harfman77

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 29, 2014 -> 09:07 AM) I think EJ will be in the rotation, Paulino-not so much. Also Micah Johnson will be a MLB player at some point full time so we have to figure out where to put him and who gets moved. I wonder if the Sox prefer Johnson or Semien, they both are both in play for the same roster spot down the road. To me, it seems they prefer Semien, otherwise he would be in AAA being showcased for a trade as I think they are doing with Micah at this point. They have three MLB or near MLB ready 2B and really only room for one, so I think there will be a couple of deals involving Beckham and Johnson before opening day 2015. Yes, EJ has a much better shot at rejoining the rotation, but I was never as high on him as some around here, but I think he can develop into a capable back end of the rotation starter. I feel like the key is to not panic and push too many chips in to compete at a fringe level this season. Keep building up the system with astute pickups like Rondon, Montas, Danish, Michalzewski, and such, and build the depth of the organization to a point where it is able to produce ML talent on an annual basis and allow the team to trade off veteran assets to fill gaps like bringing in Avisail last season.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 29, 2014 -> 08:57 AM) We really have no payroll issues at all. We have only one bad contract (Danks), and he's managed to remain effective enough to at least hold down a rotation spot. That we could simply cut Keppinger is evidence that the front office agrees. Anyway, the effect of that should be that the front office should NOT feel pressured to eat salary. It should all about maximizing talent this year. There will be no Abreu's or Tanaka's and the FA pool is below average to pretty bad, so the Sox may have to take on some bad salary to maximize the return they get in a trade.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 29, 2014 -> 08:02 AM) This team won't contend with this pitching staff. This team isn't far out of contention with the pitching staff it has. Noesi and Danks last couple starts have been promising and it seems that they may be on track. If the team is still hanging around in July, it may make sense to go out and find another starter, but until then it gives EJ and Paulino time to try and rebound to competency. Personally, I think putting any additional resources into making the postseason this year is folly as it would likely cost assets that you would like to remain in your core for the next 5 years. I really expected this team to hit a wall at some point playing so many new starters, and while it appears Eaton has, Garcia and Semien are now out and have been replaced by veterans producing at a level consistent with their expectations.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 28, 2014 -> 03:11 PM) Yeah I think they see Pederson as the replacement for Kemp. I have to think the Dodgers would rather move as much of that salary as possible and re-allocate it to a Hanley extension. They have $37M in Billingsley, Beckett, and Haren coming off the books at the end of the season, plenty to allocate on top of Hanleys current $16M salary and make a run at James Shields. I can't see them being able to unload Kemp given the concerns about his makeup and the $75M owed him.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 28, 2014 -> 02:18 PM) I think he goes to the Scrubs in a Shark deal. I saw that too, that makes no sense for the O's unless you are convinced that he is broken for good. Sounds like Cubs are scouting Gausman as well. I like Alexei to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, Victor Gonzalez, and Zach Bird.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 28, 2014 -> 12:19 PM) Ok seriously, this thread is just stupid at this point. The trolling and stupid stuff back and forth stops now, or suspensions will happen. Period. Back to Gordon Beckham here or find somewhere else to post. Thank you.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 28, 2014 -> 09:19 AM) In the end, he went to the highest bidder, did he not? I can just as easily credit Alexei and Dayan Viciedo for using their influence (which they used). Adolfo's a million miles away from Chicago. We need 3-5 of them every international signing period for those efforts to bear fruition. As far as Marquez and Walker, I was just listing players who we were hyped into believing in by the press/Sox p.r. Given the spending restraints, you cannot sign 3-5 of them. You can go all in on a guy like Adolfo and then take fliers on some other guys or you can add 3-4 guys that are more mid-range prospects in the market, which appears to be the approach this season.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 28, 2014 -> 09:11 AM) Bucket, who has been pretty plugged in over the years, is telling you that Paddy was instrumental in signing Abreu. Why don't you believe that? Paddy also was believed to be the driving force in signing Micker Adolfo. Paddy wasn't in the organization for Zach Stewart I didn't think and where did Jeff Marquez come from related to this topic? Marquez came from the Yanks for Swisher. To be fair, Abreu wasn't really a find. There were articles written before he defected citing him as the greatest hitter in the world. I think the hope for Paddy was that he would bring more success in the July 2 market, which as you mention he did with helping to land Adolfo last season. It also appears that the Sox are in pretty good position with a couple more kids this year, so it appears that Paddy is paying off now, though the fruits of his labor won't be seen for 3-4 years.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 28, 2014 -> 07:59 AM) "Chris, we want you to work on your fastball control and durability for the first part of the season. We'll let you open things up after Memorial Day". Maybe? It seems like his slider was the big thing that knocked him down in the draft. He went from being projected as a top 10 pick to falling to the Sox in the second allegedly because his slider was not the out pitch that it was in the Cape Cod League the previous summer. So, has he abandoned that pitch now? To me, it seemed if he could get that pitch back up to an acceptable level he would be really successful but from your account, it seems he is working on a cutter along with his fastball and not working the slider in. If thats true, it makes a lot of sense why his K numbers are so pedestrian.

Andrew Mitchell, I thought he would perform much better. I am not ready to admit anything about Beck, I still think the talent is there and he can be a mid-rotation guy.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 27, 2014 -> 03:43 PM) Sox hold an option for 2016 so it would 1.5 years with the potential, and likelihood, that it's 2.5 years. I don't know if the conditions of the team option were to change if he were traded but next summer seems the better year to trade him. That way if we're in it, we have a playoff caliber shortstop and if we aren't, we have a nice piece to move. I think the time to move him is in the off-season at the winter meetings. The Dodgers, Phillies, and Yankees will have holes at SS, the Orioles and Red Sox may as well if they decide to keep Machado and Bogaerts at 3B.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 27, 2014 -> 04:00 PM) LOL at "shoulder soreness", dude hit 98 in his last outing. The DL shenanigans continue. That would make my shoulder sore.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2014 -> 10:12 AM) The same thing was posted. Yet, how many players did that system graduate to the majors? Semien, but he was replaced with a higher rated prospect in Davidson. The other two prospects that graduated from the lists are back in AAA.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ May 27, 2014 -> 01:35 PM) Of course hawk's analysis is meaningless to Hahn and who we draft. I do find it odd that he has found this new subject to randomly rant about every game now. Maybe someone told him something, but that's putting on a tinfoil hat. Just wait until the Sox pick a HS pitcher and then his line will be, "He's not your typical HS pitcher, this kid has the makings of a great one."

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 27, 2014 -> 02:02 PM) Hawk's been saying that first round HS pitchers are bad picks for years. His stance is completely unrelated to this year's situation. What new?

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 27, 2014 -> 12:09 PM) One of the Braves top prospects, Tommy La Stella, is doing pretty well in AAA. He would seem to be the heir to Uggla's position. San Fransisco could definitely be an option. Baltimore could turn to trade with the way Schoop is playing or they could stay internal with Jemile Weeks/Ryan Flaherty/Steven Lombardozzi. The Blue Jays have a combination of 2013 Charlotte Knight standout Steve Tolleson and struggling 3B Brett Lawrie. When they play Lawrie at 2B they have to start defensive butcher Juan Fransisco at 3B. The problem with the BJ's is that while Francisco is not defensively proficient, they need to keep his bat in the lineup and have nowhere else to play him with 1B and DH occupied. I think the Orioles are probably loath to trade for a 2B to block Shoop, while he has struggled as a rookie, they have some internal options to bide time if they think he needs a reset in AAA. This is the issue I see, there are not enough contenders with a need at the position to drive the price up to a point where it makes sense to make a deal.

Teams that are probably in the market for a 2B are SF and ATL. The Braves are supposedly ready to move on from Uggla and Scutaro may never get healthy enough to play this season. I dont see a solid enough market developing for him this summer as I think he has more value to the Sox than anyone else. The way the Sox have used Semien, they must view him as a UTL long term and Johnson won't be ready this season, so I think they probably hold Beckham and see if they can get a solid deal before his arbitration.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ May 27, 2014 -> 11:06 AM) http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/mock/...-Law-Mock-Draft Keith Law's 2nd mock draft is out and it has some VERY interesting information about the Sox's pick. He has the top three going: 1. Aiken 2. Rodon 3. Kolek "Tyler Kolek Analysis: The White Sox have been locked in on Kolek for more than a month, and the industry is betting he's their guy even if Carlos Rodon or Brady Aiken drop to this pick. They apparently prefer Kolek to Aiken and would rather not grapple with Rodon's perceived high price tag. (I say "perceived" because I don't believe he has put out any demands at all.) They were also in heavy at Aaron Nola's last start, with former GM Kenny Williams in the crowd." For all of you who have Rodon or Aiken above Kolek (frankly, nearly everyone), let's hope Keith Law is getting bad info. He says this about the Marlins, "I've heard this comes from the owner: If the Cuban-American lefty is there at No. 2, take him, and we'll have a pair of Cuban aces at the top of our rotation." Interesting. The Sox must think that they can develop his secondary stuff if they like him more than the others. I do wonder if this is a smokescreen though as Hahn seems to operate much more in that manner than KW did. We'll see next week.

I see a lot of claims of graduation hitting the system and I am confused. There is only one offensive graduate to this point in Semien to this point and he was replaced with a higher rated prospect in Davidson? Webb and Petricka too, but as a relievers they are not going to be in many org top ten lists. The biggest issue in the system is that one time prospects have hit walls. Thompson, Walker, and Mitchell were all toolsy OF's with contact issues and as they have progressed those contact issues have derailed their careers. Thompson may have a shot as a 4th OF, but thats two consecutive top picks for the Sox that will never make the majors. Years of poor drafting have not been overcome by the solid moves that Hahn has made in the last 18 months, it will take time, but the biggest issue has been poor development and scouting not because the system has produced and abundance of ML talent.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 23, 2014 -> 02:50 PM) And we are going to have some really big chances to restock. Think about it. We have the #3 and #44 picks to start off the MLB draft. For references sake, 2011 top ick Keenyn Walker was picked #47. We are also listed as a main player for one of the top pitchers in Latin America this year in Ynoa. Ynoa and the #3 pick could be top 5 players each on the Sox big board. Then we still have the trade deadline to bring in more guys. Micker Adolfo is about to make his professional baseball debut in the DSL, and could shoot up lists if he gets a big start down there. The Sox 2012 Latin signings are all now turning 18, and could be primed for earning chance to go north next year. I thought the plan for Adolfo was to play rookie league this season?

QUOTE (flavum @ May 23, 2014 -> 04:10 PM) That's a good point. It would be easier to take the Cubs ending up with a better player if the Sox were at 3, and the Cubs were at 11 or something. Them being at 4 adds to the pressure--although it shouldn't. Cubs are said to be all over Max Pentecost going way underslot to boost the rest of their picks in the top 5.

QUOTE (Dunt @ May 23, 2014 -> 03:56 PM) 1.) Rodon 2.) Aiken 3.) Nola My order would be: 1. Aiken 2. Freeland 3. Jackson I think the Sox order is: 1. Rodon 2. Kolek 3. Nola

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:57 PM) WHAT? I think there is a strong likelihood we have only one top 100 prospect after both events: whomever we draft No. 3. Anderson is borderline and no one else in the system will likely make the cut. As far as trade chips, it's really Alexei and Dunn. Alexei is still a good bargain and we don't exactly have a ready replacement, so I am not sure he goes. And Dunn will not be bringing back a top-100 prospect. His value is extremely limited as he really can only be traded to an AL team. And the teams in contention have guys capable of DHing save for maybe Oakland. The Fielder injury creates a market for Dunn now, as they will have insurance money from his contract to cover Dunns. I think we could have as many as three top 100 prospects, #3, M Johnson, and Hawkins. The pitching in the upper levels has taken a step back thus far, but there is plenty of time for it to rebound. I think the system will be in the 15-20 range by the end of the season which really is dramatic improvement from where it was two seasons ago. Two years from now it has the chance to be a top 10 system if the investments they are making in Latin America pan out.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:52 PM) Law went on to say that Nola might have 70 fastball command right now, and wouldn't be a bad pick at 3. Given the upside that is available at #3, I would be very disappointed in Nola, I would rather take Hoffman even with the TJ if the team has an inclination to go under slot.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ May 22, 2014 -> 12:23 PM) I still like Semien better but it's not "crazy talk" to think Johnson is a better prospect. I'm sure plenty of people like Micah better. Anywho, as people have said, there's still a ton of time to figure this out at 3b. To be honest, I'm not sold on either guy yet. Maybe the Sox included as they give Micah everyday AB's in AAA while Semien rides the pine. There is also the possibility that they are marketing Johnson for a trade, but one of Semien, Johnson or Sanchez will likely be dealt this summer. Semien being the most likely given that he has ML experience.