bear_brian

If we sign Uribe, we will turn Keppinger back to Tampa for that LH hitting catcher (name escapes me). We will platoon Uribe and Gillaspie at 3B, be able to spot Juan at SS and 2B when needed. It would be a good acquisition because of his defense and the flexibility he brings.

I have been thinking for some time now that KW has been trying to get finalization out of Danks - either get him to sign an extension, or move him now. What about Danks and Quentin to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp and a reliever (my fantasy is Broxton, but that is far-fetched)? Sale goes to the rotation. This all assumes that Peavy will come back healthy. A different scenario would be Peavy and Quentin, but not as sure Dodgers would bite on that one.

I think most, if not all of us, were very impressed with Podsednik's hitting last year. However, he is a terrible left fielder, cannot play center field at all, had a surprising number of base running gaffes (a few of which may have cost us games), and most probably will fall quite a bit from the average he posted last year. I think Crisp could provide real value for us, give our pitching staff another quality defensive outfielder, and still keep payroll flexibility to acquire another hitter and a bullpen arm.

I rarely post here, but after reading some of the anti-Crisp comments here, feel I need to add my thoughts to this discussion. Crisp is an outstanding defensive outfielder - head and shoulders above Posednik. He is also a switch hitter, which can be a valuable commodity with all of Ozzie's lineup changes. Before he was hurt last year he had an OBP of .371 in April. He is not Ricky Henderson, but he is an experienced lead-off hitter who will probably hit somewhere between .250 to .270, steal 25 bases, hit a few home runs, lay down a few good bunts, and allow us wonderful outfield defense as well as flexibility. I see no downside with him - assuming the shoulders are healed. I cannot believe all of the bashing - BJ Upton is a real long-shot, Podsednik is not worth the money he is asking, etc. There are very few solutions out there to the combo of lead-off hitter and good defensive outfielder with speed. We do not want Beckham as a leadoff hitter - that is a waste of his talents. All we need after Crisp is to sign Matsui as DH and look for one more relief pitcher. We would then be the team to beat in the central.

Am wondering if Taveras goes to Cincy, does that make Dickerson and Bailey a good enough return for Jermaine? Would also stop Kenny from possibly chasing Taveras ... Would Cincy do that sort of deal? According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds are interested in Willy Taveras. The newspaper reports that "the Reds called him as soon as he became a free agent" last week. Taveras would lead off and play center field for the Reds, which would push Chris Dickerson into a reserve role if they add another bat. Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

I have posted previously on this notion of acquiring Coco. Wanting him is NOT strictly because of his offensive production. It is because without him we are playing Nick Swisher in center, asking Orlando Cabrera to lead off, and basically not presenting the "balanced approach" that KW talks about. Crisp would give us outstanding defense in center field, a .280 lifetime batting average, 20 to 30 stolen bases as well as the ability to take the extra base, speed to keep defenses honest, experience in leading off and is a switch hitter which adds to the overall versatility of our lineup. If any of you think that Nick Swisher will be an above average center fielder (or, worse, will get hurt trying to make plays that he is unaccustomed in making) you are kidding yourself. If you think Jerry Owens is a good center fielder, likewise. Our competitors have Sizemore and Granderson. With our pitching staff and lack of defense at third base and right field, we need the best possible solution in center field. Crisp plays better defense than Anderson, will hit for a higher average (and hit lefties) better than Owens, and would simply make us a better ball club. All of you OBP-lovers need to look at the overall picture. As to Quentin - I like his possibilities, but that is all there is at this time. If you keep him and let him spell Dye, Konerko (Swisher at first), Thome, and Crisp (Swisher in center), he would get 350 to 400 at bats.

It is amazing that a number of people in this forum seem so totally down on Crisp. He would provide outstanding defense in center (something that it does not appear - barring some miraculous rejuvenation with Brian Anderson - we will have this year), would give us a series of good lineup options as a switch hitter, is a lifetime .280 hitter and would steal somewhere between 25 and 30 bases. He has been playing through an injury for the last year or so, and can probably be expected to do better than last year. If we are going for it this year, then we had better shore up the outfield defense like our competition - Tigers with Granderson and Cleveland with Sizemore. Is everybody so hell bent on OBP and OPS that they lose sight of the other factors needed for a successful ballclub? There have been numerous championship teams in baseball history that sacrificed some offense for defense. And a .280 lifetime is nothing to sneeze at. We could still keep Quentin and use him to spell Dye, Swisher and Konerko (Swisher playing first), where he would still get a goodly number of at bats. I just don't see the problem with going after Coco ...

Ozzie's statements at Sox Fest regarding the lineup seem to suggest quite a bit hinges on how Owens looks in the spring. If he looks good, they will lead him off followed by: Cabrera Konerko Thome Dye Swisher Fields AJ Richar (Or Ramirez) I am wondering whether Ozzie will go with a more platooned approach, where against lefties: - Ozuna leads off and plays second - Swisher moves to center - Quentin goes to left - Toby Hall replaces AJ That lineup might look like this: Ozuna Cabrera Konerko Dye Thome Swisher Fields Quentin Hall Using this approach it would seem like we could optimize and protect Owens, Richar and Quentin, make ourselves significantly better against lefties and minimize the number of games where Swisher is playing center. If we could figure out a way to get a starter in a deal involving Crede (even Lowry), we would look very good. Thoughts?

Yeah ... may be you're right. It just seems to me that KW's "balance" comment is not accurate, that we still do not have a true lead-off hitter and we certainly do not have a good to excellent defensive centerfielder. It's wonderful to talk about what Quentin MIGHT do, but even if he does, how many games will Swisher's defensive inabilities cost us (a la Mackowiak)? Maybe Phil Rogers (who I thoroughly detest) does have an idea in the Konerko for Melky Cabrera conjecture. Melky plays center, leads off, Dye moves to first, Swisher plays right, Quentin left. That is a very good defensive outfield, and we get younger and faster. I know everyone will yell and scream about losing Paulie, but it does seem to make us better. Bottom line, at least IMO ... we had better find good defense in center or it will be a long year.

I am excited about Quentin's potential, but ... I don't know about you, but I don't see Swisher being what we are going to need for center field. Maybe he will prove me wrong, but he is a far cry defensively from Sizemore, or Granderson, and that's who the competition has. Additionally, putting OCab at lead-off is not where he excels. Crisp addresses both issues, and we are going to need as much defense as possible to help our 3-4-5 starters and to compensate for the growing pains Fields will have at third base.

Some time ago there was a rumor that the Sox and Boston had a deal worked out for Coco Crisp in the event that the Red Sox did not land Santana. As I recall it was to involve John Shelby and one other minor leaguer. Don't know how true the rumor was or is. Seems to me that Crisp would resolve two of the biggest remaining issues this team has - excellent defense in center field coupled with an experienced lead-off man. I am not saying I am wild about Coco, but he is an outstanding defensive centerfielder. Acquiring him would allow us to move Dye to left, put Swisher in right, siginficantly upgrade our overall outfield defense. Crisp is not a great lead-off hitter, but he switch hits, walks a little and can certainly steal bases. He is a lifetime .280 hitter. Thoughts?

It seems like signing Dotel - and possibly signing Colon - give us more ammunition to swing a more major trade for a lead-off hitter, a centerfielder, or more pitching. Am thinking about one of the following: 1. Crede and MacDougal to the Brewers for Bill Hall 2. MacDougal, Aardsma, Richar, Floyd, Uribe and cash to Baltimore for Roberts and Bedard. Don't laugh - the Orioles have no shortstop, need bullpen arms, would love the PR from Floyd since he is an Annapolis native, and seem determined to chop payroll. 3. Matt Thornton and John Shelby for Coco Crisp (if the Santana deal does not happen). Red Sox don't need much, but could use another lefty out of the pen. Just some thoughts. We still need more pieces to contend ...

Understand that LAA will NOT make a trade involving Joe Crede unless they believe he is healthy. So, let's assume that gets proven out in spring training - this kind of trade is a natural for both teams. LAA gets their thrid baseman and the power bat to hit behind Vlad. Getting Figgins gives us a true lead-off hitter, more speed, more versatility, good OBP, all at a bargain in terms of contract. Signing Rowand, then dealing Konerko and Crede for Figgins and Kotchman makes us a faster team with a higher OBP. Our lineup would be: Figgins, 2b Cabrera, ss Thome, dh Dye, RF Kotchman, 1b Rowand, cf AJ, c Fields, 3b Quentin, lf This gives us the righty-lefty alternating batting order that I believe is the most effective against any kind of pitching, and reduces the base-clogging situation that we had last year. It doesn't resolve our pitching questions, but I have no doubt it significantly increases our abilities to score runs as well as to manufacture runs.

How about the following: 1. Matt Thornton to Boston for Coco Crisp -- Thornton is a stiff, Logan as good if not better, Boston does need a LOOGY 2. Paul Konerko, Joe Crede and Lance Broadway to the Angels for Kotchman, Figgins and E. Santana. This assumes they do not get Arod. 3. Sign Torre Hunter and Scott Linebrink 4. Pick up Uribe's option 5. Extend Garland Use Santana in relief, just like the Cubs used Marmol. Keep Uribe for his defense, with Fields having to learn to play third (much as Crede did his first few years). Your lineup is: 1. Figgins, 2b 2. Crisp, lf 3. Thome, DH 4. Dye, rf 5. Hunter, cf 6. Pierzynski, c 7. Fields, 3b 8. Kotchman, 1b 9. Uribe, ss Speed and switch hitting at the top, excellent outfield defense, better OBP by far than last year, still a lot of power but less station-to-station. Starters are the same as last year, bull pen becomes much better.