caulfield12

Giants? Tigers? Yankees (with Tanaka and Sabathia already onboard, would be a bit of a shocker)? Orioles? Mariners (if they could trade Iwakuma)? Rangers? Padres (all-in crazy spending)?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 11, 2014 -> 04:43 PM) I believe they've stated publicly that they see Cruz as full-time DH. Could be wrong Hart is gone, right? They still have Logan Morrison? We heard the M's were targeting Melky for LF until he got too expensive. Saunders is gone, along with Kendrys Morales. Jones was their primary CFer down the stretch, but that didn't go very well...too young and inexperienced.

QUOTE (AlSoxfan @ Dec 11, 2014 -> 05:28 PM) I was under the impression that Aoki was a very good defender. What am I missing? He's average to a notch below average. Takes very unorthodox routes but usually gets the job done. Getting older and slowly losing his range, which was never Dyson/Cain-like in the first place.

Or 3 or less ER in at least 7 IP, but that won't happen with the increased focus on the bullpens today around the majors. I'm sure you'd have agents complaining their clients are being forced to pitch "an extra inning" to qualify for a new statistic that would be used in arbitration hearings.

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/12/11/737...e-rumors-grades Marlins (Gordon deal) and Padres (Kemp deal) come under fire....seemed to be slightly positive about Cespedes/Simon being an improvement over Porcello/Suarez Clearly, White Sox hopes of getting Kemp AND a cash subsidy and giving nothing of significance back to the Dodgers simply wasn't in the cards to happen. There's at least a 50/50 chance Grandal ends up being their starter at catcher the next two seasons. On the other hand, the White Sox were in position to throw Tyler Flowers into a deal for Kemp, essentially replacing AJ Ellis.

Can Gose hit? Can JD Martinez do the same thing Gillaspie is attempting or was it a fluke? Will Castellanos take the next step? What happens at SS between Suarez and Iglesias? How long before Victor and Cabrera fall apart? What happened to the "real" Alex Avila...or is this the version they're stuck with? How long before that bullpen completely implodes again? Most importantly, which Verlander are they left with for the remainder of that contract? Can Anibal Sanchez remain healthy? They've traded Smyly/Porcello/Fister, lost Scherzer and replaced that with bigger question marks. Bottom line...still the favorite because the Royals haven't done anything yet other than sign Hochevar and Morales. Dyson in the OF over Aoki's probably a wash at best.

By the end of the year, the 3B rankings might be upside down. Still don't believe the Royals will go into 2015 with Dyson as a full-time starter. We'll see. Suarez isn't going to be easy to dislodge from SS by Iglesias in DET. (Edit: Just woke up here in China and realized he's gone. Big gamble by DET to put all their eggs in the Iglesias basket.) There's no way Hunter plays CF. Impossible. It could be Hicks or Buxton if he's 100%. Willingham was on the Royals at the end of the season.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Dec 11, 2014 -> 12:23 AM) You sound like a real happy guy.. What would be a good move to you? Roy Hobbs

Who does that leave on the pitcher's market? Peavy, Vogelsong, Volquez, B. Anderson, Floyd, Josh Johnson, Masterson? Kuroda retiring? Aaron Harang? Brandon Morrow? Maholm?

That would still leave a logjam with Ethier, Crawford, Puig, Pederson and Van Slyke. Wouldn't be surprised if they went on to shed one of those first two names (somehow). Interesting move for the Padres, who've never been one to take on that kind of salary. Wonder if they're getting any type of cash subsidy. WHAT NEXT? Kershaw/Greinke/Hamels/Shields OR Scherzer/Ryu??? That would be unreal. Don't think it will happen. But who's left to pay Scherzer and Shields? Red Sox? Yankees? Giants? Tigers? Mariners?

Talk about making moves for THIS season....this is the definition of all-in if I've ever seen it. Imagine if we traded Anderson for Samardzija, the type of outcry we'd be hearing. In no world that I know of is Howie Kendrick equal to Samardzija (or Heaney), not even in the darkest hearts of hardcore Golden Dome haters.

Why would the Rockies want to trade him? Who are they going to build around if they deal CarGo and Tulowitzki? Arenado?

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 06:41 PM) https://twitter.com/MLBNetworkRadio/status/...834422462947328 @Jim_Duquette heard the #Nationals were working on a deal last night that would "blow the roof off this place, something to keep an eye on" Zimmermann, Strasburg or Harper? Can't be someone like Ian Desmond.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 08:58 AM) Astros also get Neschek That's going to hurt the Cards' pen.

Sure, over Jordan Danks. But then you're spending another $3-5 million on a role player.....when we've done that in the past with DeAza and Keppinger. If we were THIS close to the playoff picture and within budget, sure. Right now, as it stands, that money has to go to a starting/close to everyday player.

Is this thread really necessary? Everyone in the world knows we need another LF, starting pitcher and a bullpen piece...and that 3B, 2B, C and even Avisail Garcia are far from certainties. But what's the point? We should spend another $20-25 million to "finish the job"?

QUOTE (kwill @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 07:35 PM) I would trade for Crawford then have Viciedo platoon for Larouche and Crawford. I don't want to give up on him yet. Crawford is still a very good fielder, could deepen the lineup and add some speed to the bottom of the lineup. Plus, he seems like a great guy in the clubhouse. He is not too old to be productive throughout the rest of the contract. I really think there is not much difference between Crawford and Melky. Lyndon? We're heading for SoxTalk armaggedon if Viciedo APPEARS to be the starting LF for the White Sox heading into February.

Dodgers now have Kershaw/Greinke/Ryu/Heaney http://lasordaslair.com/2014/10/21/lets-st...rting-rotation/ According to this article, Zach Lee's their best internal option. Danks would still make some sense for the back end.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 03:17 PM) Anyone following the Sony hack? So much egg on Sonys face, from the leak of movies like Fury and Annie, to ripping Angelie Jolie and Adam Sandler, the internal anger over the Spider-Man franchise and direction(as well as negotiations with Marvel). Every day something new Probably not too smart after Maleficent did so well...and her husband's Fury leaked as well? Not exactly that best idea to have Mr. and Mrs. Smith pissed off at you. They are kind of the royal family of Hollywood right now.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 03:09 PM) And they barely squeeked into the playoffs and got real lucky they advanced past the WC game, and are losing their ace. They are going to need some guys get a lot better with the bats in 2015 to win as many games. We can say the same thing about the Red Sox getting "lucky" to get past the Yankees in 2004, can't we? Sometimes, you make your own luck, too. The 2005 White Sox had almost everything go their way. Their pitching staff was more dominant and they had a great bullpen as well, but most consider the need for both factors to kick in. I've been surprised the Royals are holding back. They were talking Tomas and Cruz and Markakis and Hunter and now that's shifted to the likes of Peguero and Paulo Orlando for DH/RF, which must be scary for their fanbase. If they figure out a way to rest Sal Perez and give him more time as a DH, he'll be a much more dangerous hitter like we've seen over and over against the Sox. Is the second half Cain the real one? How much of what he did is sustainable offensively? We've seen glimpses of what Hosmer, Escobar and Moustakas can do....stretches where they put it all together and look like All-Stars. Which versions will show up in 2015? Can Dyson play everyday...is he part of a platoon or is he relegated back to a bench role because of his lack of offensive pop...sort of a poor man's Billy Hamilton? The Hochevar signing obviously is beneficial for them as well, and quite affordable going by this year's FA pricetags.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 02:28 PM) DeShilelds Jr sounds really intriguing. I could 100% see him as a guy the White Sox target. Agree 100%. If he was 75% of the player his father was his first 5 or so years in the majors with the Expos, you'd have a nifty piece and a base-running threat to counter what the Royals do with Dyson and Gore.

1) Masterson if knee checks out (because he'll want to sign a shorter term contract and that will properly motivate him to get the next big deal) 2) B.Anderson, even if he can only give you 100-140 innings, that's probably enough....two year deal, second year option activated at 100 IP 3) Volquez 4) Vogelsong 5) Santana 6) McCarthy 7) Liriano Neither of those last two will happen with KW and Coop still around.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 09:48 AM) hmm, what if Noesi has turned into a valuable piece. That would be interesting. I want to see him for another year, but I do want rotation depth this year. Last year we all thought we had it and then EJ happened and suddenly we all had to be like "ugh, marty was right". E.Santana or Jimenez would have done jack squat for last year's team. Except knocking us out of the protected picks and giving us 2-3 more wins. And there's no way we should give him $48-50 million over 4 years with Rodon and Montas/Danish on the way. You hold onto your aces and keep your 4/5 or back of the rotation starters on 2 year contracts.

I just watched four seasons of Prison Break and really enjoyed it until about midway through Season 3. The final season's just not up to par. For whatever reason, it was one of the most popular, if not #1, American t.v. shows in China at that time....every woman in her 20's or 30's knows who Michael Scofield is...and Lincoln Burrows, and even Sucre. Of course, they're always disappointed when I tell them he later came out of the closet. Interesting actor/career. Didn't realize he'd gotten involved in writing screenplays and directing (Stoker). He even went so far as writing them under a false/fake name so they would be divorced from everything he's done as an actor. I think the first time I remember seeing him was a show called Boston Public.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 10, 2014 -> 09:33 AM) durability issues. How many times has he made it over 150 innings in a season since 2007? Once? Or twice?