Sox acquire Adam Eaton from ARZ, deal Santiago, Jacobs

[oldsox]

I don't know if Eaton can sustain Lofton's numbers through a 17 year career but that is a good comparison for Eaton if all goes well.

 

Expecting Abreu to become the best hitter on earth is a stretch. I think a better comparison, while not perfect, would be a Billy Butler with more power and a little less AVG/OBP.

 

I give Avisail Garcia the wait-and-see approach. The Magglio the Sox had from '99-'04 would be a perennial MVP candidate today. I've always liked the Juan Encarnacion comparisons as the most likely. If Garcia went .275/.320/.440 with 19 HRs and 70 RBIs I would be very happy.

Didn't he just get linked to steroids? Just wondering. Or was it Edwin?

 

And, as an aside, I expect Abreu to be a runaway ROY next year.

Edited December 15, 2013 by oldsox

[Balta1701]

I have some hope that Eaton's grindergrit will have a positive effect on Beckham. Maybe Beckham will Eaton.

Get hurt and have it cost him a decent portion of the season and presumably impact his numbers? Yeah, that happened to both last year.

[caulfield12]

Didn't he just get linked to steroids? Just wondering.

 

And, as an aside, I expect Abreu to be a runaway ROY next year.

 

 

I'd prefer numbers like Edwin Encarnacion, not Juan.

 

He sucked.

[oldsox]

Hooefully Hawkins has a snapback season. Coming into 2013, BA considered him a better prospect than Garcia or Eaton, and he was only slightly behind Puig.

If John McEnroe were a member of this board, he would say, "You can't be serious."

[Balta1701]

If John McEnroe were a member of this board, he would say, "You can't be serious."

?

[beautox]

Just saying it's all threes first full seasons of facing MLB pitching. Last year's rookie of the year put up .293/.354/.478 and about 23 HRs over a full season. I think it's unfair to expect all 3 essentially put up rookie of the year caliber numbers. I know Eaton and Garcia aren't eligible and Abreu isn't your typical rookie, but my point it is really tough to just come in and put up those type of numbers

true but its not as if something of that nature hasn't happened, let alone recently look at the marlins of 2006

 

Hanley Ramirez a brief cup of coffee with the bosox before he was traded at age 22 .292/.353/.480 4.3WAR

 

rule 5 pick up Dan Uggla at age 26 .282/.339/.480 4.2 WAR, completely written off as a rule 5 selection from Arizona ( a system that has a strong reputation for developing well rounded hitters consistently)

 

Josh Willingham after having two cups of coffee with the marlins finally got a chance to play ever day at age 27 .277/.356/.496 1.8WAR with terrible defense in LF

 

Abreu is more highly regarded than Hanley was at the time of the trade albeit older, 27 when the season starts.

 

Garcia has the tools to put it all together and is only going to be 22 at the start of the season the same age as Hanley and won't turn 23 till early June.

 

Eaton will only be 25 at the start of the season and has a very strong track record through the minors and comes from a great system.

 

To me the thing the sox have going for them with this core is that youth and real upside the sox struggle developing hitters(time will tell with Semien, Sanchez, Thompson, Johnson and Hawkins) from the ground up but their advance scouts have a real propensity for grabbing bats that need a fresh start after a major league trial (Quentin, De Aza, Gillaspie).

 

At the end of the day do I think the sox will compete next year? no, but do they have the upside to be a dark horse and advance their time table significantly and maybe grab a wild card spot if they catch all the breaks? yes. At the very least it will be a lot of fun to see at the ball park and on tv.

[GreenSox]

To me the thing the sox have going for them with this core is that youth and real upside the sox struggle developing hitters(time will tell with Semien, Sanchez, Thompson, Johnson and Hawkins) from the ground up but their advance scouts have a real propensity for grabbing bats that need a fresh start after a major league trial (Quentin, De Aza, Gillaspie).

 

At the end of the day do I think the sox will compete next year? no, but do they have the upside to be a dark horse and advance their time table significantly and maybe grab a wild card spot if they catch all the breaks? yes. At the very least it will be a lot of fun to see at the ball park and on tv.

I don't think we have any chance of contending next primarily because of lack of pitching depth.

But I do credit hahn with adding 3 quality hitters to this team. If he can do it again over the next year, then we might contend in 15. But we'll need a couple of pitchers too.

[oldsox]

I don't think we have any chance of contending next primarily because of lack of pitching depth.

But I do credit hahn with adding 3 quality hitters to this team. If he can do it again over the next year, then we might contend in 15. But we'll need a couple of pitchers too.

His name is Beck.

[oldsox]

?

Balta, do you really need an explanation?

Do you not know who John McEnroe is?

If so, do you not know about his famous question to a linesman? "You can't be serious?

 

Or, do you think Hawkins will have a "snapback season" as Dick Allen hopes for?

[Dick Allen]

Balta, do you really need an explanation?

Do you not know who John McEnroe is?

If so, do you not know about his famous question to a linesman? "You can't be serious?

 

Or, do you think Hawkins will have a "snapback season" as Dick Allen hopes for?

So you hope he continues to suck?

[Balta1701]

Balta, do you really need an explanation?

Do you not know who John McEnroe is?

If so, do you not know about his famous question to a linesman? "You can't be serious?

 

Or, do you think Hawkins will have a "snapback season" as Dick Allen hopes for?

The idea that a guy who is barely out of high school and moved upwards aggressively could improve during his 2nd season getting a "You cannot be serious" deserves even more ???? than that. I had to assume there was something else I wasn't getting because my reaction to reading a post writing off a 19 year old completely as never, ever going to improve was...well "you cannot be serious".

[TaylorStSox]

Balta, do you really need an explanation?

Do you not know who John McEnroe is?

If so, do you not know about his famous question to a linesman? "You can't be serious?

 

Or, do you think Hawkins will have a "snapback season" as Dick Allen hopes for?

This guy's made it clear he has a vendetta against Hawkins. A lot of his posts are just railing the kid.

[Quin]

This guy's made it clear he has a vendetta against Hawkins. A lot of his posts are just railing the kid.

 

Was he the one who complained about his twitter?

[Marty34]

This guy's made it clear he has a vendetta against Hawkins. A lot of his posts are just railing the kid.

 

Or he just think he's not very good at baseball. You know, the same reason why people rail on Beckham for example.

[flavum]

Was he the one who complained about his twitter?

 

If I remember correctly, Hawkins called out a local reporter for pointing out a fact about Hawkins' game. He took at as a rip, and tweeted that he was blocking him.

 

The way I look at it, Hawkins was terrible in 2013 at age 19. Hopefully he'll improve going back to Winston-Salem at age 20 with good enough numbers to advance him to Birmingham in 2015. Then it's just a matter if he's good enough. If he's not, oh well. Move on to the next guy.

[Jake]

If I remember correctly, Hawkins called out a local reporter for pointing out a fact about Hawkins' game. He took at as a rip, and tweeted that he was blocking him.

 

The way I look at it, Hawkins was terrible in 2013 at age 19. Hopefully he'll improve going back to Winston-Salem at age 20 with good enough numbers to advance him to Birmingham in 2015. Then it's just a matter if he's good enough. If he's not, oh well. Move on to the next guy.

 

And, of course, if he hasn't quite made it as a Double-A player at age 21, he still won't be a bust.

[flavum]

And, of course, if he hasn't quite made it as a Double-A player at age 21, he still won't be a bust.

 

First things first. He needs to play well enough in 2014 to be in Birmingham in 2015. If he's not, the point is moot.

 

Hopefully the Sox have another Adam E developing over the next few years.

 

Adam Engel- http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/p...id=engel-000ada

 

Adam Eaton was taken 571st.

 

Adam Engel was taken 573rd.

 

I'm just as interested to see what Engel can do in 2014.

[Jake]

I like Engel very much -- he doesn't have a ton in common with Eaton, but they both may have been undervalued. Main difference with Engel being that he was once considerd a top 5 round pick, whereas Eaton never had a chance due to his size.

[Eminor3rd]

Hawkins could start 2015 at High A and still not be too old for the level.

[oldsox]

So you hope he continues to suck?

No. I hope he does well in 2014.

[Dick Allen]

No. I hope he does well in 2014.

Then I don't understand your original reply, because that is all I was writing, and you apparently agree.

[oldsox]

This guy's made it clear he has a vendetta against Hawkins. A lot of his posts are just railing the kid.

Taylor, why would I have a vendetta against Hawkins? I don't, okay? I also do not have a vendetta against Dunn, whom I really can't stand as a ballplayer. When he comes up, I hope he hits one out. I just thought it was a lousy signing from day one. I never railed againt Hawkins personally. I even questioned once that he might have a physical problem, like eyesight. What I have railed against, if that is the right word, is his continued ranking as a Number 1 prospect. I think there are a whole bunch of guys who should be ranked ahead of him, starting with Abreu.

[witesoxfan]

Taylor, why would I have a vendetta against Hawkins? I don't, okay? I also do not have a vendetta against Dunn, whom I really can't stand as a ballplayer. When he comes up, I hope he hits one out. I just thought it was a lousy signing from day one. I never railed againt Hawkins personally. I even questioned once that he might have a physical problem, like eyesight. What I have railed against, if that is the right word, is his continued ranking as a Number 1 prospect. I think there are a whole bunch of guys who should be ranked ahead of him, starting with Abreu.

 

The Sox minor league system does not have a ton of talent and Courtney Hawkins was by far the most talented prospect in the system. Just because guys do or do not put up big numbers all over does not make them any more or less qualified to be good, solid impact players at the MLB level.

 

I'm guessing Hawkins will be ranked in the 3-5 range this coming season with Abreu #1 and Johnson #2 almost universally.

 

 

[Balta1701]

Taylor, why would I have a vendetta against Hawkins? I don't, okay? I also do not have a vendetta against Dunn, whom I really can't stand as a ballplayer. When he comes up, I hope he hits one out. I just thought it was a lousy signing from day one. I never railed againt Hawkins personally. I even questioned once that he might have a physical problem, like eyesight. What I have railed against, if that is the right word, is his continued ranking as a Number 1 prospect. I think there are a whole bunch of guys who should be ranked ahead of him, starting with Abreu.

Dude...Jose Dariel Abreu was not in the White Sox's system the last time anyone here produced a prospect ranking list. One website I believe had Hawkins ranked above him and everyone sort of wondered why since IIRC that was Fangraphs and usually they have a reputation of being more reliable than that. It's difficult for people to rank Abreu above Hawkins when he has not only not signed yet, but he technically hadn't been granted status as a free agent or even able to play U.S. baseball when the last lists were done.

 

I can absolutely guarantee you no one who contributes to the top prospect list produced by the people at this page will have Hawkins ranked as #1 when the next list is done in January. However, he will absolutely still be in most people's top 5, and if you think that deserves a "You cannot be serious" then that's pushing it.