No offer for you (Updated)
Feb 22nd, 2007 by Rob Bradford
Curt Schilling just told WEEI that he will be filing for free agency after the season because the Red Sox have informed him they won’t negotiate during spring training or the season.
It is curious considering the Red Sox have executed their fair share of extensions during the past few seasons, such as Coco Crisp, David Ortiz, and Josh Beckett. This may be early posturing, but it also might be Boston simply deciding that business-wise it is smarter to wait out the 40-year-old pitcher’s season and take their chances.
Schilling will be talking after the morning workout, so we’ll be in touch.
To update what is going on out on the field … Schilling will be throwing batting practice on Field 5 and is warming up as we speak. The starting infield, along with Alex Cora, was taking grounders. Cora was talking about his contract earlier today and had a good point — he was very fortunate that the Red Sox came in so strong, so early and he was able to get something done. Look at what happened to Ronnie Belliard, who had to sign a non-guaranteed minor league deal with Washington after having a pretty decent year with Cleveland and St. Louis.
In other early news …just before leaving the clubhouse just now, Dustin Pedroia looked in his locker at the small box strength and conditioning coach Dave Page had placed there and said, “What’s that.” Eric Hinske informed the second baseman that it was a small, round clip that the players could put on the laces of their cleats to chart how many calories they have burned during the workout. Page is earning his money this spring training, that’s for sure.
Pedroia has remarkably small hands (especially in comparison to Wily Mo Pena’s mitts). While it might not be advantageous for hitting (he did drop from a 33 1/2 bat to a 33 this season), he said it does help in fielding his position. It makes sense considering second basemen usually try and find the smallest gloves possible for some sort of control.
And this just in … David Murphy has been able to keep his well-documented 15 pounds of muscle on. He is also more optimistic about getting off to a better start this season, having got some pointer from Jim Rice recently about shortening his swing. He suffered through a four-strikeout game in the last year’s first spring training game, but rebounded to have a pretty solid spring.
Also, if you didn’t check out Julian Tavarez’s back-story in the Eagle-Tribune today, do so. The thing that blew me away was that he never once went to any kind of school growing up … ever.
Get your questions in and I’ll track them down for later today …
10 reader comments to “No offer for you (Updated)”
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1Anonymous said:
Hey Rob I love your blog and find myself checking in a few times a day, one question I havn’t heard much about some lower prospects who were invited to major league camp, so my question is…who is there? Buccholz? Bowden? Chad Spann? Bryce Cox? and who is looking out of those minor league invitees?
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2Son of Hamulack said:
So this is a question to ask Theo or maybe Bill James…
The Sox operate on the general princple that you need to get a discount on every year of a player’s contract north of the age 35… or certainly 40. So it’s not worth it to pay top dollar to homers, long time (#7) and new (#s 18 and 38) when you can get a younger player less likely to decline in productivity elsewhere for the same money.
What I’m wondering is, I’ve always thought clubs should place a premium on comfort and familiarity? With some notable exceptions (Lowell, Loretta, Foulke), I see a drop off in the first year performance of most players coming to a new club. Then, they get adjusted and do fine. Over the long hual, the Sox could be paying 0.050 through the lineup for churning 4 year contracts instead of renewing players. Or is this theory a total myth?
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3Anonymous said:
I think it is a mistake not to get Shilling extended at this point before the season starts. He is a veteran influence that the rotation really needs. He has a lot to teach some of the younger pitchers on the team. I hope it does not affect his performance this year.
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4Shelly said:
I’m disapointed that the Sox decided not to extend Big Schill. If they think that they can outbid the Yanks in the off season for a pitcher like Curt, they are crazy.
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5Anonymous said:
I bet the happiest person to hear about Schilling (though he’d never admit it publicly) is Jon Lester. The Sox are being prudent in this case. If Schilling’s terrific this year, re-sign him in the fall. I doubt it would cost much more.
Rob, I’m interested in Jeff Natale’s progress. Do you know if the Sox are looking to put him at third base rather than second, considering the relative ages of Pedroia and Lowell? I would think it would be prudent to work him at third as much as possible and see what he can do there. Thanks.
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6Anonymous said:
Rob, love your blog. I think that Sox FO is making a smart decision in not re-signing Curt Shilling prior to the season starting. They need to get a good look at Jon Lester, they can’t hold him back another year in AAA. With Lester and Bucholz coming up, the FO is going to need to start making decisions on Shilling and Wakefield in the near future. So this year will be a good year to evaluate the aging starters. Also in a contract year, maybe Curt Shillings will push himself harder to make himself more marketable and worthy of a mutli-year contract. Do you think the Red Sox FO is making a smart move?
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7Anonymous said:
I disagree about the cost to resign Schilling. Even based on reputation, he’ll command more on the open market than he would sign for today.
He won’t get Pedro money, but look what an unhealthy Pedro commanded based on reputation.
- The Capt.
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8Tom P said:
I don’t think the Sox are making a mistake by not guaranteeing ‘08 for Schilling before the season.
If he has a great year, it’ll cost a premium to resign him, but they’ll have some assurance that he’ll be worth every dime. If he signs with someone else (and he’s said it will NOT be the Yankees), it’ll be as a Type A free agent, the Sox will get a first round and a supplemental draft pick.
I don’t think the “wait and see” response is an unreasonable one.
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9Anonymous said:
Speaking of that last comment… do the Sox still get draft picks from Foulke?
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10Tom said:
Yes, they do.
Cleveland signed him, and that’s what counts. The fact that he’s retired doesn’t change that.
