Contract language continues to hold up a Napoli to Boston deal
With the Washington Nationals coming to terms with first-baseman Adam LaRoche early Tuesday morning, the Boston Red Sox have lost their back-up plan to play first-base for the team in the 2013 season. At no point were the Red Sox supposed to be involved in talks for Adam LaRoche, at least not this late in the game. About a month ago, the Boston Red Sox already signed their man to play first-base in the upcoming season. That guy was Mike Napoli of the Texas Rangers. A couple days later, the Boston Red Sox made two other semi-major free-agent signings and held a press-conference to introduce both of those players. Mike Napoli, however, was not in attendance and despite the fact that a deal was agreed upon 36 days ago, there has been no sign that Napoli will be officially signed any time soon.
The issue came up during his physical when the Boston Red Sox red-flagged some issues with his hip that may prevent him from being t…
Tag Archive | "Mike Napoli"
What’s Going on with Mike Napoli and the Red Sox?
Posted on 08 January 2013.
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2013 Texas Rangers Calendar Features Some Non-Rangers Players
Posted on 20 December 2012.
In case Texas Rangers fans forget how different their lineup is going to look when the 2013 season begins, the team’s 2013 calendar is here to serve as a reminder. As you know, Texas has parted ways with several stars this offseason including Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli and Michael Young. However, the calendar you see above was already printed before any of those transactions went down. As the one gentleman said, the calendar can now be viewed as a collector’s item. Hamilton has signed a massive deal with the Angels, Napoli is heading to Boston — if they can ever work out the wording in his contract — and Young has been traded to the Phillies. Despite that, the trio still makes up Mr. May, Mr. August and Mr. September. If there are any Rangers fans out there who are unwilling to fully let go of last year’s studs and want to see their faces during the 2013 season, you now have the perfect gift idea.
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Mike Napoli Deal with Red Sox Still in Limbo
Posted on 19 December 2012.
News first broke of free agent catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli the Red Sox reaching a three-year, $ 39 million contract back on December 3rd. Over two weeks later, pen has still yet to meet paper.
The deal reportedly hit a snag during Napoli’s physical, when questions were raised about the health of the 31-year old’s hip. A red flag was clearly raised in the process of closing the agreement and now the Sox reportedly want to cut the deal down to two years.
According to sources close to the situation, members of the Napoli camp don’t think that is necessary because Mike will be used primarily at a first base and not at catcher, where a hip problem is more likely to flare up and be an issue.
The Red Sox want Napoli, who has a well-documented history of injuries, to be their first baseman but also want to make sure their investment is protected, but the two sides have yet to find a common ground. One would assume both parties are optimistic they meet somewhere in the middle because th…
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Mike Napoli Meeting with Red Sox This Weekend in Boston
Posted on 24 November 2012.
The Red Sox have long been reported to be interested in catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli, and now it sounds like they’re ready to show him up close what the team can offer.
Napoli is visiting Boston this weekend to meet with the Red Sox, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Napoli would most likely play first base if he were to sign with Boston, with his catching abilities taking a back seat since the Red Sox have catchers Ryan Lavarnway, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the newly signed David Ross all under contract.
Napoli, 31, is also reportedly meeting with the Mariners.
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Red Sox, Mariners and Rangers Showing Interest in Mike Napoli
Posted on 24 November 2012.
Mike Napoli is generating interest this offseason thanks to his versatility. Napoli who can play first base or catcher is being pursued by the Red Sox, Mariners and Rangers among others, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports.
Jim Bowden of ESPN.com notes that Napoli is holding out for a fourth year with Boston and is set to meet with Seattle who may be willing to offer him a four-year deal. Which ever team signs Napoli will not have to give up a draft pick as the Rangers did make a qualifying offer to the 31-year-old.
In 352 at-bats, Napoli hit .227/343/.469 with 24 home runs and 56 RBIs while striking out 125 times. Napoli logged 72 games behind the plate (which is where he prefers to play), 28 games at first base and 9 games as the designated hitter.
Image taken by Keith Allison and used under the Creative Common License Agreement.
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Yankees’ Eyeing Mike Napoli at Catcher
Posted on 14 November 2012.
The New York Yankees will need to act quick if they want to secure a quality catcher, considering the free agent market for catchers is relatively weak this offseason.
Yankees’ free agent catcher Russell Martin could sign elsewhere if the Yankees fall asleep. He has drawn interest from a half dozen teams, especially the Texas Rangers who are looking to improve defensively behind the plate.
According to Bob Nightengale via Twitter, the Yankees are considering Mike Napoli if Martin leaves.
Mike Napoli, the Texas #Rangers free-agent catcher, is drawing interest from the New York #Yankees
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 12, 2012
Napoli hit .227 average, 27HRs and 54RBIs in 108 games. His salary for last season was $ 9.4 million, roughly two million more than Martin. Not a good sign, considering Cashman’s desire to stay below budget.
Offensively, Martin and Napoli are a wash but defensively it’s a different story. Martin is much better defensively behind the pla…
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Rangers Add Catching Depth with Schmidt
Posted on 02 November 2012.
The Texas Rangers added some catching depth by picking up catcher Konrad Schmidt on waivers from Arizona.
The Rangers added Schmidt to the major-league roster, giving the club 34 players on the 40-man roster.
Schmidt, 28, has played a total of eight games in the majors. He spent most of the 2012 season at Triple A Reno, hitting .277 in 93 games. He also threw out 14 of 55 of runners who attempted to steal.
Schmidt gives the Rangers some catching depth. Geovany Soto is under team control. The
Rangers will decide Friday whether or not to make a qualifying offer to Mike Napoli. If the club does and Napoli accepts the offer, hell make 13.3 million next year.
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Rangers Clinch; Yanks, O’s in Too
Posted on 01 October 2012.
Closer Joe Nathan got the quick redemption he hoped for, and the two-time defending AL champion Texas Rangers are back in the playoffs.
They’re still trying to win another division title.
Nathan ended a long day with his 37th save, after blowing a chance in the opener, and Mike Napoli homered twice while driving in six runs as the Rangers won 8-7 Sunday night for a doubleheader split against the Los Angeles Angels.
”Any reliever would ask to get out there and try and put this afternoon’s game behind them,” Nathan said. ”The team over there is playing great, pushed us right the limit again. We’ve still got some work to doay.”
While overcoming an quick 4-0 deficit in the nightcap to assure themselves a playoff spot — and postseason berths for Baltimore and New York Yankees, as well — the Rangers (93-66) have to win at least once during their season-ending, three-game series at second-place Oakland for the AL West title.
”You would think there would be a letdown, but because these guys take each game for what it is, there is no letdown,” manager Ron Washington said. ”Yes, it was a tough loss the first one. … Fell down 4-0, it was no big deal. They went out there and put some good at-bats together and they played with a lot of energy and Joe got a chance to redeem himself.”
Los Angeles (88-71), which won the opener 5-4 on Torii Hunter’s two-run double with two outs in the ninth off Nathan, trails the A’s by three games for the AL’s second wild card with three games left.
The Angels have to sweep their three-game series in Seattle and have Texas do the same against Oakland to force a tiebreaking 163rd game between the A’s and Angels for the second wild card.
”These guys played their hearts out,” manager Mike Scioscia said. ”I don’t know that you can ask much more than that.”
After only his third blown save for Texas in the opener, Nathan worked through the heart of the Angels lineup in the nightcap.
Los Angeles led 4-0 after only five batters off Derek Holland (12-6) in the second game, but Ervin Santana (9-13) quickly squandered after his former teammate went deep on him twice.
David Murphy and Napoli hit back-to-back homers in the second as Texas closed to 4-3. Josh Hamilton had a double in the first for his 127th RBI.
Napoli’s 23rd homer an inning later made it 6-4 and chased Santana, who has given up a majors-high 39 homers. Napoli drove a two-run double into the left-center gap in the fifth to make it 8-4.
It was Napoli’s 10th career multihomer game, four of them against his former team the past two seasons. Napoli played five years for the Angels before being traded twice in five days before the 2011 season, to Toronto and then Texas.
”Sometimes there’s going to be that hitter you don’t match up well against,” Scioscia said.
Mike Trout, who in the opener became the first major league rookie to reach 30 homers and 40 stolen bases in the same season, struck out to start the second game against Holland.
But the Angels then had four straight hits. Albert Pujols had an RBI double and scored on a single by Hunter before Mark Trumbo’s 32nd homer, a two-run shot.
Nathan took over after Koji Uehara struck out the side in the eighth. Uehara has retired all 23 batters faced his last nine games, with 15 strikeouts.
Holland managed to get into the seventh inning, and didn’t allow any more runs until a three-run homer by Howie Kendrick, the last batter he faced. The left-hander, who made it only three innings his previous start, struck out five while allowing seven runs and 12 hits.
Hunter, who lives in nearby Prosper, had seven hits in the doubleheader. He is hitting .350 (98 of 280) since the All-Star break, and his game-winning double into the left-center gap came right after Nathan (3-5), his former teammate in Minnesota, struck out Trout.
The Angels are still trying to make up for two bad slumps. After adding slugger Pujols and left-hander C.J. Wilson this winter, they were 8-15 in April. They had a 4-13 slide to start August.
But they still have a chance to make the playoffs after winning 11 of their last 16 games, if they get a lot of help from the Rangers.
So what do the Angels do now?
”We go to Seattle and fight like hell,” Trumbo said.
NOTES: Garrett Richards (4-3) retired Nelson Cruz with two runners on in the eighth in the opener, and Ernesto Frieri pitched a perfect ninth in the opener for his 24th save in 26 chances. … Yu Darvish struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings in the opener, when Cruz hit his 24th homer and also threw Trout out on the bases from right field. … Texas ended with a regular-season attendance of 3.46 million, an average of 42,720 per game – both franchise records. … Holland and Santana was the scheduled matchup for Saturday’s game, which was called off four hours after its scheduled start because of rain. … The 21-year-old Trout is the youngest player with a 30-30 season. He needs two stolen bases to become only the third player ever with 30 homers and 50 stolen bases. The others? Eric Davis (1987) and Barry Bonds (1990).
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