DBAHO

Anyone's who watched Buehrle for the past few seasons should know he's goes through a point through a season usually for about a month (about 4 to 5 starts) where he just really, really struggles, giving up a lot of runs and a lot of hits. We've just got to hope this is the same thing repeating itself all over again, and that Mark can bounce back.

QUOTE(AWhiteSoxinNJ @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 12:09 AM) Saito has been extremely good this year. So much so that he's replaced Baez as there closer after Gagne went down, again. Yeah which has been ABSOLUTELY huge for them, after what Baez went through earlier this season. Been one of the best relievers in baseball this season. Will be interesting to see if it can continue for him next season, cos we've seen the likes of Shingo struggle.

QUOTE(bighurt574 @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 10:53 PM) And although we'll never be the Yankees, if the Sox can maintain this success for a couple years to justify maintaining a higher payroll, we'll be bigger players in the free agent market every year to make up for perhaps less reliance on home-grown talent. I think the Yanks have showed us over the past 5 years still how important it is for each ballclub whether you jave a $200M payroll or a $30M payroll to still develop good young players, especially good young pitchers. It offers you so much more in payroll flexibility, plus you'll have that player under team control for 6 seasons for a fairly good price. E.g BA over Torii Hunter.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jul 13, 2006 -> 12:54 AM) Yeah .... Uggla really fits because he cost $25K. Can you imagine if the D-Backs had kept him, and if he was playing 2nd base for them now. Not that I'm saying Orlando Hudson is bad by any stretch of means (fantastic defensive 2nd baseman), but having Uggla there would make that young core of hitters even better.

Honestly I wonder sometimes what would have happened if the Twins took Prior 1st instead of Mauer in that draft those years ago. I know Flash would be very happy.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 08:15 PM) If you want to get a list of everyone who has struggled this season in close and late situations and in the playoffs... you will see many shocking names (vlad and manny anyone?). Yeah I remember Vlad during the playoffs last season, and in the series against us, he was absolutely terrible then, especially when you saw how Paul Konerko was producing at the time.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 04:50 PM) Agreed, agreed. I'm open as hell to trading Fields, especially if it were part of a package for a top 5 leadoff hitter who could play leftfield and would be around till about 2010(if I haven't spelled out his name by now, it is C-R-A-W-F-O-R-D). I personally do not want Sweeney to leave this organization, and I hope KW has the exact same thing in mind. Fields really should interest a team like Tampa Bay. But now they've moved Upton from SS to 3B, because of all of the problems B.J's had in the field. So what other alternatives are there? Not a lot unfortunately. I wonder if you would give up Fields for say a package involving Corey Patterson and Daniel Cabrera (who got demoted to AAA today, but has Don Cooper written all over him). Otherwise there's really not much else out therem if you're looking for a young good leadoff hitter.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 10:19 PM) With the dodgers bullpen problems, Broxton could be to them what Jenks was to us last yr. I don't see him being moved I don't think the Dodgers pen is as bad as advertised. Gagne is a huge loss no doubt. But these guys have done ok; Saito - 2.05 ERA Beimel - 3.09 ERA Broxton - 3.29 ERA Carrara - 3.52 ERA Baez - 3.94 ERA But out of those 5, Broxton would be the hardest to get. He should really be going nowhere, unless Ned Colletti really decides he needs another starter. Mark Hendrickson wasn't really a good trade for them so far.

Looks like Reyes is wearing body armor.

From the Trib; First time I've seen Broxton mentioned. Would love to nab him. Has a great arm, and would be an excellent set-up guy for the years to come.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 05:06 PM) Pelfrey and a reliever (Heilman or Sanchez) and I wouldn't take anything less. Pelfrey could help us out in the pen now if we wanted him to while being our potential 6th starter if anyone goes down while he develops into a guy that could replace another starter next year or in the following years if necessary. Surely though the Mets would have scouted someone like Freddy, seen that his velocity is down and his numbers are getting worse, and then they wouldn't make a deal like this? It could be Kazmir for Zambrano all over again. QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 03:40 PM) Why not? Dbaho, if you were a general manager I can only imagine how you'd run your organization. You'd never try and persue top prospects from desperate teams because they seldom occur, and your minor league system would be baron because, "How often does a Liriano or Garza come along?" No need to persue top talent when soft tossing, projected 5th starters are available in the draft. Lopsided trades are created out of situations such as those facing Minaya. If he's not willing to overpay, he can take his chances elsewhere. This is what I expect from Williams-- not to play patty-cake and help out another national league team, but take more than necessary for his commodities. Commodities which don't have to be moved at this point. In addition to taking a risk with having a starter come back to bite us in possible postseason play, there's a possibility any prospect/BParm received falls apart. We're not completely safe on any deal. If Minaya --or any other general manager-- is willing to overpay and provide a package which is impossible to pass up, I wouldn't blame Williams for taking it. Every trade scenario is obviously different. Minaya may believe with the Marlins rebuilding process moving quicker than expected, and contracts expiring over the next several years for their club, their window is closing. Surrendering a top prospect, even in the presence of the Kazmir fiasco, may be possible in his mind since their payroll will always be high and money will always be available. For our minor league system, I'm under the philosophy you can't find a Liriano when you can't find a Neifi Perez. With these trade discussions, you don't persist for a Milledge, you're not going to get one. Of course it's Minaya's decision whether or not to accept, but if I were Williams, I wouldn't budge one bit from including him. No way in HELL am I trading either Vazquez or Garcia for merely bullpen help or fringe prospects. Some points here on your post Flash; 1 - Tell me where Broadway and McCullough have been projected to be nothing more than 5th starters? 2 - How many farm systems have a Garza or Liriano in the minors? 3 - If you were Omar Minaya, would you rather give up less for say a Greg Maddux, or give up more including someone from your bullpen for a like Garcia whose velocity is getting worse and his ERA is increasing by the day? 4 - How many GM's are willing to overpay nowadays? You saw the lack of activity at the deadline last season. We wanted Ron Villione from the M's, the price? Brandon McCarthy. 5 - Minaya would have seen how someone like Jon Lester has come up and had instant success out of the rotation. Would he rather take his chances with him, because he'll be under their control for the next 6 seasons, instead of a veteran like Javy or Freddy? 6 - Of course KW shouldn't ask for anything less. He's got to find a GM stupid enough to overpay though. Maybe we should get Wayne Krivsky on the line? 7 - Flash you know I like my prospects. I can't stand when people say Gio will be nothing more than a 5th starter, or that Chris Young will never be a good major league hitter because he K's too much etc. That said, our farm system is NOT as bad as you think, just because we don't have that IMPACT prospect. We HAVE developed pitching, we have developed young hitters. Just look at the likes of Jenks, Crede, McCarthy, Cotts etc. Our farm system is in a LOT better state than other contending teams such as the Yanks, Cardinals etc.

Still inferior to Matt Garza mind you................ 7IP for Lance, 1BB, 5H and 4K's. ERA down to 2.75 now. Charlotte beat Pawtucket 10-6. Logan won pitching 1.1IP of scoreless relief, Randolph gave up 4ER in 5.1IP. Fields 2 for 4, Sweeney 1 for 3 with 2 BB's and 3R's, Rogowski hit a grand slam, Owens was 2 for 2 as a pinch hitter. Actually Owens is up to .252 now. Winston - Salem won 5-4. Harrell started, 6IP, 2ER, 2BB's and 5K's. ERA at 2.45 now. Kanny won 6-3. Clayton Richard won, 7IP, 6H, 0 ER, 1BB and 5K's. ERA at 3.88 now. Omogrosso gave up 1ER in 1IP, and Matt Long 2ER in 1IP from a homer, still struck out 3 though. Cunningham 3 for 5, hitting .283 now. Bristol got rained out. Great Falls is winning 7-2 ATM. Carter is 2 for 2 with a 2B and BB. Gilbert the CF is 3 for 4, and hitting .400 right now. Archie Gilbert. Alex you're too quick for me.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 08:49 AM) Why shouldn't I expect the same? Because how many times has it happened, and will these teams like the Mets give up a Mike Pelfrey for a Freddy Garcia, after they've already been burned once from a similar sort of deal before?

QUOTE(Felix @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 12:01 PM) I think that a lot of the players have clauses in their contracts that voids the contract if the team gets relegated, meaning most would be playing elsewhere next year. I could be wrong though. Or they can be sold at a cut price if the team were to get relegated which it has. Interesting times ahead.

BA's at .196 now. Almost hit the .200 mark.

Time to get something against RJ right here. That out against Posada could be a big momentum shifter.

QUOTE(Jeckle2000 @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 09:09 AM) Besides the fact Gio will blow out his arm and maybe be a bullpen arm for a few years... Because that's an absolute certainity isn't it.

Ok another 2 of those would be nice.

Merging with the Vazquez thread.

QUOTE(GoSox05 @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 11:52 PM) I thought Cordero was having a real bad year? Didnt he lose his closer job? Id hope we'd be able to get more than that. Cordero's had a 2.05 ERA in 30 2/3 innings since the beginning of May. So after he lost his closer job to Otsuka, he's done pretty well. Problem is, his contract has a very expensive option for next season, which wouldn't be worth picking up unless he's the closer.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 09:11 PM) But Pettite and the other 2 SP's besides Oswalt and Clemens all have ERA's over 5.00. Better SP helps the offense. And strong pitching is Houston's M.O. With Clemens probably done after this yr, they'd also have Vazquez for two more yrs after this yr. Brandon Backe's back in the rotation now with a 2.25 ERA in 2 starts and Taylor Buchholz has only given up 12 ER in his last 5 starts, so SP wise it's not as bad as it appears on paper, kind of like the White Sox rotation. They also have the likes of Hirsch ready to jump up to the majors next season for Clemens.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 09:04 PM) What you thought I was going to mention Arizona and Chad Tracy now?

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 09:02 PM) True, but Houston doesn't need starting pitching help the way the Mets do. Yeah they've got capable replacements in Fernando Nieve and Wandy Rodriguez (who I know has been terrible lately but he was good early). If anything, I'd thought they'd try to acquire another bat, offering Lane and prospects. Should go all out for Miggy Tejada.

Another fit for Rob Machowiak, San Diego. Vinny Castilla currently has a .582 OPS and his would be replacement Mark Bellhorn only has a .701 OPS with a .199 BA. The price? How bout a reliever like Scott Cassidy? Just got demoted to AAA despite having a 2.79 ERA with a 42/17 K/BB ratio. This is only his 3rd full season in the majors as well which helps arbitration / contract wise.

In the same N.Y Daily News Article that mentions us shopping Freddy and Javy;