Frank the Tank 35

It was always a soft deadline. KW just wants to have some sort of idea what PK's intentions are or where he's inclined to go. If it looks like he's slipping away, KW needs to be able to find another fit before none are available.

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Billy Wagner will sign with the Mets for $43 million over four years. He'll receive $10 million per year and a $10 million option for 2010 with a $3 million buyout. The report doesn't say, but we assume he'll also receive a no-trade clause. Nov. 28 - 4:21 pm et

I need one more variable to make my vote: will Frank be 100% (or as close as he can be at his age) before ST? If he is healthy, he's gone. If he's still recovering we have a chance to sign him to a minor (league) deal. If he's healthy, he has to start, but he would have no where to play. If he was still injured, perhaps he could be convinced to stay on with the club, rehabilitate and then be promised playing time at a later venture. Kenny did what he had to do, which was the smart thing, and brought in Thome. But if he is healthy, some other team will take him, and if he can play through the whole season (I know... a big if), he's gonna park at least 40. The thought of the Hurt putting up those numbers in another uniform pains me a great deal. So therefore, thinking with my heart not my head, I've come up with this novel idea: Sign Giles not Konerko and bring back Frank. Yes, I have been strictly against bringing Giles in but this would preserve the possibility of Frank's return. If Frank can't come back, Dye could move to 1B if Thome can't play the field. How's this lineup work for you: Pods, Gooch, Giles, Thomas, Thome, Dye, AJ, Crede, Uribe. Perfect LRLRLRLRR matchups. Anyway, my head tells me Thome + Konerko is the safer, more logical, and more probable choice. It just pains the hell out of me knowing Frank is probably done in a Sox uniform.

D-Rays need nothing except pitching (and perhaps a catcher). They are so stocked full of young, cheap talent, it's ridiculous.

QUOTE(forrestg @ Nov 22, 2005 -> 06:01 PM) Marlins are having a fire sale... Think about this Crede relatively inexpensive, a Boras Client Not a chance. This will NEVER happen. Even if the Marlins were trading Cabrera, which they're not, that deal would never ever work. Cabrera is a younger Pujols, seriously. We would literally have to trade them BMac, Garland, and our TOP 4 minor league prospects to even come close. Cabrera will be a yearly MVP candidate without question.

It has been rumored the Yanks might offer 3 years $33 mil.

QUOTE(The Bones @ Nov 18, 2005 -> 01:43 PM) I'd be willing to trade for Ichiro just so we don't have to face him. It seems like his BA is about .500 against us. It pretty much is against Buerhle... no joke.

I believe he has 2 years $22 mil left on his contract. Even though he wants to be traded, I think the Mariners will do absolutely everything in their power to keep him. That being said, there are just so many great things and options he brings to the table. We could really trade either Pods or Arow if we wanted (2 lefties at the top of the order? doable I guess...). Normally I'd speculate for another paragraph about the possibilities, but due to the unlikely nature of this occurrence, I digress.

Oh and BTW, does anybody remember last offseason when KW said Duque was in the best condition he's ever seen, etc etc... then Duque made a couple trips to the DL. Not exactly the same type of situation I realize, but it's good to be cautious. Thome would be an awesome addition if healthy, don't get me wrong.

Those words sound like they were carefully chosen, ie not specifically addressing the elbow. He had his surgery on August 16 and this article "http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050819&content_id=1176124&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi" states that it's believed that a full recovery would take 3-5 months. Today is the 3 month mark, so theoretically he could be all good to go. Could interested teams have an audition of sorts like the one Maggs put on for the Tigers?

Wouldn't any deal for Thome be precluded by a clean bill of health? One that I'm assuming will not be readily available for some time (spring training even?). He's gotta prove that he can play otherwise he's just as big if not a bigger risk than bringing back Frank.

Hmm, so that means the Yankees have $133 million invested in 11 players for next year so far. Let's see, add a Brian Giles at at least $10, a BJ Ryan for $7-8, and maybe a Tom Gordon (or similar RP thereof) for $5-7 = $156. Man do I wanna hurl. They dropped the big salaries of Kevin Brown and Bernie this offseason. They're looking to drop Posada. Sheff's contract could be over after next season as well as Randy's. I shudder to think of the $$ they're gonna spend next offseason. Derek and Carlos Lee in pinstripes...

Matsui stays with the Yankmes: Yankees agreed to terms with outfielder Hideki Matsui on a four-year, $52 million contract. The Yankees confirmed the agreement tonight. Matsui just finished up a deal that paid him $21 million, plus $1.5 million in incentives. The new contract puts him among the game's highest-paid outfielders and gives him an annual salary matching that of teammate Gary Sheffield. Most importantly, he surpasses Ichiro Suzuki to become the highest-paid player from Japan. Nov. 15 - 10:32 pm et

It all depends on genetics and the timing of applications and exercise. Some people are predisposed to being able to get big and/or stay big. After you take steroids, you WILL not keep all your gains, you can only hope to keep as much as possible. Then you recover (let your testes grow back, etc) and wait till your body has returned its hormonal levels to normal. Then you do it again and again. Each time you keep some of what you have gained. Depending on your nutrition and exercise program, you can keep these gains for an indefinite period of time. Of course as you age, your body loses its ability to keep all that mass, and you slowly lose it all. Look at Arnold now, he's still big but not nearly as big as he once was. I would kinda assume that he's not juicing anymore due to the fact that he's the governor and he's starting to get up there in age. I'll expound upon more of what I know, but I gotta run (to the gym, how ironic).

Alot of hardcore bodybuilders who juice use winny as a pct (post cycle therapy). In other words, they use a stronger steroid first, then use winny after that to slowly back down and keep their gains. Anything's a possibilty because you know he wouldn't admit it. As the immortal Will Ferrell once said, "I wish you weren't such a liar!"

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Nov 15, 2005 -> 04:29 AM) I think a key with Abreu is him getting back to that Pre ASB swing of his. Let's have a look at some stats here; He hits better against righties, obviously which is a plus. His home and away splits are a little alarming though; HOME - .304/.423/.535 AWAY - .268/.387/.417 And you gotta remember he's what 31 now, and will be 32 at the start of next season. It's not likely he's going to have 31 steals again, even if Ozzie will run him a lot, he only had 10 stolen bases in 73 games after the ASB. It's a risk, and I think other teams who are really desperate for a bat like Toronto, and have the payroll to really go for him, will possibly do so, if he's available. But Gillick's trying to move Thome first of course. Career: Home- .310/.430/532 Away- .296/.393/.492 Keep him away from the Home Run Derby!

Hmm... seems like I've read all of these posts before... maybe like earlier in the thread. I don't think anyone is insinuating that just because Abreu is Venezuelan, he's coming to the Sox, only that it would possibly facilitate such a move more easily. But honestly, what hitter would say, "Hmm, I'm on this team this division that for the upteenth time in a row has been won by the Braves. I could move to another hitter friendly ballpark where all of my skills would be utilized, they just won the World Series, and I could speak in my native language all the time. Sounds great, but I just love these pinkish jerseys... it's the new black you know."

QUOTE(VAfan @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 03:51 PM) As I said to Rowand44, if you want Abreu's numbers, why not sign Free Agent Brian Giles, who has actually had years when he hit more then 35 HRs, and who is obviously hampered playing in SD (look at his home and away splits last year - he's still above a 1.0 OPS on the road). Giles was offered $21 million over 3 years by SD. I'm sure he won't take it, but I'm also pretty confident that he could be had for $8-9 million/year over 3 years. Then you get a high-OBP left handed outfielder who can play all 3 outfield positions, but you don't have to give up any productive players in return. All while saving more than $10 million over the next two years. What will that $10 million buy you? An extension for Jon Garland at least, plus the increased salary for AJ Pierzynski and Joe Crede. Think with your brains. I'd take Abreu if he were a free agent for $10-12 million a year. In a trade, he's not worth that much. Wrong. He just turned down a 3 year $25.5 mil contract from the Pads. He's looking for the whole 10 for 3 years. Wow, 9 homers (3 at Coors with 15 rbi) away versus 6 at home. Abreu brings more than Giles IMO. He'll have at least double if not triple the number of steals, at least the same amount of power if not more, Abreu has 7 straight years of over 100 BBs something Giles cannot attest to and a number that is NOT dependant on the length of the fences, and even in DIRECT competition (both played RF for NL teams) Abreu won the GG. Yes I realize that the award is somewhat of a joke and is based a lot on name recognition, but Giles is not some no-name second year player. In addition, Abreu is 3 years younger and likely in his prime whereas I see Giles' numbers declining, perhaps not next year as he might be in a more favorable park, but definitely after that. QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 04:36 PM) That's ridiculous. Bobby' SLG% was 70 points less from 2004, didn't bat .300, and his OBP was below his career average. I suppose he's on the "downside" of his career too? He's 31, primetime. I'm not one for making excuses for players, but since everyone seems to be making one for Giles, I'll defend Abreu here. Look at his first half numbers compared to his post-AS numbers. What happened at the AS break? Oh yeah, he was in the Home Run Derby and won it. I think that's where his swing got messed up and dropped his average from .307 to where he finished which was still a respectable .286. It also affected his first half power surge as he only hit 6 homers in the second half as compared to 18 in the first while hitting 3 more doubles in less games. It also probably didn't help that he played in every single game the entire season without a chance to rest and rethink his mechanics. Bobby's always placed average before power, else he could realistically hit 40, and can be counted on to consistently hit around the .300 mark.

If ever the Sox management wanted to vault the White Sox into the top of the attendance categories, now would be the time to do it. More spent now equals more revenue later. IF those rumors about the Sox' payroll going up are true, nothing spikes attendance, except for a World Series, like a big bat. Why not combine the two? Ultimate marketing strategy? I think so... as long as we don't give up the pitching.

Holy crap, he won a GG too? This guy's got all the accolades to be on this team. Let's take a step into fantasy world for a second... from one of the other threads (I think the Rowand one), Bruce said KW said from a salary standpoint PK+Delgado would be possible. So tickle your fancies with this lineup: Pods, Gooch, Abreu, PK, Thomas, Dye, AJ, Crede, Uribe. Steals at the top, power in the middle, clutch hitting at the bottom. Ok, yeah who would play CF. It would be worked out. Damn it, I need to put the controller down and walk away...

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 12:17 AM) You are trying way 2 hard lol I got the itch... and I got a buzz. Frankly, that's all you need.

QUOTE(FGarcia34 @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 12:20 AM) That all sounds fine and dandy but the Phils still have to be willing to give up Abreu. The initial Wells for Abreu trade was proposed by the Jays and was quickly denied. So unless the Phils definetly want to dump his salary, its doubtful Abreu will be moved. The Jays inquired about Abreu, but the Phils inquired about Wells. The BJ's then turned THAT down. So the Phils ARE willing to trade him. Obviously they would prefer to trade Thome and would explore those options first. However, it is also not out of the realm of possibility that they trade one of Abreu/Burrell as well.

Ok, back to talking about how awesome it would be to have Abreu on the Sox... absolutely perfect fit for the Sox, just don't let him play home run derby again and mess himself up. He's been quoted as saying he'd rather win a batting title than say a home run title. Power, speed, average, lefthanded, a #3 hitter at its finest. Anyone got the defensive report? If we lost PK, we could have Dye move to 1st. Weren't the Phils interested in Burnett at the deadline? I seem to remember a 3-way deal with the Phils getting Burnett and the Sox getting Wagner. Anyway if the Rowand+Marte to the Phils doesn't work... how about Rowand to the Yanks, Wang to the Phils, Marte+OF prospect to the Phils (if they lose Wags)? Or if they want a more established pitcher, include Arizona and Javier Vazquez (who wants to go to the East Coast) to make it a 4 team deal (Zona gets Wang). Yeah that's getting complicated (does XBox even allow 4-way trades?), but I don't care. I want Abreu on this team real bad. The only players I wouldn't include would be our starting 5, Cotts, and Jenks. That's it, everyone else could be had for Abreu.

I was under the impression that his contract was set up specifically so he could avoid the arbitration process?

Yup, that's exactly what's going to happen. The Sox just won the World Series, all of our free agents leave, they have tons of money to spend, and sign no one (probably because nobody likes playing for a winner).