Bob Sacamano

Looking back at a lot of posts on here, a lot of people (including myself) pencil in Fulmer to replace Danks mid-season. Thinking about it, it's no guarantee we are able to deal Danks or just stick him in the pen and it is probably more likely that Fulmer replaces Johnson. Also, I don't think this team needs to target just lefty hitting. Without doing research, it seems like left-handed bats have more extreme split stats than right-handed hitters do. Look at the Jays lineup. Now, I'm not saying we can easily put together a lineup like the Jays, but saying "we need a big lefty bat in the lineup" (while not wrong) is short-sighted. Get the best available bat who doesn't have extreme splits and is available to you.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 9, 2015 -> 07:47 AM) Bradley Jr is still way too unproven to take that kind of risk. Yeah they'd at least have to get 3 more guys in that deal if they are taking him as well I believe.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 11:07 PM) Meh How many times has there been young talented teams that looked like a shoo in to win a WS and never have done it. Everyone here was positive the last team Maddon managed was going to win one and yet after their 08 WS trip, they never got close again. When the Sox won in 05, nobody and I mean nobody saw that coming before the season started. Baseball is really weird that way. Maddon also has more resources with the Cubs than the Rays however. If they don't win this year (even if they do I think), they will go out and get someone. Price made comments last year about how cool it would be to win with the Cubs. That was before Maddon signed with the Cubs. Personally, I think Cubs starting 3 next season will be Price, Arrieta, Lester.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 07:42 PM) Astros had a chance to blow this one open in the first and only got 2. More than the Sox would have gotten in that situation. Would have unsurprisingly put up a goose egg.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 06:35 PM) I think he could definitely help in the pen. Like to see him start for another year though. I think ultimately he ends up in the pen and I'd rather sell him as a starter.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 12:34 PM) Desmond at 3B would be such a disaster... Agree. I would call Minnesota and ask what it would take to get Plouffe.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 12:18 PM) I'm not sold on Anderson or Fulmer honestly. They may be studs in the minors, but who knows what their transition to the big leagues will be like. Rodon is a stud though and I'm glad that he fell to the Sox. I'm just hoping that they can draft/develop a stud position player for once. Not someone like Sanchez or Saladino. A legit star with all the tools. This organization desperately needs Anderson to work out at short.

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 12:17 PM) Abreu is not arbitration eligible. He opts out, he is a free agent. He Dosent even get a qualifying offer No he wouldn't be a free agent. He has the option to go through arbitration. Otherwise he would no doubt opt out for free agency to get more money out there. Especially being what 29? He'd get a 6-8 year mega deal easily.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 11:53 AM) I like this idea alot. Not sure if there's a match but I'd happily give Villanueva 3B next year to see what he could do. I'm sure the cubs would want pitching, just not sure what the Sox could give that the Sox don't want to give up. I don't think it would take a lot. Of course you never know, he may not be blocked if they end up moving Bryant to the OF permanently and trading Castro or Baez (of course I guess that would open up Soler to be dealt but I think Villanueva is odd-man out as you never hear anything about him).

Thinking about it, I can totally see the Sox getting Cespedes. I do not think he gets the 6 year deal he wants however. I'm thinking he gets 4 with an option.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:46 AM) Is there any good 3B prospects that are being blocked by someone else? I'd prefer to trade for a younger player and not sign an aging one. The only guy that comes to mind (while not a huge year but someone who could probably be had for cheap) is Christian Villanueva of the Cubs. Turned 24 in June, 20 homers, about a 16% K rate, .257 avg, .314 obp, .752 ops. May not be perfect but better than what's in-house now.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:57 AM) In 996 career plate appearances, batting second in the lineup, Heyward is a .251 hitter. He hit in that spot just 74 at bats, last season, but the results were awful. He only hit .208 there, with an OBP of .230. He has had much better success batting 3rd through 5th, but still very little power. It seems as though if he were on the Sox, he would be much better suited in the heart of the order. Nevertheless, he is not a big enough run producer to fix our anemic lineup. I'm convinced the Sox need a really potent bat at cleanup, which Heyward does not possess. Yeah I just don't know where that bat is going to come from. Too bad we couldn't have worked out a deal for Donaldson when the Sox and A's had those early discussions for Samardzija last November around.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:37 AM) Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 30m30 minutes ago Phoenix, AZ Courtney Hawkins will not be taking part in the AFL per White Sox. Bothered by plantar fasciitis in left foot. Trey Michalczewski now in Bad news on Hawkins. At least Trey gets more work in.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:53 AM) Oh I know. I'm just reiterating it. I have a bad feeling that the Sox will f*** up this pick somehow. Probably. But here's to hoping they don't

QUOTE (Lillian @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:42 AM) In your plan, what happens to Garcia? More importantly, who bats cleanup? Who are your first 6 hitters in the lineup, after spending all of that money, to acquire Heyward? Yeah honestly that team just doesn't look good. If I had to take a stab at it: Eaton CF Heyward RF Abreu 1B Cabrera DH Tracye LF Uribe 3B?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:36 AM) That has nothing to do with it. How does it work then? This is my understanding of it. It's more concrete to me on guys coming up through a system and going through the process as opposed to coming over at a later age.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 10:30 AM) I doubt he opts out after next year. His salary that year is $12.1 million with another $26.8 million guaranteed the following two years. The current record for a first year arbitration eligible player is $10 million by Ryan Howard in 2008 and he had already won an MVP. Abreu would probably break that record but not by much. Would it really be worth risking $26 million in guaranteed salaries to have a chance to gain a couple more million in 2017? I don't think so. Say he goes out and has a career ending injury in 2017. That Sox non tender him the next year and he just forfeited that $26 million. I think if he has another good 2016 and 2017 he will opt out after 2017. The risk/reward is a little more worth it to him at that time. What does he make next season? Because the arbitration raise would be on-top of that. Edit: just checked. His salary is $11,667,000 in 2016 according to baseball reference. For 2017 it is $12,167,000. So his salary going through arb would be well over the $12,167,000 because he would def get more than a 500k raise in arbitration.

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Oct 7, 2015 -> 08:07 PM) How? They shed 28 million in player payroll by trading peavy and rios. And abreu' salary is back loaded And Abreu can opt out after next year and go through arbitration his remaining 3 years so he will likely get more than what he's signed for. Changing his agent this year bodes well that he will do that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 09:51 AM) Judging by how little he played in the last month of the season, and knowing the Pirates history for taking chances on players in his boat when teams are willing to pick up salary, this might actually be a decent fit. I wouldn't expect anymore more than flotsam in the deal, but it could work. Agree. Plus they have Morse signed for next season I believe so they could make a perfect platoon at first.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 09:38 AM) I think the Sox are going to be active, but I don't think it's going to be in the free agent market. I think they'll be looking to make several trades to improve the offense, and I think they'll sign some dudes to improve the bullpen. A lot of people have said this the past few days, but I just don't see how since I think they keep the starting pitching intact (wouldn't be shocked of a Q trade however) and I don't see them trading the few good prospects they have. Unless they target bench pieces that make good platoon partners, a free-agent like Wieters taking a one-year pillow contract to rebuild value, or making trades like the Reed-Davidson trade (1 bullpen piece with control (Petricka, Jones, etc.) for hitting prospect that may be blocked and expendable swap and then signing guys for the bullpen).

My turn: Royals over Astros in 4 Blue Jays over Rangers in 4 Blue Jays over Royals in 5 Cubs over Cardinals in 5 Dodgers over Mets in 5 Dodgers over Cubs in 6 Blue Jays over Dodgers in 6

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 09:22 AM) Royals over Astros in 5 Blue Jays over Rangers in 4 Blue Jays over Royals in 6 Cubs over Cardinals in 6 Dodgers over Mets in 6 Cubs over Dodgers in 4 Cubs over Blue Jays in 6 The division series aren't 7 games. 6 isn't possible.

More likely a team would move to a big market city in Canada before going to Mexico.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 09:02 AM) I have said it before and I'll say it again: The Sox have to take a hitter at #10 unless there is a pitcher that is unbelievably good that slipped somehow. That's not saying anything different from "take best available" which is what most people are saying. Your concept is the same just worded differently.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Oct 8, 2015 -> 08:57 AM) LMAO exactly. They've won 1 playoff game so far. At least win a series before gloating. Sheesh. I mean they do have every right to be happy and excited but yeah they should ease up just a bit.