caulfield12

Lester's deal 2009 – $1 M 2010 – $3.75 M 2011 – $5.75 M 2012 – $7.625 M 2013 – $11.625 M 2014 – $13 M or $250,000 buyout I guess the other contract we'd have to look at would be Fausto Carmona....that was $15 million. But Lester's deal was signed after Year 2, Danks' would be after Year 4....so a Danks deal would start basically at the 2011 step in the Lester contract: It would work out to $38 million for 4 year for JD1, average yearly value of $9.5 million per season.

Well, let's start with this idea. Blackburn and Floyd are at $14 million/4 years, I think....something like that. Slowey wants the same deal, basically. Now I'll throw out a name just for argument's sake, because it's current/topical: Zobrist and the Rays have agreed to a five-year contract extension, the St. Petersburg Times reports. Spin: The deal is guaranteed through Zobrist's arbitration years and includes team options for 2014 and 2015, his first two years of free agency. Zobrist narrowly missed Super Two eligibility for arbitration this winter, but guaranteed money for at least the next three seasons (financial terms will be revealed later on Friday) is a nice vote of confidence from the Rays after his breakout 2009 campaign. This would be one possibility for the Sox, a two year deal for Danks (not year to year or going arb) with a team option for 2013. Zobrist is getting $30 million guaranteed, so, I think I'd offer JD1 $33-39 million for 3 years, if he agrees to the club option or simply making 2013 a guaranteed contract year. Or perhaps a "mutual option." Considering what we are paying Peavy and Buehrle, what we paid Contreras, it doesn't seem like such a bad or unfair deal at all. You might have to go into the low 40's to get it done or risk losing him....or being forced to trade him. It's not going to make Gavin Floyd very happy, that's for sure. But we can't just let our best player walk, either.

into year one of Free Agency? Since he's basically the most valuable player on our entire roster (yes, over Beckham...although some would argue Gordon because he's an everyday player and cheaper, but Danks is getting closer and closer to elite status, left-handed, Santana-Lite)...how high do you think the organization is going to be willing to go, knowing we MIGHT lose Buehrle sooner than later? The whole idea of having the same deal on the table as Floyd doesn't hold as much water anymore. You have to treat Danks differently, and that's not just based on four 2010 starts...it's the accumulated evidence from 2008-2010. How much pressure does KW put on him...to imply he will deal him if he doesn't extend as he has done in the past as a negotiating tactic? Does Danks really want to play out the string on one year deals and then test the free agency waters? How much will Danks get on the open market? How does D2 figure into the considerations, the fact that he's pretty close to the majors and playing with his bro, which is darned cool. What kind of package would you have to get in return to consider dealing D1? What are the odds that Danks is the starting pitcher for the Chicago White on Opening Day in 2013?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5129232 Ben Zobrist to sign $30 million extension with the Rays. Well, that's another good argument for revenue-generating strength of MLB for small markets. It's basically the same amount the Reds spent on Chapman. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-alignment042010 JEFF PASSAN on baseball realignment

QUOTE (docsox24 @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:52 PM) its only because he hasnt sucked yet. dont worry if he gets PT and cant hit the divorce will be on. So the only players to love right now are Lucy, Nix and Santos, haha. They're probably the 3 least accountable for the mess we're currently digging ourselves out from under.

We traded Guerrier for Marte....and Matt was one of our top 10 prospects at the time. The Pirates already had 2 two LHP's they were pretty sure to keep coming out of ST (think one of them was Beimel), so Damaso was going to have to clear waivers first but KW pulled the trigger, which turned out to be the wise move as he becamse one of the top 2-3 LH set-up men in baseball from 2002-2004. The Borchard for Thornton move also comes to mind. I'd rather get ANYTHING/SOMETHING back in return...at least TRY. The more times we roll the dice in getting "a bundle" of the prospects that KW and the scouts have identified, the better off we'll be.

THEN, if we want to get "something for free" since we basically stole Nix from Colorado...why don't we simply (crossing that bridge when we get to it) try to get more regular at-bats for Nix in the second half of the season and see if we can somehow get a B prospect in return for him? I'm assuming that if things completely fell apart, they would waive/trade Vizquel at age 43 (marketing him to a contender as a defense first, 3 position utility IF in the Juan Castro mode). Hopefully some team will have a 2B go down...that's the best-case scenario for maximizing Nix's value.

Teahen is 0 for 11 lifetime with 4 K's against RR-S. That's why he is sitting...although with the way he's been going, not sure it's the right move. Definitely the "by the books" move. http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/bvsp?playerId=6183 Rios and Andruw historically are the 2 guys that hit him the best, but very small sample sizes to say the least. Nix 1/3 with two punchouts against him. Vizquel, amazingly, has never faced him.

Thunderbolt, I'm a little unclear. It seems you want to give Dayan and CJ one-half season (at the big league level) to get their feet wet, while simultaneously not being recalled until the minor league season is over at the end of August....? What will they do to get used to the big leagues? It seems you really can't promote Dayan unless he would be playing in at least half the games, which would mean a platoon at DH and/or 1B (Kotsay gone/Konerko dealt). Retherford, you don't have to worry about quite so much sitting on the bench more often. Wouldn't it make more sense to DFA or waive Vizquel and replace him with Retherford...but then keep Nix in AAA playing 2B everyday (affording the spot to say D2)? Or your idea is that he might be claimed by another team if he goes through the process? Or, since Ozzie will never be part of embarassing/shaming Omar, they'll just flip flop Nix and Retherford on the 25 man?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AmtV...dominican042210 Sandy Alderson trying to clean up the Dominican "buscones" (player agents) mess....and a mention of Dave Wilder. Very interesting article.

Which is like arguing that Corky Miller after a multiple hit game last year in April was, too. The future at catcher begins and ends with Flowers....Gonzalez and Phegley are 2-3 years away.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 08:25 AM) This team sucks. What manager is going to get these guys anywhere? There is virtually nothing exciting about watching this team except a couple starting pitchers and a reliever or two...Just putting together a bunch of good players (circa 2004) is so Dan Snyder-esque it's funny. Now the team is in the doldrums, the salary is high, so-called good players are playing at DFA-them levels, and no one is watching this flotsam...and we're only 16 games in. There is time to turn it around, but does this team have that capability? Kenny retooled the minors a bit, then gutted it again for a guy who can't get people out and is making more money than God. Accountability starts with guys like that. Everyone likes to beat up on a platoon hitting DH (who admittedly should NOT be there). There are more problems here than Mark freaking Kotsay (though he could be one of the first to be moved out if need blood is needed). As someone highlighted somewhere else on this site, all of those players we gave up (to SD) are struggling mightily, with the exception of Clayton Richard. We lost some depth, but none of those other three were going to make much of a difference to the long-term future of this team IMO. Now I suppose you could argue they'd provide KW with "added bullets" for his trading gun, but that boat has sailed. Of course, in hindsight, we can argue that we'd be better off with Richard's low salary (creating huge payroll flexibility) over Peavy...but it's ridiculous to make such argument from a long-term perspective, after four starts. Premature evaluation... We can go on and on about the Swisher trade (which would leave us with Ryan Sweeney possibly playing CF and not needing to acquire Rios)...but we need to find a solution, recriminations about the past (and I'm one of the first to bring them up, I'll admit) are wasted at this point.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 08:25 AM) This team sucks. What manager is going to get these guys anywhere? There is virtually nothing exciting about watching this team except a couple starting pitchers and a reliever or two...Just putting together a bunch of good players (circa 2004) is so Dan Snyder-esque it's funny. Now the team is in the doldrums, the salary is high, so-called good players are playing at DFA-them levels, and no one is watching this flotsam...and we're only 16 games in. There is time to turn it around, but does this team have that capability? Kenny retooled the minors a bit, then gutted it again for a guy who can't get people out and is making more money than God. Accountability starts with guys like that. Everyone likes to beat up on a platoon hitting DH (who admittedly should NOT be there). There are more problems here than Mark freaking Kotsay (though he could be one of the first to be moved out if need blood is needed). As someone highlighted somewhere else on this site, all of those players we gave up (to SD) are struggling mightily, with the exception of Clayton Richard. We lost some depth, but none of those other there were going to make much of a difference to the long-term future of this team IMO. Now I suppose you could argue they'd provide KW with "added bullets" for his trading gun, but that boat has sailed. Of course, in hindsight, we can argue that we'd be better off with Richard's low salary (creating huge payroll flexibility) over Peavy...but it's ridiculous to make such argument from a long-term perspective, after four starts. Premature evaluation... We can go on and on about the Swisher trade (which would leave us with Ryan Sweeney possibly playing CF and not needing to acquire Rios)...but we need to find a solution, recriminations about the past (and I'm one of the first to bring them up, I'll admit) are wasted at this point.

Solutions for bringing fans out to game out of curiosity which would in no way improve our record but might boost attendance/interest (see Canseco, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, etc.) 1) Release Vizquel. Bring back Crede to get some AB's against LHP's and as a part-time DH. Get Nix some more playing time to see if he fits into the long-range plans of the organization. Vizquel certainly doesn't, unless it's playing for Ozzie's next team. 2) Sign Bonds or Sosa to replace Kotsay. Yes, I'm joking. Well, 90%. 3) Promote Danks (Kotsay)/Flowers (Lucy/Kotsay)/Hudson (Garcia)/Retherford (for Nix)...let Nix play everyday 2B at Charlotte 4) Reactivate Frank Thomas or sign Carlos Farmer in the Delgado. 5) Reactivate Ozzie Guillen as player/manager and team him up with Vizquel. 6) Minnie Minoso plays in yet another Sox decade. 7) Release Williams. Replace with Eddie Guardado. 8) Five year reunion of 2005 team....just to have some good vibes at the ballpark again. 9) Brian Anderson Appreciation Day 10) Another option...bring back Chad Bradford, Tom Gordon or Luis Vizcaino (more of the positive vibes thing from former Sox hurlers)

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 04:29 AM) Haha, I just found out that Saturday I'll be going to the expo and I think I'll be in Shanghai on Sunday. Let me know where you'll be and we can meet up. Do you happen to have a blackberry because my phone doesn't work too well for actual calls? If you do, what is your BBM pin or email address? I'm going to Suzhou on Tuesday as the company I work for has a manufacturing plant their that I will be touring. While we are there, we will evidently have a lot of time to sight see as well. I've been told that Suzhou has nice pearls (to buy as a gift for my fiance, my sister and my mom), a cool set of canals which we will be going on, and than a tower to see. Is there anything else I should check out while in Suzhou? Also, any random recommendations for Shanghai. We've gone up to the Pearl Tower and are hoping to go up the World Financial Tower at some point during the next week. We saw the circus here (which was badass), been to the gardens and a few other areas and I think on Sunday will hit up the People's Museum & Museum of Science & Technology (which must be ridiculous since they spent just over 500M on it). You've done a lot more than I have in Shanghai. Surprised you weren't basejumping like Tom Cruise in MI-3! I forgot to bring my passport last time I went, big mistake. Even though I have resident (Z) visa, you always have to take your passport in Shanghai to stay in a hotel, they're really cracking down because of the EXPO and increased criminal activity. In China, I have to been to Wuhan, Beijing, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan/Taipei, Guangdong/Shenzhen, on a cruise of the Yangtze/3 Gorges Dam (my second job was with a cruise/tour company)...would still like to go to Xian, Xiamen, Hainan Island, Nepal/Tibet/Bhutan and Nanjing when I get the chance. You hit on the Suzhou highlights. It used to be the Venice of China (or St. Petersburg) but its lost a lot of it traditional feeling with modernization and the tearing down of many of the centuries old structures to be replaced by new upper-tier per square meter apartments/condos. Supposedly, the most beautiful women in China came from Suzhou in the time period about 30-50 years ago, the city was legendary.

9.3/10 Not as meandering and wandering as my typical rants, but well done. Good execution, lots of dramatic flair and "elan." Extra 1/4 point for PC mentioning of Allah. Your MTV shout-out reminded me of the drama that will be the White Sox/KW reality show...could get to be MUST-SEE TV the way things are going. Nice point about Jones/Vizquel being superfluous with the Rangers, and the rhetorical flourish and triplicated alliteration of "I love..." Simple, yet elegant.

I live in Hangzhou now and teach English, History and Economics at ZJUT. Have been here since March 2nd, when I finished my university contract teaching in Thailand. West Lake is indeed very beautiful, you should go there and take a boat ride, but when the weather's nice there will be a TON of people and lots of traffic, so allow yourself lots of extra time...you should also try to check out Suzhou or Yellow Mountain if you have the opportunity. Give me a call if you have a working cell phone here. I will be in Shanghai with my co-workers, maybe I can buy you lunch...and commiserate about the Sox. Will be back in Hangzhou Sunday night at 7 or so. BTW, be careful about the KTV's and "pink rooms." Wink, wink.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:25 AM) Hey Caufield. Where in China are you? Hangzhou...1 1/2 hours from Shanghai by train, more or less 15925642611 (cell number) I will be in Shanghai for a preview of the upcoming WORLD EXPO all day Sunday.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:03 AM) You're right. And this drives me absolutely crazy. Since 1983, we've made the postseason 5 times. That means in 21 of the last 26 seasons we did not see playoff baseball. That, well, sucks. I laugh when I hear, and again you're right, Sox fans talk about they won't stand for a youth movement or any type of rebuilding. "I WON'T GET ANY TICKETS IF THEY REBUILD!" As if we've had this extended run of success. You know what? Stay the f*** home then. The attendance is second rate anyway. I'd rather go the route of putting more effort into the draft, beefing up the farm, maybe make a shrewd trade or two, and go from there. Beats spending 100+ million only to finish third most years. I take it you didn't become a fan until 2005? Either that or you were too young to see the teams from 95-99. And some of the older chatters can go back way back to when it was even worse than that. I know it sucks, but you have to consider leading the division by one over the hated Indians in 1994 as something. Yes, we didn't see playoff baseball that year, but we had a team that was definitely capable of winning it all, extremely entertaining...so 20.5/26. Going back to 93 and counting 94, you could make the argument for that it has been 5 times in 19 years, which somehow sounds a lot better. Even though 1994 was a "hollow" or Pyrrhic victory.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 08:51 PM) Yes they do. See also CC Sabathia 2008. Barry Zito comes to mind. Jason Schmidt. There have been a ton of "aces" with big contracts that have gone south (big-time) on those clubs. Heck, probably 60-75% of those pitchers with $50 million plus contracts, Hampton comes to mind right away, Kevin Brown, Darren Dreifort, Chan Ho Park, etc.

At this point, there's absolutely no reason not to give Threets a chance. It can't get any worse, he's younger and has 5X the upside of a Williams, which isn't saying a whole lot. But just let him work in blowouts and maybe things can click working at the big league level with Cooper and next to Thornton/Buehrle/Danks.

The only question is when will we hit an identifiable rock bottom...where is the light at the end of the tunnel? We're closing in on Baltimore, lol.

Okay...maybe a scout who makes talent recommendations/identification without making the final decision. Giving him too much authority might be a mistake. But he has to have some, or he wouldn't consider it worth his time and effort.

Well, it looks like this game is going down the drain rapidly...

Like the Twins, the Rays are a team with superior talent. Pure and simple. We can't win with smoke and mirrors again.