Chicago White Sox

Moving De Aza makes perfect sense IMO if you can use him to fill the need at 3B. His value is at an all-time high given his expected production vs his expected salary over the next three years. Four of our top 10 prospects are CFs plus we have Danks & Takate as plan Cs. If we move De Aza, we only need a stop-gap for a year, maybe two at the most. Sounds like CF is a need we could posibbly fill in free agency and at least much easier in the trade market than 3B. While I think De Aza is a very solid player, GMs overvalue leadoff hitters IMO and I think we'd get a great return on him, especially if that player can fill the gaping hole that is 3B.

I know I'm late to the party, but this is a fantastic move. A 1-2-3 of Sale, Peavy, & Danks, if healthy, can be one of the best in baseball over the next two or three seasons. I don't see how anyone could complain about the years or annual amount, as Peavy would have gotten way more in free agency and replacing him would have been a complete nightmare. With picking up Floyd's option, we actually have some SP depth for 2013 and could afford to trade an arm if the right deal came along. If I were GM, I'm out there shopping Quintana for a young, cost-controlled 3B. My guess is there won't be a match out there, but I'd have no problem having Santiago as our #5 starter next year if need be. Regardless, our SP is a great spot at this point.

This website blows my mind at times. Moustakas put up a 3.5 WAR as a 23 year old this past season. I'm not sure if people realize how bad the 3B position has gotten in recent years, but that's f***ing incredible. Sure, his offense wasn't spectacular, but again, he just turned 24 years old and has only had about 1 2/3 full seasons in the pros. Considering he was the 9th ranked prospect in all of bassball in 2011, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he will get better with the bat over the next few years. And even if he doesn't, he's already one of the better all-around 3B in baseball and is under team control for the next 5 years. Thinking we can get him for Floyd or some borderline prospects is pure insanity. If I were Hahn and the Royals expressed any willingness to trade Moustakas, I'd immedietely offer up Quintana and cross my fingers. Unfortunately, I think they'd want a more proven, cost-controlled SP if they were to consider moving him and I personally can't comprehend why they'd want to trade him in the first place.

Sign or develop a legitimate superstar, preferably one with some personality (and not another Albert Belle). Us diehard fans appreciate the A.J.'s & Konerko's of this world, but a lot of casual fans need that big name to get excited and support a team. You'll have to overpay for a star in the short-run given the quality of our farm system, but you could develop some long-term fan interest by doing so. Think of how many people on this site are Sox fans because of Frank Thomas alone.

f*** a Ray!

QUOTE (Bruce_Blixton @ Sep 7, 2012 -> 12:10 PM) That's an absurdly low ranking for Saladino, I know a lot of people have soured on him after this year because he didn't hit for power but he was top 10 in walks, runs and stolen bases in the Southern League. He also hit leadoff for most of the season which I think impacted his entire approach at the plate to be more patient and work the count like a good leadoff hitter is supposed to do. I still have faith in him and hope they actually push him to start in Charlotte next year. Saladino actually led the Southern League in walks when he was promoted to AAA.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 7, 2012 -> 08:23 AM) Bizarro. Leesman at 3? Him, Snodgress, Petricka, Marinez, K Smith, Saladino and Brennan all way too high (and I'm saying that as a bigger fan of Smith and Brennan than most in here). I disagree about Snodgress. The scouting reports at the time he was draft described great stuff but poor command. A month or so into the season at low A, something clicked and he looked like a completely different pitcher. The numbers at Winston-Salem are extremely impressive and I think him and Johnson are by far our best pitching prospects at the moment.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Sep 7, 2012 -> 12:37 PM) Almora's contact rate is impressive. His power is not. He's not a comp for Hawkins at all. I'm not saying they are the same type of player, but they are both high-school OFs drafted in the first round of this year's draft. It's only natural to compare the development of the two of them. Not sure who else you would compare Hawkins to at this point.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 7, 2012 -> 11:46 AM) Guys like Almora who have early big hype will stay on the list longer than they should in some cases, because the same people who hyped them are the same ones who influence the list. Also, there is just the practicality that it is very difficult to track and analyze so many prospects in baseball with any real depth of knowledge, so the big names just tend to do better in these lists, even if there are indications they aren't living up to expectations. Plus add in the team/system perception I noted before too. I agree with everything you just said, but I don't see how BA could justify including Almora and not Hawkins. Maybe neither makes it, but Almora is doing just ok in short-season ball, while Hawkins destroyed the ball in regular A and is currently doing a damn fine job in the playoffs for an A+ team. IMO, Almora should be Hawkins' comp and right now Hawkins looks like the better prospect. I hope BA would follow a similar logic, but Almora is definitely the bigger name and will probably get the benefit of the doubt like you said.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Sep 7, 2012 -> 08:32 AM) So based on his performance does Hawkins crack BA's Top 100? You gotta think he kinda has to I could be wrong, but I feel like it's very rare for a team to have zero Top 100 prospects (BA's list). Therefore, I think either Hawkins or Thompson has to make it and based on his play at A/A+ I think Hawkins is the better prospect. How many high-schoolers have jumped off to a start like this in recent years? He's also having a much superior year than Almora.

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 10:37 PM) Congrats Balta, you made the WORST POST EVER! Sometimes you got to be a dick to make a point, but in all honesty, I can't comprehend how one could chear against their team over this. If the entire team had committed some god awful act, then sure I'd probably root against them. But over one guy using steroids or some other banned substance? No way in hell, not when every other team likely has their own guys doing some form of cheating.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 10:37 PM) Don't crucify the guys who have gotten caught, because they are simply the unlucky/careless ones. Oh ok, just didn't know what you meant.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 08:13 PM) Ok I'll say it. If this is true I don't want to make the playoffs this year. Worst post ever. You have no idea who is or isn't using steroids across the league, yet you want to punish 24 innocent (as far as we know) people for a bad decision made by one teammate. I've never quite understood your position on steroids.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 10:26 PM) There are a lot of very naive people in this thread, sadly. Please explain.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 07:33 PM) Yes. .873 OPS with home games in Petco is not bad. No one is saying it is, but he's still only played 77 games. He's not a full-time player and he would not be our best hitter for that reason alone. It's quite clear that you're still looking for reasons to bash KW and this attempt is even bad for your standards.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 07:28 PM) 77 games, what's your point? Did you not just imply Quentin would be our best hitter had KW held on to him?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 07:00 PM) It takes baseball intellect not to deal away what would be the team's best offensive player. He's played in 77 games, quit f***ing trolling.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Sep 5, 2012 -> 03:43 PM) I'm shocked your idea came up after a bad start. I'm shocked you added nothing but your typical meatball nonsense. Two straight AWFUL starts and a 1.57 WHIP in August means nothing I guess. Nor does the significant jump in innings pitched this year.

Honestly, Quintana was a blessing when Danks went down, but he's up 60 innings from last year and appears to have hit a wall. Santiago is a stronger option down the stretch IMO. I think the decision is obvious, but I doubt we see the change. Thoughts?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 1, 2012 -> 06:50 PM) Did any pitchers actually get called up? Yeah, Omogrosso & Heath, and Septimo off the DL

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 1, 2012 -> 06:47 PM) Play like game like a playoff game. If he gives you 5 good innings, you hope the pen can win it for you. The problem is if Liriano only goes 5, that means we see Humber or the call-ups for a couple of innings. Either of those options against Cabrera/Fielder scares the s*** of me. Also, seems like tonight would have been a great time to play Danks for Viciedo.

46 pitches in 2 innings is bad f***ing news for us.

Which is going to be a problem, because even if he's effectively wild, he's going to be out of the game in 5 innings.

We really need Liriano to keep his pitch count down, because I have little confidence in our offense tonight, so more than 2-3 innings could be very dangerous.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ Aug 31, 2012 -> 09:31 PM) Tigers have just as many flaws as we do as a team. And people are getting their panties in a bunch over us losing an all-around ugly game by both teams. Neither team deserved to win this one. Also, I'm starting to get some 2005 vibes around here. Most people on Soxtalk had all but given up on the team that year when the Indians made their late run. I remember I had tried using "logic" to say we were still in good shape by showing everyone the obvious schedule advantage we had and I just got s*** on. Unforunately, pesisimism rules on this website.