Special K

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 01:05 PM) The last time KW traded a player for prospects the year before he hit FA that I can remember (other than of course Edwin Jackson) was Freddy Garcia for Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez. How'd he do in that trade for Nick Swisher or Javy Vasquez?

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 12:56 PM) You trade a streaky, injury risk player at the absolute peak of his value/market. You're most likely not going to match whatever obscene offer he gets in 2013, you pillage a top farm system, and plug in a comparable hitter...me thinks you don't understand what a "salary dump" is. Teahen was a salary dump, trading Q for a couple top-50 prospects is not. What do you want to bet the Sox won't get a couple of top 50 prospects for Quentin? And let's take a look at KW's track record for trading for prospects before we go ahead and trade our second best hitter for this year and next.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 12:47 PM) That's about the polar opposite of what it would be. Obviously, the Sox would do their best to get something good in return. But, he's due to be an 8-10 million dollar player next year. In case you haven't noticed their trying to trim payroll as much as you can right now. Attendance has been miserable and the sox aren't performing. Why else would you trade away your second best hitter in the middle of a pennant race? Are we to assume once Viciedo comes to Chicago he will immediately put up the exact same or better production where we won't miss Q?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 12:41 PM) Yeah it was just a cup of coffee and a whole lot of time being benched. Last season when DV was up, he put up an .840 OPS. Carlos is currently putting up an .863 OPS. Trading Q would be an awful move and purely about salary and arbitration next year. He's our second best hitter and our offense is already pathetic. He's young also. I don't agree at all. If we somehow managed to get into the playoffs, our staff could carry us

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 12:36 PM) If Dayan is healthy I honestly dont think we lose much by plugging him in RF when Q gets dealt. I don't agree giving up our second best hitter in the middle of a pennant race when the offense is already as bad as it is...

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 09:03 AM) I think the deals that KW has been working on were going to happen regardless of the result of this week or last week. 2 weeks of good is not going to negate 3 1/2 months of suck/mediocre. Yeah, I think KW is definitely in a tough place. But it is all self-induced. These contracts he's dished out are approaching Jim Hendry status. From my perspective, he would have loved to have done the EJax/Thornton deal for Colby Rasmus. But I think the ability to coax Toronto in to taking Teahen's miserable contract was enough for him to pass on Rasmus, b.c there is no other excuse not to pull that deal on our end. Matt Thornton was clearly starting to show some downside.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 07:03 PM) What do you mean? We bought very low on him, and are selling very low on him. When you agree to assume that size contract from a player you are without a doubt buying high. Toronto had to let him go bc they couldnt afford a two high paid outfielders assuming most of their salary cap on a team that couldn't contend. If you remember, kw thought so highly of rios the move was to block Detroit (possibly minnesota) from claiming him at the time because we were contending for a division with them if my memory serves me right. So yeah, to unload him assuming 25-30 mil on his K like people were saying would be selling low.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 06:55 PM) Yeah, for some reason I didn't carry a 1. Yeah, I figure its around $42-43M he has left. I realize Rios is by far the worst player on our team this year, but a year ago he was one of the best... I don't like the idea of buying high and selling low. There is a possibility of Rios bouncing back next year, hopefully with some extra motivation after this atrocious year, and moving somewhat towards the norm of his career which isn't bad, even though he is still terribly underpaid. The problem with letting Rios go is that we still don't have a CF unless De Aza is the guy. If Rios does have a bounce back year next year and put up decent numbers in line w. his career, an OF of Viciedo, Rios, and Quentin doesn't sound so bad.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 24, 2011 -> 02:44 PM) Ducks on the pond with one out and Hawk is hoping for a wild pitch. Tells you what even the eternal optimists think of Rios' chances. Rios is so bad... He is without a doubt having a worse year than Dunn.

QUOTE (docsox24 @ Jul 24, 2011 -> 02:02 PM) except that they arent true Rasmus would certainly be an upgrade over rios and his .254 OBP. Maybe a new ball club will give him some life as well

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 24, 2011 -> 01:51 PM) Hypothetically from the Cardinals side, if they were to trade Rasmus to the Sox somehow...who would take over CF for them? I think John Jay has taken over the everyday starting job in center

I honestly think Dunn may need glasses or some sort of vision correction. Or he needs his appendix back

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 21, 2011 -> 07:38 PM) You rang? Decent Dunn article... http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle...se-of-adam-dunn

QUOTE (SnB @ Jul 22, 2011 -> 11:58 AM) Our payroll is too high for us to see the annual "trade for a washed up veteran who was good 5 years ago". I don't think Manny is doing anything, and we could probably get 'em for a couple million...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 21, 2011 -> 08:23 AM) (Turn and face the strain) At this point I'm not so sure Viciedo comes up and is a game changer anyways. For some reason, hitters come to die in Chicago. That reason could very well be Greg Walker, but I don't know for sure. I would assumed if Viciedo gets up here, whatever it is that causes Sox hitters to nosedive will grab a hold of him as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 20, 2011 -> 02:45 PM) Lillibridge cant go anywhere. At that point Juan Pierre is your back up CF. No way, no how, no sir. So cut Vizquel... By rotating Viciedo with Rios, Pierre, Quentin, and Dunn he can play at least 4-5 games a week. I don't have the AAA schedule on hand right now, but I bet he plays about 5 games a week now.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 20, 2011 -> 02:33 PM) That doesn't really make the team any better. Most likely it makes them worse. Cut Vizquel or send down Lillybridge. Then rotate Viciedo into the outfield, and if Rios keeps slumping sit him indefinitely and stick Pierre in center. The Sox need someone w/ power, they don't hit homeruns anymore. But before bringing up Viciedo, I'd like Walker to get some time w/ him and teach him patience, aka known as how to start every count you have down in the hole 0-2.

I'm thinking a hybrid of Frank Thomas, Vlad Guerrero, and Ken Griffey Jr. (fielding only of course).

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jun 16, 2011 -> 09:57 AM) Since 2007, the Pirates are 2-34 (.056) at Miller Park I understand that you are trying to research and prove me wrong, but what I said is not to be taken as fact. I was trying to make a point about how frustrating it is that the Sox are that bad at Minnesota. The Pirates are the worst team in baseball over the past decade, the Sox shouldn't even be in the same discussion as them. They need to figure it out, b/c no team will ever win a division playing that poorly against a division rival on the road.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jun 16, 2011 -> 09:41 AM) Since 2007, the Twins are 3-14 at Yankee Stadium and that does not include their 0-3 record there in the postseason. That was meant to mean between division rivals.

I know it's nothing new, but after last night's loss I figured I'd take a look at just how bad the Sox have been at Minnesota since 2007 (which is a completely arbitrary year) , and the numbers a'int pretty 2007 W – IIII L – IIIII 2008 W - I L – IIIIIII (rain out 1 game, I hate guessing, but I think we may have lost this one too) 2009 W - II L – IIIIIII 2010 W – III L – IIIIII 2011 W – L – 1 (2011 does not look good) Total: 10 - 26 (.27%) This has nothing to do with the ball park. The Twins simply own us at home, and always will. I guarantee there's not a team in baseball with a worse record at another team's park than the Sox at Minnesota in the past couple of years. I'd venture to guess the O's have a better record at Yankee stadium in this timeframe. Bottom line, this is pathetic. Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible to fix.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 1, 2011 -> 09:38 AM) Chris Sale right now is NOT an insurance policy for Peavy. If you trade a starter, your insurance policy for Peavy is Jeffrey Marquez. It'd take Sale 1-2 months to build up to being a 6 inning+ starter. Yes, it would take a while to convert Sale. In any event, this is what should be done.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jun 1, 2011 -> 08:55 AM) I think there are two reasons Danks doesn't go to the bullpen. First, the Sox either want to re-sign him or trade for solid minor leaguers. Putting him in the bullpen doesn't help in either endeavor. And second, there isn't anyway, the Sox are going to carry four lefties in the bullpen. Jackson is the guy who goes, I am pretty confident in that. Thank god Humber pitched well again. Danks is the best pitcher on the team, he's not going anywhere near the 'pen. Sox should wait for Edwin Jackson to have a couple decent starts and look to unload him for an outfielder that can hit. If the Yankees would consider it, a Jackson-Gardner or Jackson-Granderson deal would be sweet. We've always got Sale as an insurance policy for Peavy.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 4, 2011 -> 04:11 PM) JP is one of the worst 10 players in baseball. That's a fact. I challenge anybody, even gay Wite, to splash 10 better players. I will destroy you if you attempt to. And I don't mean just this year. Even going back to last year. I challenge someone to name 1 better LF than Juan Pierre in all of MLB. There can't be anyone in all of MLB that gives you less production than he does at such an important offensive position. I would honestly put Viciedo there and just let Lexi lead off. I would almost guarantee their OBPs are probably similar (comparing last year) without looking them up right now.l

Fangraphs has a nice little stat hidden on their website called Weighted Runs Above Average ( or wRAA). It measures the how much offensive contribution in runs that a player contributes compared to the rest of the league. It takes into account both the number of at bats and the output from those at bats. It is used as the offensive component of WAR. Pierre was a -5.1 and -6.3 this year. Im not great with the sabermetrcis, but this seems pretty awful. I'd venture to say there isn't a LF fielder in MLB who is worse than him offensively. But when he gets on base, he gets caught stealing 60% of the time this year (8/14), 20 % of the time last year, I'm sure that drastically reduces his OBBP % if factored in. Defense aside, which I think is just average, he has to be the worst LF in all of baseball, and I'd say by far. At a position that is so crucial to offensive production in baseball, I'd think we'd be better off letting Dayan Viciedo start there and just lead off Ramirez. Honestly, I could care less about the prototypical lead off hitter. I think he only is a negative when it comes to offense. He doesn't get on base nearly enough to be considered good to lead off, people just like him there because he's a lefty who can't hit for power and so automatically he is a prototypical lead off hitter.