Y2Jimmy0

Is Kyle Skipworth really bad? He was just DFA'd by the Marlins. Was the #6 overall pick a few years back.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 04:32 PM) It might be a deeper draft, but last year had 3 guys that all were deserving of being the first pick in the draft. This year, it would be great if another 2 or 3 can show they're worthy of that recognition. None of those guys would go #1 in this year's draft though.

It's the beat writers planting the platoon story. The Sox obviously want to move De Aza and start Viciedo in LF. They are talking about the platoon so it appears that White Sox would be comfortable keeping him. It's classic posturing. In this case it doesn't really matter though. I don't think they will get more for De Aza just by pretending that they'd like to keep him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 08:23 AM) Look guys...we're not getting back anything useful for Dunn. If we chip in $10 million+ we might get back some no-name A-baller and that's going to require the Sox to chip in $10 million+. That's just how it's going to be. For crying out loud we signed an extra DH because we didn't feel Adam Dunn had that firm of a grasp on that position even. That's not why an "Extra DH" was signed. Konerko was signed because he the owner didn't let his baseball people do their jobs in this instance. JR said Konerko could come back and since he wanted to come back, he's back. It has nothing to do with Dunn or anyone else regardless of what the team or media says. Hahn had his arms tied behind his back.

Eating Adam Dunn's $$ and trading him for nothing is a mistake. Unless someone is going to pick up the entire salary they just roll with Dunn for this season. I would gamble on him having 20-25 homers by the trade deadline and at that point you can dump the back end of the contract and get a piece or 2. There is no reason for the Sox to eat $$ on the Dunn deal and get nothing of substance in return. He's not blocking anyone that is ready to play and giving PK his at bats would be really stupid.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 05:46 AM) That is a very compelling argument, with which I totally agree. I don't know why people don't concur. Everyone talks about what a "crap shoot" the baseball amateur draft is, and then they proceed to insist that "you take the best available talent". "Best talent" based upon what exactly? Of course, it will be a while before some of the draftees would be ready to be added to the roster, and it's true that the roster could look very different. However, why continue to stock pile a particular position, when you might have a choice to add a player where there is an obvious dearth of future candidates in your organization? As long as there is no clear consensus as to who is the third best talent in the draft, why not pick one of the top candidates based, at least in part, upon perceived needs? Best talent based upon your draft board. Teams have a giant board and put the players in order based on their scouting methods. Teams should then trust their board and pick the top guy on it. While I would love another high ceiling position player at #3, if Jeff Hoffman is available the Sox probably have to take him. I understand what you are saying but it's not the NFL or the NBA. In baseball, it is imperative to stock your system with as much talent as possible. One organizational goal could be to stockpile middle infield prospects for example. Let's say for argument's sake that the Sox were picking 9th in the draft. Lets also say that the top 2 middle infield guys are already off the board. Instead of taking the 3rd best middle infield prospect at #9, it would be better to take the best 1B that happens to still be on the board. It's about value and stocking the system with as much of it as possible. Now in the later rounds, drafting for need absolutely happens.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 11:28 PM) Did he say anything that we all already don't know? Well I hadn't heard the Keppinger stuff.

QUOTE (professa @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 11:02 PM) Didn't catch that, thanks for pointing that out. Still would probably cost Q to get a guy like that which IMO is not worth it, rather just take Alex Jackson in this upcoming draft and go with stop gaps until then. Jackson is a HS player and will most likely require 3 years in minors. He also probably wont play catcher in the big leagues.

As many of you may know, Bruce Levine is on 670 The Score now. He was just on the night show with David Shuster and mentioned some interesting things. He made it sound like he would be completely shocked if De Aza were on the team. Says he will definitely be traded. Also basically said he'd be shocked if they didn't add another catcher. Mentioned that they need another RHP and possibly a utility guy because Leury Garcia didn't hit at all after his arrival last year. He also mentioned that Sox would love to move Keppinger but that nobody would be picking up that $8 million. He also said that he expects Keppinger to have a bounce back season because he was dealing with some serious personal issues last year. I was unaware of these? Also, he mentioned that even though Dunn is the only LH power hitter on the team, that he is not a fit. He said that Hahn would love trade him and mentioned Houston. He praised Dunn for being a great guy but said that Dunn doesn't want to be here anymore and is ready to be out of Chicago. He really made it sound like Houston could be a landing spot because he is from Texas and they need to draw down there.

QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 15, 2013 -> 03:50 PM) It would be sort of tacky to kill his character off in a car wreck on screen. You can write him out by just having him walk off I to the sunset with his family. Vin's character is the one Statham is after anyway. I say cut him out totally. It'll suck but what else can you do. I agree. It's not like Paul Walker will be mad about it. Go for it.

I am definitely in favor of signing a veteran if the Sox can get a deal. I think Webb is the next closer of the White Sox but I'd love to sign a veteran specifically to flip him for prospects at deadline.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 01:51 PM) Relievers are relievers. I liked Addy but I'm sure this organization will churn out another Addison Reed or two this year. They already have one named Daniel Webb.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 01:19 PM) Scot Gregor ‏@scotgregor 5m As of now, Nate Jones figures to take over closer role in place of Reed for #WhiteSox This is a fantastic trade. I love selling high on young closers and to get a bat the caliber of Matt Davidson is a great return for Hahn. I also like Daniel Webb's stuff a lot more than Reed's anyway. It may be a stretch to see Webb closing immediately but that is his ceiling.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 10:11 AM) What's the point of keeping De Aza around over Viciedo? Are you really going to keep him long-term? Is he a piece you really feel comfortable with being part of your long-term core? Clearly we're not serious about competing this year and 2015 will be De Aza's last year of team control, so either you sign him to an extension or move him while he still has some value. I know I don't want to commit to De Aza long-term. Also, I get half of this board hates Dayan Viciedo because he doesn't draw a lot of walks, but he has more offensive potential than all but a handful of players in organization. If we're punting this season, we'd be foolish not to give him 600+ PAs and see if he can turn into a legitimate middle of the lineup hitter. Power is at a premium right now, just look at the Trumbo deal, and to sell low on Viciedo would be incredibly short-sighted IMO. This is a player with four years of team control left who can possibly part of our long-term core, why give up on him in a throwaway season just to keep De Aza? Given the choice, I would definitely keep Viciedo in this situation. Hit Dayan 6th this year after Dunn, Abreu, and Garcia. I just am not willing to totally give up on a player that could hit 30 homers next season. Doesn't really make any sense.

QUOTE (Baron @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 07:51 AM) Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 5m White Sox looking for catching have talked to Tampa about Jose Lobaton . Chicago hoping to fill there and lefty bullpen hole. https://twitter.com/MLBBruceLevine Will that be it for the Winter Mettings dealings? Don't teams typically leave after the Rule V draft?

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 11:22 AM) If he flops, you don't think anyone is going to copy and paste that quote over and over again? Put in the work each at bat, let the numbers sort themselves out. I'm glad he's cocky and I agree it's "doable," but just play the game. People get mad when athletes don't say anything. People get mad when athletes are honest. It is what it is. I have no problem with him stating his goals.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 10:55 AM) He's probably the highest value piece that we should actually want to trade. Please discuss. I would never advocate just dumping him but I am a big fan of selling high on young closers.

I have always really liked Eaton in general but playing in Reno can really help a hitter. The ball flies out of that place. May have something to do with the success even though I really do like Eaton and think it's a great move.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 06:20 PM) The Sox didn't get enough back for Santiago, in my opinion. LAA and Arz both got a lot more. Disagree. Trumbo is a 1B with a .299 obp. They have nowhere for him to play. Putting him in LF may be a bad idea.

Keith Law is a fan of the Paulino signing and the acquisition of Adam Eaton. UH-OH haha. Angels' haul Hector Santiago gives the Angels a solid back-end starter option, a fifth-starter floor with the potential for more if he can continue to throw more strikes. Santiago is unique among major league starters as a practitioner of the almost-lost art of throwing the screwball, a pitch that can be hard on the elbow but is especially effective because major league hitters never see it. His fastball is just average and he's been fly ball-prone, but the latter is less of a problem in Angel Stadium than in U.S. Cellular Field. Santiago's main issue has been lack of control, although he cut his walk rate from 13.1 percent to 11 percent from 2012 to 2013, and I doubt he'll ever be better than "adequate" in that department, but he can miss enough bats to be worth maybe 2 WAR and fill 180 or so innings, both of which fill a real need for the Angels in the short term. Tyler Skaggs was originally drafted by the Angels and went to Arizona in the Dan Haren trade, making this the second time that Angels GM Jerry Dipoto -- who used to work for Arizona -- has traded for him. Still just 22 years old, Skaggs took a step back in 2013 as the Diamondbacks shortened his stride, resulting in a higher release point that cost him several miles per hour on his fastball and depth on his breaking ball. Lengthen him out so he finishes out over his front side again and he should be back to 90-94 mph again with the hammer he had as recently as 2012, when he projected as a potential No. 2 starter and was the best left-handed starter prospect in the game. Both Skaggs and Santiago are pre-arbitration players, so the Angels save nearly $4 million in the transaction for 2014. Chicago fills a need The White Sox picked up a player who was a favorite of mine heading into the 2013 season, outfielder Adam Eaton, a scrappy, hard-nosed, grinder type who has worked to make himself into a good enough defender that he could be average in center with work on his reads and above average or better in a corner. He has an outstanding approach at the plate, getting himself into a lot of hitter's counts with the ability to foul off pitches he doesn't feel like he can take. He's an above-average runner whose only real negative is fringy power that could end up as 15-plus homers in the White Sox's homer-friendly home park. Alejandro De Aza is their incumbent center fielder, so Eaton could end up replacing Alex Rios in right, posting a .370-380 OBP with very good defense. Santiago has value to them, but they have more arms who can replace him (like Erik Johnson) while they don't have anyone with Eaton's OBP potential -- Rios led the team in 2013 with a .328 mark before he was traded. Trumbo a square peg in Arizona The Diamondbacks' end of this leaves me at a total loss. They acquired a player they didn't need who doesn't fit their current roster and gave up two young, cheap, controllable assets on whom they seem to have completely soured in the past 10 months. Mark Trumbo is a very limited player overall -- he can only play first base and his huge raw power (at least a 70 on the 20-80) scale is mitigated by his inability to hit breaking stuff, resulting in chronic sub-.300 OBPs. With Paul Goldschmidt kind of OK over there at first, Trumbo will have to play left field, which will bring back memories of Ryan Klesko for those of you old enough to remember that adventure; I can picture the Diamondbacks' front office sitting there at Salt River Fields in late March and wondering what the heck they've done. The minor leaguers coming to Arizona -- one from the Angels, reportedly fringy relief prospect AJ Schugel, and one from the White Sox -- don't matter enough to change the fact this is a net loss of value for the Diamondbacks. There could be a ripple effect for Arizona, as now third baseman Matt Davidson becomes a surplus asset with Martin Prado likely moving from left field to third base. The Diamondbacks also have two comparable shortstops in Didi Gregorius and Chris Owings, only needing to keep one of them, and could try to use these two players to fill any remaining holes.

QUOTE (wardo @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 07:50 AM) Probably not. You get a pitcher back who's controllable through arbitration until 2016, and in a couple of years a guy who could help your outfield. And most likely add to your minor league pitching stock for future trades with the one or two pitchers that would come from the Sale trade. The goal is to compete long term, so getting rid of one pitcher for help in both pitching and the outfield is seen more of a long-term goal than holding on to a guy who may blow his arm out and as good as he is, only pitches one out of every 5 games. Are you joking? Sale is signed through 2019 at just under $60 million. He is the best LH starter in the AL and he is under control. Even if he has Tommy John Surgery, the contract is still a bargain. That's how good it is. Sale will not be traded unless a package similar to what has been cited on here is offered. There is no reason to.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Dec 8, 2013 -> 11:26 AM) Never Forget.... how easily offended some are over a one-day bar promotion. Too soon???? It's been 70 years. People are way too sensitive in my opinion.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Dec 9, 2013 -> 09:57 AM) Now that Sale talks are heating up, I'd actually try to get teams in a bidding war. Package I'd ultimately settle on, from Dbacks: Eaton, Davidson, Owings, Bradley, Trahan, Skaggs and Delgado. Sox toss in Nate Jones. You then hope in a few years you get this... 1B - JDA 2B - Semien SS - Owings 3B - Eaton LF - Hawkins CF - Eaton RF - Garcia DH - Viciedo Quintana Delgado Santiago/Skaggs Johnson Bradley You need a God's Ransom for Sale. Nothing less. My thoughts exactly. Archie Bradley, Tyler Skaggs, Randall Delgado, Matt Davidson, Stryker Trahan, and Chris Owings gets it done for me. That's the deal. Sale is under team control for 6 more seasons. Arizona is probably unwilling to pay that price but that should be the starting point.

Merkin and Hayes have both just reaffirmed most of our stances on Sale. Said Hahn would be crazy not to listen, but would have to be bowled over with a stupid offer to deal him. I cannot post the tweets currently.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 8, 2013 -> 08:53 PM) A Rock/Bucket appearance would be nice right about now. Dan Hayes should be a pretty good source on this. He has been the beat writer for both clubs.