harfman77

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 09:25 AM) How much do you have to see to determine if a guy is a "long-term" solution? Does anyone really think Flowers or Phegley are legitimately full time catchers in the major leagues? I think given the state of the Sox, it isn't doing any harm to give Phegley and Flowers another shot. If you get into the season and that is the lone black hole on the roster you can make a deal to shore up the position. But Phegley has a history of starting out slow at each level and taking time to adjust, so I think it really is in your best interest as a team to give him a larger opportunity to make sure you know what you have before moving on. I am not thinking he will be an all-star or anything, but he could at least be average, which might be good enough.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 09:00 AM) It buys you another year to look for your future C, as far as I am concerned. AJ is not the type that would be OK riding the pine while you were experimenting with options to be the long term solution. It is better to bring in a solid backup and give the guys in house a larger sample size to determine if they can be long term solutions. If they both fail you can go outside of the organization and find another guy to try. AJ coming in would have prevented you from being able to do that or would have caused some major locker room issues if you sign him and don't play him enough.

Sounds like another of Paddy's guys. Hopefully this one pans out.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 25, 2013 -> 01:52 PM) It is also the spot where the team is deepest in the farm system. Thats true, but they may be moving some of that depth to improve the ML roster, so it gives them the opportunity to backfill. I think Perez is a good option as a C, he was pretty highly regarded at one point and then was derailed by injuries, hes probably not ready for the majors, and a backup role my curb his development more, but if you are taking a position player, he has as much upside as any other position player available.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 25, 2013 -> 01:38 PM) I don't know a lot, but I would bet money the Sox are not taking a reliever in the Rule 5 draft. It will be a position player for sure. I would even narrow it down to a catcher or non-1B IFer. Probably not, but that is where the best value is.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 7, 2013 -> 03:17 PM) If they get a position player, I'd just like them to prioritize the hit tool. Worried some guy's power might not develop? Fine. If he has bat-to-ball skills, I'll gamble on the rest of his game. Would much rather that than gamble on speed turning a guy into a five-tooler. I'd like to see them pick up Jeren Kendall in the second or third round.

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 07:10 PM) I wouldn't mind taking a look at Brody Colvin. He was a top prospect for the Phillies at 1 point. Could be a good bullpen arm, he has a power curve already. He has some mechanical and control issues but who knows....Coop could fix him Gavin Floyd 2.0. Sign me up.

QUOTE (chisoxfan310 @ Nov 25, 2013 -> 12:54 PM) I just saw that Jones got DFA'd. You think Pittsburgh would have any interest in Adam Dunn as a platoon partner with Gaby Sanchez? People will probably say that Jones is poor man's Adam Dunn, but Dunn actually would homer and get on-base more. Maybe Dunn plus cash for (?)? Then we could slide Viciedo into the DH/1B role and get a more athletic outfielder to play center or left. Probably more likely they bring Morneau back. I think Dunn has a market, but it is not to a small market/payroll NL team. If the Mariners fail to re-sign Morales, they could be a landing spot for Dunn, along with the entire AL East and possibly the Mets.

I think Hahn is waiting for the market to be set. After teams strike out in free agency they will be looking to upgrade through trades, which increases the Sox leverage as there are fewer options available in the market place. At the SS position, at team is going to have to decide if they want Stephen Drew for 3/$45M and to give up their top draft pick or to trade for Alexei and take him on at 2/$20M. Both will cost your minor league system some talent. With the pitching options out there, it is going to be like musical chairs and whoever is left out at the end will be incentivised to make a deal.

Headley makes sense in that he gives you a legitimate 3B with a chance of being a long term solution. If not he will net you a first round draft pick a year and half from now. I think Headley is a great fit for this roster and is probably one of two moves the Sox need to make to be competitive this year. Headley's power will play nicely in USCF and at worst you can dump in for prospects in July if you are out of contention. Its a risk, but you have to gamble sometimes to get ahead.

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 02:32 PM) Salas and Freese for Bourjos and a prospect who struggled his first season in AA? Seems like a pretty good deal for the Halos. Although knowing the St Louis organization that prospect will probably be amazing in 2 years. That prospect is the Angels number 2 prospect and was selected with the pick before Mike Trout. He has had a tough time with injuries which has stunted his develop but is still young and has upside. Pretty even swap of arb eligible players that fills holes for both clubs.

QUOTE (Dunt @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 02:24 PM) Just say no to Jon Jay. Agree.

Good deal, both teams trade from areas of surplus to fill holes. Not sure who else the Cards are getting yet, sounds like a former first round pick in Grichuk who has struggled with injuries and hampered his development.

QUOTE (Dunt @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 11:15 AM) I really dont see Profar being as good as people think he is going to be, but that is just me. Gallo strikes me as Mark Reynolds 2.0. Alfaro and Odor are interesting prospects, but not enough to take Sale away. The only way a team is going to pry Sale away is with a future allstar position player and a pitcher that has #2 upside to me. I think if they put together of Martin Perez, Luke Jackson, Odor, Alfaro, and Sardinas, they would be pretty close to making a deal happen.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:47 AM) #1) Kinsler is a more valuable player, Detroit is just covering some of the difference in costs. They don't mind paying him more than Fielder. #2) Michael Young was labeled a product of Arlington; he was awful in 2012 and then somehow put up better numbers outside of Arlington this year. He's older, but I don't see there being much difference. #3) Texas is paying a generally inconsistent, out of shape, unathletic 1B $20+ million a year until like 2020. Compare Ryan Howard to Prince Fielder and tell me how you don't see a similar fate occurring. I love this trade for Detroit. I think people look at Prince and make up their mind about what he is, but from watching him, he is much more athletic than people give him credit for and every year, every team he has been on comments on how he shows up to camp in shape and ready to go. If you want difference between him and Howard, look at GP's. Prince has been ultra durable while Howard has been anything but. I think that Arlington is a perfect fit for Prince. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 528 2131 314 515 106 8 71 246 202 315 80 20 .242 .312 .399 .710 Kinsler away split 991 4055 506 1151 220 23 79 460 262 656 49 13 .284 .326 .408 .734 Young away split Similar, but Youngs were still better. I don't know I would be excited about giving up a middle of the order bat for a young(er) Michael Young either.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:38 AM) How does Kinsler cost more? He has $62m left on his contract and the Tigers sent $30m. Fielder has $168m left. You are right, Kinsler is $9M cheaper than Fielder over the life of his deal as he is scheduled to make $57M through 2017 and Fielder will be paid $66M thanks to the offset of money from the Tigers. What it will cost the Tigers to replace Kinsler for the rest of Fielders contract, anyone could guess.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:28 AM) I'm sorry guys, I'm not seeing how this is a bad trade for Detroit. Prince is a better hitter but he cost twice as much, is a liability on the basepaths, and was literally the worst defensive first baseman in baseball last year. All of those things are EXTRA important for a team with so many DHs that it forced Miggy to third base (blocking the organization's top prospect) and is so financially hampered that it was trying to trade the reigning AL Cy Young despite clearly being in win-now mode. They got nearly as much (and arguably more) value back in defense and baserunning as they gave up in offense and solved several HUGE problems for their roster. Plus, they are still a great hitting team with a bunch of players who you don't want up with extra baserunners. No way-- this is a huge win for the Tigers. Actually, with the money Detroit is sending, Kinsler will cost more over the next three years. He has not been good away from Arlington, and Detroit has a ballpark that will not play to his strengths. Its not a bad trade for Detroit, but it is a better trade for Texas given that Fielder is built to play in that park.

QUOTE (flavum @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:26 AM) Do the Rangers have any package of players that could get the Sox thinking on Chris Sale? Yes.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:13 AM) Yeah, I;ve heard that, but I sort of doubt it. They JUST took on like $76m for Prince Fielder and have always been linked to Price. I can see them using the Cano money to extend Price and finding a shorter term solution at 2B to bridge to Odor. I don't buy them being in on Cano really either, but they are definitely in win now mode. IF they can move Profar, Odor, and a spect for an OF bat like Stanton or Brown, they will be pretty stacked. The Rangers new TV contract starts in 2015, which will give them $80M/year plus the $25M/year they will get from the new MLB contract. So they are sitting in a pretty good position to spend.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:10 AM) Where did that come from? Is that a new rumor that has been floating around? The Orioles are up against it payroll wise and with Weiters and Davis both being Boras clients that are in their second arb season their is speculation that the Orioles will move one to get payroll flexibility and inject major league ready talent to their system. Can't see them selling on Davis now unless they feel the last 15 months are a fluke.

QUOTE (flavum @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:07 AM) I'll believe it when I see it when it comes to trading Dunn, but if the Orioles end up trading Chris Davis, and the Sox are willing to eat a bunch of money, maybe Dunn ends up in Baltimore. They still need a DH with or without Davis.

QUOTE (mike65 @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 10:04 AM) Bernie is our best writer and usually calls it like he sees it. I think his shot at Hahn was Bernie being Bernie with his reference point being the rumor that Hahn asked for Martinez back in July when Ramirez was being discussed. Unless I am interpreting incorrectly, most of the posters here don't even see Ramirerz being worth Martinez. Remember, we are in the silly season! I think there are more questions about Martinez now than there were in July. There were grumblings that he may not be able to start in the majors given his pitch repertoire, but now the grumblings are amplified. If you see Martinez as a starter he is worth more than Ramirez, if not, than the value is about equal.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 07:54 AM) Has anyone noted that this trade probably removes the most likely potential landing place for Dunn? Still think it is a better chance he ends up on an AL East team, they could all use him.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 09:59 AM) I think it makes sense to move him -- Profar is a SS and their top prospect is a 2B named Rougned Odor. Andrus has a big contract and has been worse the past couple years. The speculation is that they are open to moving Profar or Andrus and are considering a run at Cano.

QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Nov 21, 2013 -> 04:38 PM) Floyd isn't going to pitch in 2014 more than likely. Also, what nobody has mentioned is the fact that Braun played all of 2012 and had a great year with no positive drug test. How anyone can assume he was juicing all year after the fiasco at the end of 2011 is beyond me. Again, I repeat, he had no failed drug tests in 2012, so how does everyone know he was juicing that year in which he had 41 HR's and raked all year? Given the typical time table Floyd should be good to go by the all star break.