GreenSox

The Sox don't need to send prospects to save money. That's the same sort of absolute clowning they've been doing for 5 years. The Sox NEED their MI depth. The Sox have no 2B. they will have no SS in 2 years (if it was up to me, next year). They need those guys to fight it out and then sort them out. Semien could end up being a nice major leaguer.

I'd be for trading Sale if a)The Sox were, say, 80% sure that Rodon was a top of the rotation starter and b)a team was willing to give the Sox fair value. I doubt the Sox know a) yet; and I'm pretty sure no team will acquiesce with b). The Red Sox bloggers think they can withhold both or 1 of Betts/Bogaerts, when obviously including both would be just a start.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 03:33 PM) Ugh. He kept pointing out that the Sox won 73 games last year as if it shut down any opposition. I'm still facepalming. Especially as the Redsox won less

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 02:57 PM) Which is why unloading Danks' contract would be a must in any deal It shouldn't be a must for any deal. In fact, I would hesitate to include him in any deal as it would reduce the return. And if we trade Sale we would need someone to pitch. That said, judging by this thread I thought there was new murmur on trading Sale. I didn't see anything new on that front on twitter.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) What in the hell is all this talk about the Red Sox trading for Chris Sale?! The best part is that the tweeter who claims to be on the inside, thinks the red sox can do it for 2nd and 3rd tier prospects. Red Sox fans have a sense of entitlement

Good lord. Fill the holes first.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 05:30 PM) JA Happ had a 1.3 WAR last year and he could easily be a 2 WAR pitcher. The only pitcher the White Sox have that's similar to that is Hector Noesi, and do you think the Mariners want to go down that road again? Given the return, the White Sox had no pieces that would have made sense to trade to the Mariners. Plus, had they traded a so-so prospect, you'd have been up in arms about them trading a prospect when they need to be keeping those kinds of players at this time. He wouldn't have been a bad pick up, but there are literally hundreds of players available one way or another that would be "not bad pick ups." Losing one is not the end of the world. Then do a 3 way. Happ is a mediocre pitcher on a 1 year contract who is 32. Saunders would have plugged a big hole. And that's the weakness of the Sox - holes. We have a good core. Plug the gaping holes and this team improves a lot. Don't plug them and getting another "Star" won't get us anywhere.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 05:38 PM) There are no pieces on the market right now that warrant the Sox overspending to get them because they will put the Sox over the top. The Sox have been very wise with their decision making and fiscal responsibility thus far, and when the time comes, the Sox will be able to open the purse strings a little bit. This team had a $120 or so million payroll not that long ago. They can open the pocketbook, but for a retooling team, spending a boatload of money early on isn't really necessary. That's true. (of course it's also true about gaining one year of a starter for scare projects - will not put them over the top - but may excite the naive). And if it's $90 million because they believe that, we can expect more spending as the need arises. If it's 90 million because JR is on the cheap, that's a different story.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 01:05 PM) Highlights. -Thinks that payroll for 2015 will in the low $90's That's a pitiful payroll for a large market team. If that's correct and if it's mandated, it finally makes sense why the Sox would even entertain trading scarce prospects for 1 year players in areas of secondary need (although I still wouldn't do it).

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 05:17 PM) JA Happ to Seattle for Michael Saunders. Toronto getting back another Canadian. Saunders would have closed a gaping hole of the Sox at a cheap price; instead the Sox want short term fixes of non-priority needs at high prices.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 1, 2014 -> 10:01 AM) If he isn't that great, why would any team give up much to get him? He's old, he's falling apart, but he should net a really good prospect. How does that make any sense? Who said he was old and falling apart. I said he isn't great. He's good Contenders with strong farms have huge needs for SS. They will pay, I believe, for a good SS. I don't see 2015 as prime Sox window.

I hope he makes trades similar to the ones last year: well-thought out that fill a need and which doesn't hurt the farm.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 2, 2014 -> 02:04 PM) I agree 100%. They should non-tender him, but I don't think they will, and I think they'll be stuck with him. They should not not-tender him. He has talent - give him one more year. I also saw that the Brave non-tendered Medlen. I'd check him out.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Dec 2, 2014 -> 07:49 AM) It'd be an overpay though. The deal would still be Anderson for 1 year of Samardzija regardless of what he does when he gets here. Exactly This idea that the Sox should overpay because they may extend him is inane. That rarely happens. Money talks. Sox are in no position to do rents anyway, including renting the most elite 2/3 starter imaginable, the Shark.

Sox need both Johnson and Anderson. They have no 2B right now; Anderson isn't ready and when he is, we'll have no Shortstop. But by all means, let's trade them all for one whole year of the greatest, most elite 2/3 starter there is, the Shark. If the priority is another 2/3 starter (which it shouldn't be IMO), there are other ways to accomplish it: Sign Lester or Scherzer Trade for Hammels (much better value than Shark). Yet, we don't hear the Sox in on one of those guys. How could that be if JR really is willing to spend?

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 30, 2014 -> 07:43 AM) You're being ridiculous if you think Semien for Shark is too much and once again I'm a big fan of Marcus. The one thing people keep skipping over is the fact that Shark is basically going to make nothing this year(relative to top of the rotation starters) and still allows them to improve the team in other areas because they'd still have money to mess around with. And they'll save on Shark for 1 year. Where does that get us? Heck, they have money now to spend, but seem to be nowhere on FAs. They need a 3B, but they were nowhere on Pablo, despite the money to do so and he didn't exceed his projections. Melky? Not my cup of tea, but he can hit and he's there. Oh, I know - Upton for 1 year. Whoopee! If they want to do a real trade, go get Hammels. Heck, he'll only cost us 2 top prospects, which is better than 1 for the great Shark. Trade Alexei - he's not that great a player and teams will overpay for him. (the Sox are so sentimental, they don't want to do that). But no, they want shortcuts and stay on the cheap. I also get the sense that some in the Sox have convinced themselves that Shark is an ace - sort of like how they convinced themselves that VAsquez and Edwin Jackson were aces. If they want to shortcut it, spend real money. Sherzer and Lester are out there. They are much better than Shark. JR and Williams (presumably under JR's order) want to field a contender year after year a)with no farm system and b) with a $110 million budget. Not happening.

Sign McCarthy and hope he stays healthy. He's as good a pitcher as Samardzija. Or sign Scherzer and Melky. There are a lot of things the Sox can do if they must push for 2015, without cow-towing to Beane, stripping the farm, getting 1 year players.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 08:43 PM) I'm ok with it, depending on the deal. Yea I'm okay with trading Anderson too...for lots of young talent. Not 1 year rents and not for mediocre and declining veterans. I'll pass on another Ken Williams 86 win team with a stripped out farm system. Trading him for 1 year of Shark to grace the Sox with his greateness is laughable.

Alexei remains the Sox best trade piece, and he can be used to improve the ball club next year. He's a nice shortstop but he isn't that great and the Sox can cover the position. they can't cover pitching and LF.

He can see all of these teams lining up to trade for him for 1 year; I'm sure he realizes that there will be quite a market for him as a free agent.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 12:03 PM) Considering the years of control with Abreu, Sale, Q, Eaton, Rodon, etc etc, I wouldn't be surprised if the holdup here is the Sox working out the framework of a contract extension and the players are already in place. I'll believe that when I see it. I haven't seen an instantaneous trade/sign in 40 years following this team (Garcia is the only one who was close - he signed later that year) although I remember several when the Sox were "assured" he'd sign. Richie Zisk had a dream, after all. And regardless, the Sox should pay the value of 1 year of a #3 starter. No more.

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 11:57 AM) Grew up a Sox fan, I hated him on the Cubs, but I think this guy is a legit third starter. he is. For one whole year. Maybe that he was a Sox fan has given them some fools notion that he'll sign long-term. Beane misjudged the market and overpaid for him by a lot. But what the heck, load up the wagon for the Shark.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 09:22 AM) What is wrong with Alexei for Smardjiza, straight up? The Sox save money this year. They don't have to make a risky long term commitment, on a pitcher. Next year, they may not need "Shark," and if they are still short a starter, perhaps there will be another pitcher available, who is similarly in his final contract year. In terms of value, nothing is wrong with that. It's an even trade. What's wrong with it, however, is opportunity cost. Why waste Alexei on a 1 year player when we could trade him and fill multiple holes, and/or get some good prospects (which at the least are currency). The Sox are below average at the following positions: 2B, LF, #3 starter, #4 starter, 1 (to be kind) bullpen spot, bench bat. They are also bad at overall team defense (3B and RF are poor defensively aside from the above). That trade closes #3 starter, and opens up SS. And it closes #3 for a single year. That situation is winning a world series? Of course not, and it's a long shot to even make the playoffs. But we'd have the Shark, and, from reading this board, that's all it takes.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 09:22 AM) So the As give up a year of team control on a near MVP caliber guy 4 years away from FA and immediately get worse to bring in a couple "wild cards" as you guys describe them. For a team always financially strapped, giving up a year of team control seems silly. Even if Donaldson was trending down, man I have to think I'd be thrilled if the White Sox gave up a comparable package. They aren't exactly "wild cards". The one wild card will likely be a top 100 prospect in the next rundowns. The other 2 pitchers are major league ready and both pitched in the majors last year. (one was taught a cutter recently; I guess coop doesn't have that patented). I believe they are of the low-upside type, but the As get a lot of mileage out of these pitchers with 4/5 starter arms. And the As got a major league starting 3B. and as Dick pointed out, Donaldson himself trends over the last 3 years as bad-great-good. Where does he go next?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 29, 2014 -> 09:05 AM) Or maybe it is just trying to read the crystal ball. Donaldson was great, but he was down in almost every offensive category from the year before, is getting paid more, and while still was Donaldson has a career arc that is pretty uncommon. He was virtually nothing until he was 27. Then he became MVP caliber. We have all written off guys who had shown just as much or even more up until that age. Except the Shark. There should be no limit to the value of being graced with his presence for just a mere year.