Tag Archives: Boston Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia Should Not Play Opening Day

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Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia had to undergo offseason surgery for a lingering knee injury that limited his production in 2017. Initially, this injury was expected to keep him out for roughly seven months, putting him back in the lineup by late May or early June. However, Pedroia has recently been cleared to start running, and seems to eyeing an Opening Day return. For the sake of the Red Sox, they better hope this doesn’t happen.

Dustin Pedroia Should Not Play Opening Day

The Red Sox will need their longest tenured player, just not in April

Image credit: Boston Herald

Pedroia’s career has been marred by injury for the last few seasons. He’s still one of the best all-around second basemen in baseball when healthy, and his glove is as good as it’s ever been. The problem is keeping him healthy. Since the 2014 season, Pedroia has played in 135, 93, 154, and 105 games out of the possible 162 games. This doesn’t include 2013, when he played 160 games through a painful wrist injury and clearly wasn’t himself.

Pedroia is the best second baseman on the roster by a large margin. Having him available for as many games as possible is crucial to the success of the Red Sox. That’s why it’s important for Pedroia to be smart with his recovery. The longtime Red Sox absolutely loves baseball, and tries to get on the field as quickly as possible. This has led to some problems in the past, such as in 2015.

Old Injury Concerns

Pedroia started 2015 on a tear. After playing through a wrist injury for the better part of two seasons, Pedroia started playing like his old self. In the season opener against Philadelphia, he hit two homers, and it looked like the Pedey of 2008 was back. However, his season hit a road block on June 24th.

Pedroia suffered a hamstring injury and missed the next sixteen games. The 2015 Red Sox weren’t good, but they still had a chance to pull out a winning season by mid-July. Pedroia tried to rush himself back into the lineup even though he wasn’t close to 100%. He ended aggravating the injury, making only six appearances before going back on the disabled list for the next 42 games. Pedroia wouldn’t return until early September, when the season had long since been a lost cause.

Playing When It Matters Most

Image result for dustin pedroia fielding

The Red Sox will need plays like this near the playoff push

Image credit – CBS Sports

This could be a case of history repeating itself. Pedroia is clearly trying to get back into the lineup as quickly as possible, but it’s on him and the team trainers to do it smartly. It’s much more important to have a 100% healthy Pedroia in September and October than it is to have a 60% Pedroia in April.

This Red Sox team has a lot going for it. They have an enviable starting rotation led by one of the games best pitchers in Chris Sale. They have an incredibly talented young core of players, led by likely MVP candidate Mookie Betts. Barring catastrophe, this team will be playing meaningful games in September and October, and they need to have their longtime second baseman around when that happens.

 

Cover image courtesy of WEEI.

Scott Boras Denies Reports That JD Martinez Is “Fed up”

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The Martinez Enigma

This whole JD Martinez situation all offseason has been annoying. It’s been weird, maddening, and downright boring. It’s been a lot of things. And another story has been added onto this seemingly never ending run for the power bat the Red Sox are looking for.

Ken Rosenthal wrote a column that JD Martinez is telling people in Miami that he is willing to hold out until he gets the price he wants, which was first reported by FanRag Sports’s Jon Heyman. He is also telling people that he is “fed up with the Red Sox inflexibility and would rather sign with another club”.

Scott Boras then came out and said those reports are false and that Martinez is “pleased” with the process. He also said that he has other offers and they are still negotiating. I’m going with Rosenthal on this one. He doesn’t just come up with random BS to get people to read his articles. JD probably told some folks he’s upset about whats going on and word got out to Rosenthal.

Apparently the only other offer JD Martinez also has is a one year offer from Arizona. But apparently he’s upset with Boston? This makes no sense. I also find it ridiculous that he and Boras are willing to hold out as long as possible to get the deal they want. Let me tell you something: the Red Sox have given you more than enough. I don’t know why Boras told this guy he will be getting $210 million for seven years at the beginning of the offseason. He’s clearly not worth that. Is he great? Absolutely. But not worth north of $200 million.

Don’t forget the fact that the Red Sox have literally given you the best offer out of anyone. Why are you mad at them? Why aren’t you mad at Arizona who is offering 1 year?! or any of the other 28 teams who aren’t even thinking of you. Why aren’t you “fed up” with them?

Money on His Mind

Now whether Rosenthal or Boras is right, there’s no denying the whole process has been ridiculous. The fact that he still hasn’t signed yet is the dumbest thing ever. I don’t know if it’s because Scott Boras and all your buddies were saying what they think you deserve and you think five years and $125 million is some petty offer or what. But you need to get it together. For some reason people got you thinking you’re Mickey Mantle or Barry Bonds. You’re great, but not a legend. At least not yet.

JD is just acting like a spoiled brat in all of this thinking he deserves one thing when he really deserves something else, and Boras is helping him think that way. You also can’t forget the dude is turning 31 this year. We’ve been down this road before. Overpaying someone over 30 is never ideal. Never seems to work out especially at the end.

I’m sure this whole same situation is going on with Eric Hosmer as well, another name you would think has signed by now but has not. Why? Because teams aren’t stupid and don’t want to overpay players.

Boston is Watching

I’ll say this: I really hope if we get JD Martinez. It’s not like we are dragging him here and the only reason he is here is because of the check. He better want to play here. Because just like the pressure Stanton is going to have from going to NYY from Miami, JD will have to face that playing in Boston. And it is not easy. The fans don’t let you get away with things in cities like this. If you come here, please want to be here, because if not, please don’t. Sign that one year Arizona deal for all I care. Dombrowski can figure something else out. I just don’t want the Red Sox and JD Martinez to already be on bad terms before he even plays a single game with this team.

So whether this whole situation is because of Boras, JD, or both, it needs to end soon. And if you sign with Boston, sign with them wanting to win with them and wanting to be here. If you can’t do that, we’ll find someone who does.

Red Sox Should Stay Away from J.D Martinez

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Now that the Patriots’ season is over (long sigh), fans will quickly turn their attention to the other Boston teams. The Red Sox won 93 games last year, but they were knocked out in the divisional round. So far they have not done anything noteworthy this offseason to improve the team. One option is former Tigers and Diamondbacks slugger JD Martinez. Last year, Martinez had a career year with 45 home runs, 104 RBI, and he is a free agent. One of the teams with interest is the Red Sox. The Red Sox SHOULD NOT sign Martinez for three reasons:

Money and Production

According to Jerry Carasnick, Martinez’ agent, Scott Boras is looking for $200 million. The Red Sox have already wasted money on players such as Pablo Sandavol, who was cut last year. Rusney Castillo has been a bust since he came over from Cuba. Hanley Ramirez who has been okay, but not living up to his contract. They have a big payroll, but bad decisions cannot be made if they want to contend. You cannot win with players not living up to their potential. Also, they are reportedly unwilling to go over the luxury tax. Martinez is 30 years old so his production will go down by year, and he struggles with injuries. Martinez was the second best hitter in Detroit behind Miguel Cabrera and in Arizona behind Paul Goldschmidt. The Red Sox did not replace David Ortiz’ power, leadership, and ratings/marketing, and Martinez is not the guy.

Might Not Be the Year of the Red Sox

The Red Sox should wait another year. They already missed out on Giancarlo Stanton, who was regarded as the top need for the Red Sox. The list of free agents in 2019 include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Charlie Blackmon, and Josh Donaldson. These players will cost more than Martinez, but they are more talented and younger players worth waiting for. Many fans in Boston are spoiled and have a win-now mentality because of all the winning this century, but the Red Sox are better off waiting considering it is going to be hard to beat the Yankees this year anyway.

Is He That Good?

Do they really need Martinez? JD Martinez is a great player, but he is not good enough to make them better than the Yankees, Astros, or Indians. Is spending all that money really worth it, considering 2018 might not be Boston’s year anyway? If David Price opts out and the Red Sox can find a way to clear some more money, then the Red Sox can sign big free agents next offseason. Young stars such as Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr., will not be due for a big payday yet.

If the Red Sox can get their offense from 2016 back, and the pitching staff is as good as it was last year then they will be legitimate contenders. Not having Martinez should not be a problem because they led the league in runs in 2016, and the pitching staff ranked fourth in 2017. Their roster has not changed that much since 2016, and the Red Sox could win the world series if new manager Alex Cora puts all the pieces into the puzzle the right way.

 

Cover image courtesy of MassLive.com

Truck Day is Finally Here

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Truck Day has Arrived by Olivia Winchenbach

Truck day has come and gone, and that means that baseball season is nearly here. With Spring Training arriving, the Red Sox have yet to come up big in the offseason. Truck Day marks the unofficial start of baseball season for the Red Sox organization. Especially with the quiet offseason, Truck day brings the joy of baseball back. It’s the final send off for the team before the beginning of the season. Spring Training is the first look at the 2018 team. It is the time to create bonds and perfect your craft. This will be new manager Alex Cora’s first time being with the whole team. This could allow insight on the season ahead, and how everyone with perform.

The Wait is Over by Steve Atkinson

It’s that time of year again. Baseball is right around the corner. First it was Truck day on Monday -the day after the Super Bowl- which means Spring Training is coming up. However, the Red Sox have had a quiet offseason doing nothing but watch the Yankees get stronger. It will be interesting to see how the team takes shape this Spring. The biggest team has done this offseason was firing John Farrell and hiring Alex Cora. But Truck Day just shows that good and exciting things are coming for this baseball team. I’m anxious to see how this plays out.

Onto Spring Training

Now, the truck stopped at all affiliated ballparks on the way to Ft. Meyers. Pitchers and catchers arrive in just a few days. Through social media it seems that most of the team has already arrived and are beginning to train. One can only hope the best for this season as the Red Sox have fallen short the past few years. Baseball is in the air, and Sox Nation is ready and waiting.

 

Article written through the collaboration of @bennybiceps_ and @steveA1127.

Sources

Boston Red Sox

Boston.com

Dave Dombrowski Is Done Playing Scott Boras’s Game

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Dombrowski vs. Boras

J.D. Martinez has been the #1 topic of the offseason for Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox. Are we or are we not getting him? Is he going to a whole other team? What kind of contract will he get? Those are some of the questions that we have been continuously asking ourselves as we inch closer to Spring Training.

Scott Boras recently said that he and Martinez are willing to hold off until Spring Training to get a deal done. They are trying to get the seven years with at least $25 million for each year. Dombrowski’s apparently not having it.

MLB insider Jon Heyman recently reported that Dombrowski won’t go over his $25 million per year for five seasons offer, and is basically saying take it or leave it. I absolutely love this.

Don’t get me wrong, J.D. Martinez is one hell of a player. He hit 45 homers last year, 29 of them coming from after he got traded to Arizona at the deadline. And this is just home runs we’re talking about. He’s had a slugging percentage over .500 for the last four years. Martinez has also improved from a .535 slugging in both 2015 and 2016 to .690 in 2017. He’s had an on base over .350 three of the last four years. Also he had an OPS of .912 in 2014, .879 in 2015, .908 in 2016 and 1.066 in 2017. This guy is possibly better than Stanton. The dude can hit, I’m not denying that.

But what I’m saying is this whole thing is getting ridiculous at this point. Is J.D. Martinez a pretty great hitter? Yes. Is he someone who can be a great presence in the middle of this Boston lineup? Yes. But is he worth what he’s asking for? Nope. Not many are. And especially not when you add the fact that he’s into his 30s now. History says that signing guys in their 30s to large contracts is never a good idea. Teams are getting smarter. The game is evolving. People don’t want to be giving out these huge contracts to anybody any more, and rightfully so.

For example look at someone like Albert Pujols on the Angels. The dude was unreal when he signed with them. Now? He has a negative WAR for them. He has no value to his team. Want to talk about awful contracts with the Red Sox? Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are two names I don’t have to go further into.

So no, the Red Sox don’t have to overpay for J.D. Martinez. Just wait it out. His market isn’t that big. Your offer may very well be the biggest one he gets. So I absolutely am all for what Dombrowski is doing right now. Not playing Boras’s game, and I love it.

 

 

Cover image courtesy of Fan Rag Sports.

The Red Sox Can’t Afford to Mess up Their Relationship with Mookie Betts

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Arbitration

Recently it was reported that Mookie Betts and the Red Sox weren’t able to agree on an arbitration deal. Right away I thought, oh boy.

Mookie wanted $10.5 million and the Red Sox were willing to pay him $7.5 million. Consequently a hearing took place, and that’s never good news. I thought it was all unnecessary and that the Red Sox should have just gave him the money. He’s clearly the best hitter and all around player on your team. Having a dispute with him and his agent this early is never good news.

Mookie won the arbitration case and will get his $10.5 million for 2018, which is the most ever awarded to a first year arbitration eligible player through a hearing. So what does this mean going forward?

It means that the Red Sox front office is headed towards what they’ve done in the past. They are trying to underrate or underpay players that clearly deserves more. Because when you do that, it never usually ends well. A more recent example of this happening is with Jon Lester. The Sox offered him a four year, $70 million contract and later offered a six year, $135 million offer. However, it wasn’t enough and the Cubs got him on a six year $155 million offer.

Stats Don’t Lie

Talk about any player on the Red Sox you want, Jackie Bradley Jr, Xander Bogearts, Rafael Devers, the big favorite Andrew Benintendi. There is nobody as good as a player on this team as Mookie Betts. I loved this guy the moment I saw him. I saw his first hit in Yankee Stadium. His first homer. I was hooked. This man is one of a kind. His wrists are like no other, the way he pulls inside pitches are incredible. He reminds me so much of Andrew McCutchen, another player I liked even before I knew about Mookie. And this is all just eye test stuff.

Right away I knew this man can ball. In 2014 he hit .291, had an on base of .368 in half a year. His first full year in 2015 he hit .291, a OBP of .341, and a slugging of .479. Follow that up with a runner-up for MVP year in 2016 as he hit .318, an on base of .363, and a slugging of .534. In 2017 he had a “down year” as he had a .264/.344/.459 slash line.

He still has some to prove, no doubt. I do think 2018 will be an outliar as far as his power goes. However he is younger than the Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge. And I haven’t even mentioned his incredible defense yet. This man is no doubt Boston’s best player. A valuable player. He cannot end up like some of the others this front office has screwed over. He is someone you want to have around for a very long time, and the Red Sox have to realize this.

 

Cover photo courtesy of isportsweb.com.

Where Does Benintendi Fall in Top 10 Left Fielders?

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Before we begin, the dissection and determination of the overall value of one MLB player compared to others is no easy task. It takes a deep in-depth look at several facets of their individual impact. The player can have tremendous talent and outshine their teammates or fit well in a system giving them opportunities constantly to produce. Without continuing to skate around the point, ranking players ahead of others isn’t always easy. There is a way of looking at the personal statistics a player can produce, but there always must be a situational and big picture perception.

In an article written by Mike Petriello, he broke down the top ten left fielders in all of the MLB based off of The Shredder’s list. This would be the official ranking of Top 10 Right Now. Andrew Benintendi was placed on this list, which wasn’t a shock to me at all, although the order may leave some to question. Given Benintendi seems to be a staple of this organization for years to come, it is fair to comment on the results of The Shredder list as well.

The Shredder’s List- Left Fielders

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Ryan Braun (MIL)
5. Trey Mancini (BAL)
6. Khris Davis (OAK)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
9. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Eric Goudreau’s Thoughts & List:

I will not go into strong details about each individual player as that would take the plot away from this article. I will give my list below, but the objective and purpose of this piece are to justify my positioning of Andrew Benintendi and to argue the list above. Yes, I am a Red Sox fan by heart, yes I sleep under a signed picture of Andrew Benintendi every night, but this will not promote any objectivity. I am a fan of this game first, and when I see a glaring injustice done to a player of Benintendi’s value I speak. Or type.

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
5. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
6. Rhys Hoskins (PHI)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Ryan Braun (MIL)
9. Kris Davis (OAK)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Andrew Benintendi Explanation: 

Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 12.16.17 PM

There needs to be a constant reminder when looking at each of these players on my list. I am evaluating player performance as well as what the team’s style seems to be. The player succeeds when the system surrounding him can play to strength and weaknesses. Also added to this is the player’s potential growth in those systems. This is based on their skill set relative to team needs/concentrations.

Andrew Benintendi finished his long rookie season coming just shy of the AL Rookie of the Year award. Maybe just shy is not the word when comparing him to the MLB The Show 18 cover boy. Second place will not be ignored. For me, this completely negates Trey Mancini on The Shredder’s List. Yes, Trey Mancini has shown growth with outstanding power and surprising defense. With a career total of WAR for 3.1 to Mancini’s 2.5 and the RoY standings being what they were, I don’t put him ahead of Benintendi.

Andrew’s Age:

What will push Benintendi (age 23) over the likes of Adam Eaton (age 29), Khris Davis (age 30) and post PED use Ryan Braun (age 34) is sheer age and potential. It has been a universal agreement and observation that in baseball the prime of a player’s career is around the ages of 26-29/30.

A player like Andrew Benintendi being in these talks around the age of 23 for a top player at his position does not come very often. A player passing through the ranks of AAA to a major league diamond to create an impact like Benintendi did in 2016 does not come very often. Now if you want to argue that I’m basing Benintendi to be better LONG TERM compared to these players, I can see a point to be made. But if we want to even look at the numbers last season, it’s important to back to the statistic that does not lie.

WAR

1. Andrew Benintendi- 2.6
2. Khris Davis- 2.5
3. Ryan Braun- 1.2
4. Adam Eaton- 0.4

I gave the edge to Benintendi for my last criteria, which is the system. Personally, I believe there was a misuse of players in the 2017 Red Sox system. The argument could even be made for the 2016 team as well. Both teams Benintendi has been a part of/still excelled in. John Farrell’s firing could be the best thing that has happened to the grooming and maintenance of players in Boston. In Benintendi’s situation a new young manager, Alex Cora, will only benefit his career. At times Cora has dealt with young talent both in playing years (Dustin Pedroia) and his one year in Houston.

I look to the development of Marwin Gonzalez (HOU) as an example. It may surprise most that Marwin Gonzalez at the age of 28 came in 19th for AL MVP last season. A player who has never mentioned in such conversation in past years. Although Alex Cora may not have been the main cog of Marwin Gonzalez seeing success, Cora witnessed it happen at the position. With a mold like Andrew Benintendi and a manager like Cora who has quite an eye for talent, I believe Benintendi’s ceiling is massive for 2018.

With all that said, the entire argument’s based on statistics and some “I believe”. The flurries of opinions are what makes the MLB community great. Ultimately I want you to let me know how you are feeling in the comments.

(YouTube: FXbyAidan)

Mookie Betts: Arbitration Deal in his Favor

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Asking Price that led to Arbitration

The Red Sox only offered $7.5 million, which was substantially lower than the $10.5 million that was asked for. This is Betts’s first year being eligible for arbitration, and he now has the largest first year case win in the MLB. Mookie has been part of the team for several years and definitely earned the $10.5 million. His agent put out the asking price this offseason, and it raised some eyebrows. The Sox put up $3 million less in rebuttal. The Red Sox eventually gave Mookie the $10.5 million and he won his arbitration hearing. There are problems that the Sox organization will now face when it comes to working with Mookie and his agent. This is going to be because the hearing had to happen so late in the offseason.

Trouble in Paradise due to Arbitration

The biggest problem is the length of time that it took to come to an agreement. Both Mookie and his agent have grown to love the city of Boston and the organization itself. The question being asked now is how long will Mookie stay in Boston? The organization only offered $7.5 million, which can cause Mookie to see that they were not interested in him enough to raise his salary. Going into an arbitration deal is never something that a player wants, but there are pros and cons to the hearing. If the organization only wanted to offer the $7.5 million, do they plan to keep Mookie in Boston? Through the arbitration, Mookie and his agent may feel as though the Sox are not as interested in the right fielder anymore.

Why did the Sox go into Arbitration?

The Red Sox still are trying to get a power hitter. Maybe the reason was that they did not know how much money they wanted to offer. With Mookie playing at the level he is, there was never talk of a trade, but there was also never a talk about a raise. The Red Sox organization has had there focus on obtaining a power hitter. Due to that, they have neglected current players or those who hold other positions. Mookie Betts was never in trade talk, but they also never discussed keeping him around for many years.

Sources

Boston Red Sox

Boston Globe

The Possible Power Hitters of the Red Sox

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Current or New Hitters?

J.D Martinez is still on the market, and Spring Training is around the corner. The Sox have shown interest in Martinez, and it is a waiting game to see what he is going to do. With the Red Sox organization not making any moves to get the power hitter that they need, it’s time to look at the possibilities of the current power hitters. There’s still hope that the Sox will pick up a power bat, but the questions are who and when. Could it be J.D., or a could it be a current player? The Red Sox have good hitters, but they need great hitters if they are going to stack up against other teams.

Hanley Ramirez

The current designated hitter of the Sox has always been a great batter. “El Trece” had a tough 2017 season, and his place on the team has definitely been questionable. With the possibility that J.D Martinez becomes a part of the Red Sox roster, what will happen with Hanley? With Mitch Moreland back for another season, Hanley is not going to be the first choice for first baseman. The thing Hanley needs to work on the most is his control and keeping his eye on the ball. Watching tapes and trying to see where he hits the ball is the best way for Hanley to approach a tough pitcher. Could 2018 be Hanley’s year to be the power hitter everyone is looking for?

Mookie Betts

There is no doubt that Mookie is a great player. With consecutive Golden Gloves he has proven that he is a strong outfielder. Mookie is young, but he is confident with his swing. When he can control the bat he hits beautifully, and it definitely pays off. He ranked high on the team with twenty-four runs in the 2017 regular season. There is rarely a day that Mookie doesn’t play or has an all around bad game. Mookie has a special quality of being great in the outfield and at the plate simultaneously. The 2018 season could be the time for Mookie to lock in and show that he has the potential to play for many more years. As a hitter, Mookie is strong and has the chance to be even greater.

Andrew Benintendi

The former rookie has learned to play the Monster with poise very quickly. Benintendi has a beautiful swing. If it’s done right, Benintendi hits big. The biggest thing for Andrew to work on is his execution and control while at home plate. Now he is aware of how certain players will pitch to him, and is learning the dynamics of playing at Fenway. He is young and has the potential to play left field for many more years. Andrew hit twenty home runs in his rookie season after cutting his 2016 appearance short with an injury. This season is the year for Benintendi to focus on his hitting power. Benintendi is one of the hitters with a style. He swings with power and is quick. He has the potential to turn his swing into more.

Rafael Devers

The soon to be rookie of the Sox quickly became popular after being called up from Pawtucket last season. Hitting ten homers very quickly after his arrival proved that Devers was a force to be reckoned with. Rafael is undoubtedly going to be one of the most watched rookies in Sox history. Devers formed a quick bond with people like David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez, and maybe their advice will push him over the edge. The baby-faced player quickly became a household name in New England with his ease to hit homers at Fenway. With that being said, it seemed almost unreal when you see Devers play, because he is just freshly twenty-one and playing like a veteran.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Jackie Bradley’s 2017 season can be remembered by that one catch he made where he robbed Aaron Judge of a home run. He’s a force in the outfield with his amazing power arm. It is going to be interesting to see if he takes his power arm and uses it to benefit himself at the plate. A notable seventeen runs in the 2017 season showed that there is promise with Bradley Jr. He is a player with compassion and leaves his heart on the field. Perhaps the best thing about Bradley is his arm. Due to his power arm, he protects the outfield and prevents runs. Therefore, if during Spring Training Jackie puts his arm to work on his batting, he will definitely become a key player or one of the power hitters of the Sox.

Sources

Boston Herald

MLB

Sports News Instant

Hosmer and JD Still Don’t Have Homes

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Three Weeks ‘Til Pitchers and Catchers Report

Put yourselves in the shoes of JD Martinez. You have been presented with an offer by the Red Sox for a whopping five years, $125 million. Not many teams have shown that much interest in JD, but he was given an offer he and Boras shouldn’t refuse.

Now you’re in the mind of Eric Hosmer. You have two seven year deals awaiting you. The Padres offering seven years for $140 million, and Kansas City is matching their offer but for $147 million.

Life is looking pretty good right? The only issue with these offers is that Hosmer and Martinez have yet to sign.

There are three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, and the top two hitters in the free agent market have yet to sign with a club. For JD’s case, this guy should just sign already. His bat speaks for himself. He’s coming off a season compiling an average of .303, mashing 45 homers, tallying 104 RBI’s and a slugging of .690. Needless to say, this guy can rake. Aside from his lower expected fielding percentage throughout his career (.980 lifetime), JD should definitely be able to believe he’s worth the amount he’s asking. JD willing to hold out until Spring Training may end up causing a team to jump out and give him a deal, but teams may want to really consider what he’s worth.

For Hosmer, it’s only a matter of time he finally decides what $140+ million dollar deal he chooses. If he chooses wisely he’ll go back to KC. Coming off a season hitting .318 with twenty-five homers, and 94 RBI’s, Hosmer is deserving to earn a big contract by KC. By simply “one-upping” the Padres deal, Kansas City do not want to lose Hosmer. His positive impact towards the community and his leadership role also seems to make the most sense on why he would return as their franchise guy. They also won a World Series and a few pennants with him.

So please, Eric and JD just sign already. End this horrifically boring offseason and just find a place to play for like the next five or seven years.