Balta1701

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 05:57 PM) Pretty solid deal for the Cubs. Sanchez is a good #3 starter and they can easily to afford to pay him $15 million a year to fill that role. Obviously five years is fairly risky, but at least they're getting him for his prime years. No it's not a solid deal for the Cubs. #3 starters are regularly available on the free agent market and can be had easily for that kind of money. He'll be 29 this year and unless someone is seeing something I'm not, the Cubs will be shooting for another high draft pick this year even if Sanchez turns into Verlander. The earliest the Cubs could possibly compete, IMO, is 2014; if they think this is their last rebuilding year, then this is $15 million blown, and $15 million less they'll have to spend next year when they are more certain what their actual needs are. If they aren't going to be ready for a post-2013 spending spree and competing in 2014, then this deal is even worse.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 05:49 PM) Anibal Sanchez on the verge of signing with the Cubs... Huh? WTF?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 02:47 PM) Bring in Uribe and trade Keppinger for a reliever and backup catcher. Just since no one said it... Keppinger literally cannot be traded. A player cannot be traded until some time during the season after he's signed as a free agent (not sure what the date was but that's been in every CBA).

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 01:23 PM) Not quite the same situation. Deron didn't demand a trade and wasn't publicly pouting about getting one. Here's an article about his reaction to the trade: Jazz made a pre-emptive strike Even if the T-Wolves decide the same thing, that's still the middle of next year (and that assumes you completely ignore his player option). But even then, they also seemingly knew he was gone and there was nothing that could have been done about it.

Seriously, this far and no one yet has made a joke about how much the Angels love their outfielders?

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 01:03 PM) Yes, but better late than never. Well there is a downside too...Bernanke's successfully convinced most of the financial industry that the Fed's actions aren't helping and that they should pull back, since his piecemeal moves haven't been big enough since 2009.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 02:14 PM) What? The government stalls the process? I don't believe that for a second. To protect an entrenched, politically well connected industry that also has a habit of polluting? Never.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 10:33 AM) I know he's been dealing with injuries during parts of recent years. I was thinking of him as a last resort sort of thing when there was still uncertainty about 3B post-Youkilis/pre-Keppinger. I'm not up to date on the bench or utility guys for next year- if there is an opening for that role and he's released, it wouldn't hurt to take a gander in his direction and see if he could fill it. He certainly wouldn't be much more than the 25th man on a roster at this point. If not, hopefully things work out for him and he finds a place somewhere. He's among my favorite Sox players. The Sox haven't had a whole lot of quality from their utility guys, they grabbed Angel Sanchez in the Rule 5 draft as a candidate to fill that role. The fact that Olmedo lollygagged his way through playing time in that role last year should tell you that there's an opening for a utility guy. I'd consider him, but no more than any of the other options that could be found to fill that roll.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 10:31 AM) You could always bring him to camp on a minor league deal, with an agreement for a million or two if he makes the team. An offer he will probably have from several teams, so it will be basically his choice where to go if anywhere.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 09:39 AM) Tells you how confident people are with Apple's version of maps. Google Maps the #1 free app in iTunes after one day And yet, when I opened my App store app...it wasn't on the main page, and it wasn't the top thing I found when I searched for "Google Maps".

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 09:18 AM) I wouldnt say that is entirely true. We have seen plenty of players pout their way out of a team. I just dont think Love is that type of person/player The only way that happens is if it starts seriously impacting his performance on the court. He can make as big of an off the court problem as he wants...it will change nothing until he's close to a free agent.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 08:46 AM) If Love really wants out of Minnesota he needs to understand the ways of the NBA. Suffering in silence won't make it happen. He needs to really throw some public tantrums, including questioning managements dedication to putting a winning team on the court. Still won't make them trade him for 3 years.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 08:37 AM) As well he should be. Problem is...if I'm a team trading for him, it's the same boat AJ's in. I know his history, I know his reputation, I know the risk in trading for him. Yes he could be a major OF upgrade for my team...but he could also be a $26 million boodoggle. If a team was going to give up the kind of price it would take to get a borderline AS outfielder signed for 2 years at $26 million with an affordable third year option...that team is giving up a fairly high price to get that player, if you don't put a history on it. But if you put Alex Rios's history on there, suddenly I'm willing to give up less to get him...and if I'm the Sox, then I have to question whether I'd actually move him for less than an affordably signed OF is worth. If an OF was breaking down the door in AAA last year, then yes, I'd take less than he's worth to clear space, but that's also not the case, we're hoping that next year is when our OF reinforcements arrive. So, I'd take calls on him, but I'd be stunned if a team gave up fair value for him.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2012 -> 08:39 AM) With the value on pitching, he might have the highest value to another team, outside of Chris sale, of anyone on this team. I'd sure look to trade him with the way that this team is made up currently. I'm still not sure what other teams would think of him, despite what we saw last year. He's not bringing a 95 mph fastball and dominant stuff to put people away. Even when he was shutting teams down, he'd have to pitch through a lot of baserunners. His full season numbers aren't great because he wore down. If you saw what we saw, you saw a bulldog who did nothing but get outs, but then wore down when the Sox hung a ton of innings on him. I'm not sure what I'd give up to trade for that guy. This is still a guy who was what, a waiver claim less than a year ago? If some team wants to trade me their top prospect for Quintana, I'm game, but from what we saw last year I wouldn't move him for less than that. He might be a great example of a high risk, high reward guy, and that kind of guy is exactly the type player the chisox should be after right now.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 09:28 PM) You don't see any value in the flexibility though? Yeah, but I'm trading that off against reliability. I'm that iffy on Rios. We all were last year, deservedly so. I'm gonna hope he finally has his head on straight and just keeps it rolling next year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 08:59 PM) Addition by Subtraction. The twins are suddenly hustling less than they were yesterday.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 09:19 PM) If Santiago is viewed as a starter, he belongs in Charlotte to begin the year. The Sox shouldn't go back and forth with him. I would like Santiago starting as much as anyone, but he's the 4th lefty in the rotation and there are 2-3 other people in the minors who can be the 6th starter (assuming Floyd isn't gone). We actually kinda have too many MLB lhp's right now.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 09:17 PM) Who do you think would be the odds-on favorite to perform best over the next several years, Soriano or Rios? If the team had the DH spot available I might well take Soriano. Rios gets 2 more years with this hitting coach to probe my doubts wrong, because we all know he has all star talent.

QUOTE (Lemon_44 @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 09:09 PM) If you factor in trying to catch and throw a baseball, then yes. Rios's worst year was -0.8 war, Soriano was 0.0.

This probably doesn't belong in here, but... Dick Lugars farewell speech.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 06:53 PM) Ray Olmedo signed with the Twins Thank God.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 07:58 PM) I think they originally offered him 2/6, or the mini-MLE in other words. That would have allowed them to go over the apron to keep Asik, though obviously that means paying the luxury tax. Once they let Asik walk, they ended up giving him more than that and using part of the MLE (like $3.9 mil this year) to sign him. I don't think they could have gone any higher because they have to stay under the apron to be able to use that exception. Mayo is making like $4.02 mil this year, so it's slightly higher. That said, if they'd gone after Mayo right away, one has to think that the 100k difference wouldn't have been a major factor. That would have kept them from signing Nate Robinson. Not like a big deal, but just for completion.

QUOTE (Felix @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 06:43 PM) This article is nothing new. Wojnarowski wrote literally the same article back in the offseason, saying the same stuff. Love's stance hasn't changed (obviously). If the Timberwolves win games and become a legit playoff team, Love is going nowhere. If they struggle and miss the playoffs regularly, he'll opt out. We've known this all along. In 3 years, Love opting out might start encouraging them to do something. That'll be a great help to the 2016-2017 Bulls.

We actually did pretty well from 1945-1985 on avoiding or at least minimizing bubbles that explode, but that regime was dismantled. Doesn't prevent recessions or bad policies, but it did avoid 2008-like debacles.

QUOTE (Lemon_44 @ Dec 12, 2012 -> 07:01 PM) The report had the Cubs paying $10 mill of his remaining $36 mill. I think Rios is owed 25 mill which would be similar and he's a better all around player than Soriano. Has Soriano ever had anything as bad as Rios's 2011?