Betts/Price to LA for Verdugo/Jeter Downs/TBA

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moondog80

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I would really be interested to know what the estimated tax saving are that drove Mookie out of town.
This is really going to be remembered as the reason, huh? Like the myth of Duquette saying that Clemens was in "the twilight of his career"?

They did not trade Betts to get under the tax. They traded him because he had one year left on his deal and they did not want to meet his asking price, tax or no.
 

Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat

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Seems like this is a fantastic trade talent-wise for the Dodgers. They get a massive upgrade from Verdugo to Betts and another pretty decent upgrade from Maeda to Price.

The money is obviously important, but they just got MUCH better.
For one year. It's the ultimate GFIN move for them, which is understandable
 

patoaflac

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I got over the Sparky Lyle trade, I'll get over this.
It sounds like we got a decent pitching prospect anyway.
I'll be rooting for the Dodgers and Mookie, unless the Sox meet up with them again.
On March 26 you’ll be rooting for the Sox. As in the Godfather: these happens every 5 or 10 years
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This. Mookie isn’t saying “sign me”, he wants to reach FA and max his money. It was unlikely he would be retained.
You are correct and, unfortunately, this deal probably had to happen. Its hard to grade Bloom too on this either given how difficult it must have been to structure anything around Betts and Price.

That said, the Sox sent out their best player in generations and got back two guys who may or may not be something (I know there are some here who really enjoy prospect development). The Sox sent out more talent than they are taking back and, if you aren't excited by young players with some potential, its a difficult deal to like.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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The dodgers killed this trade. Why didn't they wait until the season? There would be more teams looking to trade.

In 2003, you think the Red Sox wouldn't have traded Hanley Ramirez and whatever the equivalent is for Maeda (for a prospect like Colby Lewis) for Pujols or A-Rod? Even if it was only for a half-season?

Baseball is a crazy game. What if SD is in contention? Or someone desperate to get that elusive title, like Cleveland or the Brewers?
 

johnnywayback

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This is just not accurate, at all. No amount of "foresight with contract and salary management" would have convinced Mookie Betts to sign an extension instead of hitting free agency. And no amount of "foresight with contract and salary management" would make it a good idea to pin your hopes on being the high bidder next off-season.
 

TomBrunansky23

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Contrary to some of the conventional wisdom on this board, I like this trade for the long haul. A few thoughts:

1. Mookie is not Yaz. Yaz did not rebuff consistent team efforts to sign him to a long-term contract. Mookie probably doesn't want to re-sign with the Red Sox, and the Red Sox couldn't and shouldn't afford his contract demands.
2. This isn't really about saving John Henry's money. This is about re-setting the Red Sox payroll to avoid long-term luxury tax and draft penalties that hamstring the team's future competitiveness.
3. Jettisoning Price has to be considered a positive. While he may be a great teammate, he's a distraction and a public-relations albatross in the Boston media market.
4. Two major league ready prospects with nearly a decade of control between them strike me as a decent haul for 1 year of an un-resign-able Mookie and a guy none of us should be sad to see go.
5. Payroll flexibility! Bloom just undid all of Dombrowski's subpar payroll management, and now has a much cleaner slate to work with going forward.
Thank you. This is the reality folks. I'm fascinated to see where they go from here. You wanna bail, bail. Don't come back beating the drum when Bloom pulls this all together sooner rather than later.
 

DJnVa

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I'm not convinced they sign Betts even if they could somehow erase the Eovaldi and Sale deals.
Exactly. Because, as the tweet says, Betts wanted to hit FA. Well, that wouldn't change based on Price's deal.
 

ponch73

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You are correct and, unfortunately, this deal probably had to happen. Its hard to grade Bloom too on this either given how difficult it must have been to structure anything around Betts and Price.

That said, the Sox sent out their best player in generations and got back two guys who may or may not be something (I know there are some here who really enjoy prospect development). The Sox sent out more talent than they are taking back and, if you aren't excited by young players with some potential, its a difficult deal to like.
It's important to remember that the Red Sox sent out fully-priced talent. Neither Betts nor Price is in the inexpensive phase of team control. They're both paid at market rate (and in Price's case, substantially above market, which is why his deal had to be subsidized).
 

Bongorific

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The package isn't bad all things considered.

In July the Dodgers will likely be 7 games up and maybe wouldn't offer as much. And the Sox could be in race and unable to deal him.
If they’re in the race great. Keep him and try to win a championship. If you can’t resign him you have a title and collect a draft pick. They might actually have more suitors in July when a team like Atlanta desperate for a title is in the mix as well.
 

bankshot1

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This is really going to be remembered as the reason, huh? Like the myth of Duquette saying that Clemens was in "the twilight of his career"?

They did not trade Betts to get under the tax. They traded him because he had one year left on his deal and they did not want to meet his asking price, tax or no.
I have no idea of the primary rationale that drove the deal. I assume its to get under the tax (if not why include Price then) But if it was not to get under the tax and regain some flexibility, the trade as you outline it is even dumber than I would have imagined.
 

Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat

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I have no idea of the primary rationale that drove the deal. I assume its to get under the tax (if not why include Price then) But if it was not to get under the tax and regain some flexibility, the trade as you outline it is even dumber than I would have imagined.
They weren't going to re-sign Mookie and they wanted to get more than a 4th round pick. I don't think it's a lot more complicated than that.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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The dodgers killed this trade. Why didn't they wait until the season? They're would be more teams looking to trade.

In 2003, you think the Red Sox wouldn't have traded Hanley Ramirez and whatever the equivalent is for Maeda (for a prospect like Colby Lewis) for Pujols or A-Rod? Even if it was only for a half-season?

Baseball is a crazy game. What if SD is in contention? Or someone desperate to get that elusive title, like Cleveland or the Brewers?
I think because they were $20m over the cap. Every week of the season that Mookie played put about $1m on the cap and diminished their chances to get under. Working another salary dump into the equation would have been difficult in July and there was a danger teams would perceive they had no leverage.
 

brandonchristensen

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I want to know how much we are paying of Price.

The Punto trade took a bit for that hilarious detail to come out.
 

moondog80

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I have no idea of the primary rationale that drove the deal. I assume its to get under the tax (if not why include Price then)
Alternatively, if they only wanted to get under the tax, couldn't they have done that by just trading Price (and JBJ if that wasn't quite enough)?
 

Jed Zeppelin

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I'm not convinced they sign Betts even if they could somehow erase the Eovaldi and Sale deals.
Yes, it can simultaneously be true that ownership helped screw the pooch with the early Sale deal AND that said screwing of the pooch is irrelevant to the ability or desire to pay Mookie $400 million past his mid-30s.
 

canderson

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Another part of this is we still don’t know the punishment Boston’s receiving. It could make the itch string to pull this deal.

If I’m a Dodger fan I’m happier than I’ve ever been. What a great deal.
 

budcrew08

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I once thought quite enthusiastically that I’d never live to see the Red Sox win the World Series. Then, in less than 15 years, I’ve witnessed the occurrence four times. Yeah, I think I’ll get past this okay.

This year likely wasn’t going to happen (WS) and letting Betts walk away for free would have been foolish. Meanwhile, Price’s time in Boston wasn’t go to end well.

I’m looking forward to the pause/re-set year and forthcoming rebuild.
How bad could a reset year be? Like 2012 where they were 69-93? Or like .500?
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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It's important to remember that the Red Sox sent out fully-priced talent. Neither Betts nor Price is in the inexpensive phase of team control. They're both paid at market rate (and in Price's case, substantially above market, which is why his deal had to be subsidized).
I understand but it doesn't make it easier to stomach. Its also undeniably a talent downgrade and I have seen this before with prior Sox regimes. I didn't expect it from this one.
 
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