Eminor3rd

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:15 PM) I don't think it matters if the club isn't competitive. I think you have the freedom to give several tryouts to see what you have. Yeah, this will shake out over the course of the season. Jones gets first shot in ST, but I wouldn't be surprised if Lindstrom gets some reps too. If either falters, Webb is in the picture.

QUOTE (chisoxfan310 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:17 PM) Just think....Sale Tanaka Quintana Johnson Danks Eaton Ramirez Dunn Abreu Garcia Viciedo Davidson Beckham (Catcher spot) That's a sleeper breakout team, if not a powerhouse, but most importantly, it's a core of players that will likely continue to improve and be effective for a many years. It's a no brainer to kick the tires, but it does seem unlikely they'll fit this in the budget. With the posting fee capped now, there's a very good chance this guy gets over $100m, and the Yankees are the most obvious fit.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:16 PM) Who the f*** is that guy? Borth Eaton would be the best name I've ever heard

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:14 PM) Diamondbacks blew 29 saves last year. Tied Houston for last. Getting Trumbo means Prado moves to 3rd and he's under control for 3 years. Davidson was expendable for a ML closer. It's not that he wanted a closer, it's that he constantly overpays. He treats his players like no one wants them.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:07 PM) Wow.. thank god I don't have to try and defend Middlebrooks ever again! Thank you Hahn. lol, it was a valiant effort.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:08 PM) This is a unique opportunity, although it is obviously a very small possibility, but IMO it is something you stretch the budget to participate. Yeah. This.

Kevin Towers baffles me EVERY time

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 10:49 AM) Pitcher A - 16-6, 3.49 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 167.2 IP, 30 GS Pitcher B - 12-10, 3.05 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 204.1 IP, 31 GS Tell me, who are you going to sign? If you truly believe that W-L means anything, you are going to pick pitcher A, which means you are going to take Jorge De La Rosa over Felix Hernandez. You'd have a tough time justifying that to the fan base. W-L is meaningless for a pitcher. Snap!

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 09:34 AM) How much more is Santiago worth than Ramirez? It's not like there are a ton of other 3B options out there. Lawrie? Everyone keeps saying Headley and Sandoval, but Sandoval carries huge health risks and both players aren't ones we would typically go head to head for/with the rest of MLB on the free agent market. If there isn't an upgrade out there, you don't trade for a poor option just for the sake of making a move. If you can't do better than Gillaspie/Keppinger, then you stick with Gillaspie/Keppinger. The best thing about them is that they're already on the team. Middlebrooks was worse than Gillaspie last year and his hitting approach is so much worse that there's little to no reason to believe that he's going to be better than Gillaspie going forward.

I was so thrilled when we DIDN'T get Middlebrooks in the Peavy deal. He's the most overrated young player in the entire league, IMO, and has exactly the type of skillset that has sunk this team. I think he'd be a horrible fit and I don't think he'll ever be a good player. I'd take a flyer on him if he was free or available for a random live-arm type of prospect, but I wouldn't trade anyone of real value for him. So no, I think it's a bad idea.

Hawkins could start 2015 at High A and still not be too old for the level.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 09:56 AM) "Hi guys, my name is Russell Wilson, and I'm here to tell you that if you suck at baseball, give up and try playing football!" Which is probably really sound advice for a lot of White Sox prospects toiling in high A.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 04:41 PM) So I haven't listened to the interview, why is he cocky? He basically just says he believes in himself to outplay the expectations of his peers, and cited his own track record of doing so. If he is too cocky, it's from over-confidence, not from any sense of entitlement.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 02:33 PM) The problem there is Gordon is actually better against RHP, so the L-R platoon makes no sense. In this case, I'd imagine that by "platoon," Hahn would really mean "finding a reason for two guys to split time over the course of a season and see which one survives the non-tender cut"

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 02:25 PM) I think he's worth less to us than anyone else, because his age and contract status means that he will just block a player (Viciedo) who fits into our plans much better Yeah, I agree with your premise, I just don't agree that Viciedo is a part of our future. I know that others aren't as low on him as I am, though.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 02:22 PM) Perhaps, but do you want to sign him to a long-term deal? That's the reality of the situation, either lock him up in the near future or deal him while he still has some value. Quite frankly, even if he bounces back some extent next year, I really don't think he'll age well. Not a player I want to commit at this point in time. I wouldn't be opposed to extending him. I don't think he'll get big money and I like the idea of having an average player on a fair contract at this point. I also wouldn't mind trading him if he actually brings some value, but I don't want to simply dump him as the odd man out after Eaton.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 12:31 PM) I misread that. Still, he is the highest position player ranked defensively on the 2013 White Sox. The only others to even make the list are Alexei at 17 and Hector Santiago. Everyone else........absent. I was no fan of Rios, but you would think he was top 20. Yeah -- don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a BAD defender. I think it's pretty well established by many sources that he's a solid, slightly above average guy. I just think that Hawk tries to paint him as a guy who can make up his deficiencies at the plate with superlative defense, but the truth is he just isn't THAT good. He's got a good glove, but it isn't a SPECIAL glove.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 12:15 PM) Fielding Bible likes him a lot. They ranked him 15th this year. That's not anything like among the best in the league.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 12:06 PM) 2013 second half Viciedo .291/.327/.792 He also did much better vs. RHP in 2013. He couldn't hit RHP at all previously. Another strange thing considering USCF dimensions, Viciedo actually hit better on the road than at home. He is still a baby. A year younger than Eaton. My evaluation of him is just based on completely non-professional opinion that he can't recognize pitches. And so I think his upside is limited -- but based on his results and age, I can totally understand not wanting to give up on him.

I think he's worth more to us than to another team.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 10:11 AM) What's the point of keeping De Aza around over Viciedo? Are you really going to keep him long-term? Is he a piece you really feel comfortable with being part of your long-term core? Clearly we're not serious about competing this year and 2015 will be De Aza's last year of team control, so either you sign him to an extension or move him while he still has some value. I know I don't want to commit to De Aza long-term. Also, I get half of this board hates Dayan Viciedo because he doesn't draw a lot of walks, but he has more offensive potential than all but a handful of players in organization. If we're punting this season, we'd be foolish not to give him 600+ PAs and see if he can turn into a legitimate middle of the lineup hitter. Power is at a premium right now, just look at the Trumbo deal, and to sell low on Viciedo would be incredibly short-sighted IMO. This is a player with four years of team control left who can possibly part of our long-term core, why give up on him in a throwaway season just to keep De Aza? The point of keeping De Aza round over Viciedo is that De Aza is a way better player than Viciedo. I'm not thrilled with De Aza being a long-term player, but I'm more thrilled than I am with Viciedo. I don't hate Viciedo because he doesn't draw walks, I hate Viciedo because he's a bad offensive and defensive player. Not only does he not walk, he also doesn't hit, which means he doesn't get on base, which means he gets out A LOT. Sure, he has power, but he proved to you how much that matters when you do literally EVERYTHING else poorly -- you end up with like 12 homeruns. Sure, he might get better, but I haven't seen any indication that he will. He looks totally clueless at the plate.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 10:56 AM) Balta, Gordon is rated as one of the better 2B defenders in the league According to Hawk Harrelson, but no one else.

There's just so little downside to picking anyone in the Rule V draft. If he sucks, he just eat some cash and send him packing. Since we have the worst catchers in the Majors, it makes sense to take flyers on guys like this when it costs next to nothing. Also, I would be shocked if this actually stopped Hahn from continuing to shop for a better C. Again, worst case is they pay the fee to return Nieto.

Ackley > Beckham simply because he's younger and thus has a better chance to figure it out and improve. I probably wouldn't trade De Aza for him given our glut of half-decent MI prospects, but I'd probably be happy trading Viciedo for him.

Beckham is a below-average Major League player. He is not worthless, but he is absolutely NOT someone that should block anyone promising. He's had plenty of time to show us what he is, and the result is a guy that should be discarded when something better comes along.