Lackey Signs 5 Year Deal with Red Sox

[Rusch33]

The AL East just got more interesting, if true.

 

[The Logan]

John Lackey is probably going to be vastly overpaid

[Sever82]

It sounds like Boston won't make a push for Bay and if they dont intend to sign Holliday, i can see Boston exploring the Bradley trade because i dont think Cameron, Byrd or any other available OF can provide as much production as bradley can, if bradley stays healthy and produces at the level that he supposedly can. Plus and most importantly, it would probably end up being a lot a cheaper and wouldn't it make it a lot easier for boston to go after Mauer after this upcoming season, if they're only paying bradley 4-5 million or nothing at all.

[Hall7810]

John Lackey is probably going to be vastly overpaid

 

 

Rosenthal suggests a contract similar to AJ Burnett's.

[Magnetic Curses]

It sounds like Boston won't make a push for Bay and if they dont intend to sign Holliday, i can see Boston exploring the Bradley trade because i dont think Cameron, Byrd or any other available OF can provide as much production as bradley can, if bradley stays healthy and produces at the level that he supposedly can. Plus and most importantly, it would probably end up being a lot a cheaper and wouldn't it make it a lot easier for boston to go after Mauer after this upcoming season, if they're only paying bradley 4-5 million or nothing at all.

 

yeah, but boston is the one place in all of baseball with a more racist fanbase than the cubs.

[A-Cal]

My friend, a fan of the Red Sox, thinks that they are going to get Lackey and then flip a package including Bucholz for AGon.

 

I could see it happening, possibly.

[haubrich91]

My friend, a fan of the Red Sox, thinks that they are going to get Lackey and then flip a package including Bucholz for AGon.

 

I could see it happening, possibly.

 

Someone on ESPN brought that up, also.

[RedFlash]

My friend, a fan of the Red Sox, thinks that they are going to get Lackey and then flip a package including Bucholz for AGon.

 

I could see it happening, possibly.

 

Considering that Boston has made a $75 million offer to the Cuban free agent Chapman, I definately see legs to the AGone rumor.

[Outshined_One]

ESPN

 

5 years, likely over $82.5m.

[inari]

Wow, that was stupid.

[Tim M]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

[Sever82]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

[jersey cubs fan]

Lackey is a tough guy to judge. On one hand, he's been worth that much for multiple seasons during his career. But he has been a little less high quality in recent years. Was it a matter of too many high inning seasons in his mid-20's? He's still pretty damn good and even his down years have been pretty good. It's kind of like Ryan Dempster but without the unknown of having never done it before 2008. And it's a better deal than Zambrano.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

[Sever82]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

 

 

Huh, how is lackey better than Zambrano. Zambrano has better numbers and is three years younger. Zambrano is a nut case but his numbers are better than Lackey's. please tell me how Lackey is better than Z.

[CubColtPacer]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

 

It's hard to compare Lackey and Zambrano because of the difference in leagues. If Lackey had signed with an NL team, would he have been a better value than Z? Z's hitting adds a lot of value compared to Lackey. Their injury histories are similar but Lackey has ended up being gone for more time than Z. And Lackey probably would have a few less innings in games in the NL because the Angels had the luxury of pitching him very deep into the game in a lot of close games.

 

Lackey has much better control but has been more hittable and gives up more home runs the last couple years. His opponents OPS is also higher than Z's the last couple years.

 

From a quick look, it looks like Z would probably have the better value if they were both NL pitchers while Lackey would have the better value if they were both AL pitchers. It's really hard to compare them because their strengths (Z's hitting, and Lackey's ability to conserve pitches and go deep in games) both suit their individual leagues so well.

 

But Z's contract was signed in a much better economic environment. What's the excuse for Lackey's?

 

I do agree with your one point though. If you're going to overpay, make it for an impact player because they don't come around enough. Even if Lackey is not better than Z, he is still an impact player unless there are real big concerns about his injuries.

[jersey cubs fan]

But Z's contract was signed in a much better economic environment. What's the excuse for Lackey's?

 

Lackey had to be signed away as a free agent while Zambrano was staying on the same team.

 

Whatever role the economy plays Boston is competing with the Yankees who spent even more on their top of the rotation free agent pitchers in a much more uncertain economic timeframe. I think Lackey certainly compares favorably with Burnett, and while he's not as good as Sabathia, his contract compares favorably.

[17 Seconds]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

 

 

Huh, how is lackey better than Zambrano. Zambrano has better numbers and is three years younger. Zambrano is a nut case but his numbers are better than Lackey's. please tell me how Lackey is better than Z.

 

umm, the last time zambrano had better numbers than lackey was 2005

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

 

 

Huh, how is lackey better than Zambrano. Zambrano has better numbers and is three years younger. Zambrano is a nut case but his numbers are better than Lackey's. please tell me how Lackey is better than Z.

 

umm, the last time zambrano had better numbers than lackey was 2005

 

Also, 2008. And if you're talking about how either would fit on the Cubs, or any NL team, there's very little difference between them.

[Rob]

Not a good deal, not a bad deal. Provided he doesn't completely fall off a cliff, he should provide a bit more value that what they're paying him.

[shnsajax]

I'd rather have Dempster at his deal than Lackey at this price. Vastly overpaid but the Red Sox can get away with it. Stuff like this is why I'm hesitant to anoint Epstein as a genius. He gives out a ton of huge contracts.

 

Yeah, way too much money for Lackey. But ESPN will somehow overlook the amount and say "Theo did it again."

 

its hard for me to say its too much money because it won't handcuff the Red Sox at all.

[17 Seconds]

 

Way too much? He's a better pitcher than Zambrano and it's less money. At the very least, it's overpaying a top of the rotation starter, instead of some schmuck. Is anybody signing better free agent pitchers for less?

 

 

Huh, how is lackey better than Zambrano. Zambrano has better numbers and is three years younger. Zambrano is a nut case but his numbers are better than Lackey's. please tell me how Lackey is better than Z.

 

umm, the last time zambrano had better numbers than lackey was 2005

 

Also, 2008. And if you're talking about how either would fit on the Cubs, or any NL team, there's very little difference between them.

 

how did zambrano have better numbers than lackey in 2008?

 

lackey era- 3.75

zambrano era- 3.91

 

lackey whip- 1.23

zambrano whip- 1.29

 

lackey k:bb- 130:40

zambrano k:bb- 130:72

 

zambrano gave up less home runs, and hits, but that's it. rate wise, lackey was clearly better than z in 2008, and has been noticably better from 2006-2009

 

edit: just noticed lackey had a higher FIP than z in 2008, so you might have an argument.

 

the point remains though.... that lackey overall has been better than zambrano in the last 4 seasons

[TruffleShuffle]

i don't think i'd give a big five-year deal to a pitcher who missed some time in the two most recent seasons with elbow problems. maybe it's nothing but it's concerning.

[The Logan]

i don't think i'd give a big five-year deal to a pitcher who missed some time in the two most recent seasons with elbow problems. maybe it's nothing but it's concerning.

 

I agree that his past two seasons shouldn't warrant that contract. 5 years? Maybe, based on reputation alone... but for that ridiculous amount? Eh, not so much.

 

This is a fun game. It's called Which of these stats belongs to John Lackey and which one belongs to Gavin Floyd. Both are combined stats from 08 and 09 (stats rounded to nearest hundredth of a decimal)... aaaaaaaaand GO!

 

Statline 1: 117 ERA+ | 1.25 WHIP | 4.27 FIP

Statline 2: 118 ERA+ | 1.25 WHIP | 4.13 FIP

 

One of those stat lines is worth $16.5 million a year, and the other is... well, Gavin Floyd.

[Derwood]

apparently the Red Sox are working on contract language that protects them in case of pre-existing injury