Since these two appear to be the only real SS options for 2008 lets take a vote on who you want in 2008. Here are some stats.

 

2007: Eckstein - .309 Avg/.356 Obp/.382 Slg/434 AB/3 Hr/31 Rbi/24 Bb/22 K/10 SB

Uribe - .234 Avg/.284 Obp/.394 Slg/513 AB/20 Hr/68 Rbi/34 Bb/112 K/1 SB

 

In 2007 Eckstein made $4.5 Mil, in 2008 he will be a free agent.

In 2008 Uribe made $4.15 Mil, in 2008 Uribe has a $5 Mil team option.

 

I'll take the bullet to the head.

Eckstein...by a long shot.

 

I love Uribe and what he has done for the White Sox, but Eckstein is the kind of guy that can put a team on his back. Not with offense or defense but with intangibles. He's the kinda guy that will get Vina'd or Burke'd and not take it lightly. He'll get the big hit, he'll steal the big base and he puts the ball in play.

 

Uribe is done. The only way I re-sign Uribe is to decline his option, sign him for less but give him lots of incentive clauses (weight, GG, hitting, etc.).

 

But that's just me.

where is the neither button.

Where is the Furcal option?

 

I'll take Uribe for defensive purposes. It would help immensly if he actually gets in shape prior to next season. Consider it will be his free agency year, I'm thinking he'll do so.

Juan can come back if:

 

 

1.) We hire a dietitian, give him a workout program that is monitored by a Whitesox employee, and buy him a treadmill that is reviewed by Whitesox personnel via webcam. Add periodic weigh ins.

 

2.) We hire Walt Hrniak (as a consultant) to re institute the leg kick timing mechanism, and fire Greg Walker hiring a new hitting coach outside of the White Sox organization.

 

3.) Give him a bonus carrot(money) based on OBP + BA.

 

4.) promise to bench his ass the minute he becomes the Tazmanian spin devil, swinging for the fences on every pitch and turning himself into the ground.

Edited October 3, 200718 yr by southsideirish71

You could have put any name after the "or" and I woould have gone with that option.

 

Question for those of you who think Uribe is good enough to keep his job mostly for defensive purposes. What would his offensive stats (OBP+BA) need to be in order for you think it's time for him to go. Throw some numbers at me.

For one thing, you would only be committed to Uribe for 1 year and $5 million. Eckstein would be muliple years and more money. Uribe was good enough in 2005. He's hasn't been that great since, but its not like his performance has fallen off the table. Considering he definitely will be playing for a contract, I like the chances of him outperforming a lot of SS next year, even SS named Eckstein. I hope his offseason can remain incident free, and would take my chances with him unless KW can come up with an obvious upgrade.

I'll take Minnie Minoso.

Give me Uribe. With this pitching staff, I will always choose defense.

famine or pestilence?

I wonder if the offseason police issues kept Uribe from reporting in the best shape mentally and physically. May be able to turn it around since he is playing for a contract.

Eckstein, Eckstein, Eckstein, Eckstein, Eckstein

I wonder if the offseason police issues kept Uribe from reporting in the best shape mentally and physically. May be able to turn it around since he is playing for a contract.

 

 

Well that and he had a problem keeping forks filled with food from coming in contact with his open mouth.

eckstein. boy it would be nice to have a .300 hitter in the lineup again.

Give me Uribe. With this pitching staff, I will always choose defense.

:headbang

I'll take Uribe because of his defense.

 

Eckstein might be a great clubhouse guy, but I'd take Uribe's defense over him. Not only that, but Uribe might get his head straight since he'll be playing for a contract.

 

They really do need to brink Hriniak back for Uribe though.

 

Another thing, I think the clubhouse thing can be overrated a bit. You can have a team full of Eckstein's and Erstad's, but they will never win anything. KW needs to bring in people that can play not just to cheerlead.

Edited October 3, 200718 yr by Whitewashed in '05

I'll take Uribe because of his defense.

 

Eckstein might be a great clubhouse guy, but I'd take Uribe's defense over him. Not only that, but Uribe might get his head straight since he'll be playing for a contract.

 

They really do need to brink Hriniak back for Uribe though.

 

Another thing, I think the clubhouse thing can be overrated a bit. You can have a team full of Eckstein's and Erstad's, but they will never win anything. KW needs to bring in people that can play not just to cheerlead.

Actually, Uribe is a very popular guy in the clubhouse.

Actually, Uribe is a very popular guy in the clubhouse.

He is, but I was talking more about choosing players just on clubhouse chemistry.

I shall abstain from voting in such an abominable poll.

I think there will be more options. We may have to trade.

I'm not going to vote because I don't prefer either option. Uribe's average has gotten worse every year he's been here. He has better defense than Eckstein but Eckstein rarely ever strikes out. Unlike Uribe where you can kind of figure he's either going to strike out, pop out, or ground out, Eckstein probably will be able to move runners better. Plus Uribe being 1 for 10 in stolen bases is absolutely pathetic.

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I'd let Eckstein play 2nd, add Furcal and give Richar a steady dose of at bats in a platoon/developmental type role. It gives you two vets that are solid and Eckstein at 2nd would be very strong defensively, imo. Plus I think you could get Eckstein for a short term deal which means he would walk after a year and you'd hope you would sign Furcal to an extension (with Richar finally sliding in as the starter).

 

Note: This is if the White Sox do not believe Richar is quite ready. Either way I'd prefer Eckstein over Uribe, but I would really have zero problem with Eckstein being one of the top 2 hitters and playing 2nd with Furcal being the other. It gives you a good OBP, good speed, and that defensive duo would be very good. Plus Furcal has pretty solid pop for a top of the order hitter.

 

Its older than I would like, but it would be pretty damn solid. If financial issues were a worry or if Kenny wanted to get younger, he could always move Konerko for a couple young prospects, one of which could play center (or he could move Konerko and use a chunk of that money earmarked for him on Andruw Jones who would replace Paulie in the lineup and play a premium defensive position).

 

You than use Konerko to acquire (for the most part) young pitching prospects or position prospects that you could use to replace Garland/Contreras (as if you moved those two, plus Paulie and added Jones/Furcal/Eckstein and numerous prospects I think you'd be in pretty good shape).

 

Furcal

Eckstein

Dye

Thome

Jones

AJP

Crede

Fields

* Insert First Baseman Here (you could even put Fields here and insert in a young prospect which was acquired...or if the move was with the Angels Casey Kochman would go where AJP with Crede being by Kochman and than AJP and than Fields).

 

That lineup would have massive power, high strikeouts (Thome/Fields/Jones) but would also be pretty solid defensively.