Sox acquire Nomar Mazara for Steele Walker

[pcq]

People get twisted because the owner wanted to spend some money on a trusted player and colleague. Imagine if we had Jerry Jones in the locker room every night. Jose and TA should be captains next season. 

[SCCWS]

3 hours ago, ChiSox59 said:

Ryu is a better pitcher than Price and will come at like 60% of the cost.  

FWIW--- JDM had some no trade clauses in his previous deal so i am sure he has some in this one as well. 

[caulfield12]

Their coach (Walker and Kyler Murray) at OU, Skip Johnson, said Walker has a gift of depth perception, meaning he can handle different types of pitches in succession and see the ball well each time.

Johnson said Walker could develop more power and be a guy who hits 20-25 home runs in a professional season. More importantly, he’ll be a run producer, good to play every day and a valuable defender.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I always thought he was gonna play in the big leagues,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have that doubt at all. He was so good.”

...

He said he hasn’t gotten an indication of where he’ll start next season, but Double-A Frisco would be a logical option for the 23-year-old.

Walker describes himself as “extremely versatile” with “all the tools” and considers himself an overall athlete.

The plan is for Walker to go to Surprise, Ariz., on Wednesday night and meet with people who work year-round at the spring training site. Then, in a month or so, he’ll report there for the start of spring training.

“Just being from Dallas, I know the Rangers’ fan base is strong and loyal,” Walker said. “And I just can’t wait to harness that. Really, really, I’m just so thankful for this chance that the Rangers value and see my potential and how it implements of what they want to build.”

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2019/12/12/ex-prosper-and-ou-star-steele-walker-still-giddy-recounts-the-moment-he-found-out-he-was-joining-his-hometown-rangers/

 

Then after, he’d shut his eyes, he saw his phone start lighting up a couple times. He saw he was getting calls from Chicago White Sox farm director Chris Getz. And as soon as he got on the phone, he knew what was going on.

“I took a deep breath when I saw the phone, and I said, ‘No way,’” Walker said, his voice elevating with excitement as he retold the story. “And so I answered it, and he said, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ And I said, I’m good, just hanging out in Dallas.’ And he said, ‘Oh, you’re in Dallas.’

“And that’s when I knew, I’m a Ranger.”

[chitownsportsfan]

3 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Their coach (Walker and Kyler Murray) at OU, Skip Johnson, said Walker has a gift of depth perception, meaning he can handle different types of pitches in succession and see the ball well each time.

Johnson said Walker could develop more power and be a guy who hits 20-25 home runs in a professional season. More importantly, he’ll be a run producer, good to play every day and a valuable defender.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I always thought he was gonna play in the big leagues,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have that doubt at all. He was so good.”

...

He said he hasn’t gotten an indication of where he’ll start next season, but Double-A Frisco would be a logical option for the 23-year-old.

Walker describes himself as “extremely versatile” with “all the tools” and considers himself an overall athlete.

The plan is for Walker to go to Surprise, Ariz., on Wednesday night and meet with people who work year-round at the spring training site. Then, in a month or so, he’ll report there for the start of spring training.

“Just being from Dallas, I know the Rangers’ fan base is strong and loyal,” Walker said. “And I just can’t wait to harness that. Really, really, I’m just so thankful for this chance that the Rangers value and see my potential and how it implements of what they want to build.”

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2019/12/12/ex-prosper-and-ou-star-steele-walker-still-giddy-recounts-the-moment-he-found-out-he-was-joining-his-hometown-rangers/

 

Then after, he’d shut his eyes, he saw his phone start lighting up a couple times. He saw he was getting calls from Chicago White Sox farm director Chris Getz. And as soon as he got on the phone, he knew what was going on.

“I took a deep breath when I saw the phone, and I said, ‘No way,’” Walker said, his voice elevating with excitement as he retold the story. “And so I answered it, and he said, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ And I said, I’m good, just hanging out in Dallas.’ And he said, ‘Oh, you’re in Dallas.’

“And that’s when I knew, I’m a Ranger.”

Huh, wonder how much they are paying Getz to make those calls.

[pcq]

Just now, Sockin said:

I don't think there's any way they trade Robert. They're not THAT dumb. I could see them trading Madrigal or Vaughn.

No one is that dumb. A healthy Luis Robert could become Roberto Clemente Jr. and at least on par with Eric Davis. 

[caulfield12]

5 minutes ago, pcq said:

No one is that dumb. A healthy Luis Robert could become Roberto Clemente Jr. and at least on par with Eric Davis. 

Ironically, his real son with that same name wasn't a very good player...either one.

Davis is a better comp size-wise, but he was always on the thin side and got his power from the whip in his wrists.  Robert has a better throwing arm (definitely not THAT good, like a Clemente, Ichiro, Evans or Walker) and similar power.   Clemente was much shorter and more of a doubles/triples hitter who could hit the ball in any direction and hit about as many bad pitches out of the zone as anyone in history other than Vladimir Guerrero, Sr.    Overall, Clemente is/was simply much more of a pure hitter, period...and he didn't like to strike out.  One of the most competitive players in the history of the game.

Whether it's Devon White, Mike Cameron, Davis, Alex Rios with more speed and flair for the game...let's just hope he stays healthy and realizes his full potential with the White Sox.

[ChiSox59]

This should be good 

https://twitter.com/threetwoeephus/status/1204940825236393984?s=21

[Moan4Yoan]

8 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

This should be good 

https://twitter.com/threetwoeephus/status/1204940825236393984?s=21

I don’t even want to know about this.  I’ll just assume Daniels is glorifying his own trade.

[chetkincaid]

1 hour ago, Moan4Yoan said:

I don’t even want to know about this.  I’ll just assume Daniels is glorifying his own trade.

I hope he's only saying that because Rangers fans are angry with him for giving up on Mazara.

[Richie]

This is only a sad move if it's all we're going to do. I don't mind buying low on a guy with the raw power of Mazara and seeing what we can do with him.

[Sambuca]

This trade really isn’t that big of deal.  It doesn’t mean anything besides the Sox saw an opportunity to buy low on potential that worst case scenario can fill two needs.  

[Sarava]

2 hours ago, Sambuca said:

This trade really isn’t that big of deal.  It doesn’t mean anything besides the Sox saw an opportunity to buy low on potential that worst case scenario can fill two needs.  

I don't care about Steele Walker. But the trade is a big deal to me in that the Sox chose the cheap route with an underachieving player, as opposed to putting an impact player in RF.

[ptatc]

2 hours ago, Sarava said:

I don't care about Steele Walker. But the trade is a big deal to me in that the Sox chose the cheap route with an underachieving player, as opposed to putting an impact player in RF.

The issue is, there were no true impact players available for RF. There were a couple of good ones but nothing truly impactful. Besides, pitching is where they should prioritize.  They have a good lineup.

[TaylorStSox]

4 minutes ago, ptatc said:

The issue is, there were no true impact players available for RF. There were a couple of good ones but nothing truly impactful. Besides, pitching is where they should prioritize.  They have a good lineup.

Well, Castellanos had a couple good months with the Cubs, so he has to be an impact player despite being slightly above average his entire career and being one of the worst defenders you'll ever see. Sign him for above market value, you cheap bastards!!! 

[Sarava]

3 minutes ago, ptatc said:

The issue is, there were no true impact players available for RF. There were a couple of good ones but nothing truly impactful. Besides, pitching is where they should prioritize.  They have a good lineup.

I don't know what defines as a 'true' impact player in your eyes. To me, Nick Castellanos would of been an impact bat. The guy is a doubles machine.

[Sarava]

1 minute ago, TaylorStSox said:

Well, Castellanos had a couple good months with the Cubs, so he has to be an impact player despite being slightly above average his entire career and being one of the worst defenders you'll ever see. Sign him for above market value, you cheap bastards!!! 

Interesting that you bring up defense, while the guy we are talking about is a poor defender himself.

[ptatc]

3 minutes ago, Sarava said:

I don't know what defines as a 'true' impact player in your eyes. To me, Nick Castellanos would of been an impact bat. The guy is a doubles machine.

He's a good hitter not great.  He's awful on defense. He's would obviously be an offensive upgrade but not great other than a couple of months with the Cubs. If he reverts to AL version it's good but not worth sacrificing the pursuit of a greater need in pitching.

[Balta1701]

12 minutes ago, ptatc said:

The issue is, there were no true impact players available for RF. There were a couple of good ones but nothing truly impactful. Besides, pitching is where they should prioritize.  They have a good lineup.

And yet, they have missed on the impact pitching.

[TaylorStSox]

Just now, Sarava said:

Interesting that you bring up defense, while the guy we are talking about is a poor defender himself.

The guy we're talking about is a 24 year old who cost us Steele Walker, makes half as much, is left handed and isn't nearly as bad defensively. Steamer predicts Castellanos puts up 1.5 WAR next year. They have Mazara at 1.4 WAR. 

[ptatc]

4 minutes ago, Sarava said:

Interesting that you bring up defense, while the guy we are talking about is a poor defender himself.

True. Hes below average but not awful like Castellanos but at 25% the cost when pitching is the greater need .

[TaylorStSox]

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

And yet, they have missed on the impact pitching.

Despite offering Wheeler more money than anyone else on the market. Unfortunately, some players simply don't want to play for the second team in the second city. That's just reality. Either accept that, or keep b****ing. Your choice. Personally, I'd rather live with what is than cry about what should be. 

[ptatc]

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

And yet, they have missed on the impact pitching.

They still have the greater need in pitching so that's where the resources should go. It would be great to get the impact pitcher but need at least a good one, the Castellanos version of a pitcher.

[Balta1701]

1 minute ago, ptatc said:

They still have the greater need in pitching so that's where the resources should go. It would be great to get the impact pitcher but need at least a good one, the Castellanos version of a pitcher.

You can start working on your front office defense now. "Keuchel is fine and we weren't going to be competitive in 2020 so there's no reason to spend more than that, we'll be able to spend big next offseason" probably works. 

[caulfield12]

3 minutes ago, ptatc said:

They still have the greater need in pitching so that's where the resources should go. It would be great to get the impact pitcher but need at least a good one, the Castellanos version of a pitcher.

There are the Big 3 (Bum/Ryu/Keuchel) and Porcello and that’s pretty much it.  Everything else is dumpster diving/hoping for rebounds.

 

[TaylorStSox]

I would have also assumed that everyone accepted that the window got pushed back a year when Kopech, Dunning, Lambert, Hansen and Burdi all suffered serious injuries.