Vance Law

Keep Semien! Give em Sanchez!

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 09:59 PM) There is so much wrong with that article. For example, it is dated tomorrow.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 09:53 PM) This is going to sound cocky and it's really not meant to be, but honestly since Magglio, or to a degree Crede, who is the last White Sox position player to come up through the White Sox farm system and contribute in a meaningful way for multiple seasons? I know someone has to do it eventually, but until proven otherwise, I have a hard time getting too attached to White Sox position prospects. I'm fine dealing Anderson as well, I just think he has more value than Samardzija right now. Rowand, Mike Morse. The Sox were consistently drafting pitchers in the first round which must affect that as well. Before Beckham, 8 of the prior 10 1st rounders were pitchers. Since then, Beckham's a below average starter, Mitchell's leg injury may have helped make him a bust, Phegley still might be able to hit enough for a catcher and the other guys are still too young. Semien's been the most impressive Sox minor leaguer in years to me for his ability to control the strike zone- something our prospects seemingly never are adept at. I'd personally rather trade Avisail than Semien. I could be wrong. We'll see.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 09:50 PM) If he walks after this year, we make a QO and get comp? Yes.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 09:45 PM) I just don't feel right about this...call me crazy I agree. If we're intent on moving Semien, I'd think we could do better than 1 year of Samardzija.

The one good thing would be that we still have Keppinger to platoon with Gillaspie.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 07:25 PM) If John Danks were a free agent, what would you expect him to sign for? He hasn't thrown 200 innings since 2010. He hasn't had an era under 4.00 since 2010, even in the partial seasons. I would have to look up some recent comparables for him but I'd assume he'd get between $5 and $10 million per year. Come on. He threw 193 innings last year and hasn't had any health issues. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 07:25 PM) but the guy has no value, at all. The contract, as is, has negative value. The player has value.

No! Not Semien! Give them Sanchez

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 07:50 PM) lol. You expect a return for Danks at any price? Any price? Yeah. He's a player who has value. He's a back of the rotation starter who can throw 200 innings, and in the National League, and in a park like PNC will put up numbers that look better than in Chicago last year. His salary is too high for what he'll provide. If the Sox paid a large portion of his salary they could get something useful.

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Dec 8, 2014 -> 05:38 PM) Man, people are down on Danks. He's overpaid, I get it. But he's a serviceable number 4, and that is something the Sox need. The Sox are currently a starter short as it is. Unless trading him directly facilitates another move, like signing Scherzer (or trading for and extending Samardzija)or something big, I don't see the point of the Sox paying half of Danks' salary to pitch for someone else while still looking for starting pitching themselves. If you pay $7 mil to trade him and sign Masterson for about $9 mil, you are increasing your payroll by about $2 million in 2015 and not really improving the team all that much anyway. Is that really worth it? But you weirdly left out who the Sox got in the Danks trade.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2014 -> 01:19 AM) with the advance stat aside, do you think he is no better of a SS then Cleuluis? I was exaggerating Cleuluis' hitting ability, which is very limited, to point out how bad E Cabrera was with the bat last year. 263 players got at least 300 plate appearances last year and advanced stats regard Cabrera as the 8th worst in baseball last year. Regarding defense, my understanding was that Cleuluis would be an above average defensive shortstop in MLB right now.

He put up a .572 OPS last year. I bet Cleuluis could do that.

Has there been any discussion anywhere on whether the Cuban government is potentially going to get a cut of his money? I ask with no evidence to back this up. Just that Cuban defectors have been getting such huge contracts the last 4 years and now he's the first (as far as I know, ever) who was allowed to leave the country freely, go to Guatemala to establish residency in order to go to the MLB.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 06:34 PM) The point I am making is if we want to acquire Samardzija, it actually takes less to get rid of John Danks and use the money saved to upgrade to Scherzer than to acquire Shark, sign him for an extension for a similar AAV, or watch him walk away after 1 year. Samardzija schedules to make close to $10 mil in arb this year, John Danks makes $14 mil. I assume Scherzer make end up with $25 mil AAV. I hear what you're saying. It just doesn't seem likely or the best allocation of resources for a rebuilding team to basically sell its highly ranked prospect(s) for cash in order to go to the free agent market. Trading Danks and Tim Anderson (and giving up a 2nd round draft pick), for example, for the ability to pay market value for the most expensive pitcher out there seems like one of the least likely strategies for the Sox. I also highly doubt they're going for Samardzija or Greinke or anyone else with one year left on their contract. Someone should keep a running list of every player during free agency that a reporter says the Sox "inquired" about. Then compare that to who is on the team on opening day.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 06:18 PM) How much do you guys think we have to pay, in terms of prospects, if we want to ship John Danks off without eating significant amount of money? I can't imagine a situation where it makes sense for the above to happen. The Sox have cash, are building for the future, and therefore wouldn't want to give away top prospects. This suggests trying to give up what they want to keep (prospects) in order to get something they already have (cash/salary relief). The more likely scenarios for moving Danks are in a trade for someone similarly attached to a lot of salary (bad contract) or where the Sox eat a portion of the salary to get someone they want.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 11:23 PM) If Viciedo was going to be moved it should have happened by now. They did exactly the same thing with De Aza last year, people kept saying "Oh they'll trade him in January, oh they'll trade him in ST, he's a solid player and he doesn't fit where we are, oh they'll trade him at the end of ST" and then wham. No one wants a $4 million trash bill except us for some reason. De Aza is a legitimate starting left fielder. Viciedo got pushed into action by Garcia's injury. You sound like you're upset by Viciedo getting a contract, but you can't actually think they are going to have Viciedo as the starting left-fielder do you?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 10:21 PM) Where he got hurt was all those bullpen "lottery tickets," like Belisario and Downs, Paulino There's only room for so many lottery tickets at a given time. We didn't get hurt by Putnam, Noesi, and Guerra.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Dec 4, 2014 -> 12:52 AM) actually no, it's not. It's left handed power that is at a premium. From that perspective, LaRoche is worth more than perhaps he got. Viciedo is a dime a dozen .5 WAR player that could turn into a 2 WAR player and is getting paid like a 1 WAR player. The sort of guy that you have a hard time trading on OOTP 15. At best, someone will give PTBNL or will claim him on waivers in May. The Sox made the right bet IMO, but if he's the starting LF in April something went wrong. A platoon or a 5th OF role (assuming they have the IF versatility) would be OK, but not ideal either. Did you read the article you linked to? Did you read the title?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 3, 2014 -> 09:44 AM) Here's a relevant article that both argues that Markakis is way overrated at hs current asking price AND happens to mention that he's similar to De Aza in likely overall production: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/what-are-we...-nick-markakis/ Markakis to the Braves. Thank goodness. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/12/brav...k-markakis.html And Saunders going to the Blue Jays. We could have had either of those guys if they were our target. I assume this means Hahn is aiming higher. Melky seems more likely to me now. Or Kemp/Ethier.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 2, 2014 -> 06:31 PM) Medlen AND Beachy. Medlen recently turned 29 and Beachy 28. Sign either one of them though they may not be ready til May but still. Beachy was only set to get $1.5 million. You'd think they'd roll the dice on that, especially if they're already dropping Medlen.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Dec 2, 2014 -> 09:12 PM) ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that the Dodgers have acquired Chris Heisey from the Reds via trade. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman says the Reds will receive Matt Magill in return. The Dodgers are already loaded with outfielders, so this could be the first of multiple moves for them. Heisey, who is in his second year of arbitration this offseason, batted .222/.265/.378 with eight homers over 299 plate appearances for the Reds in 2014. He'll back up at all seven outfield spots. Source: Jerry Crasnick on Twitter Looks like Dodgers going to deal very soon. corrected. edit: He's a righty. Kemp on the move?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 1, 2014 -> 07:25 PM) I'm not even necessarily the type to like a player like Aoki, but I don't disagree with this whatsoever, except perhaps the better baseball player part. If not "better", "more valuable" over the last 3 years, over the last 2 years. Steamer projection too. Markakis' surprising jump in the defensive metrics to his closest to league average since 2008 allowed him to nudge past Aoki last year.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Dec 1, 2014 -> 06:11 PM) I'd give Markakis 4/50 and slide him into the 2 whole behind Eaton and in front of Abreu. Then move Avi to left. We'd be way better off giving Nori Aoki, a better baseball player, less than half that money.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Nov 30, 2014 -> 08:02 PM) Not a big Snider fan personally But do you like him more than John Danks?

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 30, 2014 -> 06:22 PM) While the speculation seems to have temporarily abated, could we step back for a moment and examine the bigger picture? Most would agree that there are still 3 holes remaining to be filled. A corner outfielder, a RH Starting pitcher and a bullpen arm, preferably a closer. There is still considerable money available, with estimates of around $25 Million of payroll flexibility for this coming season. There is also the possibility of a trade, as evidenced by the recent rumors. My question is which trade chip would you most willingly offer, to help fill at least one of the remaining holes? I'd like the Sox to get creative in dealing Danks. If we can't get a salary swap for one of the Dodgers OFs, perhaps they could send him to Pittsburgh along with a bunch of cash for Travis Snider. Someone says: but that's too much money to pay to get Snider!! Yes, but Danks money is already spent. Danks + free agent OF costs WAY MORE than Snider/cash to Pirates + Bassit/Rodon Other than that, I'd rather see Sanchez traded than Semien