sircaffey

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Oct 8, 2007 -> 11:33 PM) Coco Crisp hasn't gotten on base in 3 years and his defense is pretty average. And why oh why would you trade a 23 year old reliever who's already proven to be an incredibly effective LOOGY? Especially when you then suggest signing a Japanese import for undoubtedly more money. Makes no sense.

QUOTE(DaGame2584 @ Oct 8, 2007 -> 11:05 PM) I would try to trade Logan or McDougal, Crede(To replace Lowell if he leaves), and McCulloch. If that wasn't possible then I would keep Crede, plug Fields in @ LF, and Fukudome @ CF for a season. 2 years @ 11 Mil isn't bad considering today's contract being handed out. I mean what has Aaron Rowand done in the last few seasons to justify the numbers he might get this offseason. Coco plays good D, gets on base, and handles the bat enough for we need him for. Plus if they really want to help their BFF White Sox they should hand us over Manny & Ortiz & pay their contracts for Mr. Grinder Darin Erstad. Another all of this talk about what could happen this offseason I wouldn't doubt that our OF looks like this in 2008 Fields, 90% Erstad/10% Owens, and Dye. Since when has Coco shown the ability to get on base? His past two seasons of .268/.330/.382 ('07) and .264/.317/.385 ('06) were horrendous. We already have close to a spitting image of Crisp in Owens for $5 mil less. Crisp's best season OBP wise was .345 3 seasons ago, and that is certainly nothing to jump up and scream about. Pass on Crisp, please.

If you want to point to BB rate: Shingo's walks rates by month: April: 2.57 BB/9 May: 3.08 BB/9 June: 0.77 BB/9 July: 3.85 BB/9 Aug: 4.90 BB/9 Sept: 3.72 BB/9 Was the increase due more to Shingo having control issues or hitters figuring him out? Not surprisingly, his H/9 increased as well: April: 6.42 H/9 (minus his 1st Major League Game against NYY, his H/9 is 4.5 for the month) May: 4.63 H/9 June: 3.08 H/9 July: 5.78 H/9 Aug: 8.18 H/9 Sept: 6.51 H/9 While still pretty good numbers, I don't see how anyone can look back and be surprised or blame control as the main reason for Shingo's ineffectiveness in 2005. Hitters were obviously becoming more accustomed to him. Given a full off season and a full season of tape/scouting reports, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise. He could have had better command in 2005, but whether that would have translated to better overall performance, you can not say. In fact, it's not a huge stretch to say that Shingo would have done just as bad had he gotten the ball over the plate more. He just doesn't have the stuff to get Major League hitters out consistently. All these numbers are from 2004. Oh and if you are wondering, Shingo's BB/9 in 2005 for the White Sox was 5.02. Basically, one more BB per 9 appearances than his final 3 months of 2004 (which really isn't that much higher in the grand scheme of things).

His walk rate can not solely be attributed to lake of command. Not for a pitcher who relies only on deception. When he left the Sox to go with to the Mets, he walked 1 in 8 IP for their AAA club, and 3 in 7.2 IP for the major league club. Rates much better than with the Sox. What gives? New league, new hitters? Who knows. Also, we couldn't pay anyone to take Shingo from us. And we haven't heard a peep since. Deception can be a powerful thing, but when you lose it, you lose it for good. 88 mph fastball, mid 70's slider, high-mid 60's changeup. What there screams consistent Major League success? He's never been a control artist.

Shingo was all about deception. He didn't have great stuff. Saito, Sasaki, Hasegawa, etc. all have good stuff. Looking back, is it really a shocker that Shingo got lit up in the second year trying to deceive major league hitters with slow, slower, and slowest?

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Oct 8, 2007 -> 09:15 AM) Well, except for Ozzie because he is the worst manager ever, according to 80% of Soxtalk. Ozzie would lose that team/clubhouse in less than a month if he didnt adapt his style.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Oct 7, 2007 -> 02:33 PM) And yet Podsednik only scored 80 runs and the 3 hole hitter put up a .746 OPS. How much of an effect did his threat to steal really have? This team just needs someone at the top who can get on base about 36% of the time, get himself to second with some XBH, steal the occasional base and perhaps knock himself every once and awhile. Going out of the way to find someone who can also steal bases isn't necessary in my mind. Besides are you certain Furcal will steal any more than say 25 bases next year? His SB were way down this past season along with his XBH where has his speed gone? Not to mention Pods got thrown out 23 times in 82 attempts (71%). 75% and above is what any good base stealer should be at. It's really sickening to see that one of our worst hitters (pods, owens, erstad) has been getting the most PA over the course of the season. Each spot in the lineup is worth an average of 18 PA over the course of a season. That means one of our worst hitters has been getting 36 more PA than Thome, 54 more than Konerko, and 72 more than Dye. The only real way to make up the PA difference is to increase the number of PA with runners on base. This speed crap is so overrated. GET ON BASE!

God yes, bring Mattingly too.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Oct 6, 2007 -> 11:41 PM) Please no, he strikes out a ton and is a poor defender, and I hear hes very similar to Adam Dunn of the reds. This is not a guy youd want leading off for us, but I wont completely throw it out the window. If he can get on base like Dunn, then he is a guy you want leading off.

I vote for no more players that can't hit their way out of a paper bag.

Both would be immensely frustrating to watch. Seeing Eckstein's rainbows over to first base is almost unbearable. We should either go big at SS (Tejada, Furcal, Renteria) or we go very small. There's no one in the middle worth getting for anything more than $1-2 mil.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Oct 1, 2007 -> 11:51 PM) Probably wishful thinking but hopefully.... Ryan Bukvich Jose Contreras Mike Myers Toby Hall Alex Cintron Darin Erstad Andy Gonzalez (wouldn't mind him in the minors to be honest) Scott Podsednik I'd go for Chone Figgins in the offseson to be the CF/leadoff hitter... not quite sure what the Angels would need however and I don't think we have enough to get him. I'd also try and get Renteria from the Braves... could a package of something like Contreras + money (money thrown in for 09 as the contracts would cancel each other out next year), Brian Anderson, and a prospect get it done? Also, it looks extremely likely that Crede will be brought back next season. Both of those trade ideas are probably unlikely, however they would extremely help this team... 1. Figgins, CF 2. Renteria, SS 3. Thome, DH 4. Konerko, 1B 5. Dye, RF 6. Pierzynski, C 7. Fields, LF 8. Crede, 3B 9. Richar, 2B BENCH - Lucy/?, Owens, Terrero, Ozuna, ??? (I'd love to get Wilson Betemit for this final bench spot but again, wishful thinking by me.) ROTATION - Buehrle, Vazquez, Garland, Danks, Floyd BULLPEN - Jenks, MacDougal, Thornton, Logan, Whasserman, Free agent/prospect I think a new rule should be made that you can not propose any trade involving Brian Anderson unless its for Neifi or Timo Perez. The guy has no trade value.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Oct 1, 2007 -> 01:49 PM) I'm not saying sign nobody, just...be careful. No big deals, try to stick with younger guys, nothing beyond 3 years, and that only with the best options. I wanted the Sox to offer Riske arbitration, mostly in the hope of getting picks, but thinking that he'd have a spot in the bullpen even if they got stuck with him. It depends what the other choices are for that money. If you have to jettison Crede to sign two 30+ relievers, is that a good tradeoff? (The money will probably be close.) On the other side, suppose you can have 4 or 5 'risky' relievers for the price of 1 'reliable' vet (salary-wise, that's about right). I doubt the risk is much greater with the kids as a group (only one has to pan out), and you have the added upside risk that you may actually get a star on the cheap for many years. (Like the Sox did with Jenks.) Jmho. The problem also with going with a pen full of risky pitchers is that it's going to take time to figure out roles. It may cost us a few games early on to figure out who to pitch where. Personally, I don't think we have the best manager to "figure out" a bullpen. I think it much better to have the blueprint printed before the season with Oz at this point in his career.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 1, 2007 -> 01:13 PM) But here's the problem; what's the other option? To go out and spend $5 million a year over 4 years on a Linebrink or something else likie that? Pretty much every one of the available bullpen guys not named "Mariano" is going to be a "rebound" bullpen type at the best, because there's really no one on the market who's had a great season and put up a solid, consistent career. Any philosophy is going to be extremely dangerous. Every philosophy carries a high risk of failure. The job right now is to minimize that risk. It could still happen even if you make the correct decisions 100% of the time, because there may just not be solutions available. We'll have to see how the market plays out. I'm not advocating giving a middle reliever a contract like Baez. If the free agent market is too pricey, explore the trade market. If you have to overpay there, then that's fine with me. But giving a contract like the ones given to Bradford, Walker, and Howry, contracts frowned upon by some, would be something I'd welcome with open arms with the current state of the pen. If this strategy is not feasible, then move to plan B, but I would hate for plan A to be fill the bullpen with a bunch of unknowns and Jenks.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Oct 1, 2007 -> 12:47 PM) Oh, I'm sure there are holes; whether there are 1 or 2 or 5, I don't think anyone can be sure of now. I just think the #1 dumbest reaction to this season would be to sign the next Danys Baez. Stick with youth & cheap 'rebound' types, please. That's all fine and dandy, but that philosophy is extremely dangerous. You head into the season with a bunch of "rebound" types and young talent conbined with Jenks and the chance of the season going south in a hurry is very present. No one's saying get rid of everyone but Jenks, but to head into a season with just Jenks as the only solid bet to turn in a good year would not be smart. Add one arm with an extended history of success, and fill the rest of the bullpen with guys like Thornton and MacDougal. The pen has the chance to be really good or it has the chance to be below average, but with 2 reliable arms, the probability of it going to s*** in a handbag like this year is far less.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Oct 1, 2007 -> 11:50 AM) Oxymoron. A bullpen can blow up in your face no matter if you go about it like the Sox did (stockpiling hard-throwing young guys) or like the Orioles did (trying to sign every good veteran reliever in fa). Only the Sox aren't paying $10+ mil a year for their bad luck. The Sox are not going to be giving out 3 yr, $16 million deals to any bullpen guys this offseason like BAL did with Baez. Many thought that was the worst contract of the offseason. It's really an out lier when it comes to middle relief contract. Other than Baez, the O's got tremendous seasons out of Bradford and Walker, guys who have had a career of success. Did they overpay for them? Probably, but seeing as how the bullpen was a disaster this year, I wouldn't mind KW overpaying for a reliever or two with consistent career success like those guys, whether it be through trade or free agency. There are relievers out there that put up consistent numbers year in and year out. Hopefully KW will be able to acquire one.

YES!

If you want to show a little something, then why not just pick up Ozzie's team option for 2009 right now? Being committed for 2 more seasons isn't enough?

At least we save money on that draft pick!

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 27, 2007 -> 11:25 AM) And the good news is...we can sign an A-level free agent and not have to worry about losing our first round pick! Who needs those anyways? Certainly not one of the worst farm systems in the league.

QUOTE(rangercal @ Aug 26, 2007 -> 10:38 PM) Kenny has his eye on the prize at all times. Some of the experts in this forum would be too much of a pussy to ever win the World Series. You will always be the oaklands of the world, always a solid team but not in the World Series. Keep taking the safe route, have fun with the 1st rd exits. That's all and well if you consistently produce quality prospects, but pretty soon the way KW has been going the cupboard is going to be completely bare (it's already pathetic). If KW doesnt change his philosophy, then all the Sox are going to be, is an old patchwork team for the rest of his tenure. Luckily for us, it should only be one more pathetic season. Can't wait for Kenny to blow his load on Hunter this offseason, locking in another aging veteran for the next 5 years. So glad he's not playing it safe. At least he doesnt have to trade for him.

This signing is purely for Brooks and his cast of creative geniuses.

Myers will be Logan's teacher for 1.5 months. Logan can learn a thing or two from a similar style left hander.

Sandy Alomar Jr. stepping in.

KW also works with $40 more million than Ryan. Could you imagine KW with a $60 mil payroll? How s***ty would we be?