chitownsportsfan

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Dec 19, 2014 -> 08:01 AM) I like this for depth. This is a helluva f***ing move the more I look at it. Sox just got a .5 WAR backup catcher with the upside to be a 2 WAR starter for nothing. Hahn continues to impress. If he sucks are gets hurt screw it, you tried and paid nothing.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 09:01 PM) Ha, I have a picture with Ron KIttle from when I was a kid too. It's funny the year I was born '83, Kittle won ROY, my dad put that in my baby book. Ha. Lotta Sox fans formed around that time. Jeff is a huge Sox fan jeez he was pulling names only most die hards would know.

Yep, it's a new environment. A 690 OPS from a solid defensive catcher is fine. My problem with Flowers is that I expect him to OPS 640 and be .5 WAR or so. Conor is a fine starting 3B. He's not a star, but compared to say 2012 -- the Sox are OK at 3B. The real problems are the 4th and 5th starters. I'm not convinced on either Hector or Danks. They def need Rodon to come in and be a 100 ERA+ guy in July.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 02:50 PM) With the injury time he missed last year, I would imagine he is ticketed for Charlotte. Yep. If he's hitting 300/340/450 in charlotte in July, ok, that's a good problem. From all accounts his defense needs work. Let him season in AAA. Sanchez is just further ahead developmentally, even if his ceiling is lower.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 02:37 PM) I think Micah is going to get the nod. I'm just saying if I had my way I'd probably go with Sanchez with the way this team is currently constructed. I'd be shocked personally. He's not ready. Not even for the Sox' aggressive promotions is he even close.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Dec 18, 2014 -> 02:38 PM) The average 3rd baseman in the American League hit .249 last year, a .701 OPS. That's average, not weak. I point this out because I think people in general are bad at understanding what bad is these days and consequently have a bad understanding of how good Gillaspie was at the plate. He's been subpar defensively. He should be platooned. But the guy has a .765 career OPS against righties and we have him for basically zero dollars. I'd like to think Saladino can do fine with those 150 PAs. Exactly. Protect Conor against LHP.

You guys really need to start reading the tea leaves better. Sanchez is the starting 2B. Micah Johnson has like 300 PA above high A. He's not Chris Bryant either. He needs to prove as much as Davidson this year, if not more, in AAA. Sanchez was given his cup of coffee because he's the de facto starter entering 2015. Now, obviously things can change but as I've said: if Sanchez is 15 runs above average (and he showed last year he can be, he's a very slick fielder with more range than Beckham) then he doesn't need to slash much more than 250/290/340 to be worth 1 to 2 WAR. You can't expect to have studs at every position. Just be glad that for the first time in years the lineup can carry a defensive specialist in the infield because they have enough superior bats around him.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 10:24 PM) They're not going to do that...it would be idiotic to guarantee his salary and then dump him. They didn't do it with Beckham and DeAza, Hahn's not going to start now. If they were content to pay a back-up/platoon player that much last year, it's not going to change in 2015... thing is they are only on the hook for $750k (aka chicken scratch in today's revenue environment) if they cut him before spring. worst case they eat the money, not a big deal.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 05:04 PM) Seeing what Rios and other 1 WAR players make in free agency, i just honestly cant believe some team isnt willing to take a chance on the remaining DV upside. He's not old. For sure, someone has to be willing to give up an A ball arm for him. Maybe when the dust settles on the FA market in late Jan. He could go to an NL team like the Padres or Pirates imo.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 04:11 PM) If Viciedo played catcher, this conversation wouldn't be happening. bingo. This isn't the sillyball era but if you're -10 runs below average in LF you sure as s*** better slash 270/330/450. Tank didn't even come close to that last year. His power does not make up for his lack of contact and OBP, not to even mention his defense. Tank sucks, he's only useful to a team rebuilding or looking to add a .5 WAR player to their bench that has a bit of upside. Those teams exists, but it's not an easy fit.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Dec 16, 2014 -> 10:14 PM) Definitely. I like a lot of the voices there, but it's way too cliquish/groupthinkey. Yep. It's why I changed back over to Soxtalk last year as my primary Sox related hangout.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Dec 16, 2014 -> 09:33 PM) Expect Dayan Viciedo to be traded. Hahn to @CSNChicago: "In all probability it will be another club that sees him in a greater role." https://twitter.com/ChuckGarfien/status/545026112498040833 Hahn continued: "and usually those things have a way of working themselves out." https://twitter.com/ChuckGarfien/status/545026197357228034 Rick Hahn is still a busy guy. Just before our interview today he got a call about a player. https://twitter.com/ChuckGarfien/status/545026494779518976 Yep those are the quotes I was referring to earlier. All the bed wetting on SSS about tendering Viciedo was so stupid. And fwiw I called them out at the time. This place was much more balanced.

QUOTE (daggins @ Dec 16, 2014 -> 08:06 PM) Crasnick is the only guy who tweeted this, right? Couple other mariners sources are saying (vaguely) that they are kicking the tires on a lot of different outfielders. Jack Z said today that he'd be adding "depth" mostly at this point so depending on what you consider depth he might be talking a smaller move like bringing in Viciedo or signing someone like Aoki. Hard to say but Hahn seems pretty certain from what I've gathered that they can move Viciedo for something, even if it's not to the Ms.

Well, he can't be any worse than Paulino.

I like a good deep dish on a rare occasion but as a ex-new yorker the pizza there is unreal. Literally not a bad slice in the city. One of things I miss the most out here in Seattle is good pizza.

No, next question.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 01:22 PM) You mean you have less patience. most people still hvae the patience as he missed most of last year. I haven't heard anyone else mention it. no kidding, the kid suffered a very bad injury and came back and held his own and even showed off his improved sliding techniques. Avi is the least of my worries in 2015. Back end of rotation is way, way, way more dicey than a talented kid like Avi playing his first (knock on wood) full big league season.

QUOTE (Bigsoxhurt35 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 01:16 PM) @TNT_Mariners: Early on, Melky Cabrera expressed desire not to sign with West Coast club. @Enrique_Rojas1 reports that was a factor in choosing CWS offer. Flights back to the DR from the West Coast are just a nightmare I'm sure. Not quite as easy as from NYC/East but Chicago is much easier (4 hours closer) than SF/LA/SEA

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 12:47 PM) Sigh, was really hoping he'd rate out as average. He's a former CF that will now be playing in the very narrow LF of US Cellular. He's fairly athletic and is only 30. He's going to seem like prime Andruw Jones compared to Tank. He's not a great defender, but he's going to save 5-10 runs just by not being Dayan Viciedo.

RICK HAHN STOP READING MY POSTS!!!

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 12:46 AM) I understand the concept of who it's supposed to be it's just that it is so vague that it could be any level our Jordan Danks is probably different than a roster guy from the Twins. It makes more sense if they can say the average MLB regular is a 2 WAR player. Therefore, if you had an average player at every position you should theoretically finish 20 games ahead of a team with 4 A players which it seems you are trying to describe. You don't though. Here, let's try again: http://www.baseball-reference.com/about/war_explained.shtml

Haha, cool post Finn. Yea you'd think any pro ball player could play a decent LF after 1000 or so fungoes in spring. apparently not given Viciedo's problems! There aren't a lot of good options. I'm not completely sold on Melky but I continue to think he's the best option if he'll sign for 4 years at ~15 million AAV (averaged salary per year).

I've been looking at Ethier -- was he injured last year or something because his batted ball data is a mess. 51% GBs and 5.6% HR per FB on the odd chance he didn't kill a worm? He just screams "old" IMO. Only .7 fWAR last year and his wRC+ sunk to just 98. He's basically a good player that is now old. Will he bounce back into an average player? I have no idea but Melky costs only money. If the Dodgers want to trade him for a bag of balls and include cash then OK, let's deal, but paying anything of actual value (aka any prospect in the top 20) seems a huge overpay. His contract is f***ing awful. Through '17 at an AAV of 17 million with a vesting option for '18 if he hits 550 PA. No, f*** it, god no. Not unless the Dodgers sent over 40 million, and usually the commish doesn't look too kindly on those deals.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 08:42 PM) A douche undoubtedly, but could the apparent Rodon negotiation olive branch (I'm calling it an olive branch because SB/CR seemed to get everything they could have hoped for, with little leverage, imo), possibly be a bridge to a Harper having interest in the Palehose? Sure, he's a tool, but he'd be OUR tool. Change of scenery, mellow dude like RV might do him good. Not a chance.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 07:21 PM) What is the difference between league average and a replacement level players? An "average starter" is usually considered around 2 WAR. A replacement player is often considered to be an abstraction but in reality it's concrete and important: it's a guy you could grab off a AAA team at any time. Think Josh Phegley, Jordan Danks, Rienzo, guys like that. Not saying that's all they ever will be, but that's all they are currently. This is a good primer on it: http://www.fangraphs.com/library/misc/war/