macsandz

"AJ's career speaks for itself. BTW after AJ's March/April of .169/.229/.200/.429 he hit .286/.311/.462/.773 for the rest of the season, which is right around his career line of .284/.324/.424/.748. AJ had a horrible start that brought his numbers way down, that's it." A 35 year old catcher's career rarely speaks for itself in securing a new contract. It's about projecting future production and AJ's isn't looking like it used to.

TIFWIW... Tom Verducci was on MLB Network tonight and suggested the Sox want to add BOTH Konerko and Dunn this offseason. He claims it's possible for the team to do so and says they want them back-to-back in the order. Rosenthal disputed the idea only because he said Ozzie wouldn't want those guys on the basepaths. Sure it's possible, but it's gonna take some serious payroll dumping and back loaded, player-friendly deals. Both PK and Dunn have lost some suitors recently so I suppose it could happen. And I'm sure the last thing Kenny is concerned with is what "Ozzie wants" as it relates to the roster.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 08:57 PM) He of the .220 .308 .334 .642 line away from Coors, mmmkayyyyy. You're trading for players who are mediocre players while having half their games at Coors, and are really pretty terrible away from that ballpark. Look larger: I'd also be trading to add power from the left side and substantially improve the outfield defense. Additionally they'd be adding versatility, youth, speed and impact potential. This deal would also be acquiring controlled talent for the future while unloading current contract money that would free it up to make other impact moves.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 12:40 PM) You would trade Gavin Floyd for a guy you are going to use in a platoon role? No. I'd trade Floyd for Dexter Fowler who would lead off and be my CF & Stewart who I'd platoon as a 3rd baseman, but would play every day he's not at the hot corner at either 1B or DH

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 11:17 AM) If true, the organization really must not feel Morel is the answer at 3B. First trading for and extending Teahen and now thinking about trading their biggest trade chip for a 3B. I am a big Stewart guy, though. I would not be opposed to acquiring him in the least. If he can shake the minor bumps and bruises he always seems to get, he'll be big time. They like Morel but they may not think he's the everyday answer just yet. Also, Stewart doesn't have to play 3B, IMO.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 10:38 AM) Stewart and Seth Smith would be a better return IMO. They better know they can lock up Danks if they trade Gavin though. They better know Peavy is gonna be OK as well. I know everybody knows this: the Sox need to upgrade and they don't have a ton of dollars or prospects so they have no choice but to deal from strength.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 02:38 AM) All I want for Christmas is some defense at 3B, let's not forget last year.. Stewart is loaded with ability and can certainly handle 3B at an adequate level. If it were me, I'd platoon him at 3rd with Morel and if they sign a guy like Dunn, slide Stewart over to 1st.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Nov 24, 2010 -> 10:02 PM) This rumor baffles me. Why are the Sox enamored with Stewart? Is it because he's left handed? He's not a terrible source of power I guess, but he is a rather pedestrian fielder and he is entering arbitration already. He's been a 1 to 1.5 fWAR player thus far as well. Do the Sox think he's going to break out? I guess I don't understand why the Sox wouldn't just give Morel a shot and try and acquire a RF/C/1B via trade instead. I do love Fowler though. Give. Stewart has huge potential and the Sox could use power at 3B. The Sox unload critical dollars in this deal and acquire affordable, quality MLB players to lock in for the future. They could take that savings and move to sign PK, Dunn or perhaps Pena or LaRoche if they'd like to invest in pitching. Fowler -CF Ramirez - SS Rios - RF PK/Pena/Dunn (?)- 1B Quentin - DH Stewart/Morel-3B (platoon R/L) Beckham - 2B Flowers/Castro Pierre I like it.

The Denver Post has twice this week referenced Floyd to COL. Both times they have also mentioned that the Sox have asked about Ian Stewart. The Rockies need starting pitching and they likely aren't resigning De La Rosa. "The White Sox would be willing to discuss trading Floyd, and Renck says the Sox have asked the Rockies about Ian Stewart. Colorado doesn't currently have a third baseman who could replace Stewart, but as Renck reported earlier, the club has interest in a handful of players who could handle the hot corner. The White Sox "like Ian Stewart," Renck said in regards to rumors from earlier in the week that Chicago and Colorado had at least discussed swapping the third baseman for Floyd. Stewart would give the Sox some left-handed pop, possibly in a third base platoon with Dayan Viciedo. " I'm suggesting: Gavin Floyd Teahan Escobar The Rockies get quality pitching, versatility & defense. Gavin would be their #2 right away. Teahan is a good fit in COL and Escobar's value likely won't get much higher than right now. for Ian Stewart Dexter Fowler The Sox unload Teahan's contract, get more versatile, younger & faster by acquiring controlled talent in Fowler & Stewart. Fowler is switch-hitting gazelle in CF that projects as a lead off hitter for years to come (moving Pierre to 9...). Stewart has always hit for average in the minors and improved his hitting in 2010. He hits for power from the left side and has untapped potential. (Baseball America had him ranked the No. 4 prospect in the minors, behind only Felix Hernandez, Joe Mauer and Delmon Young a few years back.)

So what we learned today is the Tigers prefer V-MART over Dunn and apparently the Nats are just a fringe player for the Donkey. They did offer arbitration which seems to support that theory. It's well known KW loves Dunn and after last season's DH debacle, the July trade deadline restraining order Nats GM Rizzo filed against Kenny and KW/Hahn meeting with Dunn's reps recently, it's safe to say this guy is Kenny's #1 off season target. Dunn to the Sox may have inched closer to reality in the last 24 hours. The $40M + question is does Kenny have the dollars to sign him and how does he feel about losing a high draft pick considering the state of the system? Stay tuned.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Nov 21, 2010 -> 05:25 PM) Dbacks interested in Putz. Does this mean if they sign him, we get no draft pick since they have a top 15 pick? They're gonna have to offer something like the insane deal Benoit got last week. I'm not seeing the Sox with a competitive offer on those terms.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Nov 19, 2010 -> 02:38 PM) If he walks afterb 2011? He probably will walk if he is any good and sees a gold mine in the free agency market so why would we want to trade for him? I don't like the idea of rental players or one year shots. Players in their walk years tend to produce.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 19, 2010 -> 09:48 AM) If we could move Floyd and Teahen/Linebrink for Ianetta and Stewart, I am in. Agreed. That's a quality deal.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 07:27 PM) We have no chance at Martinez. I'd love to get Olivo. We'd be above average or at worst average (can't say Beckham is above average yet) straight up the middle. Agreed. You can't put too much value on this team improving defense. Olivo would be a huge step in the right direction.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 08:06 PM) Yes, the last two years he's been a better than AJ, period. Olivo was the best hitting catcher in mlb the 1st half of 2010. The 2nd half? Brutal.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Nov 3, 2010 -> 11:47 AM) Washington's not trading him. mlbtraderumors.com: A baseball source familiar with the Nats' thinking tells Bill Ladson of MLB.com that Josh Willingham will most likely be traded before 2011. Yesterday, we learned that the Nats are unlikely to offer the outfielder an extension this winter. Washington controls Willingham for one more season and the slugger's agent Matt Sosnick says that his client has no animosity towards the club. Go get him Kenny.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 02:20 PM) KW trying to get that 2004 AL All-Star team!! KW just won't let guys go. If he's chased in the past, he's determined to pick them up even after they've started to decline. The rumors this year are literally the same as last off season.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 12:04 PM) According to Phil Rogers in his Trib column that he also mentioned Matsui in. Phil Rodgers reads mlbtraderumors.com as his source of information like the rest of us.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 18, 2010 -> 07:44 AM) Supposedly, the Sox are looking at potentially signing Miguel Olivo. Rodgers is clueless. His "sources" is foxsports.com. The Sox interest in Olivo is likely just leveraging AJ.

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 08:14 PM) Sox asked the Rockies about Ian Stewart. Yes on Ian Stewart. The guy has stud potential at the Cell. Plug him in at 1B.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Nov 16, 2010 -> 12:11 PM) Throwing Sale directly into the rotation would be a mistake. He hasn't started a single game at any level of professional ball. You either keep him in the bullpen for 2011, or have the patience to develop him for a year as a starter in the minors so he is ready to be a potentially much more effective and valuable starter in 2012. I'm guessing the insane 3 year Benoit deal pretty much kills a Putz return to the White Sox.

I think the Sox are in a bidding war for Dunn as we speak. Kenny goes crazy after guys he wants and still remembers DET stealing Miguel Cabrera.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 01:24 PM) Would you rather have Rasmus or Granderson? Wait... Rasmus is a lot cheaper, isn't he? Yep but much harder to acquire.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 01:15 PM) That's what it looks like... Holy s*** the Hot Stove is heating up early this year! Gavin is gone and has been for a while. He's way to inconsistent and aloof. Gavin, Santos, Escobar + (low level prospect) to ARZ for Justin Upton or St Louis for Rasmus.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 01:02 PM) Dunn on The Tigers is potent. We need to have a counter move in mind. The counter move will be Godzilla and the Tigers might want to start countering the Sox starting pitching.