chitownsportsfan

Great video, yea that AB was like watching a rookie in the NBA just absolutely school a veteran all-star on a 1v1 matchup and the vet just kinda tips his hat to the new stud.

You could argue he's now our best player. He should not be moved lightly. He's young and cheap enough that he could be around for any future good times.

I saw him carrying the pink backpack his rookie year in Baltimore pregame, in a game that Viciedo actually started at 3B. Then he came in in relief later in the game and was all arms and elbows, IIRC that was his MLB debut. Proud to say I was at the game. That will be my lasting memory of him, all promise and mostly fulfilled individually but not as a team. But he is only one of 25.

I want to see Jose come into camp lean. Not 18-22% body fat but around 12%. The extra 20lbs he carries around do not help his lower body stay injury free during the year.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 04:15 PM) Don't they just have to press a few buttons to make trades happen? I can say in OOTP 16 under standard trade settings this deal never would have gone down. The AI in '16 is crazy in love with prospects. They probably would have accepted that package minus Moncada!

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 04:13 PM) Find solace that they got almost 32mm instead. That could buy anything from a top tier ace to three 2 WAR type players in 2019 or 2020. My understanding is they already paid him about 20 million of the 31 million dollar bonus. The other 31 million was tax, which the White Sox won't be paying. So in essence they got 11 million thrown into the deal. Not quite as good as 31 million but not bad either.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 04:12 PM) If they even suspect that is possible, then you take the best offer you can for him. Yes you do. Of course, if he bounces back this year that throws a wrench into my argument. But his decline so far looks like a pretty standard aging curve from late 20s to early 30s.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 04:08 PM) I'm iffy on that - my big issue is the performance dropoff. Stepping back and considering season by season, he's gotten progressively worse each year he's been here, and we haven't gotten a good reason why. Maybe the problem in the 1st half last year was health. He's had health issues since he arrived, so we can't say "that will get better with time" because that's not how Health works. If the issue wasn't health, then we have no answer about why he is trending down or about what happened with his first half slump last year. Last thing you want to do is offer him another $60 million to extend for a couple years and then have him turn into Ryan Howard. We've got 3 years of control left on him, at the very least I'd say add another year of data to see what his bat is like next year before you talk extension. If that costs us an extra $20 million in the long term I'm ok with that, that would mean his bat recovered next year and that's a gamble I'm ok with losing a bit. As I've said before: the simplest explanation is that's he's not 29, he's 32.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:59 PM) I was gung ho on moving Abreu until we traded for a top flight young Cuban. I'm a little more open to holding him now unless we get a good deal for him for that reason alone. Jose should be held for no other reason then his value is low. If he rebuilds some value by midseason I'd be more inclined to move him. There's not much downside to keeping him IMO he's not blocking anybody and if he doesn't perform his contract won't break the bank.

Sale is a pitcher and subject to TINSSAAP like all the rest. He's inherently risky as a long term bet. Sox did well to move him while his value as still at peak. You wait until mid season you take a big risk that he gets injured or suffers performance decline.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:56 PM) What's the initial take from people regarding the return? Fair, overwhelmed, underwhelmed? Completely fair. Both sides got what they wanted IMO. White Sox got their "anchor" and the Red Sox just became odds on WS favorites for '17.

QUOTE (shipps @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:51 PM) That pic is like the moment you see your ex girlfriend with the new guy. Complete opposite of heart warming moment. Except if you and the ex were mutually dependent on each other and not actually complimenting either and were in a constant break up and make up scenario and nobody was ready to pop the question after 5 years together. Cut your losses.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:48 PM) Exactly, Mark. Perfect take. Now that Sale is gone and we're a last-place team ASSURED in the Central, do as you said, "start dealing guys." There is absolutely no reason to keep any everyday player except Anderson and dealing Q and Robertson should be coming soon. Get what you can for everybody and hope it someday assembles into a winner. Whatever you think about WAR he's not the difference between 79 wins and 70. They aren't assured of anything, including the cellar.

QUOTE (Black_Jack29 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 04:04 PM) If lots of strikeouts are accompanied by lots of walks, I'm OK with that. Who who cares about the strikeouts. If he hits 250/340/480 he's a 4 WAR player.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:47 PM) That's doesn't exactly help us. Hell, it probably hurt us. It shouldn't matter one bit to either side. Sunk cost and all that.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:35 PM) The comps are Cano but faster. I'll take that.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 03:34 PM) I keep forgetting he exists lol maybe we can flip him for an interesting prospect or two. He should be kept as part of the rebuild imo. He's cheap and offers some upside.

From that video the obvious comp is Robbie Cano, right?

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 02:33 PM) Anyone disappointed with this needs to scale back and realize we acquired a near MLB ready, #1 prospect in baseball that is one of the highest regarded ever. Hopefully more is on the way, but Hahn got his "untouchable". Bummed to see Sale go - he's a Top 5 Sox pitcher all time, definitely most talented. But the rebuild has begun. Yep. Getting Moncada is the key. He's one of the most highly thought of prospects ever. This is like getting a potential Frank Thomas. Not saying he's going to have a 60 WAR career but as far as getting a MLB "sure thing" position player stud this is about as good as it gets and that is what the Sox needed.

Getting Moncada is a solid start.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 5, 2016 -> 06:34 PM) Where's the KW book on how he was behind the Eaton, Tim Anderson and Abreu moves? There's only one copy and it sits on JR's desk.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 5, 2016 -> 07:12 PM) We're talking about the White Sox. An organization whose last best home-grown position player has been Joe Crede. The organization is inept when it comes to developing hitters. Even Tim Anderson with how well he did last year has a massive issue with plate discipline that will more than likely cause him some headaches next year once teams figure out how to pitch to him. They need a can't miss position player. The fans know it and the front office knows it. I'm not saying Gioloto or Robles aren't great returns, but if the Shelby Miller's and Jeff Samardzija's of the world bring back Swanson and Russell, then it's not insane for the current asking price of Sale. We've never seen a pitcher of his caliber become available like this with his current contract. Well said. 100% agree. It's MLB ready 3-4 WAR stud (with room for superstar growth) or bust. Sox can't develop hitting prospects, we need to get someone that's already MLB established.

This franchise continues to think small. Penny smart pound foolish. Who gives a s*** if you improve the Cubs? Improve your own damn selves and give yourself the best hand possible in doing so. Eliminating a team that craves elite SP while also having a deep talented farm is dumb, who gives a s*** where they play.

I root for the laundry. Players come and go. If the return is good, I'll be happy. If it's not, I'll be mad. So "indifferent" is the vote for now.

The homoertotic nature of most locker rooms occasionally bleeds through with tales like this. These guys are so insecure at times.