Paul White just said that the Sox are the favs to sign Cespedes

 

Also, Knobler just wrote again, that the Sox are very interested in Cespedes

Edited December 22, 201114 yr by SOXOBAMA

Paul White just said that the Sox are the favs to sign Cespedes

 

Also, Knobler just wrote again, that the Sox are very interested in Cespedes

KW did spend a lot of time scouting in Cuba and latin america recently. Didn't he? My boss knows a guy who works for the Sox and he just texted me and said that the Sox are hardcore pursuing this guy and hope to lock him up soon. His comfort level playing with Viciedo and Ramirez gives the Sox the edge!

KW did spend a lot of time scouting in Cuba and latin america recently. Didn't he? My boss knows a guy who works for the Sox and he just texted me and said that the Sox are hardcore pursuing this guy and hope to lock him up soon. His comfort level playing with Viciedo and Ramirez gives the Sox the edge!

Although he may have seen this kid elsewhere in Latin America, KW could not have been "Scouting" in Cuba without the permission of both the U.S. and Cuban governments, and he wouldn't have gotten that.

Kenny Williams said the White Sox were rebuilding.

 

He never said they were trying to lose.

 

He definitely never said that the White Sox were looking at a long-term rebuilding project.

 

The White Sox's decision to sign John Danks to a five-year, $65 million contract, after spending the first part of the winter trying to trade their left-handed starter, certainly caught people by surprise. But it may not be the complete about-face that it at first seemed to be.

 

First off, Danks is still just 26. Even when Williams was talking about rebuilding, he was primarily talking about getting younger. A 26-year-old lefty who has averaged 195 innings a year over the last four seasons fits in perfectly, once you're sure you won't lose him to free agency in another year.

 

Second, the White Sox knew they were never going to be able to trade high-priced players like Alex Rios, Adam Dunn or Jake Peavy, and almost certainly weren't going to trade Paul Konerko, either. It's not like they were ever going to slash their payroll down to nothing.

 

Third, the word in both the international scouting community and among White Sox people is that the Sox could be very involved in the bidding for 26-year-old Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who should become a free agent next month.

 

Fourth, the White Sox play in the American League Central. Yes, the Tigers look strong, the Royals are getting better and the Indians are trying harder, but this is not the toughest division in the game.

 

In fact, some White Sox people cringed when Williams began talking openly about "rebuilding."

 

"We are not rebuilding," one of them said forcefully.

 

Now, with Danks signed, some of those White Sox people were actually talking Thursday about what needs to happen for them to win in 2012.

 

Chris Sale needs to effectively take Mark Buehrle's spot in the rotation. Peavy needs to be better, a year further on from surgery.

 

Dunn and/or Rios need to bounce back.

 

Oh, and someone needs to take Sergio Santos' place as closer.

 

The Santos trade, to Toronto for pitching prospect Nestor Molina, is the only deal the Sox have made so far in their "rebuilding" winter. It fit the rebuilding mode, although it is worth remembering that while Santos has just two years in the big leagues, he is a year and a half older than Danks.

 

Perhaps the White Sox will still trade Gavin Floyd. It still wouldn't surprise anyone if they deal Carlos Quentin, especially with Dayan Viciedo waiting (and maybe Cespedes, too).

 

But a complete rebuilding?

 

No, that's the team on the other side of town.

 

 

http://danny-knobler.blogs.cbssports.com/m...590096/33992280

Sign this guy!

KW did spend a lot of time scouting in Cuba and latin america recently. Didn't he? My boss knows a guy who works for the Sox and he just texted me and said that the Sox are hardcore pursuing this guy and hope to lock him up soon. His comfort level playing with Viciedo and Ramirez gives the Sox the edge!

Cespedes doesn't even have residency in the DR yet, meaning he's not even technically a free agent at this point. The earliest anyone will be able to sign him will probably be early next year.

Sweet swing...dramatic intro...then they bust out with the Christopher Cross song?!?

Cespedes doesn't even have residency in the DR yet, meaning he's not even technically a free agent at this point. The earliest anyone will be able to sign him will probably be early next year.

 

 

so 10 days from now eh? that's pretty soon

Paul White just said that the Sox are the favs to sign Cespedes

 

Also, Knobler just wrote again, that the Sox are very interested in Cespedes

 

Who is this Paul White and why does he think we are getting everyone? Did you just make him up?

Who is this Paul White and why does he think we are getting everyone? Did you just make him up?

 

He is a MLB writer for the USA Today.

He is a MLB writer for the USA Today.

 

Other writers also reporting White Sox strong on Cespedes...

If the Sox did land Cespedes, he would start off in the minors, right? I wonder what level he'd start off in.

Edited December 22, 201114 yr by Chet Kincaid

If the Sox did land Cespedes, he would start off in the minors, right? I wonder what level he'd start off in.

I certainly thought Alexei belonged in the minors all the way up until May 2008 when he started getting regular playing time, and the dude totally proved me wrong.

If the Sox did land Cespedes, he would start off in the minors, right? I wonder what level he'd start off in.

 

I think it would depend how he looked in ST

 

They say the Cuban leagues are like AA so I'd imagine he started in AAA if he was in the minors at all

So an outfield of Viciedo in right, Cespedes in center, and DeAza in left?

 

Sounds very interesting...

 

How can we bid on him we cannot spend $1.00 with only 50 cents as KW would say!

How can we bid on him we cannot spend $1.00 with only 50 cents as KW would say!

 

 

Good point

So an outfield of Viciedo in right, Cespedes in center, and DeAza in left?

 

Sounds very interesting... :

 

 

No I think Quentin is in right

I think it would depend how he looked in ST

 

They say the Cuban leagues are like AA so I'd imagine he started in AAA if he was in the minors at all

 

He would start off in AAA and the Cuban leagues are Independant league level, low A at best.

So an outfield of Viciedo in right, Cespedes in center, and DeAza in left?

 

Sounds very interesting...

 

Cespedes is not a MLB CF. He's a corner.

Cespedes is not a MLB CF. He's a corner.

Sez who?

 

I fear that if the Sox are in the lead for this guy, he's not that good.

 

 

I fear that if the Sox are in the lead for this guy, he's not that good.

During the KW years, the Sox have won bidding on two players: Ramirez and Viciedo. Seems to me those have both worked out pretty well so far. It is always a gamble, but your fear seems to have no roots in reality.

 

During the KW years, the Sox have won bidding on two players: Ramirez and Viciedo. Seems to me those have both worked out pretty well so far. It is always a gamble, but your fear seems to have no roots in reality.

 

Yeah, as little action as we have had with Cuban players, we have had great success. I trust our scouting that Cepedes is worth it.

He would start off in AAA and the Cuban leagues are Independant league level, low A at best.

 

 

Split the difference.

 

Definitely not Low A. Otherwise, one of their less-heralded prospects in Alexei Ramirez couldn't just show up in the big leagues out of thin air (and thin frame) and have such a major impact.

 

Most put the level at somewhere between High A and AA.

 

Cespedes would undoubtedly start in AA Birmingham, were he to be signed.