Al Lopez's Ghost

Apparently Harold Reynolds just said the Angels were gonna trade for Quintana. I place absolutely no credence in this. Reynolds IMHO is an idiot, but I thought I'd share.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 21, 2016 -> 09:44 PM) Looking at the month of September over the last two seasons, in '16 ERA 4.35 , in '15 ERA 4.34. Sale has been fading down the stretch which doesn't bode well heading into the playoffs. This is one of the reasons I had preferred to keep Q over Sale. I don't mean to kick anyone's puppy but if Sale continues fading in September, he may end up pitching more like David Price in the playoffs. It's possible that with better managing, more run support, and better bullpen help, Sale will be fresher next Sept and October. We'll have to wait and see. He'll probably have more adrenaline in postseason Boston than he had in September Chicago.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 21, 2016 -> 09:17 PM) there is no scenario where this is true. The teams trading for Q want to make the playoffs. Sale is better than Q. sale has a better chance of getting the team to the playoffs and WS. The Sox will not get the same talent in return for Q that they did for Sale. I agree. We can talk about WAR and rationalize the value of an additional year of control, but there remains the "wow" factor that Sale has and Q doesn't. The return on Q will be good - plenty good - but it it won't match Sale's.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 21, 2016 -> 04:11 PM) Who was the fifth starter again? Who wasn't?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 21, 2016 -> 09:49 AM) We recently acquired a Diaz (Victor), then immediately released another Diaz (Carlos). So the team is already at Diaz quota. There can be only one. He could always be Diaz-ignated for assignment.

QUOTE (ozzfest @ Dec 20, 2016 -> 10:46 AM) I'm starting to think this rebuild is BS. They are just trading the guys that KW didn't get along with (Sale and Eaton) and Robertson (i dont believe Robertson had an issue w management, but i still think they will trade him). This is classic Reinsdorf. Nothing new. More of the same. They aren't going to trade Quintana, Frazier, Melky, Abreu etc... They are branding this as a rebuild so that fans get sucked in. But this is not a change in organizational philosophy. This is just Reinsdorf allowing his life tenured executive(s) to get rid of players they don't get along with. When I see or hear something that I disagree with 100%, I tell myself that's what makes America great.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 19, 2016 -> 11:10 AM) Not that it really matters, but isn't Torres an SS? Where would Anderson play if they acquired him? Prior to his callup there was talk of Anderson being a centerfielder down the line.

Don't they know it's Christmas week?

Jon Morosi tweeting the Yankees have interest in Quintana. Yay! Sorry, shoulda known I was late on this.

This thread has 111,000 views. What's the record?

This thread has 111,000 views. What's the record?

QUOTE (Moncada @ Dec 17, 2016 -> 03:05 PM) I just don't see the FO making a trade this big the week of XMAS or New Years. Which means nothing will happen until January. Just my opinion though Ancient history but the Sox traded Ivan Calderon for Tim Raines on Christmas Eve 1990. Mrs. Al Lopez's Ghost is still bitter.

I don't think the Sox care to spend millions of dollars on Guys who might get them to 77 wins. Rasmus etc. will command big bucks and keep us mired in mediocrity, as someone said last year. Oh yeah, the guy who said that is making the decisions this year. The goal is to be better in 2018, and much better in 2019 and beyond.

QUOTE (bjm676 @ Dec 17, 2016 -> 01:27 PM) i expect him to get some game winning hits against the Sox next year. I expect a lot of people to get a lot of game winning hits against the Sox next year.

our draft in 2016 was great. I don't look at Fulmer as a fail, certainly not Rodon either. So I don't get this attitude that the Sox will screw up the 2018 draft choice, besides which that is only a piece of the rebuild. You can't get great by half-assing the rebuild.

QUOTE (FT35 @ Dec 16, 2016 -> 10:29 AM) I agree...keep him at SS till it's evident he will not play SS at MLB level (for whatever reason). I do think the Sox would prefer Moncada at 2B. For 1, 2nd base has been a revolving door since the days of T. Iguchi! From what I've read, that's his natural position and the move to 3rd was basically because he was MLB ready and Pedroia was still ahead of him. Kind of like the Trea Turner to CF move. Who knows though, athletes of that caliber are capable of playing whatever at a high level with enough reps--so that 3rd base door is still open. Some have speculated that Moncada could eventually end up in Centerfield.

Nick Swisher.

I don't think that's the plan.

If we have doubts about McMahon and Reed's platoon difficulties jump out at us, certainly Hahn sees this too.

QUOTE (Donaldo @ Dec 14, 2016 -> 07:33 PM) As soon as the Sox are mathematically eliminated each year, I begin to root for the draft pick. That could come early this year.

In 2017 wins are losses and losses are wins.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 11:05 PM) If he can give the Sox 150 innings at a 5ish ERA it'll be a successful deal. But between him and Shields...well maybe with their efforts Guaranteed Rate can recapture its former glory as a hitters paradise. Won't be a lot of chances for saves.

QUOTE (NCsoxfan @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 10:57 AM) I think that's such a huge "if". Teams were absolutely crushing Robertson's fastball this year. I don't know if it was just that he was tired on back to back games, or if he's regressing. I would probably dump him now rather than risk it. I read somewhere Robertson had physical ailments he was trying, often unsuccessfully, to pitch through.

QUOTE (miracleon35th @ Dec 12, 2016 -> 08:18 PM) There might be a few teams that would want Shields to fill out the back of their rotation. None of them Major League Baseball teams, however.

I agree with the general idea , but the new luxury tax rules are being phased in. For 2017, teams are penalized the avearage of the old rules and new rules. In 2018, the new rules take over. Also, I thought I saw that if Q is traded we will have something like $3 million committed in contracts in 2018, although with Shields I'm not sure how that can be true.