Kenny Hates Prospects

Okay so I posted this in another thread, summing up where we are financially: C AJ $4M (approx) C Castro $1.2M 1B Viciedo $1.25M 2B Beckham $0.45M (approx) SS Ramirez $2.75M SS Lillibridge $0.45M (approx) 3B Morel $0.45M (approx) 3B Omar $1.75M 3B Teahen $4.75M DH Dunn $14M (approx) RF Quentin $4.5-5M (approx) LF Pierre $8.5M - $3.5M from Dodgers = $5M CF Rios $12M SP Buehrle $14M SP Danks $6M (approx) SP Floyd $5M SP Jackson $8.35M SP Peavy $16M RP Sale $0.45M (approx) RP Linebrink $5.5M RP Thornton $3M RP Pena $1.8-2M (approx) RP Infante $0.45M (approx) RP Santos $0.45M (approx) Total = $113.55M - $114.25M The estimates should all be very close to what they end up being, maybe a mil or so +/-. But this is pretty much exactly where we are. Now there's this: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...ws&c_id=cws That means we'd be looking at around a $130M payroll. Yeah, you heard that right, a $130M payroll. Somebody is either lying or smoking crack, right? Or can this really be true? Is JR going to actually do this? Seriously? Like, really? I can't believe this. But I really, really want to.

JP Howell and George Sherrill too. Sherrill would be a minor league deal and Howell would be a nice weapon as a midseason addition, maybe earlier. It would be like a trade. We need some lefties to bring to camp aside from Leesman because if Sale closes and Thornton sets up we still need a specialist. Maybe Sale is in the rotation though.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 11:06 PM) PK made it clear he isn't signing anywhere until after the winter meetings... were the Sox suppose to wait around and and possibly lose out on both? They singed Dunn because he is an awesome offensive threat and a hell of a consistent hitter who was willing to sign now. I get that part of it. But with the salary situation where it is I have no idea what the plan is. Could it be possible that JR has greenlighted a $120M payroll? After last season? With all that "rain" that hurt the attendance? I mean, we trade Floyd or Danks and then sign Paulie, and even if we trade Quentin too and fill out the team with a relief signing and something cheap here or there, we're still in that range if we bring back Paulie. Not sure what to think, because if the above were true - and I can't believe it is - I'm probably going to stay up tonight waiting on the alien invasion/sinkholes of Hell to open.

Holy s*** I'd love Madison. I think he's probably close to untouchable though. That would be an amazing get.

If we add Paulie to what we currently have we're in the $125M+ range, believe it or not. I'm not so sure what today was about now (meaning Dunn, not AJ).

Unless JR is planning on entering the season with a $115M+ payroll, it looks like we're on the verge of dealing away some SP. IMO it is imperative that when we do this we get some young, MLB-ready pitching back with the potential to make a real difference. The only potential exceptions would be Peavy or Buehrle because of their contracts, and the best we might be able to hope for in return is salary relief and a high ceiling pitcher or two a few years away. But I think Floyd or Danks is probably more likely. That said, let's hear some of your targets. My No. 1 is probably Derek Holland. I think it's realistic if the Rangers fall out on Lee. I love this kid. Who else?

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 10:25 PM) I think that one of our starters gets traded and moving Sale to the rotation is in anticipation of that move. If we trade SP we had better damn well get pitching in return. And MLB-ready pitching at that. MLB-ready SP especially, and if it's Danks or Floyd that guy better have a ceiling of a top-end starter.

s***, looks like we're going to trade some pitching.

Here are some figures: C AJ $4M (approx) C Castro $1.2M 1B Viciedo $1.25M 2B Beckham $0.45M (approx) SS Ramirez $2.75M SS Lillibridge $0.45M (approx) 3B Morel $0.45M (approx) 3B Omar $1.75M 3B Teahen $4.75M DH Dunn $14M (approx) RF Quentin $4.5-5M (approx) LF Pierre $8.5M - $3.5M from Dodgers = $5M CF Rios $12M SP Buehrle $14M SP Danks $6M (approx) SP Floyd $5M SP Jackson $8.35M SP Peavy $16M RP Sale $0.45M (approx) RP Linebrink $5.5M RP Thornton $3M RP Pena $1.8-2M (approx) RP Infante $0.45M (approx) RP Santos $0.45M (approx) Total = $113.55M - $114.25M

I love Sale as the closer and I think it should stay that way. My biggest concern is trading Danks or Floyd and then having to rely on a healthy Peavy in the playoffs if we get there. At least if we keep them and Peavy fractures his left nostril playing peek-a-boo with the meter maid we can still go to war with Floyd/Danks/Jackson/Buerhle in an order depending on who is hot at the time.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 10:07 PM) And THAT is why you don't offer him arbitration, he would have gotten about $7M through arb and we just locked him up for a million more on a 2 year deal. This has been a very, very good day. +1 I hated the no arb offer and wanted to risk it but it's turned out beautifully. AJ is so awesome.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 10:01 PM) Actually, if they add Putz at 5 mil and Konerko for about 9, they don't add a lot of money since AJ took less and Jenks is gone. -2.67 AJ -3 (est) Kong -7.5 Jenks -4 Manny -1.5 Kotsay -.5 Jones +2 Putz +14 Dunn + salary jumps for younger guys + cheap MR Raises go to Floyd, Danks, Peavy, Rios, Quentin, Thornton, Alexei, etc. and that's where the money really is. The real stinker is Pierre + Linebrink + Teahen costs $15.25M and all we get is a PH, some LF defense, and a garbage man. The #1 priority is cutting that s*** down as much as possible and looking for a way to extract better value out of what we're forced to hang on to.

QUOTE (scotty22hotty @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:52 PM) WOW I thought for sure he was worth ~7M a year to some teams great signing This is a hometown discount IMO. More reason for the haters to hate and the lovers to love.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:53 PM) Let's just hope so. I'm still a bit scared with Teahen/Morel at 3B, Viciedo (right now) as the DH/1B...and Sale/Thornton as the closer, but it's 100% better than 24 hours ago in terms of not being a completely bleak and boring offseason. As long as it's Omar/Morel and Teahen isn't anywhere to be found it shouldn't be all that bad as long as there's an offense. Hitting Brent 9th with the benefit of his defense and league minimum salary makes us better than most of the other options out there.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:21 PM) The more and more I think about this, the more it's becoming a no brainer. Derrick Lee is the better investment overall, no question. I agree, if we're looking at say 1/$7 with an option and a low buyout on Lee vs. multiple years at $13M or so for Paulie. I think Lee has just as good of a chance at rebounding as Paulie does of regressing, and in the end they may be close enough to make Lee look like the steal. I'm not going to be mad though if PK comes back, far from it, but I really, really, really don't want us to lose more pitching to do it, and it kind of looks like that's the only way.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:42 PM) Does anyone know what Lee's preferences are for this year? In terms of where he'd like to play? He still is set up in Chicago isn't he? And he has a disabled child or something that really makes it difficult to move around, so I assume he'd be willing to play here.

Phil Rogers: "Maybe someone in the organization has persuaded Williams that Tyler Flowers can replace A.J. Pierzynski or that Anthony Carter can step up from Double-A to close big-league games. Can't say for sure." If you can't say for sure that Anthony Carter is NOT going to be the closer next year then you are seriously below the line of monkey replacement level.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:29 PM) Like Rowand said, this is a very nice deal. KHP, I'm happy for you! Thanks! I'm so happy! This is great!

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:30 PM) Why trade him when his value is at its lowest? To buy low on a bucket of chicken.

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Dec 2, 2010 -> 09:27 PM) What a night, but someone has to get traded now Buehrle or Quentin. IMO that depends on what we get at 1B. If PK is back I think you're definitely right, but if it's someone cheaper maybe we can work it in. We could always look to add some relief help by trading prospects and if necessary trying to get a little cash back in the deal. We're probably pretty close to our budget though.

Flowers can now be traded for a bucket of chicken.

Great, great deal and a bargain too! I love you AJ, and thank you Kenny for not f***ing this one up. Phew!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With Dunn on board I want to see the Sox get Lee/Pena and AJ with PK's money instead of just PK, because that leaves the almost certain undesirable of trading a SP on the horizon, along with the potential horror of anything Tyler Flowers related at the MLB level. Also, Kenny needs to be on the phone to every GM out there trying to find out if someone will take on Pierre's deal. If that can't be done I'd like to see a deal with the Cubs where we pick up Fukudome ($13.5M) for Pierre ($8.5M) + Linebrink ($5.5M) while keeping the Dodgers cash ($3.5M) for ourselves. This is then a mostly even salary swap, but it clears Linebrink's ass out and gets us a RF so that if Quentin is back he can shift back to left.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 1, 2010 -> 12:29 AM) Yuk. If those two guys are regulars for our Sox, we may be in for a last place campaign ... unless our pitching simply dominates. Matsui is a solid hitter at DH and Pena can kill the ball while playing well defensively, even if he's a K machine. Let's say we can get them for $14M total each on 1-year deals, and then Paulie wants at least $13M per over 3 years. I'd go with Pena and Matsui, have Viciedo around as some insurance, and then take the money saved it put it towards other needs, like bullpen depth. You mention our pitching though, and we're still going to win with our pitching if we win anything at all. Bringing back Paulie however could very well lead to Kenny trading a SP, and I really don't want that all.