BamaDoc

Per the MLB trade rumors site link, Buehrle, Pierre, and Frasor rank as type B free agents meaning if arbitration is offered and rejected by the player, if the player signs elsewhere the Sox receive a supplemental pick between the first and second round. The good news is the pick is not from a signing team so it does not keep anyone from signing them. The picks could be quite useful to restock the minor league system. The down side is if the player accepts you are stuck with them and at a arbitration price ie maybe not the price you want. Buehrle no brainer you offer so if he doesn't resign you get the pick. He will have multi year offers. Frasor tougher call. May decline in search of a multiyear (two) year deal and I think someone would do that so I say offer. Pierre toughest call. You don't want him back, unlikely to get multi year offer so highest chance of accepting, so I think despite wanting the pick you have to pass. I would however, try to get him to agree to refuse arbitration thus getting the pick. I would have a wink wink agreement that he could be a minor league instructor when his playing days are thru. Thoughts?

prospects? kennyhatesprospects

Great job by Mark. Best wishes whatever comes

Has anyone subscribed to mlb tv. If so, how has it been? I live in Alabama, so I am assuming no Sox games will be blacked out? Any info appreciated.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Mar 15, 2011 -> 01:31 AM) Impressive but still young and learning He turned 27 this January. This is a huge year for him. Not a lot of Dennis Werths out there.

I think Frank is a sure fire HOF, but I was wondering what his first ballot chances were. Edgar Martinez received 32.9% of the votes after 36% his first year. I think penalized because he was primarily a DH. A career line of .312/.418/.515 with 7 allstar 5 silver slugger, 2 batting titles is not bad. Frank was .301/.419/.555 with 2 MVP four other top 5 and 3 more top ten, 1 batting title and 500+ homers, 5 all star, 4 silver slugger. I am in no way saying EM is equal to Thomas, I am only tossing this out to get opinions on how primary DH are seen by the voters. Maybe Franks .300,20+ hr, 100 runs walks rbis for seven first years trumps all and gets him in on first ballot?

When Uribe gets hot he can be very productive. It looks like he is. Gotta get him in the lineup. He may win them the Series. I still root for him and Rowand individually although I would like Texas to win.

Updated numbers DeAza .338/.420/.497/.917 Gartrell .304/.393/.569/.962 Reed ..387/.424/.742/1.166 (numbers versus opposite armed pitchers) of note Reed played first last night. major league equivilent data base apparently not updated but still a plattoon might work well.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 26, 2010 -> 07:19 PM) De Aza vs RHP in AAA - .308/.401/.451/.852 Gartrell vs LHP in AAA - .302/.380/.552/.932 and their major league equivalent (according to minor league splits) De Aza vs RHP - .255/.338/.380/.718 Gartrell vs LHP - .255/.324/.429/.753 I could see them outproducing those numbers, but it's not an upgrade by any stretch of the imagination. Thanks for the numbers. They would outperform Kotsay and Jones as they have been used if the Rookies platooned. Kotsay . 220/.306/.353/.659 Jones .203/.307/.430/.737

Those of you who can translate AAA stats to probable major league stats .....would a platoon of Gartrell and either De Azza/Reed really give much different numbers than what Kotsay and Jones provide. The AAA guys hit well against the opposite pitcher. I realize we won't cut vets but I would like to see the analasis.

1962 hell I am older than dirt compared to most

I don't know how to set up a poll, but for those of us suffering and not fair weather fans.........will the new banner become a rally Crede?

wilson saved at least one run with great stop

mlb trade rumors now reporting Rangers have asked about AJ

I think Flowers and Salt are both better offense than defense catchers. Who ever isn't catching could be in the DH mix or even first base mix in 2011 or post fire sale.

Sorry, I usually hate hypothetical trade rumors but I saw Texas mentioned on MLB trade rumors as having poor production at catcher. They have Saltalamacchia at triple A. What about AJ for Salt if we keep struggling? Would he be good to pair with Flowers as Salt is a switch hitter and if he is not up now maybe they have soured on him. Anyone know anything about him?

I agree that it it is not necessarily Walker's fault and am advocating change for change sake. I agree it is unfair to blame bad numbers on him and not give credit for good although you can argue Konerko only up in power, Rios has relaxed, and Jones is in shape as reasons.

There is an old adage in baseball that since you can't fire the team, you fire the manager which is not what I am suggesting. We have played 20 percent of the season and look horrible. Threads of Ozzie is outmanaged appear daily but he hasn't lost the ability to manage, the players aren't executing. On most nights, we are trotting out a line up with seven hitters hitting under .220. These hitters can be expected to return toward there norms and should in time. We are not talking about severely aged players who have crashed........in fact the most likely one to do so Konerko is having a good start. We have to move Walker. I loved him as a player and respect his effort as a coach but for several years we have seen the same struggles. Ozzie can be loyal to a fault and has said he will go before his coaches. How about a compromise, Walker is not fired but reassigned as a minor league roving instructor while someone new comes in. I loved Charlie Lau/ walt Hriniak school of hitting but that is to drastic an in season change. Rather, I stay with a current philosophical hitting coach with a polar opposite personality. Sometimes hearing the same stuff a different way works. The new coach should be energetic as opposed to laid back. He should succeed because the players are due to revert to form. Ozzie becomes smarter because the players do what they are capable of doing. It's the players and Ozzie is right in that regard but a shake up is needed. If no change in performance during the next month fire sale. Remember Whitey Herzog's comment when Bruce Sutter signed with Atlanta....."Well, I just got fifty games dumber....."

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?

To me he doesn't fit for more than an inning at a time thus not mid relief. His early in the year numbers were better than almost anyone we had. Could we prolong that success by only using for one inning, 7th or 8th, and space it to give him maybe one day absolutely off ( not even warm up) and maybe two. Could you use his work days as the days you try to rest Thornton? It would be tricky to pull off, but a year of a guy with a 2.5era vs half a year at 6 to me would be worth it.

Lets make the assumption that Linebrink is a 2010 White Sox. Due to his contract that seems likely. So how do we maximize his effectiveness? Many have pointed out his pre and post all star break numbers. He has been great early in many of those years then fades. He doesn't look grossly out of shape but it appears he has a fatigue/injury situation. In his early years, he was a guy who pitched in 70 plus games routinely. Perhaps that use caused some problem. The Sox to their credit appear to recognize this to some degree. I checked his year long stat line for pitching back to back games which he only did seven times. His line was 7ip 11h 5w and 4runs..........so I will begin with never using him back to back. I have no way to know the times he warmed up and didn't go in but that probably needs to go away as well. I would love to hear what his shoulder/elbow scans look like but a vigorous strengthening program may help. Although he will be 33, perhaps a mid season two week break like we did with EL Duque in 2005. I still think he can be a effective pitcher if used properly. It creates a problem that the more effective he is the more you want to use him which is why I think you have to have some arbitrary but absolute rules to keep from over using him.

Ok Danks has 200 innings get him out. Congrats AJ. Tigers screwed because they had to use Verlander.

It is all but decided. Twelve teams with a worse record. Tied with Milwaukee at 79-82 so it looks like pick 13 or 14. Someone failed to sign their high first round pick so that may bump us back one. So, no worse than 15th which should be protected first rounder if we sign a type A free agent. Correct?

Boy I am putting on a flame retardent suit because I will make an unpopular suggestion. Before we trade Alexi, a young player with cost certainty for several years, we have to be sure Beckham can play shortstop at the major league level. Don't get me wrong, I love Beckham I just haven't seen him play SS. I am confident that Nix is not an everyday SS. Alexi in the field has perplexed and frustrated me, but if the staff thinks he can improve, I keep him. Figgins makes sense for this team, but creates 4 players for 3 positions. (I like Getz/Nix at 2b as decent production and cheap). If Rios is your best defensive centerfielder, what about Alexi in left? The two would cover a lot of ground.

I know it is a fifty game sprint but this is where Rios and Kotsay can help spell them. Some of it may be physical with nicks and bruises accumulated to this point and some may be mental in regards to job security and the future. Thome missed time due to interleague and came back invigorated. Hopefully others will also. I think Beckham has played a lot without a break and the league is adjusting or he is also dropping production a bit. We need to get it together soon.