caulfield12

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-he...t-they-will-get With all the debates we've been having about how much "such and such" will receive on the FA market, I thought this would be helpful. A couple of early observations: Shields and Tomas are going to end up with more money than earlier imagined. Martin's probably too expensive for the Sox at his age if he's asking for $75 million. Victor Martinez is probably out of play. If we do want a mid-tier pitcher (Santana, Liriano, Volquez, McCarthy, Peavy, Hammel, Vogelsong, Masterson, Brett Anderson, Brandon Morrow, etc.) we have a much better idea about the potential price tags, which are in the $9-13 million dollar range. Colby Rasmus in particularly is receiving a wide range of opinions about his value. We saw another article recently that priced him at 3 years/$36 million. JD Drew II or the wisest investment of the offseason? Markakis without the qualifying offer becomes more attractive, but he's not a "cornerstone" bat you can build around...see the comps with Aoki, who's expected to receive close to $7 million. (Is anyone else having a hard time finding Billy Butler and Justin Masterson?) I would go for Volquez, Morse (primary DH), Rasmus and trade Viciedo + B/C prospect for Saunders. If you want to add Romo or two very solid set-up guys, you cut out either Rasmus or Morse from the equation. (You'd want to add another veteran LH set-up guy if you were making all these moves). Realistically, Volquez, Rasmus, Michael Saunders, Romo and the LH set-up guy can be done for roughly $35-40 million. Morse would be GREAT (probably too much of a luxury) to have, since that would give you Saunders/Rasmus/Eaton/Garcia for the outfield, but three fairly limited guys in Garcia/Abreu/Morse might be one too many. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseba...ent-predictions Scherzer to the Dodgers, Lester and Russell Martin to the Cubs and Hanley Ramirez to the Tigers. Sandoval back to SF. Shields to the Red Sox. Interesting. Nelson Cruz to Mariners.

With prices of impact bats being in the $75-130 million range these days, I think you HAVE to bring up Anderson if the dynamic nature of his bat and overall offensive game (running, XB hits) force him into the line-up. It's a bit like Beckham (and it was something of a mistake, in retrospect) being moved from SS to 2B to 3B in the span of two years because of the desire to get his bat into the line-up as well.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 11:43 PM) really I thought he had something fix in another country and it was screwed up. I guess I was wrong. thanks. That was Ordonez...in Switzerland if I remember correctly. Maybe something like a sports hernia?

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 10:30 PM) TCQ's wrist will forever be one of those What If? moments. Wasn't the original 2008 injury to the hamate bone when he hit the bat with his hand? He went from the odds-on favorite for MVP at that point to quite a pedestrial career overall, largely due to injuries. A bit reminiscent of one of my favorite all-time players, Eric Davis, who never did put it all together for anything more than blips or stretches.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 03:39 PM) Chris Cotillo ‏@ChrisCotillo 2m2 minutes ago #Athletics are looking at Asdrubal Cabrera and Stephen Drew as shortstop replacements. Story via @jaspsch: http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2014/11/10/718...nd-stephen-drew … Forgot about Cabrera. With the Cubs (Castro/Baez/Russell), Lowrie, Drew and then Punto/Sogard as internal options, Alexei Ramirez has some competition.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 09:50 PM) I read somewhere that a decent amount of his errors are on throws where his feet aren't set, so that would be mechanics wouldn't it ? Yes, and getting rid of some bad habits he developed playing in high school and junior college...where he could get away with not planting his feet firmly or making unorthodox/athletic/showy plays that nabbed the runner by a step or two at that level but don't work against faster runners in the pros.

If we didn't already have Eaton on the roster, Crawford would be more interesting. Kemp doesn't make so much sense. It will come down to the asking price (prospects or salary subsidy) for Crawford and Ethier, if they look in the direction of the Dodgers.

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/willia...&ocid=yahoo More thorough commentary from KW about where the team is headed in 2015 and off-season strategy.

Montas, for sure, is the one with the best shot of exploding into the Top 100. Adams, until he proves himself for a full season in A ball, should be behind him. Just for that average fastball velocity alone, Montas deserves some serious consideration.

Semien MIGHT be "okay." I don't think anyone really wants to see Leury Garcia out there for 140-150 games in 2015. Sanchez would be better defensively than Semien but has a limited offensive upside and profiles more like Eduardo Escobar, a supersub/utility guy. Then you have Saladino coming off TJ surgery, so no way he could be counted on at SS.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 10:55 AM) Brady Aiken? caulfield what are you talking about, that has to be one of the most unique physical situations that has ever happened, and Aiken wasn't even injured. Totally unrelated and I highly doubt that situation has any impact on physicals going forward. Well, let's just hope the White Sox are capable of doing more due diligence than the average message board poster. And a "bulging" or protruding disk is usually different than a herniated one, whereas one might respond to muscle and spinal treatment/strengthening/physical therapy and the other might require some type of fusion surgery like the Crede situation. Is it degenerative? Even in that latter scenario, it was reported numerous times that Paulie's physical problems would end his career in his late 20's/early 30's and that never transpired.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 11:11 AM) bad backs, bulging disk, no freaking way i would trade into that situation. didn't the sox have a pitcher who had a bad back / disk problem? Dustin Hermanson (sp). that kind of recurring problem can shorten a career quickly. Not to mention Crede and Jenks.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 10:36 AM) Gattis had a buldging disc in his back last year, thats just a bit concerning if I'm trading for him. I can go either way really, just depends what the Sox would have to give up. With that knowledge out there, he'd clearly have to pass an extensive set of physicals to be dealt. And you know if he's traded once and then rejected while going through this increasingly rigorous process (in light of the Brady Aiken fiasco), he's going to be stuck in Atlanta until he proves to be 100% healthy.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 10:39 AM) Just like it was last time for Hillary. A national lovefest. If she doesn't face any credible opposition in the primaries, that opponent will become the media. Of course, if the Republicans don't find any strong candidates and their policies/platform are essentially the same, then the media will probably favor a return to the "comfort" of the Clinton Era story lines and scandals because anything's better than what we will see the next two years of a lame duck Obama administration and Republican Congress.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Sep 19, 2014 -> 10:38 AM) They just need to dangle a minority out there that actually has a shot. You can't keep trotting the likes of McCain and Romney and expect to win an election. Susana Martinez. The Hispanic and Asian vote are going to be THE huge battleground in future elections.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 10:37 AM) I have no clue why the Dodgers would have any urge to take on a $4 million bill for Viciedo. Their 1b slot is full, they already have too many outfielders, they don't have a DH slot, and he's a terrible guy to have on the bench for an NL team because he's not versatile and terrible on defense. Yeah, Van Slyke fills that role much more effectively, and they don't even have any playing time for him with Pederson pushing up.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 08:12 AM) I would be all for an Ethier, Danks swap if it could happen. Ethier is owed 56 million over the next 3 years (with his 2018 buyout) but subtracting Danks' contract makes it a much more reasonable 27.5 million over 3 years. He had a bad year last year, but before that he was a consistent 120-130 wRC+ hitter that plays decent defense. Then go and sign Sandoval/Headley, a FA righty starter, a couple bullpen guys and call it an offseason. A lineup of 1. Eaton (8) 2. Ramirez (6) 3. Abreu (3) 4. Sandoval (5) 5. Garcia (7/9) 6. Ethier (7/9) 7. Semien/Sanchez/Johnson (4) 8. Gillaspie/Tank (DH) 9. Flowers (2) and a rotation of 1. Sale 2. Righty FA (Masterson, Shields, McCarthy, etc..) 3. Quintana 4. Rodon (if they deem him ready) 5. Noesi looks pretty good to me and puts the payroll in a seemingly doable $95 million range. Just switch 2 and 3 in the rotation around.

QUOTE (LDF @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 06:18 AM) a good reference and analogy, I pick 3b b/c I wasn't sure if it was his range or the range of the position that was causing him the problems. 3b like 1b doesn't need the range of a ss or 2b. I wasn't sure if he was capable of handling the outfield positions. as many have stated he was / is a raw product and is now coming into his own. I take that with his offensive numbers as well. it like the ole cliché, he is a blank paper with lots of talent. Range isn't the problem. It's a combination of his hands, and his arm is probably MLB average or a notch above, but it's not his best tool....if he had the arm of a Valentin, Uribe or Alexei, a lot of his mishandled/misplayed balls could still be converted into outs.

Rollins, Stephen Drew, Punto and Sogard are other possibilities at SS while they wait for one of their top prospects in 2016/17. AJ Griffin (late May/early June), Jarrod Parker (mid-May), Sonny Gray, Drew Pomeranz and Jessie Chavez all look to be part of the rotation...while Beane can sort out the trade value of Kazmir and Samardzija. He's not going to trade either of those last two guys unless he is overwhelmed because those first two are coming off major injuries and the certainty of their return isn't completely clear until mid-season. 1. Samardzija 2. Gray 3. Pomeranz 4. Kazmir 5. Chavez The (healthy) return of Griffin and Parker would give them five front-line pitchers...but they can't afford to trade Samardzija or Kazmir until 1) they make a trade or bring in another free agent pitcher or 2) know the exact prognosis of Griffin/Parker.

QUOTE (Whitey @ Nov 10, 2014 -> 05:34 AM) Danks for Eithier, Van Slyke, and some cash (to balance out the 3rd year on Eithiers contract). I'd throw in a prospect like Hawkins if needed to get it done. That would address both DH and LF, with no added cost on next years payroll. Leaving money to splurge on 1-2 starting pitchers and some bullpen help. I don't think the Dodgers are too desperate for any more outfield help at the moment...they're more interested in filling in the back end of the starting rotation, bullpen, 3B and catcher.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24793247 Interesting that Jacob May was mentioned as pretty much a surefire Top 10 prospect. That's newsworthy, if someone in the organization views May that highly.

Steve Carlton says "hi!"

Anderson COULD eventually end up at 3B, but his offensive game best profiles at 2B or CF, with LF as the 3rd option. You'd probably pick 3B number four simply because his range and athleticism would be wasted a bit there, compared to other positions. For example, Joe Crede and Robin Ventura had very good instincts and first step quickness/reaction time, but neither had what you'd call great range in the sense they could play the middle of the infield, either 2B/SS.

On second thought, I'm going for Saunders with either Rasmus or Morse being added and Viciedo subtracted. Rasmus and Saunders give you better defense...along with Eaton. Then you have Garcia. With Morse and Saunders, Morse is going to be pretty much the primary/full-time DH instead.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Nov 9, 2014 -> 10:34 PM) I realize the Sox aren't looking for a RH hitter but Kemp would be my choice. I'm not sure what the Sox should offer in return or how much money to ask for though. Sign Panda or Headley, trade for someone like Snyder and the lineup changes tremendously. Travis Snider, right?