A question from a new member

[wrenn]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

[Buehrle>Wood]

Popcorn.gif

[witesoxfan]

Welcome!

 

To address your concerns, Reed was traded for Davidson because the Sox really liked Davidson's talent and power at 3B. Thus far, he's struggled, but it's impossible to draw conclusions about a trade 1 month in. They also felt that their bullpen situation was good and, after some early struggles and injuries (primarily to Nate Jones), their beliefs have been proven to be correct.

 

We have discussed Davidson to some extent in the FutureSox forum as well, and you will find quite a bit more information regarding him in that area.

[cabiness42]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

 

Welcome to Soxtalk! Here is the original thread from when the trade was made: http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...t=0&start=0

 

I guess a brief summary would be that the Sox have had success in the past developing closers, felt that they could continue doing so rather than continue to pay escalating arbitration, and eventually free agency salaries to Reed, and also felt that Davidson could be a long-term impact bat at 3B when they have not had such a thing for quite a while.

[Jose Abreu]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

A rebuilding team doesn't really need a closer like Reed. Davidson was very good at 3B last year and despite his electric start, Gillaspie is viewed as a backup or platoon player at best. Davidson is the third baseman of the future. Welcome to SoxTalk.

[Chisoxfn]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

Well, I think there are a lot of considerations that were going through Rick's mind at the time of the trade and I think one of those was the fact that the club has a major need at 3B and Davidson profiles and is widely considered one of, if not the best 3B prospects in the game today, with significant power potential. He is also very young for his age in AAA and has shown a lot of power potential, etc. Regarding Reed, i am presuming that while the Sox liked him, they did not view him as an elite closer and also had concerns about what he would command in future years (if you look at the cost of closers it is becoming very bloated) and ultimately thought while giving up a known young commodity the upside in getting a potential borderline All Star 3B would be worth it, especially knowing they had guys like Petricka, Jaye and Nate Jones waiting in the wings (who knew Nate would get hurt) that ultimately when weighing all the pro's / con's, Rick thought it was the right decision.

 

I agree with the decision as well, especially when you consider the organization had nothing close to Davidson at 3B and the club is still in the process of retooling, which we will likely see continue around the trade deadline this year and then again in the off-season. I'd also point out that Davidson is likely working on certain things that the White Sox pressed with him in AAA which might also be impacting his current statistics. The strike out rates seen are pretty alarming though and he clearly has adjustments he needs to make in the minors to be prepared to play full time in the majors, however, he is still considered one of the top 3B prospects in the game and one bad month in AAA doesn't indicate that he is a bust (plus looking at that month is revisionist history anyway...the key to any transaction is to evaluate the thought process and logic at the time of the trade; clearly you then look at it in the future to see how it turned out as well).

 

PS: Welcome aboard!!!

[wrenn]

Thank you all. Here's hoping the smart guys are right!

[Hawkfan]

Popcorn.gif

 

[witesoxfan]

Thank you all. Here's hoping the smart guys are right!

 

We'll end up yelling and booing at them when they strike out anyways

[LDF]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

 

Welcome to Soxtalk.

 

I did it is too early to call that trade a bust. in addition who would've thought the other prospects would do

so well. lets see what it looks like in July.

[oldsox]

Welcome to Soxtalk! Here is the original thread from when the trade was made: http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...t=0&start=0

 

I guess a brief summary would be that the Sox have had success in the past developing closers, felt that they could continue doing so rather than continue to pay escalating arbitration, and eventually free agency salaries to Reed, and also felt that Davidson could be a long-term impact bat at 3B when they have not had such a thing for quite a while.

That was interesting, going back and re-reading that thread. Thanks. There was only one member here who said that he did not like the trade.

[Buehrle>Wood]

That was interesting, going back and re-reading that thread. Thanks. There was only one member here who said that he did not like the trade.

Who was it

[2nd_city_saint787]

Obviously because Matt Lindstrom is a boss.

[caulfield12]

It's also not like anyone was very confident that Ramirez, Dunn, Viciedo and Flowers....and especially Abreu, would come out of the gate this season, it looked like a season for experimentation where 74-78 wins would be a huge step forward.

 

Very few expected Gillaspie to look as dangerous as he did as well, and give the line-up some added balance.

 

 

Reed and Santos are/were 75-80% closers, but not quite elite enough to hold onto long-term. When you have a closer like that, 9 times out of 10 you're better off trading him for a positional player (see the Oakland A's for most of the past fifteen years with the exception of the Jim Johnson deal) at an area of need and rolling the dice.

 

Then you also have to consider that internally, many felt that Webb was rising to the top and could be the closer as early as the 2nd half of the 2014 season. From what we've seen, he's got some rough edges, and, like a lot of our pitchers, the velocity hasn't quite been there compared to what has been advertised...but he has more than held him own.

 

Even if we trade/d Lindstrom at midseason, we'd still have enough pieces in Petricka, Rienzo, Belisario, Cleto, Noesi, Putnam (who knows for sure how long his success will last, though) and also Guerra/De Los Santos/Francisco to get us to the 2014-15 offseason, where we presumably would need to add a veteran or two (and Downs is also on the watch list already).

 

Plus, as mentioned, the Nate Jones situation really knocked everything off kilter from what would have been their natural roles (Jones, Lindstrom for 8th, Belisario for 7th, etc.) as we came to spring training. It has taken one month for things to readjust and settle back down.

Edited May 6, 2014 by caulfield12

[RockRaines]

Some people call him effective, others, well, wouldnt.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Fun fact....The White Sox bullpen has given up 4 HRs all year....Addison Reed? He's given up 4 all by himself.

[MEANS]

Have you seen Reed this year?

 

Have you watched the 3rd base position for the Sox over the past couple of years? Um yes we NEED a real 3rd baseman.

 

If so, you wouldn't think our GM was on drugs when he made this trade.

[Jake]

I wouldn't read too much into Davidson's struggles just yet. He's hit well at that level before and is still younger than many of his peers in AAA. A lot of talent there

[southsider2k5]

I am sure this has been addressed here, but I couldn't find the thread. Does anybody know what was going thru Rick and Kenny's minds when they traded an effective closer for a 3rd baseman who can't seem to hit .200 in AAA. And we really don't need another 3rd baseman. Is there something here that I am not aware of....injury or drug/alcohol issues?

 

He was thinking, "Holy s***, the Diamondbacks are dumb enough to offer a six year starter at 3B in exchange for a closer? Done."

[Buehrle>Wood]

He was thinking, "Holy s***, the Diamondbacks are dumb enough to offer a six year starter at 3B in exchange for a closer? Done."

I liked the trade but let'snot ppretend like Davidson is a sure thing yet.

[southsider2k5]

I liked the trade but let'snot ppretend like Davidson is a sure thing yet.

 

Neither is Addison Reed.

[The Ginger Kid]

If anything, I think it's a good trade for both teams. Reed always made me nervous. Never seemed to have a lot of clean, 1-2-3 innings. But maybe he'll develop into a lockdown closer. Same with Davidson, maybe he'll develop into an above-average 3B.

[TaylorStSox]

I think Davidson has bust written all over him, but I still like the trade. The reward outweighs the risk. Reed was the definition of expendable.

[chitownsportsfan]

I liked the trade but let'snot ppretend like Davidson is a sure thing yet.

 

s***, the median case scenario for Davidson is useful bench player. Reed is certainly a "proven closer" but he's also proven pretty mediocre. Yea he's a nice piece in the bullpen but that's all he'll ever be. There is a much greater chance you get 20 WAR out of Davidson over the next 6-8 years then Addison Reed. Reed will be lucky to put up 10 over that time.

 

It's a no brainer trade and Towers is a dumbass, Hahn pulled it over on him twice this winter. Even if Davidson doesn't pan out, what did they lose, a good bullpen arm? The Sox churn those guys out on quite often. Starting 3B? Not so much.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Neither is Addison Reed.

True but at least he is a closer. Labeling Davidson who has high bust potential as a 6 year starter is jumping the gun.