With so many teams unwilling to spend big money this offseason, the Red Sox are an outlier, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston writes. The BoSox have no fear of blowing past the $197MM luxury tax threshold, which Drellich posits puts them in a powerful position. And if they land J.D. Martinez (as expected), he argues that it could finally begin to break up the logjam atop the free agent market. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski confirmed Friday that Boston’s still seeking both a power bat (Martinez fits that description) and a left-handed reliever, per Drellich. Dombrowski also acknowledged that this has been an “unusual” winter, one that hasn’t necessarily been ideal for the sport. “I don’t think it’s a good situation that we’re sitting here on Feb. 2, there’s 110 free agents. I don’t think that’s good for the game, necessarily,” he said. “Does a change of system make it happen? I don’t know, we just got a new basic agreement a year ago. So, both sides agreed to that and were willing to sign it. … I don’t think you can only look at this winter time, I think then you have to look at the future, then you can analyze that.”
A few more notes from the American League…
- Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop will have his arbitration hearing Feb. 8, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets. After enjoying a career season in 2017, the 26-year-old requested a $9MM salary, while the Orioles offered $7.5MM. There has reportedly been some discord between the two sides in salary negotiations, which could bode poorly for the Orioles’ chances of keeping Schoop past 2019 – his final year of arb eligibility.
- Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell has a Feb. 12 settlement conference in Phoenix stemming from his October arrest on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The fact there’s a conference opens the door for a plea deal with the state of Arizona, Slusser notes, and the expectation is that they will come to an agreement prior to spring training. If no deal is reached, Maxwell is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 9, which was pushed back from the original date of April 10, according to Slusser.
- Minnesota’s unexpected return to the playoffs in 2017 helped the club land free agent reliever Zach Duke this winter, as the left-hander spurned other teams for the Twins’ $2MM deal (via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). “I had a couple offers out there, but after examining rosters, the way teams are put together, atmosphere, and talking to people I knew that had been in certain places, the Twins just made sense,” Duke explained. “This team is on the edge of being really good for a while and has the same type of feel as the Astros with a bunch of really good young position players, but maybe a pitcher or two away.” After undergoing Tommy John surgery as a member of the Cardinals in October 2016, Duke didn’t debut last season until July, and he only recorded 18 1/3 innings on the year. Heading into 2018, the soon-to-be 35-year-old is confident he’ll return to his pre-surgery effectiveness.
As much as I don’t like Maxwell for his kneeling and his arrest, this really messes up the catching situation in Oakland, big time. But hopefully Phegley can get a good 70 games in this season.
Padres got a few they could trade
How’s rocky gale lol
I’m crying from laughing
Maxwell will hopefully be suspended by the league and/or the A’s for a time. You can’t pull guns on people without some punishment, which should not include a “resolution settlement”! That is just BS! Like all should be forgotten, like it never happened, because he pays off someone, or takes an anger management class? That’s not going to do anything for him except to realize that money really does talk. I think the A’s should make a statement and take a stand for something, and show they represent an anti-violence stance by either trading him (if anyone would want him). Besides, the A’s need a really good catcher upgrade; maybe J. T. Realmuto, for instance. Problem solved!
Normal people go to prison for stuff like that.
Unless you’re a cop
We’re looking better going into this year, but we still don’t have a clear enough picture about what our situation will look like to justify trading a bunch of prospects for Realmuto. I think there’s a better chance they just throw out what we have and wait for Sean Murphy to be ready at this stage in the rebuild.
Still waiting to hear where Ty Wigginton lands
Baltimore!
old enough to be a giant!
What a blast from the past
DD I hope you get all you want in time for spring training. I just hope you get JD n you need pitching. Also, please retire Clemens’s number, it would give us fans something to cheer about! Clemens deserves it, his HOF numbers were done in Boston.
While Clemens’ number has been unofficially retired don’t expect any fanfare for a long time if ever. He and Bonds are two of the most controversial names in baseball at the moment.
Also, as a Red Sox fan I tend to side with the very large legion that is fine with wanting Clemens to just fade away. Even if, hypothetically, he wasn’t using steroids while in a Sox uniform, he disgraced the game.
sokid take. i’m surprised that Clemens and Bonds have garnered as many votes for the hall as they have
You are not speaking for all the fans, but he deserves to have his number raised at Fenway. He was the heart n soul of those teams, the rest of the pitchers, not including who left, could not get anyone out after the ’86 team.
Hurst
Clemens just one of thousands who, in your words, disgraced the game. Why can’t he join others in the HOF who have done the same. Please don’t ask me for evidence. And steroid use is the least of Rogers troubles.
Clemens never seemed to care about the Boston fans, then said he wanted to be closer to his family in Texas, so he signed with Toronto. First year with the Jays was a good one so he used it to trash the Red Sox and say that the team was why he had poorer numbers with them. Also, he’s a cheater. No team should retire the number of someone who cheats.
When Clemens pitched in Houston at the end I don’t think he traveled with the team, didn’t he fly in for just the games he was starting on the road ? It could have been just his last year or last couple that he did that if my memory serves me right. Roger sure was a piece of work.
That is not true when he was in Boston.
Zach Duke aka Mr. Optimistic
I can never believe it when I hear about all the deals/payoffs by athletes to their victims. Rapes, violence and gun charges should not be the subject of any ‘deals”…they are violent crimes and should be dealt with accordingly. Even though I’m a diehard A’s fan, Bruce Maxwell wasn’t and isn’t a favorite, nor is he an outstanding catcher that anyone would miss if he was appropriately punished for this crime…as he should be. This/these “shut-up deal(s)” is/are despicable! I also believe he should get an MLB and/or A’s suspension!
I don’t know much about his case, but I’m fairly confident that it isn’t in the same category as rape. But as a general rule, most courts and prosecutors want to make deals so that the courts don’t get backed up, whether you agree with that or not.
Pulling a gun is a Felony. Period
Pointing it at someone is “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon” at the minimum….possibly attempted murder. Just a flick of his finger, and she’s dead.
Not sure how others feel, but murder is right up there with rape in my book.
That’s not attempted murder
I mean, yeah, murder’s as bad or worse than rape, except there’s the part where he didn’t murder anybody lol. I’m not at all condoning what he did, but there’s no need to make stuff up to make it seem worse. Had he killed her, he’d be in jail right now and certainly no longer affiliated with MLB in any way
kbarr888……..
To be charged with or guilty of attempted murder, “that person should have deliberately, intentionally or recklessly with extreme disregard for human life, attempted to kill someone.” That is why he was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. What he did was despicable but does not fit the definition of attempted.
Attempted murder means they tried to commit murder and failed. That is not what happened.
Bullshat. PUlling a gun IS NOT A FELONY!
Idk if the mlb has conduct detrimental to the league like the nfl
but between this and him lying about the waiter in alabama he should definitely be suspended and fined by the league for for the negative publicity.
Maxwell being atrocious at baseball should be more important than what he does during the anthem.
Its not just athletes who do payoffs. Its anyone with the money to afford to.
Cool
“…we’re sitting here on Feb. 2, there’s 110 free agents…”
If the Top FA’s were less Greedy…..and they would sign for “the boatload of money that’s already been offered”……the system would be working just fine.
However…..I seriously doubt that there’s 110 openings in MLB right now. The plethora of International Signings in the last 5 years has had an effect on this too. Not Suggesting Anything except that…..
1. Supply Exceeds Demand.
2. When that happens, prices drop.
3. It’s a simple formula learned in Economics 101
As far as Maxwell…..He sure seems to be “a man of questionable character” in most everything he does, including his questionable ability to play Baseball well. Send him packing. He’s a bad influence. He chose this path.
Back in the “collusion” era, teams stayed far awy from giving offers to free agents. A lot of these players who are still unsigned have GOTTEN offers, they just demand more. They can’t keep getting their own way. If they want to point fingers, they should point them at Chris Davis, Josh Hamilton, Pablo Sandoval, etc.
And honestly this particular crop of FA is weird. It’s like they’re all the 6th best free agent this year. They’re good, maybe great, but certainly not superstars. There isn’t a fixed value for whoever happens to be the best FA at the moment.
Schoop will clearly win his arbitration case. What are the Orioles doing?
I see you working O’s! I guess the Orioles are trying to save money for that major starting pitching overhaul they’ve been speaking of. Starting with The likes of Andrew Cashner, Jamie Garcia etc you know, the big names, the difference makers!
I’m fine with the players wanting 20-30 million a year but how about all of baseball on yearly contracts? Would remove guys cruising years during contract and get the best play out of all. Imagine if your whole team was playing for their next contract level. This would keep it highly competitive and nobody’s team will get sacked by the agents for next 7-10 years. Offseason would draw huge interest from fans because every year you have a chance to get anybody. The rebuilding teams wouldn’t be banished for 5+ years because you could change everything the next year. Players union would never go for it but the business MLB should just say that they are changing all to yearly contracts.
I don’t think anybody involved would like this. Put everyone on an open market, and price levels skyrocket for the top players, but there’s not going to be enough money to go around to keep every player happy. Owners would hate it because team success would be tied basically entirely to payroll levels. It also disincentivizes teams to find amateur talent. Why spend 6 years scouting/developing a player in your minor league system if you only get to keep him for one year?
Some fans would love it, I agree, but I think you also lose something in fan attachment to individual players
Teams would still retain young players until they an become a free agent as it is now. Hat would change nothing in scouting but rather treating younger players right to get them to want to continue signing with the team they came up with.
Ah, sorry, I misunderstood what you meant. Yeah, the PA would absolutely hate this and would never go for it, because you’d basically be shifting all of the league’s revenue to ownership. I do think this would be exciting in the beginning from a fan perspective, but having so many players available to flood the market might get a little bit tiring, since there would be a ton of players sitting around at the end of every off-season, just like this one
Can we just have expansion?!? Easily solve all these good players without jobs
If the Red Sox are so willing to spend, why is Martinez still unsigned? You would have thought that if they had been negotiating in good faith, by now they would have come to an agreement.
What do you want them to do–bid against themselves.
Rumor has it they are offering 5 yrs. @ $20 M–Is anybody out there offering more?
At some point Boras will say yes and he will sign with the Sox or go back to the D’Backs for less.
$100 M. guaranteed for a couple of decent years of production–isn’t chump change.
The reason he isn’t signed yet is because Boras is praying he gets another player in this game. I’m sure he has already told Boston that there is higher offer but Boston isn’t buying it. Remember a few years ago when Chris Davis got that contract Baltimore was crucified for bidding against themselves and Boston doesn’t want to do that and knows it doesn’t have to unless JDM is willing to sit out the year and doubt he is willing to do that unless he is willing to walk away from 5/125.
I learned so much about baseball in these comments. Someone please sign somewhere
I was actually hoping the Cards would pick Duke up again. Especially for the price, that could be a sneaky good move.
I see the PC police are censoring free speech here as I notice numerous comments have been deleted
You’re honestly a moron
and you’re honestly an idiot
That’s false
what, that you are honest?
Nobody called me honest what are you talking about?
You need to look up what free speech means! Cuz your version is wrong !
mafiaso316…………
1) It’s a baseball site
2) It’s a privately owned site and they, like any other site can moderate as they see fit
3)Many come here to get away from the left/right internet equivalent of a schoolyard fight
4) Learn where free speech applies and where it doesn’t
I understand that, but I enjoy reading all the comments and follow-up comments,,, as long as nobody is cussing someone out,,,,what’s the problem?
Do you understand that? Seems like #’s 1-3 explain why those comments were deleted. If you want to engage a political schoolyard fight there are many other sites you would love…this is a baseball site and I would bet anything that if a poll was done here.. “what’s the problem?” would end up dead last.
BTW be thankful that MLBTR Commenting Policy is not always strictly adhered to…like….
“Attacks or insults toward other commenters, the post author, journalists, teams, players, or agents”
“Otherwise harassing other commenters in any way”
( mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/commenting-policy-20.ht… )
If it was the boards would be barren
ok, PC Monitor
That’s not an insult
Yep that’s me…PC monitor simply because I don’t agree that this site is better off being about baseball and not turned into a childish political free-for-all Any other weak arguments you would like to throw out there?
Hey look the comments are about baseball rumors again. Thank you
JD Martinez? Indians. They ought to have cash, with Santana, Jackson and Shaw departing. And could use his bat to replace Santana. I know there’s not much of a threat in the direction vision from Detroit, KC and Chicago. But are they taking the Twins seriously? Or do they think the AL central is a cake walk?