Possible Trade I thought of

[Chisoxfn]

A decent fit for what we would be giving up? Hell no! What rational White Sox fan would want to do this trade?

I didn't say I'd do the trade above. However, the above trade would free up some payroll. I think the first thing the Sox have to do is find a way for Harris and Uribe to play every day.

 

Whether that means moving Valentin, then so be it. I also think they need to get rid of Konerko. I fully believe that Gload is easily capable of putting up a .270 AVG, with some pop and some clutch hits. Plus he provides a left handed bat in the back of the order.

 

Therefor I'd work incredibly hard on a Konerko/Jose for Garcia and Wynn swap. If I can't get Wynn, so be it, maybe get Olerud and have him show Gload the ropes but also get Gload time. Olerud would also be a solid fit like so many have said. I'd also add a very good prospects like Rauch or Borchard to the mix and would even consider giving up someone like Andy Gonzalez if they in fact wanted him.

 

Still, if you can do a Konerko/Jose for Garcia and Wynn you end up basically keeping contracts the same, although I can't possibly explain why the Mariners would do this. I think in the end they would have to get Lee, which still means the Sox have to move Konerko. In this instance I'd do everything I could to get Sean Casey for Konerko, although who knows if you could convince the Reds to do this.

 

Either way get Konerko and Jose out of here. Let Gload play 1st if possible and then Wynn or Reed in the OF.

[Chisoxfn]

Jason, I think the option thing is good for the whole year, and this is the last option year for Rauch.

 

Didn't Rex clear all that up for us, a while back?

 

At least that's what I thought I read.

For some reason I thought last year was his final option, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Guest JimH]

For some reason I thought last year was his final option, but maybe I'm wrong.

Well, they optioned him to Charlotte in spring, so it leads me to believe this is his last option year.

 

For the sake of this discussion, let's assume it is.

 

What do you think about Rauch facing the Twins this weekend, assuming there's no trade?

 

Right now, at this moment, I'd rather see almost anyone vs. the Twins than Diaz.

I'm not 100% down on Diaz - he has potential - but he's doing something wrong.

These hitters are absolutely teeing off on him, there were no fluke hits last nite or vs. Baltimore.

[Chisoxfn]

I can't stand Rauch so I wouldn't even think about it, even though he pitched a good game against the Twins back in 01 or 02, whenever it was.

 

Personally I'd leave Diaz up here and let him pitch until the Sox make a move or decide to call up Wunsch and move Cotts to the pen. He was great in AAA and his 1st start he was rolling minus the 4 hr's (he definately leaves his offspeed stuff up) and last game he was on 3 days rest against the 2nd best offense in the AL (he even showed some stones as he settled down after having horrific 1st and 2nd innings and even responded well to all those errors). I got a hunch we'll see Diaz step up and pitch decent, although I really want to see Freddy Garcia on the south side.

 

I think Rauch is lazy and he seems to be expecting to be called up based on his former reputation as a prospect instead of just pitching his ass off. I'd rather see the Sox call up Grilli.

[aboz56]

I can't stand Rauch so I wouldn't even think about it, even though he pitched a good game against the Twins back in 01 or 02, whenever it was. 

 

Personally I'd leave Diaz up here and let him pitch until the Sox make a move or decide to call up Wunsch and move Cotts to the pen.  He was great in AAA and his 1st start he was rolling minus the 4 hr's (he definately leaves his offspeed stuff up) and last game he was on 3 days rest against the 2nd best offense in the AL (he even showed some stones as he settled down after having horrific 1st and 2nd innings and even responded well to all those errors).  I got a hunch we'll see Diaz step up and pitch decent, although I really want to see Freddy Garcia on the south side. 

 

I think Rauch is lazy and he seems to be expecting to be called up based on his former reputation as a prospect instead of just pitching his ass off.  I'd rather see the Sox call up Grilli.

I agree, Rauch sucks, is no longer a prospect in the Sox eyes and is an asshole to boot. I am not rooting for him to do anything and if he reads this post, even better...

[Chisoxfn]

One thing I should add is that I have no idea the type of player Diaz is emotionally. I'm hoping he's strong emotionally and won't let the 1st two outings bother him.

 

Some pitchers can come up, get clobbered, and shrug it off as a learning experience, while others take it as an omen that they suck and don't belong in the show. I'm hoping Diaz will take this as motivation to improve and hopefully he'll flash his potential and poise in his next outing and if he ends up going down, hopefully he'll know what he needs to work on and address those needs.

 

Diaz seems like a good guy. The Indians announcers were mentioning something about him being really nice, but I was kind of zoned out cause it was killing me to watch the game

 

And if Diaz or any pitcher can't take a few horrible outings in the majors then they will never make it. You need to be tough mentally to get through the adversity of baseball. You do good, they make adjustments, you struggle, you make adjustments and it just keeps continuing. Then eventually you adjust before they even adjust or you get so good that you have so few flaws that as long as you stay within your game they can't beat you (ie Bonds, Pujols, Arod).

[witesoxfan]

A deal I would like to see happen:

 

Sox and Montreal.

 

White Sox get:

Livan Hernandez

Nick Johnson (currently on the DL)

 

Expos get:

Paul Konerko

Joe Borchard

Jon Rauch

Ryan Meaux

 

Hernandez just recently signed a 3 year 21 million dollar deal, but I would have no problems taking that on.  This would give us a good starter with big game experience, and a left handed bat to plug in at first.

I like it. We'd most likely have to give up a lot more then that, but it looks like it would be good to me. Konerko and Hernandez cancel out(though I could potentially see us having to take on another contract), Nick Johnson is a very good player(essentially a poor man's Giambi or Delgado), and the Expos get some good minor leaguers in return, though we would have to give up more then Borchard(struggling right now and is getting older), Rauch(older, but still solid), and Meaux(who is very old to be pitching in I believe AA...correct me if I'm wrong though). I assume they want good, younger arms with lots of potential, as most franchises do...Neal Cotts, Felix Diaz, Arnie Munoz, hell, possibly even Dan Wright(but he wouldn't be the main one in the deal ). They'd like Joe B though as a project...if he can shorten his swing, he could be deadly.

 

Basically, if we want Hernandez and Johnson(especially Johnson), it will cost us Konerko(for the replacement for Johnson and the "salary-swapping"), Borchard(as their project as his potential has no limit), and then two or three of Diaz/Rauch/Cotts/Munoz/Wright. That's a tough deal to make. The only time you ever push for trades like this to happen is if you are absolutely certain it will push you over the top, and honestly, I'm not sure this does. If we could somehow get away with highway robbery and only have to give them Wright, Rauch, and Diaz, I do it in a heartbeat. Hernandez is a horse and can handle the pressure, and Johnson could be a/the LH bat we need so dearly.

 

 

 

BTW, to those who talk about how Hernandez struggled in Pac Bell Park in 2002, look at his 2003 numbers in Montreal and San Juan. 15-10 3.20 in 233 innings with a WHIP of 1.21, K/9 of about 7, K/BB of just over 3, and BB/9 of just over 2. They're not great, but they could be worse. That's not worth $7 mill a year, he's worth more then Konerko is, I guarantee you that. I'd take him in a heartbeat over Konerko.

[Chisoxfn]

I wouldn't have one problem with that trade JD. Although I think Livan's contract is a risk at 3 yrs and such, but we do unload Paulies and get a good young 1st baseman. Meaux probably is a reliever prospect at best (he's really went into a funk in the rotation), while I don't like Rauch (although he probably has some trade value based on sheer hype from a few years ago) and Borchard is a great guy who will be missed, but has struggled.