Downs signs with Angels; 3 years, $15m

[Raptorsrock]

Scott Downs: Report: Red Sox expected to sign Scott Downs
Scott Downs - R - TOR - Dec. 9 - 8:56 am et

According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, other teams believe the Red Sox will sign Scott Downs.
This shouldn't come as a surprise. The Red Sox would have been reluctant to give up a first-round pick for Downs (a Type A free agent) before, but things have changed now that they signed Carl Crawford. Plus, they'll be able to replenish their lost picks for losing Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre. Dec. 9 - 8:56 am et

[torontoaces04]

Fu*k!

[Relentless88]

Damnit. This is like the Yanks signing AJ after CC..

[dennistokyo]

Pile on the picks.

[Kurtz]

Pile on the picks.

Low picks, not nearly a fair return for Downs. This was bound to happen. Should have moved him at the deadline.

Also, **** Boston.

[Schad]

I assumed that whichever team signed Downs would be one who'd already brought in another Type-A, so it isn't a big blow in that respect at least.

Still, another example of the way teams have been able to game the compensation scheme...the Red Sox will surrender their 1st and 2nd rounders (possibly their third as well if they sign another Type-A), yet they'll have the 19th pick (from Detroit, for Martinez), either another first rounder from Beltre or a second rounder, and two supplementary round picks. That needs to be changed.

[luvtheteam]

Does anyone know if our supplemental 1st round pick for Downs would get upgraded if we lose a type A and only get the supp and a 2nd rounder? Seems to me it should.

Also, i'm not too worried about a 1st vs. a second. There are always guys hanging around the first few rounds that want a lot of money and teams stay away from. Recall we got Dickie Joe Thon in the 5th round. If you go through the 2010 draft results, other teams as well picked up important guys beyond the first round with above slot bonuses.

If Downs goes to Boston, we'll have:

Our first
Supp 1st for Downs
Supp 1st for Olivio
Supp 1st for Buck
2nd for Downs
Our second

So far 6 picks in first 2 rounds. Gregg will net us another Supp 1st if we don't sign him back ourselves.
This year's and next years draft are going to reshape this franchise for many many years to come.

[-MetA4-]

Low picks, not nearly a fair return for Downs. This was bound to happen. Should have moved him at the deadline.

You can stretch a 2nd round pick into a 1st round talent easily if you are willing to spend the money. A Supp 1st and a 2nd in a deep draft is a fine return for any reliever.

[darth_federer]

Correct me if Im wrong but isnt baseball one of the worst sports in terms of draft pick= talent. The NBA and NHL is pretty clear cut because high draft picks= better players but baseball is more fluid no? We have a ton of scouts so Im not so worried.

[Michael Bradley]

Correct me if Im wrong but isnt baseball one of the worst sports in terms of draft pick= talent. The NBA and NHL is pretty clear cut because high draft picks= better players but baseball is more fluid no? We have a ton of scouts so Im not so worried.

Even first round picks in baseball tend to be a 50/50 proposition as far as whether they will reach the Majors. Look at the 2007 draft. The Jays got an additional first round pick (16th overall) from Texas for Frank Catalanotto of all players and used it to get Kevin Ahrens, while with the supplemental pick (38th overall) they got for Speier they were able to draft Brett Cecil. The draft is really a crapshoot outside of the top 10. With so many rounds, so many ways of evaluating talent, and money always being a factor, it is very unpredictable.

I wouldn't worry too much. Yes, it would have been great to get a first for Downs, but ultimately the Jays are willing to go overslot now and there are players bound to slip for signability issues, so I think the Jays will be OK.

[J-Roc]

Disappointing when one of our players goes to the enemy. I like Scott, but now I hope he fails.

[northernpuppy]

Disappointing when one of our players goes to the enemy. I like Scott, but now I hope he fails.

What I find most hilarious is that while the Yanks are trying to pursue Lee, all of the other dominoes are falling. First Werth (pretty sure they didn't want him anyways, but still a domino), then Crawford, and now Downs who IMO the Yanks desperately needed. Downs would be a great addition to the NYY bullpen and add a nice lefty reliever for those situations in the 7th and 8th to face a lefty.

In either case, it looks like Boston is reloading and I'm happy for Downs.

[Nolan]

Kinda a disapointed that we're not getting a 1st for him but its really not that suprising.

[Schad]

Kinda a disapointed that we're not getting a 1st for him but its really not that suprising.

We're still getting a pick around #40 and another around #80, which isn't bad. Additionally, all of our picks are protected this year...if the money is there this year as it was last, we can be extremely aggressive going after the guys we want.

[Nolan]

Kinda a disapointed that we're not getting a 1st for him but its really not that suprising.

We're still getting a pick around #40 and another around #80, which isn't bad. Additionally, all of our picks are protected this year...if the money is there this year as it was last, we can be extremely aggressive going after the guys we want.

That's still pretty solid then.

[bryant08]

Update: Downs to sign with the Angels as per Ken Rosenthal.

Source: Downs in agreement with #Angels - 3 yrs, $15M. Another $1M in incentives based on GF. Taking physical now. #Yankees #RedSox #MLB

What does that mean for the compensation?

[hyper316]

sweet, the bsox are loaded, adding downs will hurt us

From http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/a ... downs.html:

Since Downs is a Type A free agent, the Blue Jays will receive two draft picks for the left-hander --- one a first-round compensation pick, and a second-round pick from Los Angeles (the Halos' first-rounder is protected).

[MGD24]

Update: Downs to sign with the Angels as per Ken Rosenthal.

Source: Downs in agreement with #Angels - 3 yrs, $15M. Another $1M in incentives based on GF. Taking physical now. #Yankees #RedSox #MLB

What does that mean for the compensation?

apparently their 1st pick is protected
so doesnt sound good for us!

[flatjacket1]

Update: Downs to sign with the Angels as per Ken Rosenthal.

Source: Downs in agreement with #Angels - 3 yrs, $15M. Another $1M in incentives based on GF. Taking physical now. #Yankees #RedSox #MLB

What does that mean for the compensation?

Well this means we get a 2nd round pick and a sandwich pick. (That's what I've heard, I'd imagine its 1 slot away from not being protected )

I'm happy for 2 reasons:
1. Downs is not in our division, which means I can actually hope to see him do well on his new team.
2. Angels 2nd round and Red Sox's first round are like 25 picks apart. Much better pick.

[Schad]

What does that mean for the compensation?

The second rounder will be five picks higher. Unless the Angels sign Beltre, or Lee, or Rafael Soriano, all of which they've been linked to; in that case, we get screwed over a tad.