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Countdown to the Trade Deadline..


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Instead of threads clamoring that the Sox should sell or rebuild, how about we talk about possible targets to bolster this club for the 2nd half. The trade deadline is less than a month away, and with the Sox now 3 games over .500 and only 2 GB in the Wild Card - let's be real, the Sox aren't selling barring an extremely rough couple weeks.

 

Here are some guys that could be targets (some discussed at length here, others not). I will add to this list as other names are mentioned / become available.

 

Bats

Outfielders:

 

Jay Bruce - $12.5M in 2016; $13M team option for 2017 w/ $1M buyout

 

Ryan Braun - $20M per in 2016-18; $19M in 2019, $17M in 2020, $15M mutual option w/ $4M buyout in 2021

 

Carlos Gonzalez - $17M in 2016; $20M in 2017

 

Charlie Blackmon - $3.5M in 2016; arb eligible 2017-18

 

Alejando De Aza - $5.75M in 2016

 

Nick Markakis - $11M per in 2016-18

 

David Peralta - $530k in 2016; pre-arb in 2017; arb eligible 2018-2020

 

 

Catchers:

 

Jonathon Lucroy - $4M in 2016; $5.25M team option for 2017

 

Derek Norris - $2.925M in 2016; arb eligible in 2017-18

 

Aj Pierzynksi - $3M in 2016

 

Wellington Castillo - $3.7M in 2016; arb eligible in 2017

 

Gary Sanchez - Pre-arb

 

 

Utility / DH:

 

Logan Morrison - $4.2M in 2016

 

Eduardo Nunez - $1.475M in 2016; arb eligible in 2017

 

Danny Valencia - $3.15M in 2016; final arb year in 2017

 

Steve Pearce - $4.75M in 2016

 

 

Relievers

 

Arodys Vizcaino - $900k in 2016; arb eligible through 2019

 

Fernando Abad - $1.25M in 2016

 

Jeremy Jeffress - $520k in 2016; arb eligible through 2019

 

Huston Street - $8M in 2016; $9M in 2017; $10M in 2018 w/ $1M buyout

 

Fernando Salas - $2.4M in 2016

 

Ryan Madson - $6.66M in 2016; $7.6M in 2017-18

 

Brad Ziegler - $5.5M in 2016

 

Tyler Clippard - $6.1M per in 2016-17

 

Neftali Feliz - $3.9M in 2016

 

Jake McGee - $4.8M in 2016; arb eligible in 2017

 

Starters

Less likely here, but...

 

Jeremy Hellickson - $7M in 2016

 

Jake Odorizzi - $520k in 2016; arb eligible 2017-2019

 

Ervin Santana - $13.5M in 2016; $13.5M 2017-2018; $14M team option w/ $1M buyout for 2019

Edited by ChiSox59
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Personally, I'd love to see the Sox add a legit bat (a Braun or Cargo type), but the one's out there aren't going to be cheap. It may make more sense to get a complementary piece for the OF. A LH bat would be preferred. A guy like Peralta does make a fair amount of sense to platoon with Jackson when he returns, and let Morneau have DH.

 

An upgrade at catcher certainly wouldn't hurt, but I just don't see it happening.

 

I do see the Sox adding a couple relievers in the next 30 days, perhaps one of the high leverage variety. Ziegler or Salas would be interesting rentals.

 

What do you guys think?

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Provided Morneau is able to join the club after the all star break, the Sox will have a couple weeks to see if he'll contribute enough to worry less about adding an impact bat. I'm sure, however, they will be in talks with teams laying the groundwork for potential deals. Jay Bruce makes sense, especially if he stays healthy and continues hitting well. He probably wouldn't be outrageously expensive, either. I don't see a deal for Lucroy happening as that would require a trade of Fulmer.

 

Otherwise, I'd like to see them add another bullpen piece or two.

 

I'm still not sold that this team will compete. Adding a bat and some pitching will help, but that bad stretch through May and part of June was pretty telling. I just don't want to see this team trade away a good chunk of their prospects now that they are actually building a decent farm system.

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Vizcaino would be a great add too. A stud now and 3 more years of control. I think the price tag would be huge though. If Fulmer and Burdi are able to contribute out of the pen late this season, you add Vizcaino to Jones and Robertson...yikes.

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QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 12:41 PM)
Provided Morneau is able to join the club after the all star break, the Sox will have a couple weeks to see if he'll contribute enough to worry less about adding an impact bat. I'm sure, however, they will be in talks with teams laying the groundwork for potential deals. Jay Bruce makes sense, especially if he stays healthy and continues hitting well. He probably wouldn't be outrageously expensive, either. I don't see a deal for Lucroy happening as that would require a trade of Fulmer.

 

Otherwise, I'd like to see them add another bullpen piece or two.

 

I'm still not sold that this team will compete. Adding a bat and some pitching will help, but that bad stretch through May and part of June was pretty telling. I just don't want to see this team trade away a good chunk of their prospects now that they are actually building a decent farm system.

If you're in the GM seat and expecting anything whatsoever from Morneau when evaluating what you need to do at the trade deadline I think you're doing it wrong. Just too much of an unknown, even if he comes out and has a first good week when he comes back. What happens if you don't fill that hole and he slumps in August or another minor injury creeps up? If you're adding players you have to assume that he won't be effective until he proves you wrong.

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I think they have to add a 4/5 SP. Gonzalez has been up and down and I think an injury to a SP is inevitable. If someone hits the DL for a few weeks, I don' think there is a viable short-term replacement at Charlotte. Maybe the age of our top 3 is a plus but so many pitchers are going down lately that I think we need a back-up or make Gonzo the 6th man. I think there are enough bullpen options so I would go for a SP first.

Edited by SCCWS
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QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 10:50 AM)
My hope: they do nothing.

 

I used to think this too for stability sake...but my hope is that they are in a position (either clear buyers or clear sellers) to do something. If they are in a position to buy, that means we've strung some good play together and are in the picture. If they are out of it, then that opens the door to oversell some of our vets to many teams who overpay at the deadline as they "go for broke." I hope the position is clear...unlike last year's trade deadline brain freeze when we were brutal all year, then strung together enough wins leading up to the deadline to paralyze our thinking to keep Shark--then were even more brutal in the 2nd half. Give me one way or another.

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QUOTE (SCCWS @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 11:54 AM)
I think they have to add a 4/5 SP. Gonzalez has been up and down and I think an injury to a SP is inevitable. If someone hits the DL for a few weeks, I don' think there is a viable short-term replacement at Charlotte. Maybe the age of our top 3 is a plus but so many pitchers are going down lately that I think we need a back-up or make Gonzo the 6th man. I think there are enough bullpen options so I would go for a SP first.

 

I don't think they will waste resources to pick up a 4th/5th type starter in case somebody gets hurt. If somebody goes down for a 15 day stint they will just call up one of Carroll/Volstad/Turner/Beck to make those couple starts. If Sale, Q, or Rodon go down for the season we aren't going anywhere anyways so there isn't any point in making the move. I think our resources will be better spent acquiring bullpen help and a impact bat.

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QUOTE (FT35 @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 12:58 PM)
I used to think this too for stability sake...but my hope is that they are in a position (either clear buyers or clear sellers) to do something. If they are in a position to buy, that means we've strung some good play together and are in the picture. If they are out of it, then that opens the door to oversell some of our vets to many teams who overpay at the deadline as they "go for broke." I hope the position is clear...unlike last year's trade deadline brain freeze when we were brutal all year, then strung together enough wins leading up to the deadline to paralyze our thinking to keep Shark--then were even more brutal in the 2nd half. Give me one way or another.

Let's take the hypothetical that the Sox decide to do nothing. Is there anyone big they lose this offseason? I'm not seeing anyone major who is going to be a free agent any time soon. Last year they needed to do something with Samardzija and didn't, but they don't even have that this year. End of 2017 they have some huge decisions because they'll be losing Lawrie, Cabreroid, and Frazier, but this year if they were to stand pat then that still sets them up for one "last ditch effort" next year at trying to fill holes by trading for big name players like they do every year.

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 11:05 AM)
Let's take the hypothetical that the Sox decide to do nothing. Is there anyone big they lose this offseason? I'm not seeing anyone major who is going to be a free agent any time soon. Last year they needed to do something with Samardzija and didn't, but they don't even have that this year. End of 2017 they have some huge decisions because they'll be losing Lawrie, Cabreroid, and Frazier, but this year if they were to stand pat then that still sets them up for one "last ditch effort" next year at trying to fill holes by trading for big name players like they do every year.

 

True. But they are "losing" trade value on guys like Robertson and maybe Melky if they are sellers and keep them for 2017. If we were out of it we could dangle Robertson for sure to a contender--almost all contenders need as many back-end arms as possible and overpay for them at the deadline.

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Add middle relief and hope the team continues to play reasonably well. Get that second wildcard and anything can happen.

 

Finish with 78-82 wins though, and they might be looking at more rebuilding. No reason to commit one way or another right now. Wait til the offseason.

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QUOTE (raBBit @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 12:02 PM)
Sox will not be trading for Ryan Braun.

 

I wouldnt mind his bat in the lineup, but his price along with his injury history really makes it risky, especially for a team like the Sox. A reliever and a guy like Reddick would be my ultimate sweet spot for this team. Can either put Reddick in LF or RF and move Eaton to CF or Melky to DH.

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Bad outfield defense has been a killer for Arizona. Last year, Diamondbacks outfielders recorded a combined defensive runs saved of plus-37. This year it's minus-30, according to Baseball Info Solutions. That's a natural outcome when the team has given so much playing time to veteran discards (Michael Bourn and Rickie Weeks Jr.), a converted catcher (Pete O'Brien), a converted infielder (Chris Owings), a player whose best position is probably designated hitter (Tomas) and a prospect (Socrates Brito) who had to be rushed to the majors.

 

In other words, Peralta's not going anywhere.

 

"It's only natural to review the roster from the top down, which is fine, but you also have to view it from the bottom up," said an NL executive. "If you're weak in certain positions or innings or spots in your lineup, you cannot hide it over 162 games. It kills you. The top-heavy roster doesn't succeed."

 

"You hate to use the term 'misfits toys,"' said an NL talent evaluator. "They have good players that other teams would like and want in most scenarios. But as a group, it wasn't a great roster construction, from my perspective."

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/16765660...er-winners-flop

 

From an article about "offseason winners" who often flop in the regular season...thankfully they didn't include the 2014-15 White Sox on their list, although they certainly would have been well within their rights.

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QUOTE (FT35 @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 11:10 AM)
True. But they are "losing" trade value on guys like Robertson and maybe Melky if they are sellers and keep them for 2017. If we were out of it we could dangle Robertson for sure to a contender--almost all contenders need as many back-end arms as possible and overpay for them at the deadline.

 

You're not worried about burning trade value if you're trying to compete. Balta's point is a good one -- unless we're in a position to make a serious run, we should probably try to shore up in the offseason and take another shot.

 

If 2016 and 2017 both fail, I can definitely see a retool/rebuild in 2018.

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Beltran and Bruce (because of their respective price tags) continue to make a lot more sense than Cargo, Braun and some of the other big names out there.

 

Dodgers also have some decisions to make with their overload of outfielders (but complete uncertainty with Ethier's injury comeback/effectiveness, Thompson slumping but still coming up with big walks/HR's/RBI's, Pederson platooning, Puig, Van Slyke, Hernandez, Venable). One or two of them have to go.

 

Once again, focus remains on expiring contracts or players who will become free agents after 2017 (another reason the Shields deal was questionable, he's going to be completely pointless on a rebuilding team in 2018).

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QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 02:56 PM)
I wouldn't be mad if the White Sox were sellers at the deadline.

 

We've all seen this movie before.

Depends on the next 2 weeks, I'm not totally against moving anyone not named Sale/Q/Rodon/Jones/Abreu/Anderson/Eaton on the ML roster, Frazier/Lawrie/Shields/Melky should all be shopped this offseason if this season ends below .500

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If you trade Frazier OR Melky, there's pretty much zero chance to compete next year.

 

Stopping in the middle of rebuilding, then, would make no sense. Then you're going to still keep Robertson in that situation? Why?

 

If some of the minor league starters make progress, you can live without Shields easily enough...and I'm not sure how trading Lawrie makes sense unless they think Saladino's going to put up the same or better numbers and you can actually get something better for him than what the Sox gave up for Lawrie.

 

It's kind of MEH...half-measures, no clear direction again.

Edited by caulfield12
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