joeynach

QUOTE (fathom @ Nov 29, 2010 -> 07:31 PM) Also, you have to take into account that Rasmus is not a good person, as he's had issues with managers and teammates since he graduated high school. There's quite a few stories out there about how insufferable the Rasmus family is. Is there a saber metric for this, otherwise I just dont understand.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 29, 2010 -> 06:16 PM) Rasmus is essentially the Cardinals version of Beckham except the fact he has a higher ceiling as a hitter. If you can sign a decent 2b(wouldn't be that difficult) then a Beckham for Rasmus swap actually makes a ton of sense to be honest. Hence my sign Orlando Hudson idea and swap Beckham for Rasmus...ok fine if you have to throw in Morel or De Aza then so be it.

They are putting a lot of solace in the fact they know what they are going to get from Uribe. You know what you will get from him defensively, but offensively he is one of the most inconsistent hitters I have ever seen play the game. I hope they are not paying the $7M a year thinking they are going to get 24 HR a year from Uribe, not only was that a career high (his avg is 18), but now hes playing 81 home games in pitcher friendly dodger stadium.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Nov 29, 2010 -> 11:35 AM) Ha, I like how we just say "trade for Rasmus" like that's going to be an easy thing. Its a message board on the internet, not an actual negotiation.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Nov 26, 2010 -> 05:47 PM) Sign Uribe to play 2B, then include Beckham in a trade with the Cardinals that includes Colby Rasmus. Sign Orlando Hudson to play 2B, he consistently posts a line of about .280/.350/.420 and averages about 60 RBI from the top of the order. Let him play 2B and use Beckham either in a trade for Rasmus or move him back to 3rd. He would cost about $5M, and you can still afford to resign Konerko and/or go after Dunn. Pierre Hudson Rios Konerko/Dunn Rasmus CQ Alexi Catro/AJ Morel/Vizquel

The sox are said to like Ian Steward through various media sources and the Rockies are said to have interest in Gavin Flloyd through various media sources. That doesn't mean the two are of equal value and would ever be traded for each other.

QUOTE (gatnom @ Nov 23, 2010 -> 05:00 PM) Really? A 33 year old catcher with a .688 OPS? Yeah I dont really see AJ getting 3 years....two maybe. Look at what the Rod Barajas, Gerald Laird, and Greg Zaun have recently received. Thats about where AJ's salary lies. Something in the range of 1-2 years at $2-4M per year. And just for the record AJ is about the same age as Barajs, older than Laird, and younger than Zaun.

Its a good move not offering Arb to AJ...he would have accepted. With Buck getting 6M per year that pretty much tells you right there at AJ is worth less on the open market now. If the sox want to still sign him they can but probably for around $4M per year or less. Most likely Konerko is going to decline arbitration and we will get a draft pick if/when he signs elsewhere. I actually hope Putz accepts...having him around for another year at $3-4M is not bad at all. With Bobby likely to be non-tendered and the possibility Sale is in the rotation, our bullpen is very thin. We need him or a similar replacement quality arm.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Nov 21, 2010 -> 11:37 PM) Offshoot of the hardest interview question... what is the stupidest intervew question you've been asked, and how did you answer it? Mine was a jackass trying to play "gotcha" in the interview and I looked at him and said, "obviously, I could never work for you, so this is now a waste of both yours and my time, thanks for the interview" and got up and left. f***ing asshole. I have been asked a multitude of really stupid questions. In one interview the interviewer asked if I had ever or am willing to barter with hotel managers (in return for ads in the companies publishing product) for my stay in the hotel when on a business trip. I was was like.....ummmm I haven't really bartered since lunch in 4th grade when I traded by BBQ chips for my friends fruit by the foot. The interviewer then gave me script and asked me to perform a mock bartering conversation with her and also set up a video camera to record the conversation. I was like amazed with how much importance they were putting on this bartering thing that they would even videotape this classless and archaic form of business. In any event, I did the dialogue and said I am not interested in the job anymore, goodbye! What a joke.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 21, 2010 -> 02:46 PM) t the White Sox need some help offensively. So the good starting pitching plus Aubrey Huff/Juan Uribe/Pat Burrell/Cody Ross offense doesn't it for you?

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 21, 2010 -> 07:08 AM) Thank you, "Joeynach" and "Lostfan". I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one who felt that way watching Pierre. At least de Aza has gap power. Those 83 RBI's over his last 166 games at AAA suggest that he's a capable run producer. A guy like Pierre, who can't drive the ball, really needs to walk a lot more, beat out lots of infield hits, including bunts. The older he gets, the less he's going to be able to do that. He used to average 50 infield hits per season, including over 20 bunt singles. That's how he managed to hit .327 a couple of times in his youth. I'm afraid those days are behind him. Oh I think its safe to assume that Pierre's last year with the sox will be 2011. Any coincidence his and Ozzie's contract both expire after the 2011 season. That being said I believe thats why we all talk about adding long term outfield pieces, like Rasmus, becuase we realize that Pierre is gone after next year. And I think next year you can expect about the same level of production for Pierre, about a .275 hitter with a .330 OBP and 50+ steals. OK, but not great.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 21, 2010 -> 01:10 PM) The main thing holding Danks back from being a legit ace is his efficiency IMO. He's better about it than he was when he first came to the majors, but still you look at his pitch count, it's around 80 and it's still the 4th inning. He'll usually make it to 6 innings but not as often past that as you'd like, and he leaves himself in a position where he needs the bullpen to hold it for him, or just hope the offense had built enough of a lead that it's never given up in the last 3 innings. If he was more in control of his own fate at the end of games more we'd be talking about one of the best LHP in the game. I still worry just a bit about Dank's pitching arsenal. Dont get me wrong hes got good stuff, but he came into this league a primarily two pitch pitcher, fastball and change. Now he features a nice Cutter as well, but that makes him a 3 pitch pitcher. I would like to see Danks master another off speed pitch the way Buehrle has done with at 69 MPH high arching curve ball he uses to mix things up and keep hitters off balance (especially 2nd and 3rd time through the lineup). When you dont throw over 91-92 MPH its even more important to develop peripheral pitches that allow you to pitch deeper into games.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 20, 2010 -> 02:40 PM) I don't know how you felt last season, but anytime he came up with men on base, I had no expectations of anything good happening. With capable hitters like Beckham and Alexei at the bottom of the order, the Sox should have a more productive guy leading off, one who can drive them in, or at least advance them. Pierre is very one dimensional. He can run. But remember, he's getting old, and at 34, could well slow down more than he has already. Yeah ozzie never noticed this apparently. I remember time and time again Alexi would lead off with a double, then Ozzie would have beckham bunt him over to 3B to bring up the vaunted Juan Pierre to hit with a runner on 3rd and 1 out. As if Pierre was a big deep play ball threat to manufacture a sac fly RBI there. I was like im WTF is going on here, Pierre can hardly hit the ball to the outfield, let alone deep like the warning track. The only way it worked out is if Pierre somehow got a base hit or made ozzie look like a genius if he somehow got an infield hit or they pulled off a squeeze. Other than that Im like what is going on here, who on earth would sacrifice hitters with power to let Pierre hit with a runner on 3rd base an 1 out. MAKES ZERO SENSE!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 10:35 PM) .820 OPS, 124 OPS+, 70 OPS points better than Damon. $6 million. There you have it, why would u want Damon.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 08:02 PM) Well at this point he's a better hitter and much better at throwing runners out than AJ. I guess the two questions would be the price tag and how well he can handle a pitching staff. Another question would be how much importance do you place on a catchers various attributes, his defense, ability to call a game, his hitting, his arm, etc. I guess the importance of those attributes depends on the other pieces in place on your roster. So what do you think is important for the 2011 sox.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 05:14 PM) AJ's OPS last year was .688, Damon's was .756. Furthermore, AJ was playing in a much more hitter-friendly ballpark than Damon. Batting average and RBI aren't telling you the whole story there. That all said...a .756 OPS out of your DH spot isn't a spectacular number, even if the guy occasionally plays the field and you like that flexibility. It would have been stellar for the Sox last year...because the LH hitter in the DH platoon was so bad. Is it worth $8 million to the Sox next year? I'd like to think they could find better ways to spend that money level. $4 million? Now we're talking. Check Matsui's OPS, the sox have already said to be interested in him for their DH vacancy. I believe he made something like $5-6M last year.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 05:22 PM) If the city/state say yes, then how is that the owner being a dope? If the city/state say no, what has he lost? I dont think the Red Sox asked the city/state for any of the money for Fenway, they knew what they were buying and took that into account when they bought the team and stadium. To me two things stick out which seem as failures on the Ricketts side. Either A he is somehow disconnected from reality and didn't realize his City/State gov't are completely bankrupt and most likely the future holds a better economic window for the city/state. Or B, somewhere along the line either Ricketts and his people didnt do their homework correctly on their purchase, overestimated revenue, underestimated ballpark needs, or were potentially misled on ballpark conditions and revenues by the selling party. If the ballpark needed $400M repairs then Ricketts and company should have known this and factored that into the sale price, just like buying a used car with depreciation and maintenance needs. Instead Ricketts comes off as rather out of touch.

Its pretty obvious Wrigley is in the same situation as Fenway was when the new ownership, John Henry and company, purchased the Red Sox in 2003 I believe. There is no doubt Wrigley is need of a complete overhaul, ala Fenway 2003-2005. I remember before Red Sox announced a serious of upgrades and enhancements there was a lot of talk about replacing Fenway with a new Fenway. Anyway, so the new Red Sox ownership pumped something like $400M or so into Fenway to "bring it up to speed". Thats why you see the new Green Monster seating area, the Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck, New Field and drainage system, the .406 club/pavilion seating and lounge area, as well as other enhancements like seat/concourse/vending improvements. Thats basically the same thing Wrigley needs, its just that their new owner has proved to be a dope and asked the a bankrupt City and State, at a bad economic time, to float them $200M or more. If Wrigley is to survive, it will eventually need a makeover just like Fenway in recent years, once you spend $400M-$500M on stadium improvements you basically commit to that ballpark and location for the next 40 years or more. The cubs can (and should) do the same, they just need to get their freaking heads out of their asses!!

Do we really need to go out and sign a .265 hitter with 7 HR and 50 RBI, isnt that like AJ's 2010 campaign. Plus what the obsession with getting players who were in their prime about 6 or 7 years ago. The Johnny Damon ship has sailed.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 10:25 AM) I think Olivo is the back up plan if they can't resign AJ. I think AJ is definitely coming back though - especially since the Marlins have signed John Buck. If we get Olivio, honestly I hope he is the backup for Ramon Castro. Of the catching candidates left available on the market not named Vmart, if we dont get AJ, I think the next best guy to play the position is Castro, and oh what do you know he is already signed for next year.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 03:19 PM) Gavin is gone and has been for a while. He's way to inconsistent and aloof. Gavin, Santos, Escobar + (low level prospect) to ARZ for Justin Upton or St Louis for Rasmus. I would do that in a heartbeat, especially because we have seen the ceiling on Flloyd, we know what we are going to get from him over 162 games. Its not bad, hes a solid #3, but thats it, and that's all he will ever be. I like him, but if we can get an Upton or Rasmus in return we will have traded a quality pitcher who has reached his ceiling for a quality younger player who still has room to grow.

I wouldn't have minded Rajai Davis in our OF. He plays great defense, has tons of speed on the base paths, plus I think his bat is going to continue to develop. He would look really good in RF this year, allowing the terribly UZR rated CQ to move to DH, and would then be a fine suitable replacement for Pierre's departure for 2012.

Does anyone remember what 1990 did for the white sox organization for years to come. In 1990 we saw three young impact players make their arrivals, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas, and Jack Mcdowell and they would help provide the core of the sox team for years to come. I still believe that having a good team starts at the bottom, you need to produce your own young impact players and bring them up. Its the same thing the Phillies have done, though now their young core has gotten a bit older (Rollins, Howard, Hamels, Utley, Werth). If the White Sox are going to be a successful franchise they have to develop talent, get them to the majors, and build around them for years. If that process takes a couple years in the AL Central doghouse than so be it. If I remember correctly the Phillies sucked from like 1998 to around 2003.

Brooks stand up guy....jersey change lame

Offseason game plan just look at the approaches and the recent success of teams like Rangers, Giants, Rays, Phillies, etc. The gameplan is simple, "championship teams are built on pitching, defense, speed, and athleticism". That should be the gameplan.