southsider2k5

Really nice to see the way that K rate has dropped.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 09:40 AM) Catcher and DH. Catcher is not required, but I think it's something they'll definitely look at upgrading. I also think they'll look to add at least one bat. Headley was mentioned, and I think you could see that - bring in a guy who is a better defender than the Sox currently have at a position, say RF or 3B, and you can use that current starter as a DH and at the position on the opposite side of the field. While we're talking about the offseason, I'd just like to mention that I am very curious to see what happens with Stanton. I wonder how many times the Sox have called the Marlins about him?

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 09:19 AM) Where do you think they will target? I can't see it in the IF with the prospects they have. CF and RF seem to be locked into Eaton and Garcia. The only postion would be LF. Listening to Hahn's talk about being willing to add a big dollar contract in a trade when he talked on the Score a week or two ago, I can easily envision a scenario where the Sox make a deal for a OF or DH type who has a large contract, to net the Sox their left handed power bat they will be lacking, and maybe some other pieces to go with it. Some names that make sense to me? Josh Hamilton makes a ton of sense to me. Ryan Howard, BJ Upton, Matt Kemp also make sense. I am sure the deal will involve some level of cash, or maybe they figure out a way to work John Danks into the deal. Taking what Hahn said, and then thinking about how the Sox are currently set up, if we are going to have a bad deal on the books, I think it makes more sense to have gamble on a hitter turning around, than John Danks turning around, especially with the way we seem to find starting pitching. The other thing that keeps eating at me is the talk from the deadline about the Sox being really close to finishing a three way deal for someone they really liked, and are still hoping to finish. A teaser like that might be a hint at someone much younger, but I am still hoping some of our insiders can drop a little more info on who.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 09:12 AM) I don't think the Sox are going to add a significant position player this off season. The only position where they may look at is LF. Everything else in in house for next year. I'd bet on a big dollar position player being added.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 09:02 AM) Johnson is the favored prospects of the Sox for the MI. He will get first shot at 2B next year. Hawk already is obsessed with the kid.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 07:26 AM) It was a move made for the playoffs by Detroit, but you gotta get there first. Yeah, but you also don't bet on the health of your pitching just cratering as soon as you make the deal.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 08:27 AM) A few months ago I was working with a cub fan that just loved to talk about anything cub related. One day he asked what I thought about the the cubs prospects. Cub fan : what do you think of our prospects Me: I don't Cub fan: ( confused look) what do you mean you don't? Me: again, I don't Cub fan: ( more confused now) I don't understand Me: of course you don't. You know I'm a Sox fan so why would I give a f*** about the cubs prospects? Hence my response, I DONT. Meaning I don't think anything of them, those are prospects for your favorite team and not mine. I follow the Sox prospects, savy? Cub fan: ( even more confused than ever) but why? Me: (sigh) so is it supposed to rain this afternoon? Not to take anything away from the cubs prospects but, I honestly could care less. Following one major league team and trying to keep up with its prospects is more than enough for me so forgive me for not answering the posted question. Oh yeah, GO SOX! /thread.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 07:55 AM) The irrational obsession with the Cubs is scary. lmao.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Aug 28, 2014 -> 06:30 AM) Actually come to think of it, I've defended cubs here more than most, but there's no way you trade Sale and Abreu for the names listed in the op. The answer then should be the Sox. Exactly.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 10:24 PM) I think some of you are sleeping on Arrieta, Wada, and Hendricks. I think 2 of those 3 could turn out to be quality starters, and all should be very controllable for the foreseeable future. God forbids if they are able to turn Jacob Turner around. Cubs also have a closer who has a chance to be electric in Hector Rondon, who throw 98 mph and has been dominant for the past two months. At the end of the day, I think in terms of potential, it's definitely the Cubs. But potential is a dangerous word in sports. The Sox's "core" is more proven at this point The Sox have both Sale and Q. Rodon has a ceiling of being another Chris Sale. The Cubs have nothing in pitching that approaches that.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 10:16 PM) Did Rizzo die? People seem to forget he is a legit hitter who is in the majors... He is a legit lefty hitter. Close to the value Abreu brings while on a dirt cheap contract. Castro has a cheap contract. Another player being completely ignored is Arrieta. Soler, Baez, Bryant, Russell, Schwarber, Alcantara... Cubs talent is just filthy. They have tons of cost controller talent. Baez and Soler have low bust probably as far as prospects go. I expect at least one to be a star. All of the Sox talent is cost controlled.

SUCK IT CLEVELAND!

I swear he was trying to hit him on the pitch prior as well.

Here's the thing. If you look at it on a player by player basis, it is harder to argue Cubs. First off, you have to cede pitching to the Sox. Period. Sale and Q are already here, and the Cubs have nothing that will even come close. When Smarj was here, at least you could argue that he ranks somewhere in between Q and Sale. Now? No. Then the Sox have Rodon on the farm, with a ceiling as a pitcher, that is just as high as any hitter the Cubs have. Then if you go over to hitters, the Sox have Abreu, who is in the majors, and hitting like an MVP already. At best, you MIGHT have one of their hitters end up being as good as Abreu. Maybe. Avi probably ranks towards the end of the Cubs big four hitters in terms of ceiling. When you put the package together of what the Sox have here already, and the HUGE advantage they have in cheap pitching, I'm not sure you can say the Cubs have the edge.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 09:12 PM) 1,000 tickets a game is worth how much exactly? And how has our average ticket price changed year over year? Also, how much extra money did we spend on the draft and amateur international free agents in 2014 vs. 2013? They supposedly earmarked $15 million this year. 2013 was around half of that, IIRC.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 09:35 PM) Abreu made an incredible adjustment that AB That was a vintage Frank Thomas swing. Shoulders in, ass out.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 09:26 PM) This thread is dead. Alexei hitting it hard again wrong time. He was blocking the plate. Should be overturned. Again the Sox lost the appeal. And everyone shows up when the Sox lose.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 08:20 PM) The Sox lost $2M last year with a $120M payroll and an absolutely horrific ticket pricing model. Add $20M in incremental revenue from the new national TV deal and it's nearly impossible to think we can't afford a $100M+ payroll. That extra $20 million replaces most of what the team spent on amateurs and Jose Abreu's signing bonus this year.

QUOTE (daggins @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 08:12 PM) Cubs, doy. More depth, better talent, closer to the majors Abreu, Sale, and Quintana say hi.

If nothing else, the Sox are doing a great job of getting Kluber's pitch count up.

Factoid of the night. Jose Abreu is tied for 79th on the all-time Sox homer list.

I love that Abreu guy. Three more homers, and six more RBI, and he knocks Ron Kittle out of the Sox top rookie HR and RBI productions.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 07:40 PM) Whatever. Give me freakish athleticism with upside over grindy, try-hard all day, everyday. If Lavine was a Bull instead of Doug McGrindy, folks would be singing a differebt tune. Because the Tyrus Thomas and James Johnson experiences were so positive by Bulls fans...

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 27, 2014 -> 07:42 PM) I still don't know where this $30M talk comes from. We have $46M in salary commitments for next year and only a handful of arbitration eligible players likely to be back. There is no reason we can't afford $100M+ payroll if we so choose. That gives us a good $45M to $50M to work with this offseason depending on which arbitration guys we decide to bring back next year. The problem won't be a lack of money, it will be a lack of quality options to spend it on. Considering the team lost money last year, and every revenue stream is pretty much promised to be down this season, and they just spent way more money on the minor league system then they have in the teams history... Yeah, it isn't hard to envision something decently under $100 million.

The ability to hit pitchers pitches makes Abreu so special.