striker

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 20, 2010 -> 06:30 PM) I've never understood this mindset. You have a team that underachieves, so you don't want any of those players back, even if they overachieve? I don't get it. I personally just wanted to see Dye and Thome gone. They both had great runs in Chicago but I think their best days are past them. I also think with Konerko at 1B, if KW were to make a run for a big time hitter then he needs that DH spot available to put that hitter or to put another hitter.

One more thing, he is 1 year older now and still fragile. There are alot of DH options out there that could be had for

I don't see him coming back and as much as I like Thome I don't want him back. To me he is part of the team that sucked last year. He is part of the problem and not the solution. Key word is "part" as I'm not just blaming him as there were other underachievers. I don't think KW is in any hurry to bring him back since he sent a memo around the waiver deadline saying all of his veterans were available if anyone wanted them. It's time to go in a different direction.

For those of you that answered no, you were wrong. KW signed Ramon Castro!!!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 11, 2010 -> 10:12 PM) Just because its a fair deal doesn't mean it's a deal the Padres should take at this point. At least until middle-of-this-season, they have every right to wait until they're blown away. I think of it two ways from SD's perspective. 1) By turning one good player (gonzalez) into multiple good players (prospects) you decrease your teams risk. Right now if they don't trade Gonzalez and something happens to him then they lose out on a bunch of prospects. 2) I'm sure SD has some sort of long term plan and if their plan says they should compete in say 2011 then they look at their depth chart and see if they can compete with the talent they have including Gonzalez. If they can't compete then they should trade him, but they don't have to trade him until prior to the 2011 season since that's when they are looking to compete. By waiting, the prospects you were going to get (say Danks, Hudson, Torres and Flowers) are 1 year farther along and it's easier to measure if they will be successful or not. But that also means the competing GM might be less likely to trade them. Either way, if I were Hoyer I would trade him. Mark it as the beginning of my era. Now let me ask you this. You have all said what you would give up if you were KW for Gonzalez. Well if you were Hoyer, what would you ask for? I'd ask for Huson, Flowers, Viciedo and Mitchell. I might not get it but I'm in less of a hurry that the White Sox are to make a move. I'm not looking to compete until 2011.

I'd be open to trading Danks if he doesn't extend, but I wouldn't include Hudson. I don't think the Padres would want Danks though. He will probably cost more over the next two years than Gonzalez.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 6, 2010 -> 11:06 PM) After looking at their projected everyday lineup, you definitely have a point. I guess many (including myself) are mesmerized by the 1-2 punch of Hernandez/Lee (could be a formidable trio if Bedard is healthy) and their overall team defense. But the offense does look to be lacking. The Angels always seem to find a way to be in the thick of things. And Texas looks to be improved. I agree that Hernandez and Lee are an awesome 1-2 punch, but if you're offense sucks then they make bad pitchers look like Hernandez and Lee. See: Chicago White Sox 2009 vs. Adam Eaton

They already had great defense and great pitching last year but their offense sucked. And they really didn't do much to improve that. Figgins is a bit of an upgrade over Beltre. Kotchman is a downgrade over Branyan. Griffey is only going to get worse IMO. Who knows which Bradley will show up and for how many games. It's great if you have a team ERA of 3.00 but if you only score 1-2 runs then you still lose.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 2, 2010 -> 11:58 PM) I think they'll sign a catcher. If they get another bat, it'll be in early February. I bet they feel out Flowers in spring training and if he does well he could split time with DH/Pierzynski.

I bet he signs a DH and I'm leaning towards Guerrero.

I interpreted that as proving their worth to the White Sox, not proving their salaries (which they already did prior to receiving their contracts). This is something I think every player needs to do every year.

If Hudson and/or Torres do well in spring, would you deal Floyd to open a spot for them, if it mean bringing back a stud hitter like Gonzalez or Fielder?

Torres - best Triple-A starter http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...rtnerId=rss_cws Hudson - Overall Starting Pitcher of the Year http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...rtnerId=rss_cws Our minor leaguers are better than everyone thinks.

Awesome find. Thanks for sharing!

I'd be fine with Thome but prefer him batting 5th or lower.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 08:15 PM) A .751 OPS against RHP isn't what I'd call pretty solid. What would be considered acceptable? .800+?

QUOTE (b-Rye @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 08:28 PM) Sign Matt Holliday and make CQ DH.. PK's off the books next year so i think it's possible. Then we would all want to get rid of him after a couple of years and declining production, just like Konerko, but ALOT more expensive.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 08:09 PM) I do like Winn. Before the Sox acquired Pierre I had talked about Winn being a decent fit, with his good glove in RF and LF, and being able to hit near the top of the order. Yet with the lineup currently constructed, no LH power besides Teahen and AJ, the sox need someone who can hit 20+ HR's and hit well off of RHP. Winn batted .292/.354obp with a .751OPS off RHP. Not sure how many HRs he could hit but his OPS is pretty solid.

QUOTE (striker @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 07:58 PM) What about a non-slugger for DH? Winn anyone? He can run (20-25sb) Plays good defense (16.5UZR in 2009) Switch hits Batted .370 with 2outs and RISP in 2009 (61 PAs) Batted .316/.360 in innings 7-9 (when our offense is normally asleep) Batted .319/.370 with RISP (142PAs) Batted .295/.345obp/.749ops on the road He excelled more towards the bottom of the lineup and I think with a better offense like the White Sox he could drive in alot more runs than he did with SF. He'd cost $2-$5M, 1 year. The numbers remind me alot of my favorite White Sox DH/cleanup hitter, Julio Franco.

What about a non-slugger for DH? Winn anyone? He can run (20-25sb) Plays good defense (16.5UZR in 2009) Switch hits Batted .370 with 2outs and RISP in 2009 (61 PAs) Batted .316/.360 in innings 7-9 (when our offense is normally asleep) Batted .319/.370 with RISP (142PAs) Batted .295/.345obp/.749ops on the road He excelled more towards the bottom of the lineup and I think with a better offense like the White Sox he could drive in alot more runs than he did with SF. He'd cost $2-$5M, 1 year.

I'll jump on the Huff bandwagon.

Matt Gamel anyone? Not sure who MIL would want in return.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Dec 28, 2009 -> 07:40 PM) Im gonna throw a name out of my ass here but how bout seeing what the indians would want for Shin Soo Choo?? Theyve got Trevor Crowe waiting in the wings of a starting job. Id be willing to give up hudson. I know im gonna get smashed fo sayin that Great hitter but not sure the Sox would want to trade a pitcher like Hudson within the division. That would look bad if he shut us down for the next 6 years. Maybe the Sox could get a 3rd team involved.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 28, 2009 -> 05:28 PM) Last year Kotsay hit .278/.327/.390/.717 in 206 PA. Jones hit .214/.323/.459/.792. All of this BTW came in hitters parks. Jones hasn't hit above .222 since 2006 (.262) and hasn't posted an OBP above .323 since the same season (.363). Kotsay does hit for decent average (career .281 hitter) but he hasn't posted an OBP above .332 since 2004 (.370, and a product of his .314 AVG). Both are also another year older and Jones especially is still a shell of his former shelf not just in terms of statistics but in terms of actual physical ability. Too many people are hoping for the impossible from this guy. We should all expect a Kotsay/Jones platoon to be just as bad as it looks, and it looks pretty freaking bad. Combined we might realistically get a line of about .255/.325/.420/.745 out of the DH slot in a hitters park. And when you look at each individual part and not the sum of the parts - because looking at the sum of the parts is the wrong way to look at this - you see one average hitter with very little power who doesn't get on base, and one low average hitter who also doesn't get on base but will hit some Jayson Nix/Juan Uribe-style home runs every now and then in between his typical series of garbage ABs. Neither player should be a starter in the Major Leagues, and putting their numbers together and calling them one medicore hitter doesn't change that. I think your Overbay option is interesting but I wonder if KW/Ozzie want an outfielder/DH. The key to my post was to re-evaluate the situation in March. The price of players will have gone down. KW/Ozzie will have a better read if Kotsay/Jones/Flowers can DH. I think more is riding on Rios, Konerko and Quentin to perform that who our DH is, unless our DH was a stud like Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez, and we can all assume it's not going to be a stud.

I'm fine with the Jones/Kotsay platoon. I'd re-address the situation during Spring Training. Give them the opportunity to win it. If they suck in Spring Training then you sign someone off the scrap heap or you trade for someone. I think a Jones/Kotsay combination can hit .250 with .340 OBP 25HR and 85RBI. And that's about what you'd get from most of the remaining DH's available. IMO