witesoxfan

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 11:07 AM) Castro 2011 age = 21 Phegley 2013 age = 25 Phegley was also held back by poor health too, and once healthy, produced at a high rate. There's no harm in starting Phegley this year.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 11:09 AM) I think it would be better to address the rotation this year in an effort to save money. As shown by the Tanaka pursuit, it's going to be difficult to get a true top-of-the-rotation via free-agency. If Jimenez is terrible at least he'll be relatively cheap. They may be able to find that pitcher in the draft, or it could be someone like Chris Beck (who Hahn mentioned by name). Beck is the one arm in the system I think could truly break out, figure everything out, and become a top 20 prospect in the game. That's his ceiling. It doesn't mean it will necessarily come to fruition, but he is a guy with a very high ceiling.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 11:06 AM) Yeah I agree with wite that Semien and Davidson can start in AAA. If they force their way onto the roster, a DFA of Keppinger wouldn't be impossible. I mean, for all of our talk about how much payroll space the Sox can use on FAs, we haven't really considered that eating ~$8m to lose Keppinger probably wouldn't kill us. What I really DON'T want is De Aza or Viciedo as 4th OFs. They both should have some actual trade value now, but a half season of part-time play will only negate that. I think the time to move one of them is now. Regarding De Aza and Viciedo, I do want one of them traded, and they should be able to find something, but trading them just to trade them seems wrong. They can go into Spring Training with them. I just think it's important they trade them before the start of the season.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 11:04 AM) The troubling thing with Phegley is that the low lows extend to his minor league history as well. Sure there are health related issues in his past, and they're big... but even with that taken into consideration... sample sizes are growing. About to turn 26 The health concerns are the exact reason why he struggled. Those health concerns were taken care of, and he absolutely destroyed AAA last year. He absolutely deserves another chance to absolve doubt.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:59 AM) I guess its pretty obviously the price for castro is high lol People want Castro. I continue to point this out Castro 2011, first taste of big league action - .205/.286/.287/.573 , 206 PAs, 41 K's, 22 BB Phegley 2013, first taste of big league action - .206/.223/.299/.522, 213 PAs, 41 K's, 5 BB Castro walked more. That's it.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:58 AM) Back end of the rotation could be ugly. I wouldn't mind them taking a chance on Jimenez as he'll be cheaper due to draft pick compensation, just turned 30, and has the stuff to be a front-of-the-rotation guy. He also has had control issues in his past and could just as easily be an absolutely terrible pitcher again. I'd rather the Sox be done than have them sign anybody else at this point. They made enough noise this offseason. Also, the back end being ugly is OK. The Sox are rebuilding this year anyways. No need to spend money just to spend.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:57 AM) Well thats reassuring lol I think Hahn doesnt like either too much and is trying I think giving up this early on Phegley is a terrible idea.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:45 AM) We have to dump an IF too. Possibly two. Why do you feel they have to dump? Gillaspie, Ramirez, Beckham; Keppinger on the bench Davidson, Sanchez, Semien in AAA, Garcia playing every day and everywhere, Elmore on the bench. I feel the same way about De Aza too. They don't HAVE to dump anybody. It'd be nice and would help clear a log jam, but I don't feel you just give them to the highest bidder if the bid is a bag of peanuts.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:51 AM) I just hope we can trade for a catcher, I just dont want flowers starting. Hahn has insinuated that theyd like to get one, obviously lol Phegley is likely going to be the starter, so your wish has probably been granted.

BILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLSBILLS

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:13 AM) Could be, but it's better just to assume it's going all the way. Best case scenario, he puts the 44 on his back, and he has a great season for a surprise playoff Sox team. Next best, maybe an NL team wants him for the stretch run and possible World Series DH. Or an AL team gets tired of their DH situation and adds him as the lefty portion of that. There are a lot of possibilities.

Regarding the local market share, this is tied for the second best outcome. Signing him instead of the Cubs would have been huge, but the Cubs not signing him further increases animosity and disinterest in the Cubs for Chicago baseball fans and, if the Sox are good in the next couple years, it will increase interest and market share in Chicago.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 21, 2014 -> 05:08 PM) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/cws/former...p;vkey=news_cws Our new CFer? Late bloomer, haha? I always loved him.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:07 AM) Dunn Last Day clock -- 8 months, 6 days. Honestly, I think it will ultimately be less than that.

QUOTE (chisoxfan310 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:02 AM) I would still love to see Rick move Dunn but we all know that is unlikely. Does anyone see the Sox releasing Dunn in June if the Sox are playing bad and he starts off bad for the first 2 months knowing that they have Paulie and Viciedo who could get DH at bats? Assuming they hang onto De Aza, it wouldn't be bad since we would be stuck paying him either way. No. About the only time the Sox would release/DFA Dunn would be like mid-August if it were obvious they weren't going to get something for him and he wanted to sign on with a potential playoff team to help them out down the stretch as a bat off the bench.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 10:01 AM) I'd like to see the SOX allocate roughly $50M-$55M of what they offered Tanaka and go get Matt Garza. If anything, the Tanaka sweepstakes have shown that the Ricky is ready to spend to make this team competitive as quickly as possible. I think putting Garza in the 2 spot in the rotation makes this a much better team, and it solves the rotation for the next several seasons. It's not far fetched to believe that Johnson and/or Paulino could have better years than Garza both this year and over the next 3-4 years. If the sign Garza, I want it to be for no more than 2 years, and really, I'm not sure I want that. I think Garza's name is bigger than his production.

I think the Sox are done with free agent signings. They aren't going to sign any pitcher that requires them to give up a pick, and I strongly doubt they go more than 2 years to any starter on the market now. About the only thing I could even see them doing is 2/$24 to Garza, and that would be in anticipation of trading him. The Sox don't really operate that way, not that I agree with it.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:34 AM) Yeah, but I also think Darvish paved the way for this contract for Tanaka. Teams were looking at Tanaka as the next Darvish, and if you don't believe that, you are kidding yourself. Oh I absolutely agree. But, if MLB was using the old posting system, the Yankees probably win the bid at like $60-70 million, and Tanaka signs for considerably less (though perhaps a similar overall amount). If the Yankees bid $65 million and win, does it surprise anyone if the Yankees sign him for 6/$90?

Per league rules, Hahn probably can't comment on it until it's official anyways.

It's January 22nd and look at how many starting pitchers are still available. There were probably about 5 teams - not including the Sox - who were waiting on the Tanaka decision before making moves. I definitely think you see teams like Chicago (N), Toronto, Houston, Arizona, and Seattle show interest in guys like Santana, Garza, Jimenez, Arroyo, Maholm, and Hammel, among other smaller free agents.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:25 AM) It is really a 4 yr deal in reality. No, it's important not to look at it like this. It CAN be a 4 year deal, but the decision is totally up to Tanaka. This is not the same as the Cutler deal (or any NFL deal) were the team can cut their losses after that if they want. The Yankees can never cut Tanaka loose. Only Tanaka himself can cut himself loose.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:21 AM) And Loxas. He's going to say "I SAID YANKEES OR CUBS THEREFOR I'M RIGHT GO CUBBIES!!1!!1!!"

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:19 AM) Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1 7m #Yankees #dodgers #Cubs were finalist for Tanaka. #Yankees went from 6 yr offer to 7 in past few days, told without that could not do deal I am just assuming the Sox were as well, but there's no difference between 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 30th in a free agent negotiation.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:16 AM) And after year 1 and 2 it looked like Dice-K would, and then...... Its a large contract and i am glad the Sox didnt try to outbid this offer. Of course, that's a possibility as well. Yes, all things considered, I'm happy the Sox didn't end up with him at this price. My final offer was actually really similar to this, but I could never have fully guaranteed a 7th year to this.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Jan 22, 2014 -> 09:14 AM) Tanaka is supposedly a step below Darvish. Darvish put up a 5 WAR season last year. The two Cy Young winners were 6.5 and 6.4 WAR pitchers. You really believe that Tanaka is going to be significantly better than Darvish in his first year in MLB and pitch at basically a Cy Young level? I really doubt it. I have absolutely no idea. There are a lot of ways for the math to work out. I merely put up a couple different scenarios. Bottom line, he doesn't even need to average 5 WAR a year for this contract to "make sense" (given $/WAR) for the Yankees.