The Ultimate Champion

More nickname ideas: Abreu: La Isla, no man is an island... except for this one Alejandro DeAza: El Coco, or coconut, which is self-explanatory Tank/Viceido: Tink, or Tonk, or Tunk. I like Tunk. Otherwise for his defense, "La Marmota" or "The Groundhog" or maybe "La Tortuga" or "The Turtle"

Mariners can have Dunn for a song, any song, even a rap song. Viciedo they can acquire for a quality spect or a bust type with some upside. Alexei is an absolute pipe dream for them unless they want to get serious. They may be owned by Nintendo but Hahn doesn't play games. Especially over Alexei.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 25, 2014 -> 02:39 PM) The bullpen was bad when Lindstrom was healthy. To say an average bullpen is one Nate Jones injury away from being the worst is a little far-fetched, IMO. The ninth inning is a different story, but if the current bullpen is loaded with guys that can only pitch the 6th inning, or only pitch the 7th inning, an overhaul is needed badly. Belisario and Lindstrom both got the closer role mostly based on previous experience. And besides, you would have to be very lucky to go an entire year without injuries to your pitching staff. Yeah this is true. Discounting Noesi who became a starter and Leury Garcia who was an emergency option, the following players all appeared out of the pen for us this year: Ronald Belisario Jake Petricka Daniel Webb Zach Putnam Scott Downs Scott Carroll Matt Lindstrom Maikel Cleto Javy Guerra Donnie Veal Frank Francisco Charles Leesman Nate Jones Of those 13 pitchers, which itself is an entire pitching staff, there have been exactly 2 players I have had confidence in pretty much throughout, Putnam and Petricka. Everyone else has at least been bad for periods and/or hurt, and most of these guys have been garbage.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jun 25, 2014 -> 10:34 AM) I laughed out loud when I read Blowasavio last night. I like that one. There have been some bad ones, but I'm drawing a blank. I agree, though, that we've got to come up with a better one for Abreu. Hawk called at least one of his bombs "Biiiiiiiig BERTHA!!!!" and I thought that was going to stick. Unfortunately it appears it did not. There's a highlight video of that one somewhere & Stoney tries to hold back his laughter. Also I wasn't sure if it was canyon or canon Hawk was referring to, i.e. ball is shot out of a canon or he can hit it out of a canyon.

Voted wite, and it's no contest.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 25, 2014 -> 11:31 AM) I can't decide which is worse. You are, as indecision is always the worst possible outcome. It is no outcome.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 25, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) HoT fIrE>Blowsavio Fires are hot as it is. Why would a fire not be hot? I don't get it. Now there is Bic lighter temperature vs. forging temperature for example, both being fires, so maybe hot fire is like forging temperature and cold fire is like Bic lighter temperature.

Ha I was calling him Blowasavio from the moment they installed him as closer! I didn't know other people were calling him that, I don't listen to the radio unless the game is on or if I see someone here talk about a Sox interview upcoming, then I'll turn it on if I have time. Not that I have anything against Bruuuuuuuuuce but I was there first. Although it's obvious, blatantly obvious. Also you guys are haters.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 09:32 PM) Now we could use about 10 more in a row We are the perfect .500 team, it's like our destiny or something. Given that, I'd rather hit a swoon that takes us well below .500, have Hahn make a few exciting trades, and then we finish the year off with a strong climb back to .500 that has us excited about 2015.

Blowasavio didn't blow a save. Key was the glasses, as soon as he takes them off GIDP. No more glasses for Blowasavio please. In fact maybe that was his issue trying to escape Venezuela in ST, he just kept walking into the wall over and over again until eventually he took them off and was like "My word that's not the customs office that's a wall" and then he was fine.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 09:14 AM) What I meant by that line was that the injuries he's suffered this year aren't injuries that are likely to have lasting effects on his ability. Like, if he had bad hamstrings or something. I see.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 08:58 AM) Especially since we haven't seen him throw a single inning against minor leaguers yet, I think it's early to expect Rodon to arrive in 2015. At some point he will if he's healthy. Cooper said before the draft that Rodon was the closest of the 4 the Sox were looking at, and the FO put out the "fast track" stuff immediately. I think he'll see some time this year out of the pen and will probably prepare in the offseason for a starting spot, whether it is here or at Charlotte to begin the year.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) Meh, I just think the longer you keep him, the bigger the return you can potentially get. I don't think they're hurting for cap room, as evidence by them going after Tanaka. I know you and other will point out that it's been luck, but I still think Danks 11 quality starts(only 16 pitchers have more) is a "big deal". I'd love it if Danks could make the full transition to quality MLB starter with lesser stuff, and I do think he at least has a chance of doing that. But when Rodon signs you have 4 lefties, and it's pretty clear who is the odd man out. The salary savings could come up huge, however I agree that their salary needs have been overstated. However that new Cuban on the market and another RHSP via FA would be nice. We wouldn't get a Scherzer or a Shields I don't think, but a 3-year deal to the next step down would be nice. Also a FA OF if there are any on the market worth it, or a possible deal for one of the Dodgers OF where they eat $$$. There are some potential ways of spending that money.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 08:38 AM) I'm the lone Danks vote. Someone said a few days ago that he has more value to this team than any other team, and I believe that to be true. Unless they trade another piece for a ML ready or near ready SP I'd prefer we keep him. Even if they do add a FA SP next year that still leaves them with FA-Sale-Q-?-?, if I had my way it'd be something like FA-SAle-Q-DAnks-guy like Paulino/Noesi who isn't Paulino/Noesi. Then that 5th guy eventually gets replaced by Rodon. I think the longer we keep Danks, the more valuable he becomes. Danks: 4.34 ERA 1.393 WHIP 8.8 H/9 1.0 HR/9 3.8 BB/9 6.1 K/9 1.62 K/BB Salary $14.25M & owed $28.5M beyond this season Noesi with Sox: 4.37 ERA 1.422 WHIP 9.5 H/9 1.2 HR/9 3.3 BB/9 7.2 K/9 2.19 K/BB Salary league minimum IMO the ideal scenario is this: 1) Hahn brings in a top RHSP prospect or a RHSP reclamation project ASAP, replacing Rienzo, our rotation post ASB goes L Sale-R Noesi-L Quintana-R New guy-L Danks 2) Between Noesi and the new guy, hopefully in September we're confident in penciling at least one of them into our rotation next year. Hahn still acquires a quality RHSP prospect elsewhere. 3) 2015 rotation eventually works out where it's Sale-Righty-Q-Righty-Rodon, as Rodon takes Danks' spot, and hopefully our 2 righties come from within and are affordable. Ideally we get someone else with Noesi, both do well, and we pick up another quality option or two and have depth issues. Probably not happening though.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jun 24, 2014 -> 08:24 AM) I think this is an instance where wRC+ does much better job of putting his contributions in perspective than OPS does. Right now, he's at 94 wRC+, where a league average CF so far this season is 96. Remember that wRC+ is league-adjusted, park-adjusted, and is scaled so that a league average hitter, regardless of position, is 100. Each point represents a percentage point. So, essentially, Eaton has been an average hitter for a CF even when you include park effects. Considering this will be his first full season in the Majors, and he's had injury issues that aren't likely to linger, I'm very alright with that performance. I do think he needs to improve and that he WILL improve. But, even now, he's a handful of walk and doubles away from being a 100 wRC+ guy, which is tremendously valuable in CF. I completely disagree with this. Eaton will be on and off the DL during much of his career IMO. He's already hit the DL enough at a young enough age, and what would make you think he'll become generally healthier as he gets older? He plays a premium position and does so with a hard style of play that lends itself to constant minor injuries. Asking him to save his body or whatever and not play as hard, not use his speed, etc. just devalues his game to the point where you don't care much about him anymore. I said prior to the offseason that I'd be happy if Eaton became kind of like a poor man's Pods offensively overall with much better D in the field. A couple people thought that was stupid, blah blah blah Eaton is so great and so much better and all that crap. I stick to that. We're not getting a perfect world scenario with this guy IMO, he's probably going to be hurt a lot and if we can get 5 good years out of him we will have done well.

I'm not sure why you'd count Eaton and not Gillaspie. If you're not counting Connor then you shouldn't include Eaton, so maybe it's just 3 of Sale-Abreu-Q. And in reality, only 2 look completely 100% untradeable given their superstar status, so you may as well consider a Core 7-8+ or so including Avisail and a reliever or two or just say Core 2 referring to Sale and Abreu. But as for who I would most want to keep, the answer is this: they won't do it, but imagine the Sox decided to use FA over the offseason to buy solutions at every single position necessary. Any young player that would have his spot secured under those circumstances would be someone I would most want to keep. But beyond that, some players like Viciedo for instance, it either makes sense to keep and play them OR if you deal them, you make the deal for someone else with some upside.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 03:14 PM) Kyle Drabek (he's not the centerpiece, just another name to randomly blurt out. Numbers aren't impressive but the pedrigree is) Yeah that's it. That's the trade, Talented A+ ball SP prospect with real upside + Kyle Drabek for Gordon Beckham and maybe filler or something. Do they need versatility because Leury could really help a contender, his skillset is kind of useless on a rebuilding team but a PR with very good speed and defensive versatility actually matters on teams trying to win. Something like that, that'll work great.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 03:02 PM) Viciedo has no place in Miami. They have one of the best young outfields in baseball with Stanton-Yellich-Ozuna. They can't even play another top 100 prospect, Jake Marisnick, because he doesn't have a spot behind their current OF. I know Turner is a lover boy of SoxTalk, but I'm not that enamored with a control pitcher with limited stuff and a sexy pedigree. Ultimately, I think he was overrated as a prospect and his price would be affected by it. Who else is out there then? Every 5th day is very important to us in that if we can bring in a piece that could potentially become part of our core, even for only 1-2 years, we can at least use that spot to make a decision. I.E. if we bring in someone with ability beyond that of Rienzo, at least we'll have a better idea of what to do/who to trade come October/November. As it is, starting Rienzo or putting Carroll back into that role without reason is just pointless, we already know those guys aren't going to be part of our 2015 rotation, but if you bring in someone with upside at least you have a chance of filling that role. I also don't like the idea of just doing this stuff in garbage time. July and August are when teams are still in it and are still playing to win. Bringing in someone else's failure or something at least gives us time to try out a potential solution under conditions that would actually inspire confidence should the player perform properly. Not sure who else is out there. I wanted Noesi in the offseason and Arrieta last year, both changed teams and we got one, there has to be at least a couple talented RHSP on the roster bubble somewhere. Hopefully the Jays have someone. I've loved Morrow but I think he's still hurt? He's near payday time. I wonder about the guy from the Phillies, centerpiece of the Hallday deal, can't remember the name but he had great stuff, is he still there and somewhat healthy? Anything but Rienzo/Carroll/fodder please.

QUOTE (gatnom @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Six nines probability is pretty good. You have to leave in the chance that the entire globe erupts into nuclear warfare, destroying at least one if not both of Rodon/White Sox franchise.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 01:26 PM) Wite told us last week that his signing was 99.9% certain. That's all anyone needs to know. wite's general opinion > Rock's sources When bucket posts that Rodon is a done deal I will believe it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 02:51 PM) When something actually creates a need for the forum, like actual trade rumors, it will come. We don't need a forum simply for people to make up trade ideas. We have twitter for that. Well see now you are caught between a rock and a hard place, because you guys seem to hate the idea of a catch-all, yet the reluctance to post a Trade Winds forum has made this thread, what? A catch-all. Hmm, what a conundrum, what is a mod to do?! Make me a mod, I'll make the decision.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 02:44 PM) Which one of those guys do you feel confident playing major league shortstop? Didi Gregorius, who we will inevitably acquire. DBacks make like half their trades with us.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 23, 2014 -> 02:35 PM) That was probably Kyyle, he likes to look at threads and then lock them from his phone because he's a jerkface. I like the idea of bringing in Turner too. He's a little reminiscent of Homer Bailey. Well since you're now an admin AND a mod (wite power) you need to keep KyYlE in check IMO. No more thread locking without purpose! I was going to actually start a new thread, entitled "Gordon Beckham Trade Speculation" but opted not to, I figured it would be redundant. I saw there were other mods in this thread & I thought you guys were separating posts and would basically do that for me. Seriously, it's Trade Winds time. This team is what it is, and that's not good enough, which is actually great because we need our GM to keep the direction he's been traveling, not take a step "forward" or whatever.

Also to the mods: you guys locked the s*** out of this thread, I was going to post in it, but when I saw it was locked I was like "f*** yeah we're opening the Trade Winds Forum!!!" but then I come back and you guys haven't done s***. What gives? Seriously, we need that forum!!!

Also I am still thinking we should trade for Jacob Turner. Viciedo and Belisario are names that could go in the deal IMO. Otherwise, let's get another RHSP with REAL ability to get in here alongside Noesi. Noesi has a chance, he's done well all things considered, let's get someone else similar as well. Someone else's failure most likely. Turner is another one.