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QUOTE (Kalapse @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 02:22 PM) Do you know what it means for a team to be "interested" in a player? A reporter, say Joe Cowley, walks past Kenny Williams at the GM meetings and asks in passing "does that Rocco Baldelli interest you at all?" KW responds "Yeah, sure." and it shows up in the papers the next day: "White Sox show interest in free agent outfielder, Baldelli." Or a reporter asks a few GMs if they'd entertain the idea of maybe thinking about discussing the possibility of having internal discussions regarding perhaps talking to a Rocco Baldelli about signing a minor league deal with their club perchance, the next day's headline: "Rocco Baldelli Draws Interest from 6 Teams." It's a clusterf*** of hyperbole. I'm not some rube who just started following baseball. I honestly believe Baldelli will sign a ML contract for maybe $1 mill. and be productive . Probably more productive than Wise and Anderson in 09. Though I certainly hope not. Even if all 6 teams that showed interest did it in the way you describe that's means they didn't dismiss the idea entirely based on him having the disease unless they were being PC.

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 02:06 PM) Hillenbrand is garbage. He lost some of his power, is slow, is bad defensively, and couldn't draw a walk if his life depended on it. Right now he's about equal to an injured Crede even with his defense. Yep you're right . I wasn't penciling him as opening day 3rd sacker just throwing his name out there as an option should all else fail. I know even Fields is the better option . Still might give him a look see for a minor league contract.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 02:03 PM) Do a google search of Rocco Baldelli + Mitochondrial Disorder. Then look at the symptoms of his Mitochondrial Disorder Already did a while back . Did you tell that to the 6 other teams interested in Baldelli ? That's why I wasn't originally interested but he didn't lose the disease when he hit 2 HR's in the WS and scored from 1st base on a long single against the White Sox in the playoffs. He's still a better hitter and fielder with the disease than Wise and probably Anderson.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 01:51 PM) Baldelli has a tough time playing a whole game. Hillebrand is a cancer. No thanks to both. I didn't think Baldelli was worth it either til I saw how he did in the against the Sox and in WS. He's still fast and a good fielder He's a free agent and probably won't get more than $1-2 mil a year. To dismiss Hillebrand as a cancer would be rash. Couldn't hurt to give him a tryout if we're looking at Fields to open ST. The article says their are 6 other teams interested in Rocco so if they're satisfied that he can play back up OF why wouldnt the Sox. Speed, power and defense off the bench for cheap.

No I haven't heard any rumors that links the Sox with these 2. Hillebrand is trying to make a comeback as a corner infielder/DH and 6 teams are showing interest in Baldelli as a backup outfielder. Could the White Sox be one of them ? Couldn't hurt to invite Hillebrand to camp and give him a look and Baldelli though battling Mitochondrial disease is still fairly athletic. Thoughts ? http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ Follow the links in MLB Trade rumors for write-ups about both.

QUOTE (YASNY @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 10:25 AM) Tampa bay has finished in last place every year of their existance prior to this year. I takes time for people to actually buy into the idea that the team is good. That is what happened this year. Next year, they will have a groundswell of support early in the season and with season ticket sales. If they continue to win, they'll have decent attendance figures in '09. The Marlins didn't even want to try to sustain their success. They built it up, won a WS, knocked it down, built it up again, won another WS and broke the Cubs hearts. How do they draw ?

QUOTE (Cubano @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 11:22 AM) I do not want all the cuban-white Sox because if they suck, you guys are going to get in my case. Ha, ha,ha. Maybe if the Sox had a few more Cubans you would make the WHite Sox your favorite team instead of the Nationals.

Could be Viciedo's heart wasn't in it. After all most of us know it's not like playing baseball here. Single A players have better accomendations than most Cuban players. A US player at least has dreams of making millions or even if you don't make it you lived your dream for a few years before you end up back in the real world. What do Cuban ballplayers have to look forward to ? If your any good you get to have watchful eyes scrutinize your every off field move in case your thinking about defecting. If you don't want to play ball for $25 a month you can harvest sugar cane or tobbacco and live in a shack with 15 relatives. I don't think my heart would exactly leap for joy that I had all the talent in the world but couldn't play with the best players in the world.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 05:02 PM) The question is, what do the Cardinals ask us for...you know it's going to start with pitching, and we can offer Jenks/Vazquez but they will want Buehrle, Danks and Floyd. Vazquez straight up for Ankiel sounds good to me but then again I'm biased.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 04:23 PM) 1) Ludwick or Ankiel for CF (because of the emergence of Rasmus) 2) Coco Crisp 3) Brandon Lyon (will be leaving D-Backs probably...) 4) Juan Cruz (ditto) Taking either Ankiel (because of the HGH) or Ludwick (sort of the Cardinals' version of Carlos Quentin) scares me a little, because we'd have to overpay IMO and both of them might struggle their first year in the AL making adjustments. I prefer a lot less talent going for Taveras. Crisp is someone that KW remains high on from everything I've heard. Cruz, and especially Lyon, would look nice in our pen, especially if we're actually shopping Jenks and/or Dotel. Yesterday at 9:14 AM I wrote the last entry in the KW signature move thread and mentioned Ankiel and Ludwick. Of course that just means Rogers reads the trade rumors too only I don't have to wait till the next day to repeat what I read. Ankiel played CF and has maybe the best throwing arm in the NL. Its a howitzer.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 04:14 PM) Which is exactly why pinning a 19 year old Cuban to start in the majors is irresponsible. I agree, which is what I said in the very next paragraph under the one you quoted.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 05:53 AM) Exactly, and the other thing to keep in mind is they still weren't selling out, and really nowhere near it in August and September when that team was nails. If they don't start to draw, they will be the AL's answer to the Marlins, forced to trade all their talent when they start to make money for prospects. I think thats precisely what will happen. Their window of opportunity to win the WS is very small in that division. Yankees and Red Sox have the resources to reload every year.Tampa Bay can only seem to sell out during the playoffs. NY and Boston are in dense population areas with people with disposable income. Florida is filled with retireees watching every nickle. I know thats oversimplifying it but I don't see how some of these franchises survive.

I think KW is plenty ready to go younger if he's thinks the Sox can still compete that way. The Alexei,CQ , Danks and Floyd deals were evidence of that. Seems like he just prefers near ML ready talent over AA+/- talent. To think that if we trade Jenks/Vazquez/Dye/etc. and get only ML talent like I have seen some suggest here is absurd and fiscally unreasonable. Unfortunately the more diamonds in the rough KW plucks the more some of these GMs will be wary of trading young talent our way. So it's getting a little bit harder to get young talent as the salaries of free agent superstars keep climbing to ludicrous levels in the currently cruel economic climate.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 01:52 PM) Guys it's the beginning of the year and the GM is Kenny Williams. This is like trying to predict the career field of a 3 year old. Just don't bother. I thought it was the end of the year.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 03:00 PM) Because the Cuban league by some reports is the equivalent of High A, or a bad AA. *waits for a Cubano disagreement* I remember Cubano saying something like he thinks the Cuban leagues are almost equal or equal to the Japanese leagues as far as the top talent goes. Not many of us thought Alexei had much of a chance to spend time with the Sox . Maybe a September call up was the most some of us hoped. What actually happened we didn't imagine in our wildest dreams until we saw him smacking the ball around in ST. So again we should be skeptical. I mean 1st KW has to win the bidding war. Yes we have the inside track but 3rd base manned by a 19 yr. old is not very likely. Only very rare talent makes the majors at 19-20 and by all accounts this kid might grow his way out of 3rd base. We have to get more talent at the minor legue level any way and signing Dayan V. would be an excellent way to do it. And there are other defectors. Maybe the Arguelles and Iglesias kid are worth looking into also though we don't know if they all have been declared free agents or just Viciedo. All 3 are represented by Jaime Torres. Below is what Cubano wrote at the beginning of October. If I were Kenny Williams, I go after 3B/RF Dayan Viciedo (19-20 years old). He got good pop and you know he is ahead of most 19-20 years old. He got good arm. He used to throw 90+ MPH as a pitcher in the juniors. I think he can play in the majors next season. I go after LHP Noel Arguelles ( 19-20 years old) to help the Sox in 2 years down the road. Do not rush him? I take a look at Juan Carlos Moreno for an utility roll next season if he shows something in the tryouts. If he can still hit (swing velocity), I let him play SS and keep Alexei at 2B if the Sox can not sign anybody else. He is a veteran. I would take a close look at SS Jose Iglesias (19-20 years old). The problem with Viciedo is that he still growing. Maybe 3B will be to much for him. He may become a 1B though because Dye and Quentin are good. Didn't Dye sign an extension a year ago? Viciedo has the best talent/reward combination among these guys. The upside for Noel Arguelles is good.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Nov 6, 2008 -> 06:52 PM) huge, huge, huge day for Gordon Beckham in AFL Two homers, a triple and two singles. 5 for 5 with seven RBis. Also scored five runs. Only downer is that he was DH, not SS or second baseman. Cole Armstrong is having a huge mini-season out there. He had three hits and launched his sixth home run. Jordan Danks went 0 for 5. Poreda did not pitch. Here is the link to the box. : http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...scowin_peswin_1 I just saw read the article and was going to post it in PHT but thought I better check here first. Good news. I wonder what level the Sox will play him. Think AA is too much too soon ?

I agree that Dye has tremendous pride but if I may digress I'm almost convinced the Sox ,in an effort to improve the defense, could be leaning towards shifting players to their more experienced positions. We hear of Alexei moving to SS. We also hear from KW that Swisher won't be playing CF if he still is on the team. Quentin has more experience in RF and a good arm. Swisher is more of a 1B/LF. Dye has slowed down and though his arm is still respected I don't think it's all that accurate anymore. I watch about 90% of Sox games. On plays were Dye had to throw I'd make mental notes on where the throw ended up regardless of wether the runner tried to advance and more often than not I'd be thinking its off target. I always give players the benefit of the doubt when I hear others complaining about a players D. Most of us only see the end result , we don't see the jump or route an outfielder takes. Throws were about the only thing I could see where I could gauge the accuracy. He can still make the plays on balls he get's to but being old and slow doesn't get him to the balls it used to in his youth. His height isn't ideal for getting good jumps. He also throws almost entirely without the momentum of getting the strength of your body behind the throw not just the strength of your arm. If Dye doesn't get traded I hope someone on the Sox approaches Dye about playing some LF and DH for the good of the team. Trading Swisher would open up those possibilities even more. Even with no experience in LF Dye is no longer suited to RF full time. I hope he can swallow his pride enough to know Father Time has robbed him of his once above average fielding skills.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 06:00 PM) Right, and they start getting expensive with those deals. Kazmir-2009: $6 million, 2010: $8 million, 2011: $12 million, 2012: $13.5 million club option w/$2.5 million buyout, Crawford-2009: $8.25 million club option w/$2.5 million buyout, 2010: $10 million club option w/$1.25 million buyout. Pena-2009: $8 million, 2010: $10.125 million Longoria is pretty cheap for the next 3 years. The point is, the core is going to start getting expensive, and they still are going to have to get Upton and Garza done long term. So what names from TB do we hear mentioned in trade rumors ? I hear Crawford mentioned right now the most. He's due the most money. If the Rays spent it will be to reward the young core not on a declining outfielder with a salary higher than any of it's current players even if it is for only a year. I'd say that's being smart about it. Still I won't deny it's possible of course just not probable. Like I said originally "doubtful .

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 05:23 PM) I'd say Mark Buehrle. Jim Thome. IIRC, both have pretty complete NTC's. I knew I should have specified it by saying anyone without a full NTC. However even full NTC's can be waived by the player if the conditions are favorable .

QUOTE (BearSox @ Nov 6, 2008 -> 10:46 AM) would a trade of Dye to Tampa Bay for Edwin Jackson and Willy Aybar make sense for both teams? Doubtful . TB 's highest paid player for 2008 was Carlos Pena at $6 mil. Dye made 9.5 mil in 2008. Don't anticipate TB changing their frugal ways any time soon.

I'd bet that a popular Sox player gets traded maybe 2 or 3. Is anyone really untouchable if the right deal was offered ?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 05:06 PM) The option for 2010 makes him a lot more attractive IMO. If he has a really good season and is basically injury-free, why wouldn't another team want to keep him? There are quite a few outfielders making more money that are much less productive than JD, and he comes with the added bonus of being great in the community, with kids and is a quiet/understated clubhouse leader/veteran presence. While Jenks, Buerhle and the Big 4 would be more valuable on the open market (maybe even Vazquez), I don't think we'll see him traded. KW knows that his leading the majors in homers since 2005 from his position gives him a net "plus" at that position every year. Unless he gets injured or his defense/range become so atrocious he's a problem, which certainly wasn't the case in 2008. I think JD will be playing in 2010 just not as a RF. It's probable he has 3 more years as a productive (albeit numbers declining) hitter. However his defense already, shall we say, leaves something to be desired. LF/DH much sooner rather than later.

QUOTE (fathom @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 04:32 PM) I think A....I don't think he'd ever play for the White Sox. Correct Woods is an A.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 11:49 AM) Dye being a future DH really doesn't hinder his value, seeing as he is only signed for one more year. He will make a very solid one year stop gap piece. By future DH I pretty much meant 2009 and beyond. I think he should be a DH immediately . If some teams see him as an OF that's fine by me but if other NL teams envisions him as a 1 yr. "stop gap piece" wouldn't that limit what they'd be willing to offer ? He's more valuable to an AL team who could convert him to DH if they think his defense becomes less than what they can stomach. 1 year RF/LF piece for NL teams , 1+ yrs. RF/LF/DH piece for AL teams. If he's still playing OF in 2010 I'd be totally shocked.

QUOTE (scenario @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:49 PM) Somebody needs to help me understand how a team gets better by trading its best relief pitcher... one of the best relief pitchers in baseball the last 3 years. In the periods where our bullpen turned to crap the last few years, he was consistently the only guy who could get people out. And he's young and still cheap. So... why is this even remotely a good idea? I'm skeptical, but open-minded and willing to be persuaded by a good argument. Yes he's young and cheap and talented. Precisely why he might be traded. The Sox need some every day players , they need youth, they need defense, they need speed, they need... well a lot when your roster is turning into a bunch of old, injury plagued DH's. The Sox might figure with a screw in his elbow and getting 3.5 good years out of him while he was cheap they got just about all Jenks has to give before his salary jumps into the stratosphere and/or his arm explodes.