ILMOU

This is great, thx. You guys rock.

QUOTE (Paulstar @ Jan 9, 2014 -> 10:49 PM) Whats Sheffield's status with PED suspicion? Extreme. Was a witness in Balco case, I believe. I think they were trying to cut a deal with him for testimony about BB. Not sure how it all went down after all these yrs, but the info is out there.

Don't know if this was ever posted about my guy TD. Video links don't work, but the post is informative. Kid seems to have the right stuff. https://armorypitching.com/tyler-danish-per...-top-rated-rhp/

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 03:59 PM) And Sanchez, so that no one plays everyday. Yeah, exactly. Something's gotta give, still. Nothing major, necessarily. I'd like to start with a pure dump of Kepp, but won't hold breath. He'll hit like Leury (without the baserunning skills) and defend like Tank (w/o the arm) - let's not try TOO hard to chase that $8.5M.

Some guys ride a rocket to the majors. Huddy went through 4 or 5 levels in a single season and wasn't mishandled. Granted, he was 22, not 19. I trust that the org promotes their Ps appropriately, not so much their hitters.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 03:49 PM) It is possible, but seems less and less likely as we move towards spring training. Well, somebody, or two or three will be gone by the end of ST. Unless we're going to keep more guys at AAA than I think - Davidson, LGarcia AND Semien?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 03:23 PM) Well here is an interesting bit of news: Luke Stuckmeyer ‏@LukeStuckmeyer 3m Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka will meet with the #Cubs & #WhiteSox this week...likely in Chicago. I'm sure he'll love the weather.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 05:37 AM) Another interesting note from the chat was Manuel explaining why Carlos Sanchez was dropped from the top 10. He basically said it wasn't that the fact that Sanchez struggled at AAA, but the reasons why he struggled. Apparently he gained some weight last year and lost his quickness. Manuel said Carlos wouldn't be able to play a decent SS in his current condition, which would hurt his chances of making the majors. This is interesting, and disappointing. He's hit great in the VWL, but hasn't stolen many bags. I haven't heard any D reports, but the apparent extra weight hasn't created a power surge either.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jan 6, 2014 -> 11:13 PM) In the chat, they talk rather favorably on Danish and the guy definitely knows the Sox plan to start him. This year's writer (new editor-in-chief of the entire publication) really knows his s*** and did a great job. I'm guessing he won't cover us next year, but at least it won't be Phil Rogers Good to know. Still think they're underestimating him greatly. But these lists are indeed irrelevant, cause if he's tearing it up as a starter as a just turned 19 y.o., opinions will change really, really fast. And for those whose opinions don't change, you'll KNOW it's due to injury fears, admitted or not. We'll all know soon enough.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jan 6, 2014 -> 03:12 PM) Yeah I'm a Danish bull as well. I am sure they would have had him slotted 11-15ish but I would have had him ahead of May at least. Otherwise, I can't see him moving ahead of anyone else in the top 10 right now. Hopefully it lights a fire under his ass and he keeps working to get better. Yep. Stay hungry TD. The performance/age-at-level will be un-ignorable by midseason and he'll skyrocket. And his funky motion will make him the best righty runner-holder in the game - his delivery is so quick, he's virtually impossible to run on. This is an undervalued skill, but won't be for long as speed usurps power as the next-gen tool of choice.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 6, 2014 -> 02:24 PM) https://twitter.com/danish_Tyler7/status/420262165652963328 Another reason I don't like prospect lists. Go to A ball> Perform. Go to High A> Perform. Go to AA> Perform. Go to AAA> Perform. Go to MLB> Perform. BA, and others, completely missing boat on the Dane. Buncha foo's. Likely have him pegged as a reliever due to funky motion. He WILL prove them wrong.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Jan 6, 2014 -> 12:52 PM) The price for Castro is likely too high. Sounds like it. And any similar players will be too. McCann at $85M and Salty at $21M look like lost opportunities. Which puts us at targeting a less-proven prospect, probably, or an older guy like Jaso, if he recovers. Looking ahead to the 2015 FA's, and their age that year: Ryan Doumit (34) Nick Hundley (31) - $5MM club option Gerald Laird (35) Russell Martin (32) Jeff Mathis (32) - $1.5MM club option Wil Nieves (36) A.J. Pierzynski (38) David Ross (38) Geovany Soto (32) Kurt Suzuki (31) Who floats your boat?

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Jan 5, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Were in luck... http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/...ml?mobile=false Looks like he will be under team control through 17. I shoulda checked 1st, but nice, thx. More expensive, but that's an acceptable window.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jan 5, 2014 -> 01:49 PM) They have a top prospect in Max Stassi who is supposedly the best defensive catcher in the minors. Then they have Castro who is coming off a great year. The idea would be to trade high on Castro to maximize his value and have Stassi take over when he is ready. Stassi should start the year in AAA but he already earnedd a September call up last year. If all goes well in AAA he'll be MLB ready by midseason. Anyways, there a lot of naysayers towards Castro but he is a great piece for a team like the Sox if he were to perform annually how he did last year. Whether he can do that is both possible and doubtful depending on who you talk to. If they prefer Stassi, he should be attainable. Make it so. Looking at when his clock would have started, 67 games in 2010, he has just 2 years before FA, not 3, unless I'm mistaken. That's not ideal, so I'd hope he's amenable to a "security" contract. Would likely perform even better in a more platooned role. Let's do this.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jan 5, 2014 -> 01:33 PM) Several reporters have said that's the case throughout the offseason. I really don't feel we have the horses to get it done. Well, are they shopping him, or are they merely fishing for a wonder-haul?

And a bunch of Cubans playing with a guy named Castro - the tasteless gags are endless.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jan 5, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) Rosenthal and Cotillo reporting that Jason Castro could be a trade candidate. Hope this is true, and Hahn is in on him. Now, you're talkin' to me baby... If this real, we have to be the suitor. He kills righties, he's perfect.

QUOTE (Paulstar @ Jan 4, 2014 -> 07:45 PM) He would have been nice this year, but I have a feeling Hahn has a bigger plan in mind. I want to believe this as well, and it's only 1/5, which is why I'm giving RH the benefit of the doubt, for now. But then why Nieto, and his agent's robust confidence in making the roster? Even if they're in love with him, can they expect him to be MLB competent having never played above high A? Seems crazy, but who knows, I guess. QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 4, 2014 -> 07:48 PM) I think this too, but I think it's a more long term outlook. Give the guys on the roster a chance this year to help further define roles. Find a better option elsewhere. I like Saltalamacchia and said on here on multiple occasions that I'd give him $40 million, but I have no problem that they didn't and I do think they'll try and get a guy they believe can be a top 10 catcher in the league. Frankly, we don't need another regular season to accomplish this after last year. All that is FlowGley figures to have plenty of fleas offensively and defensively going forward and agewise and otherwise profiles to be a backup. This is a call that can be made at the end of ST, and maybe it will if Nieto impresses. We don't have a great chance of competing next year, I will admit, but the prognosis for each of the other 8 positions is better, with better fallback options. Would suck to have one black hole of a position holding back an otherwise improving lineup. God knows I'm plenty sick of the Donkey and understand the dump him by any means necessary opinion. OTOH, he is fighting for the last contract of his career, fills a need as a power lefty, and might look better in a platoon role. Hopefully he can be dealt closer to Memo. Day than trading deadline. Savings could be significant, and/or the DH position might be markedly improved with Paulie hitting the lefties. I'd rather do a pure dump of Kepp, if a 25 man crunch brings us to that. QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Jan 4, 2014 -> 08:41 PM) I don't see the point of dealing DeAza for anything less than a solid return. It's not going to hurt us to keep him; it's not like Jared Mitchell or Joe Borchard Jr. are beating down the door. I think Hahn would have already moved DeAza if he got a deal he liked. Likely, yes. Should probably get scouting for a high ceiling, raw low minors arm somewhere.

QUOTE (Paulstar @ Jan 4, 2014 -> 07:23 PM) I'm sure they tried, but it's not like a bunch of good, young catchers who are under team control for a the next 3-5 years are readily available via trade. The few guys out there, I'm sure their teams are asking for a lot in return. I'm just glad the Sox resisted the urge to go after Salty. Put me in the opposite camp here. He's WAY better than any of the options being discussed, and would have cost a lousy ~$20M for three seasons. And I'm no fan, mind you.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 07:25 AM) Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes he eats you. The guys they got back didn't return a great deal, but Lillibridge gave us a fun season and was part of the package used to acquire Youkilis, Flowers is still with the organization and seems like a decent back up catcher at the very least, and until Rodriguez is gone, he's not gone from the organization - I don't believe he has enough service time to refuse an assignment and choose free agency. Compare it to the Swisher trades and you'll start feeling a lot better. I do hope Santos sticks around. Wasted too much time following the dude. I was never that excited about the return for Javy, except for the one good year TFlow had in B'Ham, nor was I sad to see him go. Stinks that we never get any real value back at all when it's obvious we're trying to unload a player, though. The pending return, or lack thereof, for ADA will be a nice little test for Hahn.

Lobaton, Buck, Nieto. For whatever reason, our aim in upgrading the C position has been remarkably LOW, and the biggest failure of the offseason, imo, if nothing better emerges.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jan 2, 2014 -> 12:09 PM) Would have rather seen Heath or Molina gone before Rodriguez. But ideally none of them are there soon enough. Yeah I figured we'd keep Santos ahead of those guys, due to left-handedness and the dearth of that in the system. Bolded may have been kept for more ego related reasons. The diminishing return from the Javy trade diminishes. Sigh.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 31, 2013 -> 06:24 PM) Start him in AAA and tell him to throw changeups until his arm falls off. If he has an average change, he is suddenly an extremely compelling prospect as a starter. Gotta believe Coop has some ideas to improve his effectiveness vs lefties, likely starting with an improved change.

Get excited about the Hound. Nice writeup. I predict July on South Side.

This Nieto swagger/posturing? is interesting to me. Are the Sox totally smitten with him and see him as a late bloomer with terrific talent? The jump from A+ to MLB seems crazy for a catcher, though, no? Is he worth the experiment in this particular season to get a Memorial Day/Flag Day timeframe for a look, getting perhaps 2/3 of the AB's, mostly against RHP? FWIW, I like the idea of not needing to see Flowgley battle it out for 162 games at the major league level, making a choice at the end of ST who they want on the 25 man. And it's not a huge deal in my mind, because FlowGley is close to the same player. But, it could be that the offseason still has a long way to go, so I'll try to be patient for a more solid C acquisition. Or, they could be looking at the C position, as I believe they are with 2B and possibly SS and LF as well (and even 3B if Davidson starts in AAA), as something to turn over or otherwise change at some midseason/trade deadline time frame. And maybe Hahn makes a deal during March if it looks like Nieto isn't up to the bigs. Seems like a giant leap to me, but who knows?