Comments on: So Much So Soon: Analyzing the Sox’ Looong Weekend

By: What They Need: Red Sox | umpbump.com

What They Need: Red Sox | umpbump.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:07:01 +0000

[...] so they might not want to commit a lot of money and years to a free agent signing there. (Also, Fire Brand of the American League likes the Jeremy Hermida [...]

By: Reaching into the MailBag | Fire Brand of the American League

Reaching into the MailBag | Fire Brand of the American League — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:31:51 +0000

[...] reading the recent article on Jeremy Hermida, you probably are now aware of my affinity for platoon bats. While there are not [...]

By: Mike_Silver

Mike_Silver — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:40:52 +0000

Going along with the Boras comment, I think that Boras realizes that it doesn't matter a whole lot as to the personal relationships between he and MLB front offices. While a positive relationship makes it easier to work with him, what really brings a team to a negotiation is their desire to employ the player, not the agent's track record. Especially since Boras has no trouble signing top clients to his agency, Boras doesn't need to worry about personal relationships because teams will always want his players.

Since the Red Sox are interested in performing their job well, there's no way they'd let personal differences stand in the way of a negotiation. Boras knows that, so he chooses to insult management and improve the image of his players (in his eyes), which is the better of the two alternatives.

I don't put much stock into two sides "having a history", in terms of personal differences in negotiations. History can mean two things: one, that they've dealt before, or two, that they just haven't done it yet. If the "history" includes Boras charging too high a price, then its legitimate. If its about personality, then the front office execs have no business being employed by a major league team.

From a fan's standpoint, I despise Boras as much as anyone else for driving up the price on our players.

However, because I love baseball economics and negotiations, I have more respect and admiration for Boras than almost any other figure in the league. He's at the pinnacle of his craft and we should all be in awe of his abilities. Therefore, I'll go on record and state that I am a huge, huge Scott Boras fan and I love watching him deal.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:51:38 +0000

Hi MAG, Just read that Boras, yesterday, announced it was the Red Sox who let Teixeira go, because Theo (and Henry) didn't accept Teixeira's best offer. What a snake. My skin is crawling just thinking about his level of disinformation.

Bloggers on the site wondered why Boras was driving the wedge even deeper between him and the Sox. My opinion: Holliday's not coming to the Sox, and Lucifer continues to maneuver to raise his price, just as he did with Teixeira. So he is driving up the price on J.Bay, whose 35/100/100/.900 the Sox will have to keep if the Yankees go for Holliday. By driving up the price on J.Bay for the Sox, he drives up the price on Holliday for anyone else. The NYY will pay to offset J.Bay on the Sox. Boras and Cashman have a record of such dealings. Let's hope those are correct who say he won't hit in the ALE, and that he can't cover that big left field any better than Jason can cover Fenway.

By: E_Rock

E_Rock — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:22:18 +0000

I agree with Mike on the platoon issue. A Manager's job is to put his players in the best position he can so they may succeed. Certainly, the numbers would suggest that this is the best way to give Martinez rest. However, he's obviously going to need to face a modest number of lefties, if for nothing else to maintain familiarity from the right side. This should in the end prove beneficial to the quintet of Martinez, Youkilis, Lowell, Ortiz, and Varitek, though I must stress that it cannot be too unpredictable or too often as it could disrupt continuity.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:10:04 +0000

I'd doubt Jeter was the best defensive short stop this year, but from what I heard he really improved himself over the previous years he erroneously won the award….

By: E_Rock

E_Rock — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:50:03 +0000

I just read that Jeter has won another GGlove, did he really have a better year defensively than Aybar? Again, not much of a numbers guy, I find myself for once actually wondering what the data says about who the best shortstops in the league are (and if ol' Jete just won a popularity contest).

By: M.A.G.

M.A.G. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:33:13 +0000

MATT HOLLIDAY.

I will take no other.

If we sign Dye, that means Theo has already given up. And bidding for Bay is not worth it, IMO. Just as a curiosity, according to fangraphs, Mike Cameron is more valuable than Bay.

By: _Marcos_

_Marcos_ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:42:54 +0000

The word platoon means that every time A LHP starts Varitek would start too. That's not very smart. Although i do get your point. I guess what your trying to say, whenever Varitek would play it should be against LHPs.

By: Mike_Silver

Mike_Silver — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:12:29 +0000

I advocate for platooning Varitek because it would be the most effective use of his playing time. Sure, V-Mart is a switch hitter, but he has about equal from the left and right side sides of the plate over the last couple years. Therefore, using Varitek against lefties will provide V-Mart with the periodic rest he needs to stay fresh as well as effectively changing Tek from a .662 OPS hitter into an .807 OPS guy. That would be, by far, the best use of the team's resources.