Centerfield Job For Next Season

[YASNY]

Rowand is a damn good ballplayer. He most likely will be our starting CF'er next year and that's fine with me.  If Harris beats him out, that's cool too.  I don't expect it though, as Rowand seems to be the better hitter.

 

I can not think of a single logical reason the Yankees would want Konerko.  Though, I do agree with Chisonfn that PK still has value and should be tradeable.

 

If I had to settle for either Johnson or Soriano in a Maggs deal, I'd insist on Johnson.  Though, Johnson for Maggs straight up is out of the question. 

 

I think Magglio would make more sense for the Yankees than either Sheffield or Guerrero.  Maggs is locked in at $14Mil for 2004 and it would give them a season to evaluate his performance in NY before commiting to a long term big bucks deal, which they'd have to do with Vlad and which Sheff is not worth. but will probably require.

Good points, YASNY. I wouldnt mind getting Johnson, but that REQUIRES us to be able to move Konerko.

 

Maybe Maggs+Konerko+Mid-level prosp for Johnson+Soriano++

 

I dunno, its gonna take moving PK to have Nick Johnson, will we find a taker?

I agree. We'd have to move PK to make room for Johnson. But, no, I don't see the Yankees taking PK off of our hands. Maybe something in a 3 way deal of some kind.

[rafacosta]

Trade Maggs to NYY for Johnson

:puke :puke :puke

[Al Lopez Ghost (old)]

I think Rowand will be the choice. What I haven't seen mentioned is that he's a pretty good bunter, and tries to move the guy from second to third with nobody out. He gets a good jump, has a pretty good arm, has a little pop, and hustles. That should be enough to win the job - but he has to stay healthy, or he turns into the new millenium Brian Simmons.

[whitesox61382]

" Well I'd like to package Konerko to the Yanks. I am not convinced that the Yanks would be interested. I still say some team could get interested in Konerko considering this was one down year and the previous three were all improvments."

 

I do think that Konerko has some value, but why would the Yankees trade a younger, cheaper, BETTER player in Johnson for Konerko. That makes absolutely no sense. Not only that, but the whole reason why the Yankees are shopping Johnson is because they plan on moving Bernie to DH and Giambi to 1B, which leaves Konerko with no place to play. Mark my words, the Yankees have NO interest in Konerko.

 

"I also think the yanks would be very interested in Borhard and a pitching prospect along with magglio and I think if the Yanks really want to dump Soriano, then its definately doable."

 

That is another point that I think you are missing. I don't think that the Yankees WANT to move either Soriano or Johnson, however, if they feel they can improve their team by moving either of them then they will trade them. I would stay away from Soriano as well. I would much rather have Johnson.

 

"I couldn't say why they would trade cmopared to signing someone like Maggs. I don't think it would be very smart for them to sign Sheffield, Maggs is better, imo, or at least a better long term investment."

 

You are really grasping at straws here. Sheffield has posted 1.000+ OPS's 3 of the last 4 years(including 2 in the great pitchers park in LA) opposed to Maggs who has never topped the 1.000 OPS mark. Sheffield is similar and probably better defensively, and has similar and possible better speed. The only advantage that Maggs has is age, but if they want a younger player then why not get Guerrero, who GS has always been a huge fan of?

 

"In regards to Jose, I wouldn't give him near 3 mill, 1.5 or so max. This market is incredibly soft and its being shown already. I think the union will make an incredibly hard push for collusion but in the end it won't pay off."

 

I highly doubt that Valentin will take 1.5M. He made around 5M last year, put up an above average OPS for a SS, and had his best defensive year. Add that up and you are almost guaranteed not to get him for around 1.5M.

 

" 61382, I dunno. An outfield of CLee, Rowand, and Reed scares the bejesus outta me. Theres relatively no power(cept CLee), no real outstanding defensive outfielder either."

 

Don't tell me that you were blinded by the solo HR last year? This team needs to get rid of some of the power and substitute good average and OBP players. Remember that the Sox ranked 4th in HR's, but only 8th in runs scored(the most important stat). The lineup would still have 4 guys that will probably hit 20+ HR's(Johnson, Thomas, Lee, and Crede), 2 high OBP/good plate disipline guys at the top of the order(Castillo and Guillen), and a couple of solid hitters in the 7 and 8 holes(Reed and Rowand). Factor in the drastic increase in speed and drastic decrease in DP's and you have a similar and maybe even better offense then last year.

 

If an outfield of Clee, Rowand, and Reed scares you defensively then a defensive outfield of Clee, Rowand, and Maggs must be giving you are heartattack. Clee has made improvements in LF, Reed is a pretty solid CF, and Rowand moves back to his natural position of RF, which makes the defensive outfielder better then the current defensive outfield, so I really don't know why you made a comment about the defense.

 

"And that bench would make me sick if we had to pinch hit, cuz we would have ZERO power for late innings. Gload IMO will not be here next year, the move to the 40 man was just to protect the organization against the Rule 5."

 

Opposed to this past years bench that also had no power? Borchard has power potential and Gload hit over 60 extra base hits and posted a .524 SLG % last year in AAA. Why would the Sox protect a career minor leaguer if they didn't have the intention of giving him a good shot at making the club, especially when you factor that Daubach is as good as gone?

 

"Idon't wanna see Guillen signed at that price, I'll take....GULP...JosE6 at that price before Guillen."

 

That makes no sense. Valentin is also going to cost around 3M and you rather have him then a younger, better defensive, and better offensive SS in Guillen. How much is a mid-.700 OPS(in a great pitchers park), young, solid defensive SS worth?

 

"Unless we use Wright as the clsoer in that bullpen, Marte's arm will fall off enxt year as the only lefty with versatility(READ-can pitch to more than 2 hitters, unlike Wunsch)."

 

I figured that either Timlin or Ligtenberg would close. Both have closed in the past and been relatively sucessful. Marte being the prime set up guy and possible closer, which was the exact role that he played last year. Wunsch being the left-handed specialist. The bullpen would be fine and better IMO.

 

My projected team not only fits the financial constraints(unlike most peoples projects) and makes sense(trades and signings). The offense would be similar and possible better, the defense would be better, the team speed would be better, the starting pitching would be better, and the bullpen would be better. Add that to a team that won 86 games and you have a team that will almost certainly win 90+ next year. Not bad considering the financial constraints that this team has. It also shows the creativity that KW will need to be sucessful in 2004.

[elrockinMT]

I think Rowand deserves the chance in CF. He is a team player, hustles and can handle CF defensively. He has also showed improvement at the plate. I liked Carl Everett, but I think Carl was more suited defensively for one of the corner spots and not CF. Since it is unlikely Everett will be back I think Rowand in CF and Borchard as the OF relief could be interesting. I think either Rowand or Borchard could do the job at any OF spot and if Maggs or Lee goes, which I hope doesn't happen the situation could be very interesting. That kind of scenario throws Reed into the mix.

[Pastime]

240 AVG 3-5 HR's 40-50 RBI's and 40+ steals

 

That's damn good. For a guy to only hit .240 and still drive in 40-50 RBI's is an incredible feat. And those 40+ steals would put him in scoring position many times, no?

 

I don't give a s*** if Willie Harris has no HR's next year. If he can drive in 40-50 RBI's and steal 44 bases, I say he's the best damn CF we've had since One Dog. Maybe better!

 

And if he hits .240, I don't care as long as his OBP is high. Rickey Henderson hasn't hit above .230 for about 8 years, but he's still productive, is he not?

 

Plus, Willie's .240 average is world's higher than GIDPaul's .221, isn't it?

[DBAHO]

The chances of Konerko goin to LA decreased with the news of Shawn Green willin to play at 1st for next year. Maggs to LA rumors mite start heatin up again.

[Rex Hudler]

That's damn good. For a guy to only hit .240 and still drive in 40-50 RBI's is an incredible feat. And those 40+ steals would put him in scoring position many times, no?

 

Michael Jordan drove in 51 runs and had 30 SB's in 1994, while only hitting .202. Maybe he should have kept playing baseball?

 

[southsider2k5]

Michael Jordan drove in 51 runs and had 30 SB's in 1994, while only hitting .202.  Maybe he should have kept playing baseball?

 

He is a free agent right now