If Naps doesnt sign, what would you offer the nats for 1 year of Mike Morse? hes only owed 6.75M for 2013 and then will be a FA...

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/11/nationals-could-trade-michael-morse.html

The Nats will almost surely keep him.

In response to southpaw777's comment:

If He Has A Season Like He Did In 2011, Welcome To The RedSox, But I Still Think Napoli Will Be A RedSox....

In response to southpaw777's comment:

i would actually prefer this to napoli. i thnk a short term option at 1st base is best, it would allow us time to find and aquire a long term option at the postition.

but on the other hand naps is a short term option too as he would most likely DH once papi is gone.. hmmmmmm

Morse for RF? maybe, for 1B? no way. he never has been a fulltime 1B and he's been a horrible one.  Sox shouldn't give up much for Morse.  

Morse can play 1B. Probably cost less than Napoli.

Younger, with enormous power. Right handed hitter. Clutch player. I wish the Sox would consider a trade, instead of chasing overaged, overpaid free agents.

In response to Leftymcrighty's comment:

Mike Morse, who becomes a free agent following the 2013 season, is less than five months younger than Mike Napoli.

Of course, the shorter commitment has some appeal.

Morse would be a good pickup for perhaps Ells-both one year rentals--but the Nats are pretty set in the OF. He's a good player perhaps a young pitcher--saw Ranaudo's name thrown around today. That might work. Perhaps they could extend him.

You don't trade Ellsbury for a one year wonder. Ranaudo has a boatload of potential,but maybe you swap him for a powerhitter. 1b is not Morse's strong position. DH and OF and he's only a marginal OF. Maybe Big Papi becomes the regular 1b man?

In response to sportsbozo1's comment:

Let's be real honest---Ells was a one year wonder in 2011. He's been a good player but not a superstar. We are losing him after 2013 anyway--if he could return a power hitting 1 B I would do it--that's just me.

In response to Leftymcrighty's comment:

Morse can play 1B.  Ortiz can play 1B as well.  Morse is not a good 1B and he's not certainly in a longterm plan for the Sox.  He does not have enormous power.  He just had one 30+ HR season.  Do you consider Ellsbury an enormous power hitter?  He's going to be 31 when 2013 season opens.  He only has 1 full season in his career.  Why in hell Sox would give up anything for him?

I'd try a trade and extend, but if he turns down the extend, I'd offer: Morales or Aceves, Brentz, and a prospect below #10..

In response to MadMc44's comment:

Yeah, let's be real honest. There is no one on this team besides Pedroia and Ortiz, that are any good. Build the team around these two guys, even being willing to play Ortiz at 1B with a backup C/1B.

Get two power OFers for LF and RF to compliment Ellsbury. Stick Iglesias at SS and Middlebrooks at 3B and let the chips fall where they may. Make sure there is veteran Utility guy on your bench, perferably with power (DeRosa?).

But first and foremost sign two of the best FA pitchers available. I like Sanchez and Villanueva.

Morse is absolutely worth some due diligence.  It all depends on the asking price...

With the Winter Meetings starting tomorrow--Sunday--hopefully BenC has done his due diligence.

With all the time Peter A , Nick C, R. Bradford, Alex Speirer, Chad Finn spend writing about the Sox you'd think one would put Ben on the spot and ask him what his plan is to build this team. That would be my first question and I wouldn't stop asking until he presented it.

I wonder what his plan is for the Rotation?

Who are his top 10 FA targets?

What's his plan for this years closer?

What three SS would he trade for?

Would he consider a Platoon at 1 B (Pena and Reynolds/Gomez?

Would he look for Cody to play RF and Gomes in LF with Sands and Nava/Kalish backups?

We as fans Mr.Ben would like some answers not the stand pat replies next week after the Meetings are over: "We laid the groundwork for some moves"--you said that after the GM Meetings. Tell us more! 

"Did you make any headwy with the FA you've targeted?"  We talked with a lot of agents.

BenC--this Boston Kitchen may be too hot--please go to the Cubs and be  Theo's asst. again. This is a very important season for the Sox--is it the beginning of a two year bridge? We need a strong GM that has a plan and is working the plan...

It's probably too harsh but you've got $80 M to build a team with. That's more than a quarter of all teams have for a budget. It's not like he has Pres. O'Bama's job with real pressure.

I like Morse as a player, but he has a lenghty injury history.  I also cant see him resigning.  If I was his agent, I would tell him to use Fenway to pad his stats and then hit the open market next year looking for 16M+/yr at least. 

So you are really trading for one year of Morse , who comes w/ a few question marks himself.  The dude's stick is for real, there is no doubting that, and I really like him as a player.  Freak strength.  He was playing w / 2 sore wrists last year, and was still blasting long HR's at an impressive rate.

However, considering where the Nats are (contenders) , and considering Morse's talent , I dont think they are looking to trade him for anything short of what I would deem "too high."

I'm interested in the concept for sure, however, I honestly believe that if we saw the asking price for one yr of Morse, we'd have our reservations.  Like I said though: awesome player.

In response to Joebreidey's comment:

Morse Denard Harper and Werth is one hell of a good depth in the outfield.

Gomes Ellsbury Kalish Nava Sands is one hell of a blank outfield for the Red Sox.

The Nationals OF is probably one of the best in the majors.

In response to MadMc44's comment:

If I was Ben, I would not tell you a thing and probably have secturity remove you from the premisies if you persisted.

 

I know this team has not really acquired an impact player since Crawford/Gonzalez, but still, slow down.  The actual off-season begins next week, and up until yesterday, the list of available free agents was always incomplete.  Also, most of the players already accounted for should not have been on the Sox radar anyway.

In response to MadMc44's comment:

why would he reveal any information to the public? if he goes out and says i REALLLLLY want free agents A, B and C other GMs would then bid to run the price up. if he says we GOTTTTA trade for players X, Y and Z the opposing GM would increase his asking price. by revealing nothing, appearing to be "in" on lots of different players, GMs can't shanghai us because we have "options" orappear to have options. the writers you mentioned know this which is why they don't persist. once it becomes general knowledge who we are going after (naps, swish, ross) then they write articles on it.

In response to Joebreidey's comment:

The Nats could also talk to KC to send Morse for (prospect) Myers.

I also hope that BC is going to winter meetings with unsign contracts for FA signings or trades. There is some vacancy on the 40 man roster, especially the bullpen roster. Hopefully his first signing/trade will be for top notch pitcher and then right handed hitting power hitter. All the FA's are still out there that can fill in some holes for the Sox.

In response to boborielly224's comment:

The Royals would NEVER deal Myers for one years of Morse...

In response to notin's comment:

Or 8 years of Morse...everyone assumes the Royals are "trying" to trade Myers and the Sox are trying to trade Lester...obviously not the case.  The Royals want a front end starter, so they looked into Lester, and the Sox listened, as they should have.

   MORSE ??  I think that they have enough green at Fenway PAAAAK, ya think ?????

In response to sportsbozo1's comment:

Righthander Anthony Ranaudo is 23 years old, has never pitched above Double A (and has only nine games at that level) and sports a minor league career ERA of 4.59, including 6.69 this year.

I've got to think that Ranaudo has limited trade value this offseason.

In response to MadMc44's comment:

If you were going to trade for him and extend him, why not just sign Napoli and keep whoever you were going to trade?