whitesox61382

Don't get me wrong, I would lose to see Johnson on the Sox, but the FA market is very deep when it comes to starting pitching. Why not sign a decent starter for about 6-7M? The Sox would save money that they can use to address other weaknesses. The pitcher they sign will certainly be younger than Johnson, in the prime of his career, and with the Sox for more than 1 year. The Sox wouldn't have to give up current players/prospects, which would create more holes. It just makes more sense(in both the long and short term) for a team like the Sox to sign a starter from the FA market opposed to trading for Johnson.

That is a very interesting comparison. The only concern I have with Pedro is his size. Clemens is a big boy at 6'4 230, and has the body to be a power pitcher into his late 30's/early 40's. Pedro on the other hand is listed at 5'11 180. I meet Perdo when I was in school in New England, and he is nowhere close to that listing. I was with a friend that is about 5'8, and Pedro and he were eye to eye. Pedro is no bigger than 5'9 170(if that). It is amazing that he has been able to throw as hard as he has for so many years, but at that size I question him being able to keep it up into his mid-late 30's. If Perdo loses 3-4 mph of his fastball(showed some signs this season and saw an increase in ERA), than he will be no better than a middle of the rotation pitcher(if that). With him looking for 10+M/yr, that is a large chunk of change to invest in a potential middle of the rotation pitcher. A big market team has the finances to take that kind of risk, but the Sox do not.

Maybe I should read the entire thread before I post something that has already been brought up.

If you guys remember correctly, the D-Backs really wanted Rowand at the deadline. My guess is a deal centered around Rowand, Garland, and a prospect would be along the lines of a package the D-Backs might want. The D-Backs will probably pick up a little of his contract or take a bat like Lee/Konerko, but I am pretty sure that they would want young, cheap, major league ready players as the center of any deal. As much as I would like to have Johnson on the Sox, I don't think it is worth it. The FA is very deep when it comes to quality starters, so I think they should go that route. It will probably be cheaper, younger, and the Sox wouldn't have to give up talent.

This stuff is getting out of hand. Your right, the Sox should only go after Lowe, and trade away all their current pitchers since they don't have a groundball/flyball ratio better than 2.00. Please understand that every pitcher is going to be affected by USCF being a great hitters park. Some pitchers might be affected more than others, but the difference usually isn't significant. Furthermore, just because a pitcher is a groundball pitcher, doesn't mean that he is good. Lowe's great groundball/flyball ratio did a great job of producing a 5.42 ERA for him this year, and for some reason people choice to ignore this fact. Sure the Sox need to take this into consideration, but people are starting to take this stuff too far. Vazquez has great stuff, and despite his so-so year, he would be a great addition to the middle of this rotation(with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter). In regards to Giambi, he is a huge question mark, but even if they do give him a starting spot they still have another spot to fill at either 1B or DH. The Yankees are likely to make a run at Delgado this offseason, so I think they would also have interest in Konerko as well. It seems like a perfect fit for both teams if the Yankees are truely interested in moving Vazquez.

While that lineup would be very good, it simple isn't realistic financially. The linup alone cost about 55M. Assuming that the Sox sign no pitchers(which is something they need to do) the payroll would still be 88M, which is unrealistic.

You know you are reaching when you say Dicky V would disagree with you. For the record, Dicky V would disagree with you IlliniKrush since he ranks MSU 5th and the Illini 12th in his preseason top 30 poll. As an independant party(IU fan), I think the two teams are very even, and that you can make an arugement for either being the top team in the Big 10. I just thought it was kind of funny that IlliniKrush used Dicky V to support his opinion, and the fact is that Dicky V disagrees with him. It just goes to show that you should probably do a little research if you are going to use an article/expert to support your opinion.

What about a deal centered around Konerko? I have always been a big Vazquez fan, and I think he would be a great addition. His trade value is a little down due to a sub-par season. I think the Yankees would be interested in Konerko. Giambi's health and production are huge question marks(probably a DH at best), and the Yankees had to turn to Clark and Olerud in the 2nd half, so a potential 40 HR hitter has to interest Cashman(if he is still with the Yankees) and GS. Salary wise that are even, although Vazquez still has two years left after the 2005 season(if I am not mistaken), so the Yankees might have to eat a little of that(5-6M over the last 2 years). I think a trade of Konerko for Vazquez would be something the Sox could consider, although it doesn't give them much money to improve other weakness(maybe sign cheap options like Hollandsworth - RF, Vizquel - SS, and Zaun - C and see what happens with a much improved rotation).

The Twins deserve a lot of credit, and barring any significant changes they will easily be the team to beat in this division next year. The way they continue to develop offensive players is amazing. They could lose Hunter and Jones in the outfield and possible improve offensively, which is a scary thought. With that said, I think you are overdoing it a little. Mays is not a good pitcher. Sure he beats the Sox, but against the rest of the league he is terrible. His 2001 season was a fluke. Look at his ERA in the other four seasons('99 4.37, '00 5.56, '02 5.38, '03 6.30). Not to mention the fact that few pitchers come back from major surgury(having missed an entire season) and pitch like their pre-surgury self. I actually think that Mays will be a liability if the Twins ask him to be a middle of the rotation starter. I think the Twins have lost some faith in Mays and he might start off in the pen. The point beind that Mays does NOT really improve the Twins in any way(IMO). Saying that Lohse is going to be better next year is like saying Garland will be better next year. Both of these guys are extremely inconsistant and regressed from their previous years performance. It is nearly impossible to accurately predict how either will fare this upcoming season. The fact is that Lohse is not a guarantee to improve. Again, Silva is far from a guarantee to improve, and you simple can't say that he has to be better since last year was his 1st as a starter. That arguement holds no water. The fact is, that if Silva doesn't lower his Opp. BA(.310) and/or WHIP(1.43), than Silva will see a significant increase in his ERA. Based on his peripherals, he was LUCKY to post an ERA as low as 4.21. If I was a betting man, than I would put a lot of money on Silva having a higher ERA next year(I am simple amazed that opponents hit over .300 against him and yet he was lucky enough to post a 4.21 ERA). I am curious as to why you think there bullpen will improve(or were you simple on a role with the Twins improving that you decided not to stop at the bullpen - without giving a reason to support this opinion). I do think Nathan is legit(had him as my #1 closer in fantasy baseball since day 1 of this season), but it is highly unlikely that he will post a 1.62 ERA next year. The fact is that he really has nowhere to go except up. I like Crain as well, but it is unlikely that he will post an ERA of 2.00 next year. Romero will also likely be hard pressed to duplicate his 2.63 ERA. My arguement is that they have nowhere to go but up. Don't get me wrong, the Twins will still have one of the top pens in the game, but I highly doubt they will be as dominate as this past year(most of those guys drasticly overachieved). The Twins offense, defense, and bullpen should all be positives, but their starting pitching is a huge question mark, especially if they don't resign Radke(or sign another quality starter) or get another quality starter via trade. They will definately be a very good team, but don't give up hope this early. Lets see what the Sox management has up their sleeves for this offseason first.

Baltimore is also interested in Delgado, and they might be the favorites to land him. From what I hear, they are planning on letting Palmerio walk, and are going to focus their attention on landing a big bat. The three names that continue to pop up are Delgado, Beltran, and Maggs, but Delgado and Beltran would be better fits since they are lefty(Beltran switch) and because they don't have the health concerns that Maggs has. Look for Baltimore to get at least one of those 3 this offseason(my guess is Maggs).

I doubt that Toronto would be interested in either Konerko or Lee. Why would they trade for Konerko when they can probably resign Delgado for about 9M? Why would they want Lee in return for Wells when they are very similar talent/statistic wise with the only difference being that Wells is younger and much cheaper. My guess is that Toronto would be interested in major league ready prospects to fill other holes(with pitching being a top priority). They might have some interest in a guy like Garland or a decent young arm(Cotts/Diaz), but I don't think the Sox have much to offer when it comes to filling Toronto's needs.

Either would be a great addition. I do think you are right when you say that the Twins probably won't trade Hunter to the Sox. Wells would be a dream. The man can flat out hit, I don't understand why Toronto would trade this guy. He is still relatively cheap(although I think he is arb. eligible this offseason), very young, and too talented to give up. They will probably look for a kings ransom in return, but I do think he should definately be option. The Jays have a lot of interesting parts that could interest the Sox as well(as part of a huge deal). Hudson at 2B is a guy I wanted the Sox to pursue last offseason. Solid defensively, has some pop, can hit for average, has seen his walk total increase each year(solid .340 OBP last year), decent speed, still young(26), and relatively cheap. Batista might be included in a deal. The Sox showed interest in him last offseason, and with his so-so year last year(almost identical to Garland) he could be available and part of a deal(decent option as a 5th starter). I still can't believe that Wells would be traded. Did the article say why the Jays were willing to trade him?

Finley would be a great replacement(mentioned that the Sox should have traded for him at the deadline this past year), but I think you are right when you say he plans on staying on the west coast. If the Sox are looking for a cheap replacement in RF(and using their money to improve other areas of the team), than I think they should look at Hollandsworth for 2-3M. I think he could be a nice stopgap, and allow the Sox to spend money on pitching and a leadoff hitting/middle infielder.

While that rotation isn't great, it is considerable better than the rotation that started the 2004 season. The two holdovers are Buehlre and Garland(hopefully a better year in 2005). Garcia and Contreras are 10x better than Loaiza(not 2003) and Schoeneweis. You also have to figure that the Sox should get some better production from their 5th starter(although we have been saying that the past 3-4 years). If the Sox can get one more decent middle of the rotation starter(Morris/Perez for example) and move everyone in the rotation down one spot, than I think you can make the arguement that the starting rotation is a strength. Besides, this postseason is showing us that pitching doesn't always win championships since 3 of the 4 teams are in the top 2 in their league in offense(Boston #1 in AL, NYY #2 in AL, St Loius #1 in NL).

An offensive infield of Crede/Uribe/Harris/Gload would make me cringe. As much as I like pitching and defense, the Sox would struggle with that infield no matter what starters they through out there. The only way an infield like that would survive is if the Sox signed Beltran, Radke, and an improvement at catcher(Zaun/Miller) to help make up for a lack of offense in the infield.

I am surprised that none of you guys list Morris. I think he could really be a sleeper. He is a guy whos value has decreased because of a so-so year going into FA. If you compare this year to previous years, than it becomes obvious that this year was the fluke(never posted a 3.76 ERA or higher before this year). His peripherals were very similar to past years(increase in HR is the only major difference). I know that people are scared of the 35 HR's, but that is a fluke. Morris is one of the top groundball pitchers in the game with a groundball to flyball ratio of 1.59(in 2004) and a career ratio of 1.69. Furthermore, he had never given up more than 20 HR in a season before this year. Not to mention that Busch and Commisky are similar when it comes to hitters parks. He might not be an ace anymore, but I think he would look pretty solid in the middle of the Sox rotation, especially since his asking price has taken a hit with his performance this year. These are the type of values that the Sox will probably have to look for. I mentioned Hollandsworth in a previous thread, and I think he would be a great addition. He could be a cheap option in right field as a platoon player(starting against righties). Over the last 3 years, he has posted the following stats against righties: 700 AB .286 BA 25 HR 100 RBI 52 2B 71 BB 146 SO .351 OBP .481 SLG .832 OPS I don't think it would be too unreasonable to expect a .280/15/60 30 2B 50 BB .800 OPS numbers in about 450 AB's mostly against righties. If the Sox spend what little money they have on pitching and a leadoff hitter/middle infielder, than I think Hollandsworth would be a great addition for about 2M.

I disagree with your statement, and I don't think it is a realistic lineup. If history is any indication, than the Sox will almost certainly make at least 1 big trade(has been the trend under the KW regime). Furthermore, there have been multiple articles hinting at the fact that the Sox will be very active this offseason, and that only a handful of players are guaranteed starting spots. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that either Konerko or Lee is moved without either getting a good offensive player back in return or finding a good replacement on the FA market. I do think the trades I suggested are very realistic(both personal wise and financially), and trades that the Sox management might consider. In a previous thread I listed 2 dozen(or so) reasonable priced FA that could help this team offensively who the Sox might go after. I think the starting staff is pretty much set(the Sox might sign a cheap veteran as a 5th starter), so I think the Sox will focus their attention on retooling the offense and getting the type of players that Ozzie and company want(higher BA/OBP, speed, and defensive players).

A few points. Why does everyone think that Pierre is available? Sure I would love to see him on the southside, but put yourself in the Marlins GM's shoes. Would you trade a guy like Pierre? The guy has got to be pretty close to untouchable, or in other words, he won't be traded unless a deal is too good to pass up. I am sorry, but a Lee or Konerko(for example) for Pierre trade is NOT too good to pass up, especially if they hold to the saying that a good leadoff hitter is harder to find than a good middle of the order hitter. The Marlins don't need to trade him for financial reasons(Pierre is signed to a reasonable deal as well), especially now that Lowell is all but gone, so I find it highly unlikely that Pierre will be playing any place except Florida. To be honest, the Sox probably have a better shot of signing Beltran than acquiring Pierre through a trade. In regards to the main point of the thread, I have to agree with Israel when he says that you have to take proven over prospect. He is right when he says that a good amount of top prospects don't live up to their hype. For example, look at BA top 10 prospect list for the Sox 5 years ago/10 years ago, and see where most of those guys are now. I really hope that both Anderson and Sweeney live up to their potential, but the fact remains that the odds are against them(especially both of them developing). With that said, even if the Sox were to sign Beltran, by 2006, there would be an outfield spot open(Lee will probably be gone), so the idea that they will have nowhere to play really doesn't hold water. In reality, I highly doubt that the Sox sign a player like Beltran. Look for them to trade for a short-term RF. Podsednik could be an option, especially since he had a so-so year for Milwaukee. However, since he is making close to the minimum, I doubt that he is traded. Organizations like Milwaukee usually don't trade cheap, young, productive players unless a deal is too good to pass up. With that said, if he were available, than I think he could be a decent option despite the fact that he had a so-so year. In regards to Anderson, the guy is one of the puriest CF in the game. I don't know what "scouts" you have been talking to Rex, but the only way that Anderson is moved from CF is if the Sox sign a GG calibur CF(like Beltran). He is similar to Rowand(great jumps and good reads), but he has slightly better speed and is a better overall athlete. I also see a LITTLE AJones when it comes to pure athletism and effortlessness. Anderson is ticketed for CF no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Here is a name that Sox fans should keep an eye on. Winn, from Seattle. I think this guy would be a perfect fit at the top of the order. He might be one of the more underrated players in the game. Did you guys know that this guy has put up the following numbers in each of the last 3 seasons? .285+ BA 10+ HR 30+ 2B 75+ RBI 20+ SB(at a 78% rate) .345+ OBP .425+ SLG .770+ OPS I don't know about you guys, but I think Winn is exactly the type of player that the Sox need at the top of the order. There is also a good chance that he is available(unlike Pierre), especially if Seattle choices to rebuild.

My realistic lineup(changes from day to day) would be as followed. Trade Konerko(1B) to Baltimore for Hairston(2B), Julio(RP), and Gibbons(RF) - I think this is a realistic and fair trade. It addresses a couple of the Sox needs and saves them some money. Trade Crede(3B), Harris(2B), and so-so prospect(Borchard if they wanted ) to Seattle for Pinero(SP) - Jason has got me believing that the Sox could go after a guy like Pinero. Seattle continues with their rebuilding, and the Sox get another quality starter. Sign Vizquel(SS) - I am not a huge Vizquel fan, but it appears that the Sox will make a legit run at him. Sign Koskie(3B) - I think he is a perfect fit with the Sox. Sign Zaun© - I really think the Sox need to upgrade at catcher, and Zaun would be a nice cheap option. I think this offseason would be realistic, and it holds true to previous offseason trends under the current administration. Most of the changes are made by trade(s) with some minor signings to fill exsisting holes. It is realistic financial with a payroll in the 72-75M range. I do think that the Sox will be active this offseason, and I can't ignore the couple of articles about how only a few players are guaranteed starting spots. With that said, the lineup would as followed: 2B Hairston SS Vizquel DH Thomas LF Lee 3B Koskie CF Rowand RF Gibbons 1B Gload C Zaun The top of the order has 2 legit leadoff hitter type players. You still have good pop in the middle of the lineup. I also like the potential production at the bottom of the order. RH Garcia LH Buehrle RH Pinero RH Contreras RH Garland This rotation is 10x better than the rotation that started last year(Buehrle, Garland, Loaiza, Schoeneweis, army of 5th starters). RH Takatsu LH Marte RH Julio RH Politte LH Cotts RH Adkins/Diaz/Grille/Munoz The bullpen should be a little better with the addition of another quality righty arm in Julio. Hopefully Cotts and the other youngster in pen can improve with experience. OF Everett IF Uribe C Burke OF Borchard/Escobar IF Valdez Uribe would be a super utility infielder. With Koskie and Hairston being injury prone, and Vizquel being 38, Uribe should see plenty of PT. Everett is insurance if Gload or Gibbons struggle, and/or if Thomas isn't healthy. He also provides some power off the bench. Burke is a quality backup. Borchard/Escobar are defensive replacements. The lineup should be just as productive as the opening day lineup(with more than just power though). The starting rotation should be 10x better than this past year. The bullpen should be slightly better. The bench should be similar with two starter quality players. I also don't think that this is too unrealistic.

That would be a nice team, but anything over 75M is probably unrealistic. I would love to see Beltran in a Sox uniform, but I highly doubt that it will happen, especially since the Sox are going against all the big boys. I really hope that the Sox make a run at Finley(poormans Beltran), although I hear that he likes the west coast. I wonder if the Sox might go after Burnitz if his option isn't picked up. I am not a huge Burnitz fan, but he could be a decent option in RF for the right price(lefty bat). I would love to see the Sox put together a deal for Furcal, but there is no way that Atlanta will trade Cruz, especially Furcal AND Cruz for Konerko. I think that Atlanta is going to give LaRoche a shot at 1B, might not be interested in Konerko. They will try everything to resign Drew, with Thomas playing LF, so it is not likely that they will be interested in Lee. I do think that the Braves might be interested in Garland, especially if they let Ortiz walk and resign Drew(look for a cheap starter). They might be interested in a package of Garland and Uribe for Furcal(if they trust either Giles or Thomas leading off), but they will open a hole in the Sox rotation, so that might be a tough deal for the Sox(especially if Furcal walks after the 2005 season). Williams would be a great addition, but we have to be realistic. Put yourself in SF shoes(or pretend that Williams is on the Sox). Would you trade a 22 year old pitcher, with an electric arm, a career 17-12 record, a career 3.77 ERA, very good peripherals, 3+ years before FA, and who is making the minimum? Williams is pretty much untouchable unless you offer SF a deal that can't refuse(Lee or Konerko isn't a deal that can't refuse). You might be onto something with Pinero. He could be available, although I think Seattle is trying to move Meche and not Pinero. I am not sure what direction Seattle is heading for. If they are planning on rebuilding, than I really doubt they will trade Pinero, and I don't think they would be interested in Lee or Konerko. If they are going to try and retool, than they might have some interest. Seattle might have some interest in Crede if they don't sign a FA 3B(I hear they will go after Glaus). If the Sox could put together a package around Crede for Pinero, turn around and sign Koskie(my 1st choice), Hillenbrand, or Randa, than the Sox could improve the staff without creating another hole. I have a hunch that Baltimore and the Sox will make a trade this offseason. They seem to be perfect trade partners. Baltimore is looking for another big bat and has money to spend, while the Sox are looking for a leadoff/middle infielder(Roberts/Hairston), a righty reliever(Julio), and a lefty bat(Gibbons). The making for a big deal is in place. On a side note, I would like to see the Sox upgrade at catcher. I am not sure of Davis's contract status, but I wouldn't mind non-tendering him(highly unlikely since KW traded for him). I am not solid on Davis as an everyday catcher, and there are a couple of solid, cheap, veteran catching options(Zaun, DMiller, Mattheny).

I am praying that the top lineup isn't the Sox lineup to start the 2005 season. The Sox would be LUCKY to finish 3rd with that lineup. Can we please stop putting Harris in the leadoff spot? Until he proves that he can handle such an important role, he shouldn't hit anywhere except 9th. Furthermore, I highly doubt that Harris starts over Uribe. I doubt that the Sox get Beltran, but they should get some offensive help if they trade Konerko and/or Lee(either in return or via FA with the money they save). I do think that the Sox will be very active this offseason, and there are a lot of good options flying under the radar. C - I would like to see the Sox upgrade at catcher. I am not sold on Davis. I doubt they will make a serious run at Varitek, but there are some decent options on the market. Zaun(Toronto) .269/6/36 .761 OPS - He would be my top choice. He is a switch hitter, has good plate disipline(.367 OBP), is a solid hitter(career .714 OPS), and is decent defensively. Miller(Oakland) .272/9/58 .742 OPS - He would be option 1A. Very good hitter, and he has the reputation of being a great game caller/defensive catcher. Matheny(St Loius) .247/5/50 .640 OPS - Not a great hitter, but he is a GG winner/calibur catcher. 1B - If the Sox trade Konerko, than you could see them go after a cheap veteran as insurance(if they aren't sold on Gload). Palmerio(Baltimore) .258/23/88 .796 OPS - Word out of Baltimore is that Palmerio's option won't be picked up. Even at his age he still has a good mix of power and patience, not to mention a lefty handed bat. Martinez(Tampa Bay) .262/23/76 .823 OPS - He is almost identical to Palmerio. Still a good combo of power and patience, along with a lefty bat. Snow(San Francisco) .327/12/60 .958 OPS - He has an option that SF might pick up. Had a great year in 2004, would give the Sox a lefty bat, and solid D. 2B - There is little doubt that the Sox will add at least 1 middle infielder this offseason. Here are some cheap options. Bellhorn(Boston) .264/17/82 .817 OPS - Has a great mix of power and patience, but SO a ton, is suspect defensively, and doesn't have much speed. Boone(Seattle) .251/24/83 .740 OPS - Has an option with Seattle. His numbers fell off this year(off the juice?), and he isn't really what the Sox need(top of the order hitter). Young(Texas) .288/1/27 .758 OPS - He could be a decent option as a leadoff hitter. He still has good plate disipline and speed. Walker(Chicago) .274/15/50 .820 OPS - This is a guy I really think the Sox should consider. This guy can flat out hit. He has a career .289 BA with double digit HR the past 4 years(and an average of 34 2B). He also has good plate disipline and is usually good for a .350+ OBP. He is also a lefty. His D is suspect and he doesn't have the speed you would like for a middle infielder/leadoff hitter. Polanco(Philadelphia) .298/17/55 .786 OPS - He would be choice #1 in my book. We have talked about him in other threads, but he is a very solid player. Womack(St. Loius) .307/5/38 .735 OPS - Everyone knows about the killer middle of the lineup that St. Loius has, but few people know that Womack at the top has been one of the main reasons for their sucess. He would still be a risky pickup since he hasn't been consistant and doesn't produce high OBP. SS - There should be a lot of options. For example, if Nomar signs with Anaheim or LA it could mean that Erkstein or Izturis could be avaliable. Here are a couple of the cheap FA options. Cabrera(Boston) .264/10/64 .694 OPS - He could fly under the radar with big names like Garciaparra and Renteria on the market. He brings a decent bat, great D, and good speed to the table. He doesn't draw enough walks to leadoff though. Vizquel(Cleveland) .291/7/59 .741 OPS - He has been talked about plenty in previous threads. I still think the Sox could find better options. Guzman(Minnesota) .274/8/46 .693 OPS - He brings a decent BA, good speed, and great D to the table, however he refuses to walk(which makes him similar to Harris). 3B - Personally, I think the Sox should attempt to trade Crede since they could probably fill another hole with a player in return, and turn around and sign a cheap 3B. I doubt that will happen, but here are some cheap options. Randa(KC) .287/8/56 .751 OPS - Doesn't do anything great, but he does bring solid D, good BA, and good plate disipline to the table. However, he isn't much/if any of an upgrade over Crede. Mueller(Boston) .283/12/57 .811 OPS - I bet that Boston picks up his option, but he would be a very good addition otherwise. He hits for average, has great plate disipline, and is solid defensively. Koskie(Minnesota) .251/24/71 .837 OPS - I really hope the Sox make an attempt for this guy. He is a complete player and a lefty bat. Hillenbrand(Arizona) .310/15/80 .812 OPS - Similar to Crede, but with a much better BA. Could be a good replacement. OF - The Sox have a spot in RF that they need to fill. They might also trade Lee, so it is likely that the Sox will go after an outfielder or two. Bautista(Arizona) .286/11/65 .733 OPS - He does nothing great, but he brings a solid BA and good defense to the table. Hollandsworth(Chicago) .318/8/22 .939 OPS - Not sure if you want him as a starter, but he would be a great addition to the bench for the right price. Burnitz(Colorado) .283/37/110 .916 OPS - Has an option that might be picked up. His numbers were helped by Coors, but he does bring a powerful lefty bat to the middle of the order. Still I don't like the low BA(not this year) and high SO total. Finley(LA) .271/36/94 .823 OPS - I would love to see the Sox make a run at Finley. This guy has shown no signs of slowing down, plus he is a complete player, and a lefty bat. Grissom(SF) .279/22/90 .773 OPS - SF has an option. He has also shown no signs of slowing down. I would love to see the Sox trade Konerko for some pitching. Sign Finley to play CF(with Rowand moving to RF), sign Polanco to play 2B(with Uribe starting at SS), and sign Miller/Zaun to start at C. Here would be your lineup: 2B Polanco RF Rowand DH Thomas LF Lee CF Finley SS Uribe 1B Gload 3B Crede C Zaun/Miller I think this lineup looks much better than the one in the original post. It also isn't unrealistical from a financial standpoint. Add another quality starter(from the Konerko trade) to a rotation of Garcia, Buehrle, Garland, and Contreras, and you have a pretty solid team.

Come on Jim, you are really nitpicking. His fielding % improved by .001(.964 vs .965). IMO you really can't say that is an improvement since the difference is so small. Furthermore, his range stats both decreased by a much larger difference than .001(although I am not a big fan of RF or ZF), so making an arguement that his fielding improved really doesn't hold water. I would say that it remained the same, which is still above average. Saying that his power numbers increased doesn't hold water either. Sure he hit 2 more HR in 46 fewer AB's, but his extra base hits per AB decreased(10.3 AB/EBH in 2003 vs 10.7 AB/EBH in 2004). His SLG% also went down(.433 vs .418), so you really can't say that his power improved. He did draw 2 more walks in 46 fewer AB's, but once again that isn't a significant difference and you are really grasping at straws. His SO total increased slightly, and his BB/SO was almost identical from 2003 to 2004, so his plate disipline really didn't improve. I do think Crede will rebound next year and put up a solid year(.270/25/75 is fairly realistic), but you really can't say he has improved in any catogory from 2003 to 2004.

Rex, what do you have against Uribe? Whenever you compare him to another player(Miles, Harris, Vizquel, Crede, ect) you always attempt to point out all of his negatives without mentioning anything he does positively. I love how people try and downplay a significant difference in BA by saying stupid things like, he only had one more hit a week. That is a perfect example of trying to manipulate stats in order to support your opinion. The fact still remains that a difference in BA of .044(.283 vs .239) is significant. You downplay such a significant difference in BA, but do point out that Crede had a whopping 2 more walks than Uribe(most people would call that about even since neither have good plate disipline). Furthermore, I love how you neglect to mention the SIGNIFICANT difference in speed that Uribe has over Crede(not just SB). You can say that numbers aren't the only way to judge a player, but to say that Crede is similar to Uribe(this past season) is just plain stupid. In this case the numbers aren't even close and don't lie. Uribe .283 BA .327 OBP .506 SLG .833 OPS Crede .239 BA .299 OBP .418 SLG .717 OPS With that said, I do think that the Sox will keep Crede. I also think that he will have a better year. I do think Koskie would be a better fit(more complete player and a lefty bat), if they can get good value for Crede in a trade, but I don't think Uribe should start at 3B. Uribe should start at either 2B or SS, with the other spot being filled by a new addition(leadoff hitter), and Harris being on the bench as a speed and defense guy(where he belongs).

No offense, but I hope the Sox don't do what you suggest. The lineup you project is a significant downgrade from what we started with this year. Who is the Sox leadoff hitter? Harris? WANTING him to be a Juan Pierre, and him actually putting up numbers like Juan Pierre are two entirely different things. Have you seen Harris play? Because when you say he isn't too far away from being a Juan Pierre, it appears that you have never seen Harris play. Only once in Pierre's career has he hit below .305(.287 in 2002) and he has a career BA of .312. Only once has Pierre posted an OBP below .353(.332 in 2002) and he has a career OBP of .361. Only once has Pierre SO more than 35 times in a season(52 in 2002). In each of the last 4 years Pierre has had at least 45+ SB. By comparison, Harris has never hit above .262 in a season(small sample size) with a career BA of .240(the point is that Pierre came into the majors and hit .300 from the start). Harris has never posted an OBP above .343(small sample size) and has a career OBP of .305. Harris is SO prone and averages about 80+ SO in a full season. Despite Harris's speed, he is not a good base runner and didn't even steal 20 bases last year. Pierre and Harris are drasticly different and they aren't even close. The Sox will be in some trouble if Harris is their leadoff hitter. I am still trying to figure out the obsession with Vizquel. He is 38, has been very inconsistant the past 4 years, has lost a step defensively and on the base pad, and yet most people proclaim that he is the Sox savior. Yet the middle infield talent pool(via FA and trade) is so deep this year, and Sox fans want to settle for a so-so option like Vizquel. Furthermore, your lineup loses two huge bats in the middle(Maggs and Konerko) without finding a decent replacement for either. I like the idea of improving the pitching, but you don't improve the team by significantly downgrading the offense.

Personally, I think the Sox should look to improve 2B instead of SS if they can't get a difference maker at SS(Furcal(trade)/Renteria/Nomar/ect). You also have to consider that there could be quite a few middle infielders available(via trade), especailly if the big market teams decide to upgrade and go after the big name FA middle infielders. I wouldn't be surprised if Baltimore would be willing to trade either Roberts/Hairston. If Nomar goes out west to either Anaheim or LA, than you could see either Eckstein/Kennedy or Izturis(a guy I would love to see the Sox get) become available. Palanco would be a nice addition through the FA market. The point is that there are a lot of quality middle infield options this offseason, and that the Sox should be patient and evaluate all their options. Vizquel/Guzman could be decent backup plans, but they shouldn't be the Sox only/primary options. Dye could be a decent option in RF, IF he comes at a reasonible price. I would like the Sox to go in another direction since Dye is a similar right handed power hitter that the Sox already have enough of, but for the right price he could be a decent option. I think the Sox should pass on Wickman. The guy has had injury problems in each of the last 3 seasons(including missing the entire 2003 season). Even when he was healthy he wasn't that effective(opp hitting above .280, mid 4.00 ERA, ect). Factor in that he is going to be 36 next season, and I think the Sox could find better options. Once again, if he comes very cheap(around 1M), than he could be an option at the backend of the pen, but he is too much of a risk as a closer/setup guy. One trade that I think the Sox should look at is a trade with LA(if they sign Nomar). Iztruis would be a great addition and the Sox might be able to get one of their young relievers(Sanchez or Brazoban) as part of a larger package.