witesoxfan

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 10:11 AM) Have you looked at next year's free agent market? What exactly are you going to spend your money on then that makes your team better than with Cano? With teams locking up their star players earlier and earlier, the quality of free agents is starting to dwindle. Also, I've asked this question numerous times, but what exactly is going to change between now and next offseason that will suddenly vault us into a competitive team? Again, the free market sucks next year. We don't have any elite prospects that will be ready to contribute by opening day 2015. We do have some interesting prospects that might be able to be part of the core in guys like Semien, Micah Johnson, & Thompson, but those guys are unlikely to be game changers. We'll need at least one legit middle of the lineup, preferably left-handed, to get this offense where it needs to be. If you wait to next season, it's going to cost you your limited talent to acquire said player, which seems counter productive to me. The benefit of Cano is he only costs of money, which we should have a surplus of starting next offseason. Hold on to all of your young talent and continue to build around a strong young pitching staff and a 3-4-5 of Abreu-Cano-Garcia. You'll improve your chances to win right now without jeapordize the future. Obviously this is all dependent on a Cano deal that isn't too crazy in years. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/02/2015...ree-agents.html Yes, it'll be weaker than it's been in year's past, and a lot of these guys will re-sign with their current teams, but the 3B market is better next year, as of this moment, and the SS and SP markets look solid too. But that's all beside the point - the Sox still have Dunn, who people feel received the worst deal in team history. Why commit so much of your payroll to 1 player? What's keeping Cano from following a similar career path to Jose Vidro? They were very similar players - good to very good averages, decent power, respectable defense - and then Vidro lost the ability to hit for power and that took away from his average too. He was no longer a good defender, and he suddenly became a rather useless player. What's keeping Cano from turning into a 1-2 WAR players 2-3 years into this 7-8 years, $25 mill a year contract? The Sox are reportedly already close to their max budget. Spending that puts them over, which removes from their future ability to spend in the future, which limits or inhibits them from fixing holes that they did not foresee appearing. It's just not the right thing for a rebuilding team. Say you don't sign Cano. Say that Beckham does begin producing this year or Semien turns out to be for real - either of them puts up .280/.350/.450. If you sign Cano, you then either have to trade them for another piece or move them to 3B, where they are less valuable than they would be at 2B. That's not a bad thing, but you can spend more efficiently and perhaps try to acquire a guy like Headley, Zimmerman, Wright, or whoever. And then say Avisail Garcia does not develop like the Sox want but instead is more of a .270/.330/.370 guy. You can get by with a guy like that, but if an upgrade is available, and you have these other guys who can be counted on to be good for you at 2B, why not upgrade RF at that point? Basically, if you are in a rebuilding phase and your team is not very good, there is little marginal benefit to the added wins that a guy like Cano will provide for the team. He's going to either cost $30-35 mill a year on a short term deal, or he's going to be there for 7-8 years. You don't know what your future weaknesses will be, nor do you have any idea what potential areas will develop as strengths. If they come out this year, find out they have 3-5 really good starters, and one of the areas of weakness is 2B, then I would have had no problem adding a guy like Cano. As is, I just don't think it's an efficient nor wise way to spend money.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 10:16 AM) If Abreu struggles in ST, it gives the Sox of having him go the same route as Viciedo and Puig of getting some success in the minors before coming up. The Sox could start him in AA and have him work his way up to the majors by June as he adjusts to American baseball. In the meantime they can work on dumping Dunn in a deal. You don't give someone $68 million to play in the minors, even if just to adjust. He is 100% making the roster.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:56 AM) Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 2m Konerko was told that he would be a DH verses some Left handed pitching and help Abreau as a backup at first . Contract $2.5 That's 200-250 plate appearances barring injuries to either Dunn or Abreu.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:54 AM) I don't like Leury Garcia. Why is he going to be our utility IF? If he ends up there, it's because he's good defensively and extremely fast.

The one thing I really don't want this to devolve into is a Ken Griffey Jr situation, where he is terrible off the shoot and ends up retiring in May. I guess personally, I think that's an embarrassing way to go out.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:41 AM) This move is all JR. Sucks to see Hahn have his hands tied by his owner already. This much I don't like, but Hahn has said all along that Konerko had a spot on the team if he wanted, but that was likely due to Reinsdorf.

That is the salary of a guy who is not expecting much playing time.

QUOTE (GREEDY @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:31 AM) Now look at the other 15 years he played in the league. Your are the worst. You mean the fact that he has always hit lefties, but didn't hit righties last year? Thanks though, I will take that as a compliment.

QUOTE (GREEDY @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:25 AM) Reinsdorf is desperate for a fan-base that will support a lovable loser. I could "tolerate" this if PK was a lefty masher... but unfortunately his splits are even. I see very few scenarios where this works out for Paulie and/or the WSox. So now you are saying things that aren't true. Please look at his splits from last year.

Sounds like she is ignoring you. I'd say that one's over. That happened to me recently. Girl and I hit it off at the bar, were talking all night, she called me to tell me good night. Texted her the next day, but she was barely talking. I texted her one other time to try and set something up and she came up with an excuse to get out of it. Haven't bothered texting back because what's the point?

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:14 AM) First Tim Beckman, now Paul Konerko. I guess not hurting people's feelings is more important than winning. They weren't winning anything this year anyways. I just wanted him to retire because I think he's finished.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:06 AM) Leury SS Sanchez 2B Semien 3B Morel- they probably don't care I was surprised they didn't just non-tender Morel, but they can just cut him at any time, so it's not a big deal. I also don't know why those guys can't rotate. One week, use this rotation. The next, go Leury4, Sanchez5, Semien6. Get Leury and maybe Sanchez some work in the outfield. I know you want them to settle into a position, but having positional versatility is a good thing for a young player.

And for a while... /le pin

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 08:50 AM) I guess I don't really have a huge problem with it as long as he doesn't take away too many ABs from Abreu. With Konerko on the bench, they really need to find a way to get rid of Keppinger. Maybe a bench of Konerko, Garcia, Danks and backup C. Where does that leave Semien? AAA? Or do they plan on just going with a 11 man staff and having 5 on the bench. With a spot taken up by a pinch hitter who can only play one position they almost have to have 5 on the bench. 12 man staff. I don't see any way they can't do that. Maybe they can go stretches with 11, or essentially roll with a pseudo-26 man roster (demoting and recalling guys as necessary). I think you're right regarding Keppinger though, though the idea can be to basically play Alexei every single game at SS and if he gets hurt to the point where he has to miss time, you demote a pitcher and bring up an infielder. I still hate that.

At least the Sox are making moves, right? Right?

Guess I'm one of the few who thinks Ellsbury will age really well. Glad the Sox didn't sign him, but that's a fine deal and I expect him to earn his money.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 08:43 AM) There we go. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 08:40 AM) I don't think the Sox will sign Granderson, but the odds are a lot higher he would help the Sox win a lot more games than the draft pick and slot money they would surrender signing him. Yes, for a team that lost 99 games. Would you rather take a chance that the 2nd round pick turns out to be someone like Addison Reed or Gio Gonzalez who can help the Sox either directly or indirectly 5 years from now while they'll be competitive, or would you rather Granderson help lead the Sox to 77 wins instead of 73?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 09:30 PM) You don't think they are a 90-loss team with Cano? QUOTE (Dunt @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 10:01 PM) No They may not be a 90 loss team, but I'd be surprised if they were a .500 team. I mean, are you really happy with 76-86? I disagree that Cano wouldn't sell tickets, but he doesn't do enough to make the Sox competitive. --- This is not the year to spend. It's not a free agent market that lines up well with the Sox weaknesses (other than Abreu), and they'll have more to spend next season. Dunn and Lindstrom are free agents who almost certainly won't be brought back, which frees up $19 mill. There are others - De Aza, Beckham, Flowers, Keppinger, Ramirez - who could be traded or non-tendered, which would free up money or commitments to spend money in the future. The team is not going to be very good this year, but there have been significant steps taken in the past 5 months to set the foundation for a team that can win for a long time. I feel Hahn has done a wonderful job thus far as GM and would give him an A.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 11:11 PM) honestly the only thing i'm pissed about is that we didnt get Dexter Fowler. The Astros got him for pennies. Pennies. Again, compare De Aza to Fowler. What am I missing? Fowler has been a product of Coors Field for years now. He's likely getting $10+ mill a year following the season for 3-5 years. That is $10 mill a year that could be spent far more efficiently.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 11:12 PM) For that price we could've gotten him easily and extended him. The kid gets on BASE which is something our team hasn't been able to do it.... well... ever. In his career, his numbers away from Coors Field: .241/.333/.361/.694. He almost certainly would not perform that poorly elsewhere, but I don't think you can safely say he's anything more than a .250/.350/.375 player with mediocre defense in CF. What's the difference between him, De Aza, and Gregor Blanco? I'm glad the Sox stayed away.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 07:07 AM) AJ Pierzynski was just traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox for the rights to Gordon Beckham, Alex Rios, Adam Dunn and Dayan Viciedo. Ozzie Guillen named 3B coach, with free reign to provide post-game quotes. Paul Konerko named starter at DH. Joe Crede has just undergone a series of ultra-secretive back surgeries in Switzerland and will fight it out for the 3B job in spring training. Buehrle reacquired from the Jays, along with Colby Rasmus, for Marcus Semien, Eric Johnson, Daniel Webb, Carlos Sanchez and Jared Mitchell. Well greg would have an ultra boner, but the Sox would still lose 90 games

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 01:31 AM) Great post. Hopefully what you wrote is fact. Whatever they do at catcher is likely going to be boring and unspectacular. You're likely going to b**** no matter what happens.

I would prefer they sign Choo to Ellsbury

Those saying the Rockies got fleeced...would you accept Lyles and Barmes for De Aza right now?