The Red Sox aren’t “actively looking” for pitching help, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
“Can you always be better? Sure. Will we always be open-minded? Sure. But we’re not actively looking for pitching,” said Dombrowski, who added that he doesn’t “even know where” he would slot a No. 2 starter type.
Here’s more out of the AL East:
- The fact that there is a real competition between Travis Shaw and Pablo Sandoval at third base is a reminder of exactly how Dombrowski runs the Red Sox and how much control he exerts over the team, Michael Silverman of The Boston Herald writes. For his part, Sandoval is trying to play down the attention that the brewing competition is getting. “Every day is a competition — every single day, every moment. Every guy competes to be better and better,” Sandoval said. “I don’t know why you guys make a big deal. Every guy is here working hard to make the team look better, win games. Every guy here is working together to be better and better, so that’s good.”
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe laid out the pros and cons of benching Sandoval in favor of Shaw. On one hand, putting Sandoval on the bench would send a clear message to players like Rick Porcello, Hanley Ramirez, and Rusney Castillo that a high-priced contract does not guarantee your place as a starter. On the other hand, Sandoval is the type of player that needs support to succeed rather than negativity. Also, Sandoval probably wouldn’t be much of a contributor off the bench and would likely be relegated to pinch-hitting against righties, Abraham writes.
- Indeed, Dombrowski says that he does not believe that contracts should dictate spots in the lineup, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes. “I thought it was important, because I’m new here, that that was my philosophy, and our philosophy as an organization, that I had a chance to visit with [principal owner] John Henry and [chairman] Tom Werner and know they supported that. I thought it was important to do that. I think for good organizations, and clubs that are trying to win, you need to play the best guys to win,” Dombrowski said.
- Earlier today, the Red Sox announced that reliever Carson Smith will be placed on the disabled list due to a strain of his flexor mass muscle.
My Twins will give you Nolasco for Sandoval plus Betts.
You’re funny.
Nolasco was a terrible idea to begin with, just like Sandoval and his wild hacking, table eating self.
I watched Nolasco for years with my 2nd favorite team Miami. He’s got a decent fb with no command of and that good curve. When he can sometimes be in control of both? (rarely). He’s not hittable, that just alnost never happens. I remember one game.. Seems was like against the NYM, where Nolaco K’d 15 guys.. Was mowing them down.. Throwing 95.. The bender was there.. Hitters didn’t have a chance. Next game? He got knocked out early as think it happened.
Sandoval would like to see just DFA’d and released, forget the last 75m, just gone. No use, even if he puts up his 2014 numbers somewhere else. He’s a waste of a roster spot in Boston and Rutledge would be a better use of his roster spot, let Shaw play 3rd right now.
Even in Boston, one doesn’t ” forget the last 75m”.
MLB reminds me of the real estate boom of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Everyone is leveraged into the intermediate future assuming that additional cash will keep coming in. When it slows down……….
Totally agree. It’s crazy the amount of money that is being thrown around.
How about Plouffe, Perkins, and Buxton for Allen Craig, Sandoval, and Johnny Pesky?
Well Dave, you’ll probably slot a number 2 pitcher in front of all of the mediocre to average pitchers you have behind price. It’s really not that hard to figure out
Yeah, I thought that was odd as well. My thought is he meant to say “know where he would find a number two type.”
It’s easy Dombrowski… You would place a #2 starter behind Price and ahead of every other SP on your team.
It’ll be interesting to see how Sandoval reacts to the chewing tobacco ban at Fenway this year. One can only hope he retires to spend more time with his vices.
Thats one thing i like about ee and joeybats, they dont chew… Interesting how there’s a tobacco ban at Fenway.. I see that as a positive step and hope other ballparks follow suite.
How is it a positive thing to ban a legal activity for such a small percentage of the population?
Its a ballpark ban on tobacco. Its a good thing, you haven’t been able to smoke in stadiums/parks for 10 years, now they’ve added the more disgusting sister to smoking, chewing tobacco. Good for them!
I thought this was going to be a MLB ban and not just a few teams ban. Did I miss something?
As of right now New York, San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago have all banned it. But the players union fought to have an MLBwide ban. I guess they’re leaving it up to individual states and their governments. Have to think they could get sued later for protecting the players’ rights to mouth cancer.
Not to have. Against an MLBwwide ban. Any chance the edit function comes back?
Yeah I thought back in the 90’s after Brett Butler was diagnosed they banned chew in the dugouts?
I guess the question is what is Pablo Sandoval doing to make the team look better? Should his first priority have been to show up in shape and by that I dont mean in round shape. And why not play hard from the beginning?
JBJ + Devers + Ceccini for Matt Harvey?
Please stop. I dont have it in me tonight to look at your crazy trade proposals.
Crazy? Lmao, we’d be giving the Mets a TON of talent in that deal.
Matt Harvey is a top 5 MLB pitcher. You are not getting him with JBJ center piece and other teams prospects. It would take 4 of the RedSox top 5 prospects in there organization to land Harvey. If will not happen so stop dreaming.
Ceccini isn’t on the red sox anymore please stop
Why would the Mets trade Harvey? A team that is looking to compete, who already have a log jam in the OF, trade an affordable young ACE? I mean it makes absolutely no sense!
I’m a Red Sox fan and I could see at least asking for Sale due to the issue with LaRoche at least kick the tires. But any pitcher, especially young stars on a contending team are not going to be traded BEFORE the season starts.
While his trade proposal is crazy, Harvey is not a top 5 pitcher in the league. Top 5 potential maybe.
Why would a Contending team, trade a young controllable and affordable pitcher?!?!?
I’m a Red Sox fan, and I’ll admit I made some wild trade theories with regards to Sale when he made those comments about Ken Williams, but there is no way a contending team will trade an ACE pitcher before the season even starts.
Agreed. Harvey is overrated. Top 5 is ridiculous.
Perhaps if you also add in Owens and benetendi then it might be fair.
I’m a diehard Mets fan and even I agree that *right now* he is not top 5…but in another 6-12months, I think he’ll be there.
Not much worse than the Boston writer that was making up Sale trades.
hes trolling you dude. and you are taking the bait
You must not know ‘your sox’ too well.. Garin Cecchini is with the Brewers organization. Not to mention that wouldn’t be close to enough to get Harvey
Whoops. Well sub in another solid but not spectacular prospect for Garin, miss that dude.
That wouldn’t be enough to get a premier pitcher
That trade wouldn’t even be enough to get a solid 3 starter let alone an ACE.
Are you insinuating that Checcini is a solid prospect?
If he was, he would have been traded for something other than cash considerations.
He dont care. He thinks all prospects belong to the RedSox. Other teams just give Boston what they want for anything in return.
And people wonder why we love to comment on his STUPID post.
He’s trolling you. He feeds on your reactions. While you’re high fiving each other, he’s laughing at how much time you’re wasting on him. So no he doesn’t think that. He is enjoying himself a great deal making you think he does though.
I know..we need to resist the temptation. The troll is strong a him…
A three-way deal with the Brewers then?
You for a good poster?
Best trade proposal I’ve seen.
Why give away the farm? JBJ should get you at least Harvey DeGrom.
No, no, no.
It should get Harvey, DeGrom, and Syndergaard. That is fair. I bet he would be willing to throw in Vazquez for good faith.
(Sarcasm(
I am a lifelong Red Sox fan and a Mets fan since my son works in their front office… JBJ isn’t going to get you/us DeGrom or Harvey… not even close … the Mets won’t even entertain giving up one of their Fab Four right now… stop it
Yes. That is a good starting point (minus Cecini of course)
So, how about this to be more realistic?
JBJ (since you seem to want to get rid of him)
Devers
Henry Owens
Andrew Benintendi
That will probably catch the Met’s attention enough.
I think it would take the Red Sox top 2 pitching prospects plus one of Devers or Moncada to land a Harvey type pitcher. Harvey is a top 5 pitcher with 4 more years of control. They dont come cheap.
Yeah I agree. My post was in sarcasm to BigPapi4Ever, but I agree.
At least 3 or 4 of the Red Sox top 10 prospects
Cecchini is on the brewers, they got him for cash to give you an idea of his value.
The Mets have less than zero interest in trading anyone in their starting rotation…including Matt Harvey.
Just when I thought your trade proposals couldn’t get any worse….wow.
That is akin to the Mets’ trading Juan Lagares, Wilmer Flores, and Campbell for Mookie Betts. Seriously…your trades aren’t even ironically bad.
Papi……you funny…..
Devers, marrero, Barnes for Tehran
Just for my knowledge what would it conceivably take to get Harvey?? I know he’s premium and I it takes a lot of talent to get a lot of talent. So what would be a fair offer that helps both teams??
Are you talking Red Sox prospects?
You would start with Moncada and Espinoza. Maybe even add Johnson.
Uh, did you see what they gave up for an elite closer who will throw maybe 60 innings? Can you imagine what they would give up for an elite starter to throw 200? It starts with Mookie and Xander, throw in another 2 prospects from their top 5 and another major league ready talent. We saw what the D’backs gave up for a 2 starter(3rd on their team, but still 2nd on a lot of teams) and what Texas gave up for an aging ace. Higher ceiling, more team control for Harvey… That package would be scary. The reason why it makes sense for the mets to move him is because of what they will get back for him… And the fact that they can and still have an elite rotation. deGrom, Thor, Matz, Wheeler coming back could be great, and the ageless wonder known as Colon… They could move Harvey and be set up as potentially the best team in the NL for YEARS.
What would it take for Harvey?? Just curious.
From the Red Sox? I’d say any deal would headline Betts and require more from there. So basically young proven talent plus high ceiling prospects. The simple truth is the Mets are a legitimate contender, they shouldn’t give up Harvey unless the deal ridiculously favors them in the short and long term,
The key is if you’re determining what would be equal value or determining what the Mets would demand.
In terms of just WAR (I know it’s not at all perfect) and the high risk of pitcher injury Mookie is probably worth more. However since the Mets have no reason to trade him they would probably demand something like Mookie plus Espinoza and Johnson.
I thought they were literally finalizing trading the best CF in the history of baseball (JBJ) for Chris Sale.
I wouldn’t be surprised if bigpapiforever wasn’t even a Redsox fan and just saying stuff to piss us off lol
It’s pretty obvious he’s just having fun with it, at this point. I think it’s funny how much he’s in some of these guys’ head.
It makes me laugh, I know that.
Maybe Billy Beane is bigpapi
Or Rubén Amaro Jr.
nope i’m right here
Haha.
Harvey has two years left before FA. Let’s be real here people. Think value, not talent level.
He is not a FA till 2019. He only has 3 years of service.
It’s pretty funny how annoying you guys (me too) all think big papi is, but there are still 21 responses to his comments instead of just leaving him alone.
People enjoy feeding the trolls.
Why would anyone be upset with Sandoval. Ortiz spoke with him and convinced him that he would be the replacement DH when he came over after Ortiz retired, the major reason he chose an AL club and the Red Sox in particulary. He was degrading as the Giants 3B over the last few years. The Giants at least understood and made those weight clauses, which the Red Sox promptly said were not needed. Cherington is for sure at fault there. The guy has no self control.
Sorry, its not up to Ortiz who the DH is after he retires. That’s not how it works.
“a high-priced contract does not guarantee your place as a starter.”
That’s how it should be, but I would add that being out of options should not give you a leg up on a roster spot either. If a younger guy is better than you now, then why exactly would I want to keep you? You’ll probably just be DFA’d in June anyway.
Sandoval hits better when he’s bigger, he was awful after the giants made him lose weight.