ChiSox59

Can't imagine the Sox would be interested in much more than a 1 year deal + club option with Anderson waiting in the wings, unless they plan to use him in the IF. I'd love to see Desmond, but still think they should add an OF in addition.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 05:38 PM) They've spent 3M on Latos since offering contracts to Gordon/Cespedes. Do you have a feel for what the Sox ultimate offers were to Cespedes and Gordon?

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 02:22 PM) Were we legit contenders last year? Were the Blue Jays?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 02:13 PM) Depth is very important, and doubly so for your pitching staff. At the same time, it's hard to get ML starters to sign knowing they'll be stashed in the bullpen or AAA until an injury happens. To me, $1.5m for one fo those guys is well worth it. Agreed. Depth is never a bad thing. But its not like teams were lining up to give the twice DFA'd and fourth organization Jacob Turner a rotation spot. I think my point is being misunderstood - I am not mad he is around and I have no problem with Turner. I hope he turns into a stud with the Sox and he certainly has more upside than a AAAA pitcher. Its just a bit of curious move in hindsight, but I definitely don't think the Sox anticipated Latos falling into their lap for $3M.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 02:10 PM) None of what Cameron just said sounds like he "hates the white sox". We've all said similar things of this team. Perhaps. Definitely need another OF, but their staff is in pretty damn good shape at this point, and while a legit SS would be nice, there aren't many out there and at worst Saladino will be a glove first, minimal bat SS that'll put up slightly above replacement level performance. Plenty of playoff teams have a guy or two like that in their lineup. I think when the Sox add another OF, whether it be Fowler, Jackson, Ethier, etc., they have to be considered a legit contender. Hell all you gotta do is play .500 ball through July to be one.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 01:36 PM) Not really. $1.5 million is next to nothing in reality. It is enough to tell me they didn't want to lose him, but I also think that when a guy the calibur of Mat Latos comes along for only $3 million, you don't pass that up for Jake Turner. When they signed Turner at the beginning of the off-season, I don't think they had an inkling of an idea that a Latos type player and deal would fall into their laps. The situation changed, and the team took advantage of it. True. I'm not mad about it or anything. Its chump change. I just can't fathom a scenario that Turner breaks camp with the Sox (baring injury), and he's probably getting paid too much to be claimed off waivers if he doesn't. So basically you're paying him $1.5M to play in Charlotte. Maybe he has a nice spring and another teams swoops him up, but I kind of doubt it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 01:31 PM) One of two things will happen with Turner if he isn't in Chicago. First he clears waivers and goes to Charlotte. Second he doesn't clear waivers, and the White Sox lose him. In that case they don't pay him $1.5 million as the team who claims him will inherit that deal. I understand that. Still think it is bizarre.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 10, 2016 -> 01:02 PM) I'd love it if they could put Danks in the bullpen. If EJ is struggling with command early, they can just pull the plug before it gets ugly and let Danks go up against a lineup situated to face a righty. I hate to look at the Danks/Johnson thing from as asset point of view but they can make Johnson a good piece moving forward. If he's an acceptable 4/5 then you have a good, cost-effective arm who's pre arb. If you let him toil away in Charlotte then you're eating at his value as marketable asset. Danks is what he is. He's not sexy and he's gone after '16. Give Johnson the shot he deserves and if it doesn't work you have Danks. The interesting thing is they have too much depth in the bullpen: 1.) Robertson 2.) Duke 3.) Jennings 4.) Jones 5.) Putnam 6.) Petricka 7.) Albers So Danks/Johnson, Turner, Webb and Kahnle are all going somewhere other than Chicago if there's no injuries. Danks isn't going to the minors. Johnson's value is hurt if he goes to the minors. Turner has to clear waivers to go to the minors. Webb belongs in the minors. Kanhle is somewhat intriguing but seems to be too far down the list. Nice to have depth like this I guess. Indeed. Seems bizzare that they gave Turner $1.5M as he really doesn't have a clear spot on this team. I am sure Webb has at least 1 option left, but does Kahnle?

QUOTE (Lillian @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 08:00 PM) Latos didn't sign for that kind of money, without some kind of guarantee to get plenty of innings. That's fine, as he is probably a better pitcher than E. Johnson. Nevertheless, the Sox need the depth. They didn't have a single starter lose significant playing time, last year. It would be unusual to go two years in a row, with all 5 starters not having any down time. Come to think about it, I don't remember any Sox starter missing a lot of time in 2014 either. Sale had that ankle injury in Spring training last year, but he didn't miss much time. That is the only instance that I can remember, in the last two years. Am I forgetting something? Rodon missed a start or two with a blister, but that's about it for last year, that I can remember anyway.

I used to throw a knuckle curve back in little league through high school that I gripped fairly similarly to that. It moved more like a slow curve that dropped 12-6, but certainly not like that. Sweet pitch and love the name.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 03:48 PM) Yep Aside from the Olts and Brantlys, there's some guy named Daniel Fields...never heard of him. Look him up. He's the type of guy you would have loved as a starting outfielder on the Sox a year or two ago!

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 03:39 PM) Why not? He can gain good ML experience in the pen. Plenty of starters have served time in the pen (like, oh, Sale, MB).(uh, no pun intended). Another year in Charlotte is utterly pointless. I suppose its possible (in the sense that anything is possible), but the Sox don't have a ton of starting depth and he will likely be needed at some point. I still think he may make the opening day roster (whether that be Danks in the pen/released/traded), but I'd bet on Johnson being in the rotation in Charlotte. The Sox will want to keep him stretched out. Plus, our pen is pretty full. We've already got more ML pen arms than we have spots. I am very certain Erik Johnson will not start the year in the pen, and the only way he would result there is due to a ton of injuries, complete ineffectiveness, or just getting some innings as a September call-up.

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 03:34 PM) Rather have Gallardo. But he wasnt gonna be cheap. Latos is trouble. Wife is trouble too..... Kinda good thing he pitched in another band box before. Used to k some people. Looks like EJ is in the pen or gone No chance. He'll be starting in Chicago or in Charlotte. I suppose he could get traded, but I doubt it, and there is zero chance he goes to the bullpen.

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 03:10 PM) Just makes you wonder what is really up with Latos when Fister, Arroyo, and Masterson all got deals with the possibility to make double what Latos got. As everyone here noted his peripherals were for the most part good and his velocity was even up a tick. Plus he's still under 30. The writing is on the wall for a very plausible bounce back and there was literally 0 market for him? Just doesn't make any sense. Either he's the world's biggest douche or there's something else up we don't know about. Masterson is still a FA, no?

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 02:24 PM) From mlbtraderumors chat: 2:08 Justin: Thoughts on Latos to WSox? 2:09 Steve Adams: Pretty stunned that the deal is $3MM without any sort of incentives. There are tons of reports of Latos' clubhouse persona being a negative, and I've heard from a couple execs who were very averse to the thought of adding him to their clubhouse, but I still expected a bigger guarantee. Love it for the Sox. Aaaand he's a Twins fan.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 01:02 PM) Latos may be an asshole, but this is a very solid move. Danks & Johnson competing against Latos for the #4 & #5 spots is way better than them competing against Turner and now we actually have some depth (assuming Johnson starts in AAA). How many options does Johnson have left?

Latos also gave up 9 ER in 2/3 of an inning on opening day last year. You take that start out and his ERA is a much more palatable 4.25.

This is great. Love the move. Absolutely zero risk associated with it, and he's two years removed from being a top of the rotation guy. He was pretty terrible last year, but bounced around and his peripherals weren't all bad. LOVE LOVE LOVE the move. A little surprised he couldn't get more than $3M.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 10:12 AM) So are we assuming you're just putting them in a time machine and making them play the 2016 season? ie Honus Wagner is great an all, but he might not make it against today's pitching. Or do we just get to copy + paste their stats from that season into our lineup? Think you have to go with an outfielder and a starting pitcher. Might be fun to have an all-time fantastic shortstop instead of the pitcher, but the peace of mind from - barring injury - not having to rely on both EJ and Danks pays off more, I think. 2002 Vlad Guerrero: .336/.417/.593, 39 HR, 40 SB. Last year of Vlad's career before he lost a step and became a defensive liability. 2001 Randy Johnson: I'm taking a lefty because damn if the possibility of having 4 dominant lefties isn't awesome. Young Vlad would be unreal on this team.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 9, 2016 -> 09:31 AM) I'm not sure any of these are big enough names that we are going to get a bunch of "non-report" reports from the national writers. Wouldn't be surprised if all of the remaining free agents are just "SO AND SO signs X player to deal" out of the blue. I guess, but the dominoes have to start falling soon, you would think. I guess I could see Desmond and Gallardo going into ST, but there are still plenty of useful ball players out there without QO attached, and someone is going to sign Fowler.

The speculation sure is dead around here.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 8, 2016 -> 11:08 AM) Nate Rackley @RackleyNate @BenBadler Do you see either signing before the start of the 2016 season? If not, a timeframe? Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 12m12 minutes ago No chance. Given MLB's pace, might not see Gurriels playing in games until 2017. Pretty wild that it still takes that long.

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ Feb 8, 2016 -> 10:40 AM) I'm looking forward to when the Sox are sold and they move to the suburbs. That's my hope at least. Honest question - what would be the benefit to moving to the suburbs?

I've never lived in Chicago or Illinois in my life, so that doesn't make a huge difference to me, except for my annual weekend trip to Chicago for a series. It was a bigger deal to me when I lived in Milwaukee, so it was just a short trip down for games. If they were to move, I'd definitely still be a Sox fan - but I see the likelihood of that actually happening as virtually zero.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 4, 2016 -> 11:05 AM) I'm hoping for the same. If the Dodgers ate most of Crawford's contract and offered another player, then maybe but it would depend on who that other player is. Crawford + money + Thompson for Duke + Webb? Eh, highly doubtful. The Sox are not reacquiring Trayce. Time to put that idea to bed.