greg775

Great post. To be fair, I get the vibe it's nothing personal against Jose except for a couple of posters who seem to despise him mostly because of defense and the fact he doesn't like to DH. They fear keeping him at first as much as his age. I sense the fans that fear he's a fossil are new-agers who look at age quite closely. When they see Jose they see '32' and pretty much can't enjoy him after that permeates their minds.

surely you don't deny the increase in concern about a player once they hit the age of 32; ageism if you will.

I agree. Considering the White Sox have saved so much money and stuffed it in Jerry's wallet the past many seasons, the money issue bores me regarding the White Sox. The Sox make so much money it's a bore to discuss pennies that go to most players. You said it all: You said: "Pay the man $30-$35 million and let's just have him be a career white sox. There's even a chance he produces roughly the same over the next three years as a DH and we end up with #79 being retired by the team. If he doesn't produce, we just let him go. It's really not that hard." AMEN. But Hibbard ... you and I know the problem. He projects poorly in the new age of projecting players and that can't be overcome. Age. I just think the talk of flipping him, then re-signing him is weird and dumb. So the team acquiring him truly is giving up 3 prospects for 2 months and the postseason since there's a wink/wink agreement to rejoin the Sox. Not happening. Too many unknowns regarding what he could make in free agency in that situation.

If it's three years eight million why sweat it? That's nothing. If that's all it takes, extend him now. 3 for 25. The problem is poor Collins will be his backup 4 more seasons.

One of the posters already agreed with my assessment that fans want stars at every position. How else do you explain the discarding away of Jose so simply as if he's a stiff. He doesn't fit the profile of the rebuild/tank team in some fans' eyes. Too old. Next.

Yep, the interleague play has killed the all star game. Frankly I've lost total interest since it doesn't determine home field. I'm probably the only fan ever who was intrigued by that concept. I feel the cities are the only reason they still have the all star game. The cities have saved it. The shows are spectacular (softball, home run derby, futures game, all star game) and the cities embrace the game making it first class. And they'll always have at least one player from every team. I would like to know what grade school kids think of the all star game now. Do they tell dad, "Boring. I want video games tonight," or are they embracing it like we used to. I remember it was a HUGE deal if a Cub pitcher faced a Sox hitter or vice versa. The result of those at bats were huge for bragging rights at school. Also NL vs AL for bragging rites as a kid was huge.

He's the DH. Jose is the first baseman. Maybe DH Jose 1 time a week. Collins is odd man out when Beef returns I guess. Personally I'd release Beef and reluctantly have Collins get the Ron Karkovice treatment (early in his career when he had to back Fisk forever).

This is what is amazing to me. The perfect rebuild/tank job (in 'some' fans eyes) is meant to not only win but win so big that competition won't really matter. The rebuilt tank team will be so good Jose Abreu's are not even wanted. There will be perfectly acquired stars at every position. It's no longer required of a GM to build a good team and see if it can catch playoff fever and go all the way, you build a team of phenoms at every spot. In terms of discarding guys like Jose on a perfectly rebuilt Sox team, it reminds me of the Stooges episode where Curley has a wad of money and is counting the bills: "$100, $100, $100, $100 ...hmm a $50." Then he crumples it up and throws it on the sidewalk and after a pause, all 3 Stooges dive on it as the episode ends.

It's funny how just a few players, Tatis, Vlad are changing the perception on the lower end of the age argument. Now we can consider rushing guys. Of course Madrigal is ready. He played college ball and is 22. I'm surprised Nelson Cruz isn't turning around the age argument the other way. Can u imagine if Jose is still raking like this at 39? But I didn't realize some are saying he's a steroid guy and that's why. I'm patiently waiting. There will be outliers on both ends of the age spectrum. For the record ... I am all for bringing up 21 year olds if they are deemed amazing and letting guys play to Julio Franco like ages if they can hit and run.

Intangibles don't matter any more. It's all about the statistically molded baseball player. He has to be a certain age and has to have a certain type of projected WAR and all those other categories. Intangibles mean nothing to the modern fan. I didn't even go see Moneyball.

You guys act like we are going to have a superstar at every position. If that's the case you are right we don't need Abreu and we'll be the best team in baseball history. Some of you are so so worried about age.

This is simply not going to happen. I'd love to see Stoney and Jason address this kind of talk. They are not going to flip him then reacquire him. Let me know when this is discussed for real on the talk shows and national media reports.

I just can't imagine the Sox being able to pull that off: To ship him off for 3 good prospects then simply bring him back via free agency. Somebody said the Yankees have done such a thing. Call me skeptical there wouldn't be hard feelings or after a couple months and a postseason at the new place, especially if they make the WS, I can't imagine just getting Jose back. I mean maybe what u describe will become commonplace. It certainly isn't common practice rite now.

Then it was really really stupid because they just could have added the money they paid Alonso to Manny's offer. Obviously Manny didn't give a flip about playing with his brother in law. Just add that money to the mega offer to Manny if it wasn't a baseball move at all. They obviously didn't think Alonso was this bad. Because if they did, his anemic production would just about have erased Manny's value. You can't have a guy hit .180 with no power and no run producing ability. Manny woulda had to hit .400 with 55 homers to make up for two positions.

I prefer to limit WAR to card playing. I don't study that particular advanced stat much.

Not to be a dick, but we had a major league ready RF in Avi. We're not getting a major league ready RF or 2/3 starter for Jose. It's because he plays 1B and not all that well. Some other teams think the same way as our message board fans do. No way they'll give up current MLB talent for a first baseman who is very very good but will probably get into 2 lengthy slumps per season. Jose is human. He'll give you .280 with 34 home runs and 110 RBI the next two seasons. After that, yeah he'll probably start Konerko-ing a bit.

McCann is a true pro. I'd cut Beef Wellington right now. McCann/Collins are the catcher duo the next 3-5 years. Similar to the Fisk/Karkovice waiting situation. Like Karko, Collins will have to be satisfied with about 200 at bats a season and McCann gets 400. then at some point, Collins takes over probably in 4-5 seasons from now.

As much as I worship Jose I'll play devil's advocate. If we did trade him next week or at the deadline here's what we'd get: Somebody like Rutherford and Polo with some former 18th round pitcher who is 26 thrown in for good measure. Our fans would be all happy thinking the 18th round pitcher has shown promise with some advanced stat category in AA ball and say the Rutherford/Polo clones have a lotta tools. I say gimme Abreu baby. Don't need Rutherford, Polo (type players) and a 15th round pitcher to be named later. I hope all the fans with Abreu jerseys boycott if we trade him.

Now that's a good post by Moan. I endorse that post.

Just curious why you think he's worth that little amount. Is it SOLELY his age and his perceived being overweight? Two years 16 million isn't even enough for Leury. Beckham with the Tigers should be making at least that much. Geez.

Anything good. Your post makes me want to cry. Anything good? He's good for gawd's sake. People's love of the unknown in sports just slays me. What about Jose Abreu makes you want to trade him for "anything good." Define "anything good." I'll define Jose as "very good." And he's not going to decline THAT much in his age 33 and 34 seasons no matter what modern baseball says. If he does, tough. Sox have paid some horrible baseball players a lot of money in the past 10 years.

Bless you, Jose Abreu. Every Sox fan should hope you get 14 mill a year the next 3 years. Anybody who wants jerry to stuff more money in his wallet and deny Jose a few bills needs professional help IMO. Pay the player. It's just three years. Sox have wasted so much cash on players starting with Dunn and LaRoche through last season's ridiculous sign-the-stiffs-fest. Why can't Jose hoard some well deserved cash? Pay.The.Man. two years, team option year three and that's it. After that, one year deals like Konerko til he's finished.

I'm glad they gave it to a pitcher. It's too easy to hit HRs nowadays when every hitter is trying to hit it out of the park in every at bat. It's home run or K. There were an abundance of K's tonight, so glad a pitcher got it. He wins that big truck just cause he pitches for Cleveland, though. Rewarded the home team to get a few more cheers. It coulda easily been the closer to get it, Chapman.

This guy is another Palka. I don't say that negatively. I liked Palka; he just couldn't hit MLB. Like Palka's last stand, this is Reed's last stand. If he pulls a Palka, he gawn and done. If he hits, he could start to fulfil what everybody thought he'd be. He is a big guy; my guess is he's 10-30 pounds too heavy.

I would say 80 percent of the board does not want to "rush" any Sox prospect. They'd keep 'em in the minors as long as possible. This is changing just a little bit however cause of the success of Tatis and Vlad Jr. This is confusing the situation a bit regarding age of players in MLB. I personally want MLB to copy NBA and start playing these guys at 20, 21. If the new era tells us 34 is ancient for hitters, then let em start hacking away in the bigs at 21. If the new normal is 24-28 or 29, baseball is not gonna be a good sport for hitters. Careers are gonna be cut short in the future of everyday lineup players. Let's make Tatis the RULE rather than the exception. Play 'em young. Specifically have Madrigal start next season in the bigs ditto Robert. Madrigal will be 23 next March for gosh sakes; Robert will be 22 this August. Thank goodness Eloy got the call in his age 22 season.