Chisoxfn

100% - If Kimbrel was a free agent he would be getting a 3 yr 35-45M deal. The fact that he is on a 1yr deal - his AAV is a bit high, but its one year which counters any of that risk. At most someone could say he is a couple M overpaid but since I presume Sox are acquiring MLB talent they are okay with that and fine taking on another deal which more than negates that. Bottom line - they will get something serviceable for Kimbrel. I still wouldn't have bothered/taken the risk and would have not picked up the option, cause I'd rather have full flexibility - but to each their own.

This is pretty exciting. I don't know if it will work - but he's young, energetic, and sounds like he impresses everyone he talks to. Rees is a really solid OC as well. This could all blow up in ND's faces but if it did - they can take a different swing in a few years. If this works - they could have a new dynamic face of college football. That said - I am sure there will be bumps along the road as he learns.

But if they are living in the can't spend $1 when we have .50 cents world - than timing/how matters and you got to get more cute. Years ago I would have said that was the case - but with this team - despite the offseason - I still think they are committed to going up to luxury tax and quite frankly after the CBA and with the luxury tax raised - I suspect that gives them a new record payroll and puts them in a spot where they can fill all the needs (maybe not the way a Dodgers or Yankees would...but still pretty good all things considered).

This makes sense if they are managing to a # that is extremely tight. If the inverse is true and they basically know they are going to upgrade those other 2 spots + had a need on the bench and feel they have resources to execute on those - than I think it is okay to do what they did. If they only have $20M to do 3 things - than spending $6M here would not be wise, leaving you with $14M for more pressing needs. The problem is - none of us know the exact situation but my impression is - they have enough - that doesn't mean a blank check, but that they should be able to do what they want and hit on those positions. Maybe said another way - the $6M given to Leury wouldn't make a difference if instead they gave a Leury equivalent $3M and spread it to the other holes (JR would be okay absorbing that difference given the team).

On nights that Gordon is sitting on bench - he will be in the booth as they are only going to pay announcers on a per game basis.

I'm scared to know what this is about.

I actually have been pleased with White. His shot hasn't falled, but he has actually played much improved D (small sample size) and looks quicker to the hole. He hasn't finished and shot looks rusty and still has poor turnovers but I think some of that is rust. Ayo is a ton of energy - but you got to have someone on that bench unit that can create a shot and I think Donovan knows in the long run - giving runway for White is huge.

Eh - I'll live with the loss of a 2Rd pick. I was worried we'd get dinged with a FRP. But you can always buy a 2nd rounder.

100% - I'm thinking Fickell and Freeman will work in the short term, but it just means Freeman eventually goes somewhere else vs. ND. Who knows, maybe they will just hire Freeman but Fickell is pretty good and I do think ND will lean to the more proven guy who in the short can keep Freeman. Freeman can than take a bigger job in a few years or take over if Fickell isn't as good or if Fickell is elite and gets poached by some other program...with Freeman now being in a better spot to step up. I don't think it would be anyone other than those 2 - but I'm not a very creative thinker when it comes to college football. The Kelly to LSUthing shocked me just as the USC hire shocked me.

I wish Cesar the best of luck. His defense was really good and unfortunately he got into a major rut that he couldn't get out of after that hot start. He's a quality player and a good move for the Nats and I'm sure he will bounce back.

RIP

This is good - sets a market for closers and quite frankly shows why a team would value Kimbrel at 1 YR vs. going 4 yrs on Iglesias, who is very good. Fact Angels got him and were never a perfect match, further validates the fact that the club will get something decent for Craig.

This was what I liked. He is athletic and a really good defensive player and would be a great fit in RF - and could spell for Robert or switch over in case of an injury.

Thank you - this confirmed what I thought - and just further proof for why we haven't seen much on the trade front, other than teams making moves for potential non-tender type of guys. Teams are clearly prioritizing this first wave of FA - will work the trade and reassess during the lockout window, than get back to work in what i presume will be a really compressed close of the offseason whenever the two sides reach an agreement.

Fickell seems like a great hire for ND - would allow continuity with coaches, retention of a strong recruiting base and the hiring of what at least seems to be a really really good coach.

Stupid question - Can you make trades during the lockout?

Segura for Kimbrel straight up is more than fair. Segura is overpaid, in my opinion, for what Sox would be asking him to do and Kimbrel is a HOF closer who had a down 2nd half of the season and is a fit for a Phils need. I see no reason that segura/Kimbrel isn't fair. It may not happen but not because it is some massive coup by the Sox. Quite frankly I think the Phils actually win that deal from a need perspective and maintaining their own personal LT flexibility. I'd rather give him 1YR at 16M and swap a redundant player at a similar cost vs. go sign Kenley Jansen to some big money multi-year deal.

Or you get a right handed version of him for Kimbrel. Not as cheap or cost controlled but Segura has been a ~4 WAR+ guy (on avg) on a FY basis with exception of 2019. As long as Sox can pay the money - and it isn't like we are talking about tying up LT payroll, Segura isn't much different.

Seguar isn't great offensively - and he is a righty - but his defense is really good and I think he'd be near elite at 2B (me projecting so I could be wrong) - and his contact rate is high (a plus for this lineup and assuming we add some pop in RF), which is a nice fit in back of order. He also has good speed and is a good base runner. So I really have nothing wrong with Segura. Is he exciting - no - but he will be a good player, under most plausible scenarios what we thought Hernandez would be - and that isn't a bad thing, not as your 8th or 9th best player. The positional flexibility is also really nice - knowing he can play a good SS too. And he has familiarity with the AL - which I think is a plus, having been pretty solid in the cavernous SafeCo (although maybe as a contact / line drive type guy the bigger park actually helped him).

GET this STUFF OUT OF HERE - This is Baseball Talk - Only Warning.

You need these type of guys over the course of a long season. I'm hoping it is closer to $15-$16M vs. $20M.

He is a really versatile solid player who provides depth. Don't love the years but can't complain with this move at all.

I agree - but more stating if somehow they didn't move him - he is clearly the set-up guy and not a closer. Only way he is closing is if Hendricks is bad or hurt.

He is clearly the closer - if Kimbrel is around he's a set-up guy. They aren't moving Hendriks and the narrative that Kimbrel can't pitch the 8th is wrong. Kimbrel just was bad with the Sox - whether he had mental issues or not I have no idea, but he wasn't good with the Sox, period.

Bbaum has been on this site for years and years (never posts - always browsing). BB - if you see it hope all is well. He occasionally would write for SoxNet (maybe Futuresox too - can't remember - everything muddles into one for me at this point).