Lance Berkman

[Mattchoo]

I don't have a link, but I was listening to ESPN radio around 5:15 PM today, and Bruce Levine said that the Sox are actively seeking a hitter. He said a source told him they have been looking into Lance Berkman.

 

What do you all think about Berkman? He has been declining in recent years. His contract is $14.5M this year, with a club option at 15M next or $2M buyout. I can only think of the Sox acquiring him if they are trading salary or getting cash back from Houston. No way they are absorbing all that money for this year.

 

 

Also, Buster Onley tweeted this:

 

So far, two of the more active teams in early trade talks -- the White Sox and Mariners. Both teams are calling around looking for offense.

 

[Capn12]

Let me go ahead and get it posted first...

 

 

 

WHERE WOULD HE PLAY?!!?

[fathom]

Hell no to any temporary one year fixes that will cost us any resources.

[daggins]

Berk is a very good hitter, even now. He'd obviously be a huge boost on the left side. I'm not sure who he would replace, but it seems likely it would cut into Quentin's and Pierre's playing time first. The Sox can take on a lot of that salary, honestly. They were willing to pony up for Damon and have said they can add. As always, the hidden cost is the young talent given up to get him.

[justBLAZE]

Here is the article on ESPN.

 

Mentions that Sox are looking for hitters who can hit RHP and Houston would want young prospects, Jordan Danks being White Sox top prospect /headscratcher

Edited May 7, 2010 by justBLAZE

[jenksycat]

Pierre, Jones Q or PK would be gone then...

 

And JD2 for 5 months of Berkman? Are they joking?

Edited May 7, 2010 by Jenksy Cat

[DirtySox]

Pierre, Jones Q or PK would be gone then...

 

And JD2 for 5 months of Berkman? Are they joking?

 

Better than for Hudson or Flowers.

[knightni]

They need a power hitting 3B.

 

 

[jenksycat]

Better than for Hudson or Flowers.

 

I wouldn't give any of our "top" prospects for Berkman at this point. He's hurt and hitting .213

[caulfield12]

Morel's not a power hitting 3B.

 

Viciedo COULD be, were he actually able to play 3B competently.

 

For Houston, though, it's similar to the Peavy deal, salary dump....although they'll expect something better than John Shelby III or Cleveland Santeliz.

[knightni]

Morel's not a power hitting 3B.

 

Viciedo COULD be, were he actually able to play 3B competently.

 

For Houston, though, it's similar to the Peavy deal, salary dump....although they'll expect something better than John Shelby III or Cleveland Santeliz.

Aramis Ramirez, perhaps?

[southsider2k5]

Keep in mind that Berkman's contract is just a few million more than Konerko's. He pretty much replaces him for this year. If we were to trade for him today, we are looking at assuming about 80% of his annual salary. If it waits until Memorial Day-ish, whem most teams start to deal, that leaves the Sox only with about 2/3 of his salary for this year.

[caulfield12]

The Astros really want to get out from under the dubious Carlos Lee contract.

 

Good luck with that one Drayton McLane.

 

Unfortunately, just like the position DD in Detroit found himself in, the Astros will have to sacrifice some core components like Berkman because there's no market for El Caballo.

 

Detroit showed you could shed salary and get better or comparable players back for lower payroll numbers. Austin Jackson would be ROY right now and Scherzer has been better (and cheaper) than Edwin Jackson, who's looking like a "one year wonder" now, considering he should be prospering in the NL West.

Edited May 7, 2010 by caulfield12

[T R U]

Drayton McLane was on the radio today and said that he has no intentions of dealing Berkman, and even with their slow start have no intentions of trading away their big name players.. obviously that could change, but I doubt it.. even when they have stunk in the first half in years past they have never really been one to trade away their big players..

[Jordan4life_2007]

Drayton McLane was on the radio today and said that he has no intentions of dealing Berkman, and even with their slow start have no intentions of trading away their big name players.. obviously that could change, but I doubt it.. even when they have stunk in the first half in years past they have never really been one to trade away their big players..

 

And this is one of the reasons that organization is in the TERRIBLE shape they're in.

[chisoxfan09]

And this is one of the reasons that organization is in the TERRIBLE shape they're in.

 

Kinda sounds like us a little.

[T R U]

And this is one of the reasons that organization is in the TERRIBLE shape they're in.

 

Yeah I know, they have a terrible front office..

 

They haven't made a good trade in YEARS.. the trades they make are for the Randy Johnsons and the Carlos Beltrans who stay half a season and then are out the door..

 

Its why they are going to be bad for a while, they would rather keep Oswalt and Berkman around till their worthless than make a smart move for the organization..

[caulfield12]

Well, you could definitely make the argument that we should have cashed in our chips with Joe Crede and Bobby Jenks before they lost all their value.

 

We waited until Fields and Anderson were basically worth nothing, not to mention Lance Broadway. Uribe walked away with nothing in return.

 

The big debates are going to start centering around trading Buehrle and Danks, the two moves that could sink this organization for 4-5 years or propel us quickly back into contention in just a couple of seasons. (Yes, look at the Twins, they survived horrible trade returns for Santana and Garza/Bartlett and are still prospering because of their farm system resupplying major leaguers to replace aging veterans like Hunter, Jacque Jones, Shannon Stewart and Radke).

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

Well, you could definitely make the argument that we should have cashed in our chips with Joe Crede and Bobby Jenks before they lost all their value.

 

We waited until Fields and Anderson were basically worth nothing, not to mention Lance Broadway. Uribe walked away with nothing in return.

 

The big debates are going to start centering around trading Buehrle and Danks, the two moves that could sink this organization for 4-5 years or propel us quickly back into contention in just a couple of seasons. (Yes, look at the Twins, they survived horrible trade returns for Santana and Garza/Bartlett and are still prospering because of their farm system resupplying major leaguers to replace aging veterans like Hunter, Jacque Jones, Shannon Stewart and Radke).

 

We thought Fields and Anderson were the future at 3B & CF, they weren't trading chips. It turned out we were wrong, so of course they had no value. Did you expect a team to give a top prospect for Juan Uribe????

[RockRaines]

Drayton McLane was on the radio today and said that he has no intentions of dealing Berkman, and even with their slow start have no intentions of trading away their big name players.. obviously that could change, but I doubt it.. even when they have stunk in the first half in years past they have never really been one to trade away their big players..

He may say that, but I know they had conversations about him previously in the offseason. In fact I posted it several months ago.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Well, you could definitely make the argument that we should have cashed in our chips with Joe Crede and Bobby Jenks before they lost all their value.

 

We waited until Fields and Anderson were basically worth nothing, not to mention Lance Broadway. Uribe walked away with nothing in return.

 

You could, but it'd be a losing argument aside from Jenks, with whom I agree with you about. But that's it.

 

Fields and Anderson were being groomed for future starting spots here, there was no desire from the organization to trade them. Uribe was a FA and had zero trade value anyways so I don't see the point in bringing him up other than adding a name to your name drop counter on this post. And Broadway never really had any significant value at any point with us anyways.

 

The big debates are going to start centering around trading Buehrle and Danks, the two moves that could sink this organization for 4-5 years or propel us quickly back into contention in just a couple of seasons.

 

Buehrle has limited value in trade and I'd rather keep Danks to build around.

 

(Yes, look at the Twins, they survived horrible trade returns for Santana and Garza/Bartlett and are still prospering because of their farm system resupplying major leaguers to replace aging veterans like Hunter, Jacque Jones, Shannon Stewart and Radke).

 

http://boards.espn.go.com/boards/mb/mb?sport=mlb&id=min

 

 

[Balta1701]

Hell no to any temporary one year fixes that will cost us any resources.

I agree. Unless Q and Beckham start rolling, it makes no sense to try to play for this season.

[NorthSideSox72]

I agree. Unless Q and Beckham start rolling, it makes no sense to try to play for this season.

I find it incredibly unlikely that those two keep hitting near .200, nor will Pierre for that matter.

 

[BigSqwert]

I find it incredibly unlikely that those two keep hitting near .200, nor will Pierre for that matter.

Pierre is actually having a solid month of May so far. He's coming around. Now for the other 2.

[Balta1701]

I find it incredibly unlikely that those two keep hitting near .200, nor will Pierre for that matter.

Every time I think Beckham might be seeing the ball well (Royals series) he follows it up with a 3 K night like last night.

 

Juan Pierre is regularly hitting the ball harder than Carlos Quentin.