How much was the option? I don't really understand this.

$6 million. They'll probably try to bring him back for less.

$6 million. They'll probably try to bring him back for less.

With a $500K buyout. And, yes, there have been numerous reports the team may try to retain him. My guess is that it's a stall tactic. They've avoided the $6MM commitment, and this will allow them to see if they can acquire someone else before trying to re-sign Gonzalez.

Orlando Cabrera. Go get him Theo.

Love,

Angel fan

The Red Sox can't go after Cabrera until after Dec. because he's still technically a Type-A FA.

Cabrera also hasn't declared free agency yet. He also has a clause in his contract that the Twins can't offer him arbitration if he's an A-Type, so he will be in play immediately when he does. Brendan Harris isn't great, but he is better, younger, and cheaper, so Cabrera will be a free agent.

Forget Brendan Harris, the Twins traded for J.J. Hardy.

Oops.

Hooray for sanity!

After Sea Bass went on a hot streak after being acquired by the Sox, many fans advocated picking up his option for 2010.
Thankfully the front office isn't fooled by recent hot streaks

Bobby Crosby.

Boston gonna get Figgy wid it?

Would Figgins be adequate defensively at short stop? He hasn't played any significant innings at SS since 2004.

I have a feeling Figgins will dissapoint someone.Would be cool if it's Boston.

Yes! The door is open for the Hanley to come back! Maybe they can throw in Sanchez and the Sox can give them back Beckett and Lowell. After all Beckett will be superfluous as soon as Halladay and Hernandez are both signed....YES, massive wishcasting here.

3b on the south side of Chicago (Teahen to 4th OF/3b backup) or 2b on the north side of Chicago for Figgins. And yes, they will pay too much.

Yes! The door is open for the Hanley to come back! Maybe they can throw in Sanchez and the Sox can give them back Beckett and Lowell. After all Beckett will be superfluous as soon as Halladay and Hernandez are both signed....YES, massive wishcasting here.

WTF?! The Red Sox don't have close to the talent to acquire Hanley. He's one of the two or three most valuable properties (player/contract combo) in MLB.

The Red Sox top 5 prospects don't get that trade done.

#16, sarcasm mate, you may have heard of it?

WTF?! The Red Sox don't have close to the talent to acquire Hanley. He's one of the two or three most valuable properties (player/contract combo) in MLB.

These are the jokes.

They'll probably try to bring him back for less.

And Gonzalez will presumably try to do better elsewhere. Not sure what he can get per year but one would think he'd be looking for a multi-year deal if possible. Since Theo prefers to go year-by-year with shortstops, he must have something else in mind.

Why do you think Gonzalez will get multiple years?

Since Theo prefers to go year-by-year with shortstops, he must have something else in mind.

Theo prefers to go year-by-year with shortstops? I thought it was more like he signs a shortstop to a multi-year deal every offseason and then the shortstop bombs, which necessitates another multi-year deal to a different shortstop the next offseason.

That's why he prefers to go year-by-year. Ba-dump-bum.

Why didn't Lowrie have the wrist surgery last year?

Haven't heard his name mentioned much, but Jack Wilson is basically the same player as Alex Gonzalez. Wilson, in his career: .298 wOBA, 5.9 UZR/150 (16.7 and 20.4 the last two years), born 12/77. Gonzalez: .295 wOBA, 6.9 UZR/150, born 2/77. I can't imagine Seattle picking up his $8.4M option ($0.6M buyout) for next year. Unless the Sox are going to get a true impact bat at the position like Hanley or Reyes (which I don't see happening) a defense first option to pair with Lowrie makes sense. I'd give Lowrie one more shot to see if he's same guy who at age 23 put up lines of 297/410/501 and 300/356/506 with 68 xbh in 133 games at AA and AAA. Wrist injuries are genuinely debilitating for a hitter and guys do come back from them, but at some point enough's enough.

WTF?! The Red Sox don't have close to the talent to acquire Hanley. He's one of the two or three most valuable properties (player/contract combo) in MLB.

The Red Sox do have enough talent to acquire Hanley, but they'd have to deal other major leaguers to get him. Don't you think the Marlins would listen to an Ellsbury + Lester for Hanley deal? It obviously won't happen, but if the Red Sox decided they absolutely had to get Hanley Ramirez, I think they could do it.

Would Figgins be adequate defensively at short stop? He hasn't played any significant innings at SS since 2004.

He could also play second, with Pedroia moving back to shortstop. I'm not sure why the Red Sox haven't tried Pedroia at short already. I guess it's because they'd have to put the same dreck at second they've been using at short. But if they were open to this idea, then Felipe Lopez also becomes a decent option.

Jack Wilson as plan C isn't a bad idea.

The Red Sox do have enough talent to acquire Hanley, but they'd have to deal other major leaguers to get him. Don't you think the Marlins would listen to an Ellsbury + Lester for Hanley deal? It obviously won't happen, but if the Red Sox decided they absolutely had to get Hanley Ramirez, I think they could do it.

The Marlins wouldn't because they'd actually have to pay Ellsbury and Lester who both are either signed long term, or arbitration eligible. The Marlins are the one team that choose not to pay for arbitration years if they can help it. If they're getting Ellsbury and Lester in any Hanley deal, they're just look to trade those two for somebody else.

My next door neighbor is a better option at SS next year, this was a necessary and obvious move

The Marlins wouldn't because they'd actually have to pay Ellsbury and Lester who both are either signed long term, or arbitration eligible. The Marlins are the one team that choose not to pay for arbitration years if they can help it. If they're getting Ellsbury and Lester in any Hanley deal, they're just look to trade those two for somebody else.

Hanley's not exactly cheap either -- 5/$64.5M. Lester is signed 4/$29M with a $13M option. Ellsbury has one pre arb year left and three arb years after that. They'd be saving a good chunk of change if they made that trade. Agreed though that if they trade Hanley it'll be for 0-1 year service time guys -- say Heyward/Freeman.

Don't you think the Marlins would listen to an Ellsbury + Lester for Hanley deal?

No, I don't.