Balta1701

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 02:02 PM) If that Andrus deal is so nutty, why in the world would Philly want to trade for it? Have you seen what's left on Cliff Lee's deal?

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:58 PM) I can't comment on Cole or Goodwin but we are not getting Rendon or Giolito. Rendon would be one of the best prospects we could pick up though in terms of our state right now. 3B guy who could be good for a long team that isn't far off. We could dream, it's not happening though. Then there's very little reason to move Reed. If you're moving him it ought to be for a guy you'd say "it's not happening" about.

QUOTE (farmteam @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:46 PM) Did I miss something big happening today?

QUOTE (Boogua @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:48 PM) Yes, but the Bulls took Mirotic in the 20s. If the Bulls trade Deng for a top 5 pick, I suspect it would be for someone they would want to contribute right away. Oladipo will be solid on defense right from the start, but he's going to have some issues offensively. The one big thing trading Deng could do is give the bulls the full MLE this year, if it pushed them far enough under the luxury tax. That could be used to add scoring help. Plus at SG, let's not forget that Hinrich will almost certainly spend some time there.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:34 PM) I don't think the Cavs would do Deng + #20 for the #1, but I wonder if there's any team in the top 5 that might do Deng + #20 for their slot. Oladipo could well be available for several picks and he could be an interesting fit. Right on cue:

Wonder if today's events will have any impact on china's participation in this exercise.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:18 PM) Pierce isn't the player he once was, but still put up a PER of 19.1 last year, .559 TS%, and a .502 EFG% last year. If used properly, he would be a huge upgrade to the Bulls and he'd help make Derrick Rose a better player too. You are basically looking at a guy who can do a little bit of everything but nothing particularly well which is a lot better than the Bulls running out guys who are basically specialty players. He'd also prove to be a guy that Butler could learn from as they really do play similar styles of ball. Those two would actually be really good additions and they're familiar running Thibs' defense too. Still, I don't see any way they don't end up in LA with Rivers. One problem though...Pierce probably ought to have his minutes restricted San-Antonio-Style. That's one thing I'm not quite sure Thibs has the hang of.

QUOTE (Boogua @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:15 PM) Oladipo would be an absolutely terrible pick at #1 overall. Especially by the Bulls. The spacing on that team would be horrendous. He's also a bit of a project and the Bulls would need an instant contributor considering they're in win-now mode. McLemore makes sense because he can shoot. Hell, I'd rather have Porter in that scenario and play Butler at the 2 (although that doesn't help spacing much either). The other thing with the Bulls is that they're also looking long-term as well. Having Mirotic stuffed away makes that the case. You're right though that Oladipo should not go #1. He'd definitely be a very interesting guy to pair with Thibs over a couple seasons though...think of the steps forward Butler has taken then imagine what a guy more athletic could do. I don't think the Cavs would do Deng + #20 for the #1, but I wonder if there's any team in the top 5 that might do Deng + #20 for their slot. Oladipo could well be available for several picks and he could be an interesting fit. And no, I wouldn't give up the Bobcats pick for anything in this draft.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 01:07 PM) And do you really expect (or believe) that we'll sign 2 or 3 of those names in the offseason? Because just signing one (say, McCann) isn't enough to put us back into contention....so it would seem kind of pointless, unless they go back into "all-in" mode again, which would be a huge financial risk/gamble. Depending on what the Sox's needs wind up being after the trade deadline and what their finances look like, yes, I expect at least 1, if not more than 1 major signing this offseason. I don't know if they'll be from your list or not because I don't know yet what we'll get back in trades. We get a 1b back then Morales stops making sense. Phegley earns the starting job by the end of August and McCann is not an option. Etc.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 09:41 AM) No one is untouchable, I would definitely trade Sale for the right package of players. There are probably only 4-5 franchises in baseball that could offer a suitable package though. I still contend that you have to assume a high bust-rate in trading for anyone who hasn't established themselves in MLB. The "Greatest system ever!" the Royals had a few years ago is a prime example of the risks in trading an established ace for guys outside of the bigs, and you see that kind of thing all the time. That's why I keep saying "Trout or the highway". Even if I'd be flexible on that...any time I see someone trying to trade a guy for a player in the minors who isn't established and proven in the big leagues yet, I say "What if he turns into Beckham and takes 3 years to develop?"

The US is appalled (!) that Snowden would use Cuban soil to avoid US courts. Where could he have ever gotten such an idea?? — @ryangrim

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 09:54 PM) What is Ecuador's gameplan with hosting these international fugitives? Chevron oil is facing a $19 billion fine in Ecuador for literally destroying a large portion of the country and so far the West is protecting the company and its shareholders from payment and prosecution.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 11:57 PM) What I'm pissed about is that nothing more was done in the offseason. If us living room GM's could have saw this coming in January (and we did), why couldn't those getting paid to do the job see the future? A decision to rebuild or to go for it should have been done months ago. Instead, we kept the team largely intact,decid signed a couple of marginal players in free agency, and decided the team was set for 2013. I was never the biggest Kenny Williams fan (I think he gave up too much too often), but if this is what we can expect from Hahn moving forward, it will be a long time til we have a team worth watching again. Who on Earth saw the defense collapsing like this in January?

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 11:01 PM) It also depends on how the staff thinks of our other pitchers. If they think Q, Santiago, Danks or EJ can become a #2 pitcher and Jake can continue to pitch like an ace then I'd make a trade that significantly upgrades the offense. Problem with this is the contracts. Jake Peavy is signed through 2014. Chris Sale is signed through 2019. If you think Jake is your ace, and you fail to retain Sale, then you wind up having to replace yet another ace.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 07:00 AM) Cano isn't talking about his contract publicly, but he has told friends that he'd like something in the neighborhood of a $275MM deal, reminiscent of Alex Rodriguez's deal. The Yankees aren't believed to be anywhere close to that, however, and at one point they suggested something closer to David Wright's eight-year, $138MM contract. The second baseman is the top ranked free agent on Tim Dierkes' 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings. While he's still having a strong year, his numbers are down from his 2012 campaign in which he hit .313/.379/.550 with 33 homers. We might want to forget about that Robinson Cano pipe dream right now. If we're going to spend our way back into contention, it's going to have to be veterans coming off of down seasons, injuries, aging veterans in the Utley mold that we're gambling have 1-2 good seasons left before going completely south. Along with the fact that Beckham and probably Viciedo (he will get at least one more year) are the two likeliest players right now to be around for 2014. Cano will turn 31 this offseason. The only teams dumb enough to offer him 10 years at that type of number would be the LA teams. Beckham is actually hitting well enough right now that I'm not sure that's the right place to spend the money anyway.

QUOTE (MaggsOrdonez @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 09:11 AM) According to baseball-ref Reed is being paid $520,000. Thornton is being paid $5.5 million. I would much rather try to unload Thornton at the trade deadline for some prospects (replace him with Webb etc.), free up some money for a FA signing now or in the offseason, and keep Reed for the pittance of a salary he currently earns. Reed has been great, he's fun to watch (#TWTW), and he's cheap. There's a very, very good chance Thornton will be unloaded, but he will not bring back a haul in prospects because of his salary and he won't be replaced by a righty.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 07:08 PM) How confident are you that Sale can be the ace long term? If we are in the same situation now, and the guy we are talking about is Verlander, Cain, Harvey, or even Matt Moore, I wouldn't consider it either. I'm as confident in Sale as any of them at this point. Verlander is older and much more expensive. In case you haven't noticed, Matt Cain has an ERA in the mid-4's right now. The others don't have the record of Sale yet. We're good at keeping guys healthy. This is our task.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 06:50 PM) I just want to see where everyone stands on this idea. Apparently most folks are very confident he will be health/effective when we are good again, or we will be good again as soon as next year. Where I am coming from is I see Sale as a risk. I love to watch him pitch, but he's always been an injury concern, and signs still show the past two years. In terms of risk management, we can get creative and transfer the risk to someone who is will to overpay and take on the risk. It might pay off for the other team if he stays healthy, but I rather someone takes on the risk than we do as it stands now. This idea won't even be considered if we are in contention every year, because no one trades their young ace if you are competing. But if we are close to the rebuilding mode, we might as well start from scratch and transfer the risk to someone else and fill one of our biggest needs in the process. If you aren't the Yankees or Red Sox, it takes some forms of creativity to stay in contention for the long term. I see a move like this as one of those moves. If Hahn does pull of this move, and most of the returns do pan out, and Sale is no longer the same pitcher a few years down the road, this will be seen as an incredible brilliant move. See, I disagree. with the principle here. I think that by far teh easiest way to stay in contention for the long term is to have an ace pitcher. If you can get that, then you've gotten the hardest part done. That reshapes your entire team, especially if he's underpaid relative to his performance.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 06:19 PM) I don't see us competing with the Tigers or with other wild card contenders with just a few minor tweaks. Our biggest need is a middle of the order bat. PK is good as done, Dunn is too unreliable, Rios cannot be a number 3 hitter for a playoff team. Hawkins has a chance to be one, but he's too far away and is far from being a share thing. Taking a quick look at the FA list for next season, Unless we sign Cano, we will still need players to build our offense around. Even if Peavy isn't traded....we'll have $30 million or so to spend this offseason just to get back to the same salary we have this year. We have room to make a major signing if that's what we want to do.

If Mike Trout is available yes. If not, no.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 05:36 PM) Whatever happened to Alexei Ramirez? My guess still continues to be that he had about 13 minutes of fielding drills during spring training.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 05:31 PM) Getting close to double digit losses already on lack of DDDDDDDDDDDDD alone. 30 unearned runs in 2012. 31 unearned runs in 2013 (less than 1/2 the season gone).

Alexei's made as many errors this year as he made all of last year according to Hawk.

Of course.

Wonder if he could actually pull this off.