SCCWS

We do now. Thanks

Agree, that to me is a serious over-pay. But he is only 30, healthy and always gives a team 30+ starts. It may be that the pitching pricing is really high this year. Angels must be banking on a rejuvenation away from Fenway.

I agree but then find it strange they couldn't move him in a trade. Maybe the 410 Mil + a prospect was the turn-off.

I doubt it. Think Marketing 101. An organization looking for all the media spotlight they can get would not combine 2 events in one. Lawyers are probably still crossing t's and dotting i's.

Has Nova "left the building" or is he still a candidate for the 2nd SP? I assume the best option for the 2nd SP would be a LH.

I would agree that the Red Sox will want Cease + for Betts. As I said previously, they won't want Vaughn based on their existing prospects nor Madrigal bases on the fact they promoted last year's top prospect who plays 2nd. I say pass on Betts but maybe Vaughn or Madrigal for a stud AA/AAA OF prospect would be worth exploring. That is assuming Hahn does not see what he wants in FA.

Boston will not want Vaughn. Their top two positional prospects are both IB, one in AAA and the other one in A. My guess if they trade him, will be for starting pitching.

Agree but Eloy is still out in LF and by 21 or 22 it may turn out he needs to DH. If he progresses in the field then no problem. But what happens if he gets worse?

That looks ideal. But I was looking at the wear and tear of catching. Grandal breaks down most years so I think if he drops down from 130 to say 100 and is the DH for 30-40 that might be ideal for him and the team.

Grandal needs to but is there any way he is willing to give up the high(130ish ) number of games he catches. Maybe moving to an AL team and DH would placate his desire to play so many games for a catcher.

I think $25 per year is really high for him. I think $20 will be the max but some team may get desperate

But NL vs AL. Got to pay an NL pitcher more since they also bat.............................................

I think that would get him. Corbin got $23 and Eovaldi got $17. I think Wheeler at $20 is a good number.

Understood. But a Grandal/McCann catching duo leaves very little catching opportunities for Collins.

I follow your thinking. I also think Grandal is farther down the FO wish list than many posters seem to think.

So if they sign Grandal, you would see them moving McCann?

As the backup or the 3rd catcher?

McCann 's 2nd half numbers other than HR/RBI dropped during the 2nd half. The 1st half as you say may very well be a fluke. But Grandal 's 2nd half numbers drop almost every year he has played. In his case, I think he plays too many games (130ish) and he wears out. The AL affords him the chance to play less and DH on the days he doesn't catch. But I thought I saw something that he insists on catching a lot of games.

I agree. He has said numerous times he really likes Boston and Cora. But he wants to be "the FA" next year. I think the package starts w Cease+ since they have young IB and 2B options. Boston always seems to need pitching because they struggle to develop it.

I think they will end up w a budget of $125-120 Mil. That to me( 50% increase) will be middle-ground.

FYI--- Speier is a real stat geek but he is very much in the know. Just to add, the timing also had some impact. This was before Pedroia's injury problems. So Moncada was pretty much blocked, hence the move to 3rd. Behind Moncada in the minors was Devers who also played 3rd. So Boston felt they had a future 3rd baseman so they could trade Moncada but would not include both. In 2016, Speier ranked their prospects in order Benintendi, Moncada, Devers and Kopech Here are profiles of the top-10 Red Sox prospects: Andrew Benintendi, OF. 2016 Level: High A Salem, Double A Portland, big leagues. ... Yoan Moncada, 2B/3B. ... Rafael Devers, 3B. ... Michael Kopech, RHP. ... Jason Groome, LHP. ... Sam Travis, 1B. ... Mauricio Dubon, SS/UT. ... Luis Alexander Basabe, OF.

I don't think we really know "what he is" at age 24 with 86 MLB at bats.

But that is a real longshot. Hahn has to get the best RF that the budget will allow. If Betts becomes a FA and JR is willing to go around $35 Mil after what they already add in FA adds this season, you can always trade whoever you sign this year.

There was a good amount of speculation he would not be returning to Boston when the season ended. He thanked the team/fans in an instagram post and even gave all his bats away to fans outside the stadium after the last game. I think if Hahn wants him, he would be a low price 2yr $4-5 Mil utility guy. He is LH but no pop in his bat. The article indicated there is a FO connection to Holt in AZ. Clubhouse cheerleader kind of guy.

He got $3.5 Mil for one year in his last contract. He has had 2 pretty good years in a row actually. Supposedly loves Boston but sounds like he may want 2 years versus 1.