oldsox

I think Sox are comfortable with starting the season with Avi in RF, hoping that he improves significantly. At same time Courtney Hawkins will be tearing it up at Charlotte, and if Avi falters, Hawkins comes up amid high hopes, bordering on hysteria. He delivers big time, LaRoche gets DFA'd, the Comp Pick turns out to be the top prospect in the system, all is good heading into 2017.

QUOTE (LDF @ Feb 16, 2016 -> 05:06 PM) i wish there was an updated 40 man list. i am using BR list and it is old. Or ESPN.com. MLB/Teams/CWS/Roster

This explains why he struggled defensively at short the first year or two in pro ball....He had just one year at short when drafted. He'll be fine wherever he ends up. Please don't trade him.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 09:52 AM) You realize some projections have him as the second best SS in baseball in 2016...? No, I didn't. Desmond #2 ?? How can that be when you have Correa of Houston, Crawford of SF, Seager of LA, Tulo of Toronto, Russell of Cubs, Espinoza of KC, Whatshisname in Boston? and others

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 09:28 AM) Oh, you're correct. They do have some guys signed for less than they are worth including Sale, Quintana, Eaton, and Abreu. And some of the other guys could end up being bargains, too. My point was that the 2-3 bad contracts are tying up a good chunk of the $120 million that is being talked about. If the Sox do have a number they won't go over (and there probably is one, but it's not $120 million or even a little more than that), those bad contracts would hinder their ability to spend on the guys they need. The discussion (argument) has been that the Sox won't spend because they are stuck on a number...$120 million. That's not true. They haven't signed Fowler, Desmond, etc. yet because there's not a match. The Sox are willing to the right amount of money on the right guy. They were willing to spend a certain amount for Cespedes or Gordon, but they are willing to spend less on these other guys. Some of that reasoning is driven by what they have allocated so far, but not all of it. I agree. Desmond and Fowler have one thing in common: They both should have taken their qualifying offers. Big mistakes. Now they are looking for some team to step in and make up for their agents's mistakes. Enter the White Sox. In the case of Desmond, Saladino is currently ticketed for SS. If Desmond comes in, he gets that gig, so whatever price the Sox pay (including loss of pick), that price has to justify the difference between the two players at short. The value is not there. Fowler is little more difficult to assess, because he is an outfielder who can play all three positions. But still, he is probably not worth the price. Desmond should be an easy decision: No. Fowler, not so easy.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 08:21 AM) Add Olt to that mix. That's a big crowd. Delmonico and Hayes are the most prospecty of the bunch, but that's not saying a lot. Hayes had a really nice year in AA when you consider the full picture. Delmonico really didn't and could maybe stay in AA, except that Michalczewski and Barnum will be there so I'd bet they want to challenge Delmonico to finally translate the tools and send him to AAA. I agree on the Danny Hayes comment. He has progressed nicely thru the system in 3 years after a pretty good college career. He is perfectly set up for a solid year at Charlotte, which means he will have some value in 2017. I don't get the Ishikawa signing.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Feb 14, 2016 -> 07:37 AM) Can anyone here provide a definitive answer to the question: Who is the better fielding SS, Saladino or Desmond, and by what degree? This thread has over 50 pages, but it seems to contain a lot of conjecture, with no real assessment of the comparative defensive of the two players. Do the Sox really want to spend money and a draft pick, to acquire a SS, who is not as good defensively as a young, inexpensive rookie, especially with Anderson waiting in the wings? As has been argued, the middle of the infield defense has probably been downgraded already, with Lawrie, in place of Sanchez. Downgrading the defense at SS may be to the team's detriment, even if Desmond puts up his career average offensive numbers. Tough to say, because we haven't seen a lot of Saladino at SS. But he is solid. Desmond will make some spectacular plays and has a really great arm. It's the offensive part of his game that makes Desmond attractive, but you brought up several valid points for not signing Desmond, and I agree.

A former Rockie pitcher had a rib removed while still active player. He came back for a year or two. His name was Aaron Cook.

QUOTE (LDF @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 08:53 PM) many thanks for that info. i guess i am trying to put things in perspective, so in essence, it is like trading Corey Zangari + pitcher and if that is close to the value, i would say no thank you. but getting Davis with 2 more yrs of arb yrs and Fa in 1920, i still would like to try to find a way to make this trade, and the sox will save some money and not getting or spending money on Fa's. but this is just me. Good comparison. No thanks from me, too.

Good job, Northsider. Really good work. I say Yes, go for it. $4 Million is the projected pool for Sox. If they spend $8mm, the penalty increases the amount spent to $12mm. When I look at the numerous ways they have peed away money in big chunks over the years, why not? Get rid of Kenny and apply his salary and bennies to the penalty, and you're part way there. Seriously, do you guys know or have any idea what sort of budget number they have plugged in for this expense?

QUOTE (Jake @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 07:28 PM) These players are proof that something has to change with the QO system, because they truly aren't worth a lost 1st round draft pick when you also have to pay them money on top of it. Anybody know which side originally wanted the QO system? MLBPA or ownership? Or was it just a product of negotiation?

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 01:59 PM) Good deal. Dont know who it bodes worse for between Danks and Johnson And they are both better pitchers than Latos, IMO. I saw him pitch 2-3 times last year, and it was line drive city. Then he got DFA'd.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 8, 2016 -> 04:36 PM) The other day, Boras said that 3 teams in the majors don't have a legit CF, and he's trying to sell Jackson to them. Brewers have to be one of them, and if I had to guess, the Cubs and Rangers are the other two. Boras speaks with forked tongue.

Sox are waiting for Courtney Hawkins to get ready.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 4, 2016 -> 08:30 PM) Right now, the best option might be trading for Desmond Jennings and adding Ian Desmond on a one year deal with a base of $10 million but a load of incentives where he could earn $17.5-20.0 million. The competitive athlete in him might respond well to that motivation, especially after turning down the 7 year, $107 million option. Or maybe it's a one year deal with a second year option that kicks in if he reaches his incentives, 20 homers and 30 steals, 750+ OPS, gets elected to the All-Star team, whatever, etc. With the caveat on Desmond Jennings being that you're not giving up someone you're unwilling to part with from the minors, and the Rays really aren't in a position to extract that with Jennings getting more expensive and the two injury-marred years. You lose the comp pick and get it back a year later on Ian Desmond. We should be willing to make our club a legit contender...the value to competing for the playoffs over the next two years should be a priority over 2020-22. Of course, this also depends on what Boras' demands are for Austin Jackson. Would Ian Desmond sign a one year deal for $10mm?

This, from the same poster, who, in another thread, implied that General Managers are among the smartest people on earth.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Feb 1, 2016 -> 06:22 PM) Yes, I agree with all of that. He isn't THAT overpaid and the more they pay, the more they'd get back in prospects. I wouldn't want to give up anyone better than Danish. Danish is too much for Ethier. Dodgers need to make this move. Give them LaRoach Clip. Good move for both teams.

Did Frank ever sell that monster house he bought years back?

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 30, 2016 -> 07:15 PM) Horrible is the correct term I think Not true. I've seen him play a lot of CF with Rockies. Great range, pretty good arm. Hits the cut-off guy, usually. Hustles. If Sox get him, I'm sure Eaton goes to LF, where he belongs and will probably be one of best defensive LF's game. I have not seen him play that much since he left Colorado, but he was good enough then. He makes the team better defensively at least. And faster on the bases. I hope he hits.

That's what we need. Frank Thomas to help with the business side of baseball. Sure. Take advantage of the advanced degrees. Sox don't need him to teach players how to hit. Nope. Business side of baseball. He'll take charge in those board meetings.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 30, 2016 -> 05:17 PM) Depending how badly the Dodgers want to get rid of Ethier before he becomes a 5/10 guy, maybe they would take LaRoche since they still would be saving some money and either trade or release him. Makes sense to me. Too easy, tho.

Seems like they have to get rid of either Ethier or Crawford, unless they send Trayce back to minors, which they probably won't since he can play CF.

Yesterday, the day of the Dickerson trade, there was a major article in The Denver Post saying Dickerson would not be traded. Gotta love it. I had no idea Rox would trade him that cheaply, but then I don't know much about the minor league pitcher they got from Tampa, other than he was on the ML roster. Rox then DFA'd Friedrich, another lefty pitcher.

Dickerson can be great DH.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 10:46 PM) An option year would make losing the pick a little more worth while and buys Anderson up to an additional year of development if needed. If Anderson shows he's ready by the end of the '16 season then the Sox can exercise Desmond's option for '17 and trade him next winter or keep him and convert Anderson to CF. I'm to the point now where if the Sox cannot find the right fit for an outfielder then go ahead and sign Desmond. I know I put too much emphasis on high draft picks, but Sox would not be giving up that pick for Desmond; they would be giving up that pick for the difference between Saladino and Desmond. I hope they keep the pick.