Dick Allen

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 05:05 PM) Werth already has a ring and if the Nats win while he is there he gets to be a hero. I don't blame Werth for taking the money, I just think Gonzalez needs to examine the situation a little harder and realize a 6 year $120 million extension to play in Boston is not necessarily a discount. Boston isn't going to go 8 years with him. That's been established. The Yankees have a first baseman. They won't be in it. Maybe a surprise desperate team goes 8 years, but that would be a team like Detroit. Does anyone really want to spend 8 years in Detroit? If you're still a good player 6 years from now, you can get another contract. If you're garbage, you still have a nice amount of change to live the rest of your life high on the hog. Timing is a huge part of the big contracts. Take Jeter and Konerko. If both had flipflopped their 2009 and 2010 seasons, there would be a huge difference in the contracts they each will have signed. The other thing is what teams are going to have huge money available to sign the player. Gonzalez has a red flag with his shoulder. Another injury, or a real slow recovery could definitey hurt his offers next offseason. I just don't see why you bother risking it unless you just really aren't all that interested in playing in Boston.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 04:53 PM) And Willingham is probably a better defender than Dunn at 1B. So overall, the Nats improved their defense a lot while they didn't lose too much on offense. Considering what they added to their payroll, that's what should happen. Apparently Boston was only going 4 years for Werth.

Werth owes Ryan Zimmerman a big thank you.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:47 PM) Yeah, and no teams will step up to pay Gonzalez. There's another possibility off the board. Gonzalez was offered the same amount of cash even while playing for only 6 million in 2011, and setting himself up with a stacked team. Its a little different than Werth.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 04:01 PM) 31 year old Jayson Werth just got the same contract that you think 28 year old Adrian Gonzalez should accept; 7/$126. Yes. Holding out for a year getting 6 million isn't worth it. If he's so great, he'll get paid beyond the 7th year. If he sucks, he's still sitting pretty the rest of his life. Werth can have fun trying to be .500 in Washington.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:37 PM) Injuries like that don't tend to cost people money, because teams will write that off as a freak incident. Or a foul ball off the shin. Ask Jermaine Dye how much that cost him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:27 PM) How many big money players have gone onto the FA market, or even the trade market, in the last 15 years, and been disappointed? Its not about being dissappointed. He could be guaranteed at least $126 million right now over the next 7 years and have been playing for a perrenial contender. Obviously that didn't appeal to him. He can play for $6 million, but he's going to really have to play his ass off to get the same money and years he turned down, and probably not with the same opportunity of winning. Boston was a nice situation for him. He supposedly wanted to play there, in retrospect probably because that is where he thought he would get paid. Its a gigantic gamble. He's one inside fastball off the fist from being out of a ton of money. BTW, he supposedly he wants 8 years $160 million. A little less than Texiera.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:23 PM) You could probably come up with 5 other teams who could be in the race in a push as well. San Francisco, the Dodgers if the Divorce thing is ever finalized, Baltimore keeps trying to spend some money on a 1b, the Astros will get out from Carlos Lee's contract after 2012, the Cubs could always surprise us and decide to spend more, etc. But you are saying 8 years $180 million. It isn't going to happen.

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:17 PM) The Angels, Mets, and Rangers could make a big push for him, especially if the Rangers lose out on Lee. This "only the Red Sox can afford him" talking point is such a destructive media narrative that contributes to the big money teams feasting on the rest. No one is saying that exactly. But I doubt any team will significantly beat what Boston was allegedly willing to pay. He turned down a 6 year extension at over $20 million a year. That's a lot of money. The Red Sox already offered Gonzalez more money and years than Texas offered or will offer Lee. Plus some of their players are going to get very expensive. The Mets aren't adding $20 million + a year for 8 years any time soon and the Angels are in on Werth and Crawford and Beltre. They may get 2 of 3 and with Morales they would have zero room for him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:15 PM) Either Boston or LAA is going to miss out on Werth and Crawford, and both of them have contracts that end next year (Abreu, Drew, Ortiz). Plus, you can never predict which team is going to get a serious playoff revenue boost that puts them in the picture, too. He's going to be looking at a Tex-like contract if he doesn't get hurt. If Boston isn't prepared to offer that now, then they're not getting him. Fine, but if they aren't offering it now, chances are they won't be offering it a year from now. Without the Yankees bidding, he won't get 8 years. He's not going to get a Mark Texiera contract unless there are at least 2 teams willing and able to offer it to him, and I don't see it.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:06 PM) Both the Angels and the Red Sox were sitting around 8/$170 for Tex when the Yankees stepped in. The Red Sox could have had him for the bargain rate of 6 million this year, then added a Tex like contract on to it, and they said no. The Angels are going to sign a big name or 2 this offseason. Chances are they aren't going to be adding $20 million+ a year for 8 years on one player next year, especially if Kendry Morales returns 100%. Its a huge gamble. He's gambling that coming off shoulder surgery he will do better than 6 years and at least $120 million next year. Good luck to him. I believe his agent is not doing a good job. He'll also be 1 year older than Texiera when they hit free agency.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 03:02 PM) If he plays 1 more year and stays healthy, he'd likely be in line for a Tex level contract. In other words, playing 1 more healthy season would be worth $54 million total, based on the numbers we're guesstimating here. That's why it's not stupid for him to turn it downl. Who is going to pay him? That's what you're missing here. Maybe he is "in line" for a Texiera deal, but it takes a team to pay him to make that happen. The Yankees are out, Boston isn't prepared to, who else? Texas won't, they got rid of Tex as did the Angels. The Cubs can't. Nobody. Take the money when you can. There's no guarantee even if he hits .350 with 50 homers next year anyone gives him 8 years.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 02:55 PM) Ah, didn't know that. My point is still the same though. Lee to Yankees, Boston needs to react. I'm sure that already figured into their proposal. He still would be under contract for 7 years and $126 million. Its stupid for him to turn it down.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 02:51 PM) Once the Yankees sign Lee, Boston will be on the phone with Gonzalez's agent saying whatever it takes, let's get it done. Obviously, the pieces for the trade would be the same. There is NO WAY Gonzalez isn't on the Red Sox roster to start the year. They can't negotiate with another team's player. This was a special window MLB granted. I also believe the Red Sox figure Cliff Lee is going to be a Yankee. If the Red Sox bring back Beltre, Gonzalez might not have Boston or the Yankees bidding for his services next year. The chances of a Mark Texiera size deal will be zero. Remeber, Tex had the advantage of a Boston/NYY bidding war. That's not happening with this player.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 02:35 PM) 6 years at $20 million = a 7 year, $126 contract. Mark Teixeira's contract was 8 years, $180 million. And that was signed 2 years ago. There's a reason why 8 years is Gonzalez's number, because Tex is the comparable. So he wants a 9 year contract? Then he can roll the dice and hope Boston has room for him next year because there are only a couple of teams that can or will hand out a contract like that and the Yankees aren't one since that position is filled. Its like building a $30 million house. If you ever have to sell it, it may be worth $30 million but if there aren't any buyers with access to $30 million, you are going to be out some money. I don't see how over $100 million isn't enough. See Gonzalez, Juan.

Its shocking this didn't get done, but if Boston can't get it done, really who can? If Boston is willing to 6 at about $20 million per season, it seems silly to me a guy coming off shoulder surgery would rather roll the dice.

So Cowley's Blue Jays report was wrong. Shocking. He's such an idiot.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 10:08 AM) Alright then. I understand that, I guess. But man would it take some kinda haul to pry him away. Dude is spectacular. And everybody knows how much I love Longoria. But Zimmerman > Longoria Yeah, Zimmerman is a guy I see the Sox with no chance of acquiring in the near future.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 10:04 AM) First off, the Nats chose to not re-sign Dunn. It had nothing at all to do with the Sox. Secondly, the only "bad blood" is between Zimmerman and the Nats for them not making an attempt to keep Dunn. Thirdly, Rizzo gets the Sox #1 and gains 15+ million of roster cash to spend. CQ's contract is tiny in comparison to Dunn's; and if he's healthy, he can hit 3/4 of Dunn's numbers. This is the point I've always tried to make when people want to trade guys because they are a couple years away from being a free agent and possibly leaving for nothing. You get a draft pick or 2, plus you have the money you would have used to sign these players on others. Its like the Lee/ Pods trade that opened up some cash for other acquisitions.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 09:59 AM) What "indications" are they supposed to get on Zimmerman? He's the best 3B in the game and locked up through 2013. He was really pissed off about the Nationals lack of effort to bring back Dunn. His quotes certainly didn't sound like a guy who plans on sticking around when his contract is up, but 3 years is a long time.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 09:43 AM) I love Beltre. But his agent is Boras and he's looking for I believe 5 years. Hence longshot all things considered. Who knows, JR keeps "finding" this money, maybe he can start dealing with Boras.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 08:16 AM) are you serious? EDIT: Here's the info on Lebron.... "The Heat sent Cleveland two first-round draft picks and two second-round picks, as well as a large trade exception, for James. The first-round picks could be between 2013 and 2017. The second-round picks are in 2012 (acquired from New Orleans) and a future pick acquired from Oklahoma City. " And Bosh... The Raptors reacquired their own 2011 first-round pick originally sent to the Heat on February 13, 2009 (trade of Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks) and Miami’s 2011 first-round draft choice (lottery protected). Between 2011 and 2017 they had 8 first round picks, and they traded away 4 of them. Additionally, the NBA prohibits trading away first round picks in consecutive years. The Heat traded away their 2011 pick, so they cant give up a 2012 pick. (Although, I wonder if a draft and trade might be legal?) Does it really matter? The chances the Heat aren't selecting near the bottom of the round during this time is slim and while those picks usually don't pan out into real good players, there is even less of a chance they could play for the Heat. First round picks sound real nice in the NBA, but when you are going to be drafting where the Heat will be drafting they will be guys like Mark Randall and Byron Houston. They will have an easier time finding veterans who will play for the minimum than finding contributors where they pick.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Dec 4, 2010 -> 01:31 PM) Wait how did this become sox send $1.5M to sox send $3.5M, that makes the trade less good. Any replacement is gonna get paid essentially 500K anyway so the net gain is like $1.5M, before the net gain was $3.5M, enough to translate to a real Major league addition. Basically Linebrink was traded for AJ for 2010 at no cost increase. Its basically like signing AJ for $5.5 million and eliminating Linebrink from the payroll at no cost. Linebrink was awful at times, but he did have his moments when he was very good. Obviously didn't live up to the contract, but his signing was something that had to be done at the time it was done.

If Paulie says no, how about going after Beltre to play 3B and making Viciedo the firstbaseman. Its a longshot all things considered, but may be even a better answer than Paulie if Viciedo is legit.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Dec 5, 2010 -> 02:39 AM) The Chicago White Sox have acquired RHP Joba Chamberlain from the New York Yankeees in exchange for OF Carlos Quentin and P Gregory Infante While it wouldn't surprise me KW goes after Chamberlain, and he's got to be available, I think Quentin and Infante is way too much to pay. Joba hasn't been very good the last 2 seasons. His ERA was the same as Linebrink's in 2010. He basically was Scott Linebrink in 2010 after a failed experiment as a starter in 2009.