If the Sox wanted to do that, they'd have traded for a CF prospect instead of a ML ready CF.

 

I don't think this is necessarily true.

C'mon, Eaton is a virtual lock to start the season in CF; he might not end the season there, but he'll almost certainly start it there. That's why they made the trade.

 

Regarding Davidson, I remain surprised that so many here think he will start 2014 in AAA. I cannot see Hahn trading Reed for Davidson just to put him in Charlotte for more seasoning. Reed is simply too attractive to too many teams not to get a major league player for him. If Davidson starts at Charlotte and hits .250ish, this could turn out to be an unpopular trade, at least initially. Reed should do well in AZ.

C'mon, Eaton is a virtual lock to start the season in CF; he might not end the season there, but he'll almost certainly start it there. That's why they made the trade.

 

Regarding Davidson, I remain surprised that so many here think he will start 2014 in AAA. I cannot see Hahn trading Reed for Davidson just to put him in Charlotte for more seasoning. Reed is simply too attractive to too many teams not to get a major league player for him. If Davidson starts at Charlotte and hits .250ish, this could turn out to be an unpopular trade, at least initially. Reed should do well in AZ.

 

I don't think Hahn should give a damn about the perception of getting an immediate major league player in return for Reed. Davidson is part of the White Sox future and I think he could use some more time in AAA. I think the risk of him hitting .200ish in the majors and losing confidence is more real than him doing poorly in Charlotte.

 

This quote also makes me think he is probably destined for Charlotte.

 

"I want to stick in the big leagues," Davidson said. "I don't want to be just up and down. Whenever that timetable is, I'm okay with that as long as the long term is sticking there."

Edited January 29, 201412 yr by southside hitman

Then why is he still here?

 

For one, Viciedo has not yet managed to be a better player than him. Last year he was not even a better power hitter (his only plus tool?).

For one, Viciedo has not yet managed to be a better player than him. Last year he was not even a better power hitter (his only plus tool?).

You keep saying this for some reason, probably because De Aza was able to hit 3 more HRs than Viciedo in 43% more plate appearances. Fact is Viciedo's ISO was .161 and De Aza's was .142. Viciedo was the better power hitter...end of story.

You keep saying this for some reason, probably because De Aza was able to hit 3 more HRs than Viciedo in 43% more plate appearances. Fact is Viciedo's ISO was .161 and De Aza's was .142. Viciedo was the better power hitter...end of story.

 

You are right, Viciedo had a slightly higher ISO, though De Aza hit more home runs. I also thought Viciedo had more PAs than he did. My point still stands, that it shouldn't even be close when it is the only thing Viciedo can (theoretically) do better than an average player. It's why De Aza has accrued 4.9 WAR over the past 2 seasons compared to Viciedo's 0.2 WAR.

You are right, Viciedo had a slightly higher ISO, though De Aza hit more home runs. I also thought Viciedo had more PAs than he did. My point still stands, that it shouldn't even be close when it is the only thing Viciedo can (theoretically) do better than an average player. It's why De Aza has accrued 4.9 WAR over the past 2 seasons compared to Viciedo's 0.2 WAR.

No doubt Viciedo has been a huge disappointment, but I still believe in the talent. Also, I feel that working with Steverson will help Dayan as much as anyone. Selective aggressiveness is Steverson's big philosophy and the lack of it is what's preventing Viciedo from becoming an impact hitter. Don't get me wrong, Dayan will always be a bit of a free-swinger, but even a small improvement in his selectiveness would make him way more dangerous at the plate.

No doubt Viciedo has been a huge disappointment, but I still believe in the talent. Also, I feel that working with Steverson will help Dayan as much as anyone. Selective aggressiveness is Steverson's big philosophy and the lack of it is what's preventing Viciedo from becoming an impact hitter. Don't get me wrong, Dayan will always be a bit of a free-swinger, but even a small improvement in his selectiveness would make him way more dangerous at the plate.

Definitely agree with this. In the view brief periods during which Viciedo was completely eating MLB alive, it's not as though he was repeatedly being served meatballs. He was laying off some pitches and clobbering the ones in the zone. I really still think he has it in him, it's just not manifested itself. One of my biggest hopes for 2014 is that we can clear the DH spot so he can occupy it and work on his hitting while not costing us in the field.

Worth noting Dayan is only 24. If he was only just now getting called up, he'd be pretty age appropriate.

 

Hopefully Steverson taps into his abilities.

Worth noting Dayan is only 24. If he was only just now getting called up, he'd be pretty age appropriate.

 

Hopefully Steverson taps into his abilities.

From top to bottom the entire system has come a long way in a short time. I'm happy and still believe that we'll see even more steps forward before March baseball begins.

Worth noting Dayan is only 24. If he was only just now getting called up, he'd be pretty age appropriate.

 

Hopefully Steverson taps into his abilities.

At the very least, I like the things Steverson has been saying. Nothing earth-shattering, but he's been more forthcoming about his philosophy than either of the previous two hitting coaches.

You keep saying this for some reason, probably because De Aza was able to hit 3 more HRs than Viciedo in 43% more plate appearances. Fact is Viciedo's ISO was .161 and De Aza's was .142. Viciedo was the better power hitter...end of story.

 

De Aza has been unquestionably better than Viciedo the past two years, and it isn't even remotely close.

Adam Eaton being stuck in the minors to keep his service time down would frankly be a cheap, bush-league move. This is a guy who already earned a big league starting OF spot last year for a team. He gets hurt, sure he can go to the minors, but this is a 25 year old who has done his time.

 

He only played 60 games last year in the majors, mostly due to injuries. When he did play he was more of a fourth OF splitting time between LF and CF backing up Kubel and Pollock. His slash line was .252/.314/.360, so he wasn't really humming along either.

 

If they can't trade De Aza before the season, I don't see any negative to starting Eaton with Davidson, Semien, and Sanchez in AAA until you can deal off guys and open places for them to play. These deals were not made to win a WS this season, but to contend for the next 5 years after this season.

 

I agree sticking him down just to keep service time down would be bush league, but if it is the long term interest to further his development and build value in Viciedo or De Aza for a deal, keeping his time down is a happy consequence not a reason for making the move.

De Aza has been unquestionably better than Viciedo the past two years, and it isn't even remotely close.

I have never said otherwise. However, that doesn't mean he will be the better player going forward.

He only played 60 games last year in the majors, mostly due to injuries. When he did play he was more of a fourth OF splitting time between LF and CF backing up Kubel and Pollock. His slash line was .252/.314/.360, so he wasn't really humming along either.

 

If they can't trade De Aza before the season, I don't see any negative to starting Eaton with Davidson, Semien, and Sanchez in AAA until you can deal off guys and open places for them to play. These deals were not made to win a WS this season, but to contend for the next 5 years after this season.

 

I agree sticking him down just to keep service time down would be bush league, but if it is the long term interest to further his development and build value in Viciedo or De Aza for a deal, keeping his time down is a happy consequence not a reason for making the move.

Eaton posted a 163 wRC+ and a .995 OPS in AAA in 2012. I think he's shown he can handle AAA pitching. To best further his development, he needs regular at-bats against major league pitching. Starting him at Charlotte would be a huge mistake.

Eaton posted a 163 wRC+ and a .995 OPS in AAA in 2012. I think he's shown he can handle AAA pitching. To best further his development, he needs regular at-bats against major league pitching. Starting him at Charlotte would be a huge mistake.

 

It would take an injury or a spring training disaster for that to happen.

Were ADA in left field, hitting lower in the order, he'd be serving this team well. Lefty who doesnt have a noodle for a bat.

 

I would expect them to choose Viciedo over him for an organizational-health perspective....but if next year were to matter then we'd be best served with ADA. DV is so bad in the outfield that it obscures the good arm he has

Question for anyone who chooses to speculate:

 

Despite ADA's disappointing year last year.....what are the chances that a team out there that needs CF or leadoff badly....does a little overpay? What teams out there even qualify as this? Seems like Leadoff-Type-Guy is something that was in shorter supply say in the mid to late aughts.....than it is now? Or maybe that the traditional leadoff just isnt the gotta-have-it focused-on thing it used to be?

 

(not that he's exactly traditional leadoff, of course, in that he's more of a slugging guy with some past years of passable OBP)

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by Jose Paniagua

Question for anyone who chooses to speculate:

 

Despite ADA's disappointing year last year.....what are the chances that a team out there that needs CF or leadoff badly....does a little overpay? What teams out there even qualify as this? Seems like Leadoff-Type-Guy is something that was in shorter supply say in the mid to late aughts.....than it is now? Or maybe that the traditional leadoff just isnt the gotta-have-it focused-on thing it used to be?

 

(not that he's exactly traditional leadoff, of course, in that he's more of a slugging guy with some past years of passable OBP)

 

This winter? Slim to none. If it were true, it would have happened already.

Yeah, even as a guy that likes De Aza, you aren't going to get anyone to overpay for him at this point. His value is low right now.