Seems like a slow moving free agent market. Does Kenny wait till mid feb swoop in and grab some cheap veteran arms?

 

 

Right-handed relievers

David Aardsma (29)

Jeremy Accardo (30)

Luis Ayala (34)

Danys Baez (34)

Miguel Batista (41)

Taylor Buchholz (30)

Shawn Camp (36) - Type B, no arbitration offer

Todd Coffey (31)

Juan Cruz (31)

Chad Durbin (34)

Aaron Heilman (33)

Clay Hensley (32)

Jason Isringhausen (39)

Brad Lidge (35) - Type B, no arbitration offer

Scott Linebrink (35)

Pat Neshek (31)

Ramon Ortiz (39)

Micah Owings (29)

Vicente Padilla (34)

Tony Pena (30)

Chad Qualls (33)

Dan Wheeler (34) - Type B, offered arbitration

Kerry Wood (35) - Type B, no arbitration offer

Jamey Wright (37)

Michael Wuertz (33)

Joel Zumaya (27)

 

Left-handed relievers

Rich Hill (32)

Mike Gonzalez (34)

Damaso Marte (37)

Trever Miller (39)

Arthur Rhodes (41) - Type B, no arbitration offer

Doug Slaten (32)

Brian Tallet (34)

 

 

 

I doubt he picks up any FA's, unless they are at the minimum on minor league deals...

 

Definite: Crain, Ohman, Thornton (unless traded), Reed

 

Probable (IMO): Stewart

 

If Thornton is traded, then add one of: Quintana, Santiago, Veal, Leesman, Hernandez

 

Then add one or two of the following (in no particular order):

 

Dylan Axelrod (though I'd prefer he be starting in Charlotte, and may be in the rotation if Floyd is traded)

Anthony Carter

Deunte Heath

Gregori Infante

Nate Jones

Jhan Marinez

Dan Remenowsky

Brian Bruney

Brandon Kloess

 

Those are the guys who will see game innings in ST. Should be a fun horse race to watch.

Hernandez, Stewart and Castro all might factor into the bullpen equation as well.

 

Most want Stewart and Castro starting in AAA/AA, but Hernandez has a better shot than anyone but Santiago going in at the 3rd LOOGY role....

 

 

Edited January 7, 201214 yr by caulfield12

Hernandez, Stewart and Castro all might factor into the bullpen equation as well.

 

Most want Stewart and Castro starting in AAA/AA, but Hernandez has a better shot than anyone but Santiago going in at the 3rd LOOGY role....

Did you miss the part where I listed Stewart?

 

And I don't see them putting Castro in the bullpen, they want him starting, I'd bet on it.

 

I did forget about Hernandez though, I will add him to my post.

 

I doubt he picks up any FA's, unless they are at the minimum on minor league deals...

 

Definite: Crain, Ohman, Thornton (unless traded), Reed

 

Probable (IMO): Stewart

 

If Thornton is traded, then add one of: Quintana, Santiago, Veal

 

Then add one or two of the following (in no particular order):

 

Dylan Axelrod (though I'd prefer he be starting in Charlotte, and may be in the rotation if Floyd is traded)

Anthony Carter

Deunte Heath

Gregori Infante

Nate Jones

Jhan Marinez

Dan Remenowsky

Miguel Socolovich

Brian Bruney

 

Those are the guys who will see game innings in ST. Should be a fun horse race to watch.

 

Socolovich is no longer in the organization. And I don't think Bruney was resigned. You could add Stults to the LHP group. Either way that's a big group of mediocre pitchers I've ever seen, and I bet this team has a revolving door of sorts for some spots in the bullpen.

 

Socolovich is no longer in the organization. And I don't think Bruney was resigned. You could add Stults to the LHP group. Either way that's a big group of mediocre pitchers I've ever seen, and I bet this team has a revolving door of sorts for some spots in the bullpen.

Wait, I thought Bruney did indeed re-sign? Maybe I am hallucinating.

 

But thanks on Socolovich, I missed that one.

 

Just confirmed, Bruney DID re-sign, per CSN Chicago:

 

Brian Bruney: The Sox brought Bruney back on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training after the righty posted a 5.87 ERA with the Sox in 2011. He had some decent results in the majors before regressing hard in his final few games, after which he was designated for assignment. He doesn't have much upside, but at least the Sox will be aware of what they're getting if he winds up in the 2012 bullpen.

 

Wait, I thought Bruney did indeed re-sign? Maybe I am hallucinating.

 

But thanks on Socolovich, I missed that one.

 

I'm almost positive Bruney resigned. 99.9% sure.

I am worried about the bullpen. This might be our worst bullpen since 2007. No clear closer. I think that KW has to try to sign another veteran RH reliever. I really wish that we held onto Santos.

 

I am worried about the bullpen. This might be our worst bullpen since 2007. No clear closer. I think that KW has to try to sign another veteran RH reliever. I really wish that we held onto Santos.

Do you not realize the direction this team is taking next season?

 

If anything, it's smart for KW to unload all of our relievers for whatever value we can get for them, whether now or at the deadline.

Do you not realize the direction this team is taking next season?

 

If anything, it's smart for KW to unload all of our relievers for whatever value we can get for them, whether now or at the deadline.

 

We had Santos as a low price for long period of time. Santos is making $1M in 2012. Molina is going to have be a solid front line starter to make that a fair trade.

 

The only reason to hold onto Crain, Thornton and Ohman is to have some veteran presence in the bullpen...and to be able to compete in 2012.

 

That's it, the rest of the bullpen is going to have to be piecemeal, a work in progress.

 

Gone are the days where we can go out and spend on the likes of Dotel and Linebrink, let alone Crain/Thornton/Ohman.

 

The best bet is Thornton's gone before the season starts, and Crain sometime in June/July if the team isn't contending.

 

 

And there's no guarantee we even need to go with 7 pitchers (simply because Ozzie did it)....if Humber and Peavy can be 100% healthy, of course, there's no Buehrle to eat innings. Floyd and Danks can have their struggles to get to the 7th with under 100 pitches, historically. The biggest question mark in terms of durability and pitch counts is clearly going to be Sale, with Humber and Peavy a tie for 2nd in terms of worry/concern/uncertainty.

 

On paper, the pen's now one of the biggest weaknesses on the team, but all the moves in the last six months....if nothing else, have given us some quality that COULD be nurtured at the back end of the bullpen.

 

Just depends on what direction they choose to go with Stewart, Santiago and Castro, short-term versus long-term strategic thinking.

 

Even if we had the best bullpen in the AL last year, it wasn't enough to make up for the offensive deficiencies and so-so results from the starting pitchers.

Edited January 7, 201214 yr by caulfield12

We had Santos as a low price for long period of time. Santos is making $1M in 2012. Molina is going to have be a solid front line starter to make that a fair trade.

 

And you're going to have to believe that Santos will be capable of putting up an 80-85% save conversion rate in the 2nd deepest division in baseball, if not the best.

 

Who's to say a young closer like Santos won't end up like Aardsma or MacDougal and be a blown contract?

 

Of course, there's also no guarantee Molina will be a #3 starter to replace Floyd, either.

 

 

We had Santos as a low price for long period of time. Santos is making $1M in 2012. Molina is going to have be a solid front line starter to make that a fair trade.

Closers are only useful when you have pitchers that will keep you in the game until you get to them.

 

Starters are immensely more valuable to a team than closers, a mediocre starter will be worth an elite closer fairly easily.

Just confirmed, Bruney DID re-sign, per CSN Chicago:

 

Brian Bruney: The Sox brought Bruney back on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training after the righty posted a 5.87 ERA with the Sox in 2011. He had some decent results in the majors before regressing hard in his final few games, after which he was designated for assignment. He doesn't have much upside, but at least the Sox will be aware of what they're getting if he winds up in the 2012 bullpen.

 

Ahh, thanks for that. I remember hearing he was interested in returning, but I never saw an official press release or something.

Wonder if the Sox would be interested in Zumaya (he'd have to go through 5 physicals, MRI's, etc.) on a one-year, incentive-laden deal.

 

Might be a good buy low, sell high candidate and fixer/upper for Cooper.

Miguel Socolovich? That's a real person? It sounds like one of those randomly generated names from Madden with two completely different first and last names.

 

I don't care what anyone says, I don't want to see Jhan Marinez on the major league roster at any point. Both his first and last name somehow make me angry.

 

I see that Vicente Padilla is out there. Hopefully KW offers him a contract, then when Padilla is just about to put pen to paper, KW choke slams him through the Spanish announce table.

99.9% sure.

 

You've never been here before?

 

Just confirmed, Bruney DID re-sign, per CSN Chicago:

 

Brian Bruney: The Sox brought Bruney back on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training after the righty posted a 5.87 ERA with the Sox in 2011. He had some decent results in the majors before regressing hard in his final few games, after which he was designated for assignment. He doesn't have much upside, but at least the Sox will be aware of what they're getting if he winds up in the 2012 bullpen.

 

If a 5.87 ERA doesn't warrant another invitation, I don't know what does.

Ahh, thanks for that. I remember hearing he was interested in returning, but I never saw an official press release or something.

 

They'll probably release a complete list of non-roster invites in the next couple weeks. Bruney and Eric Stults have been mentioned in the last couple months.

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Bruney has a straighter fastball with less life on it than the 2003 version of Billy Koch, which is saying something.

Edited January 7, 201214 yr by JohnCangelosi

Brian Bruney has a straighter fastball with less life on it than the 2003 version of Billy Koch, which is saying something.

....and Kenny gave Koch $6MM.

....and Kenny gave Koch $6MM.

If only it'd have been $12...he could have been stolen to be the Cubs GM.

You've never been here before?

 

 

 

If a 5.87 ERA doesn't warrant another invitation, I don't know what does.

 

 

KW was trying to hype Jon Adkins with a AAA/AA ERA of almost 1.5X that when he was acquired.

 

I'm sure there's some way to spin it...his ERA before the last 3-5 outing was 3.21 or something like that, whatever the numbers are.

I'm sure there's some way to spin it...his ERA before the last 3-5 outing was 3.21 or something like that, whatever the numbers are.

Everyone here said that the low ERA was bound to go up because his peripherals were horrible. And they were right!

Everyone here said that the low ERA was bound to go up because his peripherals were horrible. And they were right!

 

It's because Ozzie overused him in too many high leverage situations.

 

If he was put into DJ Carasco scenarios, he would have looked much better at the end of the season.