Earlier today we learned that Red Sox GM Ben Cherington met with David Ortiz's agent on Friday to discuss Ortiz's 2012 salary. The slugger earned $12.5MM last season and accepted Boston's arbitration offer back in December. Here's more on the BoSox..
- Manager Bobby Valentine told reporters that he "couldn't imagine" pitcher Tim Wakefield coming in and competing for a job, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. That assessment is in line with Cherington's comments last week which insinuated that the knuckleballer wouldn't be with the Red Sox in 2012. Wakefield, 45, posted a 5.12 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 23 starts and 10 relief appearances for Boston last season.
- Valentine also doesn't see catcher Jason Varitek making the Red Sox roster if he chooses to make a go at it in Spring Training, Lauber writes. It was reported yesterday that the Sox offered the veteran a minor league deal, but apparently the club hasn't put anything formal on the table.
- Bobby V also weighed in on the Yankees' most recent acquisitions, Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda, writes Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (quotes from Ian Browne). Valentine seems wary of Kuroda's transition from a great pitcher's ballpark in the National League to a more hitter friendly ballpark in the American League.
Is it just me or are the things that Valentine is saying a bit disrespectful to the players (Tek and Wake)? I mean, it’s the obvious truth…but…seems to bit direct and somewhat disrespectful to say it to the public like that.
What is it you expect him to say? They have roster spots? They don’t. The Red Sox will offer them contracts? They haven’t.
Maybe say nothing, or maybe say he doesn’t have a lot of say in who they tender contracts to but that he will make the best use of anyone the front office puts on the field for him.
Pretty much anything other than what he actually said.
You guys hired the wrong manager if you want someone who will “say nothing”.
Tell me something I don’t know.
It might be nice to have someone to speak out when these players don’t perform.
Agreed
I see nothing really wrong with it and really.. Did he say anything other than a shot across the bows to ownership and Cherrington that he did not want to waste time in ST with either innings wasted with Wake, nor reps behind the plate with Tek?
This is more or less his team and think he know the type of team he wants to lead. Somebody needs to put there foot down that those 2 (especially Tek) have no place on the 40 man roster with 3 people clearly better already lined up.
If Tek wants to go and sign a minor league deal, go to Pawtucket, that is another matter as he is no worse than that long list of AAAA pile Cherington already has signed supposedly for “depth” as has been described, same with Wake, though doubt either have any interest in that.
Both Tek and Wake clearly think this is a lifetime job which it is not for some reason.
The last Sox long time player who walked away, knowing there career was over and retired as a Bostonian was Yaz, Greenie to an extent, but he didn’t quite play long enough perhaps to qualify IMO.
These 2 need to be shown the door, or humiliated it appears before they get it through their heads they are done.
You may like it, but it’s not professional, nor is it good business, to ‘humiliate’ players, as you put it. Tell ownership your opinion, tell the players your opinion, do what you need to do behind the scenes to make sure they don’t come back; saying those things in the media to make a spectacle of those players is ignorant, unprofessional, bad for morale, and bad for business.
I understand that also, but you don’t think he has already tried talking to them when he surely has attempted to contact members of the current team and members of the team from the last season already?
Sometimes an approach like this is necessary, as hurtful as it is. Cherrington it seemed last week did it to a degree with that minor league deal that was leaked, then retracted once it became public and now Bobby V has made a public announcement.. Possibly after he tried contacting them privately and either 1..Maybe both said they *would* show up and he did not want them to, so now he is saying this in public?
Sure it’s just guessing on my part, but it is not out of Bobby V’s character for him to want a team molded in the way he wants it and bringing someone he sees no part for, like Tek.. Maybe even Wake who I see a slight possibility for even..This may have been his way.
I don’t really agree with it. But if it gets rid of a headache for him? It’s his call.
I don’t really care if he’s tried behind the scenes, saying things in the media about players is a bad idea. End-of-story. If he’s not good enough to get his point across without using the media then he shouldn’t have a job.
I gotcha. Just a difference of opinion on it.
We have ’em from time to time, but it’s how a fan base goes with us hard core Sox guys reckon. 🙂
Welcome to life under the tenure of Bobby V. That is just the way the man rolls… If nothing else, this is going to be a fun-filled few years… :O)
No. Wakefield being gone is long over due. Tito would have had us suffer another year of his mediocrity.
I seem wary of Valentine being employed in 2 years…
He is the best person to finally cut ties with Tek and Wake. He has no connection to them and it’s better for him to be the “bad guy” than Ben or ownership. Thanks Tek and Wake and good luck on your future endeavors.
Exactly.
Yeah. I still think their is room on the team for Wake, but apparently the ownership is content to start mostly fresh. I think Bobby V is just being direct though, which may come off as being a bit rude but these guys are adults and should appreciate he isn’t going to keep stringing them along. Best of luck to the both of them, and I wouldn’t be surprised if both came back in the org in some capacity. I could see Wake getting a position consulting and participating in the teams charity work, and Varitek being a coach of some kind down the road.
Sad, and disrespectful.
Clearly, one of the hardest things in baseball, and amplified when you play on a high-visibility team. Wakefield, Varitek, and Posada with the Yankees. Sooner or later even the greats have to retire, and some of them have to be pushed. It will come with Chipper in Atlanta as well. Valentine probably did the front office a favor.
he has a big mouth
So we can take chance on Aaron Cook and Vincente Padilla, but Wakefield is over the line? Nice. Why couldn’t we offer Wake the same opportunity as those two? He’s taken a hometown discount his whole career – I’d bet he’d be willing to try a year in the minors and fight for a roster spot in Spring Training. We def need arms, and Wake’s arm fits into the mold of “stockpiling worthless arms in the hopes that one of them works out.” At the very least, he’s been more productive than Aaron Cook…
Bobby V. has never met an opportunity to talk he didn’t like.
Send Wake back to the Pits
These comments do nothing to help the Sox beat the Yanks or the Rays. Booby V should worry about his own pitching, that’s what cost the Sox last year. Who would you rather have Padilla, Cook, or Kuroda.
Really hope Wakefield signs with someone else. In case he retires he’d be a great color commentator for any baseball team.