Sign Avi to a long term contract?

[Quin]

I would honestly say the exact opposite. There's not a harder worker on the team, and it's been that way since the day we traded for him.

 

Seriously, everyone knows Avi busts his ass. It's why booing him is classless.

 

His return from injury the one year was stellar.

[BamaDoc]

He can be a free agent in 2020. If he continues to be a productive hitter, I talk extension after 2018. I wonder how he would do in left after Melky gone.

[caulfield12]

Supposed five tool Sox outfielders

 

Darryl Boston

Mike Cameron

Kenny Williams

Sammy Sosa

Jimmy Hurst

Chris Young

Brian Anderson

McKay Christensen

Shawn Lil Abner

Anthony Webster

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Supposed five tool Sox outfielders

 

Darryl Boston

Mike Cameron

Kenny Williams

Sammy Sosa

Jimmy Hurst

Chris Young

Brian Anderson

McKay Christensen

Shawn Lil Abner

Anthony Webster

You forgot Claudell Washington and Chet Lemon.

[ptatc]

Supposed five tool Sox outfielders

 

Darryl Boston

Mike Cameron

Kenny Williams

Sammy Sosa

Jimmy Hurst

Chris Young

Brian Anderson

McKay Christensen

Shawn Lil Abner

Anthony Webster

I don't think anyone rated his power above minimal. He shouldn't be on the list.

[caulfield12]

I don't think anyone rated his power above minimal. He shouldn't be on the list.

 

The power of God!!!

 

He does leadership/corporate seminars and training for the LDS Church/BYU out in Utah now.

[caulfield12]

You forgot Claudell Washington and Chet Lemon.

 

Lyle Mouton...

[Dick Allen]

Shawn Abner, a guy who was signed after he was released by another team and has less than 10 HR in 900 MLB plate appearances, and Anthony Webster, a 15th round draft pick who hit 6 HR in the White Sox organization were 5 tool guys?

[greg775]

I'd keep Avi playing for his next contract for as long as humanly possible.

 

He seems like the type to mail it in once he gets a big deal.

Was this a joke? You don't know your White Sox at all.

[iamshack]

You forgot Claudell Washington and Chet Lemon.

Those guys were before Hawk's time.

[Panerista]

I'm skeptical of the White Sox signing anyone to long term deals right now outside of the future core.

[Jose Abreu]

I'm skeptical of the White Sox signing anyone to long term deals right now outside of the future core.

How dare you? Avi is at the forefront of said core.

[bighurt574]

Was this a joke? You don't know your White Sox at all.

 

Sorry man, at some point, the slow start to his career speaks for itself - whether it's an issue of effort, focus, training, or whatever else.

 

He lost weight and got into better shape this year. I'd keep him motivated as long as I could. The pressure of not having many more chances left seems to be working at this point. I'd be reluctant to change anything, for at least another year.

Edited May 22, 2017 by bighurt574

[greg775]

Sorry man, at some point, the slow start to his career speaks for itself - whether it's an issue of effort, focus, training, or whatever else.

 

He lost weight and got into better shape this year. I'd keep him motivated as long as I could. The pressure of not having many more chances left seems to be working at this point. I'd be reluctant to change anything, for at least another year.

This is all cliche sports fan stuff. He's only 25. But the fact he's been learning in the bigs makes him a known flop in most eyes. Had he been in the minors all this time with the name Avi Garcia and come up to the bigs this year and been doing this, we'd be immortalizing him. Some of his hits this year, like that last hit in his four hit game that just kept rolling and rolling all the way to the wall because it was such a rope, would be legendary.

He's been around so long he's not the second string quarterback but a known commodity. Look, face it. He's a 25 year old budding star. Now he could flop, but right now he should be given the same hype as if he'd just come up after a LONG building process in the minors.

Edited May 22, 2017 by greg775

[bighurt574]

This is all cliche sports fan stuff. He's only 25. But the fact he's been learning in the bigs makes him a known flop in most eyes. Had he been in the minors all this time with the name Avi Garcia and come up to the bigs this year and been doing this, we'd be immortalizing him. Some of his hits this year, like that last hit in his four hit game that just kept rolling and rolling all the way to the wall because it was such a rope, would be legendary.

He's been around so long he's not the second string quarterback but a known commodity. Look, face it. He's a 25 year old budding star. Now he could flop, but right now he should be given the same hype as if he'd just come up after a LONG building process in the minors.

 

The guy had 400 games and 1,400 at bats under his belt before this season, all for a combined 0.1 WAR. That's after 2,300 at bats in the minors.

 

He was a year or two away from being non-tendered. Glad he's shown some signs of life, but he still has to prove the consistency.

[chitownsportsfan]

The guy had 400 games and 1,400 at bats under his belt before this season, all for a combined 0.1 WAR. That's after 2,300 at bats in the minors.

 

He was a year or two away from being non-tendered. Glad he's shown some signs of life, but he still has to prove the consistency.

 

Yea this.

[caulfield12]

Would the Brewers trade Thames for Avi, and vice versa?

 

Both essentially have three year deals, including 2017. $15 million/3 years is cheaper than we'll end up paying Avi if this continues.

 

Thames is already 30 but LH. Which one is more likely to have "figured things out?" Already subject of PEDs rumors from the Cubs.

Edited May 22, 2017 by caulfield12

[SoxAce]

Would the Brewers trade Thames for Avi, and vice versa?

 

Both essentially have three year deals, including 2017. $15 million/3 years is cheaper than we'll end up paying Avi.

 

Thames is already 30 but LH. Which one is more likely to have "figured things out?" Already subject of PEDs rumors from the Cubs.

 

Who else are we getting back since Avi is 5 years younger?

[Soxfest]

Relax 2 months no reason to go crazy

[greg775]

The guy had 400 games and 1,400 at bats under his belt before this season, all for a combined 0.1 WAR. That's after 2,300 at bats in the minors.

 

He was a year or two away from being non-tendered. Glad he's shown some signs of life, but he still has to prove the consistency.

Makes sense, but do you understand my point? Lot of guys are getting their first call up at 25 and fans are drooling over their arrival in the bigs. Avi is off to a good start in his year 25 season.

[Panerista]

Would the Brewers trade Thames for Avi, and vice versa?

 

Both essentially have three year deals, including 2017. $15 million/3 years is cheaper than we'll end up paying Avi if this continues.

 

Thames is already 30 but LH. Which one is more likely to have "figured things out?" Already subject of PEDs rumors from the Cubs.

Why would the White Sox do this?

[bighurt574]

Makes sense, but do you understand my point? Lot of guys are getting their first call up at 25 and fans are drooling over their arrival in the bigs. Avi is off to a good start in his year 25 season.

 

I get it, but after several years of frustration, it's not crazy to want to see a little more out of a guy like Avi compared to someone who comes up and looks like a potential superstar early on.

 

It also is a little bit of a red flag to me that it took a professional athlete several years of MLB experience to realize he had to get in better shape. Hopefully he's locked in now though. Better late than never.

[caulfield12]

Why would the White Sox do this?

 

So you believe Avi has better value (or more worth) than Eric Thames as of today?

 

(The reason I brought this up is we don't have 2013-2016 to use as evidence with Thames that he's below replacement level value like we do with Avi...and obviously watched many of Avi's plate appearances that whole time as well.)

 

I just think it would be interesting to bet from this point onward who has the most MLB homers between the two. Avi's age would seem to give him the advantage, but it's not a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination.

[bighurt574]

Interesting choice. I believe Thames does have an option year with a fourth year of control, to the extent that matters.

 

Thames' video game numbers in Korea combined with the hot start are certainly tempting.

Edited May 22, 2017 by bighurt574

[Eminor3rd]

Would the Brewers trade Thames for Avi, and vice versa?

 

Both essentially have three year deals, including 2017. $15 million/3 years is cheaper than we'll end up paying Avi if this continues.

 

Thames is already 30 but LH. Which one is more likely to have "figured things out?" Already subject of PEDs rumors from the Cubs.

 

The correct answer is absolutely Eric Thames. And the reason is because when you break down his results and approach, there is a pile of evidence that he has made substantial changes that have led to his success. Then you look at interviews, and everything he says corroborates those changes.

 

Eric Thames attributes his Korean transformation to a highly intensive, highly studied, muscle-memory driven effort to improve his plate discipline. Tons of reading on theory about which pitches to hit. Tons of practice at pitch identification. Multiple years of practice in a league that, while inferior to the MLB in overall talent, is famous for the sheer amount of raw junk thrown by its pitchers. Then he comes over here, his O-Swing drops from ~36% to 20%, and he rakes. He's a completely different hitter, with much better results.

 

By contrast, Avisail Garcia puts up 2,000 PA of sub-replacement level production that is caused almost entirely by his total inability to choose the correct pitches at which to swing. All his coaches know this and have presumably been telling him and working with him to change it. He comes out this year and swings at exactly the same amount of s*** pitches, but carries a .410 BABIP and and an Adam Dunn-ian 22% HR/FB rate, and he rakes. He's the exact same type of hitter that he's been his entire career, with much better results.

 

Now again -- maybe he's changed something undetectable. Maybe, against all odds and biological precedent, his natural athleticism has increased into his mid-20's to the degree that his talent has overcome his approach. Maybe his physical conditioning has improved and put him over the edge. But if the question is who is more likely to have "figured it out," the answer is absolutely the guy who actually made noticeable and significant changes. And that's exactly why it's NOT the time to extend Avisail Garcia, because we need a way bigger pool of evidence to support a sudden increase in output that is entirely inexplicable. I swear I'm NOT rooting against him. I want him to turn out to be the exception to every rule. It's just not likely, and so I don't think it's a good bet for limited resources.