caulfield12

It also depends on what they get back for DeJesus and Teahen....among other things. Also, they might deal Jose Guillen if they can find a taker for that ill-advised contract. They're going to get better production out of Jacobs than some kind of combination of Gload and Shealy. The OPS of their starting centerfielders last year was .600. That will go up, undoubtedly, with Crisp.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 07:04 AM) Even if the sox wind up trading Dye, Jenks, Vazquez, hell, even Konerko, they aren't rebuilding in the sense of writing off 2009. They are trying to compete in 2009 and for the long term by getting younger, better players with upside. This is like the Twins plus. The Twins build around Morneau and Mauer, with strong pitching, defense and contact hitters. The sox can build around Quentin and Alexei, and now Viciedo, and Beckham, with strong pitching, solid defense and guys who can hit for avg and power, and still run the bases some. If the sox add a Fernando Martinez to the mix, that's a very strong core to have in place for years. If the sox add a Pelfrey and Edwin Jackson, to Buerhle, Danks, Floyd, and Poreda, with a variety of bullpen arms, that's a strong starting pitching staff as well that can compete for a few years. From reading many articles, it seems that there is a very good chance that we deal Fields and/or Vazquez before ST. Now I'm not sure why KW wouldn't at least want to give Fields spring training to re-establish his value and show other teams that he's 100%. Unless they simply have already decided (Ozzie and KW) he is never going to fit their plans and be adequate defensively AND he won't be able to make the transition to LF AND get rid of the hitch in his swing (see Borchard, Joe).

Also when it comes to Wood and Hoffman, the Mets think both would be more amenable to short-term deals. This would mean fewer overall dollars at risk while also giving the Mets an opportunity to further discover if a Bobby Parnell or Eddie Kunz could be their closer of the future. One Mets official, in fact, said Wood threw the ball as well in 2008 as any available closer. Another official said of the possibility of Hoffman, "should we go one year with this guy rather than tie up our money for three or four years?" The Mets also are taking their time in this market to see whether Seattle makes J.J. Putz available. Of all the potential closers, Putz intrigues them because of a combination of stuff and affordability (two years at $13.8 million left on his deal). The Mets also remain very interested in Huston Street and believe Colorado, which recently obtained him from Oakland, would spin him again. The Mets had bad scouting reports on Street near the July 31 trade deadline, but their September reports had his fastball up again consistently in the 93-mph range, and they believe Street could - at the least - be a high-end eighth-inning man if they could secure a closer. The Mets do not like the current pricetags on the White Sox's Bobby Jenks and Houston's Jose Valverde. Now it might turn out they don't like the pricetags on K-Rod and Fuentes, as well, but end up doing three years with a very makeable fourth-year option or flat four-year deals because they badly want to fill the role. But as one rival executive said, "The Mets know they can wait. They know if one of those closers gets a four-year offer, they will at least go back to the Mets to see if the big dog in this market will top it. So why would the Mets act first before knowing for sure?" newyorkpost.com Good article with many Cooper quotes on Jenks, his maturation as a pitcher and a possible trade to Mets. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=cws

Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox burn, lust for, and love Teixeira. Silverman says Tex should end up with a salary of at least $20MM and a term of at least six years. Also, Silverman talked to one source who suggested the Yankees' acquisition of Nick Swisher "could be a prelude to another deal with a National League club." Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says the Yankees still plan to add an impact hitter. He agrees that "several National League teams have had their eye on Swisher." MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves are among them

He can play third base, first base, shortstop and used to be a pitcher with a 90 mph fastball. The Sox see only a third baseman for now. All 30 teams took a hard look at Viciedo during tryouts he held this month in the Dominican Republic, including one at the Sox' facility there. The Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros joined the White Sox in showing the most interest. DeLuca The other funny thing was DeLuca is consistently forecasting Fields and Vazquez being gone before ST. We shall see.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 12:52 AM) I agree, though I was encouraged reading some article about the Sox brass being high on some minor league reliever ready to take over for Bobby. I'm not sold on Thornton closing, not at all, except by committee. Link...they're not high on him YET, but his name is getting mentioned due to his 2008 success. Poreda, in my opinion, would be more likely...although that's asking a ton from a rookie, but Jenks managed it.

QUOTE (TCQ @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 02:37 AM) You have a death wish I guess I have an "adventuresome" spirit, lol. I've lived in the presence of drug lords, Mafia and soldados (soldiers) for one year in Colombia and was kidnapped and drugged. My wife is Russian, and I would never go anywhere in Russia or the Ukraine without her...10X more dangerous than Colombia, which has a somewhat undeserved reputation (although another female teacher in my school was robbed and has a knife wound on her cheek as a souvenir). Maybe this also comes from my seven months in China and frustration with repressive/autocratic governments!!!

The White Sox could get in trouble (wouldn't it be tampering?) but how difficult would it be to get a world-class speedboat from one of Ozzie's Miami or Venezuelan/Caribbean connections and spirit Marti out of the country? Of course, that doesn't mean the White Sox could just sign him without any problems...but you have to think we'd have a 95% chance to get any Cuban defecting at this point, lol. This isn't an elaborate strategic planning mission like the Bay of Pigs, just takes a little coordination. How heavily defended is the coast by Cuban patrol boats? Would they try to kill/shoot him if he was leaving on a boat, with orders from the Castro regime? Is he going to be under some type of "house arrest" or have to wear an ankle bracelet with GPS tracking?

QUOTE (TCQ @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 11:03 PM) There is a difference in those whove done it and those who havent. Theres also a difference between those who havent and those who will no longer. It would be a no brainer to make the kind of trade you commented on because with all of the potential that is in that package it is a risk one could live with. Vazquez fell apart under pressure and is extremely erratic. The point that he pitches 200 innings a year is moot due to his performance. Trading Jenks would be a very smart move as well if that was the package we got back because i can almost guarentee that he will not be on that same list in the next few years. He has a bolt in his arm and a declining k rate. People need to stop being so pro jenks just because he is a fan favorite. It is a business, and in this business the save is the most overrated stat. I know its not always easy to find the right guy to close but for every situation that there is a bad closer someone like JJ Putz (Two years ago), George Sherrill(This year), or Chad Cordero (Three years ago) comes out of no where to be spectacular. No one that pitches 60 innings a year should be guarded so heavily if he could yield that kind of return. Or Hermanson (2005), Shingo for half a season in 2004.

Let's split the difference and call it 4/56. Still way too much, and too many years at this point in his career.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 04:40 PM) Fields has a great arm... however, that's all he has going for him at third base as he has that problem with his hands turning into stone and all. Maybe I'm going more off his days at OSU...he couldn't thrown the ten yard down and out to the wide side of the field, and he mostly succeeded by tossing balls up into the winds and letting his super-talented wide receivers circle under them. I can't remember him making one throw that I just said, "wow." He was a very strong leadership guy, but I never thought of him as having an NFL arm. We can agree to disagree and you can say great arm and I'll say average MLB 3B arm. But I think you'll see the difference when they start making comparisons between him and Viciedo at third. "LARGE FRAME. MATURE BODY, HEAVY REAR & LEGS. BODY TYPE SIMILAR TO LANCE BERKMAN. WIDE, SEMI-SQUAT STANCE. BAT PINCHED INTO CHEST. STRENGTH IN SLIGHT UPPERCUT SWING W/ PWR POTENTIAL. ARM PLAYABLE, ACCURATE THROWS. HANDS & DEFENSIVE ACTIONS SHOW PROPER TECHNIC. ALERT BASE RUNNER. PHYSICALLY MATURE. STRENGTH IN SWING, BAT & PWR POTENTIAL." mlb.com scouting report on draft day

How quickly we forget...Dye has been with us for FOUR years now.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 02:18 PM) I would imagine that scenario is pretty unlikely. Fields and Viciedo both have terrific arms, there's no way they immediately look to waste that at 1B. The only way that happens IMO is if Viciedo eats himself out of the position like Miguel Cabrera or Fields just cannot Field, but it's way too early to draw either of those conclusions. Viciedo is a kid who played under a ton of pressure and lived in communist Cuba, and Fields has been injured since 2007 at least. Last year was his knee, the year before it was a hamstring I think. I would say Josh has an above average arm, but nothing special for 3B. Maybe even below league average at that position. Now Viciedo, he's supposed to have a gun.

QUOTE (fathom @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 02:32 PM) Well, there have been rumors that Sox are looking to cut payroll, but nothing more has been said about that. I think Abreu would be a great fit for the Sox in RF. I can't see Furcal happening, as 4 years to a guy with a bad back problem doesn't seem like the KW way of doing things. I just don't see Abreu being a bright idea at his age, even for three years. For all we know, Viciedo moves to RF and Fields becomes a stud at 3B and we can invest that money much more efficiently/productively elsewhere. That's just too much money for someone that I don't consider to be a better player than Dye, at his age...and then losing the draft pick/s.

Not to mention TCQ in the middle of the line-up. Mustn't forget about him.

The irony, of course, is that it seems KW is making a living finding other big-time talent that's underachieving or overcoached (or through injury) and making lemonade out of it...and now they seem to be on a big-time roll with Jord. Danks, Beckham, Viciedo and Poreda (and hopefully a healthy Fields).

"John Van Benschoten, the 8th overall pick in the 2001 draft, chose minor league free agency over re-signing with the Pirates." Of course, you know KW will swoop in right away and sign him, turning him over to Champion and Hanging With Don Cooper. RHP John Van Benschoten-28-The 8th overall pick in the 2001 draft has been LeVale Speigner-esque in his parts of 3 seasons in the bigs, allowing 100 runs (92 earned) in only 90 innings pitched. Ouch. His minor league numbers continue to get worse little by little, but they're still decent enough to make me think he's got SOMETHING in the tank. Maybe try him out as a reliever? from nationals blog

But hey, you're getting 3 starting pitchers back for a reliever and a player with possibly one year left on his contract. It wouldn't be a simply horrible trade, it's just one that KW will never make, IMO. Not as long as he's GM of the White Sox. Niemann is more or less like Marquez, but Davis would be the key to the deal...and Viciedo being able to play RF NOW and Thornton/Dotel/Poreda being able to close NOW. Too many question marks. If the trade was for 2010 or 2011, sure, go ahead. But it's kind of pointless to speculate about something we know will never ever happen.

VENEZUELA....maybe Clevlan Santeliz is the first impact from there.

Maybe we should trade for Breslow of the Twins so we can pair two Ivy Leaguers together in Breslow and Perez in case next year's coin toss is junked instead for a debate on "global warming and green jobs." Although personally, I'd rather see Gardenhire and Guillen fight in a cage match, lol.

QUOTE (CWSOX45 @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 11:52 AM) I agree, and if this is the case then Kenny will most likely be asking for Fernando Perez. The kid is a player Kenny would most likely be infatuated with. Flat out speed and can fly around the bases. He's currently playing in winter ball right now, last time I checked he was flat out raking. I just don't think we have the pieces to land a guy like Crawford, and one of their starting pitchers unless they get Jenks and Dye. In all honesty I think we'd have to get a better picher than Jackson if this is indeed the package that is being offered. Should be interesting. The question is how much better of an option is Perez than Anderson/Owens in CF as a platoon? I don't think it's clear-cut, nor is it obvious Perez can be a regular player or the type of player who can easily translate his speed automatically into 50 stolen bases. Then there's the fact that he's not really your classic leadoff hitter in terms of his approach either, more of a 9 hitter.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 11:49 AM) If you could get Crawford, Davis and a couple more prospects for Jenks and Dye, would you make that move? In a second, but I don't think the Rays would...not for just one guaranteed year of JD at his age, versus the White Sox having Crawford for two at less money. Then there's the supposition that Davis has roughly equal value to Jenks in terms of a straight-up trade for the many reasons we've already discussed with Jenks' "value" and the fact that Davis, as a starter, is more valuable than a reliever who's going into arb. years.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 12:31 PM) Lineup by June in a perfect world (assuming Konerko, Dye, or Thome are not dealt, which would then make it even a more perfecter world!). SS Furcal CF Ramirez LF Quentin RF Dye DH Thome 1B Konerko C Pierzynski 3B Viciedo 2B Beckham Add Brian Roberts to Furcal...add Fields/Viciedo/Betemit as your 3B "platoon" That would have the makings of a monster line-up. I just don't think it's realistic until 2010. But pairing Roberts and Furcal in front of the bashers would scare a lot of teams, even the Twins.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 12:22 PM) One year left on his deal, getting worse in all aspects of the game right now. No doubt he is a productive player, but an opportunity to get some more young pitching is something that you really can't pass up. But this is all speculation that Jackson is at the center of this deal, let's wait till we find out who they get (or if the deal even goes down) before we ask why trade Dye. Also, the $10 million that Dye makes could be turned into some other valuable chips. But isn't there a club option in that contract (Dye's) for 2010 as well...??? And a $1 million buyout? Furcal to SS, if we can't get a better CF (like Taveras), then we move Ramirez out there and let Getz/Nix/Betemit fight it out for 2B. OR we trade for Roberts, sign Furcal, Ramirez goes to CF and we have the most amazing offseason in recent memory... But I prefer pairing Furcal and Ramirez up the middle and not giving Alexei on the job training for yet another position...not to mention the adverse affect it might have on his offense.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 12:15 PM) Why pay a king's ransom for Roberts if the Sox can just sign Furcal and keep Alexei at 2nd where we know he can play well. Roberts would look nice in a Sox uniform though. Because the O's will ask for Fields and Poreda...or more. However, we would be able to get Type A compensation back in one year...so the trade wouldn't be so bad, considering we could pick up two players of similar abilities/talent. It's just that Poreda and Fields are much closer to making an impact, and KW is all about THIS season. I think we can at least beat the package/s the Cubs offer if we go head-to-head with them for Roberts. That would be a PR coup for KW. I think 4 years and $42-46 million will get the Furcal signing done for some team. He has an offer for 3/39 but wants the added security of an additional year.