2010 Hot Stove Thread

[BunnyHardaway]

Free Agency has been moved up this year and begins Sunday, so I felt it was a good time to start this thread. Should be an interesting offseason.

For the O's, I'm hoping we (finally) get a power hitting 1B and improve our absolutely awful SS situation. I don't care how good Izturis' defense is, you cannot have a bat like that in your lineup every day.

[Beantown]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Red Sox need to try and bring Beltre back, but I don't see that happening.

Same for V-Mart.

Basically...they're going to actually suck next season, instead of missing the playoffs because of injuries.

[Dog]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

Werth won't go to New York, neither will Crawford. Yankees are "putting all their marbles" into getting Cliff Lee

[lonewolf371]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Red Sox need to try and bring Beltre back, but I don't see that happening.

Same for V-Mart.

Basically...they're going to actually suck next season, instead of missing the playoffs because of injuries.

With Pedroia, Youkilis, Scutaro, Lester, Buchholz, and a decent budget I doubt the Red Sox will suck.

[Beantown]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

With Pedroia, Youkilis, Scutaro, Lester, Buchholz, and a decent budget I doubt the Red Sox will suck.

You forgot Ortiz, Beckett/Lackey (depending on how much they suck at any given time), a healthy Ellsbury, a few young guys who could pitch in every now and then, and Daniel Bard, and Papelbon once every so often.

Yeah, they won't suck, but that's not a World Series threat right there, unless Beckett and Lackey suddenly regain Cy Young type stuff while Lester and Bucholz continue to gain their Ace-type stuff which is very doubtful.

[Spider Tre]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

Jocketty said he likes the team from 2010 and wants to keep it like it is despite not picking up Cabrera and Harang's (thank god) option

i don't expect the Reds to make any major signings

[rsox]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Red Sox offered Martinez a 2 year extension during the season which he declined. He is looking for a 4 or 5 year deal which i doubt he gets anywhere. I could see the Sox bringing Varitek back and maybe trying to go with Saltalamacchia. I also wouldn't rule out trading for a Catcher (Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis may both be available from the Angels).

Beltre is probably not coming back as he seems to prefer playing out west. The Sox could try and sign a 1B and move Youkilis to 3B.

The Red Sox could certainely use an OF bat. Even with a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury the Sox cannot endure another season of Jeremy Hermida/Darnell McDonald/Daniel Nava/Ryan Kalish/Mike Cameron types getting a lot of AB's. I would expect them to at least talk with Carl Crawford and/or Jayson Werth.

[Yanks22]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Red Sox offered Martinez a 2 year extension during the season which he declined. He is looking for a 4 or 5 year deal which i doubt he gets anywhere. I could see the Sox bringing Varitek back and maybe trying to go with Saltalamacchia. I also wouldn't rule out trading for a Catcher (Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis may both be available from the Angels).

Beltre is probably not coming back as he seems to prefer playing out west. The Sox could try and sign a 1B and move Youkilis to 3B.

The Red Sox could certainely use an OF bat. Even with a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury the Sox cannot endure another season of Jeremy Hermida/Darnell McDonald/Daniel Nava/Ryan Kalish/Mike Cameron types getting a lot of AB's. I would expect them to at least talk with Carl Crawford and/or Jayson Werth.

I could def see the red sox inquiring on werth, it makes sense.

[Baseballking888]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Braves definitely need to get a Left Fielder this offseason. I could see them going for Magglio Ordonez, but I doubt Frank Wren will sign him. Out of the other outfielders in the market, Johnny Damon seems to make the most scene. I'll also be skeptical of what we do for a closer as well.

[jth1331]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

For the Rockies, they need to be able to resign De La Rosa for a reasonable amount(3 years, $27 million?) while also adding a solid bat at one of the following: C/1B/OF.

Victor Martinez is on the Rockies radar I believe, but they are pretty much huge underdogs.

[Marino]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

Hopefully the Dodgers make an effort to get rid of the veteran contracts and get younger. But I doubt that will happen, I think they will continue to put band-aids on cracks.

[42]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

Hopefully the Dodgers make an effort to get rid of the veteran contracts and get younger. But I doubt that will happen, I think they will continue to put band-aids on cracks.

McCourts, FTW.

[Jgainsey]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Braves definitely need to get a Left Fielder this offseason. I could see them going for Magglio Ordonez, but I doubt Frank Wren will sign him. Out of the other outfielders in the market, Johnny Damon seems to make the most scene. I'll also be skeptical of what we do for a closer as well.

Adding decent power in LF(or anywhere else in the OF..) seems like it's been the priority for the last few off seasons. Unfortunately, the only OF spot to really pan out was our 20 year old rookie last season. Everything else out there has been more or less below replacement level.

With the payroll declining steadily ever since Liberty Media bought the team, I don't know if free agency is going to provide us with anything all that great. Though it would certainly seem that we have a few trade chips to maybe work out something through that avenue.

Next season's success is going to hang on quite a few ifs..

If Chipper can come back and be productive.

If whatever bargain bat we find for the OF will be able to out perform whatever we pay him.

If McLouth can outperform a decent hitting pitcher at the plate.

If McCann doesn't start the season off partially blind like he did the last two years.

If Venters and Kimbrel can hold their own at the back of the bullpen.

Barring any serious injuries, our pitching should keep us competitive. I just hope that the good pitching doesn't go to waste.

[Perceptor]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

If I'm Theo Epstein, I try to resign Martinez or go after Buck. Buck had a solid season with the Jays and hopefully, he's not a one-year wonder.

Crawford would be great for any team, but Werth is what the Sox need given his OBP as well as his power at Fenway. I don't think the Red Sox will suck, but they do need another bat. I think long term, they have their sights set on Adrian Gonzalez at 1B so they may not bolster that area.

[SPTO]

Re: 2010 Hot Stove Thread

The Jays aren't slated to do anything much in free agency again this year and mostly concentrate on trades. That being said, there are a couple of names being bandied about. One is more from the press and the other is more suggestions from the fanbase.

The first name is Manny Ramirez. The thinking is that he'd be a good fit as a DH over here and if the Jays can get him for a good price (low base/high incentives) then it's something that should be done. He has expressed interest since the hiring of John Farrell and Farrell has been asked about the possibility which he seems favorable to.

The other name that fans are talking about is Papelbon taking over as Jays closer. I don't know if that'd be a great idea looking at his last season in Boston but he'd definitely be a big name guy.