Buehrle>Wood

QUOTE (Paulstar @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 10:45 PM) How many times in the past 20 years have the Soxly had this much free payroll and such a desperate need fmarquee pact bats? Sure history indicates one thing, but this isn't the White Sox of the past 20 years who had some combinations of Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, Ray Durham, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, and so forth. This White Sox team is one of the sorriest offensive teams in at least my history of watching the Sox. To say that the White Sox aren't going to spend money on impact offensive bats in free agency and to use "history" as the reasoning is absurd in my mind. If anything, history shows the White Sox are willing to spend money on impact bats in free agency when they need to, as they showed that in 2010 with Dunn (needed a power hitting lefty to replace Thome) and in 1997 with Belle (needed a power bat in the OF). I'm not saying the Sox will spend the money, no one knows whats going to happen, but if anything I'd say "history" points to the Sox signing at least one impact bat. Or perhaps more relevant to this conversation, using a chunk of change to sign a bunch of midlevel free agents to patch multiple holes. People are getting too caught up in one marquee free agent. Assuming we spend it, I would much rather have 15 million of flexibility than use it on one pitcher off a major injury who has been nonexistent to terrible for three seasons.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 09:55 PM) We have gone after plenty, I am sure some here are still crazed about the Torii Hunter saga. So one guy who took a lot more money is plenty? QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 09:55 PM) Players appear to prefer to play for other teams, it has been that way for a long time. Free agents have passed up more money from the Sox to sign elsewhere. ... QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 09:55 PM) The Sox had to significantly overpay Dunn and Belle to get them on board. Not really for Dunn. He turned down a three year contract from the Nats and signed with us because of the fourth year we offered. It was an overpay certainly later, but not at the time. Hell people here were ecstatic with it. QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 09:55 PM) The Sox had to trade for Peavy twice before they could get him before finally Scott Linebrink talked him into accepting the trade. Jake Peavy wasn't a free agent. This wasn't a case of us being able to offer him more money. It was us or the only MLB town he knew for the same price. Funny you mention it though, he did sign with the Sox as a very soon to be free agent for what was seen as a very friendly contract for us. QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 09:55 PM) In addition there is no real quality free agents for the Sox to pursue. Cano will get re-signed, Ellsbury, Morales, and Choo are Boras clients, are Carlos Beltran and Mike Napoli the saviors for this franchise? Are you saying John Danks for equal value is the savior of our franchise? Oh boy. Seriously, there's no need to spend it all in one place. If you do and it's the right fit, fine. But really, why are we still wasting out time with this conversation? Nobody is going to take Danks' contract off our hands. And again, there's a very good reason for that.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 08:28 PM) What is the point of having a $20M rotation? Trying to compete with the Marlins? Danks is pretty damn good and it is pretty well established that pitchers dont get all the way back until the year after they return from an arm injury. There is no need to dump payroll from this roster with what is coming off the books already and additional money coming in. Its not like the Sox are going to be a Mecca for free agents. This organization has had a real tough time attracting quality free agents over the years and that doesn't look to change as long as JR is in charge given his affinity for Scott Boras. If this team is going to improve it will need to do so through the trade market, and that means giving up quality to get quality, not dumping salary to take on spare parts. We don't attract any free agents because we don't go after them often. It's that simple. If we have 15 million dollars off the books, we can though. Hahn can use that to pay positional players. They will come to the highest bidder as they always do. Who would you rather have going into next year, John Danks or a positional player worth 15 million dollars going into next year? I think everyone here would take the positional player (and yes, I realize it would never be in a vacuum situation like that).

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 07:21 PM) This is so stupid. Why sell low? I think this seasonneecovactua for John will be great moving forward. When his fastball moves up a couple ticks next year he'll be a sub 4 ERA lefty pitching around 200 IP barring any new setbacks. Fun fact: For starting pitchers throwing more than 60 innings, John Danks is second in BB/9 only to Adam Wainright. That is better than the ultra hyped strike machine Bartolo Colon. Better than Jordan Zimmermann who has had his coming out party this season. Danks will make you eat your words next year. With the fastball gaining velocity, the curveball becoming a useful pitch for him and having had to pitch without his best stuff all of this year, John's stock is on the ups. That's fine but it is still a risk to see if he can return to form. 14.5 million dollars per year is a lot to risk on that. He won't necessarily hurt you but you dump him if you can (you can't and there's a good reason for that). Even if he returns to form he is market value at the absolute best case scenario. Dumping him would allow the Sox to enter 2014 with a great rotation for the cost of about 20 million dollars. That would be huge if they do actually try and compete. They could then go out and make it rain at the free agent positional player club.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 07:01 PM) If balance in the rotation was more important than being good at pitching, Axelrod would be in the rotation instead of Santiago. . We would be estastic if we could trade anyone on the roster this side of Sale for a young, cost controlled pitcher who would go on to post a 2.85 ERA and strikes guys out at an elite level. Probably meant we got a Top ten prospect in all of MLB back. Oh wait that is Santiago. I just dont see how we could possibly get fair value for him. If he can learn to keep his pitch count down with a little more development, he will become an ace.

Let's be honest, trading Santiago makes no sense. Your best hope is a prospect turns out as good as him and he's far from peaked.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 12:48 PM) Crain & Lindstrom get traded. Peavy, Rios, & Alexei stay put. Soxtalk crashes the night of July 31 from all the anti-Rick Hahn threads started. Spot on

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 12:44 PM) What do you mean? He would still have to pass through waivers, right? I worded that weird. I meant trade for him while he was still on the DL before the deadline passes. Edit: I should say this was speculation to the original report.

Yeah couldn't tell if it was speculation or news but I missed a lot of it. They also were saying it may not matter if a deal was done or not that the Braves could take him anyways if he's off the DL in a week after the deadline.

If we could dump Danks I would be so happy that I promise not to complain about not dumping Peavy

Well then let's hope he doesn't roid and beat up his wife.

I do wish we would not be limits with Konerko. Sure he has no value but maybe someone takes a chance. It's sad seeing him play.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 03:51 AM) Either De Aza, Reed or Santiago YeahSomeonuld totally see them defying logic and trading Santiago for an underwhelming package. Theyve misused him before so it may as well end like this. Rios and Ramirez I don't see gone since they aren't FAs and I doubt we get much anything back for them. There's no rush to trade them. I think a Peavy deal got more likely today but I still believe this FO has every intention of contending next year. Someone is going to really have to impress us to take someone who will be a key piece into next year. And who knows, maybe it's not a bad thing. He will still have a ton of value one year from today. There will always be teams desperate for a starter as the Rangers proved today. I don't think he loses as much of his value as some are making it out to be.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 04:37 AM) What are the chances of the Sox stand pat and not make a major move? I would hate to see Rios, Peavy and Ramirez's contract not being moved. I will say very high. I dont think any of those three will be gone.

At the game, what was the call? Looked weak for batters interference

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 23, 2013 -> 12:08 AM) The funny thing is we all know how the reaction would go if the Sox traded for someone who was currently injured. This deal, it isn't even a peep on the radar. Peavy? But yeah I'm happy to stay away from Olt.

Wonder if Arod actually got hurt or the Yankees pushed him back again because of this

Dale Sveum lied to us all.

Man of Steel 2 will have Batman in it

He's still the vice president. He still has a job to do.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 20, 2013 -> 03:18 AM) A lot of players dog it down the line, but that was way too blatant to let slide. Agreed. I hate Ventura more than anything but any outrage here is dumb. Although I do agree with fathom that it could and should have happened before this.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Jul 20, 2013 -> 03:14 AM) He picked a helluva time to make a point. Great managing. Yeah now someone may finally notice that Rios doesn't try hard 100% of the time.

Why no Pheggles?

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Jul 20, 2013 -> 02:47 AM) Pretty sure that's all sarcasm. I think it's just stupid people on Twitter.

Search live tweets for Rios and it is so entertaining. over a tweet a second about him. Philly fans convinced they got him too.