[Santoshalper]

As most of us expected, V-Mart has bolted for Detroit on a $50M deal. What I find funny is that he apparently rejected a 3yr/$48M deal from the Chi-Sox? I suppose this means we're going with Salty at C, I expect us to re-sign Tek now. Something different we could do might be going after Mike Napoli, for example. I would definitely back that, would be a solid move.

[MrNewEngland]

You're really got to wonder how much truth was in that 3/$48M rumor.

Did V-Mart really think he'd be worth less that 1/$2M after three more years of playing?

[rominer]

MrNewEngland, on 23 November 2010 - 01:56 PM, said:

You're really got to wonder how much truth was in that 3/$48M rumor.

I would guess "not a whole lot."

I am surprised this happened before Thanksgiving, though. Most of the big free agent signings in recent years seem to have happened later. Martinez was in a pretty good position to sit back and make teams bid for his services.

The Tigers have a shitload of money to spend. I wonder if they just made their best offer to Martinez right off the bat and put the pressure on him to commit so they could move on to bigger targets with a known budget.

Cliff Lee, welcome to the Motor City. You will find that most of the people wish they were dead. But hey, if you ever need a new carburetor...

[Manny's PS2]

He's from Arkansas, they specialize in plight. Some urban plight will be exciting for him. I still see the Royals or Pirates getting Lee. I also hear voices.

This post has been edited by Manny's PS2: 23 November 2010 - 03:24 PM

[Hail Cesar]

Vince Wilfork for Catcher! If we can't get production from the cacther position, then at least we can get comedy.

[The Ghost of Ned Martin]

This really pisses me off. I don't care if the numbers are completely accurate, it seems pretty clear that they could have kept Victor Martinez for reasonable money and they didn't do it. Well at least catchers who can bat 3rd in the order are growing on ****ing trees these days. I was hoping Theo was posturing when he said the team was willing to go with Saltalamacchia as the starting catcher but know I see that Boy Wonder actually believes he is the awesomest GM ever.


They better have a ****ing plan.

This post has been edited by The Ghost of Ned Martin: 23 November 2010 - 06:29 PM

[Cambridge]

The Ghost of Ned Martin, on 23 November 2010 - 06:28 PM, said:

...it seems pretty clear that they could have kept Victor Martinez for reasonable money and they didn't do it...

I don't think it seems very clear at all. Martinez was a free agent and had the option of signing anywhere, for whatever money he was offered, and there is a definite possibility that he preferred Detroit. The atmosphere in the Tigers clubhouse, media-wise, is quite different than it is in Boston and he has spent most of his career in the AL Central. He is also going to a team that has Miguel Cabrera, along with several other talented players. MAYBE the Red Sox could have kept him. But maybe not.

[The Ghost of Ned Martin]

Cambridge, on 23 November 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

I don't think it seems very clear at all. Martinez was a free agent and had the option of signing anywhere, for whatever money he was offered, and there is a definite possibility that he preferred Detroit. The atmosphere in the Tigers clubhouse, media-wise, is quite different than it is in Boston and he has spent most of his career in the AL Central. He is also going to a team that has Miguel Cabrera, along with several other talented players. MAYBE the Red Sox could have kept him. But maybe not.

Really? You think he preferred playing in Detroit? His comments at the end of the season were absolutely clear; he wanted to stay here. If it turns out the Tigers offer was significantly more than the Sox then that is one thing. It seems to me that the Sox ridiculous two year offer last season signaled their lack of interest in signing him. This is a huge mistake in my opinion. There are no viable options to replace him.

[yazgoesbacklooksupitsgone]

The Ghost of Ned Martin, on 23 November 2010 - 07:05 PM, said:

Really? You think he preferred playing in Detroit? His comments at the end of the season were absolutely clear; he wanted to stay here.

Yeah, but every impending free agent says that. "Oh, i love it here. I want to finish my career here" and then 2 weeks later they're being introduced at a press conference in another city.
I don't doubt that the Tigers offer was substantially better than the Red Sox offer, and I don't fault Martinez for taking it. I put as much confidence in an athlete saying "I want to stay here" as I do when one says "it's not about the money."

I've read where Martinez has said he is interested in being a full-time catcher and was miffed that the Red Sox were easing him toward 1b/DH. Fine. But the article about him signing with the Tigers says the tigers see him as a full-time DH (in a pitchers park no less). Whatever. $50 million goes a long way to sooth hurt feelings.

[Kid T]

The Ghost of Ned Martin, on 23 November 2010 - 06:28 PM, said:

Well at least catchers who can bat 3rd in the order are growing on ****ing trees these days.

I would agree with you IF Martinez was really able to stay at catcher. Seems to me like the Sox used this past season to assess that and determined that he wasn't. From what we're hearing out of Detroit, seems they feel the same.