SCCWS

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 01:34 AM) I actually disagree. The Sox were 5 wins away from .500 last year with the worst offense in the league. I think they just picked up at least 3 wins alone at 3B. Make a couple more marginal upgrades and they should battle for a 2nd wildcard honestly. I think there are too many variables to think we will battle for a wildcard. So I feel we need more than a marginal upgrade. I think we need another starting pitcher--- 3/4 rotation guy. Many teams lose a starting pitcher for 2-3 months due to injury. Our starters were very healthy last year. EJ and Danks are both question marks going in and I don't know who takes over if we lose a starter for a period of time or the later two fail. I do think the offense will be better because a few guys like Laroche, Melky and Avi have room for improvement. A year of Jones helps in the pen. Our defense is worse at this point noting the offensive upgrade at 3rd. I think we are better at C but that remains to be seen. So I think the Sox need to add a major bat and a 3/4 starter not just a marginal upgrade to even be in the talk for a 2nd WC.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 13, 2015 -> 10:05 AM) Ugh, caulfield is back for 48 hours and has already turned this place into a Royals suckfest. Leadership isn't our problem, it's a lack of positional talent. How do you know that??? As a fan, I don't think we really know that much about the clubhouse. We hear cliches about winning cures everything but unless there are fights like Philly had, I doubt we really know if a team has leadership issues or not. Heck, we thought AJ was a leader in the clubhouse and Boston cut him loose because he was considered a detriment to there's in 2014.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 12, 2015 -> 11:20 AM) It was posted in this thread that Mark Buehrle ( who is revered around here) said he had no problem at all with Lawrie . He was probably asked by the Sox front office about Lawrie's character before the Sox pulled the trigger on the trade. It needs to be emphasized and re-emphasized. We've probably all seen or knew athletes who were ultra competitive to the point of being dicks to umps and opposing players but with their own team mates they are the kind of guys you would want in a foxhole with you. Knowing a guy has your back is a good thing, a very good thing. A few thoughts: Boston couldn't wait to get rid of Carl Everett in 2005 and he was an important part in our WS win. Overall AJ was a pain in the ass to everyone but the White Sox. He was certainly a positive addition despite his personality. Buehrle also said after the changes Toronto made in 2014, including Lawrie, that it was important that their clubhouse chemistry be altered. So maybe Lawrie adds some spice to the Sox clubhouse.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Dec 11, 2015 -> 09:03 AM) Please quit using fielding percentage as if it's a relevant stat. Even if you are going to use it please remember that 2nd and 3rd base are not equals. Last year the average fielding percentage for 2B was .984, for 3B it was .958. Of course his fielding percentage is going to increase the more he plays second. 3B is much harder to play, it requires much quicker reflexes and much longer throws than 2B does. You are wrong again. I did not post his combined but his % by position. The poster said his defense dropped last year because he played both 3rd and 2nd. But the first 2 years in MLB he only played 3rd and his fielding % was lower at 3B than his fielding % at 3B in the years he played 3rd and 2nd.

QUOTE (woods of ypres @ Dec 10, 2015 -> 09:12 PM) Agreed. His defence seemed to slip once he was splitting time between second and third. Actually the opposite. His first 2 years he only played 3rd and his fielding % was .959. Then in 2014 he jumped up to .984 playing 2nd and 3rd. Last year he dropped back down again playing mostly 3rd. Maybe just playing 3rd and working w Robin can improve him.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Dec 10, 2015 -> 02:40 PM) Look at the rest of Lawrie's career. Always rated as a plus defender. There is a solution if neither Avi or Lawrie improve their defense. Fans with season tickets in front row behind 1st and 3rd will be issued batting helmets in case of errant throws. then, Robin can put in Saladino at 3rd and Trayce in RF for defense late in games.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Dec 10, 2015 -> 01:25 PM) You're trying to take 3 stats to show a comparison but those stats without context show absolutely nothing. For instance. There is another player with pretty similar stats. He had 158 K and 172 hits in 575 ABs. His name? Mike Trout. I'll try and help you with that. Lawrie hit .260 and Avi .257. Lawrie had 16HR/60RBI and Avi had 13/59. Lawrie 28 walks and Avi 36. Avi 7 steals and Lawrie 5. Maybe it is me, but their stats are very comparable. So I say again, if you were happy w Avi as an offensive player in 2015, Lawrie put up very similiar numbers. Both also struggled defensively. So maybe we have another Avi at 3B. I like Avi so I assume I will like Lawrie.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Dec 10, 2015 -> 09:40 AM) Lawrie's K% is 18.6% for his career, that is below the major league average. Also, his 1.8 WAR projection would mean a 3 WAR improvement over what we got from 3B in 2015. But his K% was 26% last season. He had 144 K and 146 hits in 562 AB. As I said very similiar to Avi at 553 AB, 141 K hits and 142 hits.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 11:26 PM) I hope there is no one upset about this move. There is nothing to be upset without about this move. If this was the best available 3B then I agree. He is a big step up from Saladino offensively and a big step down defensively. As I posted previously, his numbers are very comparable to Avi on offense and defense and both strike out too much.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 04:50 PM) I am like you. While I have some concerns of Lawrie, it also sounds like he's a pretty hard ass player who brings an edge, which I think we could use more of. His defense( or lack there of) will certainly bring an edge to the pitchers.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 03:47 PM) Lawrie isn't a terrible fielder Well he had the worst fielding % of all MLB third basemen who qualified based on games played.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 9, 2015 -> 03:07 PM) I agree. There is really nowhere to go but up at 3B. As long as good prospects aren't used to get him, there's really no downside. We have to trade Avi if we get Lawrie. They are very similiar players. Both strikeout as often as they get a hit and both are terrible fielders. Avi draws more walks but Lawrie may be a tad faster...........................ugggh

I do think Zobrist could be a solid addition to the Cubs. He is a good fit to add a veteran presence to a young clubhouse. Guy is a 2nd baseman who Maddon will plug in all over the place. Solid # 2 hitter. Would not have been a good fit w us. Hopefully Hahn has zeroed in on a solid 3B for us.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:17 AM) The Sox are not contenders with all the holes they have so spending money from limited funds to sign a player that turns 35 in May is just plain dumb. If the Sox were one or two players short of being contenders then I can see taking the chance but they aren't. I much prefer to give Sanchez another year at 2B and see if his bat comes around. Agree and we should have kept Beckham for 3B and see if his bat comes around and play Saladino at SS and see........................................................

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 5, 2015 -> 01:46 PM) Baseball 2015. Shark horrid with sox and gets rich five year deal. Hilarious. All that money for a bad bad pitcher Giants fans are saying Righetti will fix him.......................................

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Dec 4, 2015 -> 10:17 PM) A get a lot of you guys hate the Cubs, but Lackey was quite good last year. 3.3 WAR. Even if he regresses to a 2.5 WAR guy, that's still fair value for $16M a year and makes him a solid #3 starter for a lot of teams. The risk, IMO, is his healthy, not his skills. I was thinking Lackey would look great as our #4 but $16 mil seemed like a lot. Then I remembered Danks is getting that as probably our 5th starter. Lackey has shown to be a very good postseason pitcher.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Dec 3, 2015 -> 03:23 PM) Greg, Navarro had an .894 OPS vs LHP last season. Should be a decent platoon. It's definitely not worse. But he only caught 37 games last year. Avila caught 43. The concern is they are both coming off limited seasons behind the plate.

fragile Well they got rid of two mediocre catchers and replaced them w two fragile catchers. Hopefully the overall position output improves. But what happens if Sales doesn't like either one???

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 3, 2015 -> 12:31 PM) I still don't know why the umps wouldn't be giving the calls to Quintana and Sale and not to Flowers. Flowers was the one slipping the payola to them.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Dec 1, 2015 -> 06:44 PM) Ill give it 2.5 years before Boston regrets this deal Since the opt-out exists after 3 years, it may not matter. You can bet Price pulls a Greinke and is back on market in 3 years.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Dec 1, 2015 -> 04:04 PM) Ramirez was injured the whole second half with 2 or 3 different things and played in 28 games. He was hitting .283/.330/.482/.812 on June 24 when he took a line drive off his wrist for the first of those. The idea that he is washed up is nonsense. The Red Sox were experimenting w him playing 1st base late last season. http://nesn.com/2015/10/red-sox-first-base...handle-new-job/ Dombrowski basically confirmed such earlier this week. “We need to do everything we can to make that work,” Dombrowski said of Ramirez at first base. “We’re committed to it, I believe he’s committed to it, his representatives are committed to making it work.” There is no other place on the diamond for Ramirez, whose transition to left field this season was a total failure. The Red Sox are set on the left side of their infield and David Ortiz is Boston’s designated hitter until further notice. So, unless the Red Sox trade Ramirez this offseason, in which case either Shaw or an external option will become Boston’s starting first baseman, the job is his to lose, for better or worse. Read more at: http://nesn.com/2015/10/red-sox-first-base...handle-new-job/

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Dec 1, 2015 -> 03:39 PM) It's not a "freaking" organ, it's "Nancy Faust's" organ. I would think you might know the difference. And given the profound and indelible effect Nancy had on Sox fans for over 40 years, having her organ present in the ballpark to remind us fondly of her contributions to the fan experience would be really cool. Yes, there's the plaque on the organist's booth, but having the actual organ there would be a far greater and more unique tribute to her. Think of it in the same vein as having all of those statues of former Sox greats in the park. What are they there for? To remind us of some of the greatness of the Sox' past. Nancy Faust falls in that category, albeit in a slightly different capacity, and therefore the suggestion that the organ belongs in Sox Park is not only a reasonable one, but if you think about it, the right one as well. Why not have a statue of Nancy and still sell the organ for money. After all, the player statues don't have real gloves and bats.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 30, 2015 -> 08:09 AM) Lawrie has a history of negativity and poor decision-making: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/16/3...jays-throws-bat http://nesn.com/2013/05/brett-lawries-dele...al-follow-up-2/ http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/27/blue-...tude-adjustment http://www.royalsreview.com/2015/4/20/8455...ace-to-baseball http://tinyurl.com/oa8dfy7 http://www.covers.com/postingforum/post01/...p;sub=102125185 Does this mean we could get a discount???

QUOTE (oldsox @ Nov 29, 2015 -> 03:30 PM) I'm not so sure. I just think that if Sox go after and sign a big time free agent, they'll regret it, and so will we. Sox have two primo prospects that should be ready in either late 2016 or opening day, 2017. A couple other prospects should emerge next year, too. Plus, if Sox draft well again next year, it will help big time. My other thought is to trade Q for 3-4 really good (Boston) prospects, and by 2018 we will have a young, exciting team to pull for. Maybe 2017. Either way, unless some miracle occurs, 2016 figures to be a repeat of 2015, regardless of what they do. If they have money to burn, spend it some Cuban prospects. Now sure Boston will want Q now. It appears Boston and Cubs may be favorites to get Price with the loser possibly getting Cueto. Boston already used a few prospects for their closer as well. Now that Zimmerman is off the table that leaves Greinke as the last big name and he may stay in LA. So maybe the Yankees will be interested in Q.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Nov 28, 2015 -> 08:19 PM) 19% K rate for Cabrera isn't bad. Alexei was 11% and I think he could be had for less than 10 Mil.