witesoxfan

Just so it's clear, we are talking about the same Justin Morneau who has put up splits of .259/.320/.404/.724 over his previous 1211 PAs and is one more blow to the head away from retiring, correct? Morneau blows. His swing has gotten incredibly long and slow. I'd stay away from that one.

I have no problem with Randall Delgado, but you need more than just him in a trade. Get Delgado, an outfielder, and a lower level prospect and I'd be happy.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 08:09 PM) A- to A+ is the smallest jump in the MiLB. You can ruin a player by promoting him aggressively, but not by putting an A- player in A+ a year too early. Seriously. Hawkins would be struggling at Kanny too.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 04:35 PM) Let's see how his defense is over the next few months, and how well he handles the pitching staff. I've heard that he wasn't supposed to be too good in those areas, but let's see. If it turns out to be the case but he shows he truly can hit major league pitching, they could use him primarily as the DH. The idea of a rotating DH has actually intrigued me. It allows you to play matchups better, get guys rest while keeping guys active, keeps everyone fresh in the field, and whatever other advantages you have. I do actually believe this is for real too because he was a good hitter all his life. Let Phegley, Flowers, and a lefty who can catch and play other positions (someone like Ryan Doumit, but not Ryan Doumit, because he's a terrible catcher) be the primary catchers. Then you can use 2 catchers in your lineup and still have an emergency catcher on the bench.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 04:19 PM) Forget McCann then. Just obtain a good catcher who can also hit, preferably left handed. Might already have that guy in Phegley.

QUOTE (maxjusttyped @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 02:40 PM) Beckham's BABIP is 92 points higher than his career mark and he's hitting for the worst power of his career. Obviously the latter part has come around recently, but let's wait for his numbers to normalize a bit before thinking about an extension. You're right, his career BABIP is .286 (it was .252 last year), but the IsoBABIP is fine. BABIP matters a little less for hitters than pitchers too because hitters can actually improve and start improve and get more hits on balls in play, but IsoBABIP will remain largely the same. He'll come down some, but there are a lot of signs of progress: he's making better contact than ever, his line drive percentage is up, and his flyball percentage is down. A lot of this has been due to his aggression at the plate - he's swinging 3% more often, and making more contact overall too - both pitches inside and outside the zone.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 03:34 PM) Baseball America's Top 100 Prospect Rankings in 2002: 2. Mark Prior, rhp, Cubs 6. Juan Cruz, rhp, Cubs 40. Hee Seop Choi, 1b, Cubs 45. David Kelton, 3b, Cubs 48. Bobby Hill, 2b, Cubs 68. Nic Jackson, of, Cubs 80. Carlos Zambrano, rhp, Cubs I remember arguing with a Cubs fan about Hee Seop Choi and how you couldn't guarantee he'd be a success. I was right.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 03:38 PM) I can live with playing spoiler. Until Kansas City wins the World Series and greg wants the Sox to trade for everyone on the Royals!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 02:56 PM) Same basic deal. If the Bulls traded Boozer and Deng for Garnett, Pierce, and Terry (and sacrificed the pick/mirotic), does anyone honestly think they go into a playoff series with the Heat as obvious favorites? Even if they have home court advantage? I don't at all. You don't have to be the favorite, you just have to win. Dallas was a heavy underdog 2 years ago and they came out just fine. If you get away with giving up Mirotic over Butler, your starting 5 is Noah-Garnett-Pierce-Butler-Rose, with Terry and Gibson off the bench, and you might still have room to either bring back Belinelli or still sign Dunleavy. That gives the Bulls a far, far better chance aganist the Heat with the length, interior defense, and overall more versatile offensive attack. Really, I'd say that series would be a 50-50 tossup. But then you run into... QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 03:08 PM) I think that's really going to come back to bite Brooklyn in the ass. If they don't win a title this year (which is pretty unlikely unless they find a time machine and play the series in 2006), they're going to star to decay until they're a 35-win team. They're going to have some massive luxury tax bills while doing that and Boston will get at least one high pick out of this after KG, Pierce and Iso Joe are toast. They'll have to depend on salary dumps with no picks to use as sweeteners, that will probably end poorly. Boston should get at least one pretty high pick out of it, and possibly 2 or 3. I'm pretty sure they get their 2016 and 2018 unprotected firsts as well as the right to swap picks in 2017. ...this, and this is why I wouldn't have done it. I will just say that, for all the non-excitement that they create, the Spurs seem to be the team the Bulls are modeling themselves after. What they need to do is, rather than extending late 20s picks that you've developed who will come off the bench for 2-3 years before finally getting a chance to start, trade it for an asset that you need and value highly and plug it into your lineup. Imagining the Spurs right now with Kawhi Leonard is silly, and they got it because they traded a former 26th pick for him. The Bulls need to find creativity like that. Perhaps that player is Butler in a year or two. Perhaps it's Teague, maybe they can get something out of Gibson still. Maybe they don't.

Who is this Phegley? I've never heard of him. Is he any good?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 02:36 PM) And there's the real problem. As people keep noting, even if the Bulls teamed up Rose with another star, with Durant or something ridiculous like that, the Heat still go into that series as the favorites. Everyone here knows it. You swap Deng for Durant 1 on 1 right now and the Heat still are the favorites. You swap Boozer for Love and the Heat still come in as favorites. About the only guy in the league who could have made the Bulls favorites alongside Rose is a healthy Dwight Howard and that guy hasn't been seen in several years. So what do you do if every move you could make is still unlikely to leave you as the favorites? I still think you have 2 options...you stay competitive, win 55-60 games, and take a shot at it...or you just give up, dismantle the team, and get yourself under the luxury tax every year. May as well win the games and put out an enjoyable product. I think there was a 3rd option before they went to the Nets, and that was trading for Garnett and Pierce. They're older and worn down - Garnett has like maybe 2 good years left as a starter and 3-4 overall and Pierce probably has 2-3 - but they could have made that work with Boozer and Deng while still bringing Jason Terry over too. You have a team that spreads the floor, a legit 2nd option in Pierce, a decent 3rd in Garnett, Noah down low, with Butler or Terry playing the 2. Spitballing here with what I remember from the contracts, but comparing what they could have given up, the Bulls basically would have given up Boozer, Deng, one of Butler and Mirotic, some last guy off the bench, and 3 1st rounders. Yes, it's a lot for older players, but that would have put the Bulls as a legitimate contender to win it all this year, and the problem is that, come about 2016 or 2017, you are in some sort of rebuilding mode unless you can strike lightning. I'm not saying that was the best route either - it was a possibility but obviously fell through - but it was an option.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 02:34 PM) That was for a half of a season for CC. Sale under team control for 6 year's, and is 24. So yes, If the Sox were to trade Sale, he would require a package doubled what the Haren trade was That wasn't the point. That was considered a great return for CC, and only one of the guys panned out, and he isn't a great player. We are talking about one of the 3-5 most valuable players in baseball here, and I honestly think the only player I would surely trade him straight up for is Mike Trout. I'd have to consider Harper too, but that's 50/50 for me.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 01:57 PM) Dan Haren, who is older, had less time on his contract, and was probably being paid more got the #12 prospect in all of baseball, Tyler Skaggs, and another promising LHP in Patrick Corbin. Also in that deal was Joe Saunders, who was a competent ML back of the rotation starter I'd expect more than that for Sale. CC Sabathia was traded for Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Zach Jackson, and a PTBNL. The only player who turned out to be worth a damn was the PTBNL - Michael Brantley.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 01:12 PM) In 2008, John Danks was a very highly thought of 23 year old, and people around here were comparing 25 year old Gavin Floyd to Roy Halladay. While it would be nice to think the young core of current White Sox starters will be around and effective for a long while, it's probably not realistic. Ha, the Floyd was because there were parallels between their careers, but this is a good point too. You've been pretty much spot on this whole thread.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 01:12 PM) Thornton is obviously not going top bring a "high end prospect." I understand that Hahn wants to start high in his negotiations, but I hope he doesn't end up dicking around too long and losing the opportunity to sell among several bidders. I think that's GM speak. They've already set their sights on realistic returns for these players.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 12:22 PM) Why are Dunn's stats from 4-12 years ago relevant? He was entering his age 31 season in his first year with the White Sox. McCann will be 30 next year. It was a general comparison of what we would expect out of McCann as a replacement for Dunn. There's a 99% chance it wouldn't be near the disaster that Dunn's was, but McCann has been injury prone and really isn't as good offensively as a lot of people seem to believe. I just don't believe you sign McCann to get rid of Dunn. I don't believe with the emergence of Phegley that you sign McCann anyways. If Phegley runs with the job, let him start 120 games next year. Otherwise, I'm honestly perfectly fine with a Phegley/Flowers platoon next year.

QUOTE (beautox @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 12:09 PM) Sox would need to get an amount that no team within their right mind would provide for sale. In terms of his contracts value it is near identical to the likes of Evan Longoria. It has been said time and time again the sox have a great young cheap pitching core going forward and they're shedding a ton of payroll this off season. Caulfield12 why are you so adamant about trading Danks and his contract when it will not hamstring the future of the sox? With all the money coming off the books next year after the trades this deadline or offseason they should lock up Santiago, Quintana and Beckham and look to sign FAs like Morales. Longo signed a $100 million extension from 2016-2022. Sale might have the best contract in baseball right now.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 12:23 PM) homers are turning to doubles. Usually the sign of a middle infielder getting older and less athletic. Yeah, it's time to deal him. I can admit I was wrong on that one.

Damn son

It's all subjective. I like to think of the word "better" from a moral standpoint as well. We know where Rocker's morality lies.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 11:48 AM) You don't really believe that, do you? This team is gonna suck really hard for a very long time. Good thing we got the Blackhawks, Bears, Bulls, etc. Eh, that was the thought after 2007 too, and some very good moves won the division the next year. If they sold everything off, yeah, they could suck for a long time, but I just don't see that happening. Some sort of rebuild, surely, but there is a really solid foundation in the rotation already. It's a matter of building an offense and keeping together an effective bullpen. Frankly, the Sox hitting is just garbage.

Regarding right handed players, I'd rate athletic prowess is prioritized as such (note: I'm leaving catcher off simply because teams typically will do what they can to keep their great athletes away from catcher...Joe Mauer is the exception, not the rule) SS CF 2B 3B RF LF 1B These are somewhat interchangeable, and obviously spots can be skipped (can go from SS to 2B or 3B), and you will generally only move down. You want them to play SS because lefties can't. If they are incredibly athletic but can't field ground balls, you obviously don't want them playing 2B but they should be able to handle CF. Exceptions can surely be made, and that one is more likely than others...I'm pretty sure when John Shelby Jr was in the system, he moved from 2B to CF and the transition seemed to be pretty smooth...but when a guy is at 2B, it means they've either tried him in CF already and it didn't work, or they had him at SS, didn't like his arm, but liked the way he picked. The second instance is one of the few where a guy can actually move up, but you just don't see that happen a lot.

Nice read, and this coincides with Balta's impression of him too. I feel a lot better about him in the top 10 now.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 11:05 AM) How is he going to be a 3-4 starter next year? Next season is a wash for him. 14-19 month recovery time, then it takes awhile from there and it isn't like he is dealing when the season begins anyway. If he heals quickly, he's back by July or August, and he could be effective down the stretch for a team. If no one signs him, it's not a big deal either.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 10:53 AM) If Gavin Floyd requires a major league contract next season, if you are a GM and don't say "pass", you shouldn't be a GM. $1-2 mill for 2-3 months of a #3-4 starter and a team option for like $6 million for year 2? I think that'd be a good deal actually. Hell, the Angels might just give him a 3 year deal. They were willing to give Joe Blanton 2 years and $15 million, and I don't think anyone saw that deal working out well for them.