Balta1701

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 02:11 PM) Is there even a reason to extend Quintana yet? He's not even arbitration eligible until 2016. Reed & Santiago make more sense to extend IMO, but honestly, signing any of them to extensions would have a minimal impact on our 2014 payroll since they're all stil pre-arb. Beckham will want more than 3/$15M to buy out a free agency year, probably more like 3/$21M. Viciedo & De Aza are also arb-eligible, but I believe that's it for our team. Not a lot of guys getting big raises either. I still don't see where are still money is going next year. I'd be shocked if they didn't make at least one decent signing. We don't have a 1B for next year so I could really see Morales or Hart signed to fill that hole as long as it's a somewhat short-term deal (2-3 years max.) Extending Quintana would be done for the same reason as extending Sale...to get ahead of the curve. On top of that, we actually have the money to do it now. Get it done, build in a bunch of option years, and leave that not to chance. Reed and Santiago are a year closer to arbitration so it makes more sense to try to get them done. And if anyone is interested in trading for them at any point, having them signed could well make that easier rather than harder. Viciedo and De Aza I would not offer longer-term extensions to right now. Beckham, if the Sox have to go to $20 million I'd consider it. He's shown enough this year to motivate risking the money on him continuing to improve. I still think there will be a couple relief pitchers signed.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 02:14 PM) The White Sox don't get on base very often. Getting the team's overall OBP to a respectable level is going to take a long time considering they really don't have many if any high OBP guys on their roster or in their system, and when guys do get called up, they unfortunately tend to struggle initially. The best way to offset low OBP is with power. Power and pitching (with defense being an extension of pitching) will win. Part of the problem also is that we have a number of guys who also need to hit better. When teams know that they can get guys like Viciedo, Phegley, Gillaspie, Beckham out within the zone, they're unlikely to put themselves in position to work a walk because the pitcher can just go after them. Whether people like him or not, pitchers try not to make a mistake to Adam Dunn because they know he can hurt the pitcher. Pitchers aren't nearly as scared of the other guys. And again, Konerko suddenly becoming useless this year really hurts as well, because he was another legitimately scary guy in that lineup. If we can have some success in turning guys into hitters, like we're doing with Beckham now, that will improve the team OBP a lot and not just from getting more hits. But the .248 we're hitting on the year, 10th in the AL, and .379 we're slugging on the year, 12th in the AL, feed back into that OBP line too.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 01:52 PM) They are way behind Detroit and will be for the next year or two. The starting rotation is in place for the next three years at a cost controlled price. The pen can be built around Jones and Reed. There are some positional players that could use some proper coaching. The rebuild is in place and has begun. With the pitching staff, this team could catch up a lot sooner than you guys are giving credit for...but they need things to go right on the field, instead of everything being a disaster again. You're definitely right though...a whole lot of it is the need of coaching.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 12:24 PM) Cause let's face it, Hahn's explanation for how they're going to use the savings is a bunch of BS given the new spending caps on amateur players. But that won't stop people from declaring how great of an idea it is.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 01:44 PM) There's just no reason to extend Dayan at the moment. Correct.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:48 AM) If I were him, I'd probably want to keep my stay there as brief as possible. Keep trying until someone else opens their doors and then book it out of there. He's better off over there than he would be here, but probably not by much. Other countries have already offered to open doors for him, the problem is actually getting there. If he flies normally he runs the risk of having the plane forced to land when he's over someone else's airspace. He could possibly take a very long boatride that stays in international waters to get to South America, but he couldn't do that until he could leave the airport.

Oh, and to answer the question where the money actually goes, my guess is that the list for the offseason looks something like: Extend Quintana Extend Reed Extend Beckham (No reason to go to arbitration for another year, he's worth risking something like $3/15 guaranteed on with an option/buyout) Maybe extend Santiago Get all those guys locked up, and then: Sign at least 1, more likely 2-3 more veteran bullpen arms, including at least 1 lefty. Fix the **** bench. This step probably will involve bringing in a few guys (like Salty as I noted in the last post) who can contribute, maybe do several things, and can do those things well enough to actually get playing time. Guys coming off bad seasons or injuries would be idea.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 07:54 AM) Order in which I'd be interested in free agents: Cano McCann Ellsbury Infante Saltalamacchia Uribe I'm definitely not saying the Sox could go out and outbid teams for these guys, especially Cano, but these are guys I'd most like to see. Salty is a switch hitter right? That actually might make some sense as a guy to put out there with Phegley on a short deal. If they're not ready to completely cut Flowers out, they could move those guys between C and 1b/DH to spread at bats around as well.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:00 AM) Many of you need to read the new thread I created about Rick Hahn on with Spiegel and Finfer this morning. Those of you that want free agents this offseason are going to be disappointed. Many will be spent on the draft and on the international market. Maybe a free agent here and there. 2014 is a wash. Just to remind, teams can't do this any more. There's really diminishing returns on how many scouts you send to see the same 3-4 players, and spending on international players is now capped.

I stopped being interested in Cano when Beckham came back from his injury and started hitting. Beckham at $5 million next year is a much better buy for this franchise than Cano would be, with where they are currently.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:56 AM) The union is also bending over backwards for Bud, which surprised me. If they do go with the lifetime ban, I can't wait to see out play out in court. You know A-Rod will lawyer up and not go down without a fight. The Union isn't bending over backwards for Bud. They're bending over backwards for their players. Just from ARod and Braun we're talking about $400 million in contracts. That's $400 million that could have gone to clean players and instead is locked up in the bank accounts of a couple guys who cheated to get where they are.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 10:50 PM) Wise and Tekkote just need to leave. Get Garcia and Jacobs up there and hit. or Thompson. Jacobs is hitting AA pitching solidly but he's still got a very raw game. Couple misplays in the field and one on the basepaths that I caught. Thompson is still clearly learning how to hit AA pitching. He's gone through some slumps, taken his lumps, and he's learning. these guys are right where they should be for the next month and a half.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 08:44 AM) I guess I just don't see PEDs as that big of a deal, MLB allowed them and turned a blind eye for so long, suddenly they want to be the bad guy. Yes they turned a blind eye but now that they're doing something about it, they deserve actual credit. This guy is a lifelong cheater who will walk away with $100 million because of it. He deserves a much worse fate.

Blanke pops out with 1 out and 2nd 3rd. Puckett flies out to end the inning.

RBI double for Jacobs. He is wearing out that CF fence.

I'd put Garcia first also. But that might have changed had EJ dominate Charlotte instead of the DL for the last month.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 07:43 PM) Why is Jacobs getting "man I feel like a woman" played when he comes up? Cody Puckett gets this ones for the girls

Jacobs first out was crushed, line drove to the wall in right center. Solid catch by sczur.

Why is Jacobs getting "man I feel like a woman" played when he comes up?

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 04:42 PM) I dont know I think a C is a fair grade if you're grading the deadline alone. The Peavy deal certainly didn't wow anyone but it was still decent to good. Nothing else of note. I'd give the Red Sox an A+, the Cubs a B, the Tigers a D+, the Pirates a D, and the Rangers a F. PS: david.schoenfield Fans of every team think their prospects are better than any other team's. Except the White Sox. Lol so true. Seriously? An A+ for Boston? I get the others, I get a positive grade for the Red Sox, but a perfect 100?

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 04:35 PM) Shocked Texas didn't pick up a bat...Is the waiver period all of August?? I can still see something happening there. I would hope either Rios or Dunn get claimed. I'm cool with leaving Garcia in the minors the rest of the year but would be pretty bummed if he's not in the lineup next season. I suppose if neither go during the waiver period or in the offseason then we COULD be looking at a Garcia-De Aza-Rios OF with Dunn and Tank at 1B/DH. Players can be put on waivers at any time and traded any time afterwards if they pass all the way through. But, a player must be on a team's 40 man roster on September 1st to be able to participate in the postseason for that team, UNLESS that team suffers an injury during september from someone on the 40 man roster. I don't think Dunn would be claimed but I wouldn't be stunned if Rios was, particularly after the suspensions come through.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 04:07 PM) He seems to have become a symbol for what has been wrong with our team this year. I didn't want to dump him for nothing, but I wouldn't have missed him if we traded him. Hope he sets the world on fire for us and makes us unexpectedly good next season I'd say he's the symbol of this team in the eyes of a certain group of fans, not everyone.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 03:50 PM) This is dreadfully painful... And I actually enjoy Rios...and Alexei...but I think I am ready to turn the page on this entire group. My one hope is that these same guys had infinitely better levels of on the field focus and intelligence last season. Whatever it was that changed for this roster this year...that change can go back.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 03:32 PM) $$$ We can shed his money by doing a waiver wire trade or just putting him on waivers if it's that important.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 03:19 PM) I don't think the Sox are going to trade anyone else unless it's a waiver deal. I'm still going to be surprised if Lindstrom isn't moved.