harfman77

I think to call the off-season a bust is premature at this point. A lot of the groundwork for deals is being laid right now and then the teams will return home and work out the details. The Santos deal was allegedly started a month ago. The Red Sox are rumored to be interested in a TCQ/Floyd deal, that may come to fruition if the Sox can identify the pieces they want in return. I am not a KW fan, however, he can not trade pitching until some of the cards are off the table. Once Wilson signs and Gio, Santana, and Garza are traded, the market for Floyd and Danks will identify itself. Whoever misses on Mike Gonzalez will have some interest in Thornton.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 03:37 PM) Goldschmidt would look great in a Sox uniform Doesnt really make sense for the Dbacks to trade Goldschmidt to get older and more expensive at the same position.

I dont really see a market out there for PK right now. The teams that need a 1B are either cash strapped (LAD, SF, TBR, and TEX) or not really contenders (PIT, CHC, BAL, OAK, and HOU) and would not be in the market for a veteran.

QUOTE (PorkChopExpress @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 10:22 AM) So apparently the Dodgers are looking for a bat (OF or 1B type) and a reliever. Anyone know how their farm system is? Anything worthwhile for a Quentin/Thornton package? Any chance Konerko waives his NTC to play there again? Dodgers have no money to spend so you would have to pick up all of Konerkos salary. Not sure that the Dodgers have enough quality prospects to make that worth if for the Sox.

Some interesting names available and with the Sox entering in rebuilding I wonder if they will look at some of these guys to roll the dice on. Tim Alderson, Ethan Martin, Jon Gaston, and Evan Crawford could all fit in to what the Sox are doing. Alderson and Martin could be the final reliever, Crawford could be Thorntons replacement, and Gaston could be a power bat fourth OF/DH. http://baseballnewshound.com/?p=1908

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 09:52 AM) Supposedly KW is asking for a kings ransom for Danks. Comparisons to the Ubaldo trade (4 prospects, 2 first rounders)...Even if Kenny is only able to get 3 prospects and 1 first rounder I'll take it. his first trade is tough to spin, but there is plenty of time to round out the system a bit and team. You could probably get four first rounders from the Cubs.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 09:53 AM) Look at the part of my post you quoted...I said "they had better be damn sure" about this guy...if that is the case, I am fine with it...but it's hard to understand that when 3/4 of the minor league commentators seem to be saying this guy is just an average prospect. Hey, I'll take their word for it for now since I know nothing about the guy...but all I am saying is they better be right. As for Stewart, I don't get how so many people are so down on the kid. I like his addition to the club, and I think he can be a #3-4 starter or a potential dominant relief arm. And yes, we DO need more guys like him in our system, honestly. I am still pretty high on Stewart as well, he was a rookie this season and took some bullets, but I think he will be fine overall. He was lights out at times and just has to develop more consistency. When I read Molinas scouting report it makes me think of a Greg Maddux type of guy (not saying he is Greg Maddux), not a guy with overpowering stuff, but a guy that beats you by controlling the plate through pitch location.

Soler is a guy I can see fitting into the Sox plans. Young guy who will probably need a little seasoning a la Viciedo and could slide into an OF spot when Rios' contract expires. Fits into the rebuilding process well. IF they can make a deal before Cespedes signs they have a shot, but I think a lot of people come hard after Soler once Cespedes signs. Darvish will end up in somplace like Seattle, I think the sting is to fresh from Daisuke in Boston and that the NYY results with Japanese pithcing will keep them out of it. The Tigers are apparently the front runner for Cespedes.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 09:38 AM) I have a feeling people are going to get really pissed off in this thread when they see what the A's get for Andrew Bailey. Probably just a one for one swap. Bailey for Alonso of Bailey for Dom Brown, same thing right?

I like getting Molina back, I think he can profile as a right handed MB down the road. I do think they should have added another guy like Moises Sierra who is eligible for the Rule V draft anyway.

QUOTE (sunofgold @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 04:21 PM) Not sure if I really like just throwing a guy into the closer role. Prefer starting guys in the bullpen as relievers and work them towards the closer role. Like Santos started as a reliever and worked his way to closer. Took him a little bit over one season to move into that role (to even get a shot at the job) And then at that point hopefully you can keep the guy in that position. Stewart was in the bullpen in the minors for a while, he has 7 ml saves.

QUOTE (PorkChopExpress @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 02:48 PM) So I saw on mlbtraderumors.com that the Nationals are "fixated" on leaving the Winter Meetings with a new center fielder, per Pete Kerzel of MASNSports.com. What are the chances they would take Rios if we ate a large portion of his contract? What other needs do they have that we might be able to include in a package with Rios to lower the amount of his salary we would have to eat? Any thoughts? Package Dunn and Rios for Jayson Werth, that has a chance. Dunn goes back to where he was productive, Rios can play CF and would be at least league average in the NL, Werth can collect his money in LF in Chicago.

QUOTE (sunofgold @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 04:15 PM) Who are our 4 legit closer candidates? I only see one for 2012 and it Sale. He is 12 out of 14 in his career. Sale has great stuff. Maybe more effective as a closer than a starter. Stewart, Marinez, Sale, and Reed are all options. A lot of scouts liked Stewart as a back of the bullpen guy.

Stewart also could be in line to close, a lot of the scouting reports thought that is where he would have the most value. So there are quite a few remaining internal options with Reed, Stewart, and Marinez just off the top of my head. KW could turn into Billy Beane and make marginal pitchers closers and trade them off for a good return.

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 12:08 PM) Jhan Marinez Him

QUOTE (Whitewashed in '05 @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 12:01 PM) Looks like it's Crain's job to lose at closer now. I can't see them putting Matt back in there... if he's still here. I don't see them handing the job to Reed just yet. Jhan Ramirez will probably be in the mix as well.

If Alexei is on the block the top candidates wouldd probably be all in the NL East in Philly, Atlanta, and the Mets. Mariners may be in play too, especially if they get Fielder.

Where would Gary Brown play though with super toolsy Jared Mitchell and Keenyn Walker already in the system?

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 11:51 AM) A move for the future, or is this guy ML ready? Looks like a guy that will start the season at AAA.

Sickels has Molina as BJ's #2 spect 2) Nestor Molina, RHP, Grade B+: Ranking the Blue Jays pitching prospects is quite difficult. Although Molina hasn't received as much press as some of the other guys, his performance was impeccable, I think his stuff is underrated, and he'll get to the majors sooner than the others. Despite his season, he is still underrated by a lot of people.

QUOTE (MEANS @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 11:48 AM) what? source??? Jim Bowden on ESPN

All it says is Santos trade to Blue Jays, I imagine it means Sergio as I can't think of others right now.

PK and Brandon Short to the Giants for Huff, Belt, and Clay Tanner CQ to the Red Sox for Middlebrooks and Doubront Danks to the Nats for Purke, Taylor, and Norris Floyd to the Marlins for Ozuna and Poveda AJP to the Rangers for Yorvit Torrealba and Luis Sardinas Ramirez to the Braves for Salcedo, Minor, and Pastornicky Thornton to the Yanks for Hector Noesi 2012 Lineup C Flowers 1B Belt/Huff 2B Beckham SS Escobar 3B Morel/Huff RF Viciedo CF Rios/De Aza LF De Aza/Belt DH Dunn/Belt/Huff Bench Lillibridge Torrealba Ozzie Martinez Huff/Rios SP Peavy SP Humber SP Stewart SP Sale SP Minor CP Santos RP Ohman RP Frasor RP Reed/Axelrod RP Veal RP Santiago/Doubront RP Crain Not a good team, but a lot of young guys that can contribute by 2014. Depending on some of these guys develop you can move them for more pieces. If Santos pitches like he did he first half last year you can move him for a good return and put Reed in that role. Of course my idea of a rebuild is to burn the thing to the ground and start over, some people think we should try to compete for third in the division when we are rebuilding.

I don't think it is impossible to trade Rios, it will be difficult and you may need to take a bad contract back, but he can be moved. He is overpaid but has shown he is a major league caliber player. There are quite a few teams that need another OF and Rios can play all three spots well. Maybe a deal to the Rangers for Michael Young? Maybe Chone Figgins becomes the UTL? There are options out there. I am not ready to give up on Dunn, he had a season that was terrible by all standards this season, but giving him up now would be a mistake. His value will never be lower than it is right now. Even if he continues to play the same way, his value rises as money comes off the contract. The same goes for Peavy, his value only goes up unless he gets injured again. The Sox need to be trying to find ways to move PK and AJP, these guys are at the highest value they will be and will be on the decline by the time the Sox are ready to contend again.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 01:56 PM) If the Sox start winning 70 games a season, how long before the team moves? Seriously, once the hope is gone, won't the ticket sales dwindle to nothing? Or is this team so solid after the WS it will never have to consider moving again? These are the White Sox we're talking about, not the Cubs and their automatic sellouts. I do think there's a good chance he's dealt when Buehrle signs with another team, though. After that, we may see the dismantling of the team in terms of guys other teams may still want. Where exactly are they going to move? Baseball isnt exactly booming and there really are not very many markets that make sense.