JDsDirtySox Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 From Rotoworld: The Newart Star-Ledger is reporting that the Mets and Braden Looper have agreed to terms on a two-year, $6.5 million contract. Not a bad deal. Looper may not really be worth over $3 million per season, but it's only for two years and the move means that the team's young relief prospects will be able to settle in as middle men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 OH well I guess. The Sox have Koch on the tab for one season. He is going to be a free agent next year, which will definately motivate him to be better. Plus, you got to know Koch was embarassed over last seasons performance. If anyone could come back, it would be Billy and I sure hope he can. If he comes back to form, that bullpen gets a heck of a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggsmaggs Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 Just watch for a bounce back year from Koch. A guy who had a 100 MPH just doesn't lose it. Most likely he was a little bit injured last year from almost 100 innings the year before with Oakland. He had prbably a sore arm all year. i expect him to be healthy this year and provide a 5-3, 3.32 era with 37/43 saves, I would take that in a heartbeat. he will regain the heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 I have to believe that we would have won the AL Central and competed for a pennant with Keith Foulke as our closer backed up by Marte and Gordon. However, I do think that Billy Koch is a competitor and hopefully will rebound in '04. The problem here is the fact he will probably be a real plus this year and the Sox will let him go to free agency because Reinsdorf is to cheap to sign our better players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 I still don't know how the Sox didn't make the playoffs last season. I seriously believed there were a team that had the talent to win it all. For that reason I just can't forgive Jerry Manuel cause it was the first time in a long time I actually thought the Sox had enough and that they didn't need luck, they just needed the guys to play to their level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 Even a rebounded Billy Botch is scary at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 I hope the "contract year syndrome" helps out with Koch. Although I am firmly in the "Marte-For-Closer" camp, an effective left-right combo like Gordon/Marte last year is the best case scenario for the Sox. He appears to not be leaving, so hopefully his arm is sound and his mechanics are good ( covering both excuses given for his troubles last year ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 my guess is Kock rebounds in 2004 and makes us all forget Foulke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Guess this means they r officially out of the market for Urbina now, which could be bad news for us cos I've heard the Twinkies r very high on him and want to make him their closer. I also heard Ozzie had some interest in him as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDsDirtySox Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 Guess this means they r officially out of the market for Urbina now, which could be bad news for us cos I've heard the Twinkies r very high on him and want to make him their closer. I also heard Ozzie had some interest in him as well. If Urbina comes cheap I believe his friendship with Ozzie will be very important for us. I think this is the guy that is out there that we may get. If we do get Urbina, adding him to the bullpen we have right now would be great. I am sure we prolly have to move Billy to get Urbina here, but if not... A bullpen of : Urbina Marte Koch Wunsch Wright Santiago or Politte that would be nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 A guy who had a 100 MPH just doesn't lose it Pitchers have done it before. It's called a torn labrum or a very f***ed up elbow, and it results from being overworked. Remember Jason Isringhausen? He closed for Oakland for a few years, got the s*** worked out of him, and now he is always injured and takes like 2 innings to get warmed up for the Cards. Would not surprise me if the same thing happened to Koch, and probably won't surprise me if it happens to Foulke(though it is less likely because he does not throw nearly as hard as Izzy and Koch). Let's hope for the good of us that Koch does bounce back, but I'm not counting on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 If Urbina comes cheap I believe his friendship with Ozzie will be very important for us. I think this is the guy that is out there that we may get. If we do get Urbina, adding him to the bullpen we have right now would be great. I am sure we prolly have to move Billy to get Urbina here, but if not... A bullpen of : Urbina Marte Koch Wunsch Wright Santiago or Politte that would be nice I think we would hav to move sum1 first, most likely Koch, bf we can get Urbina. He'll prob want at least $3 to 4 mill in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 I think we would hav to move sum1 first, most likely Koch, bf we can get Urbina. He'll prob want at least $3 to 4 mill in my opinion. That would be a great pickup. But I believe in koch. Even tho i don't think he'll top 100 mph again, I think 96-98 mph is sufficient. The problem with Koch is he needs to mix up his pitches better. He can't expect to throw fastballs every pitch. If he developed maybe a changup or threw his slider alittle more, he can be nasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 That would be a great pickup. But I believe in koch. Even tho i don't think he'll top 100 mph again, I think 96-98 mph is sufficient. The problem with Koch is he needs to mix up his pitches better. He can't expect to throw fastballs every pitch. If he developed maybe a changup or threw his slider alittle more, he can be nasty. The problem was last year afta his fastball went, he started throwin nothin but curveballs and sliders and it cost him big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Would not surprise me if the same thing happened to Koch, and probably won't surprise me if it happens to Foulke(though it is less likely because he does not throw nearly as hard as Izzy and Koch). I wouldn't be all that surprised, either, because Foulke has that weird hitch in his motion, where he kinda stops mid-windup and holds his arm back for a second. I always thought that was strange, and I wonder if it can possibly affect the health of his arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 The problem was last year afta his fastball went, he started throwin nothin but curveballs and sliders and it cost him big time. Your right but eariler in the season, he was just throwing fastballs which he got lite up for. Then when he got "injured", he tried to throw more offspeed but didn't work eigher. I still think he should mix his pitches better. Even before last year, he was usually a one or two pitch pitcher. If he developes a change-up like Gange, or cut his fasball in certain situations, I think he can be more dominant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hex Rudler Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Koch will no doubt be given an opportunity to perform, but he will probably get his brains beaten in again and he will either be a mop up guy or on the DL for months. When Kenny makes a bad trade it certainly is a doozy. If we had Foulke instead of Koch we make the playoffs easy last year. Then Kenny had to sign him to a two year contract to boot. I don't think any team was serious about taking Koch. No one else is that stupid. Unbelievable. The year before it was the Todd Richie debacle, which took us out of contention in 2002. Before that it was Berry/Barry, which didn't hurt us, but it was embarassing. Then we give up seven great prospects for Everett, Alomar, Sullivan and Schoenweis. Please, Kenny, don't make any trades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Koch will no doubt be given an opportunity to perform, but he will probably get his brains beaten in again and he will either be a mop up guy or on the DL for months. When Kenny makes a bad trade it certainly is a doozy. If we had Foulke instead of Koch we make the playoffs easy last year. Then Kenny had to sign him to a two year contract to boot. I don't think any team was serious about taking Koch. No one else is that stupid. Unbelievable. The year before it was the Todd Richie debacle, which took us out of contention in 2002. Before that it was Berry/Barry, which didn't hurt us, but it was embarassing. Then we give up seven great prospects for Everett, Alomar, Sullivan and Schoenweis. Please, Kenny, don't make any trades. I go to Jerry Manuel on that one. If we could have had a manager like a Tony Pena, or Lou Pinella, who are motivaters and expect players to play 110%, I bet this team would have gone deep last year. Instead this team definitely UNDERachieved. I believe Ozzie can bring that spark to the sox this year. We can OVERachieve as well as far as the way they play this wonderful game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Just watch for a bounce back year from Koch. A guy who had a 100 MPH just doesn't lose it. Most likely he was a little bit injured last year from almost 100 innings the year before with Oakland. He had prbably a sore arm all year. i expect him to be healthy this year and provide a 5-3, 3.32 era with 37/43 saves, I would take that in a heartbeat. he will regain the heater. At least if he doesn't then Marte can pick up the slack. I do agree though that a contract year should mean that he does better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastime Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 I might be in the minority here, (there's a shocker!), but I think Koch rebounds next year to a level that you all will be surprised with. And when it's all said and done, don't say that Pastime and Yasny didn't warn you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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