Kenny Hates Prospects

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 9, 2008 -> 08:45 PM) AJ Burnett get through waivers? I doubt it. The only players I can see getting through waivers are guys that are either 1) really, really, really good and on contending teams that every GM knows won't be traded, 2) really, really bad, or 3) mediocre with horrible contracts. AJ's upside I think takes him out of all three categories.

Jarrod Washburn, Paul Byrd, and Greg Maddux are players that have cleared waivers. Washburn and Maddux could end up giving us better production than our Triple A guys, although I don't know about Paul Byrd.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Aug 9, 2008 -> 08:38 PM) For the love of God people, don't talk about stretching out Carrasco, Russell, or MacDougal; searching the waiver wire; throwing Broadway out as the 5th starter; or signing Garcia. Do you want to lose? Poreda. Give him a damn chance, atleast. Three starts, like Richard. That isn't too difficult, is it? I believe he's our best option for replacing Contreras, even if he needs more seasoning. If he fails, then send his ass back down. And I don't even want to hear about ruining him if he does poorly. A one-pitch pitcher in a playoff race? Hell no. At least Egbert has a good change to go along with his poor FB. Poreda would be my choice to replace Boner Logan though. That dude can't get to Charlotte fast enough. My choices: Link/Rodriguez up for Wise Logan down, Poreda up as a LOOGY Egbert/Broadway/Whisler? up as a 5th starter until we see if Freddy Garcia is ready to come back

QUOTE (ChiSox35 @ Aug 9, 2008 -> 07:02 PM) After what happened to Jose tonight, If he's deemed ready to pitch, I don't see how Garcia ends up anywhere else but back with us. Are there any other out of baseball pitchers of his calibur looking for work? Anyone on waivers is going to be blocked, so that's not a realistic route. He's not going to be asking for the bank, and with our position in the standings, sign him, let him loose in AAA to stretch out, maybe pick his fastball up a tick or two, and cross your fingers. This is where the Griffey trade hurts- I think Masset would have shown his worth in a starting role. He's done it before. Agreed on Freddy. It looks like he'll be coming back now as long as he can throw off a mound.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Aug 6, 2008 -> 04:36 PM) This entire post is a huge contradiction, especially the bolded part. First off, the only reason Griff was even movable was because he is only under contract for two months. Thats it. Stop equating KGJ to a guy that is owed more than 23 million over the next two years. Next, you talk about Contreras only having one year left, and having a pretty good first half, and that the Sox could get back an overpaid bench player. Why would the Sox even move Contreras then? All the young starting pitching the Sox have down at AAA? You talk about Konerko and Contreras like they are valuable assets, yet you want to trade them for spare parts or overpaid bench players. Which is it? Griff was movable before but a trade was difficult due to his right to nix deals and also ownership wanting to nix deals. We almost had him in 2005 before the Reds ownership canceled the trade. About Contreras, it depends on the player coming back and the fit. If some other team has a RP they owe say $3M to and want to get rid of, maybe it's a guy the Sox feel like they could benefit from? Same thing with a bench player, if it's a fit then it's an option. If the Sox want to go in another direction and maybe sign someone off the FA market or make a trade for another pitcher, they would want to deal Jose just to clear a spot. In that case I could see them taking on a smaller salary with one year left just to get a better prospect in the deal even if they didn't really need that player coming back. The only thing I can't see the Sox doing is eating salary, but I don't think they'd have to. Someone would offer something and take the contract. Konerko and Contreras can be valuable assets, but they aren't going to bring in any really good prospects or anything. The Sox would have to sell low on both and would only do it if they want to go in another direction. Having 4 average or better SP and Nick Swisher under control for the next few years allows them to deal both players for the sake of opening a spot, not maximizing value. I think either Konerko or Contreras could get us something that could help in one way or another. Maybe we could get a RP prospect with some value, a #4/#5 starter prospect to use as trade bait, or maybe another project or two like Floyd and Thornton were. Most teams are going to be looking for starting pitching, so Contreras should be pretty easy to trade because it's very low risk, only money and a player or two not in anyone's longterm plans. For Konerko, the idea is getting him to waive his NTC (which might not happen at all) but in the event Texeira doesn't re-sign with the Angels, they are a possibility (don't know how they feel about Kendry Morales). If he just wants to stay on the West coast and would waive his NTC for a team not in contention, the A's could be an option, also the Giants, Texas isn't on the West coast but it's a great hitting environment he might consider if Bradley isn't brought back, plus the Mariners will need a 1B and a DH. My whole point is that they're not impossible to move and they could bring us something that might help us in the future, even if it's not any big-name players or prospects. Edit: I didn't make any contradiction in the previous post. There's a difference between no value (Jeff Weaver, Jose Vidro, Gary Matthews, Jr.) and some value (players worth under-appreciated prospects or projects with pretty high upside and role players that can help a Major League team in spots).

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 6, 2008 -> 02:25 PM) I like how everyone's plan of getting rid of aging players is to "trade them for prospects" like its a magic box you put them in and good young players pop out in return. Whoever said anything about "good young players?" Griffey went for a couple of young guys with some upside, and Paulie and Contreras should have no problem fetching at least that much. It would be more about dumping salary and picking up a couple pieces that you might be able to move elsewhere. Paulie has two years left on his contract and his numbers this year have been the result of lingering injuries. I love how some, like you are doing here, automatically assume these guys have no value to anyone whatsoever. Contreras should be pretty easy to move with only one year left and a pretty good first half, especially if the contract of an overpaid bench player or reliever is coming back. Paulie would be more difficult only because he has a NTC, but he still will have value. QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 6, 2008 -> 02:25 PM) Would anyone here trade OUR prospects for one of those guys. If I didn't have a 1B worth a s*** and he only cost a B and C prospect plus a spare part, then hell yes I'd pick up Paulie. And if I was looking for a #5 starter and didn't want to shell out longterm deals to the bigger names, and if I didn't feel like signing garbage like Randy Wolf to a one year deal, then hell yeah I'd give up practically nothing to take on Contreras for one year. At least when he's on he's dominant instead of mediocre. I'd rather try to catch lightning in bottle for 1/2 - 2/3 of a season instead of going after a guy I pretty much know is going to suck from bell to bell.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 6, 2008 -> 09:05 AM) I can't imagine Garciaparra, Pedro Feliz or Hank Blalock...although KW is the kind of GM that would take a shot in the dark at Nomar or Blalock and hope to strike magic for one year. Some other players we might take a look at: Jose Vidro Felipe Lopez Rocco Baldelli Oliver Perez Rafael Soriano (injury history like Rich Harden) Juan Cruz Brandon Lyon I've wanted Juan Cruz for a while. I don't think KW touches Perez, Lopez, or Vidro with a 20-ft poll. I expect him to be active on the trade market, and I expect him to look into Chone Figgins and Brian Roberts. Some possible FA after 2009 we might go after to fill in at 3B: Adrian Beltre, Chad Tracy, Akinori Iwamura? (played 3B in Japan I believe) Someone mentioned Pedro Feliz, and I wouldn't mind him. I guess he's pretty much Joe Crede with a little less power and batting average. If he's cheap enough and we deal Josh Fields I wouldn't have a problem with it. The main question though is where the Sox see Beckham playing. If Alexei takes SS in 2009, then with Richar traded we'd probably be looking at Getz at 2B if we don't pick anyone else up. Fields would move to 3B in that scenario where we don't make a major move, but either guy may end up being replaceable with Beckham (in Fields' case, maybe a move to another position would make more sense than a trade if he shows offense in the Majors again). And of course there's always the chance KW makes a run at Rafael Furcal to play SS, keeping Alexei at 2B. My preferred offseason: -Let Crede walk and offer arb for draft picks (-5M) Let OC walk and offer arb for draft picks (-9M) -Trade Contreras for prospects (-10M) -Trade Paulie for prospects (-12M) -Buyout Thome if his option doesn't vest, then pick up Griffey's option (wash because of money from Reds?) -Re-sign Uribe as a UT man ($4M?) -Sign Raul Ibanez for 2 years as a DH (+10M?) -Sign Orlando Hudson as a 2B (+12M?) -Sign Juan Cruz (+4M?) -Sign Brad Penny (+12M?) -Trade for Chone Figgins to play 3B (arb eligible I think) Lineup vs. RHP: S Figgins 3B S Hudson 2B R Quentin LF L Griffey 1B R Dye RF L Ibanez DH S Swisher CF L Pierzynski C R Ramirez SS Lineup vs. LHP: S Figgins 3B S Hudson 2B R Quentin LF L Ibanez DH R Dye RF S Swisher 1B L Pierzynski C R Anderson CF R Ramirez SS Rotation: Buehrle-Floyd-Danks-Penny-Vazquez Bullpen: Jenks (9th), Linebrink/Thornton/Dotel (7th-8th), Logan/Cruz (6th-7th), Wassermann LR Bench: Hall C, Anderson OF, Uribe UT, Bourgeois/Getz UT I like the idea of having 2 huge lefty sticks in the lineup against righties, and I like the idea of getting rid of Thome who is the worst situational hitter on this entire team. No hate for the guy, but I'm sick of seeing him K on bad pitches with a runner on 3B in a big situation like he did last night. We didn't need that huge HR from Swish to tie and later win that game, we just needed some solid baseball from Thome, and we didn't get it once again. Ibanez is the type of hitter that comes through in those situations, and there's more than enough power to absorb Thome's loss.

About relievers on waivers, I don't who we'd want that would actually go through. I can see players like Walker and Bradford with the O's put through but there's a pretty good chance those guys would get claimed pretty quickly. I know teams like to sometimes put a bunch of guys on waivers for the sake of disguising a player they want to deal, but there are certain players, like say Bradford, that the entire league has to know is available.

QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 1, 2008 -> 04:26 PM) I would think that Minnesota would block us. Does the waiver wire go in inverse order of last year's full standings or the current season's standings?

QUOTE (Cubano @ Aug 1, 2008 -> 07:26 AM) The two players will be represented by puertorrican baseball agent Jaime Torres. Torres is the same agent that represents Jose Contreras, Alexei Ramirez, Yuniesky Betancourt and Dayan Viciedo. Torres is vacationing in Italy now and he said these two players should be in NY now. Hooray! I don't even know the guy, but Jaime Torres is already my favorite agent! Let's get a couple of these guys in the system! Jose and Alexei need to start campaigning.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:33 PM) Hawk was unbearable tonight. Carlos Gomez freaking sucks. He doesn't hit for average, doesn't get on base, his SB % is not good, he doesn't hit for power. He is essentially a worthless offensive player. Carlos Gomez has a chance to be the best offensive player in this league... ....okay.... ...meanwhile it is arguable that the current best offensive player in this league is ON YOUR OWN f***ING TEAM!!! Stupid Hawk

QUOTE (Allsox @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:33 PM) It's a myth we won in '05 with smallball. We won because of awesome pitching and hitting HRs (200 hit in '05). And I thank the Twins for absolutely nothing other than looking like world-beaters against us and looking average against everyone else. The 2005 offense was easily the least talented Sox offense we've had from 2003-2008. Even in '07 we had talent, but they didn't play like it. The reason we were so successful was all-around team balance. Guys picked each other up. The SP was great, but on off nights the offense would score and the bullpen would hold it. When the offense couldn't get much done the pitching staff battled, and our guys were able to scrape across runs by playing solid fundamental baseball. The "smallball" thing wasn't the ONLY reason we won, but it was definitely one of the reasons and if you don't know that it's because you didn't watch. We won lots of low-scoring games that year by SB, sac flies, hit and runs, contact in contact situations, etc. That's "smallball" and it is a vital part of every great offense, especially a team that is prone to shutouts by journeymen and junkballers.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:31 PM) And their pitchers throw strikes and rarely walk hitters. Something you can also notice is that they make the opposition drive the ball opposite field if they're going to try and hit the long ball in critical situations. Agreed. What I love more than anything about Quentin is his ability - and most importantly his willingness - to go the other way. I wish we had more players like that.

QUOTE (Allsox @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:20 PM) After this series, how any Sox fan doesn't have the Twins as their most hated team is beyond me. The Sox make all their hitters and pitchers look like Babe Ruth, Lou Brock and Cy Young all into one, it's so disgusting. How I hate the goddamn Twins. I don't hate the Twins. They're a team of largely average and slightly above ballplayers with 2 stars and a great manager that has them playing the right way. A team as stacked as ours should know how to beat them. It's our fault, not theirs. The Twins are the ones we should thank for exposing our one-dimensional anti-playoff baseball prior to 2005 that led us into a WS-winning overhaul. Unfortunately we seem to have slipped back into that 2003 mindset.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:20 PM) 1. Agreed. But Gardenhire was smart to come out and burn time away. That gave the Twins the momentum. 2. Don't throw in the towel just yet. We should be able to win 2/3 or 3/3 in KC. Although, Minnesota's next 3 series's are Seattle, Cleveland, and some other bum-@$$ team. 3. OMGGGZZZ BASH HIM, HE SAID WE'RE DEAD!!!!!!11111 I'm throwing in the towel on this bullpen until Linebrink comes back. Wassermann looked good because he threw the ball over the plate. Let's get someone in here who isn't afraid to do the same. It's one thing to get hit on a bad pitch 1-2 and it's another to have it happen on 2-1, 3-1. And I don't like that our best LH reliever needs to get hit and yelled at in order to go after a hitter. Logan is dead. You can poke him with a stick.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 09:14 PM) Correct me if I'm wrong, but this was predictable after the Gardenhire meltdown. The only thing that was predictable was the f***ing bullpen diarrhea attack. Gardy didn't have anything to do with Thornton and Dotel tossing meatballs up to the plate on fastball counts. f***in duh... Time to call up the minor leaguers. Give me Link, Rodriguez, give me someone new with some potential who hasn't s*** the bed already. No more Russell. And get Logan out of here until he can throw strikes. Yuck. Today was not the day to roll over and die.

QUOTE (Whitewashed in '05 @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 03:28 PM) Carrasco Don't you think he's pretty much earned himself a set-up type role though? I kind of do. The Sox really seem to like him. I think they'll end up using him a lot more than they used Masset.

I guess if Jose comes back Richard could stay up and take over at LR. That's a real possibility too.

Who is your pick if Ozzie stays with 12 pitchers? I'm going with Link (1), Rodriguez (2), and my dark horse is Poreda.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 01:01 PM) I hope you're female. I'm not, but I would be in a second if Kenny made that trade. My girlish screams of joy would be the first thing you'd hear.

If the Griffey for Manny offer is true you have to make it right this very f***ing moment. Send Manny off to Florida for Hermida and a prospect or two. I'll f***ing suck Kenny's dick if we can get Hermida and then some for Masset and Richar. Edit: There's another thread about McPherson. Let's turn Masset and Richar into Hermida and McPherson. Do it Kenny. That's like nine roundhouse kicks and a armbar all rolled into one.

QUOTE (striker62704 @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 12:27 PM) I'm not a huge Zimmerman fan. I'm not saying he sucks, just not a fan. Zimmerman >>> Lannan IMO ...even though Zim is having a pretty bad year.

QUOTE (striker62704 @ Jul 31, 2008 -> 12:21 PM) How about Swisher for Lannan + Prospects? Swish and Fields for Zimmerman and a prospect, I'd like that better

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Joel_Hanrahan/ Sounds like he's closer to being what Masset was supposed to be than Masset himself was.

Hanrahan made his pro debut with Great Falls in 2000.