CaliSoxFanViaSWside

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 17, 2014 -> 03:29 PM) I'd go 3/51, if we're playing that game. But yes, the 4th year is a much bigger deal than the amount per year. And I really like the idea of Melky. I want this to happen. I've been saying Melky since the VMart signing calling him VMart -lite . Guy could get 5/$65-70M considering his age so be ready to pony that up. 3 would be best ,4 maybe ,5 and we're out of it.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 17, 2014 -> 04:41 PM) I think Dioner Navarro will be available since the Jays likely keep Thole due to his ability to catch Dickey's knuckleball. A Flowers/ Navarro platoon sounds good to me. I was saying to get him last yr. when he was a free agent in that predict the Sox 2014 lineup thread.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Nov 16, 2014 -> 10:43 PM) Yeah, but a trade with the Dodgers and their expensive OF would probably be a lot harder to make than a Santiago-Eaton type deal for a team's extra AAA/MLB OF. If I were to trade for a Dodger OF, not necessarily for 2015 (unless he dominates spring), I would target Scott Schebler. The dude had 65 XBH last season (28 HR, 23 2B, 14 3B) in the AA-Southern League, which I believe it a pitcher's league. The power hitting lefthander just turned 24 and he's the Dodger's 3rd best OF prospect behind Pederson and Verdugo. I'm sure it won't take much to get him considering he's about 7th or 8th on their organizational OF depth chart. I'd like to throw him in to AAA Charlotte next season and see how he does. EDIT: I should also mentioned that from A+ to AA, he increased his walk rate, home runs, SLG%, and cut down his K rate. A 19% K-rate is pretty nice for a 28 HR guy. He hit .280. Then he played in the fall league that just ended and batted .310 with 5 HR in 23 games. Good find on Schebler. Any idea how his defense plays since that should also be taken into consideration ?

I'm sure many of you have seen similiar videos but its so much fun to watch especially when you get to 500+ feet. Dunn really hit some monster shots when he was young with the Reds.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 13, 2014 -> 09:59 PM) Agree with everything you say. I think Gillaspie is still young enough to continue improving but how much is the question. I'm hoping the Sox try to grab Headley and use Gillaspie as a backup at1st and 3rd base as well as batted in the DH slot. I like Gillaspie's versatility and bat. Defensively I think Flowers can handle ground ball pitchers but pitch framing is a different story. I agree that Flowers needs to work on pitch framing but I'm concerned about finding a different catcher and then find out that catcher lacks in another area. Flowers will continue to get better so unless an obvious upgrade comes along, he's the guy. Hopefully the Sox figure it out before Danish makes his debut because that kid induces a ton of ground balls. Sox have time as far as Danish is concerned though. My problem with trading Alexei is replacing his defense won't be easy. IMO, the Sox best bet is Sanchez at SS and Semien at 2B, or at least with the players the Sox currently have anyway. Here's the link to what I was talking about with video. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/investigati...14/#more-158004

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 13, 2014 -> 11:38 AM) I watched video of Greene last night on mlb.com and noticed he does miss location a bit more than a starter should. Kid has a nice two-seam he throws 93/94 with downward movement, a nice little slider that fooled batters and thought I had seen a few cutters as well. I would gladly take Greene but the Yanks should send another player with him in a trade for Alexei. Any chance the Sox could get the Yanks to bite on John Danks. One thing we have been noticing with Hahn is that he prefers ground ball pitchers which is great when you play in the cell. However what hasn't been adressed is a catcher who can help those kind of pitchers out. I saw something on fangraphs where they were talking about the most pitches missed by an umpire that were in the strike zone but called balls. The ump might 've been Cederstrom but it was Carroll pitching and Nieto catching and the pitches missed by the ump were all really nice pitches with downward movement which Nieto didn't handle very well. Maybe Flowers would've got a few of those calls but I really think a defensive catcher who can handle pitchers with sink is a must wether its the backup catcher or the starter. Maybe that's a good pitch framer or a guy who gets down low so he doesn't have to stab at the pitches with a downward motion . As much as I think Gillaspie has improved and may continue to improve I'm coming around to the idea of Headley because of his glove and the importance of as many good infield gloves a possible to help the pitchers. If Hahns going to continue to get groundball pitchers then he also must remember that those types are even better when they get great defense behind them and catching them.

QUOTE (Bigsoxhurt35 @ Nov 13, 2014 -> 09:12 PM) How about Greene and Betances for Ramirez? Not a chance. Betances is more valuable than Greene .

QUOTE (Rooftop Shots @ Nov 13, 2014 -> 03:43 PM) As I mentioned in the V-Mart signing thread. I know that it makes for fun conversation and speculations (and I am guilty of it as well) ...But geeeez thats all we here from EVERYWHERE about how we are showing INTEREST in someone. Can we actually count HOW MANY times we have heard that on big name guys but never sign them? Sure Abreu is an exception. But all the hype of Smardjiza, Panda, V-Mart, Kemp,Miller, Scherzer etc tc etc Forget it. We have a HISTORY of when Key people in their prime are on the market that somebody ELSE always ponies up and we alk away with squat. I don't mean to be a nay-sayer......but geez this goes back to the KW days of hearing about getting aggressive with Cabrera and Hunter and coming up empty. Then when the PRIME Candidates are all signed with someone else, then we try and get the leftovers and HOPE like heck that they have a good year to GET BY WITH. SELDOM do we ever do nothing more than HEAR of showing INTEREST by ("the human caskets with arms and legs such as Levine and Phil Rogers) but in reality seldom make signings (plural) where we can be looked at as ("WOW do the Sox look impressively lethal"). Sorry about my attitude right now. But geeeez ...ONCE again we hear from sox front office in the media about how they are going to be aggressive in the off season....and watch more key people go by the way side. Plus, still a littled pissed about V mart. I dont care about his age. Julio Franco wasnt NEAR the hitter Vamrt was and played well into his 40's. V Mart seldom strikes out and is a CONSISTENT contact hitter and a good clubhouse guy, and would be a LETHAL 1-2 punch with Abreu and put a huge dent in Detroit as well. So... Mr Hahn........ don't be like your predecessor KW and TALK about being agressive and competitive. Shut the mouth, open the wallet and use the pen....and BACK up with "action" the hope that you give the fans through your media hypes. ( I may be ay out of line with some of my comments......but at the same time...look at out history and some comments have some real validity to them. HYPE/INTEREST/PURSUING year in and year out while we watch others turn lethal and we struggle to break 500 every year . I feel "almost" the same way. I temper it by telling myself it's early in the off season and there's a long way to go with a lot of money to spend . There are a lot of bad contracts out there given out by teams who over pay with resources the Sox don't have. It's wait and see time but if Feb. rolls around and Hahn's done squat then I'll let 'er rip . But yeah not thrilled with the idea of guys like Rasmus, Aoki , Butler and some of the other names out there. The best will always cost the most and most likely we'll be settling once again for the middle level pieces.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Nov 13, 2014 -> 05:06 PM) It's in this story: http://sbnation.com/e/6981062 Short meaning 5-7 yrs according to the article saying he had turned down an 8 yr offer already.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 07:41 AM) I don't even think its going to be a JR issue. He's willing to spend. The real problem is throwing away the next two years of amateur LatAm signings - which I don't think Hahn or KW are willing to do, just when that pipeline has started working again. If all the truly elite talent is snatched up for over the limit doesn't the signing period then just become a huge crapshoot betting on 16 yrs olds and how they develope ?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 12:55 PM) Nope, Soxtalk scooped him first. Haha ! I put it in another thread thinking " not worth a thread on a guy who we can hardly begin to speculate how his numbers will translate" so someone else starts the thread a day or 2 later.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 12:50 PM) Close! It crossed my mind then I thought " no way will I be the one to mention it".

So anyway, he got a 4th year which I suspected would be the case all along. Knew the Sox chances of getting him were slim . So on to the signings of Melky (VMart-lite with defense) , Colby w/e relievers we end up with and stabs in the dark at finding another quality starter or bargain basement hope and a prayer starter. Might even get Butler and Aoki . Oh joy.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 03:35 PM) We are getting six years of Abreu for the price of a 36-39 year old Victor Martinez. #WinHahn That's not quite true is it ? After 2017 he can elect arbritration right ? So if he does that his salary can explode.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 08:28 PM) I would not be surprised if some local writers look in on this site. Its a great way to get some insight to what Sox fans are thinking so writers can turn around and write what the fans want to hear about. I'm always kind of surprised the quests browsing the forum seem to always outnumber the members whenever I look . Like now even though its late in Chicago 36 people browsing the forum 28 of which are guests.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 07:53 PM) i was catching up on news with regards to baseball. I used to hear how some believe what is being said here was making it to the press. I was a little skeptical. now I am here to apologize. I saw where things we discuss today was being phrase on the article. I mean its almost the same. it is too much of a coincidence Can you be more specific. ?Not sure what you're talking about.

QUOTE (whtsoxfan @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 07:46 PM) Red Sox looking to re-sign Lester http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/pos...ter-will-return Heard on MLB Network that an unknown tean offered Billy Butler 3years $30M. Any thing on twitter about this ?

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 12:20 PM) a great point esp if there are a mix of lefty and righty. has any team ever use the dh as a rotating position ???? The Sox did when they didnt resign Thome and went with Kotsay instead. Other teams do it I just don't know which ones. But say we sign Rasmus and Melky and we have Avi and Eaton. That's 2 lefties, a rightie and a switch hitter and since you face mostly RH'ed pitching we 'd have 3 lefties automatically in the lineup , Against lefties Rasmus can sit or Eaton depending one who needs the rest more. Keeps them all fresher ,hopefully more productive . It would also mean a defensive upgrade and the end of Tank in a Sox uni to the joy of all.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 11:51 AM) and if necessary I would think DH as well. thanks That's what I meant for "and the bench" if we use the 4 good OF's approach for DH we wouldn't have to worry about bench depth. not using pinch runners as much , more speed in the every day lineup and no 1 dimensional ( hit only) guy .

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 07:25 AM) then have Hahn walk away. the dodgers need to unload 2 very expensive outfielders contract. if this is not a sellers market and its is not a buyers market, then what is it??? I'd be shocked to see the Sox take on any bad contracts. There are enough guys on the FA market who will provide value that won't break the bank. Lot's of guys who will be 3 yrs around $30-40M and less for most relief pitchers.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 09:06 AM) big question can he maintain his hitting to strikeout stats. He has his whole career . Good OBP guy, won't kill you on defense. To me he's like VMart-lite, switch hitter who hits LH's and RH's pretty equally but since he's not a DH can provide value in the field and for the bench.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 07:40 AM) The White Sox are not going after Max Scherzer. The last thing they will do is spend the vast majority of their off season money on one guy. I'm coming around to thinking the Sox could sign 4/5 free agents in the affordable category like Melky, Rasmus, Neshek, Janssen, McCarthy , Miller. Most of these guys won't get more than 3 years maybe 4 in some cases. Even Headley doesn't look like his cost will be prohibitive. Surprisngly the Sox haven't been linked to any of these guys.... yet.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 11, 2014 -> 08:08 AM) Heyman said don't over look the southsiders this winter... http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-he...others-on-radar The more and more I look over the list of free agents and their expected price tags the better and better Melky Cabrera looks.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 04:45 AM) Range isn't the problem. It's a combination of his hands, and his arm is probably MLB average or a notch above, but it's not his best tool....if he had the arm of a Valentin, Uribe or Alexei, a lot of his mishandled/misplayed balls could still be converted into outs. I read somewhere that a decent amount of his errors are on throws where his feet aren't set, so that would be mechanics wouldn't it ?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 01:20 PM) http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/jose-abreu-...outing-reports/ Thanks for that . To the doubting Thomases I say " I told you so " !