Sox Sign David Robertson - 4 yr, $46 mil

[Boopa1219]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/12/whit...-robertson.html

[Brian]

As long as he wouldn't have to face Viciedo or Dunn, I'd be on board.

[Bob Sacamano]

If they are willing to go $9+ mill on a closer, I thimk that means they are willing to let the payroll go to about $115 mill

[Whitey]

I hope we don't pay $12.5 mil per year for a closer (that is the type of numbers I have been seeing speculated for him)... I would much rather have Francisco Rodríguez on a 2 year deal for half of that. A contract like that would line right up with LaRoche, Danks, and Alexei all expiring after 2016.

 

There is no problem going nuts spending in FA if we stick to 1-2 year deals and do not forfeit draft picks. This allows for the Sox to be in win-now mode right now, but if the team does not perform as planned, any of them can be flipped for prospects at pretty much anytime. So they either become a contender, or at a minimum they manufactured assets.

 

After these contracts expire in 2016, the team still has its current core (Abreu, Sale, Q, Eaton, Garcia) intact and in the primes of their careers. Our prospects will be at the MLB level (Rodon, Anderson, Micah, Montas). Payroll will be very low, and we will be in position to be major players in FA again in 2 years.

 

 

 

Edit: $12.5 mil, not $15.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Whitey

[cabiness42]

That's a lot of money to tie up in a reliever, but if he's as good as he has been for even three of the four years, it will pay off huge.

[Jose Abreu]

As long as he wouldn't have to face Viciedo or Dunn, I'd be on board.

It was funny to watch them destroy him though.

[Eminor3rd]

If they are willing to go $9+ mill on a closer, I thimk that means they are willing to let the payroll go to about $115 mill

 

I would certainly hope so. Or at least they had better make sure it goes high enough to accommodate a LF and a mid-rotation starter.

 

I'd have a lot of trouble getting down with the Sox giving out a Papelbon contract.

[Brian]

I'd have a lot of trouble getting down with the Sox giving out a Papelbon contract.

 

Only he's not Papelbon and we have seen how a closer by committee works along with trying to find an in house one.

[Dick Allen]

This guy is pretty good. I think Rivera taught him his cutter and he strikes out a lot of guys. That said, I don't see the White Sox spending the cash needed to get him. I think this may be a plant to get action elsewhere.

[Lemon_44]

I wouldn't have a problem with paying him $12.5 mill. That's what the Sox paid LaRoche and I think Robertson would have a bigger impact than him.

[Dick Allen]

I wouldn't have a problem with paying him $12.5 mill. That's what the Sox paid LaRoche and I think Robertson would have a bigger impact than him.

Bullpen pieces are starting to get paid. The record for a non closer was 3 years $18 million before Miller. Miller may close. But Zach Duke came close to the highest of all time before Miller signed. Once they start getting paid, there is no going back. The days of cheap bullpens are endangered.

 

I think ultimately the Yankees re-sign Robertson. That would give them the best back end of the bullpen in baseball, assuming Betances, Miller and Robertson maintain their current levels.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Dick Allen

[Y2Jimmy0]

Okay so be ready to call me out. I have long been a draft pick defender and advocate of not signing players with QO's attached. I'm still not advocating doing so but pondering a strategy. If the Sox sign David Robertson and give up their 2nd round pick, would it benefit to dip back into free agency this year for another QO free agent? If they were to sign two players with QO's, they would be giving up their 2nd and 3rd round picks. While just writing that statement makes me cringe a little bit, does it make sense to do it at this point?

[Dunt]

I wouldnt mind this move all that much. If he is putting up roughly 2 wins per season, that equates to a $12 AAV anyways, so 12.5/year over 4 years isn't that far off market value. Fact is, there is value in getting someone that can lock down games at the back end. We dont need to be taxing Sale or Q by going 8 because they dont have a bullpen they can depend on. If a stronger bullpen allows for Sale to stay healthy, I think an addition like this is pretty invaluable. They could go after KRod too and keep the pick, but I would almost prefer Robertson.

[cabiness42]

Okay so be ready to call me out. I have long been a draft pick defender and advocate of not signing players with QO's attached. I'm still not advocating doing so but pondering a strategy. If the Sox sign David Robertson and give up their 2nd round pick, would it benefit to dip back into free agency this year for another QO free agent? If they were to sign two players with QO's, they would be giving up their 2nd and 3rd round picks. While just writing that statement makes me cringe a little bit, does it make sense to do it at this point?

 

If the Sox are willing to give up their 2nd round pick to get Robertson, then there is no reason they shouldn't be willing to give up their 3rd round pick to sign Scherzer or Melky.

 

[Rooftop Shots]

Well, I may be way off base, but if we do get another front line right hander for a starter, what good would it do, if we are just going to go through what we did last year. We are not going to have a Baltimore Orioles rotation from 1971 that will have a total of 71 complete games. I do believe that Petricka and Putnam experienced growing pains, but still will not have the (&*&%^&'s) to be able to be "lights out" "Game over" closers on a consistent reliable basis. So, if if overpaying someone like DR is not done...the what confidence will fans have if we go into games with a lead late in the game and still have second raters at the end?. Then the question begins.......Do we really want to win with "just hoping" with some "grit your teeth and bear it" "get by-ers" or do you want to help solidify the rotation by giving it a lights out back end? If not Robertson, then who else for 3-4 years to go along with the starters that are locked up for years to come? Could it be Montas?? If so, if winning NOW is our objective...how long do we wait on him? Don't know much about him, so maybe someone can shed some light?

[Dunt]

Well, I may be way off base, but if we do get another front line right hander for a starter, what good would it do, if we are just going to go through what we did last year. We are not going to have a Baltimore Orioles rotation from 1971 that will have a total of 71 complete games. I do believe that Petricka and Putnam experienced growing pains, but still will not have the (&*&%^&'s) to be able to be "lights out" "Game over" closers on a consistent reliable basis. So, if if overpaying someone like DR is not done...the what confidence will fans have if we go into games with a lead late in the game and still have second raters at the end?. Then the question begins.......Do we really want to win with "just hoping" with some "grit your teeth and bear it" "get by-ers" or do you want to help solidify the rotation by giving it a lights out back end? If not Robertson, then who else for 3-4 years to go along with the starters that are locked up for years to come? Could it be Montas?? If so, if winning NOW is our objective...how long do we wait on him? Don't know much about him, so maybe someone can shed some light?

 

I think it's entirely possible that Montas is ready by next year with a strong 2015 campaign, possibly even September if they are playing for something. His value is greatly increased if he can stick as a starter though and give us a solid 4-5 guy.

[southsider2k5]

Tough call. It hurts to think of that kind of investment in a closer, but at the same time, a guy like this makes the bullpen a ton better, as it moves everyone up an inning, and makes their jobs a lot easier. Petricka in the 7th/8th, is a lot better than the 9th, for example. Putnam becomes a 6/7th inning guy, instead of your primary set up guy.

[royoung]

fifty million over four years for a bullpen arm? And giving up our 2nd round pick? I like Robertson fine and all, but at that cost, I would pass.

[AlSoxfan]

I thought Hahn has said he wouldn't be interested in guys like this. He might just be checking things out or maybe just blowing smoke. On the other hand he might be looking to trade a couple guys (Montas???)for someone else an would then be short bp arms. In any case I'd like to have Robertson closing for us.

[LittleHurt05]

Having Robertson at the back of the bullpen would be awesome, but paying huge money for a FA closer just seems so wrong.

[ptatc]

Well, I may be way off base, but if we do get another front line right hander for a starter, what good would it do, if we are just going to go through what we did last year. We are not going to have a Baltimore Orioles rotation from 1971 that will have a total of 71 complete games. I do believe that Petricka and Putnam experienced growing pains, but still will not have the (&*&%^&'s) to be able to be "lights out" "Game over" closers on a consistent reliable basis. So, if if overpaying someone like DR is not done...the what confidence will fans have if we go into games with a lead late in the game and still have second raters at the end?. Then the question begins.......Do we really want to win with "just hoping" with some "grit your teeth and bear it" "get by-ers" or do you want to help solidify the rotation by giving it a lights out back end? If not Robertson, then who else for 3-4 years to go along with the starters that are locked up for years to come? Could it be Montas?? If so, if winning NOW is our objective...how long do we wait on him? Don't know much about him, so maybe someone can shed some light?

At least in theory, another top starter would allow RV to use the bullpen less. Thus, he would go to the lesser bullpen arms less frequently. Part of the problem last year was that with the down year of the rotation the Sox used the bullpen alot more, which is never good.

[TheFutureIsNear]

We could probably sign both Gregerson and Phil Coke for less than Robertson over 4 years and not have to give up the draft pick either. This team has too many holes to fill to be spending top dollar on a closer.

[royoung]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 1m1 minute ago

Also, per sources: #Astros offered Miller 4 yrs. #WhiteSox were one of several teams reluctant to offer him 4. Would they go 4 on Robertson?

 

 

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 1m1 minute ago

Per @GeorgeAKingIII, #WhiteSox pursuing Robertson. Sources say they also like Gregerson, who lives in Chicago. Just $64.8M committed in ’15.

[Eminor3rd]

Only he's not Papelbon and we have seen how a closer by committee works along with trying to find an in house one.

 

You say "closer by committee" like that was actually the plan, but it never is. That's a term that gets thrown around when the bullpen sucks and the manager can't consistently go to anyone to hold a lead at the end of the game. If there's ever a "committee," it means something has already gone horribly wrong.

 

Just because we don't have a $50m commitment to a reliever doesn't mean we can't have a closer.

[bjm676]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 1m1 minute ago

Also, per sources: #Astros offered Miller 4 yrs. #WhiteSox were one of several teams reluctant to offer him 4. Would they go 4 on Robertson?

 

 

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 1m1 minute ago

Per @GeorgeAKingIII, #WhiteSox pursuing Robertson. Sources say they also like Gregerson, who lives in Chicago. Just $64.8M committed in ’15.

 

If they are pursuing both Robertson and Gregerson, I could see them offering Webb or even Petricka in a trade.