Final year of a $13m contract...no doubt in my mind he'll be back. I actually like the idea of him playing in a contract year, he's already preparing himself for next season and is scheduled to go to The Athletes Performance Institute with Pedroia and Ellsbury next month.
I'm expecting similar to what we saw over the last 4 months of the season this year, just hopefully he does it for 6 months next year. If he does that...35 HR and 110 RBI aren't out of the question...
looking for opinions as well, i personally cant stand him and hope somebody better is in his place next year Got any names or do you just hope someone shows up at the gate on opening day?
Ortiz was back to his old self after a horrendous start. He'll be fine.
looking for opinions as well, i personally cant stand him and hope somebody better is in his place next year
One question...who? This is not the offseason to go shopping around looking for big bats...other than Bay, Holliday is your best option, and I'd wager anything he stays in the NL...
A trade for Adrian Gonzalez is a possibility...but that would just leave you with a DH platoon of Lowell and Ortiz...with lowell getting AB's when spelling Youk and A-Gonz...
Sox have a ton of money coming off the books next year...just $26m for Ortiz and Lowell alone..Year after, Drew is off the books...most of that money I'd imagine is already pegged for Beckett...
I'm not sure there will be a splash signing this offseason, unless of course it's reupping Bay...if they lose Bay, in this market you could soo them go cheap if they can't get a trade done..
I'm not sure there will be a splash signing this offseason, unless of course it's reupping Bay ...Which I hope they do. This free agent class isn't exactly going to be the CC / Tex shop-a-thon of last year. Not many big names.
Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder. Perhaps Adam Dunn (don't really want him), but David Ortiz is under contract and the Red Sox are not trading him so he will be back. He sucked the first few weeks of the season and then he bounced back nicely. Not to his "old self" but he did come back.
Bottom Line: Ortiz is here for 2010 and possibly beyond. He wasn't the problem last year anyway. Granted he did noot produce like he can but he wasn't the problem.
The problem IMO was inconsistant pitching. Looks like John Lackey is available and so is Cliff Lee (with a buyout and option) but we'll see. Should be a fun winter!
The problem IMO was inconsistant pitching. Looks like John Lackey is available and so is Cliff Lee (with a buyout and option) but we'll see. The Phillies have a $9m club option on Cliff Lee for 2010. There is more chance of hell freezing over, than there is of them letting Cliff hit the free-agent market. A lucrative long-term deal in Philly for Mr. Lee is almost certainly going to be on the table if he wants it.
With regards to David Ortiz, there is no question that he will be back in Boston. While his days of hitting .300 are almost certainly over, he can still be productive in a 2007-8 Jason Giambi kind of way, but none of the other 29 clubs are going to take a chance at $13m. After next season, the Red Sox will need to move on.
The problem IMO was inconsistant pitching. Looks like John Lackey is available and so is Cliff Lee (with a buyout and option) but we'll see. Should be a fun winter!
Last I read they might try and get Rich Harden
Rich Harden carries a lot of upside for a Type B free agent. His well-documented injury history will prevent any club from risking offering the right-hander a long-term contract, but a one or two-year deal (perhaps with the second year as a club option, that could become guaranteed if Harden reaches certain performance levels) in the high seven-figure range per season could prove to be a relative bargain. Harden might be amenable to such a deal since it would allow him to cash in on an even bigger contract after the 2011 season when he's just 29 years old.
Harden only pitched past the sixth inning in five of his 26 starts last season as the Cubs wanted to keep him as fresh as possible. The Canadian was skipped for two September starts and spent a month on the disabled list with a strained back, but given the major arm problems that have plagued his career, this actually counts as a fairly healthy showing for the right-hander. Harden recorded an impressive 10.9 K/9 last season, and posted a 2.07 ERA in 25 starts with Chicago and Oakland in 2008.
The Cubs aren't likely to try and re-sign Harden themselves, thus leaving the door open for suitors who are willing to take the risk --- and, probably more importantly, also have the financial resources to absorb the loss should Harden not pan out. The Red Sox fit this description to a tee, and unlike last winter's similar buy-low signings of Brad Penny or John Smoltz, Harden has experience pitching in the American League.
What teams do you think will make a play for Harden, and, if your favorite team was the one making the offer, what would be the sort of contract and dollar figure you'd be comfortable seeing Harden in the fold for?
he gets paid to hit and he did a lousy job of it the past few years, didn't really do much the past couple of postseasons to help the team
The last few years? More like last year, and the first 2 months of 2009...
He should have won the MVP in 2007...his best season overall at the plate. 2008, he hurt the3 wrist 23 HR's and drive in 89 in just 109 games played. I if he had his regular 150 games, that would be the equivalent of 32 HR's and 122 RBI...
He can't have a 2 month drought equivalent to April and May of 2009...it just can't happen again. He'll be playing for a contract, which IMO is always appealing..
He did enough in the postseason of 2004...complaing about his post season production is a joke....
