The Red Sox have not approached Victor Martinez about an extension, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The catcher, who is now on the disabled list with a broken left thumb, becomes a free agent after the season. It isn’t clear whether the Red Sox would want Martinez to catch, play first or DH, but it doesn’t matter to V-Mart.
“I let them know very early in the season I’d like to play here and come back here, but the future is in their hands,’’ he said.
Martinez has impressed the Red Sox with his efforts to improve as a defensive catcher, but he says he would play anywhere on the diamond. Martinez split time between first and catcher in Boston last year, but has been the team’s primary catcher in 2010, throwing out 19% of would-be base stealers.
The 31-year-old has more impressive offensive numbers. Martinez had a .289/.344/.480 line before his trip to the DL. Those numbers won’t be enough to match Joe Mauer’s $184MM deal, but V-Mart was never going to approach Mauer’s record-setting deal. Instead, he could aim to sign a four or five-year deal in the $50MM range, as Jorge Posada has done more than once.
Depends on if BOS front office believes Youkilis can handle 3B on an every day basis, or if they exercise David Ortiz’s option, or if they believe they can have Martinez catch ~100+ games and be successful. There’s a lot of factors in play.
If Epstein was to offer either Beltre, or martinez a 4/40M contract would take Beltre due to his defense and *hope* some sort of semblance of his 2010 offensive resurgence can hold up the 1st couple of years. VMart just does not play good enough defense at catcher and is not good at throwing to give that to. Somebody will, maybe even the Yanks, but VMart at 35 making 10M plus is going to be an ugly contract.
I think both guys are going to try and get more than 40MM.
Beltre will get 3 years 15 million after his year this year. Boras will go out screaming that he was injured in 09 and the rest of the poor offensive performance in Seattle was based on playing in a pitchers park. Some poor team will fall into the trap and give him more than he’s worth and Theo Epstein will NOT be that guy; i guarantee it.
I am not saying the Sox won’t resign him, but Theo is not one to overpay for a guy that historically doesn’t have a .350 OBP or better. This year, Beltre has been great, with all the injuries to the team they may be in 4th place without him in the lineup. But some team will over value the year he’s having and give him 3 years 45 million with an option for year 4 and Theo will tell Boras good luck.
Victor is a very valuable player in my opinion. He doesn’t throw out as many runners as he probably should. But I watch every Sox game, and from the start of this year to the point he went on the DL, he has improved dramatically defensively in my opinion. He’s throwing better, calling better games and getting accustomed to the pitching staff.
I think ultimately, he will test the waters of free agency but is a classic player that the Sox love. He is versatile, has a .375 (ish) OBP, has playoff experience. Theo seems to love guys like that that are professional, and i see him signing a 3 or 4 year deal worth 11 to 13 million per year. Yes, the last year of that deal would be pretty sketchy, but at that point (and probably much much sooner) the DH spot will be free for him and while he isn’t a great defender, at 35/36 years old he would without a doubt still be able to hit .275 with 15 HR’s and a .360 OBP. I’ll take that to keep him on the Sox short term.
Why talk extension with a player on the DL? let the season play out, odds are he comes back to Boston.
News is slow apparently. But just cuz he’s on the 15 day DL doesn’t mean you can’t talk extension with the guy. He is a solid player, an upcoming free agent and he wants to stay in Boston.
If you have a guy that actually loves playing in the spotlight of Boston (unlike Manny) why in heck wouldn’t you talk extension with him? Unless you’re name is Cal Ripken JR. you are going to see the DL here and there, doesn’t mean the guy doesn’t deserve an extension.
Not to mention:
IF they could get an extension done before he actually hits free agency, they will not be bidding against anyone and it could save them some $ that they will need to find a 3B, DH, Backup Catcher and Bullpen help for 2011.
Martinez’s defense is average maybe at best and his throwing his terrible as why i can’t see Boston wanting to negotiate with him during this season and only signing him in the off season if something crazy happens and he is getting almost -0- offers and can get him for 1-2 years tops so one of the catchers Boston has in the ML will be ready. Why overpay for an extremely poor defensive catcher when they have multiple strong ones coming up? Save that money and spread it around 3B, the BP and other areas and maybe go with a 1 year patchwork at catcher instead of a horrid contract that will weigh them down after the 1st year or 2. Martinez does not really hit enough for a contending team like Boston to be a FT DH, not does he play as strong a defensive 1B as Youkillis either.
Take the 2 picks and let somebody else overpay him if wants 4/50M+. Sure it’s hard to leave what looks like a hole on the field, but better than having a player taking up space and considerable salary for a year or 2 also on the back end of a contract.
Ortiz won’t have his Op picked up but may stay. Beltre is likely gone if he/Boras wants 4/15m. As for Martinez I think the FO will try to acquire the best young C they can get.
I would think the ’11 plan right now is to sign either Crawford or Werth and rotate one of the four OF’s to DH. Martinez doesn’t have that much value to the team as a dh and I don’t think he’ll get a chance at 1b because I see Youkilis there permanently through ’15.
I think we do sign Martinez to an extension. 3 yrs./36MM maybe. He plays predominantly 1B, occasionally DH’s and catches. Youk moves to 3B permanently. Beltre is going to decline arbitration and we pick up two draft picks off of that. Then we trade for Chris Snyder at C for 2 years, until Exposito is ready to take over. You gotta like V-Mart’s offensive numbers. His D is mediocre, but he does call a good game. I like having him around. With Papi, Lowell, Varitek and Beltre all coming off the payroll, we have plenty of $$ to afford V-Mart, and still land a couple of free agents in the offseason.
A couple points…
It’s been fairly well documented that Ortiz would like to remain with the Red Sox, though I do believe he realizes that his 12MM option is unrealistic at this point, no matter what kind of resurgence he is putting up. If it is maintained, and statistically at this point there is no reason to see it as a fluke I can see the Red Sox bringing him back for another few productive years at much lower salary (between 5-7MM, Vlad-like deal).
Victor again I can see them bringing back if only as a platoon bridge to Ibarra, he will likely be able to catch for 2 years more, and when he starts to wane they can use him in conjunction with someone like Mark Wagner, also easing Wagner into the big leagues.
Youkilis has said that he doesn’t like having to move between positions mid-season, and frankly at this point he has earned that right. He has stated he has no qualms about playing third, just both first AND third on a regular basis. Given consistent time he will likely be serviceable defensively at the position, and of course will not have the range of Beltre, though will not cost an arm and a leg either for likely diminished production.
This then begs the question of what to do with first, and the obvious answer is to give Victor time there to give him time off at catcher, though the time he is catching is an opportunity to give someone like Anderson a chance (assuming he would be ready, of course), though they could always sign someone on the market if so desired, or, if they are feeling particularly generous they can attempt to acquire Gonzalez again this winter, given that San Diego basically has to trade him, no matter what they do during the season.
Red Sox 2011 rosterSP — LesterSP — BeckettSP — BuchholzSP — LackeySP — Matsuzaka/Wakefield/Doubront/BowdenRP — Papelbon, Bard, Bowden, Delcarmen, Ramirez (and cast of characters, predicting a bullpen is like predicting New England weather)1b — Victor Martinez (4 year, 60M … will end up as a DH by year 2 or 3 if Anderson or Rizzo live up to any of the hype)2b — Pedroia ss — Scutaro (with Iglesias getting time)3b — Youkilislf — Carl Crawford (5/90) or Jason Werth (5/70 and play right field)cf — Ellsburyrf — Drew (with Kalish on deck)C — Kurt Suzuki (A’s get their pick of prospects that don’t include Kalish or Iglesias … don’t tell me Kelly, Expo and someone else can’t net Suzuki)dh — Hermida type or prospect flavor of the month (I think Theo is done with Ortiz (although only netting one pick is a bit disappointing it gets made up by getting two for Beltre))The money saved on Beltre, Ortiz, Lowell, Varitek, Wakefield? pays for the new guys.
Disagree about the catcher. I think they’ll go with Wagner and someone like Cash until Ibarra is ready. Can’t see them giving up anything NEAR Kelly and Expo for someone like Suzuki
And if he has any value at all I can see the Sox shopping around Daisuke, I think they are completely sick of him, and might just throw him on waivers and see if anything sticks.
Disagree about the catcher. I think they’ll go with Wagner and someone like Cash until Ibarra is ready. Can’t see them giving up anything NEAR Kelly and Expo for someone like Suzuki
And if he has any value at all I can see the Sox shopping around Daisuke, I think they are completely sick of him, and might just throw him on waivers and see if anything sticks.
This is the most ridiculous starting lineup prediction I’ve ever seen.
WHY would Theo ever give that much money to an aging catcher? It’s just not that practical. Martinez will probably get offer a 3 year/$32-$38 million contract and walk elsewhere that will absolutely blow his true value out of the water. I’m not saying V-Mart won’t take this but definitely don’t expect Theo to go bolder than that (i.e. Jason Bay). If he does walk, than I definitely see someone like Kurt Suzuki come into play. Not too mention, why take Youk away from the incredible defensive job he does at 1st base especially with Beltre doing so well?
If Ortiz keeps the solid season he is having, $12.5 isn’t a huge hit. He’s proven that he can still knock the ball out of the ball park and have a tremendous amount of patience at the plate minus his increasing number of Ks.
Also, to let go of Varitek given his new found dedication and role with the Sox would be insanity. He is the rock and glue of that clubhouse not to mention has such a tremendous understanding of how to run the pitching staff correctly.
The money saved on Beltre, Ortiz, Lowell, Varitek, Wakefield? pays for the new guys.”
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Yeah some good points about how they will have flexibility to do a number of things. It might start with Crawford and Werth, and then things will happen quickly.
If one or both want to come a number of dominoes will fall. Some players won’t get offered a deal (Mart,Beltre Ortiz), others will be traded or nontendered (Cameron,Els,Hermida).
The money saved on Beltre, Ortiz, Lowell, Varitek, Wakefield? pays for the new guys.”
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Yeah some good points about how they will have flexibility to do a number of things. It might start with Crawford and Werth, and then things will happen quickly.
If one or both want to come a number of dominoes will fall. Some players won’t get offered a deal (Mart,Beltre Ortiz), others will be traded or nontendered (Cameron,Els,Hermida).