witesoxfan

QUOTE (3E8 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 10:59 PM) I don't know if overpaying is ever the best route to go. Certainly not now, when the marginal value of a win for us is still fairly low. We have seen overpaying on the trade market and it means a team with mostly veterans and large contracts with little flexibility, like right now. You need some young, cost-controlled talent to build a strong team. If we overpay on the trade market with what little we have in the farm system to fill 3B, we are just robbing from a different position and our already weak minor league system as a whole. And therein lies the problem. The Sox, due to acquiring undervalued and overlooked players, avoided becoming the Houston Astros. However, Hahn has found himself in a stalemate because he's right up against the supposed budget, an aging roster, the ability to compete, the inability to put an elite product on the field, At this point, I think it's pretty obvious Hannahan's offer is from the Sox. For what, I honestly don't care. I think he's brought in to be a bench player with the worst case scenario being a starting player. However, the Sox interest in Mike Adams and Brandon McCarthy is what intrigues me the most. I think what Hahn realizes is that the offense itself is incredibly flawed and it's going to be difficult to fix in one offseason, and rather than try and fix it, he's going to compensate for it by improving the pitching staff tenfold. (with regards to McCarthy...even with half of his starts occurring at O.co, his ERA over the last two seasons is 3.29 over 281.2 IP, and he lost a few starts due to EMERGENCY BRAIN SURGERY) I think the idea is to ensure that the Sox have a top 3 pitching staff in the league, or close enough to talent wise, and to patch things together offensively. Deal Floyd for a couple of pieces the team believes can contribute in the future - possibly including Saltalamacchia - and reworking the pitching staff from there. Just a wild idea.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 06:47 PM) Jeesh, now Keppinger supposedly wants three years... The hell with these bums. Wanting is not having. He could get 3 years, I don't doubt it, but I think he's more likely to get 2 with an option

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 05:55 PM) He would be the best coach they've had since that guy they let go to Tampa. Tim Brown didn't coach silly

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 06:39 PM) Chavez likely returns to Yankees. They're looking at Youkilis now too. I'm mostly trying to be optimistic.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 06:34 PM) The Sox really need to get a young cornerstone hitter. If they could get Upton for that and a even a little more, I'd do it. I absolutely agree with this, but it's hard to disagree with it. Viciedo has the talent to do so but I saw a Carlos Lee comparison thrown around here, and that seems like it could be somewhat fair. He has the bat speed and power to hit .320 with 35+ homers, but I'm just not sure he has the instincts. He kind of reminds me of Raul Mondesi.

If the Sox had the room in the budget to even consider the addition of Mike Adams (who's likely to get $4-6 mill a year), then I think they'd have the room to offer a contract to Eric Chavez too. He is the riskiest of all the 3B out there, but if used in a platoon role (.908 OPS vs RHP, .382 vs LHP last year), you can at least attempt a platoon of Morel and Chavez at 3B which helps keep Chavez healthy and gets Morel in a spot where he is more likely to succeed. And yes, he had a .908 OPS over .274 PAs. He's still a pretty damn good hitter, even if some of that is lefty porch aided. I'd offer him a 1 year deal with a relatively easy to reach vesting option or mutual option for the 2nd...something like $5 mill for the first, $8 mill for the second. I doubt he gets anywhere near that on the market, and then you can pencil Eric Chavez in against RHP at 3B. If he's hurt, you're screwed anyways, and he replaces the lefty power that is lost by AJ's departure.

https://twitter.com/PMac21/status/276111390979276800 Phil Mackey ‏@PMac21 Slow day on #MNTwins front again, aside from several meetings. I heard Twins did meet with 3B Jack Hannahan's rep yesterday.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 05:50 PM) He's not even a platoon player, he just sucks. I don't even want him for the bench. If Brent Morel and/or Jack Hannahan are our 3B next year, then we won't be competing for s*** and I'll start having some concerns about Hahn's chances of becoming a good GM. You can't question it in one offseason. The Sox biggest hole right now is easily 3B and it's also easily got the greatest scarcity in the MLB right now because there are very limited resources and up to 5 other teams who have or could inquire about a 3B (I have New York, Cleveland, Oakland, LAA, and Philadelphia), so to fill it via free agency is going to be expensive or risky, and to fill it via trade could prove to be in waste because you may have the player for one or two years and then they're gone. If Hahn decides that it's simply not worth the financial risk to bring in a guy like Youkilis on a very expensive contract, then I have every right to believe him. He's done incredibly well working other contracts into the budget, so I have faith he can do it again. Hannahan this early in the offseason though would be incredibly disappointing. If he is brought in to strictly be a bench player, that's one thing - it's a left handed bat with a bit of power - but if he is brought in to compete for the starting gig, then the move is pretty much worse than the Teahen move.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 04:41 PM) Maybe this post will change things this year but unless your team is in on free agents the winter meetings are just a cock tease And unless it's a good free agent market, you don't want to be in on free agents. Judging some of the current deals, Youkilis could end up getting $10+ million, and that's not a position the Sox (nor any team) should want to find themselves in.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 03:44 PM) Problem is that AJ is a loud mouth ego vs ones that keep to themselves. To me this is a bad idea from their end. I have a feeling we wont miss him as much as we think. I hope he cashes in too.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 03:21 PM) I'd love to move Floyd. I think he's good but I think we have decent depth in the rotation, even in the case of an injury, and the hole at 3B is just gaping. I don't think Flowers is good, but that hole at C, to me, is much more bearable than the one at third. I think this is the key. I feel confident that the Sox have 5 starting pitchers that will be effective this year - Sale and Peavy obviously, and then some combination of Danks, Quintana, Santiago, Rienzo, Axelrod, Castro, and any number of other arms - and dealing from the rotation depth at this point in time for a 3B would be the absolute most efficient use of resources. I also think Floyd is generally underrated - he's pretty durable and, though inconsistent, ends the year with pretty numbers. I think even adding a couple of prospects would be a good start. Perhaps set the team up so they can be competitive this year, but continue building the depth of the minor league system.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 02:22 PM) Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN Bidding on Marco Scutaro said to have reached something in the range of 3 years, $24 million; SF viewed as frontrunner by source involved. That is a lot of money and years for a 37 year old singles hitter. Lots of goofy contracts being given out. $38 million for Victorino? I've always really liked him, but he was incredibly mediocre last year.

Some people like stats, some people don't. Let's just stop with that discussion because at this point in time, we know which side on which everyone lies, it's no longer productive, and it's only going to go downhill from here. --- How about we look at different possibilities for the Sox? Hell, I hate coming up with hypothetical trades because there's a 1 in a 50,000 shot of it ever coming true, but that will conjure up some good discussion, so someone throw that into the mix. Who is legitimately available from the Orioles for whom the Sox could trade Floyd?

QUOTE (YASNY @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:56 AM) While you're writing programs and punching in numbers to come with that 2.058 figure, I'll be sitting in my recliner with a cold brew and enjoying a ballgame. And the last time I looked on the only output format that really matters (the scoreboard) a home run is worth exactly 1 run with 1 run added for every baserunner. I don't need a computer for that. And I have no problem enjoying the game knowing the statistical analysis behind the outlying numbers themselves while also apprciating 450 foot home runs and incredible diving plays. It's primarily a matter of asking people to not patronize, insult, or ignore the idea of using advanced statistical analysis to determine the value of baseball players and rather to partake and consider that these concepts exist and they are generally accurate in their portrayal. People don't ask you to agree with it or to use it, but for you to try to understand them, to consider that these numbers aren't that complex, and that they do paint a pretty clear picture.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:59 AM) Possible, but he's certainly not going to say the opposite publicly. It would take any negotiating leverage he had away. If AJ still signed with another team, it would leave him with a catcher who knows the GM has zero confidence. It is strange we hear absolutely nothing about AJP negotiations with any team. Hahn has indicated that 3B is the White Sox biggest concern. I imagine there's some leveraging going on there, but it doesn't make sense that you had two players at two positions who are free agents at your two biggest question marks with two questionable replacements waiting in the wings, yet you indicate you are happy with one position while the other is still a main concern.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:21 AM) Chris Davis has played close to 300 games at 3B...and he's a LH bat. I'd give up Floyd and a couple decent minor league prospects for him. There's a reason he's in the outfield.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:30 AM) AJ has played 140 games or more exactly once in his career, and a several of those appearances were because he had to pinch hit or enter as a defensive replacement after a pinch hitter or runner for his back up. Don't make things up thinking you know exactly what AJ wants. And if he performs like he did last year, if he re-signed, why would his time be cut? It is all about how they think he will play the next couple of years and what it will cost, and what they really think about Flowers or someone else they could bring in. AJ has signed 3 or 4 White Sox contracts. If he was as hated or the distraction many make him out to be, he would have been gone long ago. His time may be up, and it might even be the correct move, but the 8 years he was here, the Sox got their money's worth. Hahn saying the team is not concerned with catcher tells me that Pierzynski is being shown the door.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:38 AM) Hahn said their comfortable with the C position. Not so much with 3B. Looking at various FAs. Hawk for the Hall. Not much else. Bye AJ

QUOTE (Cali @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:02 AM) ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..... News please. Sun rose. Mark Prior broke both legs getting out of bed.

I don't think they'd take Rios. If they're looking to cut costs, the very, very least you are looking at is De Aza, Rienzo/Castro, and Sanchez. If they are looking to swap, there's no reason they couldn't find something better than Rios.

Most points, 1st in league Better to be lucky AND good

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 07:39 AM) Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN NYY have been open to talks about Curtis Granderson. If they move his $15m salary, it would provide more flexibility to do other things. It would be stupid awesome if the Sox picked him up.

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 07:54 AM) How's this for a better quote "I expect to be the starting catcher for the White Sox next season. What the club does with AJ won't change that." Then he'd be lying, because he knows that if AJ is brought back, it's to be the starter.

QUOTE (elamins @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 12:47 AM) Well my ex and I had dinner over the weekend and I guess things are gonna progress slow as friends and build back up to being together. She wants to be together she just wants to know that the small changes she wants to see me make like being more romantic actually happen and that I just dont say it will then never change which I totally understand. So we decided that we will give each other some space but that we will continue to work on us so that sometime we can be back together. So any ideas on how one can be more romantic cuz I am a total bonehead in that area. Every little quirky romantic thing you see in romantic comedies? They go crazy for that kind of stuff. Eventually you'll come up with your own ideas too. That, and what does she like? Say...scrapbooking. If you can just show a small amount of interest in it, she'll love you, and if you just buy her some stuff (or get her a gift card for something like that), she'll appreciate it. Snuggling, making breakfast/dinner, sending gifts to her at work...those all work. Anything that tells her that you care. (it's eery how similar this is/was to my initial situation)

QUOTE (IowanSoxFan @ Dec 3, 2012 -> 08:27 PM) I don't absolutely hate what he said and I, like you, also love that he is really competitive. It is just...I'm not sure really, a weird thing to say publicly? It isn't a big deal, I just found it interesting. It's a loaded question and he answered it honestly. I have no problem with his answer whatsoever.