Sox Blog Notes: Tazawa, Lugo, Teixeira, Ortiz

Chad Finn at Extra Bases and John Beattie at NESN say that Japanese starter Junichi Tazawa has seen a handful of offers from major league clubs, but still prefers to sign with the Red Sox and hopes to make a decision very soon.

"I appreciate that I have been highly rated by the teams. I want to make a decision [which team to sign with] as soon as possible," Tazawa said Monday after meeting with Texas Rangers representatives [who offered a reported 4-year, $7 million deal].

The deal with the Sox is believed to be for $3 million over 3 years.

* * * *

Fire Brand's Tim Daloisio has a nice piece about Julio Lugo. He asks a very interesting question:

Could Julio Lugo be next year's Coco Crisp?

Personally, I don't think it will happen, and Tim is not predicting that it will, but as Tim points out, the situations are eerily similar.

* * * *

There also some good discussion about the log-jam(s) that the Red Sox are facing right now.

Evan at FB loves Lars Anderson's potential and thinks that handing Mark Teixeira a 8-year, $150 million deal would be a waste with Lars 1-2 years away.

It's a good point, especially when you couple it with David Ortiz's possible return to dominance and the fact that we already have Youk at 1st... but personally, I'd still take Teix and Youk at 3rd for the next 5+ years over Lars and the hope that Ortiz and Lowell will get back to 2007 form...

FOX's Ken Rosenthal comments on Ortiz and Lowell, sighting one major league GM's opion on Lowell:

"I don't think anybody will take a chance on Mike Lowell until you see him play next spring."

And claiming that trading David Ortiz would be almost impossible:

"As for trading designated hitter David Ortiz, good luck. Ortiz, as a player with 10 years of major-league service, five with the same team, has the right to veto any deal. Plus, as a designated hitter, his market would consist only of American League teams."

As Evan stated in his article, I'm not ready to give up on Ortiz, and I since trading him would be tough and unnecessary, I don't know why it's even being discussed...

I'd love to get some thoughts from you guys, so lets see if we can that comment section up and running...

Breaking down Japan's free agent pitchers

ESPN's Jim Allen took a look at five players planning to jump from Japan to the majors this offseason. With all this talk about Tazawa, I thought it would be worth posting his thoughts and his comparisons to the other Japanese pitchers eyeing a roster spot with a major league club:

The safest bet in the group is Chunichi Dragons ace Kenshin Kawakami, 33. He is followed by Yomiuri Giants ace Koji Uehara, also 33, an intriguing right-hander.

"The question is how they're going to react to pitching every fifth day," said Marty Brown, who has been managing the Hiroshima Carp since 2006.

Daisuke Matsuzaka's numbers reflect this concern. In his first year with the Red Sox Dice-K was 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA, but with an extra year to adjust, Matsuzaka cut his ERA in half (2.90) and won 18 games while only losing 3 in 2008.

Scouts Isao Ojimi of the New York Mets and Steve Wilson of the Chicago Cubs said Kawakami, who was 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA this season, would be a good fit in the majors as a fifth starter and will benefit from as much extra rest as he can get.

[But] Kawakami's 3.22 career ERA was fashioned in an extreme pitchers' park with one of the country's better defensive units playing behind him.

Kawakami likely has the best cutter in Japan. Although he has exceptional control with his 92 mph fastball, it lacks movement and gets hit hard. He also has a two-seamer that runs in on right-handers, a slider and a slow curve. Kawakami experimented with a forkball this year, and his groundouts increased sharply.

* * * *

Uehara, his longtime Central League rival, is a different puzzle altogether. He has a good fastball and a superb splitter and throws a decent slider that used to be very good. The Giants ace will get major league hitters out, provided he maintains his focus.

Uehara, who has a career 112-61 record with a 3.01 ERA and is a two-time winner of the Sawamura Award (for Japan's best starting pitcher), drifted through the 2008 season in unpredictable spasms. He bounced between the pullpen and the rotation for most of last season and only found his control after being named to the Japanese Olympic roster. The reason for the sudden turnaround is a mystery, but injuries and a lack of focus should be a concern to major league scouts.

* * * *

A decade after Uehara passed on his opportunity to be Japan's first top amateur to go directly to the U.S., that distinction now will go to corporate-league right-hander Tazawa.

Tazawa, who stands 5 feet, 10 inches -- "5-11 if you really like him," Wilson said -- will get a major league deal this winter but is unlikely to make it to the majors during that first season.

He has good command of his fastball and slurve, but he lacks velocity, stamina and the ability to keep the ball down.

At 22, Tazawa is unlikely to throw much harder than he does now; his fastball barely tops 90 mph when he is rested, and he struggled to hit 88 mph at the end of last season.

In Class A or Double-A, Tazawa likely will get hit harder and harder as the season wears on.

Because he knows what he's doing against corporate league hitters here, there is a chance Tazawa will make adjustments, although Ojimi is a skeptic.

The Mets scout believes the pitcher's body is too stiff to allow him to keep the ball down in the zone and Tazawa lacks the smarts and toughness to hang in and learn the lessons needed to apply his talent in the majors.

Bottom Line: The Sox have the luxury of a solid 1-2-3 in their rotation, therefore, they can take a chance on the young Tazawa, rather than throw money at the aging Kawakami. Both names have been mentioned, but I haven't heard anything about Kawakami since he said he'd prefer to play for the Sox back in May.

I think it's genius to bring this kid over to America while he's young and teach him how to pitch on 5 days rest. In a year or two he'll be right there with Bowden as a potential starter for the big club... unless Ojimi's right, in which case, we'll have paid $6 million for another Chris Hansen-like project.

Rangers make bid for Tazawa; Sox still the favorite

NPB Tracker is now reporting that the Rangers have also made an offer to Junichi Tazawa and that the young starter has yet to officially sign with a major league club.

The details regarding the Rangers offer have yet to be announced, but NPB says it was "the best offer yet."

That said, the Red Sox have strong ties in Japan and offer the best comfort level for Tazawa with Matsuzaka and Okajima already on the roster.

NPB also says that Atlanta and Seattle are also in the mix...

Shout out to Centerfield for the update.

Red Sox reportedly sign Junichi Tazawa

Patrick Newman of NBP Tracker says that Japanese starter Junichi Tazawa has signed with the Boston Red Sox.

The reports are linked to a Japanese website, but Newman has the details:

3 year, $3M contract (that’s $1M/year)
Major League contract
start off at class AA
remain a starter
personal translator

"They want me to come over, and I understand how I can develop," Tazwana said. "I feel like it’s a good team".

Nikkan Sports is reporting that Tazawa has already decided on the Red Sox, and says that he’ll be able to officially sign at the beginning of December.

Tazawa, 22, has a fastball in the mid 90's and a nice slider. An abbreviated scouting report has a few recent stats:

54 IP, 46 hits, 56 K, 4 BB, 6 ER, 1.00 ERA

He also recently pitched a complete game no-hitter in front of numerous Major League scouts.

Bottom Line: Diasuke Matsuzaka may be frustrating to watch but he's 33-15 since joining the Red Sox. Tazawa is 6 years younger and will cost alot less, so this deal already looks like a winner. If Tazawa can prove that he's ready for the bigs, it will also give the Sox the option to keep Masterson in the bullpen...

More to come as we hear it.

Hot Stove Update: Sox burn for Teixeira, AJ Burnett news

MLB Trade Rumors has the latest on Mark Teixeira:

Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox burn, lust for, and love Teixeira. Silverman says Tex should end up with a salary of at least $20MM and a term of at least six years. Also, Silverman talked to one source who suggested the Yankees' acquisition of Nick Swisher "could be a prelude to another deal with a National League club."

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says the Yankees still plan to add an impact hitter. He agrees that "several National League teams have had their eye on Swisher." MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves are among them.

Teixeira told Erin Andrews last night that he hopes to sign by Christmas.

* * * *

Blue Jays Manager J.P. Riccairdi told Mike Rutsey of the Toronto Sun that he's not afriad to give AJ Burnett a 5-year deal, if that's what it will take to keep him in Toronto.

"They asked about the chances of a five-year deal and that's one of the things they're looking for no matter where they go," Ricciardi said yesterday of his recent discussions with Braunecker. "But I don't know at this point. I think we'd be open to doing anything within the working framework that we think makes sense for us. We're open to doing some things that will enable us to keep him here.

"But I've said this all along and I've said it to the player and the agent too -- we will not be the highest-paid club. This cannot be all about money from a standpoint from our end because we're not going to come in first."

"I wouldn't say it [a 5-year deal] scares me. I'd say we'd be open to talking about frameworks but right now we don't have anything on the table in terms of years or money," Ricciardi said.

Hot Stove Update: Angels to give Teixeira offer and deadline

SI.com's Jon Heyman The Angels' intend to make a quick-strike offer to Mark Teixeira, which means a fair proposal with a deadline. The offer has not yet been made, and it's unclear when it will be or how much time Teixeira will have to respond, but the Angels used this method successfully last offseason to lock up Torii Hunter for $90-million on a five-year deal.

Word is, Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, is using the $153.3-million, eight-year contract that Miguel Cabrera got from the Tigers before last season as a baseline for negotiations, and Boras makes the points that Teixeira is a leader and also a free agent (Cabrera had two years to go before free agency when he signed that Tigers deal).

Bottom Line: A commenter over at FanNation nailed it when he said the Angel's are shooting themselves in the foot with a "deadline." Boras was not Hunter's agent and we all know that Boras will wait for the best offer - deadlines' mean nothing to him. Also Hunter was 34 when he signed that deal... Tex is 28.

I'm gonna stick with my original prediction and say the Teixeira signs a 6-year, $108M deal ($18M per yr) with two option years.

* * * *

Heyman also said that free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia is hearing from most of the major-market teams since receiving the Yankees' bold opening salvo last week, a $140-million, six-year bid that beat the Brewers' initial offer by $40 million and makes a nice high target for someone to shoot at. The Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and Angels are among big-market teams believed to have checked in on Sabathia.

ESPN's Peter Gammons said Sabathia doesn't intend to decide on his next team until after the Thanksgiving weekend.

Bottom Line: We haven't heard much about the Sox and C.C., and one can assume that they are simply jacking up the price on the Yankees - just as the Yankees could be doing to us with Teixeira, but the Sox are definitely in the market for another starter...

The question is: Is the Hefty Lefty worth $140 mil? 2009 will be C.C.'s 9th major league season - Bartolo Colon went 21-8 in his 9th full season and then went 11-15 with an ERA in the fives over the next 3 years due to injuries.

Sooner or later his weight is going to slow him down, and personally, I don't think he's a wise investment. I say jack up the price and let him go to the Yankees - I'll be very curious to see if he can match his Brewer numbers (9-2, 1.56 ERA) while pitching under pressure in New York...

* * * *

Speaking of the Yankees...

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner yesterday officially handed control of the major-league team to his son, Hal.

"I realize it's a great responsibility," said Hal Steinbrenner, who turns 40 on Dec. 3. "My dad is, needless to say, a tough act to follow."

The elder Steinbrenner has gradually withdrawn from the Yankees' day-to-day operations in recent years as his health faded, and brothers Hal and Hank were appointed co-chairmen in April.

Hank Steinbrenner, Hal's older brother, will continue to oversee baseball operations... and tell anyone who will listen how much he hates the Red Sox.

Check back all winter long for more Hot Stove updates!

Wakefield considering retirement

There is a rumor floating around on the Sons of Sam Horn message boards that Wake's shoulder has been bothering him and that he is seriously considering retirement.

This is the same injury that forced Wake to shut things down in 2007, causing him to miss the playoffs and World Series:

Due to recurring shoulder problems, Wakefield said he spoke with Red Sox management and the club’s medical staff, and the decision was made to shut it down. It is believed that he will not need off-season surgery, but he will undergo extensive testing at season’s end, including an arthrogram MRI where dye is injected into the shoulder. It’s not known at this point whether it’s a rotator cuff issue or a torn labrum.

According to Wakefield, the injury began with inflammation in his posterior shoulder and back.

So what does this all mean?

If the rumor is true, it means that Theo and Co. could be more serious about signing AJ Burnett or Derek Lowe than we first thought.

Wake has averaged 12 wins per seasons over the past 7 years, so it really is time to hang up the cleats, the Sox will need some one to fill that void. Burnett (31) is certainly capable of picking up 10-15 wins, but only is he's healthy - and that has to be a concern for the Sox, despite the 221 innings he pitched this year. The Yankees and the Blue Jays are also bidding for Burnett's services, so the price will be high... If Wake doesn't ride off into the sunset, he's a much more economic option at $4 million.

Lowe is another guy that is capable of 10-15 wins, but he's 35 and Boras is currently asking for a "Barry Zito like contract", and I don't think the Sox are going to shell out $126M over 7 years for Derek - no matter how much he wants to come back to Boston.

The Sox have plenty of other options of course, and some of the other rumblings may suggest that the Sox could lean on the kids again this season. The decision to Trade Coco to the Royals for RP Ramon Ramirez could mean that the Sox plan to shift Justin Masterson back into the rotation. As good as he was as a reliever, Masty was a solid 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA as a big league starter in 2008.

Peter Gammons also recently reported that the Sox were not interested in trading Clay Buchholz or the combination of Justin Masterson/Nick Hagadone/Michael Bowden for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia... and since the Sox could really use a catcher, this makes me think that the Sox might be using Bucky, Masty and Bow...dy (sure why not) as their fall back plan.

Names like Paul Byrd (8-2, 3.46 after the break last year) and injury-prone Brad Penny (16 wins in '06 & '07) have been thrown out there as well, but I think the aforementioned kids have just as good a chance of posting 10+ wins in 2009 as these guys do. See the full Free Agent list - here.

The Sox would probably prefer to give it shot with Wake (hence the $4M option), but they know that he could go down at any time... but they also know that they have enough arms in the farm to make them cautious about handing over a huge contract to a risky Free Agent. That said, we need only look at Julio Lugo's contract to see that the Sox aren't afraid to throw around the cash... and mabrowndog points out on the SOSH board, the Sox have cleared over $30M off the current payroll and could have as much as $64M in which to use for Free Agents...

So far, they've culled nearly $34 million from their $134M payroll. They'll probably wind up owing around $10 million in salary to the aribtration-eligible Youkilis, Papelbon, Lopez (and Cash if he returns). Meanwhile they're only obligated to pay a little over the $392k MLB minimum to their 7 youngsters (Pedroia, Lester, DC, Ellsbury, Aardsma, Buchholz & Lowrie), or around $3M, but let's go ahead and call it $5M just in case they're feeling generous and benevolent with Pedroia and Lester after their stellar seasons. The rest of the holdovers (Drew, Lowell, Ortiz, Beckett, Lugo, Daisuke, Bay, Crisp, Okajima & Wake) are due about $85M, bringing the team's total to about $100 million -- or $96M without Wake.

The luxury tax threshold for 2009 is about $160M. That leaves $64M of dollar-for-dollar flexibility, so if they chose to they could certainly absorb payouts to the likes of Teixeira, Lowe, and Burnett. And opting for Penny/Sheets/etc in lieu of the pricier Burnett would be a slam dunk in terms of feasibility.

Personally, I hope all that new found money goes towards Mark Teixeira - who I feel is the future of the Red Sox and will take $108M for 6 yrs with 2 option yrs - but we're talking pitchers here.

Bottom Line: It will be a sad day when Shaky Waky retires, but the Sox have the kids and the cash to fill the void whenever it happens.

Tip of the cap to Joy of Sox who had the rumor - here.

Coco traded for RP Ramirez; Who's the new 4th OF ???

The Globe's Nick Cafardo has confirmed that the Coco Crisp/Ramon Ramirez trade is legit:

The Red Sox have traded center fielder Coco Crisp to the Royals for righthanded relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez, a major league baseball source has confirmed to the Globe's Nick Cafardo.

The deal was first reported this morning on Kansas City sports radio station WHB 810 by Brian McRae, a former Royals outfielder who is a part owner of the station:

During an on-air interview a few moments ago, Royals senior adviser Mike Arbuckle would not confirm that the deal was complete. "I would say Coco is a good player and we're always interested in getting good players," said Arbuckle, who recently joined the Royals after working in the front office of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Arbuckle politely declined a request from the hosts to evaluate Crisp as a player, saying, "Well, at this point, he's still under control of another organization. I wouldn't want to get into a tampering charge." The deal was first reported on the station by Brian McRae, a former Royals outfielder. When contacted via e-mail and asked if there was anything to this rumor, Kansas City Star columnist Joe Posnanski gave a one-word reply: "Yes."

Ramirez is an interesting acquisition for the Red Sox -- his arrival would suggest that the ball club is at least considering using Justin Masterson as a starter. Reports say the 27-year-old throws in the low 90s, with an outstanding curveball and a changeup that acts like a splitter.

He's coming off a very good 2008 season, having posted a 2.64 ERA in 71.2 innings this year while striking out 70. Ramirez allowed just two home runs, and held righthanders to a .153 average in 137 at-bats. He was particularly effective in September, allowing just one earned run in four hits in 9.2 innings (0.93 ERA).

I guess we just could go any longer without a Ramirez on the roster...

I'm a huge Coco fan, so this is a tough pill to swallow. But... if Theo wants to shoot me a text and let me know that this is all part of his master plan to shave a few mil' off the payroll so that he can outbid the Yankees for Teixeira - then I'll accept the deal. Seriously though, I remember this kid having good stuff when the Royals came to town this year and I think Remy thought highly of him as well.

Bottom Line: There's nothing wrong with adding a young and lively arm to your bullpen, I just wonder if Coco was worth more than a still unproven reliever... you just never know what you're gonna get from year to year with relievers.

* * * Centerfield has a nice photo send off for Coco... you will be missed "10." * * *

Also, Coco's departure makes me curious... Who do the Sox plan to use as their back-up outfielder when Drew inevitably goes down or Ellsbury falls into another funk...

Coco offered outstanding defense and proved that, given a semi-steady stream if at-bats, he could still hit: Coco hit .315 in the second half of the '08 season.

Here's a look at the OFs in the farm:

Jon Van Avery
Van Avery hit .263 with 15 2Bs, 26 HRs and 70 RBI in 380 at-bats with Pawtucket. He hit just .235 in 11 at-bats with Botson last year.

Sox Prospects Scouting Report: Centerfielder with a good arm and a great glove. Average bat, speed, and on base ability. Has shown flashes of above average power, but not consistently throughout his career. Hits to all fields. Streaky at the plate, but generally has a good hitting approach. Provides outfield depth with some options, Van Every will likely be insurance for Boston while roaming the outfield in McCoy. Able to play center and left, but hasn't spent a lot of time in right field.

Jeff Bailey 1B/OF
Bailey hit .301 with 28 2Bs, 25 HRs and 75 RBI in 418 at-at-bats with Pawtucket. He mad a splash with Boston, hitting a pair of ding-dongs and batting .280 through 50 major league at-bats.

Sox Prospects Scouting Report: Bailey mainly plays 1B and corner outfield these days after previously spending a lot of time as a catcher. He is adequate defensively, with below average range, a decent glove, and a good arm. With the bat, he has outstanding power and strength. Good contact and plate patience. Slow on the basepaths, but runs intelligently - about what you'd expect from a converted catcher. Strikes out a little too much, but that has improved over the years. Has potential to be a versatile backup and off-the-bench bat at the major league level. Probably could start for a lot of small market teams. Bailey has been a team leader and model teammate with the Red Sox organization for five seasons.

Josh Reddick
21-year old Reddick hit .343 with 11 2Bs, 17 HRs, and 57 RBI in .312 at-bats with Single A Lancaster last season. It's safe to say he's not the guys the Sox are counting for 2009, but there's a chance we'll see him help out in September... get the Sox Prospects Scouting report - here.

And here's a list of the Free Agent OFs that are out there, but half of them will want to start. Guys like Kapler, Baldelli and Kotsay stick out... and even Floyd or Hariston would make a nice fit.

Left fielders
Moises Alou (42) - Type B
Garret Anderson (37) - Type B
Milton Bradley (31) - Type B
Emil Brown (34)
Pat Burrell (32) - Type A
Adam Dunn (29) - Type A
Cliff Floyd (36)
Luis Gonzalez (41) - Type B
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Raul Ibanez (37) - Type A
Gabe Kapler (33)
Kevin Mench (31)
Jason Michaels (33)
Craig Monroe (32)
Greg Norton (36)
Jay Payton (36)
Manny Ramirez (37) - Type A
Juan Rivera (30)
So Taguchi (39)

Center fielders
Rocco Baldelli (27)
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Jim Edmonds (39)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Gabe Kapler (33)
Mark Kotsay (33)
Corey Patterson (29)
Scott Podsednik (33)
So Taguchi (39)

Right fielders
Bobby Abreu (35) - Type A
Casey Blake (35) - Type B
Emil Brown (34)
Cliff Floyd (36)
Ken Griffey Jr. (39) - Type B
Gabe Kapler (33)
Jason Michaels (33)
Trot Nixon (35)
Brad Wilkerson (32)

Dustin Pedroia is your AL MVP; Youk takes 3rd

Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP Award in comfortable fashion, garnering 16 out of 28 first-place votes. He also received six second-place votes, four third-place votes and one fourth-place vote for 317 total points.

Runner-up Justin Morneau of the Twins received seven first-place votes and finished with 257 points. Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis finished third, tallying two first-place votes and 201 points in a third-place finish.

Read more here.

Youk vs Pedroia for MVP... Who ya got?

The American League MVP Award will be announced today and Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are the front runners for the honor.

The Globe's Nick Cafardo had this to say:

Pedroia's case is compelling because he won the Gold Glove at second base, won a Silver Slugger for being the best offensive player at his position, led the league with 54 doubles, and was considered the heart and soul of the Red Sox.

Youkilis played both corner positions after Mike Lowell went down and ended up with a .312 average, 29 homers, and 115 RBIs. He hit .374 with runners in scoring position and .358 with men on base. He was voted the Hank Aaron Award as the league's best offensive player.

Nick also says that Carlos Quentin, Francisco Rodriquez and Justin Morneau will also earn some votes, but it appears that the Red Sox have to two most likely candidates.

So I ask you Red Sox Nation: Who do YOU think should be the MVP?

Both guys played impeccable defense all season, but Youk managed to seamlessly bounce across th diamond almost every night... Both guys were machines at the plate, but what was more impressive, Dustin's chase for the Batting title or Youk filling the gap at cleanup when Manny pouted his way out of town?

Maybe it's too close to call, so you'll base it on the facial hair... but I think Youk is the clear favorite there.

Cast your vote on the right and check back for the MVP Award announcement later today.

Gold... and now Silver for Pedroia

A year ago, Pedroia was the American League's Rookie of the Year. Last week, Pedroia won the Gold Glove Award for the first time. Now he's a Silver Slugger.

In case you missed it, Pedroia (.326) finished just two points behind Joe Mauer (.328)in the chase foe the AL Batting title, while leading all second basemen with 54 doubles and a staggering 213 hits. He also hit 17 ding dongs, drove in 83 runs and even spent a few days in the clean up spot for the Red Sox.





Here are the other AL winners:

C Joe Mauer, MIN
1B Justin Morneau, MIN
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE
DH Aubrey Huff, BAL

Red Sox finally realize we're all broke...

For the first time in more than a decade, the Boston Red Sox aren’t increasing their ticket prices at Fenway Park for the 2009 season.

The team said Wednesday that it had raised prices in each of the last 14 years. It’s average ticket price of $48.80 on opening day in 2008 was the highest in the majors.

Prices range from $12 to $125 for single-game tickets, which go on sale Dec. 13. There is a discount for any season tickets purchased before Dec. 17.

Some teams have reduced prices.

“We did not contemplate a reduction,” said Sam Kennedy, the Red Sox executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer. “We did contemplate an increase, but it’s fair to say this is the right thing to do given the realities of the economy.”

Marte signs with Yankees; Holliday deal official

Damaso Marte and Matt Holliday, two players the Red Sox expressed interest in, has inked new deals.

The New York Yankees announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Damaso Marte to a three-year contract with a one-year club option for 2012.

Marte, 33, joined the Yankees in July, coming over from the Pirates with OF Xavier Nady. The lefthander made 25 appearances with the Yankees, going 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA, but allowed just 2ER over his final 16 appearances (11.0IP) from August 16 through the end of the season and held the opposition to a .135 batting average over the stretch (5-for-37).

Bottom Line: Marte might have been a nice addition to the Boston bullpen, but I'm not sure they would have offered him a 3-year deal or the cash... MLB Trade Rumors says the deal is for $12M total.

* * * *

And ESPN is reporting that the Matt Holliday trade is official:

The Oakland Athletics completed their trade for star outfielder Matt Holliday from the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, acquiring the big bat they wanted for the middle of their lineup.

The Rockies receive right-handed reliever Huston Street, lefty starter Greg Smith and promising outfielder Carlos Gonzalez from the A's. The clubs reached a tentative agreement Monday, but had to wait for the results of physicals and other details to be worked out.

"We landed one of the biggest hitters out there," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He's definitely a piece of the offense you can build around."

Bottom Line: Oakland fans and player should be excited, but they'd be silly to think that Holliday will stay in Oakland after the 2009 season. Scott Boras will be asking for big bucks when Holliday becomes a free agent, so the A's have a one year window to work some magic while Holliday is in the lineup... problem is Justin Duchscherer is currently their best starter now that Rich Harden is a Cub and Joe Blanton is a Phillie... good luck.

Does Pedroia really need any more awards?

State Farm wants us to vote for their "This Year in Baseball Awards."

Like many if you, I got an emila from MLB.com urging me to vote for Dustin Pedroia for Hitter and Defensive Player of the year... but does the Destroyah really need any more awards?

Who am I kidding!? Of course he does!

Pedey is going up against the likes of Manny, Mark Teixeira, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard and others for Hitter of the Year...

... and he'll be battling a number of outfielders for Defensive Player of the year, including Torri Hunter, Grady Sizemore and Ichro... along with fellow infielders Orlando Cabrera and Brian Roberts.

Lots of other Red Sox are in the mix: Paps is up for Closer of the Year ... Tito for Manager of the Year ... Jacoby for Rookie of the Year ... Dice-K for Stater of the Year ...

Jon Lester and his no-hitter are up for Performance of the Year.

JD Drew has two "moments" nominated for Postseason Moment of the Year and Coco's Game 5 rally-capper made the list as well.

And relive some of the stranger moments in baseball this year in the Oddity section...

Click here to see a nice collection of highlights for each category and cast your vote!

Bottom Line: We didn't win it all, but it was a great year for the Sox!

Brunch Time Notes: Holliday to A's, Farrell declines M's interview

Extra Bases is reporting that Red Sox pitching John Farrell was expected to be interviewed for the vacant Seattle managerial job, but he has declined that offer:

“I have withdrawn my name for consideration by the Seattle Mariners as they search for a new manager," Farrell said in the statement. I wish them well as they move forward. My decision is based on family reasons and being committed to the Red Sox Organization. The working relationship shared with Theo and Tito and the resources provided by John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino create a situation that is both challenging and rewarding.”

Bench coach Brad "Millsie" Mills interviewed with the Mariners today, and third base coach DeMarlo Hale is scheduled for his interview on Thursday.

The Sox appeared to be bringing back most of their staff -- with the exception of first base coach Luis Alicea, who was let go by the organization -- but could need to fill a hole in the coming weeks.

Bottom Line: Coaches come and go and I think they deserve every opportunity to climb up the food chain and fight for a shot at Managing their own club... but I'm very happy to hear that Farrell will be back with the Sox in 2009 - with Tek possibly on his way out, more kids in the farm and Beckett coming back from injuries, we need Farrell to keep the staff on track.

Brad Mills did a great job filling in for Tito on occasion and is clearly one of Tito's best buds... I wish him well if he leaves, but I'll be happy if he stays.

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Matt Holliday is an Oakland Athletic... for now:

The deal includes starter Greg Smith, RP Houston Street and OF Carlos Gonzalez.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle spoke to Smith, who is flying to Denver for a physical. She agrees that Street and Gonzalez are the other two players.

Ryan from Fire Brand of the AL thinks that Matt Holliday's move to Oakland may be the beginning of the end for Billy Beane...

From SI.com -- Oakland owner Lew Wolff has recently told confidants he's tired of losing, and this may be the first step toward contending again. Although, they better do it soon, as Holliday is eligible for free agency after the 2009 season. He is to make $13 million in '08, a princely sum for an Oakland player. The A's could also consider trading Holliday, perhaps at the deadline, if they so desire.

FBAL -- I have to agree with the article; this trade doesn't make much sense for the A's, who are not really close to competing, even in the weak AL West. Rumors about Billy Beane's retirement have been floating around for a few years, so is it possible this is the first of many trades in his farewell tour? It wouldn't surprise me to see an egomaniac like Beane break the bank to win a championship in 2009 if he plans on retiring at year's end.

Bottom Line: Holliday was on the Red Sox radar, but with Boras as his agent, he was not likely to sign a new deal without taking advantage of the Free Agent Market first... Holliday will help the A's, but they need more than one bat... and it will interesting to see how well that bat performs away from Coors Field.

If Holliday keeps hitting, he may be back on the Theo's radar in '09... if he falters, we will thank the A's for testing the theory out for us...

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Jon Lester was awarded the 2008 Hutch Award, given annually to the ballplayer who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of baseball great Fred Hutchinson (who died from cancer in 1964 at age 45), both on and off the field.

"This is a tremendous honor for me and my family to have been selected for the Hutch Award," Lester said in a statement released by the Fred Hutchinson Center. "I'm humbled to know that legends such as Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax and Lou Brock have won this award in the past."

Centerfield has a nice recap and tells us that despite earning 3rd place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting, Jacoby Ellsbury did earn some hardware this year: The James "Cool Papa" Bell Award - a Legacy Award presented by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to the AL stolen base leader.

Bottom Line: Congrats to both, but you have to admit Jacoby's award has a much cooler name...

Dustin Pedroia: ROTY, Gold Glover ... MVP?

After being dubbed to small to make it in the bigs, and later, the "next David Eckstein," Dustin Pedroia went on to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2007, while hitting .317 and helping the Sox win a World Series.

A second World Series ring was not in the cards this season, but Pedroia still took home some hardware - a Gold Glove.

"I really didn't think much about it," Pedroia said on a conference call. "I was kind of still a little upset after the way the season ended, watching the World Series. I'm definitely excited. I've been getting text messages all day."

With a .992 fielding percentage and just six errors in 733 chances, Pedroia outdistanced his closest competition, Oakland's Mark Ellis, to become the second Sox second baseman to win the Gold Glove. Doug Griffin won in 1972.

Pedroia's fielding percentage this season was the third highest for a Sox second baseman, after Mark Loretta (.994 in 2006) and Bobby Doerr (.993 in 1948). Over his last 91 games in 2008, Pedroia had just one error.

"Luis Alicea helped me out a ton; Alex Cora," Pedroia said. "Just preparing me to move from shortstop to second base [which he did before the 2007 season]. We definitely took a ton of ground balls in trying to get better. In the last couple years, I think I've proven [to] myself I can be a great defender in this league. All that paid off.

"I pretty much watched everybody. See how their footwork was, where the feeds were. Just pretty much everything. You get better as you get more experience. Since I didn't have any experience, I watched guys who did.

"That was one of my biggest things in the offseason, to become faster and quicker to get some more balls. Make my range better. I'm always back here trying to prevent runs from scoring. A ton better from last year, more mature. Hopefully, I can continue to get better."

Pedroia has become a fan favorite thanks to his "dirt dog" style and All-Star caliber play. And in typical Pedroia fashion, a .317 BA and a ROTY award was not enough last year... his work in the offseason earned him the Gold Glove and increased his power and speed. He hit 9 more homers this year (8/17) and stole 13 more bases (7/20) - all while hitting .326 and finishing just .002 points behind Joe Mauer for the AL batting title.

Bottom Line: Pedroia the Destroyah may need to build a bigger mantle, with the winner of the AL MVP Award set to be announced in 11 days...

The Greene Monster?

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune and the News Tribune, the Padres and Red Sox have discussed swapping short stop Khalil Greene for outfielder Coco Crisp.

If you read this blog, you know I'm a big Coco fan, but that's not why I think this is a bad idea...
Tony Mazz broke down the short stop situation in Boston earlier this week. Here's the key:

Think of it this way: In 2008, the Sox were still paying $3.67 million of Renteria's salary with the Detroit Tigers. That is on top of the $9 million they paid Lugo, who was the worst defensive shortstop in baseball (at least based on errors) during the first half of the season. Should the Red Sox find a taker for Lugo this offseason, they will find themselves in a familiar predicament: paying a shortstop to play for someone else. Lugo has two years and $18 million remaining on his contract, and in all likelihood, the Sox would have to eat at least half of his salary in any deal, which means they'd be paying him in the vicinity of $4.5 million this season to ply his trade elsewhere. All of that has made shortstop nothing short of a money pit, which is something the Red Sox can afford only because they have a license to print cash.

Lugo's appeal to a potential trade partner would be based on the fact that his contract is short and relatively inexpensive (again, with the Sox picking up a large chunk of his salary), particularly in comparison to the more expensive shortstops currently available. This winter, in the event you are wondering, Renteria, Cabrera and Rafael Furcal, among others, are free agents at a position that has riddled the Sox in recent years.

I the Sox were to trade for Greene, they would (in theory) be free to include Jed Lowrie in a another trade... but they would still be stuck trying to move Lugo and pay a good chunk of his salary - he's not going to be the new Alex Cora.

As Tony mentions, paying Lugo to play elsewhere would simply be par for the course for Boston, but is Greene really that much of an upgrade?

Greene had a very productive year in 2007, hitting 27 ding dongs and driving in 97 runs, but he hit .254 and K'd 128 times in 611 at-bats (21%). Injuries held him to 105 games, 10 homers and 35 RBI in 2008.

2009 will be Greene's 6th season as a starter and his averages for the past 5 years suggest that 2007 was an aberration, not necessarily a sign of what could be:

.247 BA, 58.6 R, 29.2 2B, 16.4 HR, 64.4 RBI

Lowrie his .258 in 260 at-bats this year, while fighting through a wrist injury. He had 25 doubles, 2 homers and 46 RBI... simply multiplying those numbers 1.75 to get 455 at-bats gives him roughly 44 doubles, 4 homers and 80 RBI.

Bottom Line: Jed Lowrie may not hit 15-20 homers in a season, but he will hit better than .250 (.287 in 4 MiLB seasons) and proved he can slap just as many doubles and drive in just as many runs as Greene likely would. And defensively, Greene's career fielding percentage is .976 - Lowrie's 2008 percentage was .989.

Also, Coco Crisp's value is at it's peak right now, if we're going to trade him, lets get some catching or pitching depth, not another mediocre short stop.

Now... let's get back to the real issue here - who is going to take Julio Lugo off our hands

ps. There is this to consider...










UPDATE: The Herlad's Sean McAdam says this rumor has been squashed:

No on Coco

A published report that the Sox were interested in dealing Coco Crisp [stats] to San Diego for shortstop Khalil Greene was summarily dismissed by Red Sox officials, who noted the club already has two shortstops - Jed Lowrie and Julio Lugo [stats] - on its roster.

The Sox are trying to find a taker for Lugo and his remaining $18 million. Lugo missed the second half of the season with a quad injury but now is healthy, and Epstein said the shortstop might play winter ball in his native Dominican Republic.

Lunch Time Trade Rumors

From MLB Trade Rumors:

Manny Ramirez and agent Scott Boras have floated an asking price for Manny’s services that begins at $27 million a season, and no one is certain he won’t get it. To put it in perspective, Milwaukee just re-signed center fielder Mike Cameron at $10 millon for one season.

Bottom Line: Manny and Boras clearly have a much different opinion of Manny's value than the GM's do... but it's early. A good GM will look at all the options before handing over "Manny money," but you know Boras doesn't mind waiting for someone to get desperate.

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[Jason Varitek's agent ] Scott Boras generally doesn’t move his clients quickly through free agency. While Varitek would prefer to extend his captaincy in Boston, there are potential alternatives out there, perhaps in Detroit, perhaps with the Dodgers.

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, one of the later arrivals here, said it’s possible he’d have a good idea by Thursday, when these meetings wrap up, where things stand with Varitek. Because if not Varitek – and the hang-up almost certainly will be over the term of the contract – Epstein still is going to need a catcher.

“We’ll see,” Epstein said. “We’re certainly not opposed to moving along more quickly. But, we’ll see."

Bottom Line: The more I think about this, the more I hope that Tek tells Boras to shut up and take whatever the Sox are offering. It would be so nice to sign Tek to a two year deal and move on to other issues... like Teixeira... but Boras is gonna make us sweat on this one.

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Battle For Teixeira - By Tim Dierkes

ESPN's Buster Olney gives his take on the Mark Teixeira situation in his blog this morning. Olney believes the Yankees will "bid heavily" on Tex, perhaps $120MM over six years. Teixeira turned down $140MM from the Rangers last year, though that was for eight years. Ken Davidoff of Newsday believes that since the Yanks are prioritizing pitching, they'll probably go with cheaper options like Casey Blake or Kevin Millar.

Olney says there's debate about Boston's level of interest in Teixeira - do they truly want him, or are they trying to drive up the price for the Yankees? He suggests a scenario where the Sox sign Teixeira and keep Mike Lowell - Kevin Youkilis goes to left field, Jason Bay to right, and J.D. Drew to center (pushing Jacoby Ellsbury to a utility role and leaving Coco Crisp out of a job).

Bottom Line: Youk doesn't want to go to the outfield and personally, I think it's a dumb idea. If they sign Tex, their just going to have to tell Lowell that he's the odd man out, and that he will rotate between third and DH.

As for the Yanks, I wouldn't put it past them to sign a couple of starters and simply run up the price for Tex on the Sox...

MLB's Top 50 Free Agents

MLB Trade Rumors has posted their Top 50 Free Agents list. They list the player and what team they expect that player to sign with... here are a few names that relate to the Red Sox:

1. C.C. Sabathia - Yankees. The guess here is that the Yankees will make C.C. an offer he can't refuse, and he'll sign a seven-year deal. Sabathia is the key to the Yankees' offseason.

2. Mark Teixeira - Angels. The Angels can probably afford one of Sabathia, Teixeira, and K-Rod. They need Tex the most.

3. Manny Ramirez - Dodgers. I think Manny will ultimately sign a deal in the four-year, $100MM range.

6. Derek Lowe - Yankees. This would set up a rotation of Sabathia/Wang/Lowe/Pettitte/Chamberlain. Very solid on paper.

(If this is the plan, I'm not scared... are you?)

15. Brian Fuentes - Brewers. If C.C. signs elsewhere, the Brewers will be able to spread their cash to fill various needs.

24. Kenshin Kawakami - Red Sox. Signing Kawakami for the rotation would allow the Sox to keep Masterson in the pen and let Bowden and Buchholz come along at their own pace.

37. Paul Byrd - Pirates. The Pirates are said to want to add a veteran starter to the rotation. Neal Huntington knows Byrd from his Cleveland days.

43. Damaso Marte - Cardinals. I thought the Yanks would exercise his $6MM option, but a recent report indicated otherwise. The Cardinals appear willing to spend some coin on a lefty reliever.

46. Jason Varitek - Red Sox. Tek may find that no team is willing to give him an acceptable multiyear deal.

Bottom Line: Tim's right, the Yankees need pitching, so they'll focus on Sabathia... but I think C.C. might enjoy pitching in the NL. I guess this will come down to what is more important to him, cash or success, cause he'll have a much more pressure if he comes to the AL East ... I hope the Sox can sign Tex, but the early reports are that he would love to stay in LA - and the Angels really need him to if they want to win another WS ... D-Lowe in NYC ?? I'm not sure about this one ... I think Tim nailed it with his comment on Kawakami - and the Sox are definitely Japan's favorite team right now ... Since Fuentes wants to remain a closer, Marte (who the Sox missed out on in July) could be a nice pick up for the bullpen - but he really struggled as a Yankee: 5.75 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, .211 BAA, after 2 1/2 decent years in the NL.

Get the full FA list here and stay tuned as the GM Winter Meetings continmue this week and the Hot Stove heats up!