Who Will the Red Sox Target for 08/09 FA? Who Will They Trade?

[yall hate]

Youkilis last year did 29hr 115 rbi with 390 obp. Tex did 33 hr with 121rbi and 410 obp. They are also both gold glover calibre.(with youk actually also an excellent 3b)

Are you meaning to tell me youk also only being one year older deserves about 10 million per year(becuase we all know thast how much he will get about max) and teix deserves double that??

If i were youk i be mad or want more money. Pedroia stat does not revolve around rbi's and home runs but he lead in how many catergories last year in the stats department and he will avg 7 million per year?? Ok i use pedrioa as an example because his contract situation is a little different but youk definitely would deserve 15 a year if tex for 20-22.

The more i think about it , i like tex but i hope a team like baltimore signs him instead. And we take care of our catching situation and another offensive need via catching position.

Redsox need to include declaremen with bowden to have a chance at teargarden

You arent factoring in the fact that Youk is not a free agent and wont be for a few years.  Tex is.  That in and of itself makes a huge difference.  If Youk were an unrestricted FA this year, he would likely command at least 10 million a year.  but he isnt, so it is irrelevant.  Tex also has a history and has shown that the numbers he has put up can be expected, we are not sure what youk will do in the future (although I dont expect anything that different)

[Tr1boy]

Youkilis last year did 29hr 115 rbi with 390 obp. Tex did 33 hr with 121rbi and 410 obp. They are also both gold glover calibre.(with youk actually also an excellent 3b)

Are you meaning to tell me youk also only being one year older deserves about 10 million per year(becuase we all know thast how much he will get about max) and teix deserves double that??

If i were youk i be mad or want more money. Pedroia stat does not revolve around rbi's and home runs but he lead in how many catergories last year in the stats department and he will avg 7 million per year?? Ok i use pedrioa as an example because his contract situation is a little different but youk definitely would deserve 15 a year if tex for 20-22.

The more i think about it , i like tex but i hope a team like baltimore signs him instead. And we take care of our catching situation and another offensive need via catching position.

Redsox need to include declaremen with bowden to have a chance at teargarden

You arent factoring in the fact that Youk is not a free agent and wont be for a few years.  Tex is.  That in and of itself makes a huge difference.  If Youk were an unrestricted FA this year, he would likely command at least 10 million a year.  but he isnt, so it is irrelevant.  Tex also has a history and has shown that the numbers he has put up can be expected, we are not sure what youk will do in the future (although I dont expect anything that different)

BTW just to let you know texeira had sort of an off year with his stats and youkilis stats have just climbed year after year.

Also Youk and teix were in similiar contract positions where their teams had their rights but the difference is teix wanted out of texas. So yeah he is a free agent and will get alot more money, but i think thats a bs system. Youk deserves a bonus for loyalty towards the redsox team instead of being shortchanged.

It was up to teixera if he wanted to leave texas because they suked, but it shows me he has little leadership qualities. (especially since he was their supposedly influencial franchise player)

The bottom line is in the end of the day if texeira gets 20 million , then youk desevers 15


On another note talking about contracts and money , baseball can learn alot from the nba ways. There should be a cap with increase happening due to increase in payroll and the team that the player played last with having the option to provide that extra year.

[Big_Matt34]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sports/18311921/detail.html

The Boston Red Sox may be close to signing Mark Teixeira, the premiere free agent available this off-season.

SportsCenter 5's Mike Lynch reported that team owner John Henry, CEO Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein were in Texas Thursday evening meeting with Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

Lynch reported the Red Sox were offering an eight-year contract with an annual salary of $23 million.

I put on ABC after reading this and Lynch said "Sox source: 'Very, very, very good shot this is a done deal tonight. This is their best offer, it's more than what Henry wants to spend.'"

[ma11l]

I understand Theo's patience has worked the last few years, but I feel we need to make a splash this year.  We need a spark in the middle of our lineup now without Manny and with a declining David Ortiz.  Tex would be perfect.


I don't like that we're upgrading our bats while the Yankees are upgrading their arms.  However we already had the arms and this is truly what we needed.  We need a lower rotation guy and people like Lowe and Sheets are still out there for the taking.

[Donoghus]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sports/18311921/detail.html

The Boston Red Sox may be close to signing Mark Teixeira, the premiere free agent available this off-season.

SportsCenter 5's Mike Lynch reported that team owner John Henry, CEO Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein were in Texas Thursday evening meeting with Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

Lynch reported the Red Sox were offering an eight-year contract with an annual salary of $23 million.

I put on ABC after reading this and Lynch said "Sox source: 'Very, very, very good shot this is a done deal tonight. This is their best offer, it's more than what Henry wants to spend.'"

Wow.  Thats a lot of money but Tex would be an great addition to this lineup.

If thats the $ figure, then I think the Sox get him

[Big_Matt34]

My birthday is Mon. and this would be a nice early b day and x mas gift. 8/184 is obviously alot but Tex is such a perfect fit for the team, gets on base, can hit the other way as a lefty which is always nice in Fenway, and lastly he is great defensively.

Hope it gets done tonight or ill be up all night following. If it gets done ill be ok with Tek as our #9 hitter. THe lineup would look something like this

1)Ellsbury
2)Pedroia
3)Ortiz
4)Texiera
5)Youkilis
6)Drew
7)Bay
8)Lowrie
9)Varitek/Salty

MY dream offseason would be finishing up this Tex deal, signing Smoltz or Sheets, re-signing Tek for a 2 year 16 million deal then trading for Salty and have him and Varitek platoon.

[nickagneta]

2009 Red Sox starting lineup:

1 CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2 2B Dustin Pedroia
3 DH David Ortiz
4 1B Mark Texiera
5 3B Kevin Youkilis
6 RF J D Drew
7 LF Jason Bay
8 C  Taylor Teagarden/Jarrod Saltalamacchia/Jason Varitek
9 SS Jed Lowrie

Me likey!!!!

[Big_Matt34]

2009 Red Sox starting lineup:

1 CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2 2B Dustin Pedroia
3 DH David Ortiz
4 1B Mark Texiera
5 3B Kevin Youkilis
6 RF J D Drew
7 LF Jason Bay
8 C  Taylor Teagarden/Jarrod Saltalamacchia/Jason Varitek
9 SS Jed Lowrie

Me likey!!!!

It is extremely deep and VERY flexible, will be tough to coach against it late in games with so many lefties and righties back to back.

Im trying to not get my hopes up by too much incase of it not working out but itd be cool to sign him on the day the Yanks introduce CC and Burnett.

[Toine43]

And now the question becomes, what will happen to Mike Lowell? Do we want to keep him as a bench player? Will he accept that role? Is he healthy/still good enough to be a starter for most teams, or was last year the beginning of the end for him?

[nickagneta]

And now the question becomes, what will happen to Mike Lowell? Do we want to keep him as a bench player? Will he accept that role? Is he healthy/still good enough to be a starter for most teams, or was last year the beginning of the end for him?

TP4U for the excellent question.

I can't see the Sox keeping him as he can't really play any position other than third. Lugo and Lowell will have to go and my guess is a ton of cash will have to go as well for the Sox to get rid of them. I'll be saddened in seeing my favorite Puerto Rican player in MLB leave the home team but winning is winning, after all.

[hpantazo]

why not keep lowell as a bench player? we saw what can happen with injuries last year, you can always use someone like him on the team, and he seems to have a good enough attitude to take that role, and would get plenty of at bats throughout the season

[Roy Hobbs]

why not keep lowell as a bench player? we saw what can happen with injuries last year, you can always use someone like him on the team, and he seems to have a good enough attitude to take that role, and would get plenty of at bats throughout the season

I agree with this.  The Sox can afford him; I see no reason to dump him when his trade value is presumably low.

[nickagneta]

why not keep lowell as a bench player? we saw what can happen with injuries last year, you can always use someone like him on the team, and he seems to have a good enough attitude to take that role, and would get plenty of at bats throughout the season

Mostly because Francona likes to go with 12 pitchers and with 9 position guys that leaves just 4 bench players...the back up catcher, the fourth outfielder, the lefty bat off the bench and the utility infielder that can give Terry some flexibility.

Lowell only plays one position. It's not a matter of money but a matter of the 25 man roster and Francona needing to have his bench weapons at his disposal.

I wouldn't trade him though until spring trading while we wait to see what Papi can do, unless of course he has to go somewhere to land another catcher.

I seriously doubt the Sox don't have a place already prepared to deal him too considering that Texiera has been their main priority all off season and they knew Lowell would need to go if they signed Tex.

[yall hate]

BTW just to let you know texeira had sort of an off year with his stats and youkilis stats have just climbed year after year.

Also Youk and teix were in similiar contract positions where their teams had their rights but the difference is teix wanted out of texas. So yeah he is a free agent and will get alot more money, but i think thats a bs system. Youk deserves a bonus for loyalty towards the redsox team instead of being shortchanged.

It was up to teixera if he wanted to leave texas because they suked, but it shows me he has little leadership qualities. (especially since he was their supposedly influencial franchise player)

The bottom line is in the end of the day if texeira gets 20 million , then youk desevers 15


On another note talking about contracts and money , baseball can learn alot from the nba ways. There should be a cap with increase happening due to increase in payroll and the team that the player played last with having the option to provide that extra year.

Youk having the best year of his career and Tex having an off year only furthers the my point.

They were not in similar positions at all contract wise.  Tex's contract was to expire.  Youk was and is arbitration eligible.  there is a vast difference there.  If you dont know the difference (And I am not saying you dont, or meaning to sound like a jerk, look it up.  there is a huge huge huge difference).  Just like Pedroia took a deal that pays him very well but isnt what he would get if he was a straight up FA.  he would likely get more. but his arbitration years were bought out.

Tex didnt ask to leave Texas.  Texas traded him so they could get something in exchange for him.  That doesnt say anything about his leadership level.

Youk wont be a legitimate FA until he is 32 or 33 (I think he still has 2 arbitration years left).  He will likely never see 15 million a season. 

I dont mean to come off sounding like a jerk, or a smart ass, but I am feeling like you are not too familiar with the FA system in baseball with arbitration years.  You can likely find some good articles on google that explain it.

[yall hate]

why not keep lowell as a bench player? we saw what can happen with injuries last year, you can always use someone like him on the team, and he seems to have a good enough attitude to take that role, and would get plenty of at bats throughout the season

I agree with this.  The Sox can afford him; I see no reason to dump him when his trade value is presumably low.

I doubt that Lowell would agree to be a bench player.  IF the sox pay for part of his contract, they can likely acquire a fairly decent prospect in return.