the boston red sox wednesday, december 11, 2019 * the...
TRANSCRIPT
The Boston Red Sox Wednesday, December 11, 2019
* The Boston Globe
What Gerrit Cole’s record-setting deal with the Yankees means for the Red Sox
Peter Abraham
SAN DIEGO — The news broke just before midnight on Tuesday. Gerrit Cole to the Yankees for nine
years and $324 million.
At a time when the Red Sox are trying to trim their payroll, the Yankees giving Cole the largest contract
ever for a pitcher was a follow-up punch of bad news.
A rotation led by Cole, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and James Paxton stamps the Yankees as heavy
favorites to win the World Series.
As the news spread through the Winter Meetings, manager Aaron Boone walked through the lobby of the
Grand Hyatt with a smile.
About eight hours earlier, general manager Brian O’Halloran acknowledged the Red Sox could resort to
filling the fifth spot in their rotation by using an opener. He was not smiling.
This is what managing the luxury tax has wrought in baseball, teams shifting back and forth between being
bold or boring.
The Red Sox raised their payroll to a franchise record $239.5 million in 2018 with the addition of J.D.
Martinez. They won 108 games then blitzed through the postseason to a championship.
The Sox spent $46.6 million more than the Yankees that season and it showed on the field. The Sox won
the American League East by eight games then wiped the Yankees out in four games in the Division Series,
outscoring their rivals by 13 runs.
But the Yankees accomplished something by getting under the luxury tax threshold and resetting the
penalties. That allowed them to sign Zack Britton, D.J. LeMahieu, and Adam Ottavino before last season
and all three players proved instrumental in winning the division.
Now, much as the Sox did with Martinez, the Yankees have continued spending with the addition of Cole.
Martinez was the player who got the Red Sox over the top. The Yankees believe Cole will do the same for
them.
Meanwhile, the Sox are actively seeking to drop their payroll below $208 million to get under the tax
threshold and remove what are legitimate penalties.
As colleague Alex Speier pointed out on Tuesday, getting under the limit could lead to savings of $90-$100
million over a three-year period when revenue sharing is factored in. They also get relief in terms of
gaining or losing picks in the amateur draft and how much money they can spend on international
prospects.
That’s actual money, $100 million. Even high-revenue teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers can’t
ignore the high cost of staying over the limit for years at a time. The collective bargaining agreement
essentially has built-in brakes.
A team could certainly choose to ignore the penalties and avidly pursue a championship every year, cost be
damned. But nothing about a baseball season is ever so certain that cost isn’t a factor.
The 2011 Red Sox thought they had a perfect team right up until the worst September collapse in history.
Not even future Hall of Famer Theo Epstein was immune to the vagaries of baseball.
As Yankees GM Brian Cashman takes his turn at the trough, new Red Sox boss Chaim Bloom will
dutifully chip away at the mountain of cash Dave Dombrowski built.
The Yankees could actually prove helpful in that effort. By signing Cole, they added to the demand for
free-agent starting pitchers. Madison Bumgarner, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel will all benefit as the
Dodgers, Angels and Rangers look to fill holes in their rotations.
It should create an opportunity for the Red Sox to trade David Price, who has three years and $96 million
left on his deal. If teams are satisfied Price is healthy, he becomes a good pickup for a contender.
It feels unlikely the Red Sox will trade Chris Sale. His five-year, $145 million deal now looks like a
bargain compared to Cole. Sale is only 17 months older than Cole and has a lower ERA over the last four
seasons.
If Sale can stay healthy — and that’s hardly a guarantee given the last two seasons — he could be a cost-
effective cornerstone of another championship team in a few years.
The more Bloom cuts, the more the Sox also improve their ability to make Mookie Betts an offer he can’t
turn down.
The Yankees watched the Red Sox celebrate on the field at Yankee Stadium when they won the Division
Series in 2018. But dropping $32.4 million over two seasons to get under the tax limit led to Cole.
What is essentially a requirement to manage payroll helps explain why six different teams have won the
World Series the last six seasons and nine different teams have won pennants. Dynasties are being
regulated out of existence.
Maybe the next collective bargaining agreement will allow ambitious clubs to spend more freely. But for
now, these are the rules.
It was a bad night for Red Sox fans on Tuesday. But, in time, the math will work in their favor. It’s up to
Bloom to find that sweet spot the Yankees reveled in on Tuesday.
Xander Bogaerts wary of possible Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. trades
Julian McWilliams
SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts has seen the trade reports swirl around his teammates, Mookie Betts and
Jackie Bradley Jr. It concerns him that they might not share the field next season, but he’s also trying to
keep everything in perspective.
“It’s really getting to a point now where you have to make some decisions — some tough decisions,” said
Bogaerts, who was on hand to receive his first-team All-MLB award at shortstop.
“If it was for me, I would try to keep everyone. I’m anxious to see what happens. There’s been a lot of talk
and a lot of uncertainty.”
Bogaerts called Bradley and Betts his brothers, but understands there’s a business side to this, too. Bogaerts
signed a six-year, $120 million extension at the start of last season, which now looks like a steal for the Sox
after his breakout 2019.
At the time, the team had the mind-set of repeating as champions, not shopping some of their better talent.
Now, however, it’s a much different scenario with an uncertain future.
“We have a lot of pieces to keep contending for a while,” Bogaerts said. “But it’s a matter of which way the
organization feels is better.”
The All-MLB teams were chosen half by a fan vote, and half by a vote of media, broadcasters, former
players, and baseball officials. Joining Bogaerts on the first team were infielders J.T. Realmuto (Phillies),
Pete Alonso (Mets), DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), and Anthony Rendon (Nationals); outfielders Mike Trout
(Angels), Cody Bellinger (Dodgers), and Christian Yelich (Brewers); DH Nelson Cruz (Twins); starters
Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander (Astros), Jacob deGrom (Mets), Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg
(Nationals); and relievers Kirby Yates (Padres) and Josh Hader (Brewers). Betts made the second team.
Everybody talks
Trade talks are inevitable for Bradley, his agent, Scott Boras, said.
“Any player that’s really really good, is a Gold Glove-type guy — particularly in the center field category,
which the industry starves for — and you’re a year away from free agency,” Boras said, “you listen and
people call.”
The Globe reported Monday that the Sox are actively trying to trade Bradley, who is projected by MLB
Trade Rumors to make $11 million in his final year of arbitration. One of the trade scenarios involved the
Mets, but they acquired Jake Marisnick from the Astros.
“To say whether a club has intent, I don’t know,” said Boras. “All I know is that when players are good,
people talk about it.”
No timetable
Brian O’Halloran didn’t have a recovery timeline for Dustin Pedroia, who underwent a fifth knee surgery in
August. He expressed caution when speaking about the second baseman.
“There are no updates,” the Red Sox GM said. “We’re glad to hear that Pedey is continuing to feel better.
We know that if anyone can come back from this, it’s him.”
O’Halloran said Pedroia isn’t doing any baseball activity, to his knowledge. When asked if he was running,
O’Halloran didn’t have specifics, but noted that Pedroia wasn’t sprinting.
“He’s doing a progression activity,” O’Halloran said.
Going shopping
After trading backup catcher Sandy Leon, the Sox will survey the market to find their complement to
Christian Vazquez.
“We’re evaluating the catching market,” O’Halloran said. “We had an opportunity to trade Sandy in a deal
that made sense for us. Certainly, there was a financial piece to that calculation. There’s a fairly robust
catching market for the non-starting catcher variety that we’re evaluating now.”
Leon made close to $2.5 million last season. Finding a catcher beneath that number might prove tough to
do.
“We’re looking to add to the catching depth,” O’Halloran said. “Whether it’s someone who comes in more
established as the clear second catcher, or if there’s some sort of competition. It depends on what the
market yields.”
Open door
The Red Sox flirted a bit with an opener last season as the starting staff took a hit down the stretch. That, of
course, wasn’t the plan, and they never really embraced the tactic. Nonetheless, the Sox have just four
starters for now, with the fifth spot a potential place for an opener.
“We’re definitely open-minded to that,” O’Halloran said. “Certainly, we have talked about different ways
to handle that. I think, the main goal is to improve our depth [on the pitching side] to add to that mix so
Alex [Cora] will have a number of different ways to go about it. Whatever is going to put our pitchers and
team in the best position to succeed, we’ll certainly a look at it now.”
With roster, Red Sox don’t have a to-do list — more like what-if
Alex Speier
SAN DIEGO — The Red Sox’ road to a 2020 team comes with a disclaimer: “Some assembly required.”
Last winter, they had all but concluded the shaping of their roster by the time they arrived to the Winter
Meetings, re-signing Nate Eovaldi and Steve Pearce, and trading for Colten Brewer.
This year, with a far more complicated set of instructions, that breakneck pace of team-building seems like
an approach from a distant past. The Red Sox are in a strangely fluid state that offers little more than
guesswork about what course they might chart.
Save perhaps for Rafael Devers — who combines the trifecta of being very young, very cheap, and very
good — it wouldn’t be a shock to see anyone on the roster traded.
Right now, there is no need for an outfielder, but there would be if the Sox trade Mookie Betts or Jackie
Bradley Jr. or Andrew Benintendi. Right now, they have four starters under team control, but with the
possibility that another vacancy could open if they deal David Price or Chris Sale or Eovaldi.
Might they trade a young player or prospect — say, Benintendi or Michael Chavis or Bobby Dalbec — to
entice a team to give back more talent or absorb more money on one of their pitchers’ deals? And if so,
could the Red Sox end up having to find both a first baseman and a second baseman?
How much money will the Sox have to address potential needs? That, too, is in flux, since the team’s
financial flexibility is likely dependent upon trading at least one player, and more likely multiple players, to
clear payroll. Are the Red Sox confident that they’ll move one or more of their more expensive players?
“Hard to handicap right now,” said chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. “I wouldn’t want to venture a
guess.”
Even with that hesitancy, Bloom said the organization still hopes to shed enough salary to get under the
$208 million luxury tax threshold, which he believes is “certainly a realistic goal, though obviously we’re
not there right now and there’s a lot of potential paths you could line up to get us there.”
Yet those paths are not direct lines from A to B, nor are they as simple as identifying one or two missing
pieces of a puzzle. Instead, they’ll need to be created by an entire set of gears of varying sizes that need to
interlock. Each transaction seemingly necessitates the choice of an entirely different set of corresponding
gears to create the right fit.
“I think when you’re building a 26-man roster, I don’t think anything truly exists in a vacuum,” said
Bloom. “Some things that we might discuss or contemplate are more free-standing, so to speak, than some
other moves or sequences.”
The number of possibilities is potentially dizzying, particularly given the interconnected nature of what the
team is trying to do. Even a player who would appear to be a natural fit for what the Red Sox are trying to
do — free agent infielder Travis Shaw, for instance, who is on the open market after being non-tendered by
the Brewers last week — likely can’t be signed until the team first makes moves to clear payroll and create
an available budget.
It’s a complicated dance. Those around the Sox continually speak of the efforts to be creative and remain
open-minded, while thinking comprehensively about the entire 40-man roster. That broad focus suggests
that virtually no one is off-limits.
The Red Sox — unsurprisingly, given the background of Bloom in Tampa Bay — are open for business.
The 2019 Rays had 13 position players with at least 200 plate appearances. Ten of those were acquired via
trade. The team’s pitching staff was far more homegrown, though several of its key members were likewise
acquired via trade.
Trades were the central mechanism of the Rays’ team-building-on-a-budget model, and they’ll again have
to anchor the Red Sox’ entwined efforts to build a competitive team in 2020 while also forging one that is
financially leaner.
“I think trades sometimes provide just more possibilities, because there are obviously 29 other clubs,” said
Bloom. “People see the world differently. Everybody sees players a little differently.
“On top of that, the differences in what teams are trying to accomplish, you try to turn that into something
that can help your club, so it does give you the opportunity to advance your goals much more dramatically
just because of how people are seeing the world differently.”
As an organization, the Red Sox certainly seem to see the world differently than they did in the last few
offseasons, a fact that has created a different kind of blueprint and pace for what is taking place.
A team whose winter work was all but done by this point in three of the last four years is now instead still
trying to carefully line up dominoes, before toppling the one that sets all others in motion.
Trading Mookie Betts doesn’t seem to be high priority for Red Sox
Alex Speier
SAN DIEGO — Trading Mookie Betts doesn’t appear to be at the top of the Red Sox’ wish list.
According to an executive of a club that has harbored longstanding interest in acquiring Betts, the Red Sox
hadn’t given any indication of Betts’ availability to that team as of Monday night. Instead, the Sox have
shown greater willingness to explore the market for other players on their roster, including starting pitchers.
That said, as the market surges for top-end players such as Stephen Strasburg (seven years, $245 million)
and Gerrit Cole (nine years, $324 million), Betts is viewed as likely to command a record-setting bonanza
in the likely event that he reaches the open market.
Even as Betts has shown every sign of exploring that market, however, his potential contributions in 2020
continue to be valued highly by the Sox. Given his potential impact, the Sox seem to prefer to see if another
player or players can be moved as opposed to prioritizing a trade of the 2018 A.L. MVP.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Monday that he “wouldn’t handicap” the likelihood of
the Red Sox trading one of their more expensive roster members, but that he did view shedding enough
payroll to get under the 2020 luxury tax threshold of $208 million a “realistic goal.”
Late Globe writer Nick Cafardo wins baseball’s J.G. Taylor Spink Award
Peter Abraham
SAN DIEGO — The late Nick Cafardo treasured the relationships he built during the nearly four decades
he covered baseball, particularly with his fellow writers.
Cafardo was a friend and confidant to so many of them, rising above the daily tumult of the business to
offer praise or encouragement when he thought it was needed.
On Tuesday, many of those same journalists paid Cafardo their ultimate tribute when he was named the
winner of the 71st J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Cafardo joined former Globe colleagues Dan Shaughnessy (2016), Larry Whiteside (2008), and Peter
Gammons (2004) as winners of the award, which is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers’
Association of America.
The Globe’s Harold Kaese (1976) and Tim Murnane (1978) were previous winners.
Nick’s son Ben Cafardo, who works in public relations for ESPN, was present when the announcement was
made at the Winter Meetings and received a standing ovation.
“Our family is bursting with gratitude and pride,” he said. “My dad loved the game, he loved writing about
the game, and most of all, he loved the camaraderie of the baseball writing community.
“He respected his peers immensely, so he would view this recognition from them as the ultimate honor.”
Cafardo received 243 of the 427 votes cast. Jim Reeves, a longtime columnist with the Fort Worth Star-
Telegram, received 108 votes and Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune had 76.
Cafardo died unexpectedly on Feb. 21 of this year while covering the Red Sox during spring training in
Fort Myers, Fla. He was 62 and in his 30th year with the Globe.
“Nick’s love of baseball was certainly on display in his final days,” Shaughnessy said. “During the seven-
hour, 18-inning Game 3 of the [2018] World Series in Los Angeles, as the clock struck midnight and many
were complaining about another inning, Nick turned to us before the top of the 18th and said, ‘Isn’t this
great?’
“The game ended at 3:30 a.m. Boston time, and if you went to Oak Square in Brighton the next morning at
7 a.m., you could buy a Globe with Nick’s account of the game. A total professional and lover of baseball,
to the end.”
Cafardo covered baseball for the majority of his career, switching over to the Patriots beat for a time before
going back to the Sox and familiar terrain.
His preferred surroundings were a ballpark where he could work players, coaches, scouts, and even an
occasional vendor or clubhouse attendant for nuggets of information he turned into nationally read stories.
“Nick was the Globe’s go-to guy whenever we needed commentary or analysis for any story that came up
with the Red Sox or in Major League Baseball,” Globe sports editor Matt Pepin said. “He almost always
responded to requests with, ‘Yeah I can do that’ or ‘Coming right up.’
“There was no one you’d rather work with on trade deadline day. But he was just as committed to the day-
to-day narrative of baseball. The Globe and its readers were so lucky to have him.”
Cafardo was supposed to take a day off on Feb. 21 but was at JetBlue Park because he wanted to ask Red
Sox manager Alex Cora a few questions about a story he was working on.
That was typical.
“Nick’s dedication to his job was unsurpassed,” former Globe sports editor Joe Sullivan said. “He rarely
took time off, and when he did, most of the time, it was because we forced him to do it.
“He had a great network of sources. I often pictured veteran, grizzled scouts speaking to him in whispered
tones. Those connections, plus his great knowledge and understanding of baseball, produced high-quality
stories for the readers of the Globe.”
* The Boston Herald
Red Sox’ Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts selected to inaugural All-MLB team
Steve Hewitt
SAN DIEGO — Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts and right fielder Mookie Betts were each named to
the inaugural All-MLB team announced Tuesday at the Winter Meetings.
Bogaerts was recognized as the game’s top shortstop by being selected to the first team. Betts was put on
the second team. The teams were voted on by fans, media members, broadcasters and others throughout
baseball to commemorate the best performers throughout the entire 2019 season.
Bogaerts was one of six players who were present to accept their award at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, and
expressed some bewilderment in being named to the first team.
“I was surprised, obviously,” Bogaerts said. “There’s so many great shortstops, especially right now, in the
league since I came up, there’s been a big change in that every team seems like they have the top players at
shortstop. It was a hard competition. It could have gone for anyone. Everyone was deserving of it. I’m
happy it was me and I’m very blessed to have gotten the call.”
Bogaerts was named an All-Star this season — albeit as a replacement — on his way to a breakout 2019.
He became the second shortstop in major league history to produce at least 30 homers and 50 doubles in the
same season, joining Alex Rodriguez. The 27-year-old finished fifth in American League MVP voting. A’s
shortstop Marcus Semien, who was third in MVP voting, was selected to the All-MLB second team.
After trading Sandy Leon, Red Sox begin search in ‘fairly robust’ market for backup catcher
Steve Hewitt
SAN DIEGO — With Sandy Leon gone and Christian Vazquez the only remaining catcher on the roster,
the Red Sox have an obvious need for a backup at the position — and they have plenty of options available.
The Red Sox are actively searching for a replacement to Leon, who they traded to the Indians in an
exchange for a prospect last week before the non-tender deadline. General manager Brian O’Halloran
indicated Tuesday that they view Vazquez, who had a breakout 2019 season, as the starter going into next
season, but they’re open to any possibilities.
“There’s a fairly robust catching market, the non-starting catcher variety that we’re evaluating now,”
O’Halloran said. “We’re not going into it thinking specifically we need X or Y, we need more offense or
defense. Ideally you want a well-rounded catcher but we see Christian as the guy to take the lion’s share of
the playing time. It’ll more likely be a complementary piece to Christian.
There was certainly a financial piece to cutting Leon loose, which O’Halloran acknowledged. Leon made
$2.5 million last season and was projected to earn a raise of $2.8 million in arbitration that the cost-cutting
Red Sox weren’t willing to pay.
O’Halloran said the Red Sox don’t have any internal options at the position who are ready to make the
jump to the big leagues, so they’ll very likely add via free agency. Free agents who are still available
include Martin Maldonado, John Ryan Murphy and Austin Romine.
“We’re looking to add to the catching depth,” O’Halloran said. “Whether that’s someone that sort of comes
in, a more established player that comes in as the clear second catcher or if there’s some kind type of
competition depending on what the market yields and what value we find out there.”
Opener?
The Red Sox are still in the market for a No. 5 starter, but could they use an opener for that spot? They’re
not ruling it out.
New chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, of course, comes from a Rays organization that caught the
baseball world by storm in 2018 with the introduction of an opener. It’s an option the Sox seem to be
considering.
“We’re definitely open-minded to that,” O’Halloran said. “Certainly we have talked about different ways to
handle that. I think the main goal is to, on the pitching side, is to simply improve our depth and add to that
mix so that Alex (Cora) will have a number of different ways to go about it, but we have to be open-
minded.
“Whatever is going to put our pitchers and our team in the best position to succeed, we’ll certainly take a
look at it. When you have veteran, established, successful starting pitchers, that’s something that you’re
much less likely to look at, but certainly for the spot you’re talking about, could be a consideration.”
It could just be a backup plan if they can’t find a fifth starter. The Herald reported over the weekend that
the Red Sox have interest in bringing back Rick Porcello, who is likely to receive a significant pay cut after
his lousy 2019 season.
The Red Sox have some young pitchers on their roster that may not be ready to be full-time starters but
could theoretically develop as openers.
“I think that’s an interesting model to look at,” O’Halloran said. “Again, we have to look at all avenues and
some pitchers, certainly putting younger pitchers and pitchers that are just establishing themselves in the
big leagues in the best position to succeed is a good way to go about it and get their feet wet. There may be
cases where we try to do that and certainly we try to take a look at that.”
Cafardo honored
Late Boston Globe reporter Nick Cafardo was elected the winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award on
Tuesday morning by the BBWAA. The award is presented annually to a sportswriter “for meritorious
contributions to baseball writing.”
Cafardo, who tragically died during Red Sox spring training last year at the age of 62, will be honored
during the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s induction weekend next year.
Pedroia continues recovery
Dustin Pedroia (knee) is still rehabbing at home in Arizona as he attempts to make a comeback in 2020.
O’Halloran said he’s not at a point where he’s sprinting, but he’s on a progression of workout activity.
Beyond that, he didn’t have an update on the second baseman’s status.
“I think the way we’re looking is we’re glad to hear that Pedey is continuing to feel better and we know
he’s working hard,” O’Halloran said. “We know that if anybody can come back from something like this,
it’s him. We’re respecting that and hoping for the best, but just have to see how it progresses.” …
David Price is continuing to recover well from wrist surgery and is on track to be ready for spring training,
O’Halloran said.
“He’s where he usually is at this time of the offseason,” O’Halloran said. “He typically starts his throwing
program in early to mid-December and that’s the same this year.”
Xander Bogaerts anxious about big decisions facing Red Sox: ‘It’s hard’
Steve Hewitt
SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts has had a little more time to himself this offseason, and he has at least
used some of it in the same way that Red Sox fans have: Ponder about the uncertainty facing the future of
the team.
The Red Sox shortstop is also following the rumor mill and he’s not unlike many in Boston who are getting
anxious about what the team might look like in 2020.
It’s obviously a little more personal to Bogaerts. As the Red Sox continued to monitor the market, again not
making any moves on Day 2 of the Winter Meetings, that anxiety only built.
“Obviously you would want the whole team to be back, but it’s really getting to a point now where you
have to make decisions, some tough decisions,” said Bogaerts, who was here Tuesday to be recognized on
the inaugural All-MLB team. “I’m happy I’m not the one that has to make them. If it was up to me, I’d try
to keep everyone. They have good guys in position for that now. As I said, I’m also anxious to see what’s
going to happen because there’s been a lot of talk and a lot of uncertainty.”
It’s no secret that the Red Sox are attempting to shed payroll after publicly setting a goal of getting under
the $208 million competitive balance tax in 2020. That means big changes are afoot and the team could
look significantly different.
David Price, who has three years and $96 million left on his contract, is reportedly being targeted by
multiple teams via trade.
But some of Bogaerts’ closer friends might be out the door, and that’s not lost on the shortstop. He’s seen
the rumors revolving around Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. — both of whom he’s been teammates
with for a long time but are slated to hit free agency next winter — and he’s mentally preparing himself for
the possibility that they could be gone.
“I think it’s disappointing maybe, but you can’t play together for 20, 25 years,” Bogaerts said. “I mean, it’s
just going to be sad moment if anyone leaves or stuff like that, but they have their own lives, they should
know what choices are good for them in the future. Obviously the relationships you build with these guys,
especially guys like Jackie and Mookie, those are the main guys there’s a lot of talk around, and those are
guys I came up knowing a lot about.
“Those are all guys you feel like they’re your brothers. You just hope that they’re with you forever, but it’s
hard.”
The decision on Betts might be the hardest, and it’s even made Bogaerts think about what could possibly be
their last moment on a field together as teammates, when Betts scored the game-winning run against the
Orioles in the season finale.
“I think I was in that picture when he got the last run of the year last year, so that will be a nice picture if
he’s gone,” Bogaerts said. “Obviously he’s been a huge part of our organization and coming up through the
system, and playing so many years with him, and the type of player that he is on and off the field. He’s so
good on the field, but he’s just even better off the field.
“I know we’re pretty much the same age, but I still feel like I’m his older brother by a little bit. He’s one of
the best players in the game. It would be sad to see him leave. Hopefully they can find a way to work things
out, but Mookie’s a grown man now, and he knows what decisions are in his best interests.”
After signing a team-friendly six-year extension to remain with the Red Sox last year, Bogaerts can rest
comfortably about his own future with the club and his continued rise as one of the best shortstops in the
game. He was recognized as the top player at his position by being named to the first team of the All-MLB
team, which surprised him. Oakland’s Marcus Semien, who finished ahead of him in American League
MVP voting, was selected to the second team.
But there is no debating that Bogaerts is a cornerstone of the franchise going into 2020, no matter what
happens this offseason. And whether or not some of his current teammates remain, he remains confident
that the Red Sox will be contenders.
“I think we have a lot of pieces obviously to keep contending for a while, but it’s just a matter of which
way the organization feels is better,” Bogaerts said. “Keeping certain guys, trading certain guys, but we
have a lot of guys that are capable of doing that and a lot of young guys who have some good years last
year, so you just have to hope that continues and they continue to get better.”
* MassLive.com
Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts named to inaugural ‘All-MLB’ teams
Chris Cotillo
SAN DIEGO -- Two members of the Red Sox -- shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielder Mookie Betts --
were named to the inaugural “All-MLB” teams Tuesday.
Bogaerts received first-team honors at shortstop and Betts was a second-team outfielder. The “All-MLB”
teams were selected by a combination of fan voting and input from a panel of media members,
broadcasters, former players and other officials.
Bogaerts was an All-Star for the second time in his career in 2019 and finished with a .309/.384/.555 line
and 33 home runs in 155 games. He finished fifth in the voting for American League MVP.
“The award is nice because it’s for the whole season,” said Bogaerts, who received his honor in person as
the Winter Meetings continued in downtown San Diego. “It’s not for just half the season before the All-
Star break. I think being rewarded for the good job you have done throughout the year is much more
satisfying.”
Betts, the 2018 American League MVP, was an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year. He finished eighth
in the MVP voting after posting a .295/.391/.524 line and received both a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove
awards for his efforts.
Major League Baseball introduced the All-MLB team for the first time this year to “highlight the
accomplishments of great players throughout the entirety of the regular season.” The award appears to be
the league’s equivalent to football’s “All-Pro” teams and basketball’s “All-NBA” teams.
“There were so many great players that were nominated and won the awards,” Bogaerts said. “First-team or
second-team, it’s pretty much the same because all the players are at the same level. Happy to be a part of
it. I know it’s the first one and hopefully the first of many.”
All-MLB Teams:
First Team:
C: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
1B: Pete Alonso, Mets
2B: D.J. LeMahieu, Yankees
SS: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
3B: Anthony Rendon, Nationals (free agent)
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
OF: Christian Yelich, Brewers
SP: Gerrit Cole, Astros (free agent)
SP: Justin Verlander, Astros
SP: Jacob deGrom, Mets
SP: Max Scherzer, Nationals
SP: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
RP: Kirby Yates, Padres
RP: Josh Hader, Brewers
Second Team:
C: Yasmani Grandal, White Sox (was with Brewers in 2019)
1B: Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B: Jose Altuve, Astros
SS: Marcus Semien, Athletics
3B: Alex Bregman, Astros
OF: Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves
OF: Juan Soto, Braves
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
SP: Zack Greinke, Astros
SP: Hyun-jin Ryu, Dodgers (free agent)
SP: Jack Flaherty, Cardinals
SP: Charlie Morton, Rays
SP: Mike Soroka, Braves
RP: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees
RP: Liam Hendriks, Athletics
David Price trade rumors: Boston Red Sox haven’t made progress in talks to deal lefty; Padres,
Cardinals among potential fits (reports)
Chris Cotillo
SAN DIEGO -- The Red Sox have not made progress in their attempts to trade left-hander David Price,
according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal names the Padres as a potential suitor, noting that
Boston has had talks with San Diego in recent days.
Price, who is on the block because Boston is trying to shed payroll to get under the $208 million
competitive balance tax threshold, is reportedly drawing interest from multiple clubs. The 34-year-old is
owed $96 million over the next three seasons, so Boston might have to attach a good young player or pay
down some of his salary in a trade.
According to Rosenthal, the Padres are looking to offload Wil Myers in a trade, so a potential swap of bad
contracts could work for the Red Sox, who are looking for help at first base this winter. Myers, who played
for the Rays under new Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom in 2013 and 2014, is entering the
fourth season of the six-year, $83 million extension he signed with the Padres in Jan. 2017. While he is
owed $68.5 million for the rest of the contract, Myers would count for just $13.83 million (the average
annual value of his deal) per year against the CBT threshold, saving the Sox more than $17 million against
the threshold in 2020.
MLB.com’s Jon Morosi identified the Cardinals as a potential Price suitor earlier in the day, noting that St.
Louis heavily pursued the lefty before he signed a seven-year, $217 million deal with the Red Sox after the
2015 season. The Angels, who recently hired Price’s old manager in Joe Maddon, could pivot to Price after
losing out on their top target, Gerrit Cole.
The Dodgers, Mets, Rangers and Twins are among the other clubs who might be able to take on significant
salary in a deal involving Price.
Boston Red Sox notebook: Opener possible in 2020 instead of regular fifth starter, still no timetable
for Noah Song decision
Chris Cotillo
SAN DIEGO -- The Red Sox remain in active discussions on a variety of topics but nothing was considered
imminent as of this afternoon, general manager Brian O’Halloran said during his daily briefing with the
media. On a slow day for baseball, Boston remained quiet for a second straight day at the Manchester
Grand Hyatt hotel.
Still, some notable items came out of O’Halloran’s briefing with the media. Here they are:
“Opener” possible in 2020
The Red Sox currently have four veteran starters on their roster -- Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi
and Eduardo Rodriguez. The fifth spot, which was occupied by Rick Porcello last year, may not be filled
with a traditional starting pitcher.
O’Halloran said the Sox could use an “opener” -- a reliever who starts for a short stint before giving way to
a long man for the bulk of the game -- in their empty spot.
“We’re definitely open-minded to that,” he said. “Certainly, we have talked about different ways to handle
that. The main goal on the pitching side is simply to improve our depth and add to that mix so Alex will
have a number of different ways to go about it. We have to be open-minded to whatever is going to put our
pitchers and our team in the best position to succeed, we’ll have to take a look at it. When you have
veteran, established, successful starting pitchers, that’s something you’re much less likely to look at.
Certainly, for the spot you’re talking about, that could be a consideration."
The Red Sox experimented with the “opener” for the first time late in the season, using relievers Josh
Taylor, Travis Lakins and Bobby Poyner to start games when both Sale and Price were sidelined with arm
injuries. The Rays -- with now-Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom at the top of their front office --
introduced the “opener” to baseball and frequently used the model over the past few seasons.
Bullpen structure still TBD
O’Halloran said the Red Sox haven’t committed to a bullpen structure for 2020, noting that it’s too early in
the winter to know exactly who will be in the mix.
“I think it’s too early to say for sure,” he said. “We like the guys we have coming back and we know that a
number of them can pitch in different roles or in not having a defined role. I think once we get toward
spring training and have our roster and bullpen mix identified, or at least potentially what it could look
like.”
Boston entered 2019 with a fluid bullpen mix, refusing to name a closer and instead using pitchers like
Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier in high-leverage situations. That plan didn’t work as expected, leading
manager Alex Cora to switch to a more structured role in the second half with Brandon Workman as the set
closer and Barnes, Taylor, Darwinzon Hernandez and Marcus Walden serving important roles.
While Workman certainly appears to be the likely closer moving forward, the Sox have not publicly
declared as much. It’s also possible Boston makes an addition or two to the group.
“I think we were happy with how some of the guys had really good seasons,” O’Halloran said. “Some
emerged late. I think the bullpen is… it’s well-documented that reliever performance can be volatile just by
the nature of things. It’s something we have to always look to supplement and improve. I think we like the
mix of guys we have but we will always look to add and improve as we can.”
No news on Song
O’Halloran had no update on pitching prospect Noah Song, who requested a waiver to delay his Navy
service so that he could pursue a professional baseball career immediately. There is no timetable on when
Boston could learn of the government’s decision regarding Song, who was due to report to flight school last
month.
Song, who was a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, posted a 1.06 ERA in seven starts at Lowell this
year. He pitched 5 ⅓ scoreless innings for Team USA in last month’s Premier 12 tournament as well.
“Very impressed,” O’Halloran said. “And really going back to coming out of the draft, how he did for us
over the summer as well. He’s very impressive. We’ll see where it all goes with his obligation. We’re
looking forward to hopefully having him on the field when we have him on the field. We’re looking
forward to seeing him progress as a pitcher.”
Other notes
O’Halloran didn’t have much of an update on second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who is still planning on
attempting another comeback in 2020... The Red Sox are operating under the assumption that the three-
batter rule will be implemented though it has not yet been formalized... O’Halloran said one of the team’s
top five executives -- chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, O’Halloran and the three assistant GMs (Raquel
Ferreira, Eddie Romero and Zack Scott) would travel on each road trip next season. Dave Dombrowski
traveled to almost every road series during his tenure... O’Halloran said there are two main differences in
his Winter Meetings experience in the GM chair: media obligations and higher-level conversations with
other top executives around the league.
Boston Red Sox searching ‘robust’ catcher free agent market after Sandy Leon trade that involved
‘financial piece’
Christopher Smith
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Red Sox, who traded Sandy Leon to the Indians earlier this month, are
searching for a catcher to back up Christian Vazquez.
“We’re evaluating the catching market,” GM Brian O’Halloran said here at the Winter Meetings on
Tuesday. “We had an opportunity to trade Sandy in a deal that we thought made sense for us. Certainly
there was a financial piece to that calculation and also the prospect that we were receiving in return.
There’s a fairly robust catching market for I’d say the non-starting catcher variety that we’re evaluating
now."
The financial piece? Leon is projected to earn $2.8 million in salary arbitration for 2020 after he earned
$2.475 million in 2019. The Red Sox are trying to slash payroll below the $208 million Competitive
Balance Tax threshold.
Leon batted only .199 with a .259 on-base percentage in 239 games (780 plate appearances) the past three
seasons. Boston’s front office needed to determine if Leon was worth $2.8 million in a year when the goal
is to cut payroll.
The free agent catching market includes Robinson Chirinos, Josh Phegley, Kevan Smith, Jason Castro,
Austin Romine, Martin Maldonado, Caleb Joseph, Francisco Cervelli, Martin Maldonado, Russell Martin,
Josh Ryan Murphy, Matt Wieters, Welington Castillo, Elias Diaz and Luke Maile.
“We’re not going into it thinking specifically we need X or Y; we need more offense or more defense,”
O’Halloran said. “Ideally you want a well-rounded catcher. But we see Christian as the guy to take the
Lion’s share of the playing time. So it more likely will be a complementary piece to Christian.”
The Red Sox have no true internal candidates.
“I wouldn’t say we have anyone right now that we would pencil in in that role,” O’Halloran said. “We’re
looking to add to the catching depth whether it’s the more established player that comes in as the clear
second catcher or if there’s some type of competition (during spring training) depending on what the
market yields and the value we can find out there.”
Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts anxious about Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. trade rumors:
‘Those are all guys that feel like your brothers’
Chris Cotillo
SAN DIEGO -- Even Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is anxious about the potential changes to the
team’s roster that could happen this winter.
Bogaerts, who stopped by the Winter Meetings to receive his first-team “All-MLB” honors Tuesday, said
he has been keeping up with the latest Sox-related rumors this winter. But even he isn’t sure if the team will
make major changes like trading Jackie Bradley Jr. or Mookie Betts before Opening Day.
“I know there’s a lot of stories and a lot of stuff being said about the team and what moves we should or
shouldn’t do,” Bogaerts said. “I can’t keep up with them all. We’ll see what happens. When spring training
comes around, we’ll have a better idea of where we’re at as a team. As of now, I’m also waiting.”
The Red Sox are expected to seriously consider trading players off their major league roster as they try to
accomplish their goal of dipping under the $208 million competitive balance tax threshold in 2020. Those
payroll cuts could lead to Bradley Jr. and/or Betts -- both free agents after the season -- being dealt.
Bogaerts came up through the minors with both outfielders and considers them both close friends. He hopes
there’s a way the Sox can keep their core together.
“You can’t play together for 20-25 years. It’s just going to be a sad moment if anyone leaves,” Bogaerts
said. “They have their own lives, they know what choices are good for them in the future. Obviously the
relationships you build with these guys, especially guys like Jackie and Mookie — those are the main guys
there’s a lot of talk around — those are guys I came up knowing a lot about. Those are all guys who you
feel like they’re your brothers. You just hope they’re with you forever but you know it’s hard.”
Bogaerts is just five days older than Betts but reached the majors before him and said considers the
outfielder to be like a “little brother.” The speculation surrounding Betts’ future has Bogaerts wondering if
the last moment the pair shared on the field -- when Betts dove to score the game-winning run in the season
finale against the Orioles -- will be the last moment they’ll spend as teammates.
“I think I was in the picture when he got the last run of the year,” Bogaerts said. "That would be a nice
picture if he’s gone. Obviously, he has been a huge piece of our organization. Coming up through the
system and playing so many years with him… the kind of player he is on and off the field. He’s so good on
the field but he’s even better off (it).
“He’s one of the best players in the game. It would be sad to see him leave. Hopefully, they can find a way
to work things out. Mookie’s a grown man now. He knows what decisions are in his best interest.”
There’s no uncertainty when it comes to Bogaerts’ future, as the six-year, $120 million extension he signed
in April will begin in 2020. Bogaerts believes that Boston will be a contender next year, even though many
key parts of the roster might change.
“Obviously, you want the whole team to be back but it’s getting to the point where you have to make tough
decisions,” Bogaerts said. “I’m happy I’m not the one that has to make them because if it was up to me, I’d
try to keep everyone. They have the good guys in position for that now. I’m also anxious to see what’s
going to happen because there’s been a lot of talk and a lot of uncertainty.”
Boston Red Sox rumors: payroll, Michael Chavis’ platoon splits, Bobby Dalbec’s slow starts
complicate pursuit of first, second basemen
Christopher Smith
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Much uncertainty exists surrounding who will start at first base and second base for
the Boston Red Sox in 2020.
Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said it’s possible the Red Sox could enter this season with internal
candidates starting at both positions, but Boston could fill the positions externally via free agency or the
trade market.
“Positions on our club that just based on players’ track records and what they’ve accomplished, I think are
easier to account for concretely than others," Bloom said Monday here at the MLB Winter Meetings.
First base and second base aren’t positions Bloom can account for concretely, though.
That said, a few issues exist as the Red Sox examine the position-player market, specifically external first
and second base candidates.
Payroll restrictions
Money is the No. 1 issue. The Red Sox’s goal remains to cut payroll under the $208 million Competitive
Balance Tax threshold. The top need right now is starting pitching. Boston needs a fifth starter with Rick
Porcello a free agent. The Red Sox also likely will need to trade a starter (David Price or Nathan Eovaldi)
and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to cut the payroll far enough below $208 million to have enough
flexibility to add to the roster.
The Red Sox will need to add two starters and an outfielder if they trade Price or Eovaldi as well as
Bradley.
Boston also must acquire a backup catcher because they traded Sandy Leon. Those positions are the
priorities before considering first and second base. The Sox might not have enough payroll flexibility to
look outside the organization to upgrade the right side of the infield.
Bradley is viewed as a strong trade candidate. The Boston Globe reported Monday the Red Sox “are
aggressively seeking a trade partner for Bradley.”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the Red Sox “are trying to move salary in the form of a pitcher -- either David
Price or Nathan Eovaldi.”
Reverse splits complicate matters
Platoon players are cheaper options. But does it make sense to add a platoon player?
Michael Chavis, who is a candidate to start at second base and first base, has reverse batting splits. That
complicates the pursuit of experienced, cost-friendly external candidates.
Say the Red Sox have interest in free agent first basemen Justin Smoak and Travis Shaw. Smoak is a
switch-hitter but most of his power production comes from the left side of the plate vs. righties. He’s
potentially someone who could platoon at first base with Chavis, Bobby Dalbec or Sam Travis, who might
not even be in the organization at the start of 2020. That’s because Travis no longer has minor league
options for the first time and has a career .659 OPS.
Shaw, a left-handed hitter, historically is much better vs. righties.
But Shaw and Smoak wouldn’t fit a platoon role with Chavis (.266/.347/.427/.774 vs. righties, but
.226/.261/.481/.742 vs. lefties last year) because of his reverse splits. Chavis also hit better against righties
in the upper levels of the minors.
Marco Hernandez, a left-handed hitter and candidate to start at second base, also has reverse splits. He’s
better vs. lefties than righties.
Chavis platooned with left-handed hitting Mitch Moreland at first when Moreland returned from the IL.
Chavis’ number suffered facing more lefties than righties.
“Yeah, we’ve got a few guys like that. Marco, for example," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Marco was
great against lefties. He wasn’t good against righties. But at that point, I think Mitch, what he did early in
the season, he deserved to play. He was doing damage. He was getting on base. Where we were in the
standings, it just made sense to play Mitch at that point, and then he (Chavis) got hurt.”
Cora added about Chavis, “We do believe he can hit lefties and righties. It’s just a matter of making some
adjustments offensively. And if we do that, he’ll be the guy that we envision. The strikeouts will always be
there. It’s just a matter of controlling the strike zone, taking walks when they don’t pitch to you, and don’t
miss your fastball right on the mound.”
Dalbec’s slow starts
Is Bobby Dalbec a real candidate to play first base on Opening Day? It probably depends on how he
performs in spring training if the Red Sox don’t add a first baseman via free agency or trade.
But Dalbec has been a slow starter in April during his professional career. It might be best for him to begin
the year at Triple-A Pawtucket — get him comfortable there — then promote him.
Teams often like to promote top prospects to the majors during the season so they are in the middle of hot
streaks and feeling confident. It’s not easy for a player if he struggles out of the gate after beginning on the
Opening Day roster.
“Throughout his career, there’s always a slow start, and then he finishes strong. And he went out there and
made an impact (at the Premium 12 Tournament in November),” Cora said. “He did an outstanding job
offensively. Defensively, what we saw in September at first base was very encouraging. I’ve seen this kid
since college, and defensively he’s a plus. His range, his moves, his first steps, they’re really good, and we
were very pleased with the way he performed.”
Bobby Dalbec worked with Dustin Pedroia; Boston Red Sox power prospect will help ‘sooner than
later’
Christopher Smith
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Prospect Bobby Dalbec is a candidate to start at first base for the Red Sox in 2020.
The slugger went 7-for-28 (.250) with a .364 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage, .864 OPS, two
homers, one double and eight RBIs playing for Team USA in the Premium 12 Tournament during
November.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he followed the entire tourney. He also pointed out Dalbec — who spent
time at Fenway Park working on his and fielding practice before games for 10 days in September— spent
time with Dustin Pedroia in Arizona during the offseason.
Dalbec played at the University of Arizona and returns to Arizona in the offseason.
“We saw Bobby toward the end of the season, those 10 days in Fenway, and we talk about making some
adjustments,” Cora said here at the Winter Meetings. "After that, he actually went to Arizona to work out.
He worked out with Dustin a little bit. He did a good job. All of them. They did an outstanding job for
Team USA.
“It’s a guy that we do believe controls the strike zone," Cora added. "Obviously, there are going to be
swings and misses, we know that. I do believe he doesn’t chase as much as people think and he can have an
impact sooner than later for us.”
The 6-foot-4, 234-pound slugger, who turned 24 in June, batted .239 with a .356 on-base percentage, .460
slugging percentage, .816 OPS, 27 homers, 19 doubles, two triples and 73 RBIs in 105 games at Double-A
Portland and 30 games at Triple-A Pawtucket combined.
The Red Sox added Dalbec to the 40-man roster last month.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said the Red Sox could enter 2020 with internal candidates at
first and second base. Dalbec is a first base candidate along with Sam Travis and Michael Chavis.
Chavis also is a candidate to start at second base.
Nick Cafardo, longtime Boston Globe columnist who died at Boston Red Sox spring training, wins
Hall of Fame Spink Award
Christopher Smith
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Longtime Boston Globe columnist Nick Cafardo, who died suddenly at the Red
Sox’s spring training facility Feb 21, has won the 2020 J.G. Taylor Spink Award.
He wrote the Sunday Baseball Notes column for the Globe for 15 years straight without missing a single
week. Cafardo died at 62 years old of an embolism when he went to the JetBlue Park complex to work on
his day off. He covered all four Red Sox World Series championships this century.
He received 243 votes from the 427 ballots cast by BBWAA members. The award is presented annually
during Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y. Cafardo is the 71st winner.
He joined the Globe in 1989. He previously worked at the Brockton Enterprise and the Quincy Patriot-
Ledger. He’s a Weymouth native who graduated from Suffolk University in Boston.
As noted in a press release from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, “When the Red Sox and
Dodgers played 18 innings in Game 3 of the 2018 Series at Dodger Stadium, Nick turned to colleagues
with the score tied at the start of the 18th and remarked, ‘Isn’t this great?’ Then he made deadline (Eovaldi
Heroic in Defeat) in a game that ended at 3:30 a.m. Boston time. Cafardo wrote four baseball books and
won the Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year Award in 2014 and the Boston Baseball Writers’ Dave
O’Hara Award in 2017.”
The Red Sox rested flowers at Cafardo’s seat at JetBlue Park for all spring training games. Most clubs the
Red Sox visited during the 2019 season dedicated a seat to Cafardo in the press box.
* RedSox.com
Red Sox lefty Price drawing trade interest
Ian Browne
SAN DIEGO -- The way the elite pitching market is moving (Stephen Strasburg signed a record-setting
deal to stay with the Nationals and Gerrit Cole is set to break that record with his Yankees deal) could have
a significant ripple effect on the Red Sox.
It appears likely that some of the teams who fell short in the Cole sweepstakes will inquire about David
Price's availability. Aside from Strasburg, starting pitchers Cole Hamels and Zack Wheeler have also come
off the board.
ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted that multiple teams have targeted Price, and MLB.com's Mark Feinsand
confirmed that as accurate through his sources.
If the Red Sox can deal Price, it would help chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom greatly in his quest to
reach ownership's goal of getting the team payroll below the Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $208
million.
Though Price could be a significant loss to Boston's pitching rotation, the prospect of trading him would
certainly be more palatable than dealing five-tool star Mookie Betts, who is entering the final season of his
contract.
Current projections have Boston's payroll at roughly $220 million. Price is due to make $32 million
annually the next three seasons as he finishes the seven-year, $217-million contract that was a record for a
starting pitcher until Strasburg re-upped with the Nats on Monday.
The Red Sox might have to take on a significant chunk of Price's salary to make a trade a reality. One thing
that would lessen Boston's financial burden is the inclusion of a young, cost-controllable player (Andrew
Benintendi comes to mind) in the package.
One team to keep a close eye on? The Angels. They lost out to the Yankees in the Cole sweepstakes, and
their new manager Joe Maddon has a strong relationship with Price from their years together with the
Tampa Bay Rays.
It was Maddon who entrusted Price -- in his September callup season of 2008 -- to finish Game 7 of the
American League Championship Series against the Red Sox.
Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Tuesday that his team can afford to sign two players this winter
with salaries of at least $20 million. Some of this financial flexibility was created when the Angels traded
third baseman Zack Cozart to the Giants.
Price's 2019 season was cut short by a left wrist injury that required surgery in September. He made 22
starts, going 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA.
However, before the wrist started bothering Price in August, he was the most consistent starter the Red Sox
had last season, going 7-2 with a 3.17 ERA in his first 16 starts.
That seems to be a clear indicator that the injury was the main cause of Price's sharp decline in performance
in his final five starts.
In 2018, Price was a big factor in guiding the Red Sox to a World Series championship. He also shed the
label that he couldn't perform on the big stage when he closed out the Astros with a gem on three days' rest
in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series and went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA against the
Dodgers in the World Series.
The recovery from surgery seems to be a non-issue for Price this winter.
"He's where he usually is at this time of the offseason," said Red Sox general manager Brian O'Halloran.
"He typically starts his throwing program in early to mid-December and that's the same this year. He's
recovered well from wrist surgery and we expect he'll be ready to go like normal at the beginning of Spring
Training."
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has also kept tabs on Price.
"David is doing good," Cora said. "Actually, he played catch two days ago or yesterday and the feeling is
different [than before the surgery]. Obviously, he's been dealing with this for a while, and it's been a grind
for David to go out there and perform. He feels a little bit looser with the wrist. The feel of the ball is
different, and there hasn't been setbacks. As of now, everything is trending the right way. The goal is for
him to be ready for the opening series."
The question is whether Price will still be with the Red Sox for that opening series.
One thing is certain: The pitching market is moving fast this winter.
"I think starting pitching is still really important, and most important, quality pitching is critical, however
you divide up the innings," said O'Halloran. "As for the market value now, what's going on, I know there
are some deals that have been reported unofficially but I don't think have been formalized.
"It does appear that that could be the case, that there could be an increased valuation. I don't know if that's
specific to starting pitching. It's still early in the offseason. I don't know if that's the whole market, a
segment of the market, a segment of the starting pitching market. It's difficult to say at this point, but
certainly starting pitching -- really high quality, elite starting pitching is very, very valuable. It's
understandable that those players would get well-compensated."
Here is the inaugural All-MLB Team
Anthony Castrovince
SAN DIEGO -- Baseball had never before had an official star squad that salutes a full season's worth of
work the way other major professional sports do. But the results of the voting for the first All-MLB Team
finally arrived Tuesday at the Winter Meetings.
And the 2019 winners are …
First Team
C: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
1B: Pete Alonso, Mets
2B: DJ LeMahieu, Yankees
3B: Anthony Rendon, Nationals*
SS: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
OF: Christian Yelich, Brewers
DH: Nelson Cruz, Twins
SP: Gerrit Cole, Astros*
SP: Justin Verlander, Astros
SP: Jacob deGrom, Mets
SP: Max Scherzer, Nationals
SP: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
RP: Kirby Yates, Padres
RP: Josh Hader, Brewers
Second Team
C: Yasmani Grandal, Brewers*
1B: Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B: Jose Altuve, Astros
3B: Alex Bregman, Astros
SS: Marcus Semien, A's
OF: Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves
OF: Juan Soto, Nationals
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
DH: Yordan Alvarez, Astros
SP: Zack Greinke, D-backs/Astros
SP: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers*
SP: Jack Flaherty, Cardinals
SP: Charlie Morton, Rays
SP: Mike Soroka, Braves
RP: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees
RP: Liam Hendriks, A's
*Denotes player has since changed teams or is a current free agent.
Fans accounted for 50% of the voting for the All-MLB Team, with a panel of experts handling the other
50%. Nominees were selected by merit, with no set number of nominees per position and no distinction
between leagues.
With the All-Star Game voting obviously taking only the first half of the season into account, the All-MLB
squad is a more accurate representation of the best of the best of the 2019 season.
Here's a closer look at the winners at each position:
CATCHER
1st Team -- Realmuto: The Phillies' key trade acquisition was a defensive dynamo who exploded
offensively in the second half and finished with a .275/.328/.493 line, 25 homers and 83 RBIs.
2nd Team -- Grandal: Before signing his four-year, $73 million contract with the White Sox, Grandal
turned in a stellar single season with the Brew Crew, hitting 28 homers with 77 RBIs, an .848 OPS and 119
OPS+.
FIRST BASE
1st Team -- Alonso: How's this for a rookie year? The Polar Bear broke the rookie record for home runs
(53) and became the first rookie to lead the Majors outright in dingers.
2nd Team -- Freeman: One of the game's most consistently productive players had another fantastic season,
with a .295/.389/.549 line and a career-high 38 homers.
SECOND BASE
1st Team -- LeMahieu: Further proof that sometimes the lower-profile offseason signings can turn out to be
among the best, LeMahieu was instrumental in the Yankees' American League East title amid a wave of
injuries. He had a .327/.375/.518 slash.
2nd Team -- Altuve: He was neither an All-Star nor a Silver Slugger winner for the first time since 2013,
but Altuve had a monster second half to finish with season totals -- a .903 OPS, 31 homers, 27 doubles --
very much in line with his absurd career standard.
SHORTSTOP
1st Team -- Bogaerts: The Red Sox didn't get where they wanted to go in 2019, but that had nothing to do
with Bogaerts, who had a .309/.384/.555 slash, 85 extra-base hits, 117 RBIs and a 140 OPS+.
2nd Team -- Semien: A key piece of the A's continued ability to amaze, Semien, who finished third in the
AL MVP voting, ranked fifth among MLB position players in FanGraphs WAR (7.6) and fourth in
Baseball Reference WAR (8.1) thanks to his offensive (138 OPS+) and defensive prowess.
THIRD BASE
1st Team -- Rendon: We're still waiting to find out where Rendon lands in free agency, but we know he's
on the first team here after a typically stellar season in which he had a 1.010 OPS and 153 OPS+ before
stepping up big in the Nats' October run.
2nd Team -- Bregman: First, he finished second to Trout in the AL MVP vote, and now he finished second
to Rendon here. But Bregman had an extraordinary season, ranking second only to Trout among MLB
position players in fWAR (8.5) and bWAR (8.4), with a 1.015 OPS.
OUTFIELD
1st Team -- Trout: The AL MVP was his typical dazzling self in every respect. He had a .291/.438/.645
slash, 45 homers, 104 RBIs and a Major League-leading fWAR (8.6) and bWAR (8.3).
1st Team -- Bellinger: The NL MVP shook off any doubts about his ability as an everyday player by
turning in a .305/.406/.629 slash with 47 homers, 115 RBIs, a 169 OPS+ and Gold Glove-winning outfield
play.
1st Team -- Yelich: A close second in the NL MVP tally, Yelich bettered his 2018 explosion with a
.329/.429/.671 slash, 44 homers and 179 OPS+ before fracturing his kneecap in mid-September.
2nd Team -- Acuña: He was a major sparkplug for the NL East champs again in his sophomore season,
leading the NL in runs scored (127) and steals (37), and posting a .280/.365/.518 slash with 41 homers.
2nd Team -- Soto: His real coming-out party occurred in the postseason, but Soto had a fantastic
sophomore effort in the regular season, too, with a .282/.401/.548 slash, 34 homers, 32 doubles and 110
RBIs.
2nd Team -- Betts: Though not quite to his MVP standard of a year earlier, Betts was well above most
players' standards with a .915 OPS, a Major League-high 135 runs scored, 29 homers and 40 doubles.
DESIGNATED HITTER
1st Team -- Cruz: The ageless slugger changed the direction of the Twins with a 1.031 OPS, 41 homers, 26
doubles and 108 RBIs.
2nd Team -- Alvarez: A unanimous AL Rookie of the Year selection, Alvarez's 1.067 OPS and 27 homers
significantly lengthened the Astros' lineup, and his 173 OPS+ was the second-best all-time (behind only
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson in 1911) for a rookie with at least 300 trips to the plate.
STARTING PITCHERS
1st Team -- Cole: His 2.50 ERA was best in the AL, and his 326 strikeouts and 185 ERA+ were the best in
baseball. He then stomped over the Rays and Yankees in October, and as you might have heard, is headed
toward a major payday.
1st Team -- Verlander: Aging like a fine wine, the 36-year-old won his second Cy Young Award after
posting a 2.58 ERA while leading the Majors with 21 wins, 223 innings and a 0.803 WHIP.
1st Team -- deGrom: He went back-to-back in Cy Young standing with a 2.43 ERA and an NL-high 255
strikeouts across 204 innings.
1st Team -- Scherzer: The 2.92 ERA and Major League-best 7.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio were typical
Scherzer stuff. But his 2019 season will really be remembered for the way he battled through injuries
(including a broken nose and neck spasms) to become a World Series champion.
1st Team -- Strasburg: He had one of his best regular seasons to date (18 wins, 3.32 ERA across 209
innings), then reached another level in October to win the World Series MVP honor and cash in on a new
mega-contract.
2nd Team -- Greinke: In his age-35 season, Greinke changed teams midseason, but remained remarkably
consistent, with a 2.93 ERA and 0.982 WHIP across 208 2/3 innings.
2nd Team -- Ryu: He bet on himself by taking the Dodgers' qualifying offer a year ago, then delivered the
Majors' best ERA (2.32) and his highest workload (29 starts, 182 2/3 innings) since his stateside debut
season in 2013.
2nd Team -- Flaherty: You can't tell the story of the Cardinals' return to the top of the National League
Central without Flaherty's dramatic second half, in which he went 7-2 with a 0.91 ERA and 124 strikeouts
in 99 1/3 innings.
2nd Team -- Morton: His signing worked out wonderfully, as the Rays got a rotation anchor who went 16-6
with a 3.05 ERA and a Major League-best 0.7 homers-per-nine rate in 194 2/3 innings.
2nd Team -- Soroka: The 22-year-old rookie was masterful in crafting a 2.68 ERA and 169 ERA+ in 29
starts covering 174 2/3 innings for the division-champion Braves.
RELIEF PITCHERS
1st Team -- Yates: With a 1.19 ERA, a Major League-best 41 saves and a 0.89 WHIP, Yates was utterly
dominant for the Padres.
1st Team -- Hader: Though bit more by the long ball in 2019, Hader remained a back-end force for the
Brewers with a 0.81 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 75 2/3 innings.
2nd Team -- Chapman: The heat isn't quite at the insane level it was back in the day, but Chapman can still
deliver, as evidenced by his 2.21 ERA, 37 saves and 85 strikeouts in 57 innings.
2nd Team -- Hendriks: A rock for Oakland and almost unhittable for everybody else, Hendriks had a 1.80
ERA, 124 strikeouts and a 0.97 WHIP in 85 innings.
Cora optimistic on Sale, Price, Eovaldi
Ian Browne
SAN DIEGO -- The Winter Meetings kicked off in eventful fashion on Monday as the World Series
champion Nationals announced the return of power righty Stephen Strasburg. In the coming days, Gerrit
Cole could sign an even more lucrative deal -- perhaps with the Yankees.
For the Red Sox, the key to their bounce-back hopes in 2020 isn’t likely to hinge on one of those splashy
press conferences at the Winter Meetings.
Instead, it will have to do with how healthy Chris Sale, David Price and Nathan Eovaldi are in Spring
Training.
The offseason indicators are encouraging for each member of that trio, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora
knows that one can’t truly gauge the health of a pitcher until they start, well, pitching again.
“Someone asked me, ‘What do you guys need to accomplish in the upcoming days [at the Winter
Meetings]?’ Honestly, the thing we need we can’t get in a few days here,” said Cora. “We’ve got to wait
until February and see if we’re healthy, and that’s the most important thing.”
Without question, the success of the ’20 Sox hinges on the rotation, which was a major disappointment in
terms of health and performance last season after being the biggest key to the team’s championship in ’18.
Considering the fears that were generated when Sale went to see Dr. James Andrews back in August to get
his left elbow examined, things are moving in a very positive direction these days.
“He’s been good,” Cora said of Sale. “Physically he’s in a good spot, he’s in a good place. He’s been very
consistent with his rehab. Obviously, not sleeping that much because of the birth of the baby. But
physically, he’s in a good spot. Mentally, he’s in a good spot.”
“He’s doing great,” said chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, who, along with Cora, went out of his way to
praise Sale for donating $1 million last week to his alma mater, Florida Gulf Coast University. “He has
started a throwing program again. It’s still obviously December. This is a progression, but everything has
been proceeding as hoped.”
Sale has always had an edge. But that has been amplified even more considering how disappointed the ace
was with the way he pitched last season (6-11, 4.40 ERA) before the injury.
“I hate to say he’s on a mission, but obviously he wasn’t happy with the way the season went last year,”
Cora said. “He was trending up when he got hurt at the end. Hopefully he can bounce back and be ready for
Spring Training and be ready for the opening series.”
The fact that Sale was inconsistent and then injured made life hard enough for the Red Sox. The fact that
Price was in the same boat makes it easy to understand why Boston won just 84 games and fell well short
of the postseason.
Price is coming off left wrist surgery.
“David is doing good,” Cora said. “Actually, he played catch two days ago or yesterday. The feeling is
different [than before surgery]. Obviously, he's been dealing with this for a while, and it's been a grind for
David to go out there and perform. He feels a little bit looser with the wrist. The feel of the ball is different
and there hasn't been setbacks. As of now, everything is trending the right way. The goal is for him to be
ready for the opening series.”
As for Eovaldi, he was the opposite of Sale and Price -- injured in the first half of the season and healthy in
the second. But he didn’t pitch well after returning.
Getting the flame-throwing righty back to how he was throwing down the stretch in ’18 is vital.
“He's healthy in the offseason,” Cora said. “He's working his craft. We know what he can do. We've seen it
before.”
The rotation also has Eduardo Rodriguez coming back on the heels of a 19-win season. A fifth starter will
be needed to replace free agent Rick Porcello.
It’s also possible that Bloom will subtract either Price or Eovaldi in a trade to open up more payroll
flexibility.
As presently constituted, Boston’s payroll is projected at close to $220 million. The stated goal from
ownership to get below the Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $208 million hasn’t changed, Bloom
confirmed Monday.
“It’s still a goal. And I think certainly a realistic goal, though obviously we’re not there right now and
there’s a lot of potential paths you could line up to get us there,” Bloom said. “But that kind of ties into
overall, with the offseason, there’s a lot of different things that could potentially happen. But it’s still a
goal.”
How the Red Sox get there remains unclear. It seems unlikely that Mookie Betts will be traded this winter
because it’s hard to see Boston getting anything close to a fair return considering his contract situation
(entering his walk year) and salary (MLB Trade Rumors estimates he will earn $27.7 million through
arbitration.
Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. -- projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $11 million in his walk year -
- could certainly be dealt. But moving his salary alone won’t get the club below the threshold when you
consider other areas on the roster that need to be filled.
This makes Price and Eovaldi players to watch as the pitching market continues to move.
Asked if he envisioned moving high-priced talent this winter, Bloom said, “Hard to handicap right now. I
wouldn’t want to venture a guess.”
At this juncture, it is anyone’s guess how this offseason will evolve for Bloom and the Red Sox. But the
key to the season will be the health and performance of the starting rotation.
* ESPN.com
Boston Globe sportswriter Nick Cafardo to be honored posthumously with Spink Award
Bradford Doolittle
SAN DIEGO -- Longtime Boston Globe sportswriter Nick Cafardo was selected as the 2020 winner of the
J.G. Taylor Spink Award on Tuesday in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Cafardo will be honored posthumously in July during Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, New York.
Cafardo, 62, died during spring training in February at the training facility of the Boston Red Sox in
Florida.
Cafardo is the 71st winner of the Spink Award, an honor first given out in 1962 to recognize sportswriters
"for meritorious contributions to baseball writing." He received 243 votes from 427 ballots cast by
BBWAA members. Jim Reeves, longtime writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Patrick Reusse,
who worked in the Twin Cities, were also considered for the award.
Ben Cafardo, Nick's son who works in ESPN's communications department, got a standing ovation at the
winter meetings when the announcement was made.
"Our family is bursting with gratitude and pride," Ben Cafardo said. "My dad loved the game, he loved
writing about the game and, most of all, he loved the camaraderie of the baseball writing community. He
respected his peers immensely, so he would view this recognition from them as the ultimate honor."
Known for his unbending enthusiasm for the game, Nick Cafardo began his career as a baseball columnist
for the Boston Globe in 1989 after working for other New England-area papers for several years. He took
over the Sunday notes column in the Globe from former ESPN writer and 2004 Spink winner Peter
Gammons. The column quickly became a source for inside information from across baseball, and its
popularity increased during the growth of the internet.
Cafardo covered more than 30 World Series, All-Star Games and winter meetings. He covered World
Series wins for the Red Sox in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018. When the Red Sox battled the Los Angeles
Dodgers in an epic Game 3 of the 2018 Series that took 18 innings and 7 hours, 20 minutes, Cafardo, in a
widely shared quote that serves as a fitting encapsulation of his relationship with the game, turned to a
colleague as the final inning began and said, "Isn't this great?"
Cafardo wrote four books on baseball, won the Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year Award in 2014 and
the Boston Baseball Writers' Dave O'Hara Award in 2017.
The last column Cafardo wrote for the Globe ran on Feb. 21, 2019. That day, he was scheduled to be off
work but went to the ballpark anyway. He collapsed outside the Red Sox's spring training clubhouse.
* WEEI.com
Late Boston Globe columnist Nick Cafardo elected into Hall of Fame
Rob Bradford
Nick Cafardo is headed into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The longtime Boston Globe baseball columnist -- who passed away suddenly in March at the age of 62 --
has been elected as the 2020 winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award in balloting by the Baseball Writers'
Association of America. His career will be honored with the award that is presented annually to a
sportswriter for meritorious contributions to baseball writing during the National Baseball Hall of Fame
and Museum's induction weekend July 24-27, 2020 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Cafardo received 243 votes from the 427 ballots cast by BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive
years service in becoming the 71st winner of the award.
The Weymouth native and Suffolk University graduate worked at the Brockton Enterprise and Quincy
Patriot-Ledger before joining the Boston Globe in 1989. He inherited the popular Sunday Notes column
from 2004 Spink Award recipient Peter Gammons, not missing a week over the final 15 years of his career.
Cafardo covered more than 30 World Series, All-Star Games and Winter Meetings.
* NBC Sports Boston
Trading David Price would save Red Sox a ton of money, but not without meaningful risk
John Tomase
SAN DIEGO -- The Red Sox could save a lot of money by moving on from David Price.
They could also blast a gaping hole in their rotation that precludes them from seriously contending in 2020.
Welcome to Chaim Bloom's nightmare.
Rumors have swirled for a week that the Red Sox would rather move the three years and $96 million
remaining on Price's contract than trade former MVP Mookie Betts. Given Price's injury history -- he just
started playing catch after September surgery to remove a cyst from his wrist -- it would be hard to blame
them for attempting to get out from under as much of that salary as possible.
ESPN on Tuesday reported that multiple teams have targeted Price. The opinions of rival executives in the
lobby at the Manchester Grand Hyatt for this week's winter meetings run the gamut. One believes the Red
Sox could make taking Price a requirement in any deal for Betts, a la the 2012 mega-trade with the Dodgers
that carved about $400 million off of Boston's books and allowed for the reset that led to a 2013
championship.
Another not in contact with the Red Sox believes they could move Price, keep Betts, and then entertain
offers for the five-tool outfielder at the deadline in July if they're out of contention, noting that the
Nationals missed an opportunity to make a similar move with Bryce Harper in 2018 before he walked in
free agency.
And still another with a team interested in Betts and to a lesser extent Price expressed mild surprise that the
Red Sox hadn't reached out as of Tuesday afternoon.
While trading Price seems like the right long-term move, it would come with considerable risk. There's a
clear path to a World Series in 2020 if Betts stays, Price and Chris Sale regain their All-Star form, and
Bloom makes some smart acquisitions for the right side of the infield. Jettisoning Price eliminates the
possibility that he muddles through another injury-marred campaign, but it also removes a potential ace,
and his spot would either be filled with a mid-level signing or (ugh) another opener.
For all his faults, particularly when it comes to clubhouse distractions like picking a fight with Dennis
Eckersley, Price has been better than he gets credit for in Boston. He's 46-24 (.657) with a 3.84 ERA and in
his 2016 debut, he led the AL with over 230 innings pitched. He was otherworldly in the 2018 postseason,
shedding his reputation as a playoff choker once and for all.
Thus far it has been hard to read the direction of the front office under Bloom, who's still learning the
organization and has remained tight-lipped in his dealings with the media. That said, after spending a
couple of days around the team, it feels like the Red Sox have been forced into a reactive position where
they're serving as Plan B for a number of clubs, particularly as it relates to Price.
Any team that misses out on one of the top-tier free agent starters could make a case that Price's upside
outweighs concerns over his health. Premium starters, after all, remain a precious commodity. Zack
Wheeler and Stephen Strasburg have already signed nine-figure deals, Gerrit Cole could soon earn $300
million, and Madison Bumgarner and Hyu-Jin Ryu will draw interest, too. Once they're gone, anyone shut
out of that market could consider Price.
The Red Sox know this, which is why they signed Price to a $217 million deal in the first place. Though he
has yet to make an All-Star team or earn a Cy Young vote in four seasons here, he has dominated a
postseason run to a title, and ditching him in a salary dump has some serious come-back-and-bite-you
potential.
That said, if they can find a taker without eating too much money, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't pull
the trigger. This winter is all about saving money, and clearing Price's $32 million salary off the books is
the most palatable way to do it.
There's no defense for Red Sox fielding last season, and Alex Cora knows it
John Tomase
SAN DIEGO — In all of the ways the Red Sox collectively regressed last season, not enough attention is
paid to the defense.
A year after ranking fifth in the American League in defensive efficiency and featuring three Gold Glovers
and two other finalists, the Red Sox sank to 11th in an across-the-board slump.
"Inconsistent. Yeah, we were inconsistent not only in the infield, but I think in the outfield," said manager
Alex Cora. "We saw that early in the season. For how great they are, I do believe that there's more there,
and we'll address it. We'll address it. I think Benny (Andrew Benintendi) can become a complete player. I
know he's been in the final vote of the Gold Glove the last two years, but I think he can make some strides.
"I think early in the season we were a step slower than the other teams, and we paid the price because of
that, as far as like communication and the way we were moving in the outfield. We can do better."
How can they improve? Cora basically went around the diamond. He believes third baseman Rafael Devers
will benefit from more experience, as well as conversations with five-time Gold Glover Adrian Beltre.
TOMASE: How Beltre helped Devers in 2019
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts ranked dead last among regular shortstops in defensive runs saved last year
(minus-21), a function of decreased range. A revolving door at second base didn't help in the double play
department, either, where the Red Sox ranked last in the American League.
"I think the next step for Xander is to become a better defensive player," Cora said. "For how sure-handed
he is, I think his first step can be better. He's that good of an athlete, so that's the next challenge. If we do
that, we'll be better. Turning the double play, we have to do that. It's funny because I mentioned that in
Orlando a few years ago. Double plays are game changers. You don't turn over the play, you pay the price.
You turn over the play, you go and hit and score runs. So we have to do better than that."
Cora also noted that Gold Glove finalist catcher Christian Vazquez experienced his own struggles,
particularly when it came to passed balls.
"Defensively behind the plate, for how great he was, blocking wasn't great for Christian. He's working on
that. There's a few things that I have learned over the last two months that we didn't do right, and we can do
better. If we do that, we're going to have a good season."
MORE TOMASE: Cora sees Sale as a man 'on a mission'
Cora suggested that defense is a renewed emphasis under new boss Chaim Bloom.
"One thing we're going to talk about with Chaim coming from an organization that's very aggressive as far
as defense, is why they do it, how they do it, and if that aggressiveness is going to — he can help us out,"
Cora said. "And that's something that I'm looking forward to sitting with Chaim and see where it takes us.
If that aggressiveness can help Xander and Raffy defensively, so be it. So we'll talk about it."
* Bostonsportsjournal.com
Position-by-position look at Red Sox roster: Center field
Sean McAdam
TODAY: Center Field
INCUMBENT: Jackie Bradley Jr.
CONTRACT STATUS: Eligible for final year of salary arbitration with projected salary of $11 million
THE SKINNY: At this point, the book is pretty clear on Bradley: stellar defense, mixed with inconsistent
offensive production. Bradley was again nominated for a Gold Glove last season, though he didn’t win. The
defensive metrics don’t necessarily reflect his ability, but few would argue that he’s among the game’s best
defenders at his position with uncanny instincts and a powerful — if sometimes erratic — throwing arm.
It’s Bradley’s offensive game that holds him back. While he has sufficient pop — 21 homers last season —
he’s prone to long slumps at the plate and strikes out (27.3 percent, his highest since 2014) far too often for
someone who hits in the bottom third of the lineup. Despite assurances that he had finally found a swing he
was comfortable with, the 2019 season saw the same extended dips in performance from the outfielder,
who too often expanded the strike zone. Bradley, a year away from free agency, is a strong candidate to be
dealt this winter as the Red Sox attempt to lower their payroll and re-set their CBT (competitive balance
tax) rate.
THE BACKUPS: Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts
The Red Sox didn’t carry a traditional backup outfielder on their major league roster last year — unless you
count Brock Holt or DH J.D. Martinez, neither of whom can play center. When Bradley sat (he started 133
games), the Sox usually simply shifted either one of their corner outfielders — Mookie Betts (16 starts) or
Andrew Benintendi (six starts) — over to center.
THE PROSPECTS: Jarren Duran, Gilberto Jimenez
Duran struggled at Double-A after being promoted to Portland but performed better in the second half of
the season. He has plus-plus speed which he uses to get good jumps in the outfield and to help him beat out
ground balls in the infield. He has virtually no power — eight homers in 199 pro games to date — and is
more of a throwback to a time when teams were content to his speed and defense from their center fielders.
(Think: Brett Butler). Duran is capable of playing a major league center field right now, but offensively,
needs more development time. It’s doubtful the Sox would rush him to the big leagues if they deal Bradley
this winter. Jimenez has immense potential and projects as a possible five-tool player, but at 19, has a long,
long way still to go.
OVERALL: This position would seem to be in transition, with the strong likelihood that Bradley is moved
in the next few weeks. With Duran in need of more time — he’s yet to play above Double-A — the Red
Sox would have to either find a short-term replacement in center, or move Benintendi there and find a new
left fielder. Either way, the team would be hamstrung financially. In the event Bradley isn’t dealt, it’s tough
to see the Red Sox extending him past 2020, with Duran almost a sure thing to take over by 2021.
* The Athletic
Red Sox see ‘opener’ as attractive option as they seek to patch rotation holes
Jen McCaffrey
SAN DIEGO — As the snow globe that is the Winter Meetings continues to shake out with moves settling
across MLB this week, the Red Sox have remained stationary.
Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and general manager Brian O’Halloran have been hesitant to answer
questions about the type of pitcher they’ll pursue to fill the obvious hole in their rotation. Perhaps it’s
because they’ll need more than one.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported multiple teams have approached the Red Sox about trading for
David Price. The massive contract Stephen Strasburg signed with the Nationals on Monday likely makes
Price’s once record-setting contract more palatable, especially if it is the new norm for pitchers’ contracts.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal previously reported the Red Sox are more inclined to trade one of their
starting pitchers rather than Mookie Betts in an attempt to shrink the payroll. Stringing those pieces of
information together, if the Red Sox are trying to move Price, not only would they have to fill his void in
the rotation, they’d have to fill a fifth starter role.
“We’re having all kinds of discussions,” O’Halloran said on Tuesday. “I would say we continue active
discussions, but nothing that’s imminent.”
If Price is traded, the easiest way to fill one of those two rotation spots, of course, is requiring a starter as
part of the return package for Price. The Red Sox aren’t going to receive a Cy Young winner of Price’s
caliber in return, but part of Bloom’s resume in Tampa Bay included identifying inexpensive talent that fit
on the Rays’ roster and within their budgetary constraints. In trading a key piece of the roster like Price,
Bloom is certain to find a strong return.
Another part of Bloom’s resume was implementing the use of the opener. The Rays had the right roster
pieces to make it work, but are the Red Sox considering a similar setup?
“We’re definitely open-minded to that,” O’Halloran said. “Certainly, we have talked about different ways
to handle that. I think the main goal, on the pitching side, is to simply improve our depth and add to that
mix so that Alex (Cora) will have a number of different ways to go about it, but we have to be open-
minded. Whatever is going to put our pitchers and our team in the best position to succeed, we’ll certainly
take a look at it. When you have veteran, established successful starting pitchers, that’s something that
you’re much less likely to look at, but certainly, for the spot you’re talking about, (it) could be a
consideration.”
Last year, the Red Sox were forced to rotate a series of ill-fitted pitchers through the fifth starter spot
mainly because of Nathan Eovaldi’s prolonged absence. Heading into 2020 with an opener as part of the
plan would be different. The Red Sox would have time to find pieces that could work better in that fluid
role rather than piecemeal every fifth day with Ryan Weber, Brian Johnson, Hector Velázquez and Travis
Lakins, among others.
One possibility is the Red Sox easing some of their pitching prospects into the majors as an opener. Not
only would it limit their exposure to a few innings every five days, it would also be a way to keep the
payroll in check.
“We have to look at all avenues and some pitchers. Certainly, putting younger pitchers and pitchers that are
just establishing themselves in the big leagues in the best position to succeed is a good way to go about it
and get their feet wet,” O’Halloran said. “There may be cases where we try to do that and certainly, we try
to take a look at that.”
Right-hander Tanner Houck, Boston’s 2017 first-round pick, is nearing a major-league debut. He had a
4.01 ERA over 33 games, 17 starts and 107 2/3 innings last season between Portland and Pawtucket and
had 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings. In the Arizona Fall League, he made six more starts and impressed with
a 3.47 ERA and 10 strikeouts per nine innings. He followed that up with a solid performance for Team
USA in the Premier12 tournament in November. Though Houck isn’t on the 40-man roster, adding him
would be procedural.
The Red Sox also moved lefty Kyle Hart to the 40-man roster. Hart had a 3.52 ERA and 8.1 strikeouts per
nine innings in 27 games, 24 starts, for Portland and Pawtucket last year. He very well could be the type of
pitcher the Red Sox piggyback with Houck as an opener.
“I think starting pitching is still really important, and most important, quality pitching is critical however
you divide up the innings,” O’Halloran said. “It’s about getting outs and putting your guys in the best
position to succeed.”
The Red Sox are far from committing to any concrete decisions about the roster. Almost everything over
the past few months has been spoken about in generalities and possibilities. But as we await more hard
facts, the idea of an opener remains one of those options.
We’re starting to see what it might cost the Red Sox to unload David Price
Chad Jennings
SAN DIEGO — The Red Sox aren’t the only ones gathering information this week. We all learned a little
more Tuesday about what it might take to dump a salary like David Price’s from the roster.
Fresh context came from the Angels, who managed to unload the final year of Zack Cozart’s regrettable
contract to the Giants, who took on just over $12 million in salary. To make the trade happen, the Angels
had to include Will Wilson, last year’s 15th-overall pick. That was the going rate for a roughly $12 million
albatross. The Giants were willing to pay it, but it cost the Angels a first-round pick.
And if the Angels had to give up a first-rounder to dump one year of Cozart, what would the Red Sox have
to give to dump three years and $96 million worth of David Price? The question was posed to a rival
executive, who texted back a single image of the president of the United States, his arms spread wide, his
head nodding up and down. One word flashed on the screen: “Yuge!”
Price no longer has the largest pitching contract in baseball history because Stephen Strasburg topped him
Monday, and as the cost of pitching goes up, the idea of paying Price $32 million a year for the next three
years becomes a little less egregious. It’s still an enormous salary for a 34-year-old who’s averaged 119
innings the past three years and finished last season on the injured list, but it’s a little less out of whack.
The selling point for a Price trade is that he’s pitched pretty well when healthy, including a strong showing
in the 2018 World Series, and September surgery to remove a cyst seems to have alleviated one health
problem.
“He feels a little bit looser with the wrist,” manager Alex Cora said this week. “The feel of the ball is
different, and there hasn’t been setbacks. As of now, everything is trending the right way. The goal is for
him to be ready for the opening series.”
The downside to adding Price is that he’s on the wrong side of 30, wrist and elbow issues have limited two
of his past three seasons, and he comes with the contract of a far more reliable pitcher. For a Red Sox team
looking to trim payroll, dumping his salary seems like a great place to start. For a baseball industry that no
longer expects starting pitchers to throw 200 innings a year, Price’s value is not completely gone.
Question is, how much is he worth? Or, more bluntly: How much would the Red Sox have to give the team
that takes him off their hands?
One point of comparison is former Twins starter Kyle Gibson, who just signed a three-year deal with the
Rangers worth $30 million. He’s two years younger than Price and has pitched to a much higher ERA the
past three years (4.44 vs. 3.75), but he’s also had a much larger workload (514 2/3 innings vs. 358). The
Red Sox would have to pay $22 million per year to get Price’s salary down to Gibson’s level. That’s steep.
Another point of comparison is veteran Cole Hamels, who’s about to turn 36, the same age Price will be the
final year of his contract. Hamels just signed for one year, $18 million with the Braves. The Red Sox would
have to pay $14 million per year to get Price’s annual value down to Hamels’ level. Maybe that’s closer to
realistic.
Paying down the salary would be one way to bridge the gap between Price’s current cost and his market
value. Another would be to do what the Angels did with Cozart and include a prospect. But to convince the
Giants to take on less than $13 million, they had to include a first-round pick. Not a particularly highly
touted first-round pick, but a first-round pick just the same.
It’s expensive dumping contracts.
New Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has said it’s still a goal — but not a mandate — that the
Red Sox cut some $20 million to get below the luxury tax threshold for 2020. He’s called that goal
“realistic,” which suggests he’s found trade partners willing to take on salary, one way or another. Teams
still want pitching, and they’re going to have to pay for it one way or another.
The free-agent market still has Gerrit Cole at the top, and he’s surely going to set a record for a starting
pitcher on the open market. The next free-agent tier is Madison Bumgarner, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas
Keuchel, and those three might be more instructive for the going rate of a guy like Price. Teams that miss
out on those three might see Price as a reasonable alternative, if the Red Sox make it worth their while.