Sox nearing deals with Penny/Bard

[patsfanofNC12]

The Sox are nearing deals with Brad Penny, and Josh Bard pending physicals, good pickups but hope this isn't our big splash for the offseason!

Sox near deals with Penny, Bard - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

 

[VJCPatriot]

Them is some impact free agents!! By golly! Who needs Tex?

 

[Double G]

Yeah, they might as well start printing up the WS tickets with those two stellar additions...............

 

[captain insano]

The Sox are nearing deals with Brad Penny, and Josh Bard pending physicals, good pickups but hope this isn't our big splash for the offseason!

Sox near deals with Penny, Bard - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

there arent going to make a big splash. they dont have to. the only thing the sox need is health.

 

[Wildo7]

there arent going to make a big splash. they dont have to. the only thing the sox need is health.

Bingo. Making huge moves just for the sake of it is silly, especially when the top FA don't really even make sense on the Sox.

Not a big fan of Penny though, I hear bad things about his work ethic and man did he blow last year.

 

[Real World]

Bingo. Making huge moves just for the sake of it is silly, especially when the top FA don't really even make sense on the Sox.

Not a big fan of Penny though, I hear bad things about his work ethic and man did he blow last year.

The Penny signing is hard to read for the Sox. I think it's a good signing, since all it cost was $5 million for a single year, with another $3 million in incentives. Penny has been described as having front end stuff when healthy, but like his former Marlins teammates Pavano, and Burnett (maybe even Beckett), his health has been an issue. Supposedly he was up to 97 mph in September, but was still getting bombed on the mound. Whenever I hear forearm pain I think Tommy John surgery. Who knows, the Sox will undoubtedly do a thorough medical on him.

The word on Penny is that he likes the nightlife. South Beach and LA will do that to you. My concerns with him would be his 5.16 ERA against AL teams (25 or so starts), and his career 4.65 road era. Florida and LA are pitchers parks, so his road ERA deserves a little scrutiny. Still, he's got a live arm when healthy, and is a low risk, high reward type signing. Penny has some good upside.

 

[Wildo7]

The Penny signing is hard to read for the Sox. I think it's a good signing, since all it cost was $5 million for a single year, with another $3 million in incentives. Penny has been described as having front end stuff when healthy, but like his former Marlins teammates Pavano, and Burnett (maybe even Beckett), his health has been an issue. Supposedly he was up to 97 mph in September, but was still getting bombed on the mound. Whenever I hear forearm pain I think Tommy John surgery. Who knows, the Sox will undoubtedly do a thorough medical on him.

The word on Penny is that he likes the nightlife. South Beach and LA will do that to you. My concerns with him would be his 5.16 ERA against AL teams (25 or so starts), and his career 4.65 road era. Florida and LA are pitchers parks, so his road ERA deserves a little scrutiny. Still, he's got a live arm when healthy, and is a low risk, high reward type signing. Penny has some good upside.

Theo likes the low risk/high upside pick every year too. I just don't think Penny will rebound especially if he doesn't have the work ethic to overcome injury.

 

[Real World]

Theo likes the low risk/high upside pick every year too. I just don't think Penny will rebound especially if he doesn't have the work ethic to overcome injury.

It will be interesting to see. Penny was a guy I wondered about for the Yankees. Like some have said, would you prefer 1/$5 million on a flyer for Penny, or 5/$86 million on a guy like Burnett? When you're set in the first 3 spots, with Wake in the #5, Penny makes a ton more sense.

 

[captain insano]

penny sounds a lot like aj burnett to me. except the sox didn't sign the guy for 5 years. the yankees will live to regret the Burnett signing.

 

[tjones7]

Im convinced that Theo has something up his sleeve. Word is that the Sox were pushing the Marlins for a deal for Hanley Ramirez. Talks are dead but it says something that they were asking... Bottom line is that the Sox acknowledge they need help in the middle of their lineup and it looks like they are exploring their options

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/12/29/heyman.verducci.hanley.red.sox/index.html

 

[Connecticut]

Im convinced that Theo has something up his sleeve. Word is that the Sox were pushing the Marlins for a deal for Hanley Ramirez. Talks are dead but it says something that they were asking... Bottom line is that the Sox acknowledge they need help in the middle of their lineup and it looks like they are exploring their options

Red Sox made play to Marlins for SS Ramirez - MLB - SI.com

I get the same feeling.

 

[Real World]

There is virtually zero chance that the Marlins will trade Hanley Ramirez. All teams listen to offers. Teams would be stupid not to. For the Marlins to consider trading Ramirez, a potential deal would likely start with Clay Bucholz & Lars Anderson. Again, it would start there. Ramirez would probably cost 4 top prospects. Ramirez is young, steals bases, hits for power, plays a premium position (his defense at SS is awful but it is improving, and he could move to CF), but most importantly, he's signed till 2014. He signed a 6 year, $70 million deal last season. The marlins aren't in any rush to trade him either, since the deal doesn't start paying big money until 2011. 5-tool talent, control, premium position, premium production, and cost certainty = massive compensation.

Would you trade Bucholz, Ellsbury, Anderson, and Masterson/Kalish for Hanley Ramirez? I truly believe that's the kind of crazy deal it would take at this point. The Redsox would not do that, even though they could probably afford to though.

 

[tjones7]

There is virtually zero chance that the Marlins will trade Hanley Ramirez. All teams listen to offers. Teams would be stupid not to. For the Marlins to consider trading Ramirez, a potential deal would likely start with Clay Bucholz & Lars Anderson. Again, it would start there. Ramirez would probably cost 4 top prospects. Ramirez is young, steals bases, hits for power, plays a premium position (his defense at SS is awful but it is improving, and he could move to CF), but most importantly, he's signed till 2014. He signed a 6 year, $70 million deal last season. The marlins aren't in any rush to trade him either, since the deal doesn't start paying big money until 2011. 5-tool talent, control, premium position, premium production, and cost certainty = massive compensation.

Would you trade Bucholz, Ellsbury, Anderson, and Masterson/Kalish for Hanley Ramirez? I truly believe that's the kind of crazy deal it would take at this point. The Redsox would not do that, even though they could probably afford to though.

I agree completly, the sox would be crazy to trade a .280 ++ defensive CF, a potential ace, the #1 1B prospect and a 23 yr old RHP with postseason experience. My post was less about hanley and more about the red sox and their apparent willingness to make a deal happen. Certainly at this point Ramirez is untouchable, hes right up there with Mauer and Pujols.

 

[Real World]

I agree completly, the sox would be crazy to trade a .280 ++ defensive CF, a potential ace, the #1 1B prospect and a 23 yr old RHP with postseason experience. My post was less about hanley and more about the red sox and their apparent willingness to make a deal happen. Certainly at this point Ramirez is untouchable, hes right up there with Mauer and Pujols.

I think the Sox are going to make a move too. Saltalamachia (sp?) is waiting if they're willing to give up Bucholz. That's a tough trade IMO, cuz I think Bucholz is the best of the bunch arms wise. Some people are down on him, but his ceiling is much higher than Masterson or Bowden. IMO anyway. However, catching is hard to find, and Salty has some serious upside, so the price sounds about right. Daniels, the Texas GM, is half a moron though, so maybe he takes less in the end.