Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement will make it harder for teams to spend big on amateur talent, which leaves them looking for new ways to build a competitive advantage. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggests clubs should invest in scouting to ensure that the money they do spend impacts the Major League roster. Here's more from Morosi on the Boston Red Sox:
- Morosi says it's more likely than not that David Ortiz will return to Boston for another season. The Red Sox offered the free agent DH arbitration in a climate that no longer rewards one-dimensional sluggers as generously as it once did.
- Bobby Valentine remains the favorite to be named Boston's next manager, according to Morosi. Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont and Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo remain in the mix as well.
- The Red Sox continue pursuing C.J. Wilson, according to Morosi. Many other clubs, including the Yankees and Blue Jays also have some interest in the free agent left-hander.
Getting C.J. Wouldn’t be bad if we could get him a a reasonable price. The problem is I’m starting to doubt if thats a possiblity.
it clearly isn’t. oswalt won’t cost a draft pick. if you have to pay up for pitching, pay him or pay no one imo
Very true. Unless Oswalt is also seeking a 2-3 year deal for a large amount.
Even at three years I would probably still prefer Oswalt to any of the other free agent options.
Agreed, he’s surprisingly under-rated as a FA when compared to the massively overrated Wilson.
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he means for the sox to overpay for papi, thats all
I assume its just the Jays doing there typical due diligence. I don’t want them to sign CJ Wilson considering they’d have to spend more than the Yanks/Red Sox were willing to. He’s not the guy you want to win a bidding war with.
Does it really surprise you that Yankee fans want to comment on possible Red Sox transactions? I,m a Boston fan from Holland but also wanna know what the Yankees are doing….
I really like C.J. Wilson, but in the back of my mind I’m thinking John Lackey all over again. Also, I hope they resign Ortiz and figure out who their manager is going to be SOON.
Ortiz will get $15-16 million in arbitration if he accepts. Not bad cash.
Heyman said he could get up to $16M, but I think that’s unrealistic. I would predict closer to $13.5M, which I think Papi should take. A DH at his age shouldn’t be guaranteed a multi-year deal, but there are some dumb GMs out there. Think about it, the second Papi loses his bat-speed, his career is over.
He made 12.5M last season, you expect him to get a 1M raise after the season he had? I’m a Sox fan, but that is absolute wishful thinking.
Heyman said $16 million, and at least 5 other major sportswriters including 2 in Boston have said $15 million +.
Ortiz will get a minimum of $15 million in arbitration and would probably accept a 2 year deal for $28 million. That is what a .953 OPS with .550 slg earns you today.
He is still the top DH in baseball and a top ten batter after all.
CJ is having a great Thanksgiving now that the Yanks, Sox, and Jays are after him. They all have the money to overpay for him.
I doubt the Sox will go hard after him. They only have about $25M to spend this offseason to stay under the 2012 luxury tax. And they still need 2 SPs, a top reliever, and 1 hitter. I think it makes sense to keep Papi for 1 year, sign a decent reliever to a short-term deal, sign a decent SP and trade for a young, cheap SP.