I'm still trying to figure out the best way forward for addressing the lack of a consistent "ace" for the Sox. I don't like the idea of trading any of our current 25 roster- assuming no sane GM would deal an ace for Pablo or Hanley- so I really believe the Sox will get involved in one of the guys from the following list (courtesy of mlbtraderumors.com). I underscored the group that I think the Sox are likely to pursue.
Here's a list below of all upcoming Free Agent (or possible FA pitchers if options aren't picked up). I underlined Buchholz, as I'm pretty sure the Sox will pick up his option, and I also underlined Greinke as I think he'll opt out of his. Out of the group of Greinke, Price, Shark, Zimmerman, Cueto, Latos, Leake and Kazmir only Greinke, Price, Cueto and Zimmerman really intrigue me. Greinke is the oldest out of them but is probably the best (arguably, duh.) and will command at least a 5/150 contract. Price could also land somewhere around 7/210. Cueto just below that (27 per), Zimmerman just a notch below that (25 per?) while the rest could land contracts around what we gave to Porcello.
With the glut of high quality arms available though, I can envision some of those prices and/or years going down. I also believe that The Dodgers will resign Greinke and call it an offseason. I'm mostly wondering though how many other high spending teams might not get themselved involved in this offseason's high end pitching market. The Cubs, Nationals, Mets, Yankees and Detroit all may have to pass on all these guys due to being tied up with their own high salaried starting rotation- or look to tie up some of their own young talent to bigger longer term contracts.
I think the Sox will go hard and heavy after Price and will get their man for 27.5 per for 7 years.
Brett Anderson (28)
Brandon Beachy (29)
Chad Billingsley (31)
Clay Buchholz (31) – $13MM club option with a $245K buyout
Mark Buehrle (37)
A.J. Burnett (39)
Trevor Cahill (28) – $13MM club option with a $300K buyout
Chris Capuano (37)
Wei-Yin Chen (30)
Bartolo Colon (43)
Johnny Cueto (30)
R.A. Dickey (41) – $12MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Marco Estrada (32)
Doug Fister (32)
Gavin Floyd (33)
Yovani Gallardo (30)
Jaime Garcia (29) – $11.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Zack Greinke (32) – can opt out of remaining three years/$71MM
Jeremy Guthrie (37) – $10MM mutual option with a $3.2MM buyout
J.A. Happ (33)
Aaron Harang (38)
Dan Haren (35)
Tim Hudson (40)
Hisashi Iwakuma (35)
Scott Kazmir (32)
Kyle Kendrick (31)
Ian Kennedy (31)
John Lackey (37)
Mat Latos (28)
Mike Leake (28)
Cliff Lee (37) – $27.5MM club/vesting option with a $12.5MM buyout
Tim Lincecum (32)
Kyle Lohse (37)
Corey Luebke (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1.75MM buyout
Justin Masterson (31)
Brandon Morrow (31)
Bud Norris (31)
Mike Pelfrey (32)
David Price (30)
Jeff Samardzija (31)
Alfredo Simon (35)
Ryan Vogelsong (38)
Jerome Williams (34)
Chris Young (37)
Jordan Zimmermann (30)
Here's a list below of all upcoming Free Agent (or possible FA pitchers if options aren't picked up). I underlined Buchholz, as I'm pretty sure the Sox will pick up his option, and I also underlined Greinke as I think he'll opt out of his. Out of the group of Greinke, Price, Shark, Zimmerman, Cueto, Latos, Leake and Kazmir only Greinke, Price, Cueto and Zimmerman really intrigue me. Greinke is the oldest out of them but is probably the best (arguably, duh.) and will command at least a 5/150 contract. Price could also land somewhere around 7/210. Cueto just below that (27 per), Zimmerman just a notch below that (25 per?) while the rest could land contracts around what we gave to Porcello.
With the glut of high quality arms available though, I can envision some of those prices and/or years going down. I also believe that The Dodgers will resign Greinke and call it an offseason. I'm mostly wondering though how many other high spending teams might not get themselved involved in this offseason's high end pitching market. The Cubs, Nationals, Mets, Yankees and Detroit all may have to pass on all these guys due to being tied up with their own high salaried starting rotation- or look to tie up some of their own young talent to bigger longer term contracts.
I think the Sox will go hard and heavy after Price and will get their man for 27.5 per for 7 years.
Brett Anderson (28)
Brandon Beachy (29)
Chad Billingsley (31)
Clay Buchholz (31) – $13MM club option with a $245K buyout
Mark Buehrle (37)
A.J. Burnett (39)
Trevor Cahill (28) – $13MM club option with a $300K buyout
Chris Capuano (37)
Wei-Yin Chen (30)
Bartolo Colon (43)
Johnny Cueto (30)
R.A. Dickey (41) – $12MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Marco Estrada (32)
Doug Fister (32)
Gavin Floyd (33)
Yovani Gallardo (30)
Jaime Garcia (29) – $11.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Zack Greinke (32) – can opt out of remaining three years/$71MM
Jeremy Guthrie (37) – $10MM mutual option with a $3.2MM buyout
J.A. Happ (33)
Aaron Harang (38)
Dan Haren (35)
Tim Hudson (40)
Hisashi Iwakuma (35)
Scott Kazmir (32)
Kyle Kendrick (31)
Ian Kennedy (31)
John Lackey (37)
Mat Latos (28)
Mike Leake (28)
Cliff Lee (37) – $27.5MM club/vesting option with a $12.5MM buyout
Tim Lincecum (32)
Kyle Lohse (37)
Corey Luebke (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1.75MM buyout
Justin Masterson (31)
Brandon Morrow (31)
Bud Norris (31)
Mike Pelfrey (32)
David Price (30)
Jeff Samardzija (31)
Alfredo Simon (35)
Ryan Vogelsong (38)
Jerome Williams (34)
Chris Young (37)
Jordan Zimmermann (30)