spiderman

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 11, 2009 -> 02:31 PM) This is what Putz absolutely can not be counted on to do. I hope you are right, but I'm not convinced that the Sox don't look to cut payroll with Jenks. How do they keep this payroll under $100 million at this point?

Do the White Sox now move Jenks? Personally, I wouldn't, but they are about to go to arbitration with him, and Williams may feel that he can save money by moving Jenks while still having 2 guys (Putz and Thornton) who can step in for Jenks...or do the Sox stay with Jenks, and enter the season with what looks to be nice late inning options for Guillen.

This would be a major indication that they are cash strapped right now. I am wondering how they are currently going to keep the payroll under $100 million with their current situation. Isn't it 15 guys at about $78 million, but we still have Jenks, Danks and Quentin (at least) going through arbitration, adding around $12-$15 million just with these 3....even if you fill out the roster with minimum salaries, you're probably in the mid to upper 90's in payroll. How do they even add a decent free agent for $4 million a season if the payroll doesn't allow for it?

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 10, 2009 -> 12:29 PM) Rosenthal: Royals, Giants, Tigers, Cubs, and Sox Interested in Pods By Jason Gage SoxNet Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs are all contending with the White Sox for the services of free agent Scott Podsednik. Rosenthal is probably accurate about the other teams, but the Sox interest in Podsednik has waned over recent weeks, so much so, that Williams has told the media on multiple occasions that the Sox have "moved-on". The club has tried...Rest of the Story The Cubs interest is questionable. Do they really want this guy to play CF?

Pitchers are being paid pretty damn good so far in this free agency....The market for hitters have been quieter.

Don't get your hopes up. Williams is just being slick. It would probably cost them at least John Danks and/or Gavin Floyd, not to mention whatever they have left in their minor league system, plus he's only under contract for 1 season at a contract that the White Sox probably would say they can't afford.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 4, 2009 -> 07:56 AM) You wanted Blanco to play middle infield? No, as a backup Catcher, but I think you knew that.

I dont' believe the White Sox are in the market for more starting pitching, and I think they would simply use Daniel Hudson in place of Freddy Garica, should need be.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 4, 2009 -> 02:58 AM) Gray was solid last year in like 26 innings of work; otherwise, the Cubs got virtually nothing. I think that was the point though - get rid of salary.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 05:48 PM) Henry Blanco signed a 1 year, $1.5M deal with the Mets. That sucks. I think would have preferred to have him over Vizquel.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 06:45 PM) Are any of these kids worth anything? Also it is funny to see the Cubs dumping salary like it is going out of style, and NO ONE in the Chicago media saying a word about it. I think it's become well known that the Cubs aren't going to spend like they have over the last 3 or 4 seasons. They still will have a high payroll, but Jim Hendry now has to operate within about the same budget that he's been (probably with a small increase)...My guess is that they will remain relatively quiet this off-season because most of the money they have freed up will probably be used to account for the increases in some of their veteran players. I think they can still use another catcher because of Soto's struggles, and I'm not sure what they are doing about 2B. Obviously, they still the Milton Bradley issue hanging over the roster. Obviously, they are again looking for a team to pick up as much of that $21 million as possible, but good luck with that. I almost think they may be better just eating the money (easy for me to say) than finding a trade partner, maybe saving $5 million off the Bradley deal, but taking on another team's problem for the return. Who knows....but with Fukadome in RF, and Soriano in LF, they will need to find a CF as well. In summary, they obviously don't have much payroll to work with so Hendry is going to have to be creative in freeing up payroll.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 05:56 PM) Trading Aaron Miles saves them $2.7M. So, it sounds like in order to get rid of Aaron Miles, the Cubs had to move Jake Fox, a guy who has shown he can hit in the majors, but doesn't have a position to play. The Cubs have now saved around $4 million with the Heilman trade, and now this trade. They also saved something like $7 or $8 million with letting Rich Harden go as well... Now, I know the Cubs have escalating salaries with guys like Soriano so they are either trimming payroll where possible to keep their current structure in line and/or give them some flexibility in what should be a buyers market.

Can a reference to what 'Type A' and 'Type B' be added?

All I got from that is that Teahan will be at 3B, but the Sox aren't going to pass up on something that makes sense for them, which could result in moving Teahan to a different position. I'm glad that Williams is open to all possibilites - that's the good news that I get from that piece.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Nov 21, 2009 -> 12:52 PM) It would be best if the Sox waited to see how the market plays out when it comes to the DH signing. There are a lot of names out there so im sure once january hits and Matsui hasn't signed on with a team he would eventually accept a 2 year deal worth $12 million or so. . should be interesting to see things play out. Agreed, though I hope that any deal for an older guy is a 1 year deal with a club option.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 05:11 PM) It's funny how those talks with Pods are so back and forth. I still think it might be a stunt for him to lower his demands. Then again Scott in LF doesn't excite me too much. I'd be pretty surprised if Pods, should he resign, repeated last year's performance and stayed healthy. Is there anyone out there, besides Crisp, who may be an option that Williams is looking at? Of course, this could be something that Williams looks to address via trade if the free agent options aren't to Williams liking.

QUOTE (soxfan-kwman @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 02:35 PM) I agree, Tony Pena will be good in 2010. A whole spring training with the sox, working with cooper, & a new season to start over. He just has a few things to get him where he needs to be & we could have another nasty reliever to go with Big Bad Bobby & Thorton. I think he's a key to the pen regardless of whether Jenks is kept or not. If they keep Jenks, then Thornton has the 8th inning, but they currently don't have a guy who can throw in those 6th and 7th innings. Pena might be that guy. Linebrink is horrible. There are some younger guys (Hudson and Torres) who will probably have to grow into a role, and Carrasco is more of a 2 or 3 inning guy, extremely valuable, for a struggling starter.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 21, 2009 -> 09:02 AM) so what you are saying is "it aint happenin" Matsui is probably going to want more than a 1 year deal It could happen, as others have pointed out this does make baseball sense for the White Sox. I wonder if they need to free up salary though (Jenks) to make a move where they spend significant money. I'm not sure what Matsui would demand, but I'd guess that $5 or $6 million is the starting point. The reason why I think 1 year deal is his age. He's clearly a good player still, but I think the Sox would either want a 1 year deal or some sort of option. on a 2nd season. Either way, I don't see the White Sox jumping in to get him, and guess that they'd rather see the market sort itself out some before they see what bargains/values they may like.

He'd have to be one of those guys still available after the first month or so of free agency, and it would have to be a 1 year deal at the White Sox value....

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 04:19 PM) Where the heck is Cowley on this one? Nothing out of him. Surprising no Chicago Beat writers are on top of this. I saw the Trib did have something this AM. It's usually the national guys wtih these stories, and the local guys picking them up and acting like they know all about it.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 11:54 AM) Maybe he helps him, maybe he doesn't. I don't really see what it matters. The whole "mentor" thing is just speculation anyway, Vizquel is a good fit as a defensive specialist backup infielder when you have 3 question marks on defense at 3B, SS and 2B. Assuming he does get signed, I'm just glad that the Sox are showing a little interest in defense -- they've been indifferent for quite a while. From a sabermetrics POV, how does he rate last season? Obviously, I'm sure he has fallen off from his prime, but how does he rank amongst other guys?

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 11:45 AM) Agreed. He can do everything that Nix could do accept better and add value as a mentor. Nix does have much more power though, but the defensive ability of Omar at multiple positions would be tremendous. Do you believe that the backup IF's are set then - Vizquel as the primary backup SS/3B and Nix at 2B/3B?

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 11:42 AM) Kenny obviously disagrees with you. He's been making excuses for Alexei for the past few months and has now signed him a mentor. Given that Vizquel is still a damn good defender, will not make much and this team is in need of an injection of defense there isn't much to get upset about here. My only issue with this move is that I'm guessing that Vizquel would make around $1 million (whatever the minimum is for a veteran like Vizquel)....The Whtie Sox say that they are cash-strapped. I know it's not much, but I'd rather be patient with the money, and see what develops in the market place.

Does this indicate in any way that the White Sox are looking to move Nix now? I'm hearing some of that speculation, and all this means to me is that Nix won't be a backup SS since he did struggle at that position last year filling in for Ramirez.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 08:23 PM) I don't mean to bring up a subject everyone already beat to death last season, but I'll be honest, I wish we still had Brandon Allen. Lets just assume that the Adrian Gonzalez rumor will never happen... we could've simply traded Konerko this offseason for a grab-bag of 2 or 3 relievers and then start the 2010 season with Brandon Allen at 1st base. It just seems like Brandon Allen would've served us well as a lefty first baseman if we cannot get Adrian Gonzalez, and that Konerko could've gotten us better relievers than Tony Pena, not to mention more than one reliever that could've pretty much plugged up our bullpen. The White Sox can still trade Paul Konerko (assuming he would accept a trade elsewhere) and then open the season with Mark Kotsay and/or some other cheap option. My point is, trading or keeping Paul Konerko doesn't hinge on Brandon Allen being here.