Red Sox Sign Marco Scutaro

[yall hate]

also, for those talking about Iglesias - he is 19.  he is the SS of the future, but that is at least 2 years away (and that would be moving incredibly fast).  I think that is why the team structured this deal with the 3rd year as an option.  if Iglesias is ready, then good, he is ready, but if not, you have a little protection.

Lowrie looks like he could also be useful to this team, if he ever stays healthy.  right now, he hasnt shown he can do that.  I would think he will need to prove himself for a major portion of the season at AAA before the team even thinks about bringing him up

[yall hate]

as for the money, still nothing concrete, but buster is reporting:

FRIDAY, 9:08am: ESPN's Buster Olney has the terms on Scutaro: $1MM signing bonus, $5MM in 2010, $5MM in 2011, and a 2012 option with a $6MM club option, $3MM player option, and $1.5MM buyout.  That makes it a two-year, $12.5MM deal

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/marco-scutaro-rumors-thursday.html

That isnt bad at all.

[Chris]

Lowrie looks like he could also be useful to this team, if he ever stays healthy.  right now, he hasnt shown he can do that.  I would think he will need to prove himself for a major portion of the season at AAA before the team even thinks about bringing him up

From everything I have heard this offseason, the Sox are not counting on ANYTHING from Lowry next season, or beyond.  I don't know if they know more about the injury than they are letting on, or they simply think he is fragile, but Theo made it pretty clear that he is not part of their plans, simply because they cannot count on him.

So I expect them to also sign another infielder (maybe Crosby) as the utility guy, and Lowry will have to first prove he is healthy, and then hope for someone else's injury to get another shot.

as for the money, still nothing concrete, but buster is reporting:

FRIDAY, 9:08am: ESPN's Buster Olney has the terms on Scutaro: $1MM signing bonus, $5MM in 2010, $5MM in 2011, and a 2012 option with a $6MM club option, $3MM player option, and $1.5MM buyout.  That makes it a two-year, $12.5MM deal

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/marco-scutaro-rumors-thursday.html

That isnt bad at all.

If that money is correct, this is a great deal.  I was worried this was going to be something like 3 years/$20 million. 

[Donoghus]

Well, SS has always seemed to be Theo's achilles.  I'm not enamored with the deal but I can accept it.  As long as his defense is steady, I'll be fine with it.  I'm looking for help on offense in other places, although I'm still not convinced Theo is going to make any big splashes this off-season at least not via free agency. 

IMO, any big moves made by the Sox this off-season will be done via the trade route.

[nickagneta]

as for the money, still nothing concrete, but buster is reporting:

FRIDAY, 9:08am: ESPN's Buster Olney has the terms on Scutaro: $1MM signing bonus, $5MM in 2010, $5MM in 2011, and a 2012 option with a $6MM club option, $3MM player option, and $1.5MM buyout.  That makes it a two-year, $12.5MM deal

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/marco-scutaro-rumors-thursday.html

That isnt bad at all.

$5 million a year for the next two years is affordable for the Sox, though I do think they are overpaying him for the one good offensive season he has ever had.

If he returns to his Oakland like numbers of .260BA/7HR/45RBI/40BB/.335OPS/.365SLG he will actually not be average offensively as Roy states but very much in the bottom third of shortstops offensively. Also, at 34 years old, and this is just a guess, his range at short is going to get worse over the next two years, it won't stay the same of get better.

[Chris]

IMO, any big moves made by the Sox this off-season will be done via the trade route.

I agree with this.  I think there is a chance they get Holliday instead of Bay, but that is more of a sideways move.  I expect them to move for either a first or third baseman, and then either moving Lowell, or keeping him as a DH/backup 1b/3b.  But I would be surprised if Lowell is the starting 3rd baseman next year.

[Donoghus]

IMO, any big moves made by the Sox this off-season will be done via the trade route.

I agree with this.  I think there is a chance they get Holliday instead of Bay, but that is more of a sideways move.  I expect them to move for either a first or third baseman, and then either moving Lowell, or keeping him as a DH/backup 1b/3b.  But I would be surprised if Lowell is the starting 3rd baseman next year.

Yeah, to me, the whole idea of Holliday is a bit mind-boggling.  I see it as a lateral move myself (in regards to Bay) and its gonna cost more money.  As long as this team doesn't overpay anyone this offseason, they're gonna have a lot of money to play with in a lucrative free agent class next offseason.

[yall hate]

Lowrie looks like he could also be useful to this team, if he ever stays healthy.  right now, he hasnt shown he can do that.  I would think he will need to prove himself for a major portion of the season at AAA before the team even thinks about bringing him up

From everything I have heard this offseason, the Sox are not counting on ANYTHING from Lowry next season, or beyond.  I don't know if they know more about the injury than they are letting on, or they simply think he is fragile, but Theo made it pretty clear that he is not part of their plans, simply because they cannot count on him.

So I expect them to also sign another infielder (maybe Crosby) as the utility guy, and Lowry will have to first prove he is healthy, and then hope for someone else's injury to get another shot.

They probably already signed their utility guy (Tug Hullet).

I think we are/were saying the same thing about Lowrie.  he needs to prove his health before the team counts on him (but I think we disagree, if I am reading you right, that the team has given up on him.  I think he is still a part of their plans - if he can prove his health)

[Roy Hobbs]

If the reported money is correct, how can anyone complain about this?  He's an above-average hitter (even with some predicted regression), and a slightly above-average defender. 

If we pull off the Holliday-for-Bay swap, this will have only cost us a second-rounder, with an upgrade in production.  I'm good with that.

[Chris]

Lowrie looks like he could also be useful to this team, if he ever stays healthy.  right now, he hasnt shown he can do that.  I would think he will need to prove himself for a major portion of the season at AAA before the team even thinks about bringing him up

From everything I have heard this offseason, the Sox are not counting on ANYTHING from Lowry next season, or beyond.  I don't know if they know more about the injury than they are letting on, or they simply think he is fragile, but Theo made it pretty clear that he is not part of their plans, simply because they cannot count on him.

So I expect them to also sign another infielder (maybe Crosby) as the utility guy, and Lowry will have to first prove he is healthy, and then hope for someone else's injury to get another shot.

They probably already signed their utility guy (Tug Hullet).

I think we are/were saying the same thing about Lowrie.  he needs to prove his health before the team counts on him (but I think we disagree, if I am reading you right, that the team has given up on him.  I think he is still a part of their plans - if he can prove his health)

I think Tug Hullet is a AAAA player.  I am not sure about his contract, but I would be surprised if he is on the opening day roster.  He will likely be a guy they store in Pawtucket, and bring up if there are injuries.  Not a full time utility guy.

As for Lowry, I am not saying they have completely given up on him...but I definitely think they are close.  I got the impression that they are not going to save a spot for him, and when he does get another chance, via injury to someone else, it will likely be his last.  

[Cman]

Well, SS has always seemed to be Theo's achilles. 

Sad, but true.

IMO, any big moves made by the Sox this off-season will be done via the trade route.

Agreed.

[Donoghus]

Lowrie looks like he could also be useful to this team, if he ever stays healthy.  right now, he hasnt shown he can do that.  I would think he will need to prove himself for a major portion of the season at AAA before the team even thinks about bringing him up

From everything I have heard this offseason, the Sox are not counting on ANYTHING from Lowry next season, or beyond.  I don't know if they know more about the injury than they are letting on, or they simply think he is fragile, but Theo made it pretty clear that he is not part of their plans, simply because they cannot count on him.

So I expect them to also sign another infielder (maybe Crosby) as the utility guy, and Lowry will have to first prove he is healthy, and then hope for someone else's injury to get another shot.

They probably already signed their utility guy (Tug Hullet).

I think we are/were saying the same thing about Lowrie.  he needs to prove his health before the team counts on him (but I think we disagree, if I am reading you right, that the team has given up on him.  I think he is still a part of their plans - if he can prove his health)

I think Tug Hullet is a AAAA player.  I am not sure about his contract, but I would be surprised if he is on the opening day roster.  He will likely be a guy they store in Pawtucket, and bring up if there are injuries.  Not a full time utility guy.

As for Lowry, I am not saying they have completely given up on him...but I definitely think they are close.  I got the impression that they are not going to save a spot for him, and when he does get another chance, via injury to someone else, it will likely be his last.  

Yeah, that was the impression I had with the Hullet signing also.  I don't think he's going to be their full-time utility guy.  I think Chris got it right saying that he's probably a AAAA player at best.  A guy that'll probably start the year in Pawtucket and get limited exposure on a major league level.

[yall hate]

I dont doubt Hullet is a 4A guy (or even, really a AAA guy), but I got the impression he would be the bench, utility guy.  I guess we'll see....

[USG]

Lowrie will start the year in AAA. I don't think they've given up on him per se, but they need to have a guy they can 100% depend on to at least be average and I think that's what they were looking for with Marco Scutaro. They want to give Lowrie a chance to work his way back into the swing of things and then, if he proves himself trustworthy, he might start getting a lot more PT as the Sox, for instance, keep Lowell well rested/give him some DH time. The point is to make sure he has consistent ABs early in the year.

They're not looking for anything out of Tug Hullet short of to fill in if someone gets injured during a game or as a late-inning defensive replacement if Lowell is still a cripple, so it makes sense that he'd be the utility man.

[Donoghus]

I dont doubt Hullet is a 4A guy (or even, really a AAA guy), but I got the impression he would be the bench, utility guy.  I guess we'll see....

I just question having a guy with less than 100 career major league at bats as being their utility player.  He'll also be 27 years old come opening day so I don't think there is much upside to him.