alk3kevin

I probably won't watch many games this season if they put Erstad in CF full time.

I shudder at the thought of Erstad sac bunting all year long.

I'm down with Masset.

You forgot to mention the fact he hasn't hit league average in the last six years.

He sucks, that's the answer to just about every question.

Dreadful. Hopefully he plays bad enough that Ozzie loses his vet fetish and realizes he is one of the worst players in MLB.

When Erstad has been healthy, he hasn't been productive. I just feel there's absolutely no reason to stunt Brian's growth for a CF that hasn't done much over the years to warrant any playing time. I get the feeling Ozzie will misuse him and turn him into a starter based on his one phenomenal season. Comparing Darin's stats to Jon's and Joe's situations is irrelevant. There's not much upside to a 33 year old, injury plagued CF.

From 2001-2006, Erstad has not even had a year that was league average. In the three seasons that he actually had 600+ plate appearances, he posted OPS+ of 78, 88, 89 (100 is the league average). I sincerely doubt he was better than most outfielders during this time span. I'd probably put him in the lower quarter of outfielders during the last five-six seasons. Doesn't mean much when you consider he hasn't had an OPS over .746 in six years. Every team needs good ballplayers. Erstad is not great, he is not good, he is not average, he is below average. He does absolutely nothing tangible well. We are stunting Brian's growth for this? Giving Ozzie Erstad is like giving Dusty Baker Neifi/Womack/Macias. This will be the year where Ozzie's hard on for grittiness really hurts us and Brian. In short, his good days are behind him (as well as his average ones). The fact that he's on the 25 man roster makes me sick.

New article with my thoughts on fifth starter situation.. http://www.soxtalk.com/frontpage/html/modu...icle&sid=84

FWIW, I was pretty much playing devil's advocate. I was planning on writing 3 reasons why we won't contend next week.

I don't really want to turn this into a debate about baseball theory, but I feel Kenny's strategy on the bullpen this season is top notch. Relief pitchers are relief pitchers for a reason, they aren't good enough to start. By plugging in guys with good stuff instead of "veteran" guys like Cliff Politte, Luis Vizcaino, or Dustin Hermanson can pay big dividends. Most, if not all of the pitchers in the pen will have 1. good stuff 2. great potential 3. tiny contract. Relief pitchers fluctuate from year to year more than any other position in the game. Would you rather be in Cleveland's shoes? I meant to say depth at the minor league level. I'll fix it sometime. I know they're untested kids, but everyone has to get their shot sometime. I'll take the untested kids over the crusty veterans. In my opinion, they have nowhere to go but up. Uribe posted the worst year of his career, Podsednik was awful, Anderson was terrible. It's not too optimistic to think they'll improve, imo. Actually, outside of Garland's WHIP, his peripherals resembled 2006. Luis only has 486 PA in his career. Saying he definitively can't hit is kind of short sighted. He's succeeded in the minor leagues, and could do the same in the majors. Thanks for the comments guys, both critical and kind.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=118

He said it involved three big names, and it was "close". Anyone have any ideas?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/gl.cg...p&year=2005 He did win some games when he was hot.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 06:46 PM) But you know what else that 5th starter spot gave us, despite relatively bad numbers? A sh*t load of wins. 9 wins out of El Duque and 6 out of McCarthy by my count. That's 15 wins. Compared to the 0 we had from the 5th starter spot in 2003 through the first half of 2004. El Duque had a ton of sh*tty games, and McCarthy had his fair share early in the season. But those 2 guys were key in helping the team pile up 99 wins. Between 2003-2005, they were the difference between an 85 win team and a 99 win team. You can suck and still win games. I care a hell of a lot more about the quality of their innings pitched than how many games they won. I completely understand what you're getting at Balta, it's just frustrating as hell to read these chicken littles compare some of the best prospects in baseball to Felix Diaz, Dan Wright, Arnie Munoz, Jason Grilli, etc.

Fifth starter woes? Anyone remember 2005? El Duque gave us 130 downright bad innings. ERA+ of 87. McCarthy was slightly better, but it's not like we had five guys light the world on fire. Granted, the other four peaked considerably that year, we only had 3 guys in the entire lineup that were above average offensively (using OPS+, I'll check their eqa later).

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 06:06 PM) Yeah, we really need to deal for a hitter and run out medicore pitching. Because the 01-04 Whitesox won many a division crown. Last season, we had mediocre pitching and some horrible hitters in the lineup(Pods, Uribe, Anderson, AJ for half the year) and still could have won the division. If this is your reaction now, I can't wait until we trade/let walk the rest of the starters in the next few years.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 04:12 PM) So since we are going to be trotting out a jv rotation next year, why don't we just move the team to Montreal to make the White Sox a complete bush league team. Yeah, as opposed to this year when our entire staff was complete garbage. Settle down people, I like the depth of the pitching a hell of a lot more than when we had five veterans with unimpressive stuff. We have plenty of "stuff" and innings guys in the system now, and we can either deal the veterans for more young players or flip the prospects in the package for a hitter.

In a bad year Ensberg was still on base many more times than Crede.

I'd just like to point out before all the maniacs get here that Joe Crede is the most overrated player in baseball.

QUOTE(Soxman72 @ Dec 7, 2006 -> 05:20 PM) Does the best player in baseball as you call him have a ring? Mariners - NO Rangers - NO Yankees - NO Please also tell me his career postseason stats. Please forgive me if I do not jump for joy over the constant rumors. I enjoy watching A-Rod play because he is such a great player, but I would not want him on the White Sox. I am a huge baseball fan and one of my favorite times of the year is the hot stove. I just get very tired of seeing a new thread get started everyday on the same old rumors. Especially when the source is a Philly radio station and more likely is just speculation by a Mike North type host. .280/.362/.485 in the postseason. You slam Mike North type radio, yet you listen to the same idiots who force this garbage about championships=individual greatness. You and Mike are on the same level, buddy.

QUOTE(NCsoxfan @ Dec 5, 2006 -> 10:52 PM) Hirsh would give us a solid young pitcher, and Tavares speed and potential in CF and the top of the lineup... Taveras might look good in Birmingham or Winston Salem, but not in Chicago.

QUOTE(gosox41 @ Dec 3, 2006 -> 09:22 AM) If T ed Lily is turning down 4 year $37 million contract offers it tells me that KW needs to trade 2 starters and max out on the insanity out there. This is a golden situation that doesn't come very often. First trade I'd make is the Garcia/Crede for Figgins and Santana. It leaves the Sox with 6 starters and adds more speed to the line up. Ozzie wanted more speed on this team last season and now he will have it. It also frees up $10 mill to fill other holes like the stealth bullpen the Sox need. The second trade gets a little tricky. It involves one of 2 scenarios. If you believe pitching is the key, then you go with scenario 2. If not, Scenario 1 is the best option: 1. Trade McCarthy (and others) for Carl Crawford. It's exciting to think about a line up where your 9,1, and 2 hitters can steal a combined 150 bases. The offense would have more flexibility then the 2006 offense as speed doesn't slump as much. Crawford would be a great #2 hitter behind Pods/Figgins. Bat the other guy 9th. Move Iguchi down to 6/7 in the order and watch his power numbers increase as he's no longe sacrificing himself as much. 2. Trade Garland (or more ideally Buehrle since he's in the last year of his contract) to the Rangers for the rumored deal of Danks, a second pithcing prospect, and Otuska. Instantly the bullpen is improved with Otsuka. Either Danks or the second pitchig prospect would compete for the 6th spot with Logan. For the record I'd trade Buehrle before Garland but Garland probably has more value since he under contract through 2008. This trade sets the Sox 2007 bullpen and also starts setting the starting rotation for 2008. If these young guys are as good as hyped, then I can see a rotation of Contereras, Vazquez, Santana, McCarthy, and Danks for the '08 season. It's 4 experienced starts plus Danks who supposedly has a high ceiling. But now is the time for KW to make a splash and fade the insane moves of overpaying for mediocre pitchers. In 2008 the price of signing FA pitching is going to remain or increase from these high levels and I would be annoyed to see roughly 10% of the teams payroll tied into a Ted Lily. Now is an opportune time for KW to strike while the iron is hot. Bob Prove it. I hate this bs statement. There's absolutely no proof that a lineup with 3 guys who suck at getting on base but are fast (oooooo) will not slump.

QUOTE(forrestg @ Dec 2, 2006 -> 03:50 PM) Heilman would be okay as long as he didn't pitch in June or July. Millege, would be a perfect compliment to Anderson and Podsesdnik with his 241 average. Do you even follow baseball? Milledge is one of the best prospects in the game.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Nov 28, 2006 -> 12:54 AM) When we trade Joe we need more than a Figgins. We need to steal some great players. Crede and Freddie need to bring a lot. It must be nice when we can bag on a guy who had the record of Freddie this past year. Juding a pitcher by wins? Come on.