Marty34

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 7, 2013 -> 04:56 PM) Now THAT would be interesting and equally unprecedented. That's not what Bernstein is suggesting, though. I read the article quickly, but thought that was what he was getting at.

QUOTE (Special K @ Aug 7, 2013 -> 04:49 PM) How can teams like the Pirates, Royals, etc. use the Sox to take on a bad contract like Cliff Lee. I am not following. Could you please elaborate? Three team deal. Phillies trade Lee to Sox, Sox take on the contract and trade him Orioles.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2013 -> 04:45 PM) Cliff Lee is not a bad contract and the Phillies were asking a ton for him at the trade deadline. $62M owed for his ages 35 & 36 seasons.

Interesting strategy that will force teams like the Red Sox, Rangers, and Cubs to pay fair value in terms of prospects in any trade scenario. Teams like the Pirates, Royals, Indians, Reds, to name a few can use the Sox to take on a bad contract like say Cliff Lee.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Aug 7, 2013 -> 02:02 PM) It's almost like Hahn and KW had a backup plan in case the team flopped. All the bad contracts expire at the same time. Not all. Ramirez and Danks. This column illustrates the importance of getting the payroll as low as possible so that they can act as a facillitator of deals this offseason.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 6, 2013 -> 12:37 PM) I agree. I think Paulie goes into the off-season, gets medical advice, and then thinks about what impacted his swing. He won't make an excuse but if he thinks it was his back and it has cleared up, then I Think he still plays. Whether with the Sox or not, I don't know. I think he could be interested in playing and mentoring a younger team, but that is assuming the Sox add a vet or two to fill some holes they can't fill internally so they can at least give it the ole college try. And with this rotation, I don't know why the White Sox wouldn't at least try that. Wilkins will get his shot and I wouldn't look at the retreads they have signed down in AAA to be an indication they hate Wilkins. Wilkins was down in AA and part of the objective is to field some competitive minor league teams. Those are organizational moves. I think Konerko will be back with his longtime friend Jim Thome being the batting coach Konerko will have a rejuvination of sorts.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 5, 2013 -> 08:32 PM) Yeah, I meant not good for Texas. Although I'm still in the keep these two around camp unless you actually can get something of value. Too much to be gained by just letting Dunn go for best offer. 1B audition for Wilkins the last month, the option to keep Konerko on a 1-year deal if he wants to come back, and getting ~$15M off the payroll.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 5, 2013 -> 02:54 PM) He arrived in AA last year at age 21. He got the same 19 year old aggressive slotting in Kannapolis that people have complained about with Hawkins this year. They've pushed him quite aggressively upwards. And the results have been underwhelming. He's certainly not a reason not to acquire an OF'er.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 5, 2013 -> 02:39 PM) That's not how the White Sox operate. If they wanted a guy to do more than barely hold their own, they'd be more patient with them. They push them aggressively to the point where they're very unlikely to do anything more than barely hold their own at every level. They have not been patient with Thompson? Sometimes Balta, players aren't going to cut it no matter how many AB's they get.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 5, 2013 -> 08:11 AM) Considering I brought his name up and you ignored it, can you actually give a reason why you think Trayce Thompson can never develop into a hitter or are you still stuck on repeat? Why wait for Thompson? Get an OF'er for 2014 and when De Aza is traded and/or Viciedo fails you backfill with Jacobs and if Thompson is ready by mid-2015, dump the OF'er picked up this winter.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 05:52 PM) The only worse idea I can come up with than Ethier is taking on Josh Hamilton right now. Fixing the outfield requires someone out of the 5-6 guys we have who can play the OF developing into hitters. We're in a position where we might well be forced to trade or move an OF to first base in the next 6 months because we have too many OF. Outside of Garcia and Jacobs there are no potential hitters among our OF prospects.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 05:22 PM) I don't mind your logic, but Ethier is really bad at this point. We'd be better of splurging in free agency. Doesn't have to be Either. Taking on a bad contract may very well be cheaper and provide just as much production as signing a free agent.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 12:42 PM) What? Have you seen our infield this year? We have 14 HRs between Gillapsie, Ramirez, Beckham, & Keppinger. We've also had a corpse at 1B when Dunn isn't playing. They're without question the problem. If we can get a superstar OF in free agency, then sure go for the upgrade. Otherwise, we can field a solid to good OF between De Aza, Viciedo, Garcia, & Rios next year. The middle infield next year will more than likely be Beckham/Semien with Gillaspie as part of a platoon at third. Garcia will take one outfield spot, so that leaves an outfield spot and 1B as the other places to upgrade offensively. I'd rather take on a contract than sign a free-agent as I think the few guys who are on the market this year will get grossly overpaid.

I think getting better production from the outfield is a key in how quickly this turnaround can happen. Say they got rid of even just $20M more in salary. That would bring their payroll down to ~$45M. A guy like Andre Eithier would be an interesting possibility at that point. I know he's over 30 (which I don't like), but he gets on base and is a left-handed hitter. If the Dodgers were willing to eat $10M-$15M (big if) next year's payroll would be under $60M and the OF would be De Aza in left, Garcia in center, and Eithier in right. Viciedo to first or available in a deal. Anyway, just thinking off the top of my head . . .

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 11:16 AM) Agreed. Another reason we need to hit home runs at the Cell is that the gaps play so small. There just isn't a lot of room for doubles and triples. I really don't worry about Viciedo because he's learning on the job. He probably should have been held back in the minors to refine his approach. He was rushed and has to do it at the MLB level. I love his tools, his strength and his swing. He has the ability to adjust pitch to pitch, which is probably the hardest thing in baseball. I can't remember who was pitching, but last week he looked awful swinging at a fastball up and away. He was really late and the swing was pathetic. 2 pitches later, he put that same pitch deep into the RF seats. That's really impressive. He needs to work on his approach and have a plan for every AB. Right now, he's just winging it. When he first came back from injury, he had a plan to be patient and he worked counts and drew walks. He got away from that, but he showed me that with the right guidance, it can be done. We just need to be patient and let him mature. He's exactly the type of high upside hitter we should be running out there in a rebuild. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. I'm not worried about Viciedo either. He's got at most another 400 AB's to figure it, if he doesn't anyone can play LF with Jacobs the likely next man up.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 10:03 AM) That will probably change I would think. 55 games left, if the Sox play .400 ball (22-33), they lose 100 games--and I think that gets them #2. Marlins would have to go 19-35 to lose 100, which could happen, but they just went 30-24 the middle 54 games, so they are improving. I'm just as fine with the #2 pick as I would be with #1. I do think though that #3 is where the drop-off begins. Early though.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 10:02 AM) Who is Kiley McDaniel? Analyst for Fox, runs scoutingbaseball.com. Did a write up on Rodon where he gave Hoffman the slight edge based on his potential to improve (Rodon is maxed out) and Rodon has had some physical issues with his back and muscles around the shoulder.

Kiley McDaniel thinks it's a two player draft right now, Hoffman and Rodon, noticeable drop-off beginning at #3.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 08:47 AM) Those four guys have a combined ERA of 4.68, and the Sox overall bullpen ERA this year is 4.18. The Astros bullpen ERA is 5.11. As much as I'd like to see the Astros get hot at some point, and the Sox continue to suck, the Sox aren't getting the 1st pick. But the good news is the Sox have a very good shot at the 2nd pick...and that might be a better position to be in. The Astros will take Rodon because he's awesome and they need pitching. And the Sox will take the best offensive player, which is ok with me. A lot can change between now and the draft of course, but as of now if the Sox get the #2 pick, I think they go pitching. Interestingly, I've read some reports that now rate Jeff Hoffman ahead of Rodon. Hoffman looks pretty solid in the few videos my untrained eye saw.

QUOTE (beautox @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 10:29 PM) I'm ok with keeping Alexei next year but I like the idea of the sox letting their '15 core take their major league lumps. I think in the offseason more teams will be open to the idea of Rios and Ramirez, because as it stands now the top FA's available is quite disheartening outside of Cano, Ellsbury and McCann. Choo looks like a platoon partner, with his split of .176/.323/.198. The mets strike me as suitors for one or both of them and they have a decent looking prospect in Wilmer Flores that isn't going to move murphy or wright off their respective positions, he is incredibly young at 21 soon to be 22 in 4 days. I find it hard to believe that if Peavy's contract was was seen as a negative that the Sox will be able to get anything of value for Ramirez or their other 3 big contracts.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 07:32 PM) At the deadline, you have a very narrow market of suitors for most position players. The market is even narrower for guys making any money at mid-season. You have to hold on to these guys into the offseason at the least, where there are many more teams that feel they are about to compete and many more teams that are able to take on salary. Personally, I think there ought to be some sense of urgency to move Rios in the offseason, though again I'm not going to get nothing for him. With Alexei, since you more or less have an opening at third, I'd prefer to give Semien a trial at third. This gives you a chance to evaluate his bat at the big league level before you part ways with Alexei who is going to be difficult to replace if Semien cannot do it. I'd rather play next year without a SS and $20M than keep Ramirez. Are you trying to make a case that they can contend next year if they keep him? I don't understand your argument.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 07:16 PM) If a team wanted to pick up Alexei off waivers, and the Sox got nothing back, I'd be happy with that. Get this kid up and bring some new energy. Was thinking that too, but they have to be careful not to infuse too much energy because they are in a fight for the top pick. I think they bring up Semien, Garcia, and Wilkins when they shutdown Sale and Quintana. Last two weeks of September.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 08:26 PM) Alexei has value because of his defense and the scarcity of the position, but his bat is a major part of our offensive problems. I disagree with your logic of getting rid of him at all costs, but I tend to agree we need to go in another direction at SS. It's too bad we couldn't work out a deal with the Cardinals as he would have been a perfect fit for them. If we do move him, it will most likely have to be in the offseason, because I think there will be a couple teams that claim him this month. I want to see Beckham at short the rest of the year, Gillaspie at second (groom to be a super-sub of sorts), and Morel at third. The Sox lose valuable evaluation time with every game Ramirez plays.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 08:18 PM) He has the 13th highest WAR of any shortstop in baseball. No player ranks better among his cohorts on this team. I don't like his bat either, but holistically he is highly valuable for us. I could not disagree more with your conclusion.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 07:49 PM) Indeed. That is the one position where I'm really happy to give someone else a shot -- and if you could get a veteran (a good one) at that spot, I'd jump at the chance. Conor is fine as a placeholder, but it's a spot on the team where you don't have a truly promising young player who you'd like to see get a chance to develop and it has been our hands down least productive position in the past two years. I'd be happy to try Marcus there. If Marcus hits and looks like a staple offensively, this is when I shop Alexei. I think I established well through my other posts that Alexei is probably the least replaceable player on the team. SS is the only position that has been ranking in the top half of the league production-wise for us, so we really do not want to take a step back there as we're really trying to build. If Marcus can hit at about league average wRC+ though, he can certainly make up for the fact that there's no way that he's a fielder of Alexei's caliber. At that point, you'd seek a 3B...I say that because I don't see a 3B in our system that will be ready in the next 1 or 2 years. Next year, you have to see what you've got. You let the young guys play and you assume that some of them are going to play really well and show you that they are going to be a permanent part of your team. The ones that convince you that they aren't capable of being part of the long term future can be replaced following the 2014 season by veterans or whomever. He'll be 32 next year, currently has a 77 OPS+ for a team on pace to lose 95+ games this year, and is owed ~$20M. He needs to be one of the first out the door.