November 17, 200916 yr White Sox Show Interest in Henry Blanco By Jason Gage Mark Gonzalez is reporting that the Chicago White Sox have expressed interest in former Chicago Cubs back-up catcher Henry Blanco. Blanco, 38, is widely regarded as a premier defensive back-up, having thrown out 43% of would be base stealers in his career (40% in 2009). By comparison sake, Sox catchers threw out just 32% of would be base-stealers.
November 17, 200916 yr This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 04:58 PM) White Sox Show Interest in Henry Blanco By Jason Gage Well, obviously this can't be true at all.
November 17, 200916 yr I won't believe this until Cowley writes about it... so I guess I will be waiting a few days....
November 17, 200916 yr Author QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 02:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. I commented in the further analysis section, but to me this makes sense for one of a few reasons: 1. If the Sox deemed Flowers ready offensively, they could utilize Flowers bat at DH while he continued to work with Don Cooper, AJ Pierzysnki, and Henry Blanco on the nuances of being a catcher. 2. If the Sox ultimately determined the Flowers wasn't ready (see below), the team could keep Flowers in AAA, where he can hone his offensive and defensive game. 3. The acquisition of any back-up could hypothetically allow GM Ken Williams to trade Tyler Flowers. Flowers does have the most power potential in the Sox system, but he also has some well documented swing flaws. Still, he's a safe bet to put up above average offensive numbers at the catching position, while playing league average defense, at a minimal cost.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 04:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. Things that make you go hmmm. . . .
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 04:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. This. Either they do not expect flowers to make the opening day roster, or he is being used as trade bait.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. They could just be doing their due diligence. For all we know, Flowers could be traded, play the year out in AAA, start out in Chicago and split time between catcher and DH....for all we know, the Sox could sign Blanco so they have the flexibility to move Flowers around as they please.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:00 PM) I won't believe this until Cowley writes about it... so I guess I will be waiting a few days.... He'll be too busy eating children until next week.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 03:00 PM) I commented in the further analysis section, but to me this makes sense for one of a few reasons: 1. If the Sox deemed Flowers ready offensively, they could utilize Flowers bat at DH while he continued to work with Don Cooper, AJ Pierzysnki, and Henry Blanco on the nuances of being a catcher. 2. If the Sox ultimately determined the Flowers wasn't ready (see below), the team could keep Flowers in AAA, where he can hone his offensive and defensive game. 3. The acquisition of any back-up could hypothetically allow GM Ken Williams to trade Tyler Flowers. Flowers does have the most power potential in the Sox system, but he also has some well documented swing flaws. Still, he's a safe bet to put up above average offensive numbers at the catching position, while playing league average defense, at a minimal cost. Replies: The Sox made every effort last season to make it seem that they thought Flowers was ready to contribute at the big league level, from jumping him up to AAA to bringing him up in August to the way that they talked about him. To go out and sign one of the more useful backups out there would make very little sense to me. Yeah, it would give us the chance to use Flowers as a DH. But at the same time, it would be just as likely, perhaps more likely, to cost him AB's unless he was going to wind up as a full time DH. Our manager would be very likely to give extra playing time to the veteran who can control a running game, and we all know that. If Flowers wasn't ready...then they were only talking him up for 1 reason, and that was as trade bait.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:04 PM) Replies: The Sox made every effort last season to make it seem that they thought Flowers was ready to contribute at the big league level, from jumping him up to AAA to bringing him up in August to the way that they talked about him. To go out and sign one of the more useful backups out there would make very little sense to me. Yeah, it would give us the chance to use Flowers as a DH. But at the same time, it would be just as likely, perhaps more likely, to cost him AB's unless he was going to wind up as a full time DH. Our manager would be very likely to give extra playing time to the veteran who can control a running game, and we all know that. If Flowers wasn't ready...then they were only talking him up for 1 reason, and that was as trade bait. I also believe they are talking up Jordan to be trade bait as well. But, if any trade falls through, they retain their value, and it is possible that the organization feels this way as well.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 03:10 PM) I also believe they are talking up Jordan to be trade bait as well. But, if any trade falls through, they retain their value, and it is possible that the organization feels this way as well. But...if you sign someone else and they get benched behind that person and never get the chance to develop...then their trade value goes down. Their trade value likely goes down the moment you sign someone else ahead of them, because it's a signal that you don't have confidence in the person.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:11 PM) But...if you sign someone else and they get benched behind that person and never get the chance to develop...then their trade value goes down. Their trade value likely goes down the moment you sign someone else ahead of them, because it's a signal that you don't have confidence in the person. With an advanced player, I'd agree. With a prospect like Tyler Flowers, I don't agree. It could be something as simple as wanting to save service time, and by signing Henry Blanco, you can have Flowers in the minors until June or so, saving some service time while letting him develop both offensively and defensively in a less demanding environment while maintaining some type of good production at the big league level. Then if you call him up, he can play wherever the Sox deem fit, be it DH, C, or 1B if his bat is good enough.
November 17, 200916 yr Interest in Blanco doesnt mean they're automatically trading Flowers. They may want to build his legend as a prospect in AAA. If he comes up and struggles both offensively and defensively, he takes a hit as an enticing piece of trade bait. Plus there's the whole thing of trying to be a division contender while playing a total x-factor behind the plate against lefties. And if you already know you want to bring in a true DH, then you are holding back his development having him start opening day as a once-in-awhile player. Edited November 17, 200916 yr by Princess Dye
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:00 PM) I won't believe this until Cowley writes about it... so I guess I will be waiting a few days.... :notworthy
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 03:27 PM) Interest in Blanco doesnt mean they're automatically trading Flowers. They may want to build his legend as a prospect in AAA. If he comes up and struggles both offensively and defensively, he takes a hit as an enticing piece of trade bait. Plus there's the whole thing of trying to be a division contender while playing a total x-factor behind the plate against lefties. And if you already know you want to bring in a true DH, then you are holding back his development having him start opening day as a once-in-awhile player. The other side of that though is...with the way they've made it sound, even spending $1 mil a year on a backup C is going to take $1 mil away from money that could be spent on our DH.
November 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 10:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. Tyler Flowers should get more seasoning at AAA next year so this, or any back up catcher, makes sense
November 18, 200916 yr QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:57 PM) Tyler Flowers should get more seasoning at AAA next year so this, or any back up catcher, makes sense That's the rub. Flowers needs to catch to get better. With AJP behind the plate, unless he gets hurt, and he's never been on the DL, he's going to catch 120-130 games. That would pretty much be a wasted year for Flowers if the Sox view him as a catcher down the road. Its a pretty rough decision, but if AJP were to go down, Flowers would leapfrog Blanco. I was hoping Blanco signed last year. He may have one more year left in him.
November 18, 200916 yr Most likely Blanco is AJ's backup and perhaps Flowers backup in 2011. If Blanco is signed through 2011 then he can also be insurance in case Flowers flops in 2011.
November 18, 200916 yr His career .228 batting and .658 OPS would fit in well with the backup catcher's we've had the last few years, I will grant that.
November 18, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 07:29 PM) His career .228 batting and .658 OPS would fit in well with the backup catcher's we've had the last few years, I will grant that. He's also pretty solid against lefties in his career, something to the tune of a .740 OPS, and he killed them last year (granted, it was like 70 plate appearances) Edited November 18, 200916 yr by witesoxfan
November 18, 200916 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:59 PM) This only makes sense if we don't expect Flowers with this organization in the near future. I think it makes more sense if we don't expect AJ with this organization in the near future
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