Who do you want?

 

But more importantly, who do you think it will be?

To tell you the truth, I want Thome. I like Dye a lot, but I think Thome serves better as an on base machine when he's not hitting HRs. Plus, he's left-handed.

Maybe, we won't have to make predictions. I'm just wondering how much more THome has to prove. He might retire. that would be a possibility.

I would like to see Jim Thome go another year but I think he is going to retire.

To tell you the truth, I want Thome. I like Dye a lot, but I think Thome serves better as an on base machine when he's not hitting HRs. Plus, he's left-handed.

I would love Thome to get his 600th HR here but honestly we need to think more long term. Dye fits that bill better. He could still play a decent RF which would give Ozzie more flexibility. I expect Dye to sign a 3 year deal worth about 6-8 million/season which would be a bargain with his production.

Dye. If Thome comes back I'm gonna be really pissed. I like him, and he's the left handed power hitter we need but we need to look long term

No braner, Thome on a 1-year deal. Especially if they get Rios.

If Thome wants to come back for a bargain next year...I'd have a hard time passing that up. Besides, I'm worried about our lineup becoming a bit right handed dominated as we move forward. Its not a big issue, but something to take into consideration.

If Thome wants to come back for a bargain next year...I'd have a hard time passing that up. Besides, I'm worried about our lineup becoming a bit right handed dominated as we move forward. Its not a big issue, but something to take into consideration.

I agree with this, and I think Thome is the kind of guy who'd consider a discounted return, but I think he'd still get a multi-year offer from somebody. (Probably just a 2-year deal, but that would basically guarantee he gets to 600 barring injury).

I'd love to see him come back, he's one of my favorite players, but the Sox are doing a nice job of blending young players in, and being able to move Dye to DH would probably be best if there was a younger OF to replace him.

Thome would probably be cheaper, and this year he has 3 less homers but more RBI in 82 less AB. He has a higher OPS, neither are getting any younger. BTW, throw out Thome's last year in Philadelphia when he was injured, and he's only had 1 season since 1993 with an OPS less than Dye's current .867. That was last season when it was .865. Considering what kind of guy Thome is, its amazing how little he has been appreciated relatively speaking since joining the White Sox. His 3 seasons before this one, were the 3 highest homer seasons for a LH hitter in franchise history. Ventura is tied with Thome's 34 total of 2008. He gets on base, has had some huge hits, doesn't say anything stupid and is heading to the HOF.

 

Dye might outproduce him the next couple of years, but the difference in probable paychecks and not knowing how Dye would adjust to being a DH or even if it was something he would be a party to, makes the decision pretty easy.

Edited August 9, 200916 yr by Dick Allen

I agree. Despite JD's solid bat, Big Jim is simply more valuable to the White Sox as currently constructed due to his lefthandedness. I'd keep Thome. I just hope Kenny has the stones to make that decision.

 

Thome currently leads the team in OPS at .903. I expect that number to increase as Jimmy has been known to get quite hot around this time of year...

Edited August 9, 200916 yr by iamshack

Wow. JD's OPS really took a drop. He's been passed by Thome, a guy some considered "done" back in April. Dye is going to cost too much.

If Dye would agree to LF, his defense might be better.

If Dye would agree to LF, his defense might be better.

His defense is going to be bad no matter where you play him. He's just too damn slow to play the outfield everyday, left field would be no exception. Also; He hasn't played multiple games in LF since 1996, having him learn new angles at age 36 is not going to make him a more competent defender. If Dye is brought back next year it needs to be as a DH, at some point this team is going to have to place a premium on defense, something they've completely ignored in recent years.

Let Thome go, keep Dye for '10, trade for Dunn, and have those two split time as the DH.

Let Thome go, keep Dye for '10, trade for Dunn, and have those two split time as the DH.

Why would either player go for that and how is that at all financially responsible?

I do think the White Sox, as soon as the Thome and/or Dye eras run their course, will try to get away from the DH-only type of player, at least for a year. It would be a nice way to rest regulars while keeping their bats in the line-up.

Why would either player go for that and how is that at all financially responsible?

 

Is there a Mutual Option in '10 for Dye? Would Dye not agree to come back? I honestly don't know, so please explain. I guess it's financially responsible because Dye would be worth the money for '10 and letting Thome go frees up some salary (as would Dotel and Count's contracts). Trading for Dunn would be responsible to fill the hole left by Thome's exit. Having Dye DH part of the time and play corner OF the other part of the time over a season is more responsible than expecting to run him out and play in the field 150+ games.

Is there a Mutual Option in '10 for Dye? Would Dye not agree to come back? I honestly don't know, so please explain. I guess it's financially responsible because Dye would be worth the money for '10 and letting Thome go frees up some salary (as would Dotel and Count's contracts). Trading for Dunn would be responsible to fill the hole left by Thome's exit. Having Dye DH part of the time and play corner OF the other part of the time over a season is more responsible than expecting to run him out and play in the field 150+ games.

Yeah, it's a mutual option which means it won't be exercised (those things never are). I assumed you were referring to a platoon situation at DH. Regardless, Dye and Dunn really have no business playing the field at this point, I really have no interest in going through another year with one of the game's top 3 worst defenders in a corner spot, this pitching staff isn't designed to handle that kind of incompetence behind them.

Yeah, it's a mutual option which means it won't be exercised (those things never are). I assumed you were referring to a platoon situation at DH. Regardless, Dye and Dunn really have no business playing the field at this point, I really have no interest in going through another year with one of the game's top 3 worst defenders in a corner spot, this pitching staff isn't designed to handle that kind of incompetence behind them.

 

Regarding the mutual option, so it boils down to either the player gets a new multi-year deal or they leave? I never knew how they worked, I just figured he and the team would agree on $12 mil for '10 and let it ride.

Regarding the mutual option, so it boils down to either the player gets a new multi-year deal or they leave? I never knew how they worked, I just figured he and the team would agree on $12 mil for '10 and let it ride.

 

I believe the way it works is : First, Jermaine Dye decides whether or not he wants the option. If he says yes, then the team says yes or no. If either side says no, then no option.

Regarding the mutual option, so it boils down to either the player gets a new multi-year deal or they leave? I never knew how they worked, I just figured he and the team would agree on $12 mil for '10 and let it ride.

Both sides have to agree to pick up the $12M option. If Dye is willing to come back for 1 year at $12M and the Sox think the same of him then the option can be exercised and he'll be under contract for another year at $12M. However, this almost never happens since usually one side doesn't agree that the player is worth the exact value of the option on a 1 year deal. I really can't see how Jermaine Dye is worth $12M in this economy given that he's pretty much a DH at this point in his career and someone like Thome is probably looking at ~$6M next season and is outproducing Dye right now and Bobby Abreu (who it also can be argued is a more valuable player than Dye) just signed a 1 year, $5M deal this past offseason.

Both sides have to agree to pick up the $12M option. If Dye is willing to come back for 1 year at $12M and the Sox think the same of him then the option can be exercised and he'll be under contract for another year at $12M. However, this almost never happens since usually one side doesn't agree that the player is worth the exact value of the option on a 1 year deal. I really can't see how Jermaine Dye is worth $12M in this economy given that he's pretty much a DH at this point in his career and someone like Thome is probably looking at ~$6M next season and is outproducing Dye right now and Bobby Abreu (who it also can be argued is a more valuable player than Dye) just signed a 1 year, $5M deal this past offseason.

The more i am reading this thread, the more i am leaning toward keeping Thome over Dye. Thome would want nothing more but a 1 year deal for like 5 million. You could use that extra 7 million to sign Figgins for LF. I'd take Thome AND Figgins over just Dye. If we get Rios this year we have an OF of Figgins, Rios and Q which isn't too shabby. You would have Thome, PK and AJ off the books after 2010 leaving even more flexibility for KW.

 

 

Thome would probably be cheaper, and this year he has 3 less homers but more RBI in 82 less AB. He has a higher OPS, neither are getting any younger. BTW, throw out Thome's last year in Philadelphia when he was injured, and he's only had 1 season since 1993 with an OPS less than Dye's current .867. That was last season when it was .865. Considering what kind of guy Thome is, its amazing how little he has been appreciated relatively speaking since joining the White Sox. His 3 seasons before this one, were the 3 highest homer seasons for a LH hitter in franchise history. Ventura is tied with Thome's 34 total of 2008. He gets on base, has had some huge hits, doesn't say anything stupid and is heading to the HOF.

 

Dye might outproduce him the next couple of years, but the difference in probable paychecks and not knowing how Dye would adjust to being a DH or even if it was something he would be a party to, makes the decision pretty easy.

This.

 

He's the anti-BA.

Considering what kind of guy Thome is, its amazing how little he has been appreciated relatively speaking since joining the White Sox.

 

Dye might outproduce him the next couple of years, but the difference in probable paychecks and not knowing how Dye would adjust to being a DH or even if it was something he would be a party to, makes the decision pretty easy.

Dye won the White Sox nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award this year and is on the United Way commercials.