Lowell Set to Sign?

Buster Olney "heard early this morning" that Mike Lowell is close to signing a three-year deal with the Red Sox. Not sure how firm you can consider a report such as that, but take it as you will.

If it's true, the Sox and Yanks both will have kept all their key players from a year ago, Andy Pettitte's upcoming decision excepted. Considering the results of last season, that's not a bad scenario for Boston.

Comments

[Nick-YF]

Olney also mentions that Boston will be shopping around Crisp. I wonder how aggressive they'll be. He's a great fourth outfielder option, but I'm not sure, at this point in his career, he'd be into a bench role. Anyway, he should get a nice return in a trade.

[sam-YF]

In reference to last year, the teams will be similar but the yankees rotation will be quite different than last year regardless of Pettitte's decision. How the Yankees young pitching turns out will go a long way in determining the AL east champs.

[AndrewYF]

I've heard Gerald Laird as a possible return for Crisp. I can't see the Sox getting an elite prospect for him.

[Nick-YF]

I am really hoping that in IPK, Joba and The Franchise we have the next Zito-Hudson-Mulder. Is that too much to ask?

[Nick-YF]

also, I'm not sure what to make of the Olner report given Bradford's latest. He says there's a healhty divide between Lowell and the Sox.

[Paul SF]

Is that too much to ask?

I hope so.

Bradford's story doesn't say much, though (granted, neither does Olney's). Bradford's story sounds like he didn't hear anything over the weekend, so the status quo must still be true. Olney at least updates with new -- though completely unsourced and somewhat speculative -- information.

[krueg]

Not to mention with all the big Yankees resigning, the front office can focus on our huge weakness...the bullpen. Not sure who the available free agents are but let's hope there are some decent arms out there?
We do need Pettitte back as well!

[Atheose]

Not sure who the available free agents are but let's hope there are some decent arms out there?

There's a great reliever out there--Eric Gagne. You Yankees should snag him up and use him in a set-up role for Mo! It can't go wrong!

[yankeemonkey]

Atheose, that made me snarf water. Well done!

[sam-YF]

i want kerry wood setting up Mo. Im not sure why, but i think it could work.

[Atheose]

What's so funny Yankeemonkey? Gagne is one of the most dominant closers of all time. Who wouldn't want to pick him up?

Okay, I don't think I can physically type any more bullshit without vomitting.

[Atheose]

Lumberjacks Kerry Wood

[Paul SF]

Just had this thought, but remember how long it took between the Sox' agreement to a deal with J.D. Drew and the actual completion? Everyone made a big stink...

Is it just me, or has it been a while since A-Rod agreed to an "outline" of a deal? I didn't miss anything over the weekend, did I?

[Nick-YF]

well, according to the ever-weird A-Rod they are in the "bottom of the 5th" in their negotiations. In other words, if it rains there's a chance none of this has counted.

[Atheose]

Good point Paul. It's just a little too quiet right now in Yankeeland, unless they've decided to wait until after he wins the MVP to announce the new contract.

[Atheose]

In other words, if it rains there's a chance none of this has counted.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA now I'm the one spitting up coffee all over my keyboard.

[sam-YF]

paul,
Im not sure i see your point. Should be be making a stink? Wasnt Drew's like multiple (3-4) weeks? The yankees outline has been agreed to for 4-5 days.
Id say that A-Rod's contract might be a tad more complicated than Drews too. Also, if i remember correctly the stink wasnt about the time but that the reasons for the delay, injury concerns or something....

[sam-YF]

Drew agreed to his contract on Dec. 5 and signed it on Jan. 26.

You're gonna have to wait quite a while before comparing his situation to A-Rods.

[Atheose]

But still Sam, don't you think that it's been a little good quiet on the Yankees' end? A week ago this deal was all but completed, and we haven't heard anything since. Not even rumours.

[Nick-YF]

I'm not reading too much into the quiet just yet. The reports were that this deal is huge and complicated. There's a lot of language that has to be worked through (eg. the homerun record incentive has to be phrased just so in order to not go against the CBA).

[SF]

Quiet is good, in my book. I like it when negotiating parties involved keep their mouths shut.

Silence rarely indicates that nothing is getting done (sometimes it is exactly the opposite), it just indicates that nobody is blabbing to members of the press.

[Paul SF]

I remember the Boston media making a stink within days of the first reports that he had signed -- "Why hasn't there been an announcement?" etc. Not saying there's anything to raise a stink about, but I'm surprised no one's asked the question.

In other news, the White Sox traded Jon Garland to LAA for Orlando Cabrera. A 33-year-old shortstop with a great glove and decent bat is all it took to land a young strter with better-than-average ERAs the past three seasons? Wish the Sox had been in on that...

[Nick-YF]

Wow, that's a great deal for the Angels.

[Paul SF]

More proof that Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams are determined to set some sort of record for fastest way to turn a World Series winner into crap while still pretending to care.

[Nick-YF]

next step: Paul Konerko to the Yanks for Kyle Farnsworth!

[sam-YF]

I think the fact that its assumed that this going to be such a complicated deal between A-Rod and the yankees has given them breathing room to work something out. Given that there have been 2 work days since they they agreed to the outline of a deal, Im not at all worried about quiet at this point.

Good trade for the Angels in a vacuum, but Garland is at a 4th starter on that team, and they had a lot of other up-and-coming pitchers who could put up similar numbers. The last thing the Angels needed was starting pitching, IMO.

[Nick-YF]

But this could be setting up another trade for the Angels, and what is the cliche: You can never have too much starting pitching.

[AndrewYF]

^ me

Actually, looking at Orlando more closely, this is an absolute steal for the Angels. The Halos have to be giving up more than just Cabrera.

[yankeemonkey]

I swear, some people propose trades as if they're fanboys sitting in their moms' basements....

It would take at least Konerko+Jenks for that kind of trade. Think before you type, Nick.

More seriously, weren't Orioles interested in Krazy Kyle? Maybe we could swing a Farns-for-Markakis deal?...

[Nick-YF]

Yeah, you ave to assume there's at least some salary kick-back. This is an odd move otherwise for the Sox.

[SF]

The legal language in very simple deals can take days to work out, much less what is probably going on between Boras and the Yankees. The silence means next to nothing.

[Nick-YF]

This is speculation but I think this trade will help lead to the Angels landing Miguel Cabrera. They can feel better about trading top pitching prospects (what the Marlins want) now that the rotation is deeper.

[Mike YF]

I think you're right, Nick. And the Angels did kick back some salary.

[Atheose]

I agree, this HAS to be part of a deal for Miguel Cabrera. The Angels are one of the few teams that need more pitching, and trading away one of their key offensive players cripples them for 2008.

[Atheose]

Wow, I take that back. 8 of the Angels top 9 batters have averages .289 or better.

Since they're more of a small-ball team, I guess their overall offense is underrated.

The Angels' offense is hard to figure. They rank exactly middle of the pack (7/14th) in the AL for OPS. However, they ranked 4th in the AL in runs scored and they play in a pitchers' park - so during the season their offense was plenty effective. Then again, the division they payed in had pretty weak pitching, with he A's about average the M's and Rangers well below average.

I for one, think they definitely need another power bat in the lineup to compliment Vlad.