The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has his usual Sunday column up, kicking it off by entertaining the unlikely possibility of Joe Mauer playing in Boston. If the Twins and Mauer can't work out a long-term deal, Cafardo thinks the Red Sox would be one of a handful of teams that could afford the superstar backstop. Here are a few other highlights from Cafardo's piece:
- One possible roadblock in the Josh Beckett negotiations is the Red Sox' desire to incorporate injury protection into the contract. If Beckett has a good year in 2010, he will likely have suitors that won't include health clauses in their offers, which could appeal to the right-hander.
- The Cubs have some interest in Kerry Wood. Cafardo notes that the Indians closer would also be a good fit for the Twins, but that the Tribe would have to pick up a significant chunk of the $10.5MM Wood will earn this season.
- The Rays may entertain trade offers for Andy Sonnanstine, who is having a solid spring.
- Billy Wagner says that returning to Boston was "tempting" but that with Jonathan Papelbon firmly entrenched as the ninth-inning guy, the lefty went where he'd have a better chance to close.
I think the Sox’s can afford Mauer. I think they might be the leader if he doesn’t stay with the Twins.
No thanks on Joe Mauer and his albatross contract.
I really don’t see the Indians getting back anything impressive for Wood. And if they’re eating that much salary anyway, what’s the point? Suck it up and learn your lesson well about contracts like that.
Sonnanstine doesn’t seem to have been that great at the major league level. It makes sense for the Rays not to hold on so tight.
The thing is, the Rays can get an okay return if they trade him sooner rather than later. If he has a good spring, his value goes up.
Kerry Wood would do well on the Cubs simply because thats where he is most comfortable.
Wood to the Cubs makes a certain amount of sense–he’d be taking Guzman’s role setting up, which works on several levels. One: his success was in Chicago; what better place for him to reboot? Two: as a setup guy, he wouldn’t be able to trigger that ridiculous option. And three: Wood was a real leader on the team and bringing him back would be in line with their attempts to straighten out the team chemistry.
Obviously, something would have to be worked out on money, though.
Every elite player nearing or entering free agency receives an “albatross” contract. The elite players in the game all receive huge contracts either from their previous team to retain them or their new team to sign them.
If, and that is a big if, Mauer iss available to the Red Sox either through a trade or free agency, they will happily give him an “albatross” contract simply because he is one the very best players in the game and the best at his position.
No thanks on Joe Mauer and his albatross contract.
Keep saying it. You’re probably one of the few that feels this way if Mauer were ever to hit the open market.
No doubt about that. Buncha shortsighted sillies.
While I understand why you are saying it (the rarity of catcher’s maintaining their level of production into late age.), he’ll be 27 if he were to hit the market. Probably looking at a 10 year deal, potentially. You’d basically be paying big money for the first 5 years and seeing good return, and then crossing your fingers and hoping his body doesn’t break down for the other 5 years of it.
“You’d basically be paying big money for the first 5 years and seeing good return, and then crossing your fingers and hoping his body doesn’t break down for the other 5 years of it.”
Sounds terrible to me. I mean, you’re absolutely right: that’s the approach and certainly many teams take it. But in order for that to make good sense in terms of value, I’d need to get MORE than my money’s worth for the first few years. At ~$20m, I doubt I will.
There are just too many other factors and too many ways to replace the production for me to ever feel good about it. Even supposing Mauer can hack it at catcher the entire time, it is outright unlikely that he’ll be anything better than passable (probably worse) by the final few years of the contract. At MORE than ~$20m.
Suppose he moves to first. Now his production is even less valuable. DH, heaven forbid? Forget about it.
Team executives wiser than I could probably justify these & other almost certain eventual losses by accounting for the effects of franchise names and possible title runs. But I’m still convinced that most of the benefits of that kind of player are replaceable by other, less risky means.
Yep, exactly what I figured you were implying.
my question is, should the Sox spend more money on Mauer or spend a few million dollars less on the #2 person & be sure that he wants to stay there (he said that a few weeks ago that he loves Boston) @ the same position & just re-sign V-Mart?
The difference would be more than “a few” million — and definitely many fewer years.
No thanks on Victor Martinez either, though, unless he’ll take 1B money.
where’s dye gonna end up?
Baseball Tonight desk, looks like.