In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe looks at some of the recently suggestions put forth by Red Sox chairman Tom Werner to help make the game more marketable to young people.
“Too many people are leaving games in the sixth and seventh innings because they can’t watch 3½-hour games, so they’re leaving the game at the point where the game should be getting exciting,” Werner said. “You wouldn’t make a 3½-hour movie. The NFL makes changes almost on an annual basis. They’re considering making the extra point from 35 yards rather than from the 8-yard line… I respect tradition, but I don’t revere it.”
Among Werner’s ideas: instituting a pitch clock, limiting the number of times a batter can step out of the box, and putting a cap on the number of catcher and pitching coach visits to the mound. More from today’s column..
- Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson could be on the hot seat and there has been a lot of speculation about Joe McEwing, a third base coach with the White Sox, or Mike Aldrete, the bench coach for the Cardinals. If Gibson is canned it would mark Tony La Russa’s first big decision but GM Kevin Towers would also likely to have a say.
- In a chat with Cafardo, David Ross spoke glowingly of the amenities or “little things” that the Red Sox do for their players and Cafardo wonders if that could keep Jon Lester in Boston beyond this season. Lester’s family was always taken care of the team’s traveling secretary and while other teams can offer similar services, the consensus among players who have been multiple places is that Red Sox and Yankees are the teams that offer more to their players.
- Ross tells Cafardo that even though there have been no contract talks with the Red Sox yet, he would like to return. Boston would certainly love for him to keep working with Christian Vazquez, but Ross’s recent bout with plantar fasciitis has slowed him. Ross is finishing up a two-year, 6.2MM deal.
- Daniel Nava drew interest from the Tigers and had interest from the Royals before they traded for Josh Willingham, but he has yet to be put on waivers. It’s not a certainty that he’ll clear and but the Red Sox will likely put him on revocable waivers later in the month to see what type of interest he’ll get. The Sox’ outfield looks crowded next season with Allen Craig, Jackie Bradley Jr., Shane Victorino, Yoenis Cespedes, Mookie Betts, and Brock Holt all in the mix so it makes sense to see what can be had for Nava.
- In a separate tweet, Cafardo reports Nava, Mike Napoli, Koji Uehara, and Will Middlebrooks have been placed on revocable waivers.
This kind of stuff is always laughable. They took care of their families. really the millions you get to throw a ball don’t allow you to do it yourself? Good for the players for taking advantage of it, but GD. Can you imagine being in the normal world asking for this kind of treatment, or better yet just expecting it? Good for the Red Sox for being kind to their employees, and let us also hope it extends beyond on field personnel
Yeah. I heard about a player that requested season tickets on his multi-million $ contract. Really, why?
I guess, if you can get it, go ahead. But it seems a little ridiculous. I would likely be thinking, A full college education for my kids, or living arrangements for the entire stay in the city. The amount of money in the game of baseball is insane.
I think he means while they’re away, if their families need help with something or something like that, then they help out.
I stared at that outfield list for quite some time and all I could think about was “why is Allen Craig on this team?”
I hope Ross comes back on a one year deal. He’d be good for Vasquez and seems to know what he’s worth.
Those moves somewhat confused me. I don’t think Xander is really a SS from what I have seen, so that means where do you put Holt and Betts next year? And I think Cespedes is someone that has been severely overrated during his mlb career. Yes he has power, but I thought that Boston could have done way better for lester than getting Cespedes and a draft pick back. He is an ace, and you got back 1.5 years of a 2.5 WAR RFer, on not even that much of a bargain contract?
Well, two months of an ace. That’s not much value. I think the Sox did well in that deal, even if they eventually flip Cespedes, who doesn’t seem like the Sox kind of hitter (I hated the Craig/Lackey deal though).
Cespedes is overrated by many. I don’t believe he has that much excess value with the contract he is already on if he keeps playing like he is these past 2 years. 2 months of Lester would net you more top prospects than him I would think.
Did you see what the rays got for Price who’s a better pitcher than Lester and has one more year left on his contract. You’re dreaming big time if you’d think teams would give up top prospects for Lester. The reason we got Cespedes is that all the teams balked at giving the sox one of their top prospects. Plus why do we need more prospects? We have plenty who have done nothing so far.
I think that you are forgetting that the team wants and needs to contend in 2015 and the biggest need the team faced was a right handed power bat that could play good D.
What package do you think would be better then helping the team contend in 2015 then Cespedes?
Is he really that good defensively, aside from the arm?
I would think they would be better off getting some even more prospects, or how about getting an actual ss. Would it have been that hard to fine 2 war from Nava/Holt/Betts next year?
Small upgrade at rf, when could have potentially gotten a better upgrade at short. Was a low obp corner outfielder really the best return you could get for an ace?
I don’t know much about his range, positioning, and how well he reads the ball but I have consistently read that his arm is one of the best in baseball and that he is an overall solid to plus defender.
Cespedes is on pace for a 3.5 WAR season this year and with increased power in Fenway could be a 4 WAR player next year. I don’t think any combo of available prospects would have provided that much value next year.
Also his OBP in 3 years with a .291 BABIP has been .316 while the league average OBP has been .317 with a .299 BABIP.
On a pure value basis I would have preferred a prospect package but then a 2015 bounce back would have been much more tricky.
His range is limited but not necessary at LF at Fenway, where a great arm is better than most parks. I see him as the everyday LF next year with Vic/Holt at right. If not, Cespedes could get dealt this winter as he increases his numbers at Fenway. Not to mention, the Sox are looking to contend next year and you can never have too much depth.
Look at what the Rays got for Price who historically is a better pitcher and had another year left on his contract. Teams were not going to give up a lot for Lester because a majority of them besides the Dodgers (Have the money) were not going to bring him back after this season. I see below you would have wanted prospects. We have enough prospects and the ones we were targeting from other teams were off limits. That leaves you with quality prospects left to choose from but with no high All-Star ceiling. I’m tired of the team depending on prospects to save the day. Xander, WMB and JBJ had very high ceilings (Were our top prospects) but have done nothing. I still think Xander will get better but JBJ and WMB will most likely not become anything. My point is that prospects are just prospects and the majority of them become nothing. The sox brought in some power which they desperately need. They also need to try to bring in Castillo and resign Lester. Move Xander to 3B and tell him to put some weight on. Bring in a vet who can play 3rd that can teach Xander how to play the position. Try Mookie at SS or package him in a deal with JBJ and other prospects for an established pitcher. If traded use Marrero as SS. He probably won’t hit but he can’t be that much worst than Xanders .230 but his glove is superb.
Can add Webster to that list.
Personally I think that Joe Kelly was the better piece in that return but I think Craig will be the 1B by 2016 and potentially next year if they can get a good return on Nap this offseason.
Craig is an above average hitter who is having injury issues, bad luck, and looks like a great bounce back candidate on a very reasonable contract.
I am thinking Shane Victorino becomes the 4th outfielder since he can’t stay healthy. Brock Holt takes over the 3rd base starting job. Cespedes to RF. Nava/Craig platoon until Napoli becomes a FA. Leading to Mookie Betts room to play LF/CF.
Or dare I say it, set up a Stanton trade that involves Cespedes.
The most obvious way to solve the logjam in Boston’s outfield is to trade Shane Victorino to the Mets for Bartolo Colon. Neither team would get much in prospects for either player, while the Mets could use an outfielder more than a starting pitcher and the Red Soxncould use a starting pitcher more than an outfielder.
Trading Yoenis Cespedes, Will Middlebrooks, and maybe another prospect for David Wright or Allen Craig and Will Middlebrooks for Daniel Murphy are two other ways that they can go.
Not sure why the Mets would want Victorino after a lost season and Colon quit the last time he was on the sox. Why would the mets want a year of cespedes and middlebrooks for the face of the mets? And I would love to give Craig for Murphy but I dont think the mets would agree.
The “face of the Mets” is spooked by CitiField and needs a change of scenery. The Mets owe Wright a ton of money that trading him would free up. If either Cespedes or Middlebrooks or both perform well for the Mets, they could extend him/them anytime during the season. Craig and Middlebrooks for Murphy seems fair to me. How much more do you think the Red Sox should have to give up to get either Murphy or Wright.
Well if they do well they make not be able to extend them. I could be wrong but Murphy hits close to 300 every year? Craig has struggled and middlebrooks is bad at baseball. I do agree wright would be great but I think it would take young pieces.
So the Sox traded Lackey/Lester to get back outfielders, and then you propose they trade their best outfielder for a pitcher that is more expensive than Lackey by quite a bit, and not nearly as good as Lester?
Cherington is turning the Red Sox into a moneyball team. That’s nice, but Red Sox fans are used to having stars long-term that they can identify with. When Ortiz and Pedroia leave, who replaces them? And even with those 2, they should have at least 2-4 more guys that the fans identify as being Red Sox.
I really don’t get some of his moves sometimes. When you are winning I don’t think the lack of stars is a big deal. It’s just that when you stop winning things change. People still want to see Ortiz. Who wants to see Nava if the team isn’t in it?
Is Victorino their best outfielder? Assuming for a moment that he could stay healthy enough to play 120-150 games next year, I don’t think he is better than Cespedes and he may not even be better, offensively at the very least, than Craig, who could become a monster in Fenway Park.
If the Red Sox want to invest long-term in Betts, JBJ, and Holt, they have to trade one of their veterans. Because his health is such a question mark, trading Victorino makes more sense than trading Cespedes or Craig unless they can get real value in return for one of them.
However, trading a question mark in Victorino for a question mark in Colon probably gives both teams far more upside than they could get from trading either player for prospects, which in either case would be marginal at best.
Why is that the most obvious way?
It represents the least amount of risk with the greatest potential reward for both teams. Going into next season, the Mets have a glut of pitching and the Red Sox have a glut of outfielders. The Mets need another outfielder and the Red Sox could use another veteran starting pitcher.
I have to believe both teams could find greater potential rewards out there.
Yuck, just leave the game alone.