heirdog

Teahen can do everything Kotsay does and most things better. He is a left handed bat to boot. Lillibridge and Viciedo have been performing extremely well and we're in a pennant race. NO way we keep Kotsay once Teahen is back. Man-love only goes so far and hopefully KW makes the decision and not Ozzie, whose stubborness in proving he was right will no doubt want to keep him. I wouldn't be surprised if Ozzie called Lance Berkman and said, "I'll never play you. I love Mark Kotsay, so enforce your NTC or rot on this bench."

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 28, 2010 -> 02:45 PM) Elvis Andrus and Neftali Feliz. Ahh yes, thanks.

Could it be Jenks? He has the stuff (or the legend of "stuff"), is overpriced and not having a particularly strong season (some national attention was given to his possible demotion on two occassions). I think Linebrink is having a non-descript or based on the last 2 years, a typical Linebrink season.

When was the last time the Braves actually gave up a top (elite) level prospect that actually panned out? I really can't think of one...Andy Marte, Jarrold Saltalamachia, Tyler Flowers. Those guys really seem to know or tout their prospects well and package them in trades. So I think we go ahead and trade Flowers because the Braves gave him to us and it was for Javy "Freakin'" Vasquez so you know he can't be all that good.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Jul 22, 2010 -> 05:56 PM) OT but... I prefer the plump one. For me it's 1. Jennifer Hudson, 2. Beyonce, 3. Megan Good, and then farther down at a distance at #4 is Rihanna with a bag over her head. 1. Meagan Good 2. Beyonce ... 27. Rihanna ... 194. Jennifer Hudson

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jul 23, 2010 -> 12:01 PM) I'm pretty sure everyone else would too But that homerun total this year for Haren is scary. If he can't keep the ball down, we're going to need Haren + Dunn/Fielder to outslug some teams.

Misleading title. I thought the OP was suggesting trading Putz for a closer. 2 points: 1) The bridge to the closer is as important as the closer so the 8th inning guy is valuable 2) Jenks is pretty useless outside of being a closer since he needs that adrenaline/stage so basically, you try a new closer but lose out on the valuable 8th inning guy.

It's one thing to give Ozzie the type of team he wants and let him manage the team the way he wants. It's another thing to give Ozzie the benefit of the doubt on the make-up of a roster that you as a GM clearly see has a gaping hole. Now we need to plug it by giving up top prospects and perhaps a player that will be extremely needed to make a playoff push (Hudson)? If we're going to have to do the old spinning wheel for a 5th starter and basically lose every 5th day, then there is no point in upgrading the offense.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 8, 2010 -> 06:06 PM) So, take one of the many lefty arms out there and hope you luck out. For every Mark Buehrle, there is a Brandon McCarthy. Wait...Buehrle is/was better than McCarthy. You're right, draft some more lefties, damnit! But seriously, I don't think their looking at Lefty/Righty late in the game, just best talent on their boards. I am surprised at the low amount of OFs though. You would think there are more out there but I guess we plan on putting Ozney and Kenny Jr out there with a platoon of Jared Mitchell and Jordan Danks in center with Pierre as a 5th OF/ player/mentor/coach or whatever Vizquel is now.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 09:57 PM) Mitchell has an outstanding sense of humor, and Beckham seems like a kid that recognizes how talented he is and takes it in stride. Sale seems like a kid who could throw a no-hitter, and shrug it off as not a big deal. Gotcha. I thought you were saying it as a negative...

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 09:52 PM) Kid sounds really humble. Interesting contrast to guys like Beckham and Mitchell who never shut up. I didn't know Mitchell talked a lot and Beckham always seems pretty grounded in this interviews (appreciative of the opportunity and the need to prove he belongs...I don't sense any entitlement). Now, Brian Anderson on the other hand...

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 08:16 PM) He needs to gain some mass. Tim Lincecum says "Hi!"

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 04:01 PM) There is no opt-out clause in Viciedo's contract (or Alexei's) like there is in some foreign contracts. Viciedo will still be under the Sox's control for the full gamut of arbitration years, assuming he reaches the big leagues before his current 4 year deal expires. Oh, I wasn't aware of that for Viciedo. I knew we had that with Alexei but I thought with more teams vying for Viciedo that he did have an opt-out.

I know we all think Thornton can be a closer for this or any other team. So if you get an offer from a team that is on par with what you would get for an elite closer signed through next year, do you bite? I think you do. You get max value for a product that has risk associated with it (i.e. Thornton as an elite closer). Or you can trade Jenks for less if you even get a taker...and then later find out 1) Thornton doesn't have the make-up to be an elite closer; 2) we are not competitive next year and then Thornton walks.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 03:16 PM) Yes, he has been hitting, but he also made 3 errors at first base, in one game over the weekend. He is still just too raw, and probably needs a couple more years in the Minors. If he made it to the Big Leagues in 2012, at age 23, that would be pretty impressive. The Sox paid too much money for Viciedo to sit in the minors for 4 years and then eventually leave. If he can't field, he will come up and DH by next year. If you get two decent offensive years out of his current contract or 1 (and then trade him for some other prospects), then at least you recouped your investment a bit.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 02:38 PM) As hard as it is to believe, he was the #34 prospect in all of baseball in 1998 (#1 White Sox prospect) according to Baseball America. I'm still blown away how anyone could have thought this. He must of had quite the intangibles, since he was both offensively and defensively challenged. Wasn't he a pot smoker, which pretty much was the reason he didn't get any better, stick in baseball. And from what I recall, after the trade, Schueler raved about getting Caruso (the main piece) along with Lorenzo Barcelo (a high ceiling guy that we expected to be the best piece when all was said an done). Howry, Foulke, Simmons, etc were all just filler.

Kotsay is essentially Jerry Hairston...senior, the pinch hitter extraordinaire. Kotsay hung on with a good team like Boston (until he didn't...) because they had good baseball players and could afford the luxury of spending a roster spot on a pinch hitter. Surprisingly, a pretty good pinch hitter that usually only comes up in clutch situations is no longer clutch...when you make him essentially an every day player. I don't think there has ever been another Dan Pasqua before Dan Pasqua or since Dan Pasqua. The '90s version of Greg "Bull" Luzinksi

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 01:05 PM) This team coud be last place in the division at the end of the season. It has been an unpleasant satrt of the season and could be an even longer summer. MB is another one I could see going and maybe should as much as I think he is the icon right now. Look at what was traded off from our minors system for aging veterans for the most part. This hole was dug by our management staff. Now saying all that I am not wanting to give up on this team or this season. We need to win games period. Let's go! We are on pace to win 69 games. Does it really matter if we turn it up, win 78 and finish 3rd or lose by selling off veterans and win 60 and finish last. I think the latter is better so we can get a stud draft pick in 2011, where rumor has it there will be a ton of 3B prospects.

QUOTE (WHITESOXRANDY @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 11:57 AM) I can't wait. Who'd we get for Contreras and Thome ? For Thome, a bag of baseballs... For Contreras, surprisingly, Brandon Hynick and a batting tee...

I'll just throw Stetson Allie into the mix as who I think the Sox will take. A hard-throwing HS arm that may end up doing a reverse Sergio Santos...and go play 3B.

So who are the vets? The usual suspects are AJP, PK, MB. Knowing KW, he will want to simply re-tool for next year and not trade away players with multi-year deals. So I think its just the first 2 and perhaps Freddy, Andruw Jones, Vizquel, Kotsay. Granted you aren't getting much for them but it keeps this team intact hoping for the rebound next year that didn't come in first 3 months this year. Also, gives an opportunity to see what Viciedo and/or Flowers, Hudson bring in terms of needs for next season. I think we may get some near ready, "change of scenery" prospects like we did with Floyd as opposed to stud prospects or low level, high ceiling guys.

b-white couldn't get enough of your love, baby. b-wheat thought everything was "O-tay!" b-rye thinks we should turnover the entire team b-sourdough, I fear what lurks in your mind...

Was it all of the media and community work the Sox made him do/ he chose to do over the summer? It just seems like he was thrust onto the spotlight so quickly and he had slightly better numbers (worse HRs) than Josh Fields in his break-out half-season. I still think Beckham will be good but the biggest concern I have is the K rate. Even if he's hitting below the Mendoza line, he always seemed like a guy that got the bat on the ball. Last year, I was amazed at how often he made solid contact but never expected what we've seen this year.

QUOTE (dpd9189 @ Jun 3, 2010 -> 05:15 PM) I don't think they can. They still have to sign Pujols to a long term extension along with Carpenter, Molina & Wainwright in 2012. They're not in the best of shape for anything past next year. Any guesses on what Pujols' next contract will be? 10 years, $320 MM

He's coming to Chicago. Just makes too much sense. Young nucleus, cap room, city. Contrary to what some think, I don't think Deng will be traded. Bulls will want to see what they have with that line-up and have Deng shoot his mid-range jumpers off drives and dishes, pick and rolls with Lebron, Rose. Also, Deng will be an expiring contract in as little as 3 years (has 4 left on deal) and while he will make $14MM in final year, it's expiring and will be less than another "max" free agent, since we will need to give Rose a max deal and perhaps sign Noah as well in that time frame. We can't have 2 "max" free agents and also hope to sign Rose, especially if that other "max" is anyone outside of James or Wade. Deng should flourish as a 3rd option with two studs. The only piece besides James that the Bulls will add is a rookie SG in the draft and likely Omer Asik, the Euro big man they drafted a few years ago. So the team will be: PG: Rose G/F: James SF: Deng PF: Gibson C: Noah Bench: G: Hinrich G: Rookie Draft pick G: Free agent F: minor FA/ warm body F: James Johnson F/C: minor FA/big body C: Omer Asik