CaliSoxFanViaSWside

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 28, 2014 -> 12:51 PM) I'm going to give some props on this one. A little low on the slugging estimate. Thank you. I didn't predict a SLG% but I got the .300+ BA , .900+ OPS , .360+ OBP pretty accurately not to mention only 1 off each on HR's and RBI . Remember I also predicted the final score (3-2) and a Toews goal in the Stanley Cup final game in 2013.

Thanks for the memories Paulie !

Abreu final stats unless he pinch hits today. Avg .317 (5th in AL ) ,OBP .383 , SLG .581 (1st in AL) , OPS .964 (2nd in AL) , 35 Doubles ,36 HR (3rd in AL ), 107 RBI (4th in AL ),131 K's , OPS+ 169, wOBA .411 , wRC+ 165, BB% 8.2 , K% 21.1 , WAR 5.2/5.4 Stake your claim if you did well on your predictions

Now that KC's clinched maybe they can serve up a big juicy gopher ball to Paulie.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 06:31 AM) Feels just as good as clinching the division. IF NOT BETTER. Hmmm winning the division vs. slobbering over a draft pick that is likely to not help the Sox at all ever. So close.

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 06:18 PM) Konerko and Dunn, two older sluggers who declined over the past 3 or 4 years and were highly overpaid as a result, have much more to do with the mediocrity than Beckham or Viciedo. Ironic, then, that you would talk about shedding the dead weight to acquire more while advocating for signing Victor Martinez. When VMArt becomes mediocre you let me know because now he is so far above mediocre he'd have to go blind in one eye to get there.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 05:49 AM) Since we are talking about a three/four year deal, how did Konerko's 37 and 38 year old seasons look? You have to judge guys on an individual basis. PK's performance has nothing to do with how VMart will perform at similar ages. PK's a walking cripple. To do what Martinez did this year you have to be pretty healthy. I'm actually shocked at how many people don't want one of the best hitters on the planet for 3 years. Are we so steeped in mediocrity that not only do we accept it but we yearn for it ? Do Dustin Ackley's beckham-like numbers or Rasmus' viciedo-like numbers really appeal to so many ? Have we gotten rid of the dead weight only to acquire more of the same ?

http://baseballhotcorner.com/paul-konerko-...tiring-captain/

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 01:16 AM) .303/.376/.847 lifetime. If he has his career average year, he is pretty damn good. I knew he'd come back with the career yr. stuff but you beat me to the punch. It's been like 5 yrs since the guy hit under .300 and how good do you have to be to have a career yr. at 35 ? Answer: Really good and really smart too. 41 K's this year. 41 ! Adam Dunn never sniffed .300 and usually had 41 K's some time in May. Just to be accurate on Konerko he came in 13th in MVP voting during his age 35 season and was an All Star in his age 36 season .

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 06:36 PM) If you think that spending in free agency will make this team about 20 wins better and capable of sustaining that level of success for the next 5+ seasons at least, then disregard my post, as the premise of the entire thing is that it's going to take longer than this off-season to build a sustainable contender, likely another full year. That said, Victor Martinez is not the answer unless the question is "Who can the White Sox sign to a contract they'll regret by midseason 2016?" He's 36 years old and it appears that some team is going to give him $20 million per year for at least 3 years. That will hamstring the process of putting together a competitive team for 2016 and beyond. If the team wants to spend $20 million this off-season, they should acquire three or four players who could give much bigger returns on investment. I didn't get into specifics because I haven't really studied the free agent class, but you mentioned one guy that might fit the bill that I'm taking about in Rasmus, Markakis is another guy that might work if the O's don't pick up his option, and I've heard the name Michael Saunders tossed around, which doesn't seem like a bad idea either. The savings you get between two decent bats vs. Martinez could be spent on a pen arm or two, then toss another $15-20 million in for another pen arm and a decent SP and you've set the stage well for 2016. If the team improves 5-10 wins with that kind of off-season, then you go get the big bat in the 2015 off-season, when the entire contract will occur in competitive years. Do you like what you've seen of Abreu. I'm sure you do. Great season right ? Well VMart has been just as good as Abreu in his age 35 season. He has the highest batting average in his career, the highest OBP ,SLG , TB , OPS, and OPS+. He's doubled his career best in intentional walks and has K'ed just 41 times in 627 PA's. That's almost 90 less K's than Abreu. In many respects he's been better than Abreu. Just how fast do you expect him to fall off a cliff ? According to what you're saying he's got 1 good year left in him after a monster of a season. It helps a lot hitting behind Cabrera and hitting behind or in front of Abreu would be just as good. Sox fans need something to get excited about . As I've already said if you get him and McCarthy and Dave Robertson we will be contending because we'll have a better lineup bullpen and rotation especially if they are all signed for 3 years we can contend for those 3 years while also working Rodon, Bassitt, Montas, Danish and any other pitching prospect that develops into the rotation and pen which will cost the bare minimum that players make in their 1st 3/4 years in the league. Contend for 3 yrs then contend after that with a (hopefully) very strong rotation after that anchored by cheap young talent. You can't wait till the year after to get a big bat in free agency because we're likely to be outspent by all the high rollers which will probably end up the case with VMart also. BTW I've been the one tossing around Michael Saunders name but the Sox would have to trade for him and we are woefully short on pieces ( talent) to trade if we don't want to touch our minor league guys.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 08:14 PM) Semien since the call-up has been nails. I'd venture to guess he is hitting around .280+ with an OBP around .400. I'm surprised we haven't seen him in the OF since his recall. He had started playing OF in the minors and Sanchez looks to be the frontrunner for the 2nd base job on defense alone.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 05:57 PM) Last I saw he just lined out to Hosmer at 1st. Is he out of the game now ? Yes he is . Replaced by Sierra. Btw You are a great poster . I like your style

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 05:55 PM) What happened to avi Last I saw he just lined out to Hosmer at 1st. Is he out of the game now ?

At least we're watching. f*** Thursday night football.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 02:34 PM) They should let Konerko pitch an inning. Someone plunk Aoki in the ass since he's been such a pain in ours.

QUOTE (VAfan @ Sep 25, 2014 -> 10:25 AM) 3 Yeps. 1. Sign Victor Martinez. He's a switch hitter who hits very well from both sides. His career average is .306, .373, .474, .847. He's not a walking stud, like Dunn. But he's a hitting stud, which keeps your offense moving. He's only really had one bad year -- 2008 -- when he got hurt and missed half the season. There's no reason to think he'll drop off a cliff offensively. As someone mentioned, he's Venezuelan, so he helps Avi Garcia reach his potential. Plus, you don't want him back with the Tigers. Since the Sox don't have to give up a first round pick, this is the year to strike in free agency. 2. Fix the bullpen. This is the fastest way to improve the Sox' W-L record. The Sox bullpen this year is 23-31, with the 31 losses tops in the majors. The ERA at 4.38 is not league worst, but it's 28th. By comparison, KC's bullpen is 26-18, with an ERA a run better. KC isn't anywhere near the best. I just put it up for illustration that the team could improve by 15 or more games in this area. The question is how to go about fixing this problem. I don't have an answer at this point. I just know it has to be done. If I had to say, I would say find a closer, and work backwards from there. 3. Add a right handed starter. The Sox have Sale and Quintana locked up. Rodon will be almost certainly be here at some point in 2015. The Sox will again draft fairly high, where they may find more future starters. But the Sox need a bridge, or an under-30 stud. I would not be inclined to overpay for someone well over 30 like Shields who will want a too-long deal that may be good for a year or two, but then you start wondering how you can unload him (like Danks). I'm not fixated on anyone in particular. It depends on how the market shakes out. It depends on who Don Cooper likes. The Sox were in the mix last year for Tanaka, who's 25. Someone has mentioned Johnny Cueto (in another thread), who's 28. I could see the Sox going either way -- bridge guy or young(ish) stud. If you just did those three things, the Sox could contend in the AL Central next year. Sure, the catching could be better. And you might wonder why you gave Dayan Viciedo another year to figure it out, but these seem like fringe concerns. With a core of Abreu, Martinez, Avi, Eaton, and Ramirez, you can fill in around them with role players. Gillaspie can still improve. Semien can spell him against lefties. Maybe the light goes on again for Matt Davidson? You've got plenty of options at 2B. Flowers has shown solid offense in streaks, but his defense is consistent, and he's still cheap. Spend your money elsewhere. Viciedo might still learn plate discipline. And the Sox won't be carrying Dunn and Konerko so they'll have better bench flexibility. As for the starting staff, a right hander who can slot as high at #3 should give you enough, with an improved bullpen and better offense (with V. Mart), to contend. There are lots of choices for #4 and #5, including likely Rodon at some point. With Coop there, I wouldn't worry. 1 Nope. 1. Don't trade Alexei Ramirez. If the Sox want to contend in 2015 -- which I think is very possible and is also very likely the goal of the front office -- then they aren't going to trade their reasonably priced All-Star shortstop. They just aren't. Don't create holes that aren't there. Fill the holes that are. Alexei may decline, but he's still likely to be better than any potential replacements for the rest of his contract and beyond. Plus, I think the Cuban connection is important. I don't think I have any other "nopes." I could make some up, like "don't trade Chris Sale," but they aren't realistic. So let me add a bonus "YEP." It's not gonna happen next year, but we can hope it does sooner rather than later: 4. Find a new manager. It's like I'm reading everything I said My starter and closer where Brandon McCarthy and David Robertson also can choose among Zach Duke (LH) , Tom Gorzelanny and Luke Gregerson . All those guys are free agents. I could go either way with Alexei depending on how successful we are at signing free agents. But I am a strong proponent of good D up the middle so I'm fine with or without the Missile.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 10:40 PM) If we had one full year to assess where Rodon was development-wise, signing Victor would be the right idea for 2015...but, due to his signing late (partially) and the fact that he didn't follow the 2010 Sale route (or even 2014 Finnegan with KC), I'm not read to count on him being a 3+ WAR guy until we actually see him at the major league level. For every Kershaw or Sale, there's 50 Andrew Millers who are high draft picks who never amount to quality starters. Signing Martinez, you're at least one year away and you're already expecting a decline in 2015...so what will we actually have in 2016 and 2017 when we really need him to hit like he has for DET this year? I'd say something more like his numbers from 2011-2013, subtracting 10-25% for aging/wear & tear. He could drop a lot and still be our 2nd best hitter. Besides it's not like I advocated just signing him. There's bullpen and rotation signings also. Probably a trade also. Hahn has few trade chips . The Sox will be active on the free agent market . They have to be because more chips have to be gotten . Need to get over .500 next yr if not contend. If we maintain the status quo when do we start to contend ? Can't expect to get everything you need in one year but we have to get much better next year . That means a LH good bat. Improve the D , bullpen and rotation, get rid of dead weight, bolster bench , still keep eye in int'l signings . Hahn might've got the last bargain from Cuba until some of them fizzle and teams start getting burned by contracts. We can't afford another year of projects not panning out or a big fail on guys like Erik Johnson. Might've been a blessing in disguise though if it forces the Sox into free agency signings. I'm starting to get a feeling though that VMart gets 4 years and 3 is as high as I'd go.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 08:43 PM) Another good post. All interesting possibilities IMO. Would Floyd and Tom Gorzelanny agree to be relievers however? Tom Gorzelanny is already a reliever for the Brewers and is a free agent as is Floyd and Gregerson. Floyd would probably do anything to keep collecting an MLB check considering he's lost so much time to injuries as a starter.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 08:32 PM) Butler is actually the type of acquisition I would think would please soxtalk. He's still pretty young and he'd be moving over to a hitter's ballpark and might finally decide to elevate. He'll come cheap as KC will give him the $1 million buyout and no team will pay Billy more than 5 million a year. You'd have to be crazy to pay Billy a ton after his s*** season. You stick him at DH and you have one of the slowest guys around, but we're used to having at least one insanely slow baserunner on our team. So you sign Billy for two years. Sure it could backfire if he hits .190 and strikes out 200 times, but again "on paper" this looks like a good move for a cost conscious organization like the Sox. If Billy bounces back, you've got a nice little stretch of hitters in Eaton (cf), Lexi (ss), Abreu (1b), A. Garcia (rf), Butler (DH). Now you follow that with Viciedo (lf), Gillaspie (3b), Semien (2b), and Flowers ©. That lineup is quite good except you have only two lefties. Oh well. If you acquire Markaikis and trade Viciedo you have Markaikis in left and hitting from the leftside. If it has to be Aoki, he's lefthanded hitter as well. I say yes to Billy Butler as the first piece to the offseason retooling. Two year deal only. Butler won't hit .190 . The guy could hit .250 in his sleep.He also isn't a big K guy and walks a decent amount. He's actually been one of the most consistent hitters in the game with a .294 career batting average and .359 OBP And if they get him I doubt they keep Viciedo . Somewhere somehow the Sox will get another LH bat in that lineup and most likely it'll be in LF or RF with Avi playing Left. Or maybe they try to move Flowers and get a LH catcher .

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 09:12 AM) More specifically, then: "Guessing and being unable to properly react to guessing incorrectly." All guys guess, yes, but good hitters respond as well. Mediocre and bad hitters have to guess right or intentionally sit on a specific pitch to be successful. If Avi never learns to sit on pitch X but have an approach to react to pitches Y or Z, even if it's just fouling those ones off, he will only be a mediocre hitter. Well you're pretty much meat when you guess incorrectly anyway. That why even the great hitters fail 70 % of the time. The key is to educate yourself to the point where you're a pretty good guesser. Even guessing right pitch right zone doesn't guarantee you a hit but it makes it a lot more likely. What does Hawk say ? Something like look fastball most of the time and adjust to everything else. You can slow your bat down to hit an off speed pitch but you can't speed it up if you're looking off speed and get a fastball.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 08:12 PM) Ackley's stats kinda look like Gordon Beckham's. I hope we use our trade chips for someone a bit more powerful and exciting...like someone good. What trade chips ?

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Sep 24, 2014 -> 07:00 PM) FYI, two players Rick and co. have big board eyes on are Ackley (LF) & Butler (DH). If Butler can get back to his age 23 through 27 level of production he'd be a good get except it would be like having Konerko all over again without the power. He has a 12.5 M option and a $1M buyout so Hahn must be thinking KC doesn't pick up the option. Ackley I can understand but I'd rather have Saunders.

Gavin Floyd coming back from a fractured elbow could be converted to a reliever. Tom Gorzelanny will be available as will Luke Gregerson.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 02:30 PM) Guess based on previous team techniques? They bring in one veteran left hander and Surkamp and Snodgress compete for the 2nd lefty slot in ST. Zach Duke is a good possibility.

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Sep 23, 2014 -> 11:54 PM) As for the thread premise, here goes: DO acquire at least two hitters, preferably OF, one of which should be LH and ideally both starter caliber. If I were doing the shopping, I would be looking at potential guys and reclamation projects here. A guy who the front office thinks could be a middle of the order bat is a must, but other than that I would look for good defense and low K rates. One of these holes may be able to be filled internally with Semien depending on how okay you are with he and Sanchez both playing major roles in 2015. DO acquire a solid, #2-3 type RHSP, and a couple of quality bullpen pieces. Doing this will place the Sox in the best position they can be in to contend next year, while also giving some flexibility at the trade deadline if things break poorly, as they did this year. Doing this will also give the Sox a starting 5 that can at least compete for the first half without having to force their hand on Rodon, assuming that you believe that two of Noesi, Danks, Carroll, and Bassitt can give you quality 4 and 5 guys. The other plus from that group is the two that don't make the rotation may be able to be used to improve the bullpen, which will need several upgrades from any and all sources possible for this team to compete next year. DO shop everyone on the ML team except for Sale, Q, Abreu, Eaton, A. Garcia, and anyone under the age of 25. To me, if the price is right on anyone else, you take the deal. The only players that would require a major return in my book would be Ramirez and Gillaspie, because I feel that the production of either would be particularly difficult to replace, and would create a ripple effect of platoon problems, unless you feel Semien can replace Gillaspie's production. Also, if you can sucker someone into taking Danks's contact, great, but unlikely. Viciedo would be a great guy to move as well, especially if you can get anything of value for him. DO NOT hand John Danks a 2015 rotation slot. To me, if the team goes out and signs a #2-3 caliber starter, then rotation slots 4 and 5 should be completely up for grabs. I have a feeling Noesi will pull down one of those slots because he has pitched fairly well for the White Sox this year, but I would like to see Bassitt, maybe Carroll, and hell even Erik Johnson get a shot at a starting slot. I hate the idea of making decisions on sunk costs, and to me, the only reason Danks would even be considered for the 2015 rotation is the sunk cost of his contract. If that's the case, then make him the long man and give a guy like Bassitt a shot to develop. That would be ideal to me, with the eventuality being that Rodon takes one of the 4 or 5 slots when he is ready. DO NOT spend big money in free agency on an old, "proven" bat. Signing a guy like Victor Martinez would set this team back in its goals as he is 36 and will get WAY too much on the open market. Paying a 36 year old $20 million per year for 3 years is obscenely stupid unless you feel that that player can put your team on a championship contending level. Without significant other spending, Victor Martinez would not do that for the White Sox. Nor would Russell Martin, nor any of the other 32-36 year olds available. DO NOT go into "Win Now" mode. This is a ~75 win team. To be a playoff team, it will take a ~15-20 win improvement. It would be nigh impossible to gain that ground this off-season, and it would be bad to do so for the overarching long term goal of building a consistent championship contender. Gaining another 5-10 games this off-season should be the goal, with the full force of "Win Now" mode coming into effect after the 2015 season. Obviously, that doesn't mean start trading away the farm at that point, but I feel as though 2016 is going to be the realistic beginning of the White Sox competitive window with this core. You said a lot but you said nothing. Don't spend money on old bats in free agency. You know that pretty much anyone who reaches free agency is on the old side . The Sox have needs but all you said is acquire. Didn't say how to acquire but our quality tradeable assets are scarce but we have plenty of payroll room. That would suggest the Sox are more likely to explore the free agent route But don't sign the big names but you want 2 starting OF's and hopefully one is a middle of the order bat ? Do you know what starting outfielders and middle of the order bats cost ? How exactly do we get all that talent without trading anyone or signing anyone to a big free agent contract ? Now Colby Rasmus is 28 and a free agent had a lot of trouble beating the shift and swung at a lot of pitches out of the zone. I think wherever he signs it will be to play on a grass field. He thinks the turf in Toronto has a lot to do with nagging injuries with his hamstrings and hips. He still probably gets $10M a yr. for anywhere from 3-6 years from somebody . Is he someone you like being one of the younger free agents ? He had good years in the past but when he's bad he hits like Viciedo but is a much better fielder. Is a guy who just as likely to "hit" as he is to "miss" a way to build a championship caliber team ? Where is the power coming from next year without Dunn and maybe without Viciedo ? Without naming names , dollars and years it's rather easy to say don't do this or that but how do you execute it ? When is the year we are supposed to be ready? Abreu needs some quality bats around him in the lineup . Should he try to do it all by himself ? Do you want him to be turning 30 and the Sox are still filling holes by trying to nickel and dime their way into a playoff team ? The rumors have been the the Sox do intend to try to get VMart. Now if that's the truth , great , I'm 100% for it . The team has it's big names locked up and the rest are a long way from peak earning years. They have money to spend . Spend it on the best and lets get the talent level on this team higher and try to compete before Sales arm or Q's arm falls off. VMart isn't Dunn maybe the whole Dunn deal has clouded some peoples judgment . He hits for average and power and would be a great asset for our younger player's development and he's not likely to sign a lengthy deal at his age . If he wants 5 years yeah, forget it, but if he'll take 3 we have a few years to work our current starting pitching prospects into the rotation and compete at the same time. So I highly doubt signing a few free agents to 3 year deals with the amount of payroll space the Sox have is going to hamstring the team especially when the long term goal of competing every year isn't going to cost much if our young pitchers can step in.