Comments on: The Red Sox made a pitch for Jose Bautista at the winter meetings http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:04:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: cur68 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107195 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:44:45 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107195 The Sox are smart. They know how old Crawford is and how much he wants to go out on a high. He’s a safe bet to have on your team; he’ll be a good influence, and he’ll have worked hard to be not only in shape but ready to go at the plate. They are trying to put together the right ratio of personality, talent, and work ethic to mirror the teams that won them titles. Thing is, Bautista is the better bet in such a mix. The Sox realize now what the Jays realized late two season’s ago; the dude’s never really been coached or allowed to play much. Give him a chance, help him a bit, and he might be really good. Turns out they were right. That guy was having a reasonably solid career, in a tough league, with little coaching while platooning and playing every position but catcher or pitcher (bet he coulda done that, too). It takes an enormous amount of skill to do that, something the Jays finally clued in to. So, add some coaching, give him a steady job, and let him swing hard; he went from solid to effing brilliant. The Rays were entirely correct to go after Jose Bautista. He’s the Hispanic Cal Ripkin; durable, quietly charismatic, peaks later in his career, steady personality, a good influence, grows a great beard, and smart enough to know what works and what doesn’t. He was the right ingredient to complete a championship team for them. Bautista calling Fenway his home park? He’d have threatened for the league record in home runs, you can depend on it. The Jays keeping him and keeping him happy will really spell out how their season will go; without Wells’ enormous contract they have room to develop some guys who will really benefit from being around Bautista. Yes way Jose`.

]]> By: BC http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107046 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:27:20 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107046 Hitting (and one-year-wonder-factor) aside, would you rather have Crawford playing in your outfield or Bautista? No contest. And Boston grabs a Gold-Glove level 1B to boot. Youkilis is probably a B+ third baseman fielding-wise, maybe A-. They made the right moves, they didn’t need Bautista.

]]> By: jagmania65 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107030 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:18:27 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107030 Isn’t, “not going all in on Crawford” radical enough of an impact?

]]> By: andrewkw http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107025 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 07:24:17 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107025 In the end it worked out for everyone.

The Red Sox got the player they wanted first AND a better outfielder.
The Jays kept the better outfielder AND shed the worst contract there is.
The Padres got their prospects.
The Angels got to overpay an outfielder who won’t make a significant difference.

]]> By: machomaniac http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107007 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:31:02 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107007 The jays should keep Bautista they’re in good shape with contracts n he’s a good influence on the Hispanic players

]]> By: D.J. Short http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107003 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:59:28 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107003 Totally right. My bad.

]]> By: shaggylocks http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/25/the-red-sox-made-a-pitch-for-jose-bautista-at-the-winter-meetings/comment-page-1/#comment-107002 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:52:17 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=36730#comment-107002 Well, the Sox completed the Gonzalez trade before the winter meetings, so it likely had no effect on that trade. It’s doubtful they would have gone all in on Crawford, though, unless they had plans to move around a few more pieces.

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