no.

 

you stop it.

??

Ok, I see now.? Pudge's salary this year would be $7M + $3M deferred = total $10M.? Castillo is making $6M = total $16M.? Call me crazy, but I think we would be better off by putting Castro in there (yes, he has to be found innocent) at roughly 300-400K.? Then you let Redmond go and replace him with a cheaper backup, around 300-500K.? Next, replace Castillo with minor leaguer/FA/prospect.? That could be anywhere from 300K-$2M.? Then, sign Vlad at about $10M this year, and increase it over the next several years (3 years total?) to get him what he wants financially.? It would look something like this:

 

Pudge 10,000,000

Castillo 6,000,000

Redmd? 1,100,000

total? ? 17,100,000

 

Castro? ?? 400,000

bckup? ? ? 500,000

2B? ? ? ? 2,000,000

Vlad? ? 10,000,000

total? ? 12,900,000

 

Still save about $4M AND get, in my opinion, a better team.? Vlad is easily the best hitter on this team - put him in the middle of the lineup.? Castro could replace Pudge - and even improve in some categories of offense (more power).? Find a capable backup, and there are plenty around, for catcher; could even retain Redmond if you chose.? There are plenty of options for 2B out there that wont hurt our team either - trade for Roberts (O's), sign Reese, Young, or even work a deal out for Alomar (which I DONT suggest), or possibly go with Medrano/Hooper/Valdez(?).? Either way, there is actually a lot of flexibility and this could get done.? Remember, that is maximum figures I proposed above, and you could even use the extra money to increase Vlad's pay.

why the obssesion with Vlad? The last move basicaly set the table for keeping the OF as Status Quo (Conine, Pierre, Cabrera). Unless we decide to go ahead and trade Lowell.

 

Why change a proven winning combination? With all those moves you suggest, it is pretty much a brand new team. That's what I've been saying for the past month. Keep this team together. We didn't win with high priced superstars. We won with pitching and defense.

 

Let's just say we sign Vlad to a 6 year $15 million contract. What are we going to do when our staff is due to get the big bucks, because you know they will, they're that good. With Vlad's huge contract on our payroll our chance of signing them is slim to none. Keep the team together, we know it's capable of winning, why risk our future with Vlad? We are not going to sign Vlad to a 6 year deal @ $15M per. We dont believe in long term deals like that - look around at this roster. No one is signed past 2005. 3 years tops per player I think. Vlad will get the same - if he gets a deal it will be deferred anticipating a stadium is built.

 

We deal all those guys I mentioned away because we have capable replacements to step in for cheaper. So if this teams philosophy is winning with pitching and defense, tell me how my proposal effects that? If you are as astute as you believe, you would notice that it only increases our resources of keeping the core of this team together - Beckett, Burnett, Penny, Willis, Cabrera and Lowell. First of all if you think we can get Vlad without giving him a long term deal than you are nuts. 2nd we may be able to keep the core together for this year, but little by little all of our players will leave. Our young stars that aren't making much now will be making big money in a couple of years. Year after year we will get worse and worse. You ask how it hurts our defense, we would be getting rid of Pudge and Castillo. I know Pudge isn't as good as he used to be, but he still has the most feared arm behind the plate, and Castillo is a gold glove, nuff said.

 

Here's our options:

Get Vlad: We have a winning team in 2004. Future: We have to get rid of our young players 1 by 1. (Beckett, Burnett, Penny, Cabrera, Willis, Pierre)

 

Keep Castillo, Pudge etc.- You come in with as good a line-up as the world championship team, and have a great team in 2004: Future: We'll have the flexibility to sign our young players.

 

Also, I think I would rather have a lineup that's solid 1-8, then have a lineup that's solid 1-5, but then have to rely on some below average players at the bottom of the lineup.