joeynach

Matsui is close to signing with the Angles for 1 year $6.5M

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 14, 2009 -> 01:31 AM) This move seems a bit ill-advised. With all the money we've wasted on Toby Hall, Castro, Mike MacDougal, Linebrink and Contreras, you'd think we'd be more "penny wise." Now the odds are DJ won't repeat his 2008/09 success yet another season, but how can they know? I'm assuming they're penciling in Hudson into the same role, or Hynick, someone like that...assuming that Garcia is the fifth starter to open the season. So I guess I'll look at it purely from the perspective of bringing in younger talent with more upside, rather than a cost-savings. Maybe it will be both. While I'm not sure he was the MVP of the team, he was critically important in a way that casual baseball fans could never understand over a long, 162 game season...but especially in July/August of 08. You also never heard anything negative about him...being anything but a stable, veteran clubhouse presence and a solid teammate. Hopefully, KW can get that chemistry/mix mojo working again, it's been hard to find a consistent chemistry with all the personnel changes this team has made over the last five seasons. I would guess our roster turnover has been in the Top 10-15% of all MLB teams during that timespan. We'll just have to wait and see if we sign Guerrero/Matsui/Damon and/or get a new leadoff hitter on the backs of new deals signed by the market department with Gillette and Accenture. Do you have any details or links with information on the deals with Accenture and Gillette?

QUOTE (League @ Dec 12, 2009 -> 08:53 PM) They were only a few hundred thousand apart. Where did you hear that.

I dont get it either...he must have told the sox either offer me a several mil or multi years or cut me loose. Otherwise this makes no sense.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 12, 2009 -> 04:15 PM) I calculated them myself, they're off by at most 4 days. What the formula...I have been trying to figure it out.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 11, 2009 -> 04:14 PM) What about trading Linebrink to the D'backs for Chris Snyder? The salaries are very close: Linebrink: 10:$5M, 11:$5.5M Snyder: 10:$4.75M, 11:$5.75M, 12:$6.75M club option ($0.75M buyout) Snyder becomes the righty backup catcher to AJ, and he has some pop to go with it. The Sox save 250K. Then they could take that savings and add it to the $1M they're probably offering Redmond or whoever else and give it to Carrasco. Bullpen: Jenks CL Thornton LSU Putz RSU Pena righty specialist Williams lefty specialist Hudson MR Carrasco LR Snyder > Redmond, Carrasco > Linebrink This is one of the better most forward thinking posts I have ever read. Great insight, great idea, great logic...I think this would be a small but very impactful move.

This does seem strange to me. His must be asking for a ridiculous figure in arbitration or something. Seriously, even with a "young arm" able to come into the bullpen no one besides Carrasco himself is a lock to eat innings, do the dirty work, and do it all with a sub 4 era.

Its not all about Carlos Quentin in this matter. KW has already stated he sees the DH role on this team being someone who can be easily be rotated in and out of the field. I think Quentin would be a fine DH and could totally see him playing a majority of his games there. But he wont take on that role unless there is a viable LF option for us to sign. Someone who can produce both offensively and defensively for this team, that means if Quentin is gonna be the DH its less likely that sox would get Matsui or another older slugger for that position. Its possible if Quentin moves to DH that could open things up for a true leadoff hitter, which would be the best option. But I doubt he is "moved" to DH unless a significant corner OF can be signed, at least for 2010.

Its a scary thought to have such a dominant (looking) rotation and a bullpen with essentially 2 guys that can be counted on. The 2010 pitching staff will be wasted if we have 5 clown car arms in the pen. Its important to have a shut down back end of the pen so that our quality starts do not go in vein.

I could actually see this thing working out. If Putz is willing to take a contract with a low base salary, say $2M, with incentives that could yield another $2-3M based on IP, throw in a vesting option at like $4-5M for 2011 and we got ourselves a deal. That is if no team goes crazy and offers him like 3 years 15M right off the bat.

If the sox could sign any one of the above mentioned relievers to strengthen the bullpen for next year who do you want?

QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Dec 4, 2009 -> 11:47 PM) There are some options out there. JJ Putz, Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez...any of there guys could replace Jenks Not to be to mean Joey but if your statement above is correct, why would I trade players for Jenks and pay him 8 million or so if i can sign these guys for less and give up no players in trade? Good point. Perhaps since Gonzalez and Putz weren't actually closers the last two years or so, some teams may look at them as set up man, but look at Jenks as a closer. That would make the market less saturated than it appears. IMO any of the above would be a fine closer even though only Soriano was actually closing next year. I doubt KW actually finds a team and a good deal for Jenks, but I would definatly want some insurance against him. Who in our bullpen is actually a proven reliever outside of Jenks and Thornton. If we have 2 guys Ozzie can trust and 5 members of the clown car out there it wont be pretty. I think getting Putz or Gonzalez would be a huge move for our bullpen and give us a true shut down pen from the 7th inning on.

There are some options out there. JJ Putz, Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez...any of there guys could replace Jenks if he is traded or being great 8th inning options for us. I wouldnt mine trading Jenks...getting some help in other areas or young prospects and signing 1 or 2 of the above listed free agents. Personally, I dont think Jenks has that good of stuff anymore, not that overpowering anymore.

I dont think it will happen because KW already stated that whoever plays DH for us will someone who can also play the field and be rotated around. Thats why I doubt Thome, Matsui, or Vlad will be on the sox next year. My prediction CARL EVERETT will be our 2010 DH.

Yeah I dont like this deal. There is no need to take on this salary commitment for a guy that pitched in the NL and one of the most pitcher friendly parks and still posted a 4.67 ERA.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 07:57 AM) I think you're dreaming. Some folks have posted here in that past that were convinced of a vast conspiracy at the Trib to be biased towards the Cubs. I personally never saw much of that - the Cubs coverage was maybe a little more prolific at times, but honestly, they also have a larger fan base to cater to. I didn't see a material bias, though, where there was any attempt to be more positive or negative towards either team. Did anyone ever mention that if there really was a conspiracy in corporate policy to actively promote and favor all things cubs vs. sox then it would be like one of the biggest scandals of all time. The tribune is a huge company, if there were a conspiracy it would have to kept under wraps by hundreds or thousands of people over the last almost 30 years by writers, editors, staff, executives, board members, etc. Furthermore, think of whats at stake. If the tribune newspaper were caught or people were to come forward and say there were instructed to present bias media perspectives they would go out of business for being provent to be a fraudulent media source and essentially every investor in the company would lose their $$ and every employee lose their job. There is no way risking the entire company from the Tribune, to the LA times, to WGN, would ever justify some sort of bias or conspiracy to paint the cubs in better picture than the sox. There is simply to much at stake, its a very simply risk vs. reward thing. The tribune is a business, their job is to sell papers, commercials, etc. If no one in this town gave a crap about the cubs they would be up the sox ass so fast it would be ridiculous, and vica versa, that's their freaking job.

Most likely Blanco is AJ's backup and perhaps Flowers backup in 2011. If Blanco is signed through 2011 then he can also be insurance in case Flowers flops in 2011.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 01:43 AM) He's far from a bad player. But we've seen his peak (2004-2006). He's no longer capable of putting up those kinds of numbers. And at his age, you figure that he's a pretty sure bet to only get worse from this point. He's not worth his current contract. And it's true, PK is probably not even a top 15 player at his position. Konerko is a nice hitter to have...hes good for .275/30/90 at this point in his career. He is no longer a 40 HR and 110+ RBI threat.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 9, 2009 -> 01:58 AM) There won't? Home run hitters have treated us well at the Cell. You don't want to go all speed in the Cell. What I'm saying is that we wont see aging sluggers make their way as starters in our lineup. KW has said before that he sees our team even with a DH position that isn't just a DH, that is someone athletic enough to be rotated around and play the field. And Ozzie doesnt want a team that has the slowest 3-4-5-6 in baseball. That means you will see more like the what the Blue Jays do. Still have power, but never have just an old, low batting average, slow, power guy. Power will come from guys who can also run and play the field, a la the Rios acquisition. Im not saying we are getting Nick Markakis but I think its pretty clear that he is the model of the power type guy the sox want, not the Thome's, Dye's, Guerrero's of the world.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 6, 2009 -> 11:50 AM) That is question #1 in my mind. Like I have said, if we can bring back Dye or Thome on a one year deal at about half of their previous dollars to DH, I do it. In Dye's case, he could even be a back up in RF for a day or two a week. We have said over and over and over again there will not be another old, slow, lift and pull, base clogging sighing on the south side for a very long time. Goodbye Dye and Goodbye Thome.

I like the part where his cubs fan wife couldn't identify Paul Konerko during the playoff run in 2005. Shes a female cubs fan living in Lincoln park she probably didnt even know there was another team in the city.

Ok so if Bacon is going be our future 2B and were keeping Alexi at SS isn't it more crucual to find a stud defensive 3B. Especially considering how bad our D was last year and how improving your defense really improves your pitching. You would think Tehean fits that role KW was talking about a DH that can be rotated in and out of the lineup, like the way the Jays or A's do it. That leaves 3B, a crucial defensive position, open for maybe Figgins, Beltre, or another defensive stud or even leadoff hitter.

This is a shock to me. Not the acquisition of Tehean, but the statement that we will play 3B. Bechkham was developing nice over there and now he has to go to 2B to learn a new position. If anything you would want to move Beckham to SS and Alexi to 2B wouldnt you. Plus you would think Tehean fits in much better rotating through the RF/DH role, allowing the sox to pursue figgins, hudson, or polanco for true defense and leadoff hitter. With him at 3B and saying Pods wont be back that basically means they have the RF/DH hole to fill with a leadoff hitter/obp guy, something that very tough to do. Plus the defnesive numbers show Tehean is not the defensive minded 3B you are looking for, his defense would fit much better in RF.

QUOTE (striker62704 @ Nov 5, 2009 -> 05:18 PM) I stand corrected. This is his last year of arbitiration. So he's a free agent after 2010. http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/k...-royals_28.html I dont think so, Cots baseball Contracts show that he is Arbitration eligible for 2010 and 2011, that means he was a super two player in 2008. Look at this link. http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p4e...2XT3jaKQUybSXFA

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Nov 5, 2009 -> 05:05 PM) Sorry if this has been asked, but what is Teahen's contract status? He is arbitration eligible for 2010, 2011 and is then a free agent. In 2009 with the Royals he made $3.575M. He is probably going to get between $3.8 and $5M for the next 2 seasons before Free agency.