Balta1701

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 04:45 PM) However, our track record with Cubans (2/2) has been very good. Small sample yes, but it seems like when take a risk on them we have done our homework. You either forgot Contreras or Viciedo. Maybe Minoso too.

QUOTE (PolishPrince34 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 04:31 PM) Don't know too many teams willing give up a good prospects for 2 yr/12.5 million contract including the buyout for a 36 year old lefty reliever. Not happening Then let's hold onto him. He remains a great asset.

QUOTE (PolishPrince34 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 04:23 PM) Don't mind this deal. We lose almost $8 million off the roster. Let's hope Copper can do his magic on Castro mechanics and get him back throwing strikes. This brings 2 quality arms to our farm system that we sorely needed. You can never have enough lefty relievers who have the potential to make the big league roster. This trade should help everyone realize what potential deal we can get for Thornton. Which will be very similar to what we got for Quentin. If you can't get a lot more for Thornton than what we got here for Carlos, there's no reason to deal him. Right now we're at about $99 million commits for this year, then a $4 million buyout for Peavy, then another $5 million or so to cover league-minimum, pre-arb guys, and we're probably where we need to be salary wise. The only reason to dump Matty is if we get a legit offer for him that makes the team significantly better.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:54 PM) Heck, I was looking for some Scal time when Thibs decided to take Rose out, I believe there was quite a few Bulls fans in attendance last night. Has he actually been active? The Wizards had a tech called on them the other day because they played a guy who wasn't on the active roster.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:52 PM) So he was worth $12 million last year, that's not bad, although fangraphs "worth" I have never taken too seriously. I think the only reason KW settled for this return is Viciedo. If he wasn't in the organization, KW would have held out for more or just kept Quentin. If you want to take it 1 step further, if you include 2008, Carlos Quentin has been worth on average about $7.5 million a year. You are right though, we wouldn't have taken this trade without Viciedo, but it's clearly the right move. KW hasn't created any real "Holes" by any of his trades so far, that's been this year's M.O.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:43 PM) If Viciedo gives you what Quentin has given you, and De Aza can play everyday, it won't hurt the Sox winning percentage in 2012. Even if he gets $7 million to $8 million for 2012 and isn't signed beyond that, its seems hard for me to believe you can't get at least one top 10 prospect from somebody. Trading Quentin I can understand, I just don't like the haul. If you look at the fangraphs world, last year he was worth about $12 million, so the surplus value if he repeated his 2011 season would be about $4 million. However, the 2 previous seasons, he was a negative value player, with his weak/injury riddle offense not offsetting his bad defense. Over the last 3 seasons, Carlos has averaged a $3.5 million player value, and he's getting paid $7-8 million. He had that 1 season, 2008, wehre he put up a $20 million value, but that was 4 seasons ago now.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:22 PM) Sign him and put Viciedo on the block.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:20 PM) One thing is for sure, KW just f***ed Quentin out of at least a few million. Going to SD isn't going to help him cash in on a contract. If he stayed healthy, he'd never have been traded to SD.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:18 PM) This has nothing to do with Walker, it has something to do with guys like Aardsma and Sisco and MacDougal..................despite the Soxtalk consensus, Coop will fix him really doesn't apply to the vast majority. There usually is a bigger reason why guys suck more than a slight adjustment. MacDougal actually had his best success with the Sox in 2006. Sisco had only a few months here before he blew out his elbow.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 03:16 PM) I think he'll go for sure. You might actually get something for him. I still find him highly overrated on this site. Very inconsistent. And that, IMO, is why he's unlikely to go. He's consistent in that he'll give you a good WAR year after year, but wwhen you watch/scout him, you'll get too many games where his curve isn't there and he gets shelled. Maybe he'll pull things together with that extra pitch finally working better one of these years, but I dunno. One thing worth noting...The Sox now have control over everyone on their roster through at least the end of 2013 other than the enormous option on Jake Peavy.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:56 PM) I'd say he helped Humber...and to a point EJax. I'm sure Santos to a point too. Ya know what I'd always find interesting at ST is going down to the bullpen with the pitchers before the game and how Coop would emphasis more location than anything. You really can't ignore Coop's influence on some of these guys. Not saying he's the Guru of Pitching Coaches...but I'm glad he's here. Philip Humber's BB/9 last year was 2.3. His career number in the minors was 2.7, and it was worse in the bigs.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:39 PM) He struggled last year, but it was more due to uncharacteristic control problems. Much like this Castro kid?

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:36 PM) I'll take Wood's future over Molina as a starter Somebody bookmark this.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:37 PM) Goldstein was just on the score. He views Hernandez as a fringy bullpen type. Castro still has a middle of the rotation ceiling if he can figure things out. His mechanics and repeatability are the problems. Ok, as long as he has the pitches to be a candidate for starting, I'll be content.

QUOTE (MuckFinnesota @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:36 PM) Nice salary dump for two pitchers. Viciedo can hit, but can he play right field well? Maybe not 'Well", but he's played there for 1 season. He's going to be Carlos Lee out there, but at least he has the best arm in our OF to make up for some of it, and he also has a lot of room to get better.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:35 PM) And then Michael Bourn became available and that scenario was rendered moot as he was EXACTLY what they were looking for. Plugged a hole without having to bench a legend or productive player. Quentin was a reach from the get go and fell by the wayside when the market opened up. If they'd grabbed Quentin and Quentin hadn't gotten hurt, that'd probably have won them the wild card, but the "Quentin not getting hurt" part is the problem in all of this.

So, does Castro have any chance at being a starter long-term or are these 2 hopeful bullpen additions?

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:29 PM) LF: Prado/Constanza CF: McLouth/Schafer/Constanza RF: Heyward 3B: Jones/Prado SS: Gonzalez 2B: Uggla Prado is capable of playing LF, 3B, SS, 2B (though SS is a stretch). Now where is the glaring weakness and the easiest fit? Yeah, CF. In order to take on Quentin they'd have to bench either Chipper Jones or Martin Prado. Yeah, Jones was banged up a lot last year but you can't put him on the bench. It made no sense. The one reason why it kinda made some sense is that with Jones constantly hurt, having Quentin as another RH bat would really help their lineup. But that's not worth trading away a top flight starting pitcher, especially with Q being MR. Glass.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:30 PM) C'mon Milk, there wasn't anything out there for CQ really, it would be hard to "win" this trade just because you won't get a big name hot prospect for him. I'm just glad we finally aren't going to have to pay him $7 for 120 games on a losing team. I'm just glad that those 100 pre-injury games can go to De Aza and Viciedo and we can finally start to see what those guys can do at the big league level.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:30 PM) It looks like Castro couldn't find any control at AAA last season. 21 Ks and 18 BB in 19 innings. He only had 16 walks in 90 innings at the AA level. I know it's cliche...but you know who's pretty good at helping guys with control issues? The Chicago White Sox pitching coach.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:10 PM) It's not enough that most of our impact major league moves are for reclamation projects, now the prospects we acquire have to be retreads as well. If you want to trade for quality, you might well have to trade away quality. This trade is not the Sox trading away quality, this is the Sox trading away a problem out of a position of weakness.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:09 PM) I forgot Lillibridge. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox go after a lefty hitting outfielder now. Nothing above league minimum for God's sake. We finally have clear spots for Viciedo and De Aza, please let them actually play!

QUOTE (toasty @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:08 PM) Danks2 He might be the 5th OF if he's lucky, that would still require adding him to the 40 man roster.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 31, 2011 -> 02:06 PM) So who's the 4th outfielder now? Brent Lillibridge/Alex Rios. I have no issues with this roster now. We actually need a backup IF more than anything, that might be Escobar.