The mailbag is out, and Scott Merkin brings up some interesting stuff. He hints at things like...

 

--Fields in LF

--Pods not returning

--Contreras still possibly being moved

--Owens maybe getting the inside track for CF

 

All things discussed here, but always interesting to see it actually in print on the Sox' site. Makes them slightly more believable as possibilities. I'm particularly excited about Fields maybe in LF, and Pods not returning.

 

Thanks for 2005, but get the hell out of Chicago, Pods.

 

I'm glad there's mention of Fields trying the OF, if Crede can come back healthy. It'd be one less position for us to be concerned about.

I think fields would be solid in LF. I bet he would be better than Pods. If anything i'm sure he has a better arm.

 

I think he plays a fine 3b as well though.

I'm glad there's mention of Fields trying the OF, if Crede can come back healthy. It'd be one less position for us to be concerned about.

 

Crede batted .216 after 47 games this year with 4HR. He has a career batting average of .259. And he's a Boras client. If he can show he's healthy (either this year or in spring training) then deal him. I don't think he's worth keeping around. Oh yeah, he's an injury risk too.

 

Summary: 3B is still a concern with Crede around.

Edited August 6, 200718 yr by striker62704

thats why you need a solid plan B for left next year if Crede goes down. If he stays healthy I think that we will be solid at the corners at least.

Crede batted .216 after 47 games this year with 4HR. He has a career batting average of .259. And he's a Boras client. If he can show he's healthy (either this year or in spring training) then deal him. I don't think he's worth keeping around. Oh yeah, he's an injury risk too.

 

Summary: 3B is still a concern with Crede around.

Let's think about this another way...

 

What would it cost to get a .750 OPS outfielder with good defense (because Fields figures to be average and Crede is an above average defensive 3B) and an upside of 30 HR?

 

A week ago it was going to cost you Jermaine Dye. This offseason, it's going to cost more than bringing back Crede. Simply because you're not going to be able to find that player 1) as cheap as Joe Crede is gonna come (

 

(Juan Rivera is another name who might come cheap, and provide much of the same, but I can't think of any others)

 

Crede's done for the year. He's not going to be able to show he's healthy. And this spring he will have little to no trade value since only super s***ty teams go into spring training without 3B filled.

 

The least risky option in terms of both long and short-term $ is going to re-signing Crede, and shifting Fields to the OF. You might be able to move Crede at the deadline for a pitching prospect (or something like that) then calling up a Sweeney/Anderson (whomever finally starts to prove their ready for the show).

thats why you need a solid plan B for left next year if Crede goes down. If he stays healthy I think that we will be solid at the corners at least.

Fields is your plan B for 3B. For the corners, I suppose the best case scenario would have Owens being the plan B (He appears to be PLAN A in CF right now), with Sweeney and or Anderson being C/D. Though that would require re-signing Dye and making a Run at Rowand (You know they're gonna) as well.

Edited August 6, 200718 yr by Gene Honda Civic

Booras should not be the problem people seem to think he is as far as resigning a player. Crede already made that plain. Joe Crede is not the first player to go down injured and he won't be the last. He most certainly can come back healthy and ready to contribute. He is a very good option next year and beyond at 3B. Josh Fields can make it as a LF'er and our team will be better for it. It seems as if some folks would cut their noses off to spite their face when it comes to Sox talent.

Booras should not be the problem people seem to think he is as far as resigning a player. Crede already made that plain. Joe Crede is not the first player to go down injured and he won't be the last. He most certainly can come back healthy and ready to contribute. He is a very good option next year and beyond at 3B. Josh Fields can make it as a LF'er and our team will be better for it. It seems as if some folks would cut their noses off to spite their face when it comes to Sox talent.

YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS. You need to stop stating this s*** as fact because at this point in time NO ONE knows what the future holds for Joe Crede, he may never be able to play the field again for all we know.

--Contreras still possibly being moved

 

LOL, who would trade for Contreras without making the Sox eat 80% of his remaining salary?

 

Thanks for 2005, but get the hell out of Chicago, Pods.

 

+1

 

YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS. You need to stop stating this s*** as fact because at this point in time NO ONE knows what the future holds for Joe Crede, he may never be able to play the field again for all we know.

 

Not only that, but Kenny has already said (before the recent DL trips/back surgery), that they're not going to sign Joe to a long-term deal.

 

YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS. You need to stop stating this s*** as fact because at this point in time NO ONE knows what the future holds for Joe Crede, he may never be able to play the field again for all we know.

But Boras said Joe Crede was healthy as an Ox!

I personally want no part of Joe Crede and his 4 million dollar salary next year. I wouldn't mind him getting traded for a A ball pitcher. Josh Fields is our future at 3B, might as well keep him there and spend the money we'd save from Crede on something else.

I personally want no part of Joe Crede and his 4 million dollar salary next year. I wouldn't mind him getting traded for a A ball pitcher. Josh Fields is our future at 3B, might as well keep him there and spend the money we'd save from Crede on something else.

I assume you're a big fan of Jerry Owens?

 

We need three outfielders for next year. If Fields isn't one of them, Owens assuredly is. In fact, Owens is probably the CFer until Sweeney usurps him even if Fields is in the OF.

 

A vote for Crede is a vote against punchless outfielders.

Well, there is a very good chance that Rowand will be the CF next year, and if we don't trade for an OF like Kemp or Ethier, Dye would probably be brought back as well. That leaves LF open for a ST battle between Owens and Sweeney.

I could live with a Fields - Rowand - Dye OF in '08. Though I'm not convinced the Sox could afford it.

I could live with a Fields - Rowand - Dye OF in '08. Though I'm not convinced the Sox could afford it.

That would be a nice OF with some decent pop, though the defense would worry me a bit. That means we would need to look at Richar or a FA SS as our lead off hitter.

I could live with a Fields - Rowand - Dye OF in '08. Though I'm not convinced the Sox could afford it.

 

I'd rather see Owens-Rowand-Dye in the OF and Fields at 3b. I don't see a reason to jerk around Fields for one season just to get some potential value out of Crede. Outside of last season, he hasn't been a very productive player, and now his back is as bad as ever. Plus the salary savings on Crede would probably enable us to afford someone like Rowand.

It cracks me up the Rowand love fest on this board.

 

I mean, I liked him and all... but not at the cost he's going to get this offseason.

 

It cracks me up the Rowand love fest on this board.

 

I mean, I liked him and all... but not at the cost he's going to get this offseason.

Lies.

It cracks me up the Rowand love fest on this board.

 

I mean, I liked him and all... but not at the cost he's going to get this offseason.

 

Well, I'd rather have Grady Sizemore but that's not going to happen. It's not like there's a horde of productive OF talent beating down our door. With Rowand, you know if we come close in $$$, he'll probably sign here. So bringing up his name, at least from my perspective, is not really so much wishful thinking as it is something plausible.

It cracks me up the Rowand love fest on this board.

 

I mean, I liked him and all... but not at the cost he's going to get this offseason.

Between all of the FA CF: Cameron, Hunter, Byrnes, Jones... Rowand makes the most sense.

Between all of the FA CF: Cameron, Hunter, Byrnes, Jones... Rowand makes the most sense.

With the money they're all likely to get, I don't really know if any of them make sense. I have trouble thinking that a $12 mil a year + center fielder is going to work on this team salary-wise.

With the money they're all likely to get, I don't really know if any of them make sense. I have trouble thinking that a $12 mil a year + center fielder is going to work on this team salary-wise.

well, odds are that rowand would give the white sox a discount. It's no secret that he'd like to come back to chicago, and that KW and the org. would like him back.

well, odds are that rowand would give the white sox a discount. It's no secret that he'd like to come back to chicago, and that KW and the org. would like him back.

$12 mil a year may well be a discount for the Sox, with the way he's hit this year.