Viciedo is better than Avi Garcia.

 

Maybe, but you wouldn't be able to trade Avi because he's coming off of injury, and Avi at least has the tools to be an average or better defensive OFer, where Viciedo is really nothing but an arm.

Maybe, but you wouldn't be able to trade Avi because he's coming off of injury, and Avi at least has the tools to be an average or better defensive OFer, where Viciedo is really nothing but an arm.

 

I just hope the surgery doesn't affect him mentally on the field. I remember when it most certainly did for Quentin.

The sox have a lot of infield prospects. Micah Johnson will be ready for 2nd base at some this season hopefully. Semien should be adequate at shortstop defensively while posting above average offensive numbers IMO. Given the complete lack of pitching prospects, the sox should fetch the best pitching prospect they can for alexei.

The sox have a lot of infield prospects. Micah Johnson will be ready for 2nd base at some this season hopefully. Semien should be adequate at shortstop defensively while posting above average offensive numbers IMO. Given the complete lack of pitching prospects, the sox should fetch the best pitching prospect they can for alexei.

 

If either Semien or Carlos Sanchez could do that, they would have no problem trading Ramirez.

 

But that's a HUGE assumption to make at this point. And trying to replace a SS is incredibly difficult if you have to go outside your organization and bid against the rest of the teams needing one...and give up young talent from your organization as well.

 

It's not like signing Stephen Drew would solve any problems for the near future.

 

Semien may be a young Gordon Beckham.

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 13m

 

Ramirez leads all AL shortstops in average (.320), homers (7), RBIs (36), slugging percentage (.483), OPS (.838) and hits (65).

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 13m

 

Ramirez leads all AL shortstops in average (.320), homers (7), RBIs (36), slugging percentage (.483), OPS (.838) and hits (65).

 

If we are ever gonna trade him, this is the year to get a huge haul. But can Semien replace him at short? Poor Marcus isn't hitting. Who replaces him. Losing Lexi would set this team back a lot in terms of wins and losses IMO.

If we are ever gonna trade him, this is the year to get a huge haul. But can Semien replace him at short? Poor Marcus isn't hitting. Who replaces him. Losing Lexi would set this team back a lot in terms of wins and losses IMO.

I think the question is if the Sox think they will compete next year. If they do, it behooves them to keep Alexei even with one year left on the contract. If they think that they won't compete next year, then it makes sense to trade him and 1.5 years on a bargain contract.

 

But based on how they have done this year with all the injuries, I expect the Sox to compete next year.

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 13m

 

Ramirez leads all AL shortstops in average (.320), homers (7), RBIs (36), slugging percentage (.483), OPS (.838) and hits (65).

 

 

Plus if I am correct Ramirez has been near the top of the SS group offensively for some years now

If we are ever gonna trade him, this is the year to get a huge haul. But can Semien replace him at short? Poor Marcus isn't hitting. Who replaces him. Losing Lexi would set this team back a lot in terms of wins and losses IMO.

 

 

What might that "huge haul" look like? At this point Semien has not showed he can replace Alexei or Beckham offensively or defensively.

And of course Jeter is the leading vote getter for SS.. Stupid all-star voting

Sox hold an option for 2016 so it would 1.5 years with the potential, and likelihood, that it's 2.5 years. I don't know if the conditions of the team option were to change if he were traded but next summer seems the better year to trade him. That way if we're in it, we have a playoff caliber shortstop and if we aren't, we have a nice piece to move.

 

I think the time to move him is in the off-season at the winter meetings. The Dodgers, Phillies, and Yankees will have holes at SS, the Orioles and Red Sox may as well if they decide to keep Machado and Bogaerts at 3B.

Comment From Logan

What kind of return can the White sox get for Alexei Ramirez from a team like the Yankees?

 

Dave Cameron:

He's going to be an interesting summer target. Contract is fine, performance is good, but he specializes in the wrong kind of skills, generally. I think he'll bring back a solid prospect, but not any kind of huge return.

I wonder what he means about specializing in the wrong skills. He can run. He can throw, he can get to balls not a lot of SS can get to. His power has returned. He isn't going to walk much, and his BA and OBP are always going to be quite similar, but couldn't you say that about most SS these days?

If he ends up getting traded, I think we can expect a similar package to what the Sox got for Peavy last year. One good prospect and 3 high ceiling sorts.

I wonder what he means about specializing in the wrong skills. He can run. He can throw, he can get to balls not a lot of SS can get to. His power has returned. He isn't going to walk much, and his BA and OBP are always going to be quite similar, but couldn't you say that about most SS these days?

 

I believe he is implying that all of his offensive numbers are extremely dependent upon his average while his defense has slipped, meaning if the hits aren't falling, he's not going to anywhere near as valuable as he currently is.

If he ends up getting traded, I think we can expect a similar package to what the Sox got for Peavy last year. One good prospect and 3 high ceiling sorts.

Then let's not trade him.

 

 

 

And yeah that wrong kind of skills thing, what

It seems peculiar to me that the guy who runs Fangraphs which claims Alexei's performance last year was worth $15.6 million and his performance this season has already been worth $9.8 million, and whose worst performance of his career was worth $8.5 million, doesn't think he has the correct skills to bring back anything major when he is owed $10 million next year with a $10 million option with a $1 million buyout for 2016. Seems he isn't buying what his site is selling.

If he ends up getting traded, I think we can expect a similar package to what the Sox got for Peavy last year. One good prospect and 3 high ceiling sorts.

 

Then he stays here. Unless we get a massive return, he shouldn't go anywhere.

It seems peculiar to me that the guy who runs Fangraphs which claims Alexei's performance last year was worth $15.6 million and his performance this season has already been worth $9.8 million, and whose worst performance of his career was worth $8.5 million, doesn't think he has the correct skills to bring back anything major when he is owed $10 million next year with a $10 million option with a $1 million buyout for 2016. Seems he isn't buying what his site is selling.

 

Cameron doesn't "run" fangraphs anymore than Keith Law "runs" ESPN. In general, Cameron is an annoying know it all that likes to make snap judgements for eyeballs/readers instead of using nuance.

 

As for the dollar amounts those are just hard calculations using the cost of a win on the FA market it's a pretty crude measure because the inputs (like defensive WAR) have pretty big error bars. That said, Ramirez is easily worth every penny of his contract even if he falls off to a 270/300/400 hitter as there just aren't many good SS in MLB right now.

 

If some team is offering you a legit top 50 guy and another "B" prospect for Ramirez you gotta look hard at that IMO. It's not that they are shopping him around, just listening to offers -- if a good one comes it might make sense to jump on it.

Cameron doesn't "run" fangraphs anymore than Keith Law "runs" ESPN. In general, Cameron is an annoying know it all that likes to make snap judgements for eyeballs/readers instead of using nuance.

 

As for the dollar amounts those are just hard calculations using the cost of a win on the FA market it's a pretty crude measure because the inputs (like defensive WAR) have pretty big error bars. That said, Ramirez is easily worth every penny of his contract even if he falls off to a 270/300/400 hitter as there just aren't many good SS in MLB right now.

 

If some team is offering you a legit top 50 guy and another "B" prospect for Ramirez you gotta look hard at that IMO. It's not that they are shopping him around, just listening to offers -- if a good one comes it might make sense to jump on it.

He is the managing editor.

I wouldn't do it for a guy in the 50 range. It has to be a guy you definitely can be excited about, not some guy who you hope will master AAA next season. Alexei is too good and his contract too reasonable not to just let it play out until it expires, if that is what happens. You need a SS. Might as well stick with one of the better ones unless someone really wants to make it worth your while trading him. IMO, that would require a prospect or prospects more highly ranked than any they got back this past year. SS is a tough position to fill. The Cardinals are a model franchise and they paid Jhonny Peralta a ton to be a statue on their infield.

Edited May 28, 201411 yr by Dick Allen

Cameron doesn't "run" fangraphs anymore than Keith Law "runs" ESPN. In general, Cameron is an annoying know it all that likes to make snap judgements for eyeballs/readers instead of using nuance.

 

As for the dollar amounts those are just hard calculations using the cost of a win on the FA market it's a pretty crude measure because the inputs (like defensive WAR) have pretty big error bars. That said, Ramirez is easily worth every penny of his contract even if he falls off to a 270/300/400 hitter as there just aren't many good SS in MLB right now.

 

If some team is offering you a legit top 50 guy and another "B" prospect for Ramirez you gotta look hard at that IMO. It's not that they are shopping him around, just listening to offers -- if a good one comes it might make sense to jump on it.

 

My price tag for Alexei starts with a legitimate #1/#2 starting pitching prospect in the top half of the minors and then adds a few more pieces from there based on the farms system we are raping and pillaging.

My price tag for Alexei starts with a legitimate #1/#2 starting pitching prospect in the top half of the minors and then adds a few more pieces from there based on the farms system we are raping and pillaging.

 

Yep, looking for an "A-" level pitching prospect (probably that orgs best prospect) and then another couple top 10ish guys from that org as well. Bowl Hahn over, maybe he'll pull the trigger. Otherwise, keep him another year and see where you are at in July '15.

It seems peculiar to me that the guy who runs Fangraphs which claims Alexei's performance last year was worth $15.6 million and his performance this season has already been worth $9.8 million, and whose worst performance of his career was worth $8.5 million, doesn't think he has the correct skills to bring back anything major when he is owed $10 million next year with a $10 million option with a $1 million buyout for 2016. Seems he isn't buying what his site is selling.

Yeah I'll eat s*** on this one. I wanted him gone, thought he was in full decline. But funny enough, his renaissance coupled with the Sox rebuilding situation makes it even more reason to shop him. I wouldn't trade him for a light return though, I'd hold out for a small ransom figuring the Cuban factor from a marketing standpoint and the on-field and in- clubhouse value of his presence outweighs any smaller return.

Yep, looking for an "A-" level pitching prospect (probably that orgs best prospect) and then another couple top 10ish guys from that org as well. Bowl Hahn over, maybe he'll pull the trigger. Otherwise, keep him another year and see where you are at in July '15.

If Cameron is accurate and teams won't give up much for him, Hahn's decision whether to trade him or keep him is very easy.