Jason Varitek and Paul Byrd were offered arbitration in advance of the midnight deadline. Varitek, a Type A free agent, will fetch two draft picks (first round and supplementary first round, unless the first rounder is in the top 15; then it will be the second round pick of the signing team) if he signs elsewhere. Peter Gammons believes there is a chance Varitek accepts.
Byrd is a Type B, which will be a supplemental round pick. There’s no harm in Byrd accepting as it would put Masterson in the bullpen, give us a deep bullpen and depth in the rotation. It won’t preclude any team from signing him as there are no draft picks for them to lose.
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Byrd came to the Sox with a $7.5M contract, and Tek’s is $10M. I wonder what Byrd will want to stay, and would he accept time in the Pen? Byrd, as #5 won’t exactly be a Penny, Sheets, Matsuzaka or Masterson, though he has lots to offer. We will know very soon about our catching situation, but with the Boras antics with Manny, Teixeira, Lowe, etc. a good Boras purge from the lineup may be in order.
As a group from L.A. said, instead of paying Manny $30,000,000.00, the Dodgers would do better to build their base by building 30 ball fields costing $1M each, in inner city and suburban areas around L.A. Has Boras not heard that the entire nation, including baseball, is in a deep recession, and his manipulations are insults to the fans and the game, and make his players look like shysters.
Gerry, it wouldn’t make any sense for the Dodgers to build 30 ball fields in LA, or the US, because chances are they’d be developing talent for the other 29 teams.
If they wanted to go nuts, they’d build 15 in China and 15 in India, and see what happens. That way they can actually sign talent as FAs, while also developing a brand in potential emerging markets.
(sign Teix)
I don’t think Tek (Boras) is going to accept arbitration. And I’m not complaining. Having two picks for Tek is the best case scenario for me.
By the way, Jason Stark reports the Red Sox could be the mistery fourth team in the hunt for Rafael Furcal (besides the A’s, Giants and Braves): “Kinzer would not identify the fourth team in the Furcal hunt. But indications are that neither the Cubs nor Furcal’s old team, the Dodgers, are currently in the mix. Executives from two other teams nominated the Red Sox and Orioles as possible matches.”
Here’s the link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3737498
Apparently this 4th team are interested in Furcal, “but only if they make another trade”. This sounds like Boston to me.
I don’t see the point in Furcal. If we’re trying to make room for a Lowrie/Masterson trade (since I see no reason why Lowrie would go into ‘09 without SS locked up), then there’s virtually no chance the return would be any better than Johan bleeping Santana. Unless we magically convince Peavy that Boston is where he belongs.
Furcal’s numbers aren’t great enough to warrant another Lugo type deal, which is almost certainly what he’d command. He’s average or below average in terms of his bat, and that’s without a rough transition to the AL. If we can get him on an affordable one or two year deal it’d be great, but there are far too many disturbing parallels to a few other recent SS disasters for my liking.
@Gerry & @Sean O, since when does it cost $1M to put up a little league baseball field? Also the Dodger’s owner is off his rocker if he thinks his team is better served building baseball fields than bringing in superstars that’ll fill his seats. I would hope the team is already do things like helping build inner city baseball fields as it helps fuel interest in your sport.
Such a moronic thing to say.
…I believe it was more of a hypothetical than an actual business plan. If the Dodgers are a serious contender with Manny, it makes sense, otherwise a team with their resources should be better served by developing for the future.
Especially with a near-certain decline on Manny’s part.
The free agents vs. new ball fields argument was a self-serving attempt by the McCourts to portray themselves as civic minded when in fact what they really wanted was the tax break such a charitable act would get them. (There’s no tax credit for re-signing Manny.) McCourt bought the Dodgers because the stadium is surrounded by a giant parking lot, not because he wants to improve the team or make it competitive. Their sudden burst of Manny-powered success last season was pure accident and wouldn’t have happened if McCourt had had to pay one dime of Manny’s salary.
The point of signing Furcal is using Lowrie to land a catcher, not a pitcher, IMO. Arizona and Cleveland need an infielder, so, Lowrie can be used to acquire Montero or Shopach.
Tess & Sean, I have been in L.A. this week visiting family and friends. Most fans want Manny so much they are willing to pay any price, throwing out figures like $30M to keep him. It was a local civic-minded group that complained this kind of money is preposterous and would be better spent elsewhere, as in ballparks for an inner city with insufficient budgets for such things. Most know that Borass is manipulating the system for both Manny and Teix, resent it, but believe Manny gives them their best shot at the post season and understand his remarkable talent.
I have asked widely whether fans are as passionate about Teix, and the answer is no. Teix is huge, but ManChild is a rock star here, a larger than life celeb in a town which is understanding and forgiving of its celebs. Manny would not have had such success in a very straight Orange County, and Teix would not be as much of a Star in laid back L.A. Manny represents a return to the glory days for the Dodgers, and they love his talent, his goofiness, his quirks, and are convinced his bad habits were overstated … and many around the nation would agree.
The Sox are trying hard to replace Manny with J.Bay and Teix. The Dodgers have him and need him, but at what Borass price?
If we are seeking yet another good bat, I would rather have healthy Teix,Lowrie,Youk at about $29M, than Youk,Furcal(healthy?),Mike(healthy?) at about $32M.
Joshua, L.A. already has a large network of parks. Creating and maintaining a bunch of mini-Chavez Ravines, and infusing Pony, LL, American Legion, etc. with operating revenue would cost far less than $1M per. This might actually be a good strategy for MLB teams, to build from the bottom up . . . a combination of giving back, marketing, and community organization for the purpose of reclaiming America for its national past time.
Gerry-
Good call, but they also need to realize there’s a helluva chance Manny puts up a .290/.400/.520, certainly more than repeating his .396/.489/.743. If they want to pay him $30m/year for below average defense, be my guest.
The Red Sox should re-sign Manny
the Red Sox should re-sign Manny and teach him to play catcher
Bob, that’s silly. Manny doesn’t have the attention span to be a catcher, we need to sign him to play short. :)
Gerry, how do you get “healthy Teix,Lowrie,Youk at about $29M, than Youk, Furcal(healthy?), Mike(healthy?) at about $32M”?
I’m assuming Lowrie makes the min ~400K, so in the fist instance if you assume Teix gets only 22mil, Youk is going to make 6.5 million? Is that right? That would also mean Furcal would get 13 million in your second scenario(which sadly doesn’t seem too far fetched). Is Youk in line to make this much?
Gerry
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we both have a similar view of the primary needs of the team: catching and pitching. So how do you want to adress the catcher problem? I understand you like Shoppach, but: what do you want to offer for him? Just a question.
Shane, I guestimated Youk at 7-8M, Teix at 20-21M, Lowrie at …4 and Mike at 12.5M, Youk at 7-8M, Furcal at 12M. These should be pretty close. The point is that to get Furcal and Mike, both off injury seasons at the end of their careers for $24M is not as good as getting young and healthy Teix and Jed for $21M. at least long term.
We agree, MAG. We need pitching, but CC is gone and aside from Penny and Kawakami, the available FAs are high cost, high risk. I don’t think Byrd or another journeyman is the answer to winnng the division. I am leaning towards Masterson, Buchholz, Bowden to fill and bolster the rotation which, IMO, means we need to hold onto them.
I like Shoppach, Laird and other proven catchers because they probably don’t require any of these pitchers or Lowrie. If Tek returns, I would like Salty or TG, who are still near-prospects, but not for these pitchers or Lowrie, who are the future. There are so many catchers available right now, Theo could make a deal (with a long untouchable list) for older and younger prospects, players, players to be named later, cash, draft-pick, taking an expensive contract off their hands as part of the deal, etc.
Sorry to sound so repetitive, but IMO these pitchers plus Lowrie plus Lars should be untouchable in a market with a surplus of good catchers and a shortage of good pitchers and shortstops. Our pen is set. A hot SP is a FA signing away, as is Teix. The only trade we need make is for a catcher. In that trade, we win if we protect prospects we will surely need for 2009-10.
Well, Gerry, I see your point, but I personally don’t see any reallistic scenario in which we can acquire a quality catcher without giving a good prospect in return. Catchers are a valuable commodity, and no team is gonna trade away one of this kids unless they can get something valuable in return.
About pitching, I think we are gonna make a move for one of the FA. Sheets, Penny and Lowe are still realistic possibilies, and I still don’t think CC is gonne. I admit Sabathia looks like a long shot right now, but the Red Sox has the money and the need, and if the FO wants him, they are gonna make his move in the last minute.