tray

Meadows remains the key to a deal with the Pirates. I think Bell is too risky, His defense is awful, he may not have enough power or hitting prowess to be a full time DH. OK, I understand this may be heresy for some hoping for a 3-5 year rebuild, but if this rebuild plan fizzles and the Sox can't trade Q, Frazier, Abreu, and Melky for what they believe they are worth, what if the Sox decide to reverse the wheels from a total tank style rebuild? Can the Sox compete for the Division, assuming they add a legit major league outfielder or two with Malky and Charlie Tilson in Left and Center? Narvaez, Soto catching, and infield of Frazier, Tim Anderson, Moncada and Abreu ? Rotation anchored by Quintana and Rodon? Players can always be traded. It is not that easy to assemble a 25 man roster that is competitive and no guarantee that blowing it up gets that done any time soon. Maybe I'm just getting too nervous about this rebuilding plan and worried it won't work.

Austin Meadows plus Keller might be the minimum Hahn would accept. Again, though, Meadows is probably off the table so the Q trade talks may be winding down on all fronts. This was one helluva thread though.

Does the lack of rumors indicate that the White Sox have an air-tight, no leaks front office or is it simply because there is nothing to disclose...that no trade offers are pending and no negotiations are happening?

Like any other trade possibility, it depends what the compensation is. The Sox have a decent infield right now. Potentially, Frazier, Anderson, Moncada. Abreu. If the Pirates offer Austin Meadows for Q and someone makes a mistake by offering too much for Rodon, (like Trea Turner) you trade both of them.

The heart of the Cubs rebuild was 4 or 5 young star position players. Once those players came up, the Cubs signed numerous veteran position players - ( Montero, Ross, Lastella, Zobrist, Heyward, Dexter Fowler) and several veteran pitchers. They spent a lot of money to build that roster. Other teams have approached rebuilding by focusing even more on free agents. Whatever works. For the White Sox, I don't envision a long slog to rebuild. That is based on two basic factors. First, I do not think Sox fans will be as patient as some claim they will be. Second, Reinsdorf wants to win and will spend money once he sees a path forward. Those old enough may recall when Reinsdorf/Einhorn acquired Fisk and Luzinski. They built a pretty decent roster around them, even though they never won it. And the 2005 World Series champs were not a team built after a long rebuilding effort. Now, the Sox need to assemble a core of 4 or 5 excellent position players. They already have a pretty decent core of pitching prospects. So Moncada, Tim Anderson and hopefully Zack Collins and perhaps two more premier position players. One might come soon, in a trade for Quintana. Then perhaps get lucky by flipping Gonzo mid season for a prospect if he has a decent year or getting a top prospect for Abreu during the season if he returns to his earlier form. No long term slog will be tolerated by fans or the Sox ownership. We may not get much in the 2017 Draft at #12, and who knows where we will Draft in 2018. So, as soon as this team starts showing it can start to compete, it will be time to start signing players, including free agents to add to the young core. I don't see the Sox tanking the team in 2017. No way they will be as bad as 4 or 5 other teams, even if they try. Another Fulmer or Rodon is not worth tanking a season. The Sox will try to compete in 2017 to the extent they can. I will root for them to win every game they can. I'm not sitting back waiting to win. Field the best team possible and play the games to win.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 2, 2017 -> 08:35 PM) Pirates give up Meadows + 2 lesser pieces as ST approaches. ....and the Pirates still have McCutcheon.

The Sox will not trade Quintana without that one headliner - an elite position player prospect. I am among those who think the Sox should wait for the phone to ring now, and not trade Q unless and until they get that player. Frazier is in a different category. The Sox might even consider picking up part of his 2017 Contract if they get prospects in return, and those prospects obviously would not be in that elite category. Therefore, that move would mainly be a salary dump, nothing to get too excited about. It could be argued that the rebuild strategy is now beginning to fizzle a bit and that the Sox might not be able to pull off another trade during the off-season for another elite position player prospect. I fear the worst case scenario - that this rebuild could leave the Sox mired in mediocrity for a longer time than most Sox fans want to endure. The time frame for this rebuild has to be a short one. I already see fans growing impatient, wondering what kind of a team is going to be on the field on Opening Day. Fans might say they are patient for a rebuild, but that patience might evaporate if this team becomes the laughing stock in Chicago while the Cubs keep killing it.

Yankees might expand the prospect hall if the Sox include Todd Frazier with Quintana. Toddfather, a NJ native, would be a perfect fit in the Bronx and I am sure he would love playing there.

I get that there will be free agent pitchers next off-season, but that would not diminish Q's value at the trade deadline. Don't trade Q now. Wait for a team that is desperate.

Sox will not get a top 10 prospect for Quintana now, so it may be better to wait until some team has an urgent need for a top line starter during the season because of injury or poor performance by someone in their rotation. No need to be impatient. Sit back and relax. We aren't going anywhere any time soon. It looks llike 2017 is going to be a strange year where young players are being auditioned for the Sox and veteran players are being auditioned for scouts of other teams. Yes, just hold on to Quintana now, make him our ace, and hope he starts the season strong. If he does that, the Sox will get the prospect haul they want. If he blows up his arm or pitches poorly, well that's the risk you take if you want to get what you want for him. Don't settle for less. Please.

QUOTE (Tony @ Dec 29, 2016 -> 06:00 PM) Read this. http://www.southsidesox.com/2016/5/14/1167...ersonal-catcher Trust me, it's important. I get the point. However, Navarro won't be behind the plate. The desire to maximize performance of a starter is somewhat at odds with the tank-to-rebuild strategy. I'm not sure how that is reconciled. Rodon goes 18-8 but Shields goes 4-18? If the goal is to lose, you lose, any way you can. This Cub-style rebuild is what some of you wanted. Blow it up, right?

What difference does it make who catches if the goal is to tank the season, lose more games than any other team, and try for the top Draft pick?

Teams that are not going for a play-off spot or trying to tank the season have no reason to spend a dime on a DH. That spot can be filled by any player who can swing a bat. I saw Kittle recently at a local fast food place. But for his age, he looked like he could still DH. Remember, even " jacked one at 75 yrs old.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 02:22 PM) http://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/heyman-str...luggers-remain/ No specific mention of which names, but here it is: That is not how I read that.

I believe that the Sox mindset is this - Austin Meadows has to be the center piece of a trade with the Pirates. No Austin Meadows, no deal...so apparently no deal with the Pirates. Time to move one from them. The Pirates apparently want to move on from McCutcheon and put Meadows in Center. OK, fine, but they should have traded McCutcheon first, made it clear that they will not trade Meadows, and saved everyone a lot of time. Instead I believe they decided to work harder to not include Meadows by trying to come up with some other package for the Sox in a three way deal. They are making this too complicated. From: Baseball America "The Pirates could promote Meadows as early as this season, partially because of his development and partially depending on what they do with Andrew McCutchen. Right-hander Mitch Keller passed Tyler Glasnow, who fell to No. 3, with Keller coming in at No. 2. Keller, 20, whom the Pirates took in the second round in 2014, posted a 2.41 ERA, 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings and only 1.3 walks per nine innings with Class A West Virginia this season. He reached Class A Bradenton at the end of the regular season and pitched for them in the Florida State League playoffs. Josh Bell still makes the list, at No. 4, because he fell three at-bats shy of exceeding rookie eligibility, but he’ll be in the majors all season, either playing first base or right field. Kevin Newman reached No. 5, with his excellent hit tool giving him a .320/.389/.426 line in 2016 between Bradenton and Altoona and his plate discipline leading to seven more walks than strikeouts."

From what I have been reading it seems like the Pirates are intent on keeping Austin Meadows and playing him in Center while trading McCutcheon. The Sox obviously want Meadows, not McCutcheon. No way around that for the Pirates unless they trade McCutcheon for an elite young position player prospect like Robles and then trade Robles or Meadows to the Sox, I doubt that they can. The Pirates may have to make a decision, pony up Glasnow and Meadows for Quintana and keep McCutcheon for the time being, or no deal for Quintana. Meanwhile there is no urgency for the Sox to trade Quintana.

The rumor that describes that Pirates as "working hard" on this trade makes me suspect that they may be working on a three team transaction. There are so many more possibilities if that is the case. For example, the Sox could include other players with Quintana, perhaps Robertson and/or Melky or Frazier, and get a prospect haul plus McCutcheon in return. The Sox could then trade Cutch to the Nationals for Robles. Or the Yankees might be involved with the Sox and the pirates trying to make a transaction. I just thought I would try drive us even more crazy as we wait for a deal to be announced.

Are any of the Yankees positions player prospects just raking the ball in the minors? Is there a potential Kris Bryant type bat in their system? Are there any sure bets out of their top ten prospects? I'd rather have one premier prospect than a bushel full of minor leaguers who may or may not make it very far in the bigs.

Every trade possibility for Quintana must be vetted by Soxtalk !

IMO, Quintana, one of the best left handed starters in baseball, plus Frazier, who could easily hit 40+ home runs and play a solid 3rd base, as a package, are more valuable than Bregman. If the Astros are going for it i 2017, they may well consider that, even though they have been dead set against trading Bregman. Just stating that they will never trade him is not going to diminish what Hahn wants for Q and the Toddfather. 4 years of control for one of the most durable, consistent, and competitive starters in the league. Quintana also is a guy who just goes about his business without mouthing off. He's an ideal 1 or 2 pitcher for many teams as he has been with the White Sox. On the other side of the coin, I doubt Hahn will trade Q, even without another player included, unless he gets back an elite position player/ prospect like Robles, Bregman, etc.

I haven't heard much about Tilson's recovery, so I am hoping that this is news indicates that the Sox feel that he will be ready for the start of the season.

The cubs made crazy favorable trades to get Addison Russell and Jake Arrieta. They made much better Draft picks and got lucky that Bryant was there when they had a top pick. They basically stole Rizzo. There is no guarantee that this rebuilding plan will do anything but make the Sox stink for several years and come back somewhere near the middle of the pack. Trading Frazier, Robertson and Melky probably isn't going to net any players that will elevate the Sox to top contenders for a WS. Similarly, teams are not offering players that could be game changers in exchange for Quintana. So this rebuilding plan has a lot of pitfalls. It might be better to moderate the rebuild or half azz it as some say, in order to stay reasonable competitive. There is no guarantee that teh Sox get a top 3 pick in the Draft no matter how bad they are because there are several teams that are probably worse. And, as we have see, even when the Sox have a top 10 pick, they don't a;ways make the right decision.

Without Sale and Eaton, but with Moncada and a lot of possibilities for the bullpen and rotation , the Sox , at least in theory, have a chance to win a lot of games. Let's assume they do and fans start getting excited like we did last season. Do the Sox then try to plug in a DH or RF player via trade to improve the team or do they try to tank the season by making trades involving Frazier, Robertson and Mellky that will likely only bring back less than elite prospects ? Edited to qualify 20-10....I mean that they have a dominant April, I know they probably have fewer games than that..

Similarly as Nightengale tweeted: "The Cubs trade talks for #Tigers Justin Wilson have stalled, the clubs say, unable to find match, and both sides appear to have moved on" As fans we have an insatiable desire for this kind of information, so we should not complain when we hear about deals that have no hope or when trade talks have come to an impasse.

Most baseball analysts seem to think that the White Sox fleeced the Nationals for Eaton. That is not necessarily the case for a variety of reasons. First, Eaton is very underrated as a defensive player, as a lead-off man, a base runner, and as a clutch hitter with power. He really started to flourish as a defensive player last season. Second, the Nationals are unlikely to sign Bryce Harper when he hits free agency, so they are now insured that RF will be manned by Eaton . Third, Giolito is not a sure thing as was demonstrated when he came up to the major league level last season. Quintana is likewise one of the more underrated players in baseball. Anyone who has watched the White Sox over the past few years has seen Quintana battle and keep the White Sox in games despite the lack of run support. Quintana is consistent, durable and he is signed for four years in a team friendly contract. The Sox should hold on to Quintana unless they are bowled over with an offer. Wait to trade Quintana until the trade deadline to maximize return.