfair to judge Bobby B solely off of this year. He is what he has always been and that’s a gruff guy who doesn’t coddle his players. That being said, if the Red Sox were on pace to win 95 games this year then no one would be questioning his future even w/ all the other drama surrounding the team.
So, that being the case, judge him based off of the teams on-field performance. But how can you HONESTLY evaluate his performance as a manager when things that are beyond his control are happening?
a) he inherited his coaching staff and a roster full of very well paid veterans.
b) hasn’t had a time to instill HIS identity on this team yet.
c) He can’t control guys like Lester, Beckett, Bard and to an extent Pedroia and AGonz, from having sub-par seasons (or 1st halves in the case of Pedroia and Agonz.
d) He can’t control all of the injuries.
To dump Bobby V this early I think creates even more chaos and problems.
Bud Black the manager of the Padres is not going any where. The new owners said the GM would make that call, and Josh Brynes said he fully supports Bud Black as manager of the Padres this year, and moving forward.
Boras must be on drugs. Ellsbury is NOT a superstar and never will be. His 2012 stats are 2/16/.267. Hardly superstar numbers. He had one very good year and that’s it. In his 5 years in the bigs, he’s only made the All-Star team once. Not only are there “few like him,” there are many. The Sox would be making a huge mistake signing him for Boras money—huge mistake.
If I were the Red Sox, I’d offer Jacoby/Boras a 5 year/100 mil deal MAX. MAYBE 1 or 2 more years at a lower AAV. If they don’t take it, trade him.
Skaggs, Davidson & Eaton for D-Wright.
I kind of agree with Mr.Sherman, the Mets are more than likely going to be towards the cellar of their division for the upcoming seasons and they should at least try and boost their system for when they are actually ready to succeed.
Didn’t know middle of the pack in the NL East was being cellar dwellers…. Niese just got extended a new deal he ain’t going anywhere. As far as Wright goes it just depends if he resigns with the Mets or not if he doesn’t then you trade him for top prospects. Dickey is a guy that quite honestly I feel they should keep as to have stability in the rotation is needed heading forward. Quite frankly these guys aren’t the problem on the team the problem is Alderson needs to use he does have better and he needs to start going after young talent kinda like the Blue Jays have done recently in getting talent that’s kinda on the outs with other teams or is blocked off and could be of value on the Mets going forward he just needs to be smarter about these types of deals.
I think any candidates worth their salt are going to be concerned with other things right now instead of those that you mentioned. For instance, what will be the FO’s decisions on current players on the 25 man roster like Ellsbury, Pedroia, Salty and Ross. Sure, the things you mentioned are enticing, but each candidate has to decide whether the philosophy of the Red Sox fits his own or at least can it be incorporated to fit.
I agree that 20mil would be an overpay (5/75 would be ideal, of course) but, given the financial resources currently available to the club, could you REALLY fault them for ponying up an extra $25 mil over 5 years if it made the difference between extending him this offseason vs. being forced to trade him at the deadline? If we still had Crawford on the books I would say trade him no question, but I really think his leaving opened up the door for Jacoby to stay long-term.