Orioles DO NOT Sign Fowler

[Dick Allen]

These players are proof that something has to change with the QO system, because they truly aren't worth a lost 1st round draft pick when you also have to pay them money on top of it.

Where it really makes no sense is it costs bad teams that aren't bad enough to have their pick protected, wind up paying a higher price to sign a player than a playoff team. Why should signing a guy cost Baltimore pick 14 and KC pick 25 or so?

[Quin]

Where it really makes no sense is it costs bad teams that aren't bad enough to have their pick protected, wind up paying a higher price to sign a player than a playoff team. Why should signing a guy cost Baltimore pick 14 and KC pick 25 or so?

 

I think the best way to change the system would be changing two things.

 

1) Average the top 100 salaries instead of 125. Making it slightly higher will make teams think a little longer before just offer the QO.

 

2) A team only loses a pick if they sign them for an AAV of more than the qualifying offer. Teams can still gain a pick in the comp round.

[Dick Allen]

I think the best way to change the system would be changing two things.

 

1) Average the top 100 salaries instead of 125. Making it slightly higher will make teams think a little longer before just offer the QO.

 

2) A team only loses a pick if they sign them for an AAV of more than the qualifying offer. Teams can still gain a pick in the comp round.

That wouldn't be bad. I would like all non playoff 1st rounders protected.

[Y2Jimmy0]

That wouldn't be bad. I would like all non playoff 1st rounders protected.

 

 

I think this makes the most sense.

[Vance Law]

These players are proof that something has to change with the QO system, because they truly aren't worth a lost 1st round draft pick when you also have to pay them money on top of it.

 

They need to get smarter about the real cost to their market value attached to that QO. But good to remember, no one had ever accepted a QO until this year.

[bmags]

That wouldn't be bad. I would like all non playoff 1st rounders protected.

This makes most sense to me.

[ChiSoxFanMike]

Not in exact dollars but I heard stuff on the structure and it's safe to assume they offered, on the light end, over 60 million. My point being they more money to spend than just 3M on Latos.

If this is true, then the Sox will certainly have enough money for Fowler, Desmond, or Jackson even after the Latos signing.

[Eminor3rd]

Orioles back in on Fowler. Hahn continues to dick around.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/02/orio...ter-fowler.html

[Bigsoxhurt35]

CWS are gona sign them for what they want or they won't sign them at all. Good luck with Avi this year lol

Edited February 11, 2016 by SouthSideSale

[3GamesToLove]

Comp pick or not, I think you have to jump at the chance to get Fowler for something in the range of 2 years, $20m. That's a really cheap way to make your team a lot better.

[3GamesToLove]

CWS are gona sign them for what they want not what they want or they won't sign them at all. Good luck with Avi this year lol

 

This makes my head hurt.

[royoung]

I'm apathetic to Fowler at this point. He would be a clear upgrade defensively in RF but with his poor splits against RHP I think he is destined to disappoint in the AL Central.

 

I think a better course of action would be acquiring a left-handed bat that Garcia could spell occasionally against LHP. Reddick, Ethier, Inciarte, Markakis, all come to mind as guys who mash righties and could be available with varying degrees of difficulty to acquire.

 

EDIT: With that being said, if he's available anywhere near 2/20 it should be done. But I don't believe he is.

Edited February 11, 2016 by southside hitman

[BlackSox13]

I know Fowler would bring OBP and a LHB that the Sox are looking for but I'm starting to lean heavily towards going after Jackson instead. Both players have their pros and cons but Jackson hit RHP better last year and is tremendously better in CF. I really think Jackson's defense would balance out any short comings he may have in comparison to Fowler.

 

Signing Jackson puts him in CF, Eaton RF and Avi could platoon LF with Melky. When there's a LHP on the mound, let Avi play LF and give Melky's legs a break at DH. With a RHP, LaRoche is at DH and Melky plays LF. Robin can use LaRoche against good RHP and Avi against average RHP so they can still see if Avi improves or not, which the Sox seem hell bent on doing any way.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

This makes my head hurt.

Lol typing on my phone sorry. My condolences to your head.

Edited February 11, 2016 by SouthSideSale

[Dick Allen]

I know Fowler would bring OBP and a LHB that the Sox are looking for but I'm starting to lean heavily towards going after Jackson instead. Both players have their pros and cons but Jackson hit RHP better last year and is tremendously better in CF. I really think Jackson's defense would balance out any short comings he may have in comparison to Fowler.

 

Signing Jackson puts him in CF, Eaton RF and Avi could platoon LF with Melky. When there's a LHP on the mound, let Avi play LF and give Melky's legs a break at DH. With a RHP, LaRoche is at DH and Melky plays LF. Robin can use LaRoche against good RHP and Avi against average RHP so they can still see if Avi improves or not, which the Sox seem hell bent on doing any way.

I liked Jackson all along until I found out Boras was his agent. I'm guessing if you get him for a discount it will be well into spring training. Boras probably figures he can get the $8 million 1 year contract at any time so he will wait and maybe there is an injury or someone's OF situation takes a turn for the worse and they need Austin Jackson. For some reason the Sox seem hellbent on a guy who hits RHP. So who knows what is going to happen, but I think if Jackson's demands at the moment were reasonable, he would be on a roster.

[BlackSox13]

I liked Jackson all along until I found out Boras was his agent. I'm guessing if you get him for a discount it will be well into spring training. Boras probably figures he can get the $8 million 1 year contract at any time so he will wait and maybe there is an injury or someone's OF situation takes a turn for the worse and they need Austin Jackson. For some reason the Sox seem hellbent on a guy who hits RHP. So who knows what is going to happen, but I think if Jackson's demands at the moment were reasonable, he would be on a roster.

I hear ya. The only reason I cling to some hope for the signing of Jackson is that Hahn does have a decent rapport with Boras.

[shakes]

I liked Jackson all along until I found out Boras was his agent. I'm guessing if you get him for a discount it will be well into spring training. Boras probably figures he can get the $8 million 1 year contract at any time so he will wait and maybe there is an injury or someone's OF situation takes a turn for the worse and they need Austin Jackson. For some reason the Sox seem hellbent on a guy who hits RHP. So who knows what is going to happen, but I think if Jackson's demands at the moment were reasonable, he would be on a roster.

 

I'm not sure Boras is a huge impediment at this point. Jackson is going to need a job and the market is clearly defining what he is worth. Boras is very good at getting high end free agents better contracts than they deserve, but he isn't some wizard that will get a guy like Jackson a huge overpay.

 

Jackson has his pros/cons but I think overall he makes the Sox a better team.

 

I haven't kept up but aren't there a couple of Cuban defectors that are becoming available soon? Anyone heard if there are legit options there that can help now?

[royoung]

I'm not sure Boras is a huge impediment at this point. Jackson is going to need a job and the market is clearly defining what he is worth. Boras is very good at getting high end free agents better contracts than they deserve, but he isn't some wizard that will get a guy like Jackson a huge overpay.

 

Jackson has his pros/cons but I think overall he makes the Sox a better team.

 

I haven't kept up but aren't there a couple of Cuban defectors that are becoming available soon? Anyone heard if there are legit options there that can help now?

 

I'd love to see them add Yadiel Hernandez. Just turned 28, LH, and in six years has never had an OBP under .400.

 

However, he isn't yet declared a FA and doesn't have a showcase until February 23rd. So he likely won't be ready for Opening Day.

[harfman77]

I think the best way to change the system would be changing two things.

 

1) Average the top 100 salaries instead of 125. Making it slightly higher will make teams think a little longer before just offer the QO.

 

2) A team only loses a pick if they sign them for an AAV of more than the qualifying offer. Teams can still gain a pick in the comp round.

 

I would drop it down to averaging the top 30 salaries and make a rule that you can only offer one player a year similar to the franchise tag in football. I would also up the compensation to two picks, one after the first round and one after the second. That way it gives teams the opportunity to restock after losing a superstar. It would prevent average players from getting QO's.

[cabiness42]

I like the idea of draft pick penalty/compensation. I would tweak it a bit though:

 

1) Each team can only make one QO per year.

2) Expand the first round pick protection from the top 10 picks to the top 20 (all non-playoff teams)

3) Make the QO a player option: 1 year at the average of the Top 125 salaries, or 2 years each at 80% of that value. Make the team offering the QO accept a higher amount of risk in potentially having the player for 2 years.

 

Makes the risk a bit higher for teams making the QO and the risk a bit smaller for (some) teams signing players who have a QO.

[Eminor3rd]

I think the best system is to do away with the QO altogether. Revenue is at a record high and teams are more aware of service time/asset cost than ever. With any semblence of proper planning, practically every team can afford to extend its superstars if it really wants to, and they all know well enough to trade them otherwise. The compensation for losing the player is the monster package of prospects to acquire when you trade them, or it's the 6 best years of the player's career you got to use.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Eminor3rd

[Balta1701]

I hear ya. The only reason I cling to some hope for the signing of Jackson is that Hahn does have a decent rapport with Boras.

That doesnt' sound like the description I've heard of it. There was a moment when the season ticket holders got to talk to Hahn after the Rodon signing and asked him how it went and he had a sarcastic "working with my friend scott boras" line where the group could tell Hahn was being tongue in cheek because he hated the negotiation. It's a relationship that "works when it has to".

[BlackSox13]

That doesnt' sound like the description I've heard of it. There was a moment when the season ticket holders got to talk to Hahn after the Rodon signing and asked him how it went and he had a sarcastic "working with my friend scott boras" line where the group could tell Hahn was being tongue in cheek because he hated the negotiation. It's a relationship that "works when it has to".

I guess it depends on what a person reads. While I wouldn't say they have a great business relationship, they seem to have a decent one none the less. Much better than what we've seen between Boras and KW in the past.

 

“I tend to be an optimistic guy,” Hahn said. “I never anticipate problems. Look, in reality, we have a history with Scott, a positive history with Scott. He had Joe Crede, he’s got (Dayan) Viciedo. We had Andruw Jones here. A fair amount of this concern, or discussion on how this could be difficult, I think is unnecessary and really not significant to us determining what’s going to happen here.”

 

"The Bryant situation and Carlos’ situation are very different because of the innings issue," Boras said. "Because of the idea that frankly, you really want this process to get a foundation to it for a pitcher rather than building -- because there’s no repetition in amateur baseball that prepares you for what major league pitchers have to go through. Its part of what they have to go through isn’t about ability, it’s about truly building to durability." [...]

"Still the process is one where I don’t in any way think that too many innings too young, being a big leaguer, right there right now and throwing 180 innings your first year of pro ball, I don’t find too many careers where athletes do that that have worked out too well as far longevity goes," Boras said. "So bringing him along slowly and monitoring his innings and doing things like that, I think it’s a very good plan."

[Thad Bosley]

That doesnt' sound like the description I've heard of it. There was a moment when the season ticket holders got to talk to Hahn after the Rodon signing and asked him how it went and he had a sarcastic "working with my friend scott boras" line where the group could tell Hahn was being tongue in cheek because he hated the negotiation. It's a relationship that "works when it has to".

I think the relationship with Boras depends on the class of player we're talking about. Ever since the experience the team had with trying to woo Alex Rodriguez back in whatever year it was before he eventually to the Rangers, the Sox just don't go after any big ticket item whom Boras is representing. On the other side of the scale, the team got Andruw Jones signed a few years ago with no problem. Somewhere in the middle, you never know. The team did do a dos y dos with Boras several years ago in an attempt to get Johnny Damon, but in the end it didn't work out. Whatever attempt there is right now to bring Jackson on board feels similar to that experience, at least to me. We'll see. I do think there is a line the team won't cross when it comes to negotiating with Boras, and in most cases, I don't blame them.

[Kyyle23]

I think the relationship with Boras depends on the class of player we're talking about. Ever since the experience the team had with trying to woo Alex Rodriguez back in whatever year it was before he eventually to the Rangers, the Sox just don't go after any big ticket item whom Boras is representing. On the other side of the scale, the team got Andruw Jones signed a few years ago with no problem. Somewhere in the middle, you never know. The team did do a dos y dos with Boras several years ago in an attempt to get Johnny Damon, but in the end it didn't work out. Whatever attempt there is right now to bring Jackson on board feels similar to that experience, at least to me. We'll see. I do think there is a line the team won't cross when it comes to negotiating with Boras, and in most cases, I don't blame them.

 

Boras also uses teams like the White Sox as leverage for the bigger spending teams, and i know the Sox FO(Williams) didnt like that