striker

You guys need to allow callers to dial in and voice their opinions on how wrong you are

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 31, 2006 -> 03:45 AM) You CANNOT (completely) rebuild after the year the Sox had last year. It doesn't make sense from ANY standpoint. The Sox won 90 games with a lineup that had 3 players with OPS's under .700, a mediocre bullpen, and a rotation that was bad after May. There will be some regression within the lineup, likely from Dye, Thome, and Crede (though Crede is also swinging upwards offensively, and he could be looking at an .850-.875 OPS year), but there I see it as quite likely that there will be progression throughout the lineup too, with Uribe, Podsednik, Anderson, and others could be primed for better years as well. That's all obvious s***, but you also must figure that the AL Central will be a little weaker next year. I see 4 teams with the capability of being over .500, but I don't see a 95 win team in the bunch. From what I figure, 92 wins probably wins the division, and perhaps it could be somewhere around 88-90. However, while the AL Central might be weaker in '07, that's not really the main reason why a (complete) rebuilding is essentially impossible. The real reason is attendance. People came out in droves this past year, and "rewarding" them the following season with a team full of mediocrity and inconsistency would be a swift kick in the groin to the entire fan base. We trade Neal Cotts, Freddy Garcia, Brandon McCarthy and Ross Gload and we are rebuilding? Two relievers, a starter and bench warmer? Give me break.

I wouldn't mind seeing one of Contreras, Garland, Buerhle or Vazquez traded for some top prospects from the Mets. Like everyone else said though we would have to walk away with at least 2 top prospects. I'm not worried about having 2 rookies in our rotation in '07 and I don't think we would be throwing away the division. Our starting pitching SUCKED last year and we won 90 games. If the rookies end the season with an ERA from 4.50-5.00 then they are just as good as any of our starters last year. I have a feeling they can do better than that. I would really like to see Vazquez traded and Buerhle's contract extended with the money freed up. I would also rather not trade Anderson (give him one more year) then get Rocco. Rocco is good but he is injury prone. I really want to see what Anderson can make out of a second chance. If the Whitesox trade another starter (Garland, Contreras or Vazquez) and extend Buehrle's contract, they walk away heroes and everyone forgets about the other trades. I also wonder if Kenny traded low for Garcia to the Phillies to put pressure on the Mets and drive up his other pitchers price.

Buehrle will get at least $15mil/year but not from the Whitesox. The Whitesox will say goodbye to him just like other franchise starters Jack McDowell, Alex Fernandez and Wilson Alvarez. And we all know what they did after they left the Whitesox, NOTHING. I would love to see a 3 or 4 year extension for Buehrle, allowing him to hit the free agent marget again when he is 30, but it is highly unlikely. I doubt the Cardinals offer him more years than 3 or 4 either though.

I don't know about other Sox fans, but I would have to compare McCarthy's pitching style to Greg Maddux or Jack McDowell. Neither one of them had dominating stuff but they had good stuff and great pitching instincts. The fact that the Sox did a 2 for 1 trade, I have to give them the advantage of this trade.

Despite trading Garcia and McCarthy, our 1-4 starters are 4 of the most talented pitchers in the majors. I hope the Sox hang onto Buehrle and let him play out his contract. Look for him to have a HUGE year (contract year). I may seem very optimistic, but look for Podsednik and Anderson to have alot better years than last year. I think this team is going to be better than everyone thinks. If we get just a little bit better years from our starting rotation, bullpen, Anderson and Podsednik then we are back to a World Series contender. I like the youth movement because it makes our team look ALOT better in '08, '09 and beyond which was looking old and expensive after '06.

I LOVE this trade. Two good pitchers for one? How can you pass that up??!! I really like what Williams has done with pitching this offseason. He's acquired ALOT of good arms. The battle for the 5th spot is going to be interesting: Danks Masset Floyd Haeger Broadway I'm sure there are more deals in the future. Crawford or Badelli?? Kudos to Kenny To all those naysayers: Kenny just decreased his risk 2 for 1 and opened the door for more trade possibilities to improve over Anderson and/or Podsednik. He and his scouts know what they are doing. Stick to your job and just WATCH.

I wonder if the Royals plan on moving Sweeney.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 11:40 PM) I really believe that KW is waiting for Toronto to get desperate. Trade for Wells, extend his contract, let Dye walk after 2007, move Anderson/Sweeney to right?

From what I hear Texas, Yankees and Mets all have good pitching prospects.

So who are the big buyers for SPs now? Texas Yankees Mets Cardinals San Francisco Blue Jays

This means we might get better. We'll see who loses out on Zito.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6265388 Garland >>> Jennings so I'm glad the Sox backed out.

Its funny how when the hot stove cools off all the Sox fans get vicious and turn on eachother. COMPLETE MAHAM!!

Javier Vazquez had a lower BAA, OBP and WHIP than Garland and has better stuff than Garland. I'm not saying we should get rid of Garland, I'm just saying that may be something they are considering when shopping their pitchers. Vazquez is a strikeout pitcher and that is sexy (Alot of baseball writers have used this term lately).

QUOTE(elrockinMT @ Dec 10, 2006 -> 05:51 PM) Trade away another starter or two from the Sox and I am willing to bet we are no better than 3rd or 4th in the AL Central next year. Pitching is where it's at and we can get all the "potential talent" in the world, but I don't see it helping before a couple of seasons at the earliest. If these other teams need our guys so bad I think we should be gettting more than what we did for Freddie. You wonder when some of them are going to bankrupt anyway at the prices they are paying for mediocrity. I don't understand why you think just because our starters have popular names and big salaries that they will be successful? Getting rid of Freddy opened a spot in the rotation for McCarthy (who just has to have an ERA less than 4.5 to be able to replace Freddy), it brought 2 more possible starters in the future, and it saved us $10million dollars this year. How is this a bad move? Freddy struggled to throw 90mph, Cecil Fielder could steal off him, he was going to want $15mil/year as a free agent and despite winning 17 games he had an ERA of 4.53. What makes you so sure we could have gotten more for Freddy? Don't you think that Kenny Williams knows more about his options then you do? I disagree that pitching wins ball games. GOOD pitching wins ball games and Freddy was no longer GOOD. QUOTE(elrockinMT @ Dec 10, 2006 -> 05:51 PM) Trade away another starter or two from the Sox and I am willing to bet we are no better than 3rd or 4th in the AL Central next year. Pitching is where it's at and we can get all the "potential talent" in the world, but I don't see it helping before a couple of seasons at the earliest. If these other teams need our guys so bad I think we should be gettting more than what we did for Freddie. You wonder when some of them are going to bankrupt anyway at the prices they are paying for mediocrity. BTW, Detroit and Minnesota both won last year because of two young unproven starters, Liriano and Verlander.

QUOTE(SEALgep @ Dec 9, 2006 -> 07:48 PM) Sign me up for Hirsch, later JG... I agree though, I'd prefer to develop good young pitching and spend on positions. I agree too. I don't understand how Sox fans can complain about this trade. We had 6 good starters coming into 2006 now we have 5. All we need is 5. But now we also have 2 more pitching prospects.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Dec 9, 2006 -> 11:17 PM) im the opposite, i would rather spend the money on quaility pitching while develop the possition players. Pitching wins championships we saw that in 2005. However, it is important to plug in pitchers from your own system every now and then also. Pitching is over priced right now. There are more cheap bats available than arms.

Just for the record, when the press and GMs talk about payroll I don't think they include cash they received from other teams. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Everyone rips on how dumb Phil Rogers is, now everyone is believing what he says? I don't think KW is dumb enough to get rid of everyone. Their #1 goal is still to win championships.

I don't blame KW and JR. You can't give into the players like other GMs have. Plus, you don't know what Garcia, Vazquez and Buehrle are asking for on their extensions. They may all want $15mil/year, which they aren't worth. I hate to see those guys go but I'd hate to see us spend tons of money on them and have them suck or get injured. Its all a business. If Gary Matthew Jr. and Juan Pierre are making $9mil/year then you know our pitchers are asking for alot more. And they aren't worth it. I would be interesting in knowing how much more profit the team has made in the past couple years. Because I'm also a fan of sharing the wealth.

I like this trade. We get a future starter, a bullpen arm and save money. No one like us getting Thornton last year and he was our best bullpen arm. I have complete faith in Kenny and Coop and now its time to site back and let them work their magic.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 6, 2006 -> 03:27 PM) if we sign bonds, i dont tune in next season. book it. Same.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 4, 2006 -> 01:13 AM) Yeah, just like Miguel Tejada had in his contract year. How about Gary Matthews? Derosa? They aren't even good and they had big years.

I say we keep Vazquez, Buehrle and Garcia. Garcia and Buehrle will be free agents after 2007 so they'll have monster seasons in 2007. Contract year baby. We get another WS ring and call it a day. Put Haeger and McCarthy in the rotation in 2008 and take that $19mil that Buehrle and Garcia left us and either re-sign one of them or get someone else. Don't forget Dye will be a free agent after 2007 too. Thats another $7mil. They'll all have huge years.