Swingandalongonetoleft

I wasn't much for the Swisher trade, at all, but Dye is getting older, and in this proposed trade we'd be getting someone who was ranked right at the top 100 innings ago, something Cooper is familiar with. I would have been even more of a fan had Kenny not decided that Wilson Betemit needed to play on this team. You're trading Dye at a sort of high point in value, offset a bit by his age, but the last few years production wise have been huge. You traded a young Swisher coming off potentially a worst case scenario year with a small/reasonable salary. In Dye's case it nets promise, in Swish's case, it nets the loss of someone who could have stepped in for Dye and a McDonald's happy meal.

I really wish people would just keep Alexei and his glove-flips in the 2nd Base/SS area of the field. He could potentially rip a few of those off from the OF but they will be far more plentiful in the IF.

I've had a gut feeling since early October that Manny Ramirez will arrive.

I'd like to see him back. If I knew we could get something nice for him either with picks or a trade, then I wouldn't be too opposed.

Because hopefully he doesn't take it as bad as he did Ozuna's departure. Also, from the looks of the article Contreras and Lazo were quite the duo back in the day.

So now: Buehrle Floyd Danks A half season of ??? (Contreras MIA) ??? I don't know about just plugging in the two we had spot start for us at the end of the year. If this is in fact the much talked about rebuild, we have seen teams in the past compete whilst doing so. Danks and Floyd were great this past year, but sophomore slump/flash in the pan are coined phrases for a reason. Not saying they were flukes, but how many in the past have had one damn good year and then dropped off? I have faith in the two, but you are now, at this point at least, going into the season with one proven starter. On that same note we have Ramirez and Quentin. Not saying, just saying... It's nice to speculate..."and what if we got Bailey, what a sick rotation that would be, even though he had a solid 8 ERA in the NL Central...", "dude, Pittsburgh has this disgusting nasty flamethrower in low A ball that we just highway robbered them for...". Firstly, with some of these guys we're talking years away, secondly, Coop is great, but him being here doesn't guarantee that whatever once highly touted fallen star prospect for another organization will suddenly see the light under his tutelage. Did Vazquez or Logan see the light? Reclamation projects are great when there are fall back options. There are no fall back options. (sign sheets!) I'd rather not roll my dice in the futures market. I realize our position may be limited, but someone who's just about Major League ready to throw a ball with results, or an on the cheap vet (Sheets for example) needs to come our way. Words like "ace" shouldn't be attatched to a pitcher after one good season. There's nothing wrong with acquiring "years away" guys by chance, but I'm not a fan of making those players our sole targets. With Dye being rumored to leave, what did we get for Swisher who was coming off an all time low value-wise? Nothing at all? Betemit? For F***S sake... Baseball will be played in Chicago between the years of 2009-2012, after all. Had Swisher not been thrown away, the loss of Dye, should it happen, would have been more easily absorbed. Now, who's going to step into this corner outfield position to replace 50+ HR's? I hope to Christ it's Manny, because Betemit is good for like 4 or 5. I remember long periods of offensive struggle in the past two years. Losing arguably the biggest producer and one who had potential to be a big producer is not the remedy to this. Luckily, it's just 12/02 and the action is just getting started. I imagine we won't go into next year with a 1-3 man rotation and 75 fewer HR's. I imagine and pray. It may not seem like I like the trade from the words written above, but I do, at least this one. Javy was frustrating to watch, and clearly ties were severed between him and the organization from about September on. He needed to leave, and this is what I mean by acquiring years off guys by chance. I think with the Dye talks floating around I'm pissed that we let go of Swisher coming of the lowest of lows career production wise for a Wilson Betemit. And then they want to add the slugger Taveras to boot.

I thought Sheets was someone that Williams would roll the dice on as well. For a short period, I'd love it. I still hope, and have this weird feeling that Manny Ramirez is at least considered by Williams, with a straight face and a BAC of .00. Not a bargain by any means, but wasn't he spouting off at one point about a 2 year high dollar contract? I know everyone seems to think that *this* is finally the rebuilding/getting young that was supposed to come every year so far though. Similarly, Williams saying payroll was being lowered doesn't mean it's being lowered, or for that matter, not increasing. I'll believe what he says about any situation, just as I have in the past, when it happens.

I don't want this man on the team next year.

I wish them the best, but I can't see this ending well for them or the fans sitting in outfield seats.

As a LRP, perhaps. Other than that we've had potential guys state their case in the latter months of the season for the fifth spot, and even that I'm not to comfortable with.

Swisher and Dye leaving weeks apart netting only Betemit in terms of bat. Pitching and Defense win ballgames, but I'd be hugely dissapointed to not see any sort of a bat in return for 50-some homeruns. Jenks and or Vazquez for the crybaby from the Mets pen (something like 1-5 with a balloon ERA when he did start) would also leave me on the verge of tears.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 12:04 AM) Let's just make sure he gets on a diet program fast. With his new contract, he should be hitting up the gym daily and be working with a nutritionist. I really hope he turns out like Miggy C. Wow, could you imagine if he turns out to be the truth, him, CQ and Beckham as 2-3-4, wow. I am just very excited where this organization is going. By 2011 (yes very far, but we could look like this): CF-Danks (GG, .280, 12-15 HRs with 20-30 SBs) 2b-Beckham (.300, 25 HR) LF-CQ (.300, 40 HR, 100 RBIs) 3B-Viciedo (.280, 30 HR, 100 RBIs as a 23-year old) SS-Alexei (.300, 25 HR, 90-100 RBI) 1b-Allen (.265, 25-35 HR) DH-Fields (.265, 20-25 HR) *He and Allen could be switched RF-Shelby (.280, 15-20 HR, 30 SB) C-Armstrong (.250, 15 HR, GG or close to it defense) And by then, we will probably have signed another Cuban or two. I am just very excited to see where this organization is headed. That order has some serious power with lots of high OBP guys and guys who are above average speed wise for their positions minus CQ, but he still runs fine. There are no guys there with 50 SB potential likely, but Danks and Shelby could certainly hit 30. Alexei, Beckham and CQ could be 15+ guys and Allen/Fields could chip in 10 ish. I truly believe Brandon Allen is the most underrated Sox prospect — at least on the Soxtalk, he has the potential to be Ryan Howard. Probably won't reach 50 HR like him, but in his prime, 40 HR is something he certainly could hit. With the plodders we've kept thus far, I don't know if that's very realistic, be it by guys we keep or guys we obtain between now and then. The course it appears we're steering in is comforting, however. Also don't know about signing another Cuban. Not even taking into account whether or not one or two more high profile Cubans defect in the next two years- if Viciedo works out it will open eyes and wallets. With Duque, Count, Alexei, and now Viciedo, the Sox have been pretty inviting to the Cubans. Yanks/Red Sox/Cubs money would probably trump such goodwill. This is part of the reason I'm glad we got Ramirez and Viciedo- might not be as easy from now on.

Awesome! I'd really be dissapointed if we *didn't* end up signing him. I love it, but at the same time I'm not going to expect him to pull the same stunt Alexei did this year. Perhaps, but probably not. I'm just happy he's on board right now.

I think he'd probabaly have to stick around for a while to get to that mark. A 20 win season is a nice way to go out though.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Nov 15, 2008 -> 09:24 PM) I could see the Twins signing Cabrera... but you know if they do, Cabrera is gonna bat .300+ and just be a pain in our ass. Still don't see why he absolutely had to be let go... Unless he was looking for eleventy years at an asanine price, and assuming we find a leadoff man this offseason, I'd rather see this Orlando in the infield hitting second about 100X more than the other one everyone seems to think we're targeting. Griff came and went, this was a natural process, but with Swish out and Uribe all but so, why not throw some money at a dude who will hit, field at an average clip, hates losing and won't go out of his way to hide it? Whoever we plant at second is essentially OCab's replacement, and I'm scared to think of how that will end up. No thank you to either Hudson or Getz, but I have some salt ready for my words which I would be glad to sprinkle. I can't see how either of the two would replace Cabrera, and I hated the guy, actually thought he did a pretty good Cintron impersonation towards the start of the year. Him coming alive seemed to coincide with the Sox taking that extended run in 1st place.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Nov 13, 2008 -> 08:52 PM) Some things are more important than money, one of them is not playing for an organization like the Nats. They won't be terrible forever. Offering lol money to someone could also attract pieces that wouldn't have even considered the thought of playing for the Nats. My gut, and if I were a Nats front office type would be to throw such sums around, but not at Tex. If say for instance Manny were 3, even 2 years younger I wouldn't wait one second before I made him an offer he couldn't refuse, on this, the day of my daughters wedding. I haven't looked at any numbers so my shot in the dark opinion that he'll be Paul Konerko two years before Paul Konerko became Paul Konerko (sans that one s***show season). I would look elsewhere to throw Ft. Knox at someone if I were the Nats... I would look long and hard because a good major FA signing would work wonders in terms of accelerating their future. If they were set to throw gold at someone, and Soriano was locked up for a few more years, that would be a pristine situation to work with as a GM. You need pitching? Worst comes to worst flip Alf for some, and use the economy that you were going to indulge Tex in on two guys instead of one. There are/were many ways out of their hole. I don't think they'll be bottom dwellers for *too* much longer. f*** Hendry for offering an asanine deal to Soriano...It could have gotten interesting in our nation's capitol.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 15, 2008 -> 10:28 PM) He could be our missing Link in the '09 bullpen. Horse walks into a bar, barkeep says "Why the long face"? Shades of "The chances of me working are...remote".

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 13, 2008 -> 03:03 PM) sign Viciendo Big fan of that...It would lessen the hurt of selling someone I thought fit in perfectly and just happened to have a bad season. Dude still hit 26 home runs and had a stretch where his offensive play helped us out. Swisher has been a favorite of mine since Oakland, I was thrilled to see him come here, and I know he'll rebound (sadly in NY) which is what makes it so tough to see him go. I hope to God that Betemit does not mean the end of Uribe. If Betemit takes Getz out of the picture for '09 then I'm all for it, but he's absolutely no replacement for Uribe.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Nov 12, 2008 -> 06:48 AM) i like phony venom i guess....a little show business makes life a more interesting, even if you know it is a scam....boers is just phoning it in at this point. i don't think he actually watches any sports other than horse racing. Boers phoning it in is still funny as hell. North, I guess I do miss a little. I think an evening shift (7-10) could have possibly worked for him. M&H have all but made me forget he did mornings though- it's a sold show. Haven't really heard too much Hampton/Holmes but I never really dug on Holmes and thought Abbatacola would have been a solid M&H midday replacement. Jay? I stopped reading his crap years ago. I understand part of his approach was instigation with the end result of people reading him, and that's exactly why I never went out of my way to read the garbage. He was also annoying to see on ESPN from time to time.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Nov 10, 2008 -> 05:31 PM) Well Longoria's main competition or the award got about 5 month's worth of plate appearances (Evan: 508, Alexei: 509) while Quentin's main competition finished with 150-160 more PA (Quentin: 569, Morneau: 712, Pedroia: 726) so the 2 situations aren't exactly equal. Yeah, and I understand that, but along with not really keeping tabs on theTwins or Red Sox as often as our guys, it just seems like Quentin's time was more potent based on clutch, game winners, etc., than the other two. A shot of Jack to a beer if you will... If I were a pitcher Quentin would be the one of the three that I would most try to throw unhittable garbage at. Morneau follows from a distance. On a side note, I can't imagine Pedroia even dreaming about the level of production that he just turned in in even as little as two year.

Shoulda taken that paycut and stayed at the Score...

QUOTE (3E8 @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 11:27 AM) Yeah God forbid we actually try to expand or revolutionize scouting abroad. I really don't think it's coincidence that your statement is directly underneath lostfan's signature Nothing against expanding our scouting to non-traditional lands, I'm all for it. My gut tells me that India, at least for now isn't the place to look. I was a great fan of the Alexei signing. Granted, Cuban ballplayers don't exactly come from untested lands like India, but I would rather have another team bite, observe how it works out for them, and then base decisions on the outcome. If it were a traditional baseball playing nation we were talking about then I would be all for it. Look, Japan is a baseball nation- the guys that have come over have been hit or miss, and miss may actually be a generous adjective in some cases. If you play poker and go all in on a bluff then perhaps an Indian cricketballer is something you would go for. I would prioritize a draft, trade, free agent signing, exploring proven baseball countries, finding some dude on the streets, and THEN India/etc., in that order. I fail to see how that isn't a rational argument against potentially signing someone that is incredibly unproven for money that could either be spent on help that can be counted on, or a polish with grilled onions that can be counted on satisfying my appetite.

I'd rather sign Dewon Day to an eleventy million year no trade contract. Let the Tigers, Indians, Royals (not Twins, they would somehow turn an 81 mph fastballer into Cy Young) mess around with this. I would honestly weep if the Sox allocated anything more than 5 dollars toward this s***show. That could have gone toward a nice polish w/ grilled onions.

I kinda dig on Alexei's glove flip plays. With him I guess he could still probably pull those off from center but I like him at second better. Just for the record, one million Alexei glove flips would not equal one of what Tadahito Iguchi did on the play that shamed the entire Matrix trilogy.

In regards to Uribe at least, 2008 wasn't one of his typical hot streaks. In years past he would literally carry the team for 2 weeks or so via HR and then cool down. This year he came up big in the right spots over a longer period of time- yeah he did raise his BA by 40 or so points, but he did it with situational hitting, RISP, the leadoff double, etc. 2008 was my favorite year of Uribe despite the lack of profundo. Swish just looked like a guy overcome with pressure- pressure that one can eventually get used to. He looked great at the plate during Paulie's first DLing. I really think he'll get it together right quick and can't imagine the thought process behind getting rid of him. A quick trigger finger means you get nothing back for him after a season that looks to be an outlier for him. The risk v. reward points 100% to keeping him. But yeah, he did seem lost at the plate. With some slumps though, Ted Ruth couldn't help you. You just gotta find the fattest, gnarliest chick...