MLB Offseason 2012

[Timby]

Yeah, this is probably the first move Cherington's made that hasn't left me scratching my head. The Red Sox have a hole at 1B and an occasional hole at C, and in addition to filling that they now have a pretty solid backup for Ortiz, should he get injured (which is not exactly a non-zero proposition).

[Timby]

Double-posting because word is that Nolasco and Stanton have requested trades out of Miami.

Theo / Hoyer, get on the phone right fucking now and tell Beinfest he can have any five prospects and like $50 million.

[Starbreaker]

I'm pretty sure the sculpture has asked to be non-tendered.

[Tom Hendricks]

The fish in the tank are being asked to be released.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Dinger Machine will take over ownership of the team immediately.

[Danny99]

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/02...e-another-move

The overnight radio shows were abuzz of Arencibia for Dickey, something I'd be against.

I know Dickey is the reigning NL Cy Young winner and a great feel good story. But he's 38 and is not a long term option like Arencibia is going forward. And on a team built to win now, do you really want John Buck to be your every-day catcher to add a pitcher to a rotation that is already four strong pitchers deep?

[Timby]

Shane Victorino, age 32 and coming out of a season in which he was no longer even able to pretend to play center and hit a stellar .255/.321/.383, will get a $4 million per year raise on a three-year contract.

Jesus, Red Sox, you do something smart with Napoli and then turn around and do something insanely moronic with Victorino. Does the team pay players extra in advance to make up for saying they're worse than AIDS when the Lucchino hatchet job runs them out of town?

Danny99 wrote:

---

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/02...e-another-move

The overnight radio shows were abuzz of Arencibia for Dickey, something I'd be against.

26-year-old catcher with a career 88 OPS+, terrible allergy to walks and a love of strikeouts for a guy who can arguably be called the best pitcher in baseball over the last three years. It should be the Mets fans who get stabby at that deal, not the Jays.

[Skywalker]

Hey, Cody Ross had a pretty good season for us and clearly wouldn't mind sticking around...so let's sign someone else for possibly more money and definitely less production!

[Tom Servo]

Ya, I'm usually one to defend Cherington, but I don't get the Victorino thing at all as well. I like the concept, but they overpaid in years, and dollars.

I do have a feeling though, especially with the rumors with the Red Sox are still players for Hamilton, that Ellsbury may be packaged to get some of the pitching the Sox need.

[Timby]

Tom Servo wrote:

---

I do have a feeling though, especially with the rumors with the Red Sox are still players for Hamilton, that Ellsbury may be packaged to get some of the pitching the Sox need.

Oh, God, if that means they got Victorino to play him in center ...

[Tom Servo]

Tiny Timby wrote:

---

Oh, God, if that means they got Victorino to play him in center ...

Well at the moment, he is playing right, and since Fenway has such an expanse of a right field, him switching to center there really isn't as big of a deal as you think. I'm not saying it was a good idea in the first place, but there really isn't as big of a difference between center and right as you say.

[Skywalker]

Well, I'm okay with trading Ellsbury if it means the Red Sox get a really good starter back for him, though with Ellsbury's injury-plagued 2011 and 2009 seasons the Sox would probably have to give up more than just him. They seem to be really high on Jackie Bradley, Jr. and might be willing to risk one season of mediocre defense in center field before Bradley hopefully comes up in 2014.

[TrekNut87]

Really kind of shocked that Minnesota traded Revere. It'd been talked about for a while now, I just didn't think Ryan would actually do it, but we're desperate for arms, so I'm happy with it in that respect. Revere was a lot of fun to watch.

[Tom Hendricks]

Yankees just offered Youk 1 year and 12 million to babysit 3rd base until AROD gets better.

[Timby]

TrekNut87 wrote:

---

Really kind of shocked that Minnesota traded Revere. It'd been talked about for a while now, I just didn't think Ryan would actually do it, but we're desperate for arms, so I'm happy with it in that respect. Revere was a lot of fun to watch.

That was a hell of a trade for Minnesota and one of the most insane moves Rube has made (and that's saying something). They dumped a slap-hitting guy with no strike zone discipline who can run really fast -- essentially a fourth outfielder whose core skill is running -- and got two solid pieces in return. Lord knows that Vance Worley isn't great or anything, but I have a hard time believing, given his shiny ERAs, that the Phillies couldn't have done better than Ben fucking Revere for him -- and the Twins got the Phillies' #1 prospect in the deal, too!

I've been saying all offseason long that Rube gonna Rube, and then he goes and gets Michael Young (probably) and Ben Revere. Ibanez has gotta be next.