OT: Redsox sign Marco Scutaro

Garmfay · Post #1 » by **Garmfay** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:07 am

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/m ... rsday.html

We get #29 pick + a sandwich pick unless the Red Sox sign a higher Type A FA

Post #2 » by **Schad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:28 am

Only seven FAs ranked higher than Scutaro: Matt Holliday, Jose Valverde, Jason Bay, Johnny Damon, Mike Gonzalez, John Lackey, and Rafael Soriano.

Bay played for Boston last year, so scratch him from the list of threats, obviously. Damon wasn't offered arbitration, so we're good there. So that leaves one starter, one outfielder, and three relievers in the mix. The problem: beyond shortstop, those are the three areas of need for the Sox, and Saito departing for Atlanta isn't a favourable sign.

I'd say that our odds of landing their first are probably a smidgen below 50/50, especially as they're getting a nice haul of picks thanks to the departure of Wagner (a top-20 pick + 1s selection) and possible departure of Bay.

Post #3 » by **Celtics_Champs** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:43 am

Seems like you're good on the pick. The only guy from that list we could sign is Lackey. I read a link saying they turned there attention to him after the Doc talk. But I doubt it, so congrats on your new pick.

Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

MGD24 · Post #4 » by **MGD24** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:52 am

Celtics_Champs wrote:=
Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

he was definitely a surprise last year with his bat in the leadoff spot...can he keep it up this year? who knows...plus where would he even bat in Bostons order?

Post #5 » by **Schad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 6:00 am

Celtics_Champs wrote:Seems like you're good on the pick. The only guy from that list we could sign is Lackey. I read a link saying they turned there attention to him after the Doc talk. But I doubt it, so congrats on your new pick.

Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

Not much power; he had a crazed April where he hit 5 HRs (all wall-scrapers down the left-field line), before reverting to form. His defense is solid, though not great, but he's an extremely patient hitter..if I'm not mistaken, he had the lowest swing-and-miss rate of any player in the bigs last year, and he'll work a tonne of walks (though I'm assuming he'll hit at the bottom of the order, unless Ellsbury has a rough year). Fenway will probably cause his HR totals to disappear, but he'll loop plenty of doubles off the wall for you.

There's a good chance that his offensive totals -- especially his early season power -- are anomalous, but given the smoking hole in the ground that is the shortstop position in the AL, a .275/.360/.380 line and average/above-average defense isn't a bad thing. He probably won't wow you, but I doubt the Sox regret it too much.

satyr9 · Post #6 » by **satyr9** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 7:21 am

I don't think he was historically a patient hitter though. I know he was last year and I'm not looking it up right now, but I'm almost positive he had ridiculously low walk totals for a hitter of his type and very low P/PA before last year as well. He's a nice little piece though. Won't kill you with the glove, he's totally acceptable but unspectacular. If you can get the hitter he was last year in lead-off for us, but hitting lower in your order, you'll probably be very happy with him and yeah like schad said with the crap at his position he looks pretty decent these days.

Post #7 » by **Schad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 7:55 am

He used to have ridiculously low walk totals when he first broke into the league (so, his mid/late 20s), but has improved dramatically since then...I don't know that he'll manage 90 walks again next year, but I'd be surprised by anything less than a .345 OBP.

youngLion · Post #8 » by **youngLion** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 12:17 pm

This just in: A seemingly random parting observation from the Star about Scutaro:

Marco Scutaro (who is the most potty-mouthed human I've ever encountered, but charmingly so)...

Link.

Uhhh, what? Hopefully we can dig up some interesting quotes to back this up.

Michael Bradley · Post #9 » by **Michael Bradley** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 3:15 pm

From 2006-08, Scutaro hit .265/.341/.370 (.711 OPS) in 1220 at bats. Then last season he hit .282/.379/.409 (.789). I think it is a safe assumption that Scutaro is closer to the .711 OPS than the near .800 one, especially as he heads into his mid-30's, but a solid defensive SS with a .340-ish OBP and +.700 OPS is definitely a positive. If Scutaro somehow repeats what he did in 2009 moving forward then the Red Sox got a steal, but I very much doubt he can.

Still, if Scoot's deal is around $4 million per year, I would have preferred re-signing him rather than paying that much to Gonzalez and McDonald. We'll have to wait and see what the contract details are. I'm guessing it is on par with Jack Wilson's deal, if not slightly higher. Likely out of Toronto's price range....whatever that may have been.

Modern_epic · Post #10 » by **Modern_epic** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 5:33 pm

The details I've read (I think they may have been via Buster Olney) were 5 mil a year in '10 and '11, plus a 1 mil bonus, plus for '12 one of: a 6 mil option for the sox; or a 3 mil option for scoots; or a 1.5 mil buyout if both decline.

While it seems like a good deal for the sox, even at the lower end of 12.5 mil for two years, that is probably more than we should spend on a SS of scoots ability in a rebuild.

Also, you will notice that Scutaro would have to tank hard to exercise his option. Something along the lines of regressing to Johnny Mac, because there is only 1.5 mil between exercising it or not, and if he doesn't, he can sign elsewhere. It is kind of a weird option for the sox to have put in, because it means if he is really good, you are paying him 6.6 mil a year, if he is good you are paying him 6.25 a year, but if he is awful you might as well be paying him 7.5 a year.

The_Hater · Post #11 » by **The_Hater** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 8:32 pm

Celtics_Champs wrote:Seems like you're good on the pick. The only guy from that list we could sign is Lackey. I read a link saying they turned there attention to him after the Doc talk. But I doubt it, so congrats on your new pick.

Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

Great hands, decent enough arm but probably below average range at SS. Still versitile enough to play anywhere on the diamond.

He's really improved as a hitter with increased patience and gap power, but he will likely be hard pressed to repeat last season's career year. That said, I wouldn't be completely surprised if he did either as his improved hitting might just be a reflection of his more patient approach. We'll see.

All in all, a great asset to any team. You can play him anywhere, bat him anywhere and he'll still remain a team guy. He'll be missed.

LieCheatSteal · Post #12 » by **LieCheatSteal** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 9:39 pm

Makes sense it's a free spender like Boston.

Small to mid market teams would never sign Scutaro, who has never done anything until last year, to that fat contract. Isn't worth the risk.

So, this boils down to the Jays trading Scutaro for Alex Gonzalez and 2 decently high picks plus they save 2 million AND get a tradeable, flexible asset in Gonzalez. I say the Jays came away pretty well.

satyr9 · Post #13 » by **satyr9** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 10:31 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:He used to have ridiculously low walk totals when he first broke into the league (so, his mid/late 20s), but has improved dramatically since then...I don't know that he'll manage 90 walks again next year, but I'd be surprised by anything less than a .345 OBP.

Yeah I wasn't really clear on the specifics. I just remember seeing some pretty bad OBP and walk totals when he came to Toronto, although it's entirely possible they were already trending upward before that. I like Scoots generally, although at 12.5 for two I'm glad someone else paid him, but I'd still be a little sceptical about his ability to hit anywhere other than the bottom 3rd of the order on a good team.

zilby · Post #14 » by **zilby** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 1:02 am

Celtics_Champs wrote:Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

no.

you guys get a good versatile guy but i feel scut had a very lucky season. i dont think he will repeat what he did last season for us because it was fluky to me.

but he has zero power. semi-decent hitter though, patient.

Relentless88 · Post #15 » by **Relentless88** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 1:32 am

I can't believe Scutaro got this deal, cashed in big time. It would be damn surprising if he had a year like last, which wasn't even amazing. Was there a lack of short stops on the market this year? I mean 12 million over 2 years for Marco Scutaro? Maybe 17 million....damn.

Glad we get the pick, and maybe another one.

Post #16 » by **YogiStewart** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 5:38 pm

zilby wrote:
Celtics_Champs wrote:Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

no.

you guys get a good versatile guy but i feel scut had a very lucky season. i dont think he will repeat what he did last season for us because it was fluky to me.

but he has zero power. semi-decent hitter though, patient.

if last season was a blip, you just peed away money.
if last season was close to what you get, then you are getting a pretty good player at a good price, IMO. Scutaro's the kind of player every team would like to have. but he ain't no all-star, so i wonder why Boston signed him.

Modern_epic · Post #17 » by **Modern_epic** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 6:16 pm

Boston signed him because SS is the worst position in the AL right now. Probably the whole league, though you can always argue catcher for that.

Their only other decent option I can think of to improve short this off-season would have been trading for Hardy, and that opportunity is long past.

jim todd · Post #18 » by **jim todd** » Sun Dec 6, 2009 2:59 am

Relentless88 wrote:I can't believe Scutaro got this deal, cashed in big time. It would be damn surprising if he had a year like last, which wasn't even amazing. Was there a lack of short stops on the market this year? I mean 12 million over 2 years for Marco Scutaro? Maybe 17 million....damn.

Glad we get the pick, and maybe another one.

yeah weak market for shortstops. everything works out nicely for the jays here.

-MetA4- · Post #19 » by **-MetA4-** » Sun Dec 6, 2009 3:01 am

YogiStewart wrote:
zilby wrote:
Celtics_Champs wrote: but he ain't no all-star, so i wonder why Boston signed him.

Because he's the best SS available on the market and better than everyone they have on their roster/in the minors?

Common sense.

The_Hater · Post #20 » by **The_Hater** » Sun Dec 6, 2009 3:56 am

zilby wrote:
Celtics_Champs wrote:Now, Scutaro, how is he? I heard good in the field, does he have a better bat then A-Gonzo?

no.

you guys get a good versatile guy but i feel scut had a very lucky season. i dont think he will repeat what he did last season for us because it was fluky to me.

but he has zero power. semi-decent hitter though, patient.

Zero power? He had 12 dingers and 35 doubles last year. I'm not saying he'll repeat that, but the statement 'he has zero power' is clearly false.

And he's definitely a better hitter than A-Gonzo, a guy with a career .689 OPS who bottomed out at .635 last season.