Garland signs for 3/29 million

[soxfan1983]

Originally Posted by RockyMtnSoxFan

This is my favorite scenario. In my opinion, Vazquez is the weakest of the six. I guess we don't really know enough about Fingernails on a blackboard, but he seems to have the stuff and the composure. I talked to a friend who is a Yankee fan recently, and he had good things to say about Vazquez, at least in terms of ability. That made me feel a little better about the deal with Arizona, but I still feel like it was a bad move.

vasquez had awesome stuff in montreal and with the yankees. the expos were just bad so it didnt reflect well in his stats. as for the yankees... he pitched very well but nothing is ever good enough for the new york media, fans, or management. in arizona he had an awesome second half.... like the expos, the team was bad. this guy is a workhorse and is a great acquisition. so feel good about that trade, because it was a great one for the sox.

Fingernails on a blackboard i would say is the weakest of the six, basically because he doesn't have much experience at the major league level compared to the rest. personally i would like to see Fingernails on a blackboard in the pen for the year/half a year and see how buerhle, garland, garcia,contreras, and vasquez do.... because i think these 5 guys will be the best rotation in the league this year... maybe of all time??? (quite possibly)

[soxfan1983]

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

Great move! Thanks Jon! Thanks Kenny! Thanks Jerry!

Now the Sox can ship Vasquez plus prospects to the Devil Rays for Carl Crawford!

i really like that trade idea!!!!

[EastCoastSoxFan]

Originally Posted by scottjanssens

KW signs a Cy Young contending pitcher for slightly below market value... sounds like moneyball to me.

From what I have read, the moneyball treatment of pitchers usually involves letting them play out their 3-year cheapo rookie contracts, MAYBE offering them arbitration for one more year, and then either trading them or letting them walk for draft picks to avoid having to pay them anything close to market value.
Kennyball, from what we have seen, means planning 2-3 years ahead at all times and paying your key players as close to market value as you can without breaking the bank.

[WSoxFanForever]

I was so excited when I heard this. Can we say REPEAT??????????????????????????????


GOOOOOOO WHITE SOXXXXXXXXX!!!

[kwolf68]

Winning breeds winners. Funny now everyone is flocking to play (or return) to the Sox when in years past players tried to get out.

That's what winning a ring does for you. Glad Jon opted to stick it out and I am more happy that we kept him, because he is on the cusp of really becomming a great pitcher.

Garland is such a pitcher that he can do well when tired (helps the sinker) or he can morph into a power pitcher if rested (see Angels series where he was throwing 92-94 mile per hour fastballs all night, I believe he hit 95 at least one time).

Great freaking deal for the Sox. Kudos to KW and JG.

[Palehose13]

Originally Posted by beckett21

I'd like to take this opportunity to issue a public apology to Jon Garland.

Honestly I didn't think there was any way he was going to re-up without testing free agency. I was in favor of trading him away for this very reason. He just proved me wrong.

Great signing by KW. I really hope this doesn't mean the end of Jose Contreras's days here in Chicago, but I'm very happy to have Garland in the fold for another 3 years.

Cheers Jon!

I'd like to echo your post, beckett. I was on the exact same wavelength as you. Jon, you can prove me wrong anyday. Welcome back!

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by Flight #24

Stolen from another messag board, but IMO priceless......

In a related story, Matt Karcher recently signed a new three year contract with Sprint for wireless service using some of the money he stole from the Cubs.

Ha ha!! I read that too. Admit it, you saw that on northsideball.com. That was my first peek at that site (honest!) because I was curious to see their reaction to the Garland deal.

Interestingly, a majority of the clowns there were saying the Sox paid way too much for Garland, Garland is just a mediocre pitcher, etc. A few people there were smart enough to admit that this was a great deal for the Sox - especially in light of what Burnett, Millwood, etc. recently got.

[MasQbellesa]

Now the Sox can ship Vasquez plus prospects to the Devil Rays for Carl Crawford!

Originally Posted by soxfan1983

i really like that trade idea!!!!

Wasn't Vasquez crying that he wanted to be traded to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico??? Tampa Bay is way closer than Chicago! Besides...11-15 last year for Vasquez... keep Contreras!

[DickAllen72]

Originally Posted by twsoxfan5

Per Espn 1000 Jon Garland has signed a 3 year 29 million dollar deal. I wonder who is going to be trade bait now.

Vazquez for Andruw Jones.

[StepsInSC]

Good....freaking....crap....I.....am....blindsided ..!!

Didn't see this coming! I'm not used to this happiness caused by being a Sox fan. Please don't let the world end anytime soon!!!

[lostletters]

Originally Posted by MasQbellesa

Now the Sox can ship Vasquez plus prospects to the Devil Rays for Carl Crawford!


Wasn't Vasquez crying that he wanted to be traded to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico??? Tampa Bay is way closer than Chicago! Besides...11-15 last year for Vasquez... keep Contreras!

Vasquez had 21 quality starts last year, nothing to sneeze at by any means. He is probably the best number 5 pitcher in the bigs. Plus Chicago is a city with direct flights to nearly everywhere in the America's, so it is beneficial that he stay here.

I say let Fingernails on a blackboard throw in the bullpen for a year and get the experience and learn additional pitches. Put him in the rotation next year or in case of an injury. He is a great insurance policy to have around.

[Optipessimism]

Originally Posted by MasQbellesa

Now the Sox can ship Vasquez plus prospects to the Devil Rays for Carl Crawford!


Wasn't Vasquez crying that he wanted to be traded to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico??? Tampa Bay is way closer than Chicago! Besides...11-15 last year for Vasquez... keep Contreras!

If the choice was Contreras for 3 years or Vazquez for 3 years, it would be a tough decision to make but I think I'd have to go with Jose.

That said, Crawford would be a great addition but I'd rather not see another speedy contact hitter in our OF. I'd rather see the Sox have a couple guys with power out there and instead get another speedy contact hitter that could play the infield. There aren't too many of those available, but give me Jimmy Rollins and I'll be happy.

[Lprof]

Originally Posted by Brian26

I'm absolutely stunned. This is unbelievable. 3 years for less than 10 million a year.

The pessimist in me, or maybe the realist, still thinks that a trade may be looming. This has to be the highest budget the Sox have ever had.

Apparently there is a no-trade clause for the first year.

[Lprof]

Originally Posted by dugwood31

I don't think this adds much to next year's budget because Garland would have got $9m in arbitration, I'd think. The issue is years 2 and 3. On one hand, he's never been bad, and never been hurt. On the other hand, he's had one good year (albeit at 26, which is a common age for pitchers to break out.) I hope this isn't irrational exuberance a la Baltimore, the Dodgers or the Mets. You could argue that in a few years we'll be cursing the long term contracts that we gave to him and Paulie...

But that's just the point: For Garland, it ISN'T a long term contract. It is amazing to get an 18 game winner signed for only three years.

[soxfan1983]

Originally Posted by Optipessimism

That said, Crawford would be a great addition but I'd rather not see another speedy contact hitter in our OF. I'd rather see the Sox have a couple guys with power out there and instead get another speedy contact hitter that could play the infield. There aren't too many of those available, but give me Jimmy Rollins and I'll be happy.

but didnt ozzie say he wanted to get another speedy contact hitter???? thats how all the speculation of pierre to the sox got started. and now that we didnt offer harris a contract, thats one less speedy player. speed and base stealing was huge for the sox last year. as having slow guys like aj, paulie, and thome for example... we'll need to pinch run for them late in games if we have a chance to score.

i would definitely like to keep vasquez and if needed trade contreras... makes the most sense because he is the oldest of the 6 starters. but if we could get crawford for vasquez.... man that would be cool.

pod, crawford, konerko, thome, dye, aj, iguchi, crede, uribe.... WOW!