BaseballNick

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 12:57 PM) I'll sit back and wait for the stat posters to reveal his mediocre zone ratings, etc. He had poor range considering his athletic ability, and struggled with routine plays after the ASB. Prior to the ASB, I thought he was a potential Gold Glove candidate. Alexei probably isn't going to win any gold gloves (especially if he plays SS) but he is FAR from a horrific defender. To label Alexei as a "horrific" defender is asinine.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 12:44 PM) He was horrific defensively during the 2nd half of last season. Tell me about it! We need to get this guy off the field. It's a wonder how we even won a game with such a horrific defender. Give me a break.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 05:28 PM) More than the stolen bases, OC had the rep as being a great baserunner. However, he had quite a few bonehead moves on the bases that resulted in untimely outs. I'll give you that. Poor base running is unacceptable, and I can think of a few instances where he had brain cramps out there.

Santo, I appreciate your research. I can't agree that SBs (especially those late in games) are meaningless. You'd have fielders' indifference if they were meaningless. Runners who don't have blazing speed need to pick their spots.

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 04:20 PM) I don't know why, but it always makes me laugh when people try to compare their amateur experience to the top level of professional sports. I'm not comparing anything. I'm wondering why JD's paying one bit of attention to anything on the basepaths when he's got a two strike count. If it was that distracting to have a runner in motion, then technically the hit and run would never work. I love JD, but I think it's a total BS excuse.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 02:12 PM) He will also strike out about 50 fewer times than Fields. I hate strike outs. That would be 50 fewer times that he could advance a runner, force an error, or get a sac fly. If the Sox can get Cantu for Armstrong then I hope KW pulls the trigger. Fields could then be part of a blockbuster trade for a starting pitcher or a leadoff hitter. Agreed. Strikeouts and double plays are painful to watch. We get more than our share of Ks with Thome in the line-up. I think we can do better than Cantu, but he wouldn't be the worst option at 3B and if he comes cheap, I'm all for it. He's coming off a pretty solid year.

Let me try this again. Nick Swisher's 2008 - underwhelming Paul Konerko's 2008 - underwhelming Orlando Cabrera in 2008 - performed to expectations OC is not a flashy player. He was brought here to be the #2 hitter and had he hit 2nd, he'd have been everything we expected from him. He played very good defense, hit for good contact, and played in 161 games at the 2nd most physically demanding position on the field. I don't like OC the person, but he did what he was brought here to do. He's a Type A because he's a good baseball player and a known commodity at a very important position.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 05:59 PM) If Orlando Cabrera accepts arbitration he'll be making close to twice what he's worth in 2009, that bothers me and doesn't really help the club and their apparent budget constraints. Also, until someone says otherwise, I believe the Sox would not be allowed to trade Cabrera until June 16th, 2009 unless he gives his written consent to the trade. So Orlando Cabrera, an underwhelming major league shortstop who may not be well liked in the Sox clubhouse would be making ~$11M dollars with a full no trade clause. This is unacceptable. So in conclusion: lets pray he declines. Bobby Crosby and Khalil Greene are underwhelming major league shortstops. Orlando Cabrera is not.

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 09:14 AM) Great season??? His defense was worse than normal. His baserunning distracted our hitters and only stole 19 meanlingless bases. Put up an OPS+ of 84, and OPS of .705 (Uribe in 2007 was .682.) Led the American League in outs made with 509. Got in arguements with other teammates and pissed off the manager (obviously not the clubhouse leader as falsely advertised,) and he completely ignored the media after they reported him selfishly calling up the press box on multiple occasions to question a fielding error. How many times, error or not, did Cabrera blow it defensively leading up to a huge inning? Ask fathom for some help on that question. Of course Cabrera did this on a $10 million salary and should be expecting a raise. f*** him. Defense was worse than normal? What grounds are you basing this on? I don't know if we watched different teams last year, but OC was pretty damn stellar at SS making not only the routine plays, but often the spectacular plays as well. His base running distracted hitters? I will NEVER buy this argument. I've played baseball for 20 years of my life, and when you're hitting, you focus on the pitch. JD has been playing ball a lot longer than me, and if he can't focus when someone's stealing a base, that's on him. You should be able to focus on a pitch if you're a major league hitter. 19 meaningless bases? He led the team, and by a wide margin. Way to justify your hatred for a guy by calling his team leading stats meaningless. How many times did he blow it defensively? We won the damn AL Central in large part because of him. Also, I thought it was pretty convenient that you "forgot" to mention Ozzie hit him out of his comfort zone (the 2 hole) all season long. OC may be a jackass, but I find it absolutely comical that you and a lot of other people on this board won't acknowledge that he's a talented player, and a big reason why this team won the division. It's an absolute joke.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 05:37 PM) If we have any interest in Cantu, and I mean any interest, someone must then have Kenny's family locked up in their basement at gunpoint, demanding we get Cantu. Now there's an unbiased, rational opinion. I know he's got a Fields-like glove, but what's so terrible about the .277/.327/.481 line he posted last year? I'm not cuckoo for Cantu by any means, but I think we could do worse. He isn't Andy Gonzalez.

QUOTE (heirdog @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 01:33 PM) Brian Roberts + single A pitcher for Fields, Poreda, Shelby and Anderson. Does Brian Roberts really cost that much?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 12:55 PM) You know, I know this kind of rumor is good for this site, but come on guys. This is 100 percent BULLs*** When does Kenny make a deal just to make a deal. With the informed folks on this site I would think we could see through this "hmmm, maybe the White Sox want a 3B to take over for Crede" BS. This wouldn't be a move for the sake of making a move. Cantu posted solid numbers last season, and while he's due for a raise, it's not going to be anything too obscene. We have legitimate concerns about 3B since Fields was/is hurt and unproductive last year. Ozzie never seemed too confident in Fields anyway.

QUOTE (SEALgep @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 07:51 AM) I noticed the title says for Fields and Armstrong, but I don't think it is including Fields based on what was said. After reading it again, you may be right. Rotoworld.com notes Fields' name but probably because he's penciled in at 3B right now.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 01:40 PM) And despite being a 6'3" 195lb 1st round selection as a shortstop with 25 homerun power, he doesn't 'project' as a major league 3B??? Well... Baseball America's Jim Callis had Gilmore pencilled in as Atlanta's starting 3B in 2011.”[/i] Did you watch his scouting video? He looks really awkward in the field.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 12:45 PM) Kenny is so funny. He reminds me of a stern father lecturing his son. "You'll be on the bench, kiddo!" Yeah, right. $12 mil riding the pines. He'd be traded for less than market value if he accepts arb. OC will have a job somewhere.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 12:42 PM) In 99', Ozuna was ranked 8th overall prospect in baseball. I think it's fair to say he has lived up to the billing.

Yesterday on MLB Radio, Farmio admitted that he's unsure what the offseason plan is, but he did say the team's payroll should be right around $100mil.

If Cabrera accepts, then I think we need to pursue a Roberts deal and have Alexei patrol CF. I think Cabrera accepting arbitration is an unlikely scenario, however. This set up makes the Sox pretty strong up the middle, and puts Cabrera in the #2 hole where he belongs. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Dec 2, 2008 -> 12:37 PM) You can't spend .50 if you only have a quarter! Sure you can. Just talk to Countrywide, or WaMu.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 01:41 PM) Unless there’s something I’m not seeing the money issue doesn’t appear to overly significant. The Reds have a modest budget, that’s all but certain to grow in the next couple years with the emergence of their young players. I’m not saying that money isn’t at play here, I just think that it won’t be a deal breaker in this situation. Dye’s salary is large, but it wouldn’t be ridiculous for a franchise like the Reds to take a good portion of it on, and not suffer for it. I’d be interested in hearing more specifics on the money situation that Gonzalez mentioned. Also, what I meant by Jocketty was not that he’s some money wizard, but rather he’s pretty decent at surmounting financial difficulties, and getting a good deal out of it. $11.5mil doesn't seem like a whole lot for the numbers JD has been putting up, but you can't ignore today's economy. Attendance numbers are going to be down, so asking a mid market team to add anything to their payroll is probably asking too much. From what I gather, their expiring contracts aren't enough to take on JD's $11.5mil for 2009, so something else is going to have to give if the deal is to get done.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 12:39 PM) Jocketty’s a decent GM. If he thinks Dye’s the guy his team needs to succeeds there’s no money problem in the world big enough to prevent him from getting him Jocketty being a good GM has nothing to do with Jermaine Dye's contract being affordable to the Reds ownership. If KW is asking for too much, or won't take on any of JD's salary (which is something the White Sox are in no position to do) then maybe the Sox and Reds aren't good trading partners.

Seeing that we no longer have Swish, I don't think this makes a whole lot of sense anymore. Trading Paulie forces us to make yet another move.

I would rather see BA get a shot. Griff seems like an awesome guy, but his skills have clearly eroded too much to be an everyday player in the AL Central.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Nov 25, 2008 -> 12:41 PM) I would really like to get Johnny Cueto. Well, I'll tell you right now, that ain't happenin.