Balta1701

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 02:19 PM) Who did we shop for this off-season? Here's a quickly found thread on Ivan Nova.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 02:16 PM) So an outfield bat would put us closer to the Tribe, but the big area we get crushed is the rotation. Losing Shark puts more pressure on Rodon in what will be his first full year as well as additional pressure on Erik Johnson to come around. We do have Fulmer in the wings, but I still think it is unrealistic to project a ton around him. We have to hope we see the EJ of most of his career and that he can take a step forward and build off of his 2015 campaign. He (and say Rodon), along with health, might be the keys to the Sox season. One of the big worries I'd have on that ground is that the White Sox themselves voiced a lack of confidence in EJ by shopping for a RH starter to replace him.

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 02:13 PM) Add Upton and our pitching staff and I'd say Chicago's best team is on the South Side

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 02:03 PM) The Sox are about 3-4 WAR better than they were yesterday, which is about 5-6 WAR better than the end of the year. Add in that we managed to dump Shark and all we need is a meager improvement in the outfield to be in contention for the division. The Cubs put up nearly 50 fWAR last year. The Royals put up 38.3. The Astros put up 44.6. The Indians put up 42.8. The White Sox put up 23.5. If the White Sox replaced Avi Garcia with a 4 win player, and they were already 6 WAR better than the end of the year using your numbers, they would still need a lot of people to step up their performance or to get really lucky to put a team on the field that is a division contender. And again, that's assuming somehow we're as healthy as we were last year, which was a miracle in its own right.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:42 PM) Why are you on this forum (let alone an admin) if you're dissatisfied and angry with every move the Sox make? Why not be optimistic? I tried that for 10 years and they beat me into this state.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:36 PM) So instead of complaining just to complain what aspect of the trade don't you like? Is it just the fact that the sox are the sox so f*** this trade? Or are you high on one of/multiple players in the package we gave up? I think it continues the "High spending, low impact, weak system" philosophy we've seen and failed with for the last decade. We'll get a fine player, but even when we dump a ton of money into a back loaded contract for an OF in a couple weeks, we'll still be FAR behind the teams at the top of the division that have developed their own guys, we'll still see the same failures, we have absolutely zero depth if anyone gets hurt, and even with the big spending OF we'll still have multiple major holes in the lineup. And no, I can't tell you which guy the White Sox acquire will underperform, or which guy will get hurt, but it's the same gamble as last year. Bet the house, no plans for what to do when things go wrong, ignore the fact that things do go wrong. Same story again and again.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:36 PM) On the bright side, this will save you a lot of time watching baseball next year. Was already planning on that. At least this year when they're below .500 I won't be nearly as annoyed, I just won't care.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:33 PM) Which is exactly what the Sox did. And exactly what they've been doing for a decade.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:26 PM) 1. Far from it. Sox will undoubtedly look at improving on Avi, though we'll see what can happen. And Melky posting negative WAR is unlikely. 2. This isn't LaRoche or Dunn. This is an All Star-level player, and far younger than those two were when they came over. Apples and oranges. 3. Sox gave up three players with flaws big enough they are probably an inconsistent reliever, 4th OF and possibly not major leaguer. All have SOME big tools, but also SOME big flaws. It's a really good trade. 1. Why on Earth is "Melky doing what he's done 3 of his last 4 non-steroid years" considered unlikely? 2. "Far younger"? Dunn came over for his age 31 season, Frazier will be 30 next year? And Dunn was 21st in MVP voting the year before we got him. You can like the deal without exaggerating.

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:21 PM) I wonder if the homerun derby messed up his swing? Possible, but he was also on fire during the first half so some of it may have been just "regression to the mean". That said, we've played the game of "power guy has a down 2nd half right before we acquire him" before and had it work out poorly.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:19 PM) You are expecting Gordon Beckham to do that again? You're expecting Gordon Beckham's bat at 2b to be a strong positive?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 01:15 PM) Even if you assume he repeats those numbers, and doesn't benefit at all from not playing in Oakland again, his OPS is over 100 points greater than Carlos Sanchez who finished the season at 2B, and 130 points better than Micah Johson who started there. In 2013, Gordon Beckham's RC+ at 2b was 90 (his best year there). Lawrie's RC+ last year was 94.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 12:58 PM) And if the Sox tank this year, they have a valuable trade chip. People act like he is a FAafter the year. Assuming he's not part of the tanking. He put up a .664 OPS in the 2nd half last year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 12:45 PM) And his value comes if he can stick as a starter. IN LA, he has no chance of that. Why? He still shouldn't be in the big leagues this year and the Dodgers have already shown they won't rush a guy to the bigs just to fill a bullpen role.

QUOTE (aboz56 @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 12:40 PM) Why is everyone sweating Thompson? Well one point, no matter what else they ad, as of right now they're still looking at a very poor defensive OF. Eaton could recover his 2014 form in CF, and if they add an expensive OF that could help 1 corner, but there will be no "strong plus defenders" out there and at least 1, possibly as many as 3, rotten defenders out there.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 16, 2015 -> 12:37 PM) Frazier for those 3 guys seems like a trade proposal we'd make on here and everyone would say the Reds wouldn't do that Apparently they didn't.

"All In Every Year". It's bound to work sometime, right?

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 10:18 PM) JR's group is the owner and he has brought the franchise to it's current condition. If he wants to fix it, he can by opening the team's wallet and signing the two big bats along with acquiring Frazier for 3B. Whether he's willing or not is another issue. If they truly can't afford it, then it's time the team is sold to someone who can. Just remember, the plan last year was to "acquire big names via trade and open the team's wallet for big bats". This was also not the first time we had tried that plan. Those who do not learn from history...

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 10:12 PM) I really liked the Puig idea for a while, and it still intrigues me, but I think he has one too many red flags attached at this point, plus his injury history. At the very least, right now you have to wait because the MLB domestic violence response is literally unprecedented. The rule is brand new and has yet to be used. Until you have some context for how at-risk you are for losing him for months/a season+ if there are multiple issues, you have to leave him with the Dodgers.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 11:04 AM) If Avi or Trayce get traded, I would love for Raburn to be brought in to platoon with LaRoche I think you can expect his season OPS to drop by 50 points solely due to not facing us.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 02:05 PM) But would you really take their 3, 4, and 5 over the Sox 3, 4, and 5? On paper they have nothing special behind Arrieta and Lester. In the long term you clearly take the white Sox 3-4-5 because in the long term you clearly pick Rodon above Lackey and EJ has some talent in there as well. But next year? How rapidly does Rodon step it up? Does he turn into an ace in year 2 or does it take him a couple more years of development? You still would expect Rodon's arm to start getting worn out when he gets to 150+ innings next year because that's all he got in 2015, and he still clearly has work to do on some of his pitches. To compete next year, you can make a solid case you'd pick the Cubs' 3-4-5. The only reason why you'd take the White Sox 3-4-5 is if Rodon becomes a true ace in year 2, which would be fast for him. In the long term of course you go for the White Sox because youth + talent, but the Cubs aren't playing for 2018 when they think they can take home a 2016 trophy.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 12, 2015 -> 05:05 PM) Lol, the aren't even hurting for bullpen help and really don't need Montas in the pen. They need position players more than anything. Danks contract is off the books after '16. It would be nice to have two options in Fulmer/Montas to fall back on to cover the open starting spot, instead of just one option in Fulmer. The rumors we've heard also make it sound like they don't have a lot of confidence in EJ either.

Every time I see a thread or comment like this about Montas my brain flashes back to a pitcher Arizona had named Max Scherzer. Big fastball but had some inconsistency, lost a couple mph one year, walked 40 people in 74 innings his first stop at AA, "his delivery means he may not hold up as a starter long term". Probably motivated Arizona to let him go for Ian Kennedy. 150 innings at AAA this year as a starter and anything else is shooting yourself in the foot. If he has to move to the pen at some point, let that be after doing everything right with him on the road as a starter. If you've got a guy with top of the rotation stuff, put him on a path to be at the top of the rotation when he's 27. Don't sabotage that path out of some ludicrous fantasy that we're one middle reliever away.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 12, 2015 -> 04:00 PM) I wouldn't even trade Eaton for Soler and Baez I think I would. And I'm pretty down on Baez.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 12, 2015 -> 12:39 PM) I wonder if they'd take Robertson for Schwarber... No?