In response to JoeFoyFan's comment:

It sounds like it's in iffy shape.

But, if he can play, it's a good deal for the Sox.

That's a GREAT deal for the Sox.  Very much like the Beltre deal a few years ago.  Naps is a good guy as it's been said that he is very good in the clubhouse.  This is a HUGE win for the Sox.  We get a player that can play 1st, give us some Ortiz protection and can play catcher every once in a while.  You gotta figure he will work SUPER hard to get those incentives and raise his value next year.  If he gets injured then it costs us no more than a Gomes......

Of course....with all of that said I'm sure the negative Sox 'fans' will still find a way to b!^ch about it.  Of course most of them said that they would ONLY accept a one year deal under $10mil....I can't WAIT to hear what they have to say now.....  Let me guess... "if he's such damaged goods that they went from $39 over 3......then they just blew $5mil for nothing...."  Or my favorite "We should have traded for Upton!!!!"

i liked the napoli signing...im ok with this kind of money and no long term committment...laRoche was only a two yr deal its not like that wouldve been the long term solution either...but you do have to wonder about his health....oh well...hope we trade our surplus catchers and ellsbury for a very good starter

In response to georom4's comment:

After all the crying you did?

You're a joke...

Good deal.  Better than signing a player for four years to 10 years like A-Rod, soon to be often injure prone player Pujols, etc.  If Napoli have a good healthy year at the same time if Papi didnt, then Boston can sign Napoli a long term contract to bat DH.   So right now Boston have a nice flexibility on how to build a team for the 2014 season.

For WMB or Bogerat to play 1B, I wouldnt care who go there.  Just hope Boston find a way to move people around unlike they couldnt do it for Jeff Bagwell when he was in the farm system.

 

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In response to LR3683paw's comment:

Can't assume any change at this point, because if Napoli stays healthy he still gets $13 million.  

In response to LR3683paw's comment:

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/12/13/still-money-to-spend-red-sox-payroll-2013-15/

 

Think around 170MM  depending how the abritration cases goes!!

Also read that he had 2nd & 3rd opinions on his hip and they all agreed with 1st...  So it does sound like there are real issues there and he didn't have much leverage.

Also read that it's similar to A-Rods hip issue (don't remember where I saw it), so he might end up having to have surgery eventually also.

That might be a big reason it's 1 year and a low guaranteed amount.

Hopefully he makes it thru the entire year.

In response to LR3683paw's comment:

By my calculations they are at 108,237,000 not including arbitrations, Which is well under the luxury tax. The Red Sox still have room to play with.

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In response to georom4's comment:

Geo, I hope you can reflect a little on your criticism of the protracted nature of the Napoli negotiations and maybe concede that Cherrington is not the complete buffoon you love to paint him as.  It took this long because Cherrington was playing hard ball to get a cheap one year deal given the damaged goods.  Napoli camp didn't want to accept this, hence the length of negotiation.  But they came around, as they had to.  Nice work Ben.

Glad We Signed Him, 5 Mill 1Year  And Most Likly 5 To 7 Mill Incentives, Yes Big Drop In Pay But I See 30Hr And A Lot Of New Dents On The Monster, Welcome Aboard Naps.....

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Only 1 year and $5 million guaranteed is worth the wait.

Well, I'm not a huge Napoli fan but at least it's one year instead of three. Hopefully with the transition to first base instead of catching Napoli will be able to produce better. Still hope Gomez gets some starts at 1B though.

How do incentives factor into the luxury tax?  Is it final poyroll paid or does sombody determine whether the incentives are "easily achiveable"?  Would like the incentives to be based on PA's if at all possible, to make sure the Sox have the flexibility to not play him due to non-performance as well.

To me this says that BC and the RS medical have definately learned from the past.  It says that the RS just aren't going to cave in to pressures from anyone.  Good Job to Ben.  I certainly hope that Naps has a hugh year and I hope he hits all the incentive milestones, that only means good things to the RS year.  Still have time now to go and get 1 front line pitcher. 

In response to never1954's comment:

Agreed, but I don't think there will be a "front line pitcher" arriving anytime soon as they feel the rotation is set for now.  I think you'll see them bring in a lefty bat who can play first and ideally, the outfield.  Then you'll see some "depth guys" for the rotation, some minor league deals for positional depth and they'll be ready to go...

In response to georom4's comment:

Really?

 

Please re-read your opening post from the "Worst Move by Cherington" thread. ..

In response to notin's comment:

Yeah......I agree....he has been one of the most vocal in regards to how stupid a move Naps was.....but give the guy some credit.  After all of the complaining he did about it....at least he has the guts to admit that it turned out ok and now makes sense.  There are a lot of other people here who would have made up a different stubborn/ridiculous arguemnt just so they wouldn't have to admit that things changed.  

In response to LR3683paw's comment:

Actually its up to 13M.

In response to southpaw777's comment:

With That He Will Come To Play For Sure, Also Heard The Rangers Offerd More But Not The Playing Time...........

In response to 56redsox's comment:

I read that too. The Sox would give him more guarenteed AB's.

TIme to throw our support behind the new Red Sox!  

 

 

   Five mill plus incentives up to 13?

 

    Here's a guy that will have to prove himself...just the opposite of CC .