SoxAce

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 08:21 PM) We tend to leave it that way as it is pretty popular. That being said, we don't actively try and compress and merge single subject threads like that unless it really makes sense. If you have a question or anything like that, start a new thread. I love when you make your admin authority like that...

Good to see one of my favorite players on the Hawks get the GW goal.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 07:24 PM) i love the Harden signing for the Rangers. if Feliz and Holland establish themselves in that rotation they'll be filthy together. Absolutely. Gotta love what Texas is doing in the off-season. They need pitching, and though Harden is a risk (though at one year, is not bad at all), when he's on and healthy, he is as good as anyone. Now if we can somehow pray Smoak away from them.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 08:49 PM) BTW, this team is better off losing and getting a high pick then gaining like 3 more wins for nothing. It could be good and bad honestly. Let's say the Bulls finish in the bottom 5, but somehow win the lottery again and draft #1 overall again? You draft John Wall (who most think is Derrick Rose or will be even BETTER than Rose, and so far is more advanced in college [Calhoun called him the best PG to come in since Jason Kidd 15 years ago]) and actually think of trading the homegrown Rose who will probably command a ransom or a young stud SG/PF/C/SF? You trade the pick (basically trade Wall) for something? (I won't even say passing him up because you cannot pass up Wall I'm sorry, even though I love Favors) and perhaps move down to draft whoever else? I mean it could be good in a sense that your getting another very good young player or trading for a very good young player and perhaps entice a Wade/Bosh, but it can also tell those coveted FA that even with a Rose/Wall and whatever, we are still not looking good and that's not to say VDN will still be the head coach either. Again this is just hypothetically speaking on my part as far as the lottery.

My goodness what a well informed piece that was.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 04:12 PM) Crisp is light years better than Pods defensively. His arm is still better than Pods if Greg wanted to go that route. I believe there was an article/posts out there who said there's only a handful of guys that have a weaker arm than Scott Podsednik. Damon, Pierre just to name a couple.

Hawks playing the Rangers tonight. Over/under: 2, as in the number of fights/scraps some of our guys will be in with Sean Avery?

QUOTE (La Marr Hoyt HOF @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 03:33 PM) 30bps meaningful, but dont discount the fielding ... Matsui is toast, JD's numbers would increase if he was simply DHing like Godzilla, and most importantly, is not nearly as sexy. Hell, even if you count the fielding, which both are terrible, but Matsui actually sucks less than JD does. And I'm not sure how "sexy" JD is from Matsui, but I'm sure both are good, happily married men.

QUOTE (TitoMB345 @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 02:46 PM) So, we'd have Rios, Crisp, Matsui, and Quentin battling for 3 spots? More or less rotating which is what the sox want. I'm sure Matsui would probably DH more-so than Quentin/Crisp.

As long as he keeps his attitude in check, I'm sure he'll be gladly welcomed.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 04:08 PM) He was also a serviceable player back then. Now he is just baggage, especially as he offers little as a backup. Maybe the Nats can record tapes of him (since he probably won't be ready in 3 years) when Bryce Harper (who they will probably pick) is ready to emerge to learn a thing or two? I don't know.

QUOTE (qwerty @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 04:12 PM) Great read from tango here on position switch, from the defensive stand point. When and when not to make the switch. It's currently done wrong way more than it should be. Probably no one will read it, their loss http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/...on_adjustments/ Very nice. I'll finish reading the rest of it tonight. Thanks A.J.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 04:07 PM) What are you talking about? The dude at MLB Trade Rumors is using Gordon Edes as his source. The only thing MLB Trade Rumors has done in the past is make up false rumors or go based off of some sketchy sources, neither of which were the case here. It's the same thing Rotoworld does on a constant basis. In fact, here's what Rotoworld had to say about it. Checkmate. You used the same source (mlbtraderumors/Edes which rotoworld followed up on twice.) The Rosenthal one I'll give you, though that was AFTER the sawks decided not to part with Masterson originally. Did you even look at the google articles I gave you? I know it feeds your ego, but step down once in a while bro.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:54 PM) http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/07/pretty-good-cha.html Take a look wite. And shame on you for actually using mlbtraderumors as a source to try and "be right." Talks "stalled" later but I think that was more or less on either Pena getting injured round that time, or the sawks riding what they got.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:08 PM) MORE TIM KURKJIAN!!! Agreed. One of the very rare guys I tolerate on ESPN.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:47 PM) I remember the Sox wanting Delcarmen. I don't think the Red Sox were willing to give Delcarmen. He was having a fantastic season acting as a setup man and was going to be counted on for years (and he's essentially fulfilled that, though he was mediocre this past season). The Red Sox wouldn't jump at it because they didn't need Dye that badly (and considering they won the World Series, I'd say they were right). I remember it like it was yesterday.. and just googled it. Now you do the same and get back to me. And I actually forgot Justin Masterson was almost in it/exchanged/being discussed as well.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:40 PM) I seem to recall the best offer Williams getting for Dye at the deadline in 2007 was Wily Mo Pena and Craig Hansen. It was Willy Mo and Manny Delcarmen actually. I remember it like it was yesterday.

QUOTE (AWhiteSoxinNJ @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:37 PM) We need to get younger, not older. Well I've reiterated Austin Kearns as a possible buy low many times on this board. Not sure how "good" he is anymore (though he's had bad luck and playing for the Nats... well... sucks), but defensively he is still very, very good. I believe he was in the top 5 of the fielding bible from 05-07, though that is more Kalapse's M.O. to know. He's only turning 30 in May and even with two horrendous (though not that many PA) years, still has a respectable .355 OBP in his career.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:26 PM) It'd be really interesting to see a study about players who switch positions throughout the year as opposed to them later playing just one position and seeing if it really does make a big difference. My guess would be that there is little difference and that there may be other factors that play into it as well. I'm sure our good (and I use that term very loosely) friend qwerty can find some sort of study/stats for it.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:25 PM) Who else is available that can give Matsui type numbers at DH>? We need offense bad I would still take the younger Nick Johnson at DH just because of his outstanding ability to get on base, even though he's had a Quentin type injury history himself (I trust Herm though) but who knows how high his asking price is. For all this talk about power, I think he can net you 15 homers here (he did hit 23 about 3 years ago when he actually had 500+ PA) but like I said... it is a bit of a risk. QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:27 PM) Then Matsui isn't their guy. You can't rotate him between LF and DH and expect that to work. If this comes to pass.. obviously they disagree.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:22 PM) Even when he was capable of playing the field he was still no damn good at it. Even if he is physically capable of playing the position he'll be an incredible liability out there. Unfortunately, the sox probably don't particularly care about how "good" he could be as long as he is serviceable out there. They seem to want a rotating type DH who can play the field and give more versatility for Ozzie.

QUOTE (soxfan3530 @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) Get it done KW. He would be a very good hitter at the cell and add a lot to our lineup. Though he will be 36, he still has power and can add that OBP that we surely need that's for sure. The sox HAVE to be confident that he can still play the field as even though logically it makes the most sense to put this man in your DH spot, Matsui himself, and the sox org. want to have him play some LF for versatility as well.

QUOTE (YASNY @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 02:57 PM) Leaving Frank's skin color out of the equation, could he have played in the dead ball era that Walsh played in? As a one -dimensional player like Frank was, I doubt it. To flip thimngs ... I believe Walsh could have played in this era. There is an art to keeping hitters from hitting a round ball, with a round bat, squarely. Walsh was, apparently, a master at his craft. See thats where I disagree. Sure Frank won't have nearly as many home runs considering the feet from those days were probably 720 feet or something like that, but you bet your ass his average, doubles, possibly triples (earlier in his career) etc.. not to mention his walks (one of the best eyes at the plate in the game) and probably RBIs will have certainly gone up. As Mike pointed out, there was no (or many pitchers were not throwing many) curveballs, sliders, forkballs, etc. during those times. I believe Walsh would have been a good pitcher even in this time, but certainly not a ridiculously low ERA pitcher here whereas if you put Frank in that time, not counting skin color, he's probably still the best, just without the many home runs. There was no symmetrics/FLD also during those days. Hell for all we know, Honus Wagner could have been a true butcher out there. In the records books and such though... WCSox and others do have a point of Ed Walsh regardless and honestly you can't really argue it. I would say Frank is one of, if not the best white sox hitter of all time.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 02:18 PM) Why do you think he's good for 20 home runs and 80 RBIs? What has he done to inspire such optimism? He's had three straight seasons of 500+ at-bats, and the most he's been able to muster is 15 home runs and 60 RBIs. He hasn't even driven in 70 runs in a season yet. Maybe playing in the Cell will help improve his numbers a little bit, but that's certainly not a lock. No, I was not happy when we got this guy in the first place, and I'm even less happy now that he's apparently going to be sticking around for the next three years. There is no part of his game that I would classify as "good". He doesn't hit for power. He doesn't have any speed. He doesn't get on base at a particularly good percentage of the time. He's apparently not so slick with the glove, and he strikes out a lot. What is there to like about him? It would be one thing if he were just a kid, only a year or two into his career, in which case you could expect him to steadily improve, but he's not. He's been around for a full five years now. I am not confident that he's all of a sudden going to bring his game up a level or two. Of course I hope I'm wrong, but like I said, I'm not confident about this guy at all. Not one iota. I agree with the lack of confidence in him, but you got to trust sox scouts/management who have a knack of finding these under the radar type players and them blossoming here. The man is finally gonna play one position for the first time since 2006 (which was his best year though only about 420 PA) and will help any hitter to settle in knowing they only have to worry about playing one position. He is a gap to gap hitter, something the sox (we were last in the league in extra base hits) surely need (which he, Beckham and hopefully Rios will probably be our only charge of that) and you have to think those gap hits will turn into home runs at the cell which is good for his projection not to mention moving from a pitcher's park to a hitter's park. He was also playing for the Royals. Not many players will net 80-100+ RBIs with last place teams. I do want his walk rate to go up. For a moneyball player, that is the one concern I have with him as he was brought up by discipline but you can tell we are actually going for that this offseason. (the rumors about Matsui/Adrian, etc..) He will also give you an average as some fans are average freaks, and the most important thing.. if you look at most of his highlights, you'll notice he always gets his hits from the left side of the field (think spray hitter; by the gaps), which will help eliminate the ol' Greg Walker lift and pull effect.

I hope Ian Kennedy finds it again.. for the D-Backs sake. If he does... the deals looks waaaaaaay better for the D-Backs. I would say the Yankees did very well. I LOVE it for the Tigers as far as young spects/players, but I'm willing to bet money that Scherzer (who has been questioned for years with his delivery) and his arm will not hold up for long. Terrific stuff he's got though.