GreenSox

QUOTE (Dizzy Sox @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 05:24 PM) -Contrary to popular belief, Mitchell did start for 3 seasons at LSU. Yes, I know he was playing football as well for the the first couple of years, but the fact remains that he did get three full college seasons under his belt. When he joined the organization he wasn't necessarily as raw as advertised, which is important because: Sounds like you think he just wasn't that great in college. could be. But he was raw, despite that college experience, likely because of all the time spent on football, versus honing his baseball skills. I live in LSU country, and while I'm not a LSU fan, he was one of those players that you knew had talent but just wasn't a complete player yet. Maybe I'm confusing raw with just a lack of ability, and that could be. He was drafted for his tools, but, they were at just a bit more advanced than high school development so when you look at the time for an expected matriculation, you're looking at 25 instead of 22, and with any setbacks, it's 27 or 28 instead of 24 or 25. But that's also why I haven't given up on him, although with raw tools guys, the hit rate is always low anyway.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 10:42 AM) We're QUITE unlikely to be competing for the division next year if we trade Ramirez...the other alternative is to spend a ton of money on catching, bullpen, the back-end of the rotation, at least one outfield position and DH. Depends on what we get for him and how we spend. He's at peak value now, 32 years old, and if we are going to trade him, now is absolutely the time. The Sox are a little better than mid pack in runs scored (above average in SLG, below average in OBP, as always), getting subpar production from C, LF and RF. Replacing Alexei for a SS who can at least equal his defense, plus improvement in the corner outfield spots and on the mound, with more depth in the farm, is a big 1 year improvement for this organization. I absolutely would have Alexei front and center on the trading block and hope we do.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 10:10 AM) I've seen it many a times. Hell I (And 1 or 2 other posters in the game thread) wanted to see him pinch ran for when he first reached base. It was a "win now" move that didn't pan out. That actually would have made a lot more sense because he reached base with no one out and a PR could have helped "manufacture" a run with only 1 hit. But he did it when 2 were out with a .230 hitter up and a less than 75% chance of success and in a situation where Abreu would have been off with contact anyway, lessening the need for a PR.

We didn't exactly get a haul for Vazquez. Flowers was an extremely low round pick of a couple of years prior who enticed Williams with a great year in High A and in the AFL. A couple of other minor prospects were thrown in. Braves also had a young McCann and Salty in their system; so they were deep like the Yankees appear to be. Some due diligence is warranted: with 3/4 catchers in their system, why did they sign McCann?

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 07:23 PM) Ya man, what an awful decision to bring in a LHP to face Cano...Managers shouldn't play matchups at all....Dreadful. Always a good idea in the 9th with this talented, experienced bullpen. And who wouldn't pull one of the best hitters in MLB out of a tie game for a pinch runner!

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 07:43 PM) There is already space in the payroll as is and that doesn't include Dunn's contract coming off the books after the season is over. I really am all for trading Danks, just don't want to trade him as a salary dump as its not necessary.Agree

After a 2 day hiatus, time to refresh this one. Another Robin Ventura dog and pony show.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 01:06 PM) Those numbers are extremely inflated by 4 starts....Again in over 75% of his starts he has a 2.45 ERA with a Whip of 1.06. A low 4 era isn't even THAT bad.....It's 73rd among qualified pitchers....I don't think anyone is saying he's gonna net a huge package, but it most certainly should net something decent. 4 isn't bad - but they can find it for a lot cheaper than 14.5 million a year. He's not throwing hard and his K rate is low.... On the other hand, just scanning the top 50 pitchers in ERA, most are on teams that are contending (not coincidentally). Market may be tight. Hope you're right.

He was rushed to AAA. Don't know why. He was a college player when drafted in age only...his hit tools were high school when drafted. They say he's a non-prospect. Maybe so. If he keeps hitting, he can get another AAA try. Don't know which AA pitchers he's faced.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 12:55 PM) Not really. It can be seen as an advantage in a trade scenario the way he's been pitching. How? $34 million owed is an advantage for an ERA of 4? We'll see I guess.

Dunn's contract isn't an anchor because there are only 3 months left on it. I would think someone would want him as a PH and platoon DH/1B, but we'd have to eat all of that contract for such limits and platoon player that don't play the field much just have a narrow market. I look at Danks' numbers and I see 4.12, 1.34 and rather modest K numbers. There must be some internal numbers that beef him up a good bit.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 12:44 AM) Ellis has always been know more for his defensive ability. Beckham's been sitting in the 600's OPS every season from 2009 until this season, this year he's already back down to the low 700's again and he would have to adjust to a completely different league. Unless the Cardinals get really desperate in terms of their chances of making the playoffs, you don't/can't see them overpaying for Beckham. They had numerous opportunities to upgrade last year and didn't, preferring to keep their prospects like Wong, Taveras and Carlos Martinez, to name a few. Beckham's also 27 and has not only improved this year, but he improved the 2nd half of last year. He's average. I don't expect anyone to overpay for him. Of course I don't expect anyone to overpay for Sox players - when's the last time we were overpaid on paper? I just don't want to see the return of giveaway day. Re the Cardinals, I would expect them to try to move Allen Craig. Maybe not now, but soon. of course, his numbers have declined each of the last 4 seasons and this season they are downright bad. His contract is soon to become an albatross.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jul 5, 2014 -> 11:48 AM) The Sox would love to get rid of Danks's contract. Decent-upside, A-ball players is all that is that would be needed. Danks is nothing more than a fourth starter with a bad contract. Agree - his contract is a big anchor.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 03:35 PM) I'd love to get something out of Noesi. Now it's my turn. Why would a contender want him? Actually, though, I think we may be able to turn him around because he does deliver a lot of Ks. But that would be an unwise effort for a contender. Mark Ellis has had 1 year in the last 4 with an OPS over .700 and that was a .708. Kolten Wong has a .586 OPS. That's .586 for this elite talent. Beckham is 14th in the majors in OPS among second baseman. Yes, I know, he's the worst in the league and has no value. What Beckham is is average. I don't quarrel that we won't get a whole lot for most of these guys, which is why I prefer to peddle the ones over 30.

QUOTE (Friend of Nordhagen @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 11:07 PM) This can't be overstated. There's really no mystery to it. If every team could simply take every decent major league player they had and "flip them" at the deadline, they'd have a lot of good prospects, too -- and an awful lot of high draft picks as well. Then add the minor league players that Hendry signed before he left (for which he'll never receive credit because the media is TheoJed brainwashed) -- guys like Baez and Alcantara -- give it 3 years and . . . yes, you have a deep farm system. But that only happens when you can still draw, and they can. The Astros don't draw. The Rays Royals and Pitt were playing in front of no one when they were trading away all of their major leaguers. But the Cubs never have gone completely on the cheap like those teams did, thanks as you said, to their attendance. Still they will have to find some front line pitching and that's not so easy. They've done well signing Feldman and Maholm and flipping them, but those 2 are 5th starters on good teams. I think it was, overall, a good move for them. For one thing, Shark is almost 30 - kind of a late bloomer. I would have also thought that the As could have gotten Price for that price.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 11:14 PM) Who exactly? Viciedo, De Aza, Danks, Alexei, Dunn, Gillaspie, Belisario, Lindstrom (when healthy). That's all I got. Well, that's a lot. You can add Beckham and probably Petricka and Putnam too. Alexei must be put front and center.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 10:46 PM) Nothing to me. .270 at best and a low OBP. If you can get value based on upside I would flip him. So would I. And I think we can. Seattle still looks like a likely spot - that's the sorriest hitting outfield I've ever seen. I wouldn't give him away for dud ex prospects though.

Cubs have made a lot of good moves. This is another one of them. For as bad a team as they've been, they always seem to have starting pitchers to flip, and those guys always bring back at least some interesting prospects.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 02:40 PM) Jordan Danks is a more valuable baseball player. Not even in the stratosphere of reality. Viciedo is basically middle of the pack among AL corner outfielder's offensively. I realize his D is poor but I also know he has a strong and accurate arm. Eaton's not a LF. If we get another CF, then trade Easton.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 4, 2014 -> 10:07 PM) Feldman and Maholm also. Quintana has been awesome for Sox though. Feldman and Maholm weren't reclamation projects. They were just relatively cheap inning-innings free agents that they signed for the purpose of flipping. That's the approach we shouldn't have taken with Belasario and still should- give him some 7th and 8th inning work.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 3, 2014 -> 10:56 AM) "But this pitch count thing, we’re in the American League," Cooper said. "We’re not in Little League. But nevertheless, people that bring up pitch counts are people who have nothing else to really know. And it just blows me away. They’re doing that to say, ‘God forbid if someone goes down, I told you so.’ And these are people that are not in the arena and never really played, so what kind of validity does any of that hold? If it's just yappers not in the game questioning it, we should see a lot of 120 pitch counts on below .500 noncontenders. But we don't. Danks struggled in the 7th; he shouldn't have been out in the 8th at all. The pen is reasonably fresh and has pitched well, despite its 9th inning struggles.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 3, 2014 -> 10:28 AM) I didn't realize that Jared Mitchell is still only 25. It's good to see; you never know about these minor leaguers. Mitchell joined this organization high-school raw, even though he had played in college.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 3, 2014 -> 08:47 AM) Here's the thing though, the Yankees might well not be abusing the system. There's some pretty severe penalties coming for dumping everything they had into this year. The Cubs way over-signed last year; they're signing this year. What are the penalties? ON edit, I guess the Cubs aren't signing....thought I had seen some.

Nobody on this rebuilding team should be throwing 120 pitches.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 3, 2014 -> 07:28 AM) So when Robin makes a good decision, he gets zero credit because it was so obvious. Gotcha. He's paid to make the correct decision. The night before, when the object was merely to get on base - nothing more - he made a poor decision letting Garcia bat. Even last night was nothing more than a push for him, clearly over-extending Danks.