Balta1701

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 09:07 PM) Just a thought but is it possible everyone is taking the Cashman "3 elite prospects" thing a little too literal? Every GM overrates their own players/prospects. For all we know Hahn asked for something pretty reasonable like Frazier, Kaprielian and Andjuar + an A baller and Cashman is overplaying his guys to the media. Kaprielian and Andjuar are both very good prospects, but I wouldn't lump either into the elite category. Then again the entire term "elite" is relative and subject to interpretation. I honestly don't believe Hahn would have demanded Torres and Frazier + a top pitching prospect and not budged though. On paper the Yankees are a great match and have a lot to offer, to be that stubborn doesn't seem practical or benificial. I just think what a lot of others have been saying, Cashman is building something and holding onto his prospects and a deal was never going to happen. Yes, everyone is taking that interpretation too literally. This is a negotiation tactic.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 06:32 PM) I was referring to the hearing room lights. And I was mostly kidding. I think it would be impossible to hack a single room of lights. Which makes this success all the more impressive...

Things that you want to believe are coincidences but you wonder how the Hell... Power goes out on Senate Democrat during questioning of CIA director nominee just as he's about to say the word Russia C-Span suddenly switched from broadcasting C-Span to broadcasting 10 minutes of Russia TV, the state propagandist channel. How the Hell?

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 05:55 PM) Yeah I don't see the connection. By the time he is ready to make an impact, I'm pretty Polanco and Marte would be traded/left via free agency by that time. Scary thing? Polanco will still be under contract when Vlad Jr is 24-25.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 12:32 PM) So you don't like the way Joe Maddon manages. He has several moving parts. Not just Baez and Zobrist. The NL MVP played 5 positions in the field. Some players you can do that with. Yoan Moncada should not be one of them. I just said I'd have no issue moving Anderson. Moncada - no. At least not right now. The background and makeup and priorities are just different. We need him to be an all star at 1 position and that right now to me is the #1 priority of this entire organization. Fail at that and it sets us back 2-3 seasons. If his feet are in the wrong place and he gets himself spiked at 2b it's an organizational nightmare. Turn him into an all star first, get him able to play one position well, and then I won't care if in his 3rd season he's moved to CF for some games, as I just said.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 01:30 PM) I disagree. I think you play Albies at SS in the minor leagues if you acquire him. There's no reason to move him from there until you have to. If Albies profiles as a good SS, I didn't see any reason why Anderson couldn't be moved also.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 01:27 PM) I think Balta hit the point on Moncada perfectly above. Given that he's really raw defensively, the Sox need to focus on teaching him a single position defensively. Maybe that's 3B, maybe that's 2B, maybe that's CF, but it needs to start in ST this year. I'm actually very ok with Albies as a headliner if it happens today. If Albies is the headliner, I hope the Sox start working Moncada at 3B this Spring Training. That way there's a clear path for Moncada, Albies and Anderson to all feature in the Sox IF in 2018. I would have no complaints generally with that either. I would complain if one day Moncada is at 3b and the next day he's at 2b. That is the one thing we should never see.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 01:14 PM) i think this depnds on his mental makeup. some players can handle, others can't. No one should assume he can. I'm not even concerned with his mental makeup here. Based on what we've seen from Cubans AND what we've heard about him, he's extremely raw defensively - defensive fundamental coaching in Cuba seems to be genuinely poor. Abreu didn't know basic footwork for 1b that people in this country learn in high school and it took Ventura until he almost got himself run over at 1b during a game to realize it. They said they're putting Moncada at 2b. Do that in Spring Training, or if you're changing that change that before day 1 of ST. He takes all the drills at 2b, works with the infielders, gets all the practice there they can possibly give him. Hire him an extra coach if needbe. Put an ankle bracelet on Chris Getz that electroshocks him if he moves more than 10 meters away from Moncada, I don't care. Make him a solid defender at one position, turn him into a big leaguer, and do not screw around with him. If in 3 years he's an all star 2b hitting 49 HR in his second year and their CF gets hurt or they decide to play around with him out there in Spring Training, I won't mind then if they move him around. Make him a big leaguer first.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 10:53 AM) Not sure why the world is laughing at us when pretty much every other country has done something as equally (if not more) stupid. Yes Trump seems like he is a disaster, but he was elected and that is what makes a Republic. We didnt change the rules when we didnt like the outcome, we didnt have a military coup. We accept the results and we do what we can within our system of checks and balances to make sure that even if a "fool" is elected President, that we do not all go down with the ship. Sometimes people need to learn a hard lesson before they can really make a change. IF this is the "worst" that has happened to our Republic in the last 200+ years, it still makes us one of, if not, the best freely elected societies. Because we have a lot more nuclear weapons. It doesn't destroy the world when Argentina files for bankruptcy or the Philippines elects a person who goes around personally killing people. The world d*mn near blew itself up 9 years ago because we invented something called a Credit Default Swap.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 12, 2017 -> 12:51 PM) I don't get it either man. Unless there's a plan to trade Moncada, his offensive value in relation to his position is irrelevant since he's staying with the Sox long term. Where he plays is not as important as how well he plays the position. I don't honestly care which position they put him at, I believe he's athletic enough to play both. However, if you want to get me annoyed and complaining, the way to do that is to change course midway. All that matters to me is the team picks the best position they think will work for him defensively and physically, puts him there, and starts coaching him there. No creative moving him around, no brilliant ideas about him being a super utility guy, no comparisons to Baez, just put him at a position and find someone to tell him how to put his feet and read balls off the bat.

Anywho, a BBC reporter wrote this today seemingly attaching a bit more credibility?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 09:48 PM) This begs the question why the FBI, at the behest of the Obama administration, didn't begin a more formal investigation of Trump a long time ago? One would guess that it's because nobody took seriously how much of a threat Trump was to actually win the election. If Hillary hadn't been "leading" for much of the 18 months prior to November, one wonders if they would have taken a different (albeit more political) approach. Um...I have a different and fairly obvious alternate theory about why the FBI might not have been investigating Donald Trump...

QUOTE (steveno89 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 09:17 PM) Take it easy there. Who's to say the sox are even interested in dealing with Pittsburgh beyond just having conversations? The sense is no deal is close to happening as of right now. Prospects are very worthwhile, but I think it's best to take a conservative approach that acknowledges a players ceiling, but is more realistic about what he will become. Top 100 prospects flame out all the time. Non top 100 prospects can become stars. Hahn and company have a rebuilding plan that may or may not include the aforementioned prospects. We can only speculate. obviously their rebuilding plan does not include the aforementioned prospects yet because they haven't managed to pull off a trade. Along those same lines, I think it's become quite clear that the White Sox would be interested in several of these guys, a deal could be done if Pittsburgh was willing to move Meadows, and that Pittsburgh is particularly hesitant about moving Meadows.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 02:51 PM) Braves and Mariners make another traded. Braves receive: Luiz Gohara and Thomas Burrows (2 lefties). Mariners receive: Mallex Smith and Shae Simmons. If anyone is interested in the optimistic case for the M's as a playoff team, here you go.

QUOTE (KagakuOtoko @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 06:48 PM) Republicans absolutely need to break rank if Trump is guilty of the alleged offenses. He's an outsider anyway, it's not like they are skewering one of their own. Keep this in mind - the only way to verify that Trump would be guilty of the alleged offenses would be an independent investigation, because in 9 days both the CIA and FBI will officially report to Donald Trump. That would require Republicans to break rank with Trump without knowing whether he was guilty of them in order to establish the investigation since the Democrats have 0 houses of Congress and the only other organization capable of investigating a president without his permission is the FBI, and let's just say I'm skeptical about the notion the FBI will conduct a thorough review of Donald Trump.

QUOTE (peavy44 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 07:00 PM) I am honestly tired of hearing about rumors but no active this is getting annoying. Strap in. I would be surprised if this was done a month from now.

QUOTE (miracleon35th @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 05:05 PM) Meadows remains the key to a deal with the Pirates. I think Bell is too risky, His defense is awful, he may not have enough power or hitting prowess to be a full time DH. OK, I understand this may be heresy for some hoping for a 3-5 year rebuild, but if this rebuild plan fizzles and the Sox can't trade Q, Frazier, Abreu, and Melky for what they believe they are worth, what if the Sox decide to reverse the wheels from a total tank style rebuild? Can the Sox compete for the Division, assuming they add a legit major league outfielder or two with Malky and Charlie Tilson in Left and Center? Narvaez, Soto catching, and infield of Frazier, Tim Anderson, Moncada and Abreu ? Rotation anchored by Quintana and Rodon? Players can always be traded. It is not that easy to assemble a 25 man roster that is competitive and no guarantee that blowing it up gets that done any time soon. Maybe I'm just getting too nervous about this rebuilding plan and worried it won't work. No they cannot. Cleveland is a 90+ win team, the Royals and Tigers are probably 85+ win teams. That White Sox roster is a 70 win team. Moncada would have a good chance of hitting below .250 if called up right now and will probably struggle on defense.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 05:04 PM) That's a better return (based on prospect rankings) than Sale got. IF the Sox continue to demand Meadows or nothing, the deal probably ends up as Meadows, Keller, Hayes/Craig. That's a reasonable package for Q if Meadows is in the deal based on the Sale and Eaton returns. But for the love guys, the Sox aren't getting 3 top 20 prospects for Q. That's basically the deal I want.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 05:52 PM) That makes sense. Pirates what are you waiting for? Unless something shakes the Astros off of their perch or someone else enters the race, they have the ammunition to do this but they have nothing pushing them to do it right now. They have every reason to think the dynamics of the trade could change - someone could make a push for McCutchen as the FA market develops or the desperation level of the White Sox could change. Until there is competition for him, they can wait at least until ST closes in.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 05:39 PM) Thats putting their eggs all in one basket with Q then. I get your point and I agree that its a risk they should be taking if they are serious about winning but its not a homerun with no risk for them if they do it either. I totally disagree that this is "putting their eggs all in one basket with Q". The Pirates have so many guys under team control until after 2020 that this is a sensible move if they don't have to give up Bell. Their infield - Bell for 6 years, Kang for 3 years including an option, Mercer for 2 years, Harrison for 4 years including 2 options, has no room for anyone right now other than the occasional "David Freese" type signing. Their Outfield has Polanco under team control for 7 seasons counting two options (Jesus Christ) and Starling Marte under control for 5. Their starting rotation has Taillon, Glasnow, and Kuhl - each with 3 years of control, Ivan Nova for 2 years as a "Searage will fix him guy". Francisco Cervelli is under contract for 3 years. They have major 2 players out of their entire lineup they have to worry about hitting free agency, McCutchen after 2018 and Cole after 2019. Basically, they will have to make a decision on McCutchen next offseason. Honestly, if he had had a normal year for himself, I think they would have actually given him a big money extension this offseason - yes even though it's the Pirates - because that fanbase gets along great with him. That's why they don't want to give up Meadows, but they also don't want to have McCutchen put up a normal year and then not make a playoff run, because they'd be wasting their potential last year with him. Basically, how is going for a pitcher "putting all your eggs in one basket" when so much of your lineup is under control for so long? They have 3 more drafts to rebuild anything they give up in this deal, and you always expect some people to develop unexpectedly and you still have the ability to get something for McCutchen next offseason if that is what you choose to do.

QUOTE (beautox @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 05:35 PM) thank you, he is a fine 3rd or 4th piece in a deal but not one to headline for Q. Meadows has question marks about his health if the pirates are serious about Q he is going to be in the deal, same with Keller and one of Newman or Hayes; likely Hayes, Bell is likely the sticking point because they want his production the major league roster and if Hahn takes a package of Meadows/Keller/Hayes+ for Q he leaves the buccos with depth in Glasnow and Bell remains at the major league level for them, Keller and Hayes aren't in their immediate plans. Also if Q's contract is a burden on them take back Bastardo as i suggest in the last Q thread throw in a Putnam and upgrade the last piece of the deal a bit. For people posting about how prospects are the lifeblood of that organization, yeah no s*** but if you get Q it gives you at the very least a half season reboot on McCutchen's value if they fall out by the trade deadline and 3.5 years to deal Q to restock. Lastly Marte or Polanco can slot into CF which if they do so would lessen Meadows value to the pirates and opens them up to the FA market for a rebound candidate in the future, a 'tweener' or a platoon for LF. I continue to think all this logic is correct and that by the time ST starts it will win out. However, until then, the Pirates can play the waiting game and see if anyone makes a move for McCutchen at a better price or if the White Sox drop their price, because as of right now there is no one making a legitimate offer for Q and they have no other major moves to make so why shouldn't they wait?

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 12:59 PM) Its probably less about Meadows than it is about what more Hahn is demanding. That "three elite prospects" news from New York is what hangs over everything right now. Dude, remember that's an opening ask. That's not how negotiations work. The fact that the Yankees are telling you what the White Sox's opening ask was is much more telling. Repeating my post from yesterday. QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2017 -> 12:35 PM) The White Sox did exactly what they should in a negotiation where they're actually willing to move the player. When the Red Sox asked about Sale last summer, the White Sox asked for Betts + in return - that's a short way of saying "we're not actually moving the player". When the White Sox dropped their offer to Benentendi + Moncada, the Red Sox could say "no way we're giving up that price, but here's a counter offer" and their counter offer was probably low. The White Sox then pushed back, and probably after a few cycles they wound up with the deal they wanted. The White Sox asked for Torres and Frazier from the Yankees, which is exactly what they should have done. They're willing to move the player. If the Yankees say yes to the first offer, you want to have gotten so much from them that you don't regret asking for more, but you don't ask for so much that the Yankees laugh at you and walk away. If you'd asked for Torres and Gary Sanchez, the Yankees would laugh and walk away. If the Yankees were actually interested in making a deal, they'd come back and reply "you can't have both of them, but we'll give you Frazier + this other player for him". The White Sox could then reply "no we don't like that other player but how about these 2 guys" and after a few cycles, something could get done. That the Yankees are leaking who the White Sox asked for and saying the White Sox's price is too high suggests to me that the Yankees really aren't being pushed to go for him right now and might actually be willing to start the season with their current rotation, because you only leak that first offer if you're really not willing to negotiate.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 12:55 PM) Yeah probably but rum bunter has seemed to have a inside on this lately so they get a little more of a reaction to saying something like that than just the regular fan club. And like i said, he can brag all he wants about the guy being on the cover of baseball America for what he'll hopefully do in AAA this year. That doesn't change the fact that the Pirates are taking a rotation with 3 second year players, a legit #1 but who was hurt much of last year, and Ivan Nova up against the Cubs and Cardinals.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 12:33 PM) An unintelligent, legendarily petty, mentally ill man who may or may not but probably is owned by the Russian mafia/government (same thing really) will be the most powerful person in the world in 9 days. I'm not at all ok with this.