Lillian

The only way that I'd hold out any real hope of a bounce back from Adam, is if he was injured last season. If he was healthy last year, it seems unreasonable to expect him to do significantly better, at age 36. Then too, there is the pattern of guy coming off a solid career in the NL, specifically with Washington in his last several seasons, before coming to the Sox. Dunn was much younger, and he was even worse, in his first year with the Sox.

Perhaps we aren't sufficiently addressing the real issue: Is it reasonable to expect LaRoche to have a bounce back season, or has his age already spelled the end of his effectiveness? I still don't know how much credibility to attach to the claims that he was injured last season. If that were the case, you could consider keeping him, as a DH, and just moving him further back, in the order. Providing that he could put up respectable offensive numbers, at least in a platoon role, that might be acceptable. Go get a potent middle of the order bat to play RF, in place of Avi, and go with a lineup like this: Eaton CF Melky LF Abreu 1B ????? RF (preferably a LH hitter, but any solid run producer) Lawrie 3B LaRoche DH vs. RHP Avila/Navarro C Saladino SS Sanchez 2B (I would love to see Carlos eventually emerge as an effective 2 hole hitter. That is where he has had his best Minor League success}

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 10, 2015 -> 02:27 PM) It's ok to root for your team, but I laugh whenever we make moves in the winter people assume they are GOOD moves. Lawrie is what he is (cliche). He's not going to emerge as a star. What makes you so sure? Do most players peak at 25?

We all understand that he won't turn 26 until next month. Sure, he's been in the League a while, but most players with talent, will get better and make adjustments, as they come into the prime years of their careers. Yes, I know that Beckham failed to do that, but isn't he really more the exception? I think that Lawrie will make an adjustment, to some degree, to the steady diet of breaking balls, and improve his hitting. My biggest questions are; Does this organization have the right coaches to help help him, and is he coachable?

Which circumstance would make the Sox appear more desperate to move Adam; their current stated need to move him, so that they can pursue another bat, or the need to dump him, because there is no place to play him, because they have already acquired another bat? If they signed Upton, couldn't they privately suggest to other GM's that their intention is to play Upton in RF, Eaton in CF and Melky in LF, and continue to use LaRoche as a DH? They could also tell them that they intend to keep Trayce as a 4TH outfielder, and send Avi to Charlotte. As I said earlier, if they miss out on acquiring a much needed middle of the order hitter, because of whatever part of Adam's last year of salary they will have to pay, that seems awfully short sighted to me. In this age of committing to long term $15 to 25 million deals, I just don't understand how the $12.5 million, or whatever portion thereof, which they have to eat, in a trade, should be an obstacle to acquiring another bat. I'd like to see them sign the guy, and worry about what to do with LaRoche later. But maybe that puts the front office in too difficult of a bargaining position. That's why I pose the question.

It's a minor point, but I just looked at his career stats vs. our division rivals: Tigers .293 .341 .585 Twins .322 .333 .411 Royals .277 .324 .394 Indians .177 .257 .226 Just FYI

Project his "Away" stats from last year, over a full season, and you get a pretty decent offensive player: AVG OBP SLG OPS .272 .299 .429 .728 With 15 doubles and 10 homers, in just 75 games. That would give him 30 doubles and 20 HR's. I don't like the strike outs and low OBP but it sure beats what we had last season.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 08:16 PM) Now trade for Frazier and sign Cespedes and Upton. Don't overdo it. Why do the Sox need all of those guys? One big bat like Upton should be enough to fix this offense, and we keep all of our pitching.

That is hard to believe. I hope that's the deal. Wow!! Just Wow!! Now, they can spend money on one big bat, and just go with Saladino and Sanchez as their keystone combo. They shouldn't have to trade any one. Just sign a middle of the order bat, and they have a respectable offense.

Many of you seem to object to the fact that Frazier is only controlled for 2 more years. I actually view Frazier's 2 years of control as a positive. He is very affordable this year, at $7.5 million, and arbitration eligible next season. That gives the team a very desirable contract, with no long term commitment. Hopefully, the Sox would have Trey Michalczewski ready to take his place in 2018, when Frazier would opt for free agency, and a big payday. I love getting guys in their prime, playing for a big contract. That sure beats paying an aging player, big money, for past performance. Why not give up Anderson for him? Anderson does not project to be an elite SS. I want a ++ defender for that position. Ditto for Lawrie, except he is not as good of a hitter, at least not yet.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 04:07 PM) What if the Sox got Lawrie, Frazier, CarGo, and Upton within the next 24 hours? This forum would explode lol. I am confident that scenario will not transpire, within the next 24 hours, or the next 24 years!!!! The Sox don't have the assets, the money or the need for anything so draconian.

At age 21, in 69 games at AAA Vegas, he hit .353 with 24 doubles, 6 triples and 18 homers. His slugging % was .661 I don't care if it was the PCL, that's very impressive. Project those numbers over a full 162 game season and you're talking about 50 doubles, 13 triples and 40 HR's. No wonder he was so cocky. That kind of production would do a lot to boost anyone's confidence. That's why he was such a highly rated prospect, as these rankings demonstrate: Prospect Ratings by Baseball America: Pre-2009: Rated #81 Prospect Pre-2010: Rated #59 Prospect Pre-2011: Rated #40 ProspectProspect Ratings by BaseballProspectus.com: Pre-2009: Rated #57 Prospect Pre-2010: Rated #99 Prospect Pre-2011: Rated #57 Prospect

The rumor which speculates that it's Avi, Engel and Thompson makes no sense. The A's are said to be looking for pitching. Moreover, they would not want 3 outfielders, and the Sox do not have enough outfield depth to be trading away 3 of their better prospects.

Since Lawrie will be a free agent in 2 years, the front office may be thinking that he would be an adequate stop gap, until Trey Michalczewski is ready. That would seem like a reasonable plan, providing the Minor League players, in the deal, are not top tier prospects. That would allow the Sox to spend the money on a middle of the order bat, filling another hole. That is not to say that Lawrie wouldn't be a desirable long term solution, but if he performs well, over the next 2 seasons, he would probably be too expensive, as a free agent. Then there is also the possibility of extending him early.

Some of you may find this article interesting: http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/11/30/...scouting-report

Given that he will be a free agent in two years, he may not cost as much talent, as most of you are speculating. Let's hope not.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:56 PM) He had a hand / hammate injury, if I recall. He never complained about it, but its the type of injury that could really drain / suck the power out of your swing, imo. And its the type of injury that I'd think you couldn't play through (nor would it heal without significant rest). Thank you for the Info. I was not aware of that injury. Now my question is; Why was he playing? He should have been benched. Now, I'm even more disappointed in this team. If he couldn't contribute because of his health, he should not have been left in a position to spoil the team's chances of being competitive. He was a "black hole" in the cleanup spot. Simply inexplicable!!

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:42 PM) I would bank of LaRoche being closer to his career averages than last year's production. I'd bet the same thing from Melky as well. Would bet more on Melky, but LaRoche is going to be a much better player next year, imo (I think that injury and just the whole mental impacts of the struggles really nailed his season). That or he'll be cut by May because it will be extremely evident that he's no longer capable of playing in the majors (and fell off a cliff due to age). I hope you're right. Just how bad was that injury? I don't remember much talk of his being hurt. But then, I missed a lot of game broadcasts. The only injury I remember was the knee problem, which was in September, as I recall. He was awful all year, before that.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:12 PM) Hah, get ready to be disappointed because if he's on threat, he'll like be batting 4,5 or 6. I could live with La Roche batting 6TH, if he shows signs of improvement, over last season, which I doubt, given that he has turned 36, already. At any rate, I don't consider 6TH, the "heart" of the order.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:14 PM) I think he's of a #2. Only time he's a 3 hitter is if Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are batting before and after him. If he were in a lineup with those guys, he would still bat somewhere other than 3RD, probably 2ND. Cabrera and Pujols would be 3RD and 4TH. Perhaps on another team, he could bat 3RD, but this Sox team is not going to have 8 or 9 good hitters. They better be productive 1 - 5

QUOTE (scs787 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:01 PM) Heyward has decent pop and gets on base at a good clip. He could bat 3rd with Abreu being the cleanup hitter you're looking for. Do you really think that Heyward is a #3 hitter? I'm sorry, but I can't get enthused about that.

QUOTE (Dunt @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:05 PM) Eaton Heyward Abreu LaRoche Cabrera ? I imagine your 3B would be in there somewhere Please don't tell me that you would spend all that money on a guy like Heyward, and then have a lineup with Adam LaRoche batting cleanup!!!! I don't want to see him anywhere near the heart of the order.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:45 PM) Not saying you don't acquire someone who fits well in the cleanup spot, but OF defense is far important in my opinion. For instance, Upton would probably be a more prototypical 4 hole hitter but Heyward would be a much better pickup due to his elite defense. Both are very nice bats, obviously. OK, so what does the first 6 spots in your lineup look like, with Heyward?

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:28 PM) Upton, but that's a narrow way to analyze the situation. Perhaps, but I think that a cleanup hitter remains the biggest priority. Therefore, the guy they get better fill that hole. If you get a guy who is going to hit somewhere else in the lineup, who bats cleanup, behind Abreu?

If the Sox spend the kind of money needed to acquire someone like Upton, Heyward or Gordon, that would preclude any other big signings. Therefore, unless they are willing to trade a starting pitcher, the guy whom they sign better be their much needed clean up hitter. Who would fill that role better, Upton or Heyward?