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Marks gonna get mucho phat offers. I think it'd be cool if he wound up in St. Louis. Miami would be cool - here would be cool. Niiiiiice.

After just 1 day of reading press from the winter meetings I can officially announce that Robin Ventura's persistent use of the word "and" - is annoying.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 12:06 PM) Great, the thread's about to go down the drain. Until things actually start heating up - thus, giving us things to discuss.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 11:46 AM) With many teams looking for a SS, I hope Alexei is also a candidate to be moved in a trade.. What teams are in on SS? I've been trying to ascertain that for the last 24 hours.

QUOTE (rowand's rowdies @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 07:33 AM) Thornton - 2 Top 10 Prospects or 1 young Pitcher or Position Player with some MLB experience and starting potential Quentin - 1 SP (Young arm with MLB experience middle of rotation potential), Top 10 Prospect (Pitcher or hitter) Crain - 2 Top 20 Prospects (Salary dump) Santos - 2 Top 10 Prospects (at least 1 with star potential) and MLB ready young arm Alexi - 2 Top 10 Prospects (both should have star potential) and a MLB ready Position player or arm I'd say that all of these returns are over valued... No?

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 11:28 AM) Danks is not as movable as many think. No team us give up a top prospect for one season of control. He is if 14 teams are interested in a workhorse type LH starter like M56.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 12:35 AM) I would think they would try and sign Jimmy Rollins before trading pieces to get Alexei. Rollins will come cheaper than Reyes. Ah - so the SS market is thin this year?

With the free agent starter market thin on the left with just Buehrle and Wilson - look for Danks to command a haul. There currently are 14 teams reportedly interested in Buehrle and those who miss out may drive the price up on Danks.

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 06:42 PM) As I said yesterday marlins will land Reyes and also could land buerhle Hope they land Prince too. Also, hope that we sell flipping everything we can possibly get value for and just start fresh. Buerhle or not - sell, sell, sell.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 03:23 PM) Its nice that he's a good guy. It definitely beats the alternative. Too bad it appears he will have to make his living doing something other than playing baseball. Didn't he sign for something like 2 million? If he is smart, he won't have to work a day in his life. Edit: His signing bonus was 500k. John was 2M

Any idea what teams would be interested in alexi if we made him available - and what the potential return would be? I'd imagine the losers on Ryes might be very tempted if alexi could be had

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 02:14 PM) I hope Rick Hahn & JR will be there early tomorrow morning.. I'm POSITIVE that KW canceling his press conference and arriving late on Monday is completely planned. They are two actions that are pointed at other GM's - an attempt to stir up activity and create a more competitive environment with our potential trading partners. They are probably also hoping that M56 gets his choice set on Monday too so that they can start with his negotiations. He's probably the first domino that will drop and dictate our direction. I hope he goes to Miami.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 02:09 PM) That said, I doubt AA would part with Drabek. He was the centerpiece of the Halladay trade. Beliv dat QUOTE (Cali @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 02:10 PM) So KW not showing up until late tomorrow... That'll be a boring Monday on the trade front. It's like a rainout on opening day haha No joke, right?

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 02:06 PM) I'd do that. Yea of course - would Anthopoulos? Tangent: It has officially become the time of year in which I am glued to Soxtalk hanging out with my great friend, "the refresh button."

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 02:03 PM) Kenny Williams is not arriving in Dallas until tomorrow evening. Also saw on twitter that the Sox are very intersted in Kyle Drabek I guess that tomorrow will be a quite day then. Beckham for Drabek

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 01:46 PM) I agree. Though less about Ramirez. But it's much more imperative to deal the other guys. You can't wait for the perfect haul for a guy like Danks or CQ. It's gonna be an interesting off-season, that's for sure... a pivotal one for the franchise and maybe a decider for KW. Edit: Can it be Monday already please?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 01:36 PM) You don't trade Ramirez and/or Santos unless you're overwhelmed due to the fiscal-friendly, team-controlled contacts. The others are all fair game because they're getting expensive and/or are set to hit free agency. The White Sox are not spending another $130 million to finish in third/fourth place. They're not going to add anything of consequence, even if they don't make any trades. If they're going to rebuild - then they won't be winning anytime soon and I'd imagine that we could get 3 prospects back for each of Santos and Ramirez. So, why not unload Santos and Ramirez for a nice haul of prospects?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 01:15 PM) if you're going to completely gut the team (I hope they do), it makes little to no sense to throw $14-$16 million at Mark when you're not going to be competing for a damn thing for at least 2-3 years. Well, other than the sentimental bulls***. Which is no way to run a successful franchise. If they're going to gut the team - then ya, there's no reason to keep him around other then giving the sales department some ammo for ticket sales... I just don't see them gutting the team. To me gutting the team would involve trading off nearly everyone. Konerko, Q, Danks, Thornton, Floyd, Santos, Ramirez... Package in Rios somehow if you can. Hope Peavy shows up in the first half and give him away at the deadline. Hope Dunn shows up in the first half and give him away at the deadline. I don't see that happening but I could see them in classic "in-between-mode" where KW is trying to "add valuable pieces to put them in a place to win now and set them up for the future." To me, such an in-between place would be keeping Mark and trading Danks, Q, and Thornton. Do I advocate for such a path? No. Do I think it's possible considering JR and KW? Totally.

Doesn't sound from this that he's going to be the "yes man" that people penned him to be... hummm. The off-season finally feels like it's about to start. Ahhhh.

That doesn't even take into account shedding salary from Thornton and getting something in return for him as well.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 12:38 PM) It makes no sense for the Sox to trade upwards of 3 or 4 guys in order to gather the funds to re-sign Buehrle. It's cutting off your nose to spite your face. If they trade all of those guys, it's almost certainly a rebuild. So, what's the point of bring Buehrle back in that scenario? It makes some sense to me for the three reasons I mentioned. Think of it this way: Mark + 2 ( or more ) specs from Danks + specs from Q + PR for Marks return - $ from Danks - $ from Danks. It gives you money for Mark, probably helps in ticket sales, gives you prospects to help the farm... and we'd be able to have some time to see how 2012 starts off. What would we be missing out on here? Trading Floyd? Adding salary for Buehrle when we could be shedding more than just Q and Danks? QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 12:38 PM) Because we don't want to see him in another uniform? That's childish. I'm not suggesting an action - just discussing a perspective and this perspective involves more than just keeping Buehrle to avoid him going to a new uni. It's never childish to consider possibilities on a forum that is - well - dedicated to considering possibilities.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 12:35 PM) And he's not going to come back here for 3/14 when some other team might do 4/16. Didn't mean to suggest that... was wondering why we didn't give him 3/14 earlier before he hit FA. Oh, because he wanted to test the water. Duh.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 12:30 PM) Yes, yes and yes. I could see the sox signing Mark for 4/56 - trading Q to help with Mark's salary for 2012... this does three things... 1.) allows KW to drive up prices on Danks / Floyd and trade one of them 2.) adds no payroll this year 3.) would give the PR department something to spin towards ticket sales

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Dec 4, 2011 -> 12:21 PM) With the amount of teams that are in.. some one is going to get stupid and really over pay. If all he's asking is 3/14 why didn't we sign him to an extension? Rios, Dunn, and Peavy?