caulfield12 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 (edited) QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 03:14 PM) The Sox are in a slump where they can't compete with anybody in the division in head to head games. Did finish ahead of Minnie though. And with Gardenhire gone, that team should be buried for a while. Molitor will bring new energy, just like Ventura in 2012. It always happens with new managers. They have two Top 10 (in the entire sport) prospects of their own in Sano and Buxton, the overall best prospect (OF) in baseball IF he can stay healthy. Sano missed nearly the entire 2014 season with an injury, though. If Mauer doesn't hit, they won't go much higher than 4th place, but Arcia and Santana were pretty impressive, and Plouffe/Dozier showed surprising pop. Then you've got some intriguing arms like Gibson, Meyer and of course Phil Hughes had a bounce-back season. Edited November 12, 2014 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 10:50 PM) I am old and forget things. What were we discussing again? too bad there isn't a smiley in a rocking chair. for old farts like me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSox13 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'm curious as to the level of interest the Sox have in Kang. He looks pretty good on defense and there's no denying his power. He could be alright after some time to adjust to the majors but as a few others have pointed out, that leg kick could cause him some problems against the better pitchers he would face in the majors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmteam Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 This past season was by far his best. Good years before that, but not at the 2014 level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliSoxFanViaSWside Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 12:55 PM) Nope, Soxtalk scooped him first. Haha ! I put it in another thread thinking " not worth a thread on a guy who we can hardly begin to speculate how his numbers will translate" so someone else starts the thread a day or 2 later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Will be posted next week apparently. So hopefully some shortstops get traded during the winter meetings and thins out the market for Kang. I'd be okay with the Sox signing Kang and then trading Alexei. Or maybe just move Kang to 2B immediately and try him at SS once Alexei is traded in July or next winter. Or even put him at 3B and trade Gillaspie. The one thing I can't find is a price to win a bid on him. $15-20M? Then sign him for something like 5 yrs/$50M? I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Keep in mind the posting limits only apply to players from Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 7, 2014 -> 08:45 PM) Keep in mind the posting limits only apply to players from Japan. I actually had totally forgotten about that. I guess on the bid just based on MLBTR's comment about some scouts think his power won't translate at all and that they also think he may not be able to handle SS. Seems there may be enough doubts to keep the bidding down maybe? I'm not sure, I'm searching and I'm not finding anyone else even giving a guess on bid price or contract price, other than his agent saying "If he were Cuban. he'd be getting $100M", which leads me to believe his agent thinks he WON'T get $100M. So I went with 5 yrs/$50 just to justify the additional $15-20M posting bid I guessed on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Ok, I found some guesses here.... http://riveraveblues.com/2014/12/guide-pos...ho-kang-110961/ "C.J. Nitkowski of FOX Sports, who played with Kang in the second half of the 2010 season, is calling for a range of $5-8 million in posting with a “reasonable big league contract” to acquire Kang. Ryan Sadowski, another former major leaguer who played in Korea, wrote for Global Sporting Integration that he expects around $6-9 million range" The author of that article also cites a much lower contract than I had randomly guess. He says maybe 2-3 years at $12-$20M TOTAL, after the posting fee. I guess the recent failures of just about every Asian infielder recently has soured his outlook. If we can take a chance on him for 3 yrs/$20M TOTAL, I would absolutely like to see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFutureIsNear Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 So $5M posting fee and 3 years $15M seems to be about the consensus? I'd have to be pretty convinced he could definitely start at either 3B or 2B for that. Realistically he'd probably be a UTL infielder and the right handed platoon at 3B. I think there are better uses of $20M for this club ultimately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Dec 7, 2014 -> 09:15 PM) So $5M posting fee and 3 years $15M seems to be about the consensus? I'd have to be pretty convinced he could definitely start at either 3B or 2B for that. Realistically he'd probably be a UTL infielder and the right handed platoon at 3B. I think there are better uses of $20M for this club ultimately. Based off those 3 opinions, more like an $8M posting fee and a 3 yrs/$12M deal, which I feel is absolutely worth risking on the best player in Korea. That's basically the cost of a 7th inning reliever. Edited December 8, 2014 by Chilihead90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalSox Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) Any update on Yu Gatbans-Han? Edited December 8, 2014 by SoCalSox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFutureIsNear Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Dec 7, 2014 -> 10:19 PM) Based off those 3 opinions, more like an $8M posting fee and a 3 yrs/$12M deal, which I feel is absolutely worth risking on the best player in Korea. That's basically the cost of a 7th inning reliever. That does sound better....but would still depend on whether JR would count that $8M(I assume it has to be paid upfront) against what he's willing to spend on the team in 2015. Not sure if I'd be willing to risk $12M of whatever we have to spend on such a risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Dec 7, 2014 -> 10:05 PM) That does sound better....but would still depend on whether JR would count that $8M(I assume it has to be paid upfront) against what he's willing to spend on the team in 2015. Not sure if I'd be willing to risk $12M of whatever we have to spend on such a risk. I don't know when the fiscal year starts and ends for the Sox, but it's possible that the $8M posting fee could be figured in for 2014's costs, if the fiscal year ends on December 31st. I have no idea, but I don't think a 1 time cost of $8M would/should defer them from signing him. I'd rather it be because the Sox scouts don't believe in him to translate well enough in the MLB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 12:11 AM) He's the first non-pitcher to come over from the KBO. I doubt the market for Korean infielders is evaluated in a vacuum with Japanese infielders because they're both Asian. I'd bet if they believe they play on similar talent levels they would. And from what it seems, the KBO is inferior to Japan's leagues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hi8is Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 12, 2014 -> 08:40 AM) He certainly has some flair The way he brings his hips through is obviously where the power is coming from. I also suspect this part of his mechanics will leave him a sitting duck for breaking stuff low and away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 12:37 AM) The way he brings his hips through is obviously where the power is coming from. I also suspect this part of his mechanics will leave him a sitting duck for breaking stuff low and away. While I would tend to agree, I believe they throw a lot slower over in Korea, so I'm sure he's seen his fair share of slow breaking pitches. What actually worries me is him having to adjust to 95+ MPH fastballs, and THEN account for the slow breaking pitches. I would have to think he would need to tone down his leg kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 12:22 AM) Korea's league and Cuba's league are closer in talent level than Korea and Japan. Cuba seems to do be doing just fine with their infielders. So you think his numbers will translate over then? You must be on board for the peanuts it will cost versus those Cuban infielders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 01:31 AM) That's not what I said, I just don't think he shouldn't be compared to players of different leagues in different countries based on a geographical convenience. As far as what I think of Kang, I'm not sure because I haven't watch more than a few clips and I am not familiar with the KBO. I do think he profiles very similarly to Semien as he's most likely not good enough defensively at SS, is more suited for 2B/3B and has considerable offensive upside. Given his potential, I don't know how much of a fit he would be unless Semien gets moved. From the little I did see the guy really doesn't have any holes in his swing and contrary to what you may have assumed, he isn't your typical Asian build so I'll bite on the power potential. He does have a dramatic load which probably isn't going to excite anyone for the obvious reasons. I would have hoped the Sox had guys checking him out as the KBO is an undeveloped market and the potential for surplus value is significant. I don't see any similarities to Semien, other than fringy SS defense, and being right-handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS 37m37 minutes ago korean ss jung-ho kang being posted today. led korea with 1.198 ops in 2014. mets, giants, others interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I wouldn't mind the Sox making a bid for him to play 2nd or 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal 12m12 minutes ago Timetable on Kang: Bids must be in by 5 pm ET Fri. Korean team notified of high bid on Mon. Three days to accept, 30 to negotiate deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I'd prefer Kodos. Was that joke made yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 sign dat bich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Based on that video, to me, he looks like Asdrubal Cabrera that will strike out 40% of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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