Saw this in a Rotoworld FA Hitters preview;

 

Hinske was one of the Rays' best hitters last season, but the team decided it had no use for him at all once the postseason rolled around. He'll likely move on, and he could help a White Sox team that's especially short on left-handed hitters after parting with Nick Swisher. …

 

He could be an excellent backup for the 1B/OF spots. Wonder how much he'll be after?

Eh, as a bench option he'd be ok.

Here were his numbers from last season FWIW;

 

.247/.333/.465

 

.798 OPS.

If we go with 12 pitchers again like most of last year, that will only leave us with 4 bench slots. We need a C (Armstrong?), a UT player (Betemit), and a back-up OF (Anderson or Wise), so that leaves us with one spot left. Instead of adding a bat like Hinske I would prefer we add a defensive-minded SS who can also cover 2B, someone better than Betemit. I doubt we get that though, because if we sign Viciedo or someone else to compete with Fields and that player makes the team, or if the Sox don't pick an everyday 2B between Nix and Getz and opt for a platoon instead, we've basically got Viciedo/somebody else, Fields, Nix, and Getz for 3 spots.

 

Either way I doubt we pick up another bench player unless he's a catcher.

I'd like the White Sox to start collecting some players who can really run and make decent contact, maybe can even drop down a bunt. Hinske had an unexpected decent year. I think he'd be a waste of space.

If we go with 12 pitchers again like most of last year, that will only leave us with 4 bench slots. We need a C (Armstrong?), a UT player (Betemit), and a back-up OF (Anderson or Wise), so that leaves us with one spot left. Instead of adding a bat like Hinske I would prefer we add a defensive-minded SS who can also cover 2B, someone better than Betemit. I doubt we get that though, because if we sign Viciedo or someone else to compete with Fields and that player makes the team, or if the Sox don't pick an everyday 2B between Nix and Getz and opt for a platoon instead, we've basically got Viciedo/somebody else, Fields, Nix, and Getz for 3 spots.

 

Either way I doubt we pick up another bench player unless he's a catcher.

The backup OF could maybe be Hinske, but then you'd have to acquire a CF, who'd have to be good enough in CF to play pretty much everyday (unless you moved Ramirez there for example for a few games).

 

Could all depend on whether we go with 11 or 12 pitchers like you said.

He has a career .773 OPS.

He has a career .773 OPS.

And Swisher had what a .743 OPS in 2008 FWIW.

 

For a bench replacement (and Hinske has had season where he's hit over .800 OPS a few times, and you have to remember he'd be moving to a friendly hitting environment), the Sox could do a lot worse.

 

And he could backup Fields at third base also (but you've got Betemit to do that I guess).

Wouldn't he essentially be our new Mackowiak? Maybe a little better of a stick I suppose.

 

That said, I wouldn't throw a fit.

Wouldn't he essentially be our new Mackowiak? Maybe a little better of a stick I suppose.

For God's sake, don't tell me we're making Eric Hinske our everyday CF.

For God's sake, don't tell me we're making Eric Hinske our everyday CF.

I was just about to say that...

For God's sake, don't tell me we're making Eric Hinske our everyday CF.

 

That'd be something wouldn't it? After Swisher and Griffey, I wouldn't be surprised.

If we take 5 bench players it would be fine. If we go to four, then you have to ask yourself if you are comfortable with having only 1 MIF and having to start Betemit at SS when Alexei needs a break. If not, then you need a SS for your fourth player.

 

Ideally we have a CF who can actually play CF, a quality UT man (Betemit), a backup catcher, and a second IF who can actually play SS. If we have an extra spot on the bench Hinske would be a nice option, but if it were me - and I know this will never happen BTW so don't think I'm suggesting it as a realistic possibility - but I'd try to bring back Frank Thomas on a one year farewell bench deal. Teams aren't going to give him a shot to start anymore, and he might not even be healthy enough to play at all, but I'd love to be able to go to him late as a scary-ass pinch hitter. That won't happen though because Kenny is kind of a major asshole when it comes to Big Hurt. I don't care if he f***ed your mother, he's the Big Hurt god damn it, show the respect.

Edited November 19, 200817 yr by Kenny Hates Prospects

He'd be a nice bench option and could be a nice platoon partner for Fields. Plus he could fill in at the corner outfield spots in a bind as well as 1B. But he probably would want more money than it would be worth.

I wouldn't mind having him on the club, but one of Ozzie's big weaknesses IMO is he doesn't use guys like this properly.

What is this??? Seriously this is a waste of a post! So if Kenny went with the posts people made are team would look like this

 

Hinske

Ramirez

Quentin

Thome

Dye

Konerko

Varitek

Pierzynski

Getz

Fields

 

Colon

Garcia

Buehrle

P. Martinez

Danks

etc. etc.

 

We NEED SPEED!!! YOUTH!!

 

What is this??? Seriously this is a waste of a post! So if Kenny went with the posts people made are team would look like this

 

Hinske

Ramirez

Quentin

Thome

Dye

Konerko

Varitek

Pierzynski

Getz

Fields

 

Colon

Garcia

Buehrle

P. Martinez

Danks

etc. etc.

 

We NEED SPEED!!! YOUTH!!

Who is saying that? Hinske would be an acceptable bench player, not more.

Varitek would be a good platoon for AJ, but at the cost most posters here agree hes too much money and probably wants to start still.

Right now, Fields and Getz are a couple of the best options for their respective positions, adding youth and speed like what you claim to want.

 

Colon is still a big if, Garcia the same. Pedro is right there with them. One may be signed as a 5th starter but the Sox I dont believe give out incentive laden deals very often. And where's Floyd in the rotation?

 

You want speed? you want youth? Were are you going to get it from? At what cost? What other abilities will that/those player(s) have?

Sure we can assemble a team on youth, get the Nook Logans, the Wily Taveras, the Corey Pattersons, Joey Gathrights, we can get a team of that. It wont be good, but we can could potentially get that. We could become the fastest team, and be awful, or we could strive to become balanced, have a couple big boppers, some high OBP guys, a little speed here or there or just guys who can score from second on singles and doubles. We need line drive hitters, not just pull and lift, but its nice to have that feared hitter too. You need balance, which means that yes we should add some speed, but not to the point where its going to make the team worse. Dont acquire speed just because, acquire it along with line drive hitters, high OBP to utilize the speed.

We NEED SPEED!!! YOUTH!!

No s***, Sherlock. We're talking about a bench option here. Take your sweeping statements and save them for later on down the line when you have a reason to make them.

Sure we can assemble a team on youth, get the Nook Logans, the Wily Taveras, the Corey Pattersons, Joey Gathrights, we can get a team of that.

What is this? 2001 when those guys were considered young?

You had Varitek and Pierzynski in the same lineup also.

You had Varitek and Pierzynski in the same lineup also.

If Hall can play 1b, I'm sure Varitek can handle some 2b.

You'd be crazy not to want Hinske on the bench, IMO, depending on if he doesn't cost a ton. He's a lefty who has some good pop, has some speed (10 swipes this past season), and can play all the corner positions with at least decent D. I'd be all for this move.

Edited November 19, 200817 yr by BearSox

What is this??? Seriously this is a waste of a post! So if Kenny went with the posts people made are team would look like this

 

Hinske

Ramirez

Quentin

Thome

Dye

Konerko

Varitek

Pierzynski

Getz

Fields

 

Colon

Garcia

Buehrle

P. Martinez

Danks

etc. etc.

 

We NEED SPEED!!! YOUTH!!

 

What is this? 2001 when those guys were considered young?

 

Just making an exaggerated point that superfast baseball players (with speed being their main asset) aren't usually GOOD baseball players OR football (Renaldo Nehemiah, Alexander Wright, etc.) players, although turning track stars into wide receivers makes a BIT more sense from a logic POV.

 

For every Vince Coleman or Willie McGee that drove the Cardinals' offense, there was a Curt Ford and fortunately for us, Lance Johnson, who didn't fit in. AHA. That's the type of player we need, the modern-day equivalent of the ONE DOG.

 

The players mentioned were just facetious mentionings of players who never amounted to much and are/were borderline starters/prospects/suspects.

 

With the White Sox, the name Julio Ramirez comes to mind, not really for his speed solely but as someone hyped as a five tool player that was a dud.

 

At least Pods had some "baseball skills" by the time he finally reached the majors with the Mariners, but he was still a pretty one-dimensional player.

Edited November 19, 200817 yr by caulfield12

What is this? 2001 when those guys were considered young?

Yea, my point was that we could acquire young speed guys and these were just the ones off the top of my head, my bad. I know that most are around 30 now.