GreatScott82

Well we do still need a DH.. . .but after the steroid incident i just don't see JR doing such a move.

The only way I'd see Polanco coming here is if Getz is moved in seperate deal perhaps to bring in that prototypical leadoff OF or some bullpen depth. KW has many pieces to play with this winter. I remember back in August when we were struggling he said he would love to keep this team in tact, but if they fail to produce, he would "use his imagination to the fullest in the offseason". I don't know about you guys but i think KW will pull off some blockbuster deal this winter.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 26, 2009 -> 02:49 PM) Besides everything right now is "proposed". No deals can be officially done until after the World Series. In reality, it will be much longer than that. Yep. Everything usually starts heating up after Turkey Day

I'm guessing there will be about 3 to 4 new faces. Its too early to tell what KW will do.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Oct 24, 2009 -> 02:24 PM) If Olney is correct, I pull the trigger. I love Alexei and Bobby, but man, that'd be the best offer we'd get for them and its a d*** good one at that. Then I do what Scott said and sign Uribe. *Then I cross my fingers and try and pull of an Adrian Gonzalez deal. If not, I leave it as is with the rotation of players.* I like the look of: LF - Ellsbury 3B - Uribe SS - Beckham DH - Gonzalez 1B - Konerko RF - Quentin CF - Rios C - Pierzynski 2B - Getz If you have Rios and Quentin bounce back, then that creates the scariest 3-7 in the Majors, along with a good leadoff hitter, a guy that can be a wonderful #2 hitter, a .280-.300 catcher, and a grinder at the bottom. I'm assuming the bullpen would be: CL: Thornton SU: Bard SU: Okajima MR: Linebrink MR: Pena MR: Nunez LR: Hudson/Hynick (if Hudson is trade for Gonzalez) LR: Carrasco I'm guessing the bench would round out to: Kotsay Nix FA Catcher De Aza I could live with that, since we'd have a monster lineup, serviceable bench, and a sick bullpen. I think KW somehow will sign Abreu to be our new DH. If a deal goes down for Ellsbury your lineup would be: Ellsbury CF Beckham SS Abreu DH Quentin LF Konerko 1B Pierzynski C Rios RF Getz 2B Uribe/Viciedo 3B Flowers will likely be AJ's backup in 2010 getting a good share of pinch hitting oppurtunties as well. Viciedo may not be a long term 3B, but he'll likely start his career there until Konerko moves on. Thome started his career as a 3B as well before he shifted to 1B. If this speculated deal goes down, we FINALLY have our long term leadoff man and improve our pen. Boston desperately needs a SS and having Jenks and Papelban in their pen would give them tremendous depth. This would be a great trade for both teams IMO. This trade makes us younger-quicker and even more competitive as it would be a perfect blend of veterans and youth- speed and power with much improved defense and a solid pen.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 23, 2009 -> 07:14 PM) So, the deal as written fills one of our OF and leadoff holes and does so cheaply, it cuts salary in the bullpen and gets us another LHP arm, and what it costs us is a weakened IF. Move Beckham to SS again, we're back open at 3b. Joshua Fields Forever? Pretty much we're filling 2 holes while opening one at 3b. But we also have people on the way up who eventually might be able to handle it. Run Fields out there and try to salvage something for a year or at least a few months, and maybe it's Viciedo time. I would rather sign Uribe to a cheap 1 year deal to fill that 3b spot until Viciedo is ready. Uribe is aweful behind the plate but the dude still plays solid defense- he did a pretty good job filling for SF when Sanchez went down and he also did a hell of a job for us when Crede wen't down in 2008. I don't want to see Fields anymore. .

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Oct 24, 2009 -> 10:22 AM) Yes, please. ^^^

WooooohoooooooO! this just made my day!

I'm not sure about the money situation, but having Abreu in our lineup would help a ton!

Abreu rejected the Angels 2 year 16 million extension. Would you guys offer 3 years for 24 million?

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Oct 15, 2009 -> 01:59 PM) Caulfield: :cheers Balta: :cheers Longshot: :cheers League: :cheers I'm glad there are still Mark Buehrle fans on this site. I was getting worried for a moment there. The day Buerhle is dealt is the day i will truly be heartbroken as a Sox fan. He is seriously the only guy i could say that about in my 20+ years of being a fan.

QUOTE (whitesox901 @ Oct 13, 2009 -> 05:03 AM) 18 million coming off after 2010 if we don't resign Pauly or AJ. Anyone else thinking Prince Fielder? Not KW. Fielder is a BorAss client.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 12, 2009 -> 05:00 PM) I guess I am in the minority, but I think he comes back and has a monster 2010, a la 2008. I hope your right! But i wouldn't count on it. The dude just can't stay healthy.

90-95 million is a pretty good estimate at where the payroll is after arbitration. That being said- I could see JR increasing payroll to about 110-120 million. JR is 70 years old and knows the team has a great chance in 2010 to go for it all if he allows KW to fill in the necessary holes. If the current economic state doesn't allow that, i expect some trades this winter. However, another 18 million is off the books after 2010 when PK and AJ head into free agency.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 11, 2009 -> 04:15 PM) Let's look for a moment at the potentially available corner OF/DH types this offseason Milton Bradley Jim Thome Carlos Delgado Bobby Abreu Vlad Guerrero Nick Johnson Aubrey Huff Hideki Matsui Jermaine Dye Randy Winn And that's not including the bigger names (Holliday) that will get money from the Yankees or cardinals. Point is...if you're in the market for a veteran Designated Hitter...there's a lot of options out there, and there's not going to be a lot of teams willing to spend money at that spot. I'd take Thome back, but I'd limit to maybe a $4-$5 million bid, because there's others on that list I can get for teh same price more than likely. Abreu is a stud! Thats the guy i want! The Angels struck gold with this guy. Nick Johnson is an intruiging name. It will be interesting to see what direction KW takes with that DH spot. .

Michael Bourn! Won't happen but could you imagine that dude in our OF and our leadoff hitter? Wow!

No thank you. We need to start heading in a different direction.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 10, 2009 -> 03:35 PM) I heard today Abreu is near an extension. Okay then. . lets see what else is out there. . . as Mr. Evil once said "Preparation A-G was a complete failure, I shall now call this plan Preparation H!!!!"

So Pods in left, Rios in center and Q in right, i could handle that. Sign him for cheap and spend the rest of the cash on Abreu. Abreu and Pods could then rotate DH-LF duties throughout the year.

Hopefully Ozzie's Venezualan connection could bring Abreu over here.This guy is exactly what KW and Ozzie are craving for offensively.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Oct 4, 2009 -> 08:58 PM) Good. Let the Angels give him 3/$36M or 4/$48M or something like that because I don't want to. I don't want Pods back as a starter either. Carl Crawford baby!! J/K a Sox fan could only wish. . .

You want an instant smile after a disappointing season? Well just think of a full season with Jake Peavy in the rotation KW has a few holes to fill, but we are MUCH closer today than we were at the end of the 2008 playoffs.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 3, 2009 -> 08:38 PM) Garcia has just been amazing. If he could find say 92-93 on his fastball over the winter, our starting rotation should be awesome next year. Even if he doesn't- the guy throws nasty junk pitches that keep most hitters unbalanced. Freddy has proved his worth to this team.

He has earned the 5th starter spot. Our rotation is set!

KW will not strip his farm system for a Boras client. If the Sox trade for an offensive player this winter- i hope its Carl Crawford.