The off-season

Red(s)HawksFan

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So is the idea that the Sox have to stay under the luxury tax threshold this year, because they'll need to go over when they lock up all the B's on long term deals?
As Bowlerman notes, by the time those guys near free agency and will need to be paid big sums, the team will be rid of some of their current high cost contracts. However, the luxury tax concerns at present most likely do prevent them from locking any of them up to long term contracts now, even at team friendly prices.
 

Plympton91

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Oct 19, 2008
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Housekeeping:
$12.5 over 2 years, not per year
That seems extraordinarily low for someone who just had two solid years and can play a lot of positions. I would have been happy to beat that number by a substantial amount. He's like Brock Holt with power and without the ability to play below average shortstop.
 

johnnywayback

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The thing with long-term contracts is that it's the AAV that counts toward the luxury tax. So you can't just backload them until after 2018 or whenever.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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Wonder if there's any chance of it being Jeffries, Torres, or Thornburg? Any of the three would be a very nice addition to the pen, but none of them would be cheap. Probably a Sam Travis level prospect as the starting point. I'm guessing they wouldn't need to include any of the top 5, though.
 

bosockboy

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Wonder if there's any chance of it being Jeffries, Torres, or Thornburg? Any of the three would be a very nice addition to the pen, but none of them would be cheap. Probably a Sam Travis level prospect as the starting point. I'm guessing they wouldn't need to include any of the top 5, though.
Jeffries was moved to Texas at July deadline.
 

Luis Taint

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Apr 7, 2012
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Who is Tyler Thornburg? Evidently we just traded for him, in return for someone named Pennington.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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Who is Tyler Thornburg? Evidently we just traded for him, in return for someone named Pennington.
Is this a guess or are you seeing it somewhere? If it's him and it's Shaw and Pennington, I'll be thrilled.

Here is Thornburg's Fangraphs page. Great season last year, only just turned 28.

upload_2016-12-6_9-20-34.png

Edit: I guess it's Thornburg. Sweet.
 

Clears Cleaver

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Didn't give up much, but Thornburg looks the role of a guy who will not match 2016 anytime soon. Please tell me his motion is not violent and he's a TJ procedure waiting to happen...
 

johnnywayback

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Trading Shaw here, as I suggested upthread, solves a roster crunch problem -- we now have two spots on the 25 available, one for a lefty DH (Alvarez!) and one for a Sandoval platoon partner and/or insurance policy (Solartes!).
 

Tyrone Biggums

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Thornburg is a solid piece. Shaw had a solid start to the season then flamed out. No huge loss
 

Tyrone Biggums

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Wow. One good year in the NL with a noncontender and already 28. Yikes. Seems like competition for the 10th or 11th spots with Heath Hembree more than anything else.

I guess they've determined Travis Shaw is who he was in the second half of 2016. If Shaw bounces back at all, this is a huge overpay.

Dombrowski's questionable history of building bullpens doesn't inspire confidence.
David Cameron disagrees

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/my-favorite-under-the-radar-trade-deadline-target/

Shaw impressed for the first part of the year then fell off. A large overpay is a strong statement.
 

Tyrone Biggums

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According to Rotoworld Sox are in on Mitch Moreland. Solid low cost guy.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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According to Rotoworld Sox are in on Mitch Moreland. Solid low cost guy.
Somewhat of an upgrade over Shaw, at least at the plate (certainly less mercurial, anyway). Gold glove winner at 1B. I can see him playing 1B vs RHP while Hanley DHs, then Hanley plays 1B against LHP with someone like Chris Young at DH.
 

johnnywayback

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Somewhat of an upgrade over Shaw, at least at the plate (certainly less mercurial, anyway). Gold glove winner at 1B. I can see him playing 1B vs RHP while Hanley DHs, then Hanley plays 1B against LHP with someone like Chris Young at DH.
This seems ideal. Didn't realize Moreland was such a plus defender. Plus, again, still space on the roster for a RHH 3B like Solartes or Plouffe (whether there's room in the budget is another question...).
 

Cesar Crespo

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Dec 22, 2002
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So trading Shaw means they have to sign a bat, right? Even if Sandoval is the starting 3b, it leaves us with Brock Holt and Chris Young at DH unless I'm spacing something. I think trading Travis Shaw also says just as much about how the Sox view Sam Travis as it does Pablo. It's why I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox wait it out and sign the cheapest DH option available.
 

jimbobim

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Jul 14, 2012
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Somebody take the phone away from Dealing Dave just let the Nationals have him... re Sale