New Sox thread by mod order. Theo's left Orlando and is headed back to Boston with no deal in place with Lowell. Some reports have the two sides in agreement about a 3-year deal. Many reports (mostly from the New York press) believe he will be re-signed. Folks in Boston aren't so sure, having been through this before. I'm guessing if they don't sign him by Monday - when it becomes a free-for-all - he won't be re-signed.
The Herald is reporting that a team source says they have made Lowell a "strong offer" of a guaranteed 3-year deal. To me, that's more or less them saying take it or leave it. BTW, I found this sort of amusing, in a somewhat sad way ... in the post-Series hoopla, Papelbon got to appear on Letterman, Manny was on Leno, Papi was on Conan, and Lowell was on .... HSN! http://www.outincenterfield.com/blog/2007/11/mike_lowell_does_some_home_sho.html
Yes, exactly. If you click on the link, there are actually a couple video clips of his appearance. To be fair, Papelbon and Mirabelli had also made HSN appearances earlier. Papelbon ... well, he'll do anything. And Mirabelli ... it's Mirabelli, he has to take what he can get. You'd think the MVP of the World Series might be able to do a bit better ... then again, I watched Curt Schilling on Dennis Miller's horrendous new show, and that was simply embarrassing. Thank goodness I was able to skip through the rest of the show. The Globe quotes an unnamed National League GM as saying Lowell could get 4 years at $13-14 million on the open market, "no question". I'm preparing myself for it because I know the Sox won't match that.
Nor should they. I wanted them to make a serious three-year offer. Anything less wouldn't be dealing in good faith. Anything more is just plain stupid. Lowell hits better in Fenway as other teams might discover if they sign him to a crazy contract.
And I agree with you, but it doesn't make me any happier about it. I finally made my first (and last?) post at the Globe yesterday: Like almost everybody else, I'll be very VERY disappointed if Mike Lowell leaves the Red Sox. But it's up to him. Another poster said they hate the business of baseball. Me, too. But the fact is it is a business, and the Sox can't just give him whatever he asks for or even match whatever he gets offered from another team. He just had what is probably going to be the best season of his career, and he's about to sign the last long-term contract of his life. If he stays in Boston, he'll get free dinners and drinks for the rest of his life here, but he also has to think about his family and his future financial security. I don't blame him if he's tempted to find out what other teams might be willing to offer him. But it scares me if that happens. And the thought that he could end up in NY makes me want to cry. I just wish it would all be overwith, so we'd know. And I wish Mike kept a blog like Curt so we could get some better insight!
Just to prove I'm not all Mike Lowell, all the time, there were a few interesting non-Lowell related hot stove items mentioned in today's Globe: - Though Crisp is definitely being shopped, they but won't dump him for the sake of dumping him. He makes various package deals look better, but Theo hasn't ruled out keeping him around to have a quality 4-deep pool of OFs. - Sox have expressed interest in picking up another top starter such as Johan Santana or Dan Haren. They'd probably have to give up either Lester or Buchholz plus Crisp and prospects. Haren seems a more likely target than Santana because of his contract situation. - Among current players, there is talk of signing Youk and Paps to longterm deals and perhaps signing Varitek to a one-year extension beyond next season, when his current contract runs out.
Papi won his fourth straight Silver Slugger award as best-hitting DH. No other Sox player received one this year. Manny's streak of 8 straight years honored as one of the top 3 hitting outfielders in the AL was broken (Guerrero, Ichiro, and Ordonez won). Next awards are announced Monday, when I hope it's a formality that they announce Pedroia as AL Rookie of the Year.
If this doesn't show what this kid is made of ... Pedroia played last two months of season with broken bone in hand Just ... wow.
Can't help but remember Fred Lynn saying that he thought he'd hit better in Anaheim because he'd be closer to home... and then finding out to his amazement that there are home ballparks where high flies to left field are always outs...
Especially at night. Remember Angel Stadium is a re-worked Big A. Word on the street is the ball doesn't carry all that well out there at night, but does during the day.
CERTIFIABLE BADASS FOR LIFE. And wants Lowell back too: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1043782
Today's announcement was a mere formality since everybody knew it was coming: Pedroia a cut above the rest Red Sox second baseman named AL Rookie of the Year
Deadline came and went, and no agreement with Lowell. He's now on the open market. Meanwhile, the Yankees gave in to Jorge Posada's demand for a fourth year. Same agents as Lowell, and a similar situation (aging position player and fan favorite coming off a career year who also brings positive clubhouse intangibles). Time will (or may) tell which team made the right move. My head says the Sox are probably right, but my heart says noooo.
The Yankees-are-negotiating-with-ARod stories gave me some brief hope until I just read that they are still talking to Lowell, with the idea of moving him to 1B. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7446926 It makes some sense. The Yankees might just think it's worth offering a 4-year deal to a proven winner/clubhouse good guy while at the same time keeping both Mikey and A-Rod away from the Sox. Ack. I can't take it.
We're going to Japan. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3109606 Never been much of a fan of any league playing meaningful games in other countries like this, but I guess we're the "in" team now.
I guess it'll be nice for Dice-K and Oki. Although .... supposedly Dice-K's wife is due to give birth right around the time of the scheduled trip, so he might not even be there!! That would be silly, huh? But I did read that Japan went a little "Red Sox Crazy" this season. So I expect it'll be crazy over there. I don't blame the players for trying to say no.
"A source close to" the Lowell camp says he has received four 4-year offers - from the Yankees, Angels, Cardinals, and Braves. If so, since the Red Sox seem unwilling to budge, it seems inevitable that he's leaving, and at this point, I just hope he ends up in the NL or even the LAA and not with the $%# NYY. But the Cardinals deny making an offer, and it doesn't seem to make sense for the Braves, who have Chipper Jones at 3B. And the Angels have Figgins, so ... are they ALL suddenly suggesting he switch to 1B? Maybe it's all a bunch of BS. I can still hope, can't I? The Herald, working under the assumption that he's gone, is suggesting a likely straight-up trade scenario of Crisp for a new 3B. http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1044887
But the Braves have Teixeira at 1B... so that doesn't make sense either. I can see the Cardinals, who are heavily rumored to be trading Scott Rolen. Honestly though, I call BS on the story.