Sox give Pedroia 6 year / 40 million contract

seems high, but it locks him up through arbitartion years and 2 possible free agent seasons. Way to cash in on that MVP.

In the article we see why Gammons is the pinnacle of unbiased reporting

"That the contract got done this quickly shows how much Pedroia loves playing in Boston, and that he prefers playing to dickering over arbitration and free-agent dollars. His favorite phrase is "it's all about winning."

And he means it."

7 months ago JBImaknee Comment 31 comments 0 recs |

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Gives us an excuse to resurrect an instant classic.

Courtesy of Let’s Go Tribe:

"Please. What the hell do you know about starting a sports-related website and then deciding to leave it to work on other things and then? How dare you, sir." -- Michael Schur, aka FireJoeMorgan's Ken Tremendous, to Will Leitch

by ghtd36 on Dec 3, 2008 3:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

With all respect to the late Eddie Gaedel

Isn’t a good moniker for Pedroia the “malignant dwarf” ?

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Dec 3, 2008 4:08 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

Ed Coffin, bringing the funny.

I hereby second Pedroia’s nickname of “The Malignant Dwarf.”

by ghtd36 on Dec 3, 2008 4:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Third'd

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 3, 2008 4:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

M's sign Russell Branyan:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3742316

" He throws it where he wants it, his breaking ball kept getting better and better and of course God gave him that special arm. He's great." ~ Neftali Feliz on Derek Holland.

by Kinslerhomer on Dec 3, 2008 3:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Well that settles it

The AL West is just unwinnable now.

by JBImaknee on Dec 3, 2008 3:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what a bag of absolute douche

I HATE the Red Sox. I guess I can’t hate Papi too much, but Pedroia and Youkilis – I’m sure I’d have to come around on them eventually if they were Rangers, but those are two flaming heaps of dung-infested douchebags that I would find extremely hard to cheer for.

"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 3, 2008 3:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I heard

from sources that Youkilis is a womanizer and that Pedroia is a complete tool bag.

"You can be a leader or follower.... Or you can be elite...." - Me

by miles on Dec 3, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

if so, I'd feel sorry for the women that are "-ized" by Youk

but look at him…it’s their own damn fault, the greedy skanks!

"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 3, 2008 3:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow!

Just imagine all the “sloppy second’s” he could talk about a few years from now.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Dec 3, 2008 8:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I went to ASU

and had some classes with Pedroia — I can confirm he is a complete tool bag

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Dec 3, 2008 3:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what is wrong with youklis?

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2008 4:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the bat massaging sliding grip and the gross goatee

to name a couple

Don't believe the hype about sloppy seconds. They ain't bad.

by tricer on Dec 3, 2008 4:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Deal Itself

The deal itself is a probable steal for the Sox. Buying out free agency years this far in advance for just $10MM per is a great deal.

Mike Grouse Interview - Rangers' Midwest Cross Checker

by Andy Seiler on Dec 3, 2008 3:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Depends how much you like Pedroia

Obviously if he keeps putting up MVP numbers its a steal. But they are committing very early in the process – I’m not sure if he’s quite Evan Longoria type secure. But obviously the Sox think he’s going to be good long-term.

My frame of reference is when the Rangers gave Blalock his long extension a while ago after his very strong first few years. Things would be pretty bad now if they had given Hank this type of contract then.

by JBImaknee on Dec 3, 2008 4:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Blalock struck out nearly as many times in his first full season. . .

. . . as Pedroia has in his career thus far. And he walked at a slightly worse rate. He was not as good at making contact with the ball and his peripherals weren’t as good. Comparing Pedroia to Blalock is really, really unfair. I remember the signs for over-performance were there and discussed with Blalock pretty early.

And even with that, Blalock’s collapse is something of an outlier.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 3, 2008 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well, I'm not comparing the two directly

They’re pretty different style players. But when Hank came up originally, he was extremely highly touted. Sure he struck out more, but he also had more home runs, a better OPS, and was earning comparisons to a young George Brett. As EG will tell you, strike outs alone don’t tell you much other than the guy doesn’t strike out much. But whatever – Pedroia now is better than Hank was then. But Hank’s contract was for about half of what Pedroia’s is.

Players often start off with a couple of great years and then fail to continue to develop. If you are certain that Pedroia is going to continue doing what he’s doing, then maybe he’s worth that much over this time frame. But I’d argue that the risk of him regressing a bit is high enough that I wouldn’t commit that much money to him. Its not a stupid contract, but also not one I’d be eager to have on the Rangers.

by JBImaknee on Dec 3, 2008 5:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The point of the K/BB rates. . .

. . . is that these things are evidence of a player overperforming. Blalock had some very questionable holes in his game that Pedroia doesn’t. There was more reason to expect him to fall on his face than Dusty the Gnome.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 3, 2008 6:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

But with Blalock

there was reason to believe that he could get much, much better (though he could also do what he did) . You’re investing not only in downside risk, but upside potential as well. With many of these types of contracts your investing in what the guy could be (a la Ramirez, Wright, Longoria, Utley).

I agree that it is far less likely that Pedroia will fail compared to a 2003 Blalock. But I also don’t see Pedroia getting that much better. He is what he is, a guy who’ll hit .320/.370/.500 in good years with some speed, but he’s never going to anchor a lineup. I could be wrong, and I’m not saying it was a stupid deal. I just think that they overpaid a bit. If he improves on this season next year, then I’m obviously wrong.

by JBImaknee on Dec 3, 2008 6:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If he doesn't get better and only stays the same. . .

. . . they still don’t overpay.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 3, 2008 7:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

11:18am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox signed second baseman Dustin Pedroia to a six-year deal worth about $40.5MM. ESPN’s Peter Gammons was right on this scoop as well. The deal buys out two years of free agency and also has a club option for 2015.

Rosenthal cites the deals signed by Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, and Ryan Braun as comparables. Pedroia’s deal covers one pre-arbitration season, all three arb seasons, and two years of free agency. Ramirez received $54.4MM for the same slice of his career, Wright got $55MM, and Braun received $43.8MM. Also, Brian McCann gets $37.8MM, Grady Sizemore gets $30.95MM, Evan Longoria is at $31.95MM, Robinson Cano gets $42.49MM, and Chase Utley gets $55.5MM. That assumes options are exercised, where applicable.

dustin pedroia
hanley ramirez
david wright
ryan braun
brian mccann
grady sizemore
evan longoria
chase utley
robinson cano

which names do not belong?

the fact that hes getting more than mccann/sizemore/longoria is laughable.

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 3, 2008 4:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

can you just tell us which names don't belong

is the answer you are looking for pedroia?

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2008 4:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

pedroia and cano dont belong.

is there an arguement that hes a better player than mccann/sizemore/longoria out there?

def not hanley, mabye braun (pedroias defense vs brauns offfense), and i think most ppl would take david wright over mccann

its just foolish that he gets this much money. im gonna laugh when he doesnt start off too hot in april/may and the fans are pissed.

red sox = new evil empire.

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 3, 2008 4:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

pedroia is pretty good

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2008 4:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I’m not sure how on earth this is a bad deal.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 3, 2008 4:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i didnt say it was a bad deal

but if you give GMs a list of players they can pick from – there is no way that they take pedroia over most of the guys on the list -

its not that hes horrible (eric hurley-level heh) in fact i have come around to the fact that yes, he is damn good. but is he better than sizemore? longoria? utley? hanley?

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 3, 2008 6:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs