FT35

Still think there are a lot of GMs out there (most of them in smaller markets), who are looking at the 2 deals Hahn made with Sale and Eaton and they're puffed up saying "he's not doing that to me." The problem is THAT'S the price for a guy like Q--set by the large market teams (Boston/Washington). It's showing why baseball has a little problem with the rich getting richer. There's no deal w/Houston because in the eyes of the seller--they're cheap. They don't have what it takes to get it done. Both sides know it. Q will go to a large market team because they are the only teams who can pool the resources together to get a piece as valuable as him.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Feb 15, 2017 -> 03:16 PM) How about this? Lol! You win.

Something like this?

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 15, 2017 -> 10:28 AM) Oh I thought SoxPride was volunteering. Someone volunteer. We'll endorse you for banner making skill on Linkedin. I may give it a shot...anyone have a vector file of the Soxtalk.com logo by itself?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 14, 2017 -> 01:10 PM) Theoretically could make Reyes available in a trade too. He is easily the most interesting piece in the Cardinals system. It's risky, but ceilings don't get much higher. If he was traded...wouldn't he have to pass a physical!? Reyes is a stud. I feel bad for the guy and certainly hope for the best.

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Feb 9, 2017 -> 04:24 PM) Its been reported that the Miami Marlins are going to be sold for some serious money. ($1.6 Billion) I don't know how the Marlins fans feel about that but I sure wish that the White Sox were getting a new owner. It would be page one news. I doubt that many White Sox fans. would care if JR sold the team. If anything it would provide some hope for the future. This hopeless situation would change in a matter of a year. I would like to think that if the Marlins are sold for that type of money the White Sox can probably be sold for that much. I would absolutely love to see it happen. Be careful here...not always is someone new always better. There are a lot of people with money who are clueless on how to run a franchise--let alone have the brain power to turn things around in a matter of a year. Agreed that JR appears to be down and out...but most of that came from riding a dead horse into the ground with unparalleled stubbornness for the last several years. With a new manager, new TV deals, a revamped farm system and the payroll flexibility to make some noise with a LOADED FA market on the horizon--I wouldn't exactly call things as 'helpless' as they were 6 months ago. He's getting older--so I can see selling as being more of an option if this plan doesn't work to revitalize things in the next few years.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Feb 8, 2017 -> 12:32 PM) In 1970 the Sox went 56-106, most losses ever in a season and they drew 495,000 fans for it. Had three managers that season. Mark This is why I think they will never COMPLETELY tear down again. Jerry would never sign off on a full season of no one paying for tickets to see the team play. Getting the #1 pick in the draft next year is not as important to them as it is to still have fan turnout. If they have to punt on Seth Beer so be it, but they will stagger the process to make sure there's always a few reasons to buy a ticket. Do we really think the franchise can withstand a 60 win season and what that would mean financially? They have a hard enough time drawing people to see a 75 win team.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 10, 2017 -> 09:35 AM) The number seems high to me but I started reading Passan's book, and he claims 52% of pitchers wind up on the DL every year. Seems about right when you consider there is a group of the same pitchers out there who have a 100% chance of ending up on the DL at some point EVERY year...

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Feb 3, 2017 -> 03:10 PM) One was a comp bal pick. And it can be traded just not until the season starts making this a moot point for a trade to happen now. Gotchya. Thank you, sir.

You'll have to excuse me...I'm late to this party--haven't read all the posts...but trying to catch up! Quick question...were the picks awarded to Houston competitive balance picks or STL's regular picks? I was under the impression that only competitive balance picks could be traded in MLB? If they were not competitive balance picks, Houston couldn't trade them to us could they?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 28, 2017 -> 03:33 PM) How do you rate a bust? Jurickson Profar and Matt Wieters, jump out, but Josh Hamilton (with the Devil Rays) and Ben Grieve could both be there, as well as Rick Ankiel and Jay Bruce. As far as #1 prospects go, those guys were disappointments, but they were all fairly solid MLB players at one point or another, as was Delmon Young. Also, Brien Taylor is probably the biggest bust of all time. https://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prosp...spects/all-time Matt Bush was another for San Diego...saw him play a couple times in his first pro gig (Single A Fort Wayne MWL). Saw him make a few nice throws to 1st base and that was about it for his career because he couldn't stay out of trouble. I guess he's a pitcher now for Texas...we'll see how that goes. Crazy story though: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/matt-bu...o-prison-050514

I think anytime a team rebuilds it's important to have that 1 vet that sticks with the team year after year...someone to model on and off the field. A "Paul Konerko" if you will--someone who is still mashing in his prime, but exemplary in conduct and being a professional. That person evolves as the face of the franchise and helps carry the team once they get good. Anthony Rizzo played that role for the Cubs and I think Todd Frazier is that guy for us. They might move him, but with the market being kind of low for 3rd basemen, I just have a gut feeling he's THE vet they would like to keep if they could. Plus, they went 3948 years without a quality 3rd basemen...just a gut feeling--nothing more. I'm not the GM, but I see a rare character gene in Frazier...something about him that screams great leader.

Wow...Robertson to Toronto would mean Josh Donaldson would get no stats.

QUOTE (fredmanrique @ Jan 27, 2017 -> 09:27 AM) Have a feeling hahn has been passing on a package with glasnow and newman but not keller up to this point. I can see this...I'm not the biggest Glasnow fan. I know pitchers grow and develop, but his control issues are real. A lot of Pirates fans agree and say his MiLB numbers are a better pitcher than he is. He's got good stuff, but it's my assumption (based on NOTHING of substance), that if Hahn is looking at Glasnow, it's as a 2nd name instead of the headliner. And I think the Sox as a whole might like Keller better. I believe if they liked Glasnow a ton, a deal would have been made by now.

You have to think of a rebuild as a philosophy that shapes your decision making process as you move forward through time. It's like a photo-filter that impacts decisions until a new state of the franchise becomes apparent and a new plan is required. A rebuild is not a construction project where you come in and demo phase 1, then remodel over the next couple of weeks, then start to add finishes in a massive rush against the clock. This plan ALWAYS fails. A mindset like that puts too much faith in the options that exist NOW being the long-term solutions that will sustain your organization's success year after year. Do we really think that the long-term fix for sustainable dominance (like we had in the 90's) can be obtained simply by acquiring as many names as possible from the winter 2017 Baseball America's top prospects list?! Impatience is putting too many of us into that position--don't get caught putting too many eggs in the "what's available NOW" basket. What if next year's list is even better? You gotta think bigger picture and apply that rebuild mindset to all decisions and strategically add the right pieces each year--not just because scouts rate a guy's contact rate at a "60" (heck, we need better contact hitters what are they waiting for!?!?!?)

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Jan 20, 2017 -> 05:00 PM) Archer could very easily already be declining this five years thing that everyone makes such a fuss over is really not that important. It'd be one thing if Archer was coming off his best season yet as a 24 year old but he's 28 and coming off his worst season. He's not bad, but a TOR starter he is not. Whatever I'm glad the Rays are doing whatever it is they are doing because it preserves the market for Quintana. Astros took their best shot at Archer and came up short, let the Rays loss be the Sox gain. Hmmm...I may disagree with you that Archer isn't a TOR starter. Maybe not for Boston, but he would be for most teams. Can see him as a #1 in some cases, a solid 2 in most cases, no lower than a 3.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 20, 2017 -> 08:48 AM) We have no idea what the real offers are. The fact is, if you are scared not trading Quintana this offseason screws everything up, his being just as valuable is probably a better bet than even if they received the exact same package for Sale all working out. I would imagine the Sox have some really nice offers, maybe one or two where they would pull the trigger, but I think they like another team's players even better and may be waiting to see if they will become involved. Ultimately what will matter is how the guys they get actually play, not where BA or Keith Law or BP or MLB.com rank them before they ever play a major league game. Yep. They are in a position where they can afford to wait. That's why there's no rush--because they know they are in the drivers seat since they HAVE what everyone wants. Being in the drivers seat doesn't mean they are driving all the time...they can also park the car if they choose, but they still remain in the drivers seat at the negotiation table. Them NOT making a trade sends a message that they are not desperate and just itching to let Q go for the best available deal on the table at this moment. Other teams involved know that they need to meet the price or no deal. If they want Meadows over Torres they can wait. If they want Frazier over Rodgers, they can wait. Who knows who they REALLY want...we only know that they can hold out for him. Even if the market were saturated with TOR starters, Q's value would still be high enough for them to get who they wanted.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jan 18, 2017 -> 04:06 PM) Yep. Agreed. Look at the hauls for Miller & Chapman. And those guys aren't exactly cheap by any means. Yes! And it's crazy to think that a half season of Chapman (on an expiring contract) netted a player like Torres and the Yankees balk at including him in a deal for Q--an all-star TOR starter with 4 years of CHEAP control. Seriously...kudos to Cashman on that deal. That's some great GM work no matter what you think about the Yankees organization. However, I would think that forwarding Torres on as a part of a deal to get Q would be a genius move as well--essentially turning a half season of Chapman, on an expiring contract, into Quintana for 4 years. Pretty brilliant. Because of this...I'll call it now...Cashman knows this and ultimately wins the Quintana sweepstakes with Torres as the headliner.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 18, 2017 -> 12:56 PM) That doesnt equate to the comment above. That's part of the overall discussion we are having. Personally and I have no proof of this but I bet Hahn is asking for a ridiculous return for Q. I think it's going to backfire if he's not traded by the start of the season. I think you're right. Obviously the return should be high...but one thing has restored a little of my faith. He's shown his ability to negotiate and complete a trade in which maximizes his return for a top asset. He's done it twice already with Sale and Eaton so my gut tells me that he at least knows what he's doing and will be OK. He is the judge of his own tolerance level at this point--he earned that position by turning many heads with the deals he's completed thus far.

I love that TB is stuck on Bregman in any Archer trade. It does 2 things...1. it makes our proposed deals for Q (the better overall pitcher imo) that don't have Bregman in them look more enticing, and 2. it makes things less uncomfortable when Bregman's name is brought up in Q discussions. Houston does have other options at 3rd...Gurriel and Gonzalez, but I would think even we would see that as marginal depth at best. I think the biggest hangup to Bregman is that they are counting on him solving a long-term organizational search for a third basemen--much like the Sox had until Frazier signed last year. We're talking an issue for Houston dating back to the Morgan Ensberg--and even Ken Caminiti days! Taking this logic--would it be inconceivable if Frazier was added to the mix if it enabled them to move a player like Bregman? I know Hahn is trying to maximize his return on each asset and has shown a reluctance to move multiple pieces (Robertson to Washington in the Eaton trade), but it just seems like adding Frazier in here would do exactly that by unlocking Bregman. If they were willing to do Bregman +Martes or Tucker + + for Quintana if it meant getting Frazier back as well, that's a good use of the Frazier chip and good for Houston too--especially if they were able to resign Frazier to cover even more of those "lost" Bregman years. Personally, I think Bregman should be in play without Frazier, but the Sox are actually in a position to FIX a primary stumbling block to Houston acquiring a TOR starter--the ensuing hold at 3rd.

QUOTE (steveno89 @ Jan 17, 2017 -> 02:34 PM) True, but Carter can't play 3rd base with solid defense Maybe plug Saladino in at 3rd for his D and sign Carter to DH. You keep your production and shed 10 Million.

Player 1: 2016 Salary: 2.5 MIL R 2B HR RBI AVE 84 | 27 | 41 | 94 | .222 Player 2: 2017 Salary: 12 MIL R 2B HR RBI AVE 89 | 21 | 40 | 98 | .225 If given the choice between the 2, employing player 1 seems like smart baseball for the rebuilding team, yes? (Player 1: Chris Carter, Player 2: Todd Frazier)

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 16, 2017 -> 02:55 PM) A's won't sell him discounted after an injury plagued year. His value is at its lowest. And to try to get a team from your own division to trade you a started, it should take more. Exactly...he's worth more to the A's if there's a discount of any kind involved! #moneyball.

Get over it Houston. Geoff Blum happened...he even works for you now. It's a thing of the past and it's time to move on.

Trying to come up with a decent MLB comp for Austin Meadows if he develops the way he should...curious to see what you all think. Solve: Austin Meadows >/= Adam Eaton? Austin Meadows >/= Grady Sizemore? Any other ideas?