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I don't see him coming back after a non-tender. Remember all the bad press about management calling him fat?

Yeah I don't like this. If Floyd goes, we need to fill a big hole, because we'll be creating one at SP. Ian stewarts's value is allin his power, which isn't elite, and he's been playing at coors. I'd take him, but not as a centerpiece for Floyd.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/11/dbac...-zach-duke.html Nevermind.

That offer is bogus. No way vmart wouldn't have accepted 3/48 over 4/50 to teams with essentially the same chance of contending and offer identical roles.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Nov 22, 2010 -> 03:46 PM) http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/p...raps-zach-duke/ Why Zach Duke isn't that bad... See? I know it's early, but it wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Certainly not Teahen extension or anything. Low walk, high groundballs isn't so bad for the Cell, right?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 20, 2010 -> 10:00 PM) Absolutely not and I've never implied that, but I don't think Zach Duke is going to have to settle for a minor league deal, and, quite frankly, he shouldn't have to with the abundance of organizations that lack starting pitching. I also really don't think that he'd come here even on a minor league deal because he's not likely to get a chance to pitch in the rotation, and he could very well not get a chance to pitch out of the bullpen either. I will say, without considering any of the current Sox minor leaguers nor any potential minor league free agent signings (and that could include Duke too if he signed here), the Sox currently have 7 players players on the major league roster that I would rather have start a game than Zach Duke. He's going to be expensive, relatively speaking, and I don't think that he really offers any upside whatsoever. Well, I agree with you, that he shouldn't be paid much and that he shouldn't pitch if we have all of the guys we have now. But what I was implying is that if we took him as a downgrade in the 5 slot, we might be able to trade a pitcher for a big bat, and end up better making the sacrifice. But, yeah someone like AZ or Milwaukee might sign him for $2.5m.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 20, 2010 -> 07:31 PM) Which just leaves him as terrible, which the Sox shouldn't invest in either. Would you prefer Brandon Hynick? Garrett Johnson? Those are our AAA pitchers. How is Zach Duke on a minor league contract not 30 times better than some replacement level scrub from Charlotte? Do you think we should just run the same team out as last year?

The reason he got DFA'd isn't because he's terrible, it's because he won't be worth his arbitration raise. If no one claims him we could get him on a minor league deal, or really cheap major league deal. Again, not ideal, but we have nothing but pure garbage in our AAA system, so a guy with not terrible MLB stats that can eat innings can be tremendously valuable at #5. Remember, we haven't resigned Freddy Garcia and we don't even know for sure if Peavy will pitch next season. We can move Pena or Sale in but we're already going to lose Jenks and we haven't resigned Putz. Can we even afford to lose the bullpen arms? Look, all I'm saying is that we're used to trying to put a good pitcher in all 5 starter slots, but you don't have to do that to win. And as badly as we need offense right now, I think putting someone who is reliable and has the ceiling of a decent #4 at the back of the rotation would open up our trade possibilities. All of a sudden we could trade Floyd or Jackson and not literally have a nameless scrub from AAA move in. Remember, we're not talking about trading for him, we're talking about bringing him in on a peanuts-salary for no cost in talent.

EJax or Floyd trades might make a lot more sense if we had Zach Duke at the back. I know Duke isn't awesome, but he's a serviceable back-end guy for sure, and he's two years removed from an all-star appearance. What do you think? Trade a pitcher for a Granderson or even a Fielder if we had Duke? EDIT: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/11/pira...oche-young.html

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Nov 19, 2010 -> 11:12 PM) So in essence, a young/cheap/talented/under team control for the next 6 years SP for two months of Jackson, only to trade him for a 30-year old that's had one truly great season and can't hit pitchers who throw with their left-hand. Awesome. You know what they say... cut your losses

If I was Towers, I'd be looking to deal Upton. The reasoning? Too many eggs in one basket. Even if Upton hits his ceiling (.285/.370/.580/40/125 maybe?), that team is several large pieces from competing. The pitching staff is in shambles, and they're shopping Reynolds and looking to Juan Miranda or Brandon Allen at first at the moment. All signs are pointing to competing in 2012 at the earliest, and if he can extract surplus prospect value out of moving Upton, and spread that value around the field instead of leaving it all in RF, I think he comes out a winner easily. Upton will probably be a great player, but there's a lot of risk involved, too. If Upton fizzles out, and Towers had a shot at 5 great prospects in a year where he wasn't going to win anyway, all of a sudden holding onto him becomes a really bad move. It's just a matter of diversifying assets, IMO.

I think I'd make the deal. Resign Freddy Garcia and convert T-Pain to a 5 starter and ditch whichever one is worse when Peavy returns and/or Sale forces himself into the rotation. TCQ becomes your DH. I like it. I'm in favor shaking things up.

It would be Beckham. Kelly Johnson is a FA, right?

Hmmmm... Justin Upton?

Great move for the Braves, they have too many young pitchers as it is. Infante is a bench player that had a career year at .775 OPS

I almost lost my mind. You could be arrested for inciting panic!

Yeah, I hate to say it guys, but we're pretty close to rebuild time, I fear. Can't sign 35-year old guys to multiyear deals.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Nov 4, 2010 -> 07:27 PM) Im actually more interested in Beltre. An awesome defender at 3B who bats with a high average, slugging percentage, and can consistently drive in runs. Plus hes prolly in the 2/24 or 3/36 contract range here. Something pretty good for the sox and Beltre in terms of length and dollars as a free agent. He's also historically inconsistent and one year removed from a 111 game, 8 HR, .683 OPS season. Good upside, but IMHO I don't think he's worth the risk.

I think he's about to decline, don't want to sign him long term.

QUOTE (pktmotion @ Nov 2, 2010 -> 11:49 PM) trade for Jacoby Ellsbury(Quentin+Flowers or Floyd/Jackson+filler) Sign Adam LaRoche re-Sign Konerko, Putz, Danks, Alexei Tender contracts to: (assuming they get non tendered) Russell Martin(replaces Flowers; sacrificing power/hitting for defense) Wil Ledezma( LHRP; in my opinion would benefit from a good defense behind him) That's a significant payroll increase.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Nov 2, 2010 -> 09:44 PM) Not saying you said this, but I think it needs to be said: Trading one of our starters for a huge bat does not hurt this ball club or put us into rebuild mode. I feel like I've bought in to the company line that our SP is our strength and we should not compromise it at any cost. While it is nice to have a team with 5 dominant starters, the fact remains that teams win the world series each an every year without 5 greats. Balance is the key to most things in life... What's wrong with trading a SP and just signing Garcia again? I hate that I can't remember any laugher-games from last year. I can remember countless 7IP 1 ER performances that ended in no decisions though. We've had a bad offense for 5 years now. I agree with you completely. I would love to trade a SP for a major bat. But the OP suggested trading a SP for Brandon Allen and Miguel Montero, and running Viciedo and Morel out as starters, and letting Sale fill the SP hole. C Montero/Flowers/Castro 1B Viciedo/Allen 2B Beckham SS Ramirez 3B Morel/Teahen LF Crawford/Pierre CF Rios RF Quentin/Teahen That's not a contender, unfortunately. But I agree with your main point.

Guy can't stay off the DL as a DH...

Castro is a good backup. He won't repeat that home run rate, period. I see Viciedo's ceiling at as a 1B to be like Billy Butler, which would be fine with me. But I don't think it comes next year.

I just want to mention that I really think we DON'T want Fielder, given what he'll cost. Consider: he'll make roughly $16m in arbitration this year, and he'll command a ridiculous $20m+ salary afterwards -- one we should NOT give him. He's a terrible defender with old player skills, and he's gonna cost Texeira/AGonz money, who are elite defenders. If we're considering one year of Fielder at the price of $16m + top prospects, I think I'd rather take one year of Konerko at $10m + no prospects. EDIT: That being said, I am totally in favor of "shaking things up." I'd totally sign Dunn for 4 years at $10-12m before I'd bring Konerko back at a similar cost with fewer years, if solely for the age difference. I'd also be in favor of trying to give Kemp a "change of scenery" as long as he played RF and we left Rios in CF. However, wouldn't it be so much nicer, if we're gonna trade some prospects, to try to get Ethier's LH bat in RF instead? Just wishful thinking...

That's a rebuild, not a contender. Just sayin'