caulfield12

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Sep 23, 2014 -> 02:28 AM) AJP for backup catcher next year. Go ahead, tell me I'm crazy. You're out of your mind. We might as well bring back Buehrle (greg's dream) and Paulie for one more year, too. No thanks. Although I do think we need a veteran "mentor" of the Jose Molina ilk who can really teach Tyler about the finer nuances of the game defensively.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Sep 23, 2014 -> 02:52 AM) I assume he'll start in AAA, where he still has not pitched yet. I can't imagine they'd have him jump Rodon on the depth chart, so I don't think they'll have a slot for him or even that he'd be competing for one. I'll assume we sign (or trade for) one legitimate pitcher who's not a scrapheaper. Danks and Noesi with the final two slots unless they decide to start the season with Rodon. If there was an injury in there and they want to keep Rodon's clock from starting, I could see him getting the shot to fill in. He's prob right there with Carroll for that distinction as of now, but spring training would prob determine that. He's got to be the leader in the clubhouse for the spot right now, especially after proving he can pitch well against the Tigers down the stretch. He provides the perfect excuse to hold back Rodon until June, if nothing else. Now, of course if they add a veteran 3/4 guy (see Santana/Garza/Jimenez discussion), 2 relievers and at LEAST one LF/DH bat and probably two, then Bassitt's the long man or in Charlotte, although he could still figure into the set-up equation. In fact, that seemed to work wonders for Carlos Carrasco this year when he started off the year so terribly his first four starts. It forced him to pitch out of the stretch more often and simplify/clean up his mechanical issues. Sale Quintana Noesi Danks Bassitt Carroll/Beck/Surkamp/E.Johnson......then Danish/Montas....with the assumption that's the last time we ever see Rienzo in a Sox uni

QUOTE (hi8is @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 11:29 PM) But according to most of Soxtalk after his first start - he was s***. After watching Erik Johnson down the stretch in 2013 and then completely destructing in 2014, I'm not going to believe in any rookie pitcher unless they can produce over at least 3-4 months of starts...and, even then, they'll probably run out of gas in August/September.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 08:28 PM) Is Soria on a multi-year deal? Doesn't he still have closer stuff? Can Hahn get him? Someone like Soria is much more likely than paying for the top 5-6 guys wanting to get paid for this year's results and closing numbers. Those guys will all get $8-12 million per season. Someone like Soria should be available for $5-7ish million. 2 years/$8M (2013-14), plus 2015 option 2 years/$8M (2013-14), plus 2015 club option signed by Texas as a free agent 12/3/12 13:$2M, 14:$5.5M, 15:$7M club option ($0.5M buyout) If I was the Tigers, I would definitely keep Soria/AL AL and ditch Johnson/Joba.

QUOTE (LDF @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 09:19 PM) ding ding ding this is what I was waiting for. I was going to start on this in the offseason. my problem is his agent. But we all saw how Boras had no or little leverage with Stephen Drew and Morales this past season...and the prior offseason. Morales needs to sign quickly and come to spring training ready to play or he will be out of baseball entirely.

QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 08:34 PM) CJ Wilson can't throw a strike. Walked in two A's so far. He was excellent in his last start, fwiw. Just very inconsistent/disappointing this season. If they had Richards, they would clearly be the best team in baseball. As things stand now, all the teams entering the playoffs wouldn't shock anyone if they won, other than maybe the Royals. Even the Pirates have a good chance if they can get Cole, Liriano and Volquez pitching to the best of their ability.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 07:04 PM) Worth noting...Micah Johnson also profiles as a potential leadoff hitter and has a good chance of arriving next year. That said, Micah may have some injury issues too. Johnson has to be 100% with his hamstrings, AND he needs at least 2-3 months in Charlotte still. Let's not rush him a bit like we did with Semien.

If he's closer to Viciedo than Puig/Cespedes/R.Castillo/Leonys Martin as an OFer, it's quite understandable. Dayan really needs to be moved to DH as part of a platoon situation, facing lefties and some righties.

TCU first rounder Finnegan has been huge for the Royals. He essentially replaced Scott Downs in their pecking order down the stretch.

Seems like Bassitt's pitching himself onto the 2015 roster as either the long man, fifth starter or set-up guy (in the current Daniel Webb spot). Wouldn't be surprised to see the Indians challenge the Tigers next year because of Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar and Bauer...one more veteran starter and a couple of bats and they're very dangerous. Need a bounceback from Kipnis, though. With Brantley, Santana, Kipnis, Gomes, Chisenhall, that's a pretty solid core of hitters, too. Baez 84 K's in 188 AB's. Ouch. Soler still looking good. Alcantara=Semien.

Joyce is another good bounceback candidate, along with Billy Butler. Plus he fits the LH box to check off. Someone else mentioned LaRoche with the Nationals, if Zimmerman's forced to 1B.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 05:45 PM) Sierra hitting near .280 with the Sox , better on D, faster and probably an even stronger arm than Dayan. Viciedo should be on Hahn's attempt to trade list. Bassitt 1-2-3 in the second. Edit: Actually .283 with the Sox Two separate issues. Sierra is NOT an option to be a starting OFer for the White Sox IMO, nor should he be, at least if we're serious about contending. In order to trade Dayan, you're going to have to tender him/go through salary arbitration, and that will make him even more expensive and harder to deal, so it's a bit of a Catch-22.

Royals had the tying run at 2B with two outs but couldn't push the second run of the inning across. Would have been weird to walk-off on a visiting field. Indians, if the game had been tied, wouldn't have been able to celebrate in the top of the next inning, having to wait again for the Royals to bat. Weird.

SUPPOSEDLY the SF Giants are all over Yasmani Tomas, making him the top priority of their off-season spending. The Rangers will have a private workout for Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas at their Dominican complex on Wednesday, according to a source. Tomas had his first open showcase yesterday at the Giants’ facility in the Dominican Republic and is at the Phillies today for a private workout. According to sources, the Rangers and Phillies were among the teams with a strong presence at Tomas’ heavily-attended Sunday showcase, while the Padres (including general manager A.J. Preller), Yankees, Diamondbacks, Giants and Mets were also well-represented. Tomas, a 23-year-old corner outfielder, has residency in Haiti and his paperwork lined up from the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), though he is still waiting for Major League Baseball to declare him a free agent. from baseballamerica.com

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 05:10 PM) call John Hart and fleece the Braves into trading Luis Avilan to be a primary leftie in the bullpen. Walks bit him in the ass this season, which I am sure is an easy fix for the vastly superior Sox coaching staff. Robin'll fix 'em If it was THAT easy, Cleto and Webb would both be studs. Hart's not going to make any big moves until the new GM is in place and a strategy/vision for the future is in place. Bassitt's role as well will be interesting...

Ooops. Didn't see this one up here at the top of the page. Merge. Since I've never started a game thread ever, better to continue that non-tradition.

Bassit escapes from trouble early....Flowers with homer #15, solidifying his starting spot for 2015. Royals escape bases loaded, no out situation in 1st in CLE and have 1-0 lead heading into the 2nd. TOR all over Seattle early, 4-1. Five teams now within 4 1/2 games of each other, stretching from DET to CLE.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 05:18 PM) How many games would Martinez play in the field next year if the Sox signed him? I'm on board with getting him but we still need to trade for one more good bat that plays in the field IMO. Victor + new guy and we've got a deep lineup. He could play 10-25 games at 1B, being the primary back-up for Abreu. You don't want him catching. Emergency 3B, but you don't want to see that happen, either.

QUOTE (chisoxfan310 @ Sep 22, 2014 -> 05:13 PM) I don't see Cleveland paying for him either. I think it'll be a 5 team race with the teams you mentioned and us (unless an NL team wants him to play first of course). Which means Kendrys Morales, with a full offseason and spring training, becomes one of the five or so likeliest options for the Sox. I'd actually rather have Billy Butler, despite his RHedness.

Aoki, Shields, Butler or V-Mart. The more I've been watching Aoki recently, the more I like him. He has an unorthodox approach, has cut down his K rate dramatically as he dealt with the transition from NL to AL....at the plate, the defense has no idea where to play him as he hits to all fields equally well, he's just a nice/solid glue or complimentary player that does all the little things right, another version of Iguchi. Statistically, he's been on fire the last month or so, so my having watched him a lot in the middle of a hot streak is skewing my viewpoint a bit, but he's just been the most dangerous hitter for the Royals. At any rate, that would be quite a nice off-season, and weaken two division foes. The problem is that I just don't see V-Mart until/unless we're in win now/all in mode, and that's not really setting up for 2015 without also adding another starter, two pieces in the bullpen (at least) and fixing the LF situation. Another solution is simply to sign Aoki and Shields, and DH Viciedo. Of course, if you cut Viciedo's $5ish million, that gives you a lot more flexibility to sign Martinez. (Unfortunately, the Martinez we could really use is JD Martinez, in terms of price range).

Or they move Montas to the pen as a closing candidate, but that's far from an ideal scenario. Olacio's another name that could move fast if everything just clicks. Taylor Thompson, probably the last we've heard from him, fwiw. Somehow I have a feeling we'll end up bringing in the likes of Jim Johnson, Frieri, Grilli, etc. Reclamation project, versus someone we're going to pay $8-12 million per season.

QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 21, 2014 -> 05:59 PM) Donaldson walk off homer. A's 85-70 Royals 84-71 (unless they score 2 in the 10th tomorrow, and then win) Mariners 83-72 AL Central- Tigers have a 2 game lead on the Royals with 7 left. fwiw, the Royals miss Kluber (pitched Sun) and get Duffy back, so that's two big positives for them. We'll see if today's win was enough to stanch the bleeding. The White Sox had a similar huge nail-biting Addison Reed saved win to take 1 of 3 roughly two years ago and then everything pretty much came unglued. Tigers with four and one-half former closers in Johnson, Chamberlain, Soria, Coke and Nathan, yet can't figure out how to use Soria correctly (which means in the 8th instead of Joba). I still can't understand why AL AL can't put it all together with his stuff, either.

It's not about LOVING Viciedo or HATING Garcia. The question is how much better Garcia will end up being than Viciedo as a corner outfielder with his defensive limitations, what his offensive upside is...and whether he'll be worth more in 2-3 seasons than he is now. If he can't regularly drive fastballs out of the park, then he'll be a 1-2 WAR type of player, which is okay but not going to win us any pennants, either. We'll see next season, as there won't be the missed half season and rust to deal with, presumably. Dayan's a possible non-tender candidate, so his value has been pretty much driven into the ground...although some team out there will give up a B or C prospect for 20-30 homer power, despite its inherent flaws (see Alvarez/Domonic Brown/Chris Carter, etc.).

I think oak is the perfect glue guy if u add that one dh threat. Gordon and butler are really struggling down the stretch....reminiscent of the sox against det and kc in sept 2012. Should easily be 7-2 or 7-1 and moustakas made a completely boneheaded error his fifth on the home stand. Iwakuma has really run out of gas for sea in the last month....so has zunino.

I mean the o.s. Makes some strange characters.