Tribune Article

[rangercal]

Giants could aid Sox stretch run

Pitching-rich San Francisco may be ready to trade

 

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Monday he expects to have the same 25-man roster when the non-waiver trading deadline expires at 3 p.m. Sunday.

 

But that hasn't stopped the Sox or other teams from exploring possibilities.

 

 

The latest team to take a long look at the Sox is the San Francisco Giants, who have been hesitant to trade All-Star pitcher Jason Schmidt and left-handed reliever Scott Eyre, a former White Sox.

 

The Giants had Ted Uhlaender, one of their top talent evaluators, in attendance at Monday night's Sox-Kansas City game.

 

The Sox have yet to finalize a deal with Florida and hard-throwing right-hander A.J. Burnett, whom Boston also is pursuing. Part of a proposed trade with Florida could involve Sox left-handed reliever Damaso Marte so the Sox would need another left-hander to complement Neal Cotts.

 

Eyre, 33, has been one of the few valuable players on a tattered San Francisco roster. Entering play Monday, Eyre has a 2.55 ERA in 52 games. He has struck out 38 batters in 42 1/3 innings and has 16 holds.

 

Eyre has limited opponents to a .189 batting average this season after opponents batted .219 against him last season.

 

Durability also is one of Eyre's strengths. He has pitched in 70 or more games in each of the previous three seasons, including a career-high 83 games in 2004.

 

Eyre will make close to $1.52 million this season.

 

Trading Eyre might make more sense for San Francisco than moving Schmidt, 32, who had a 7-5 record and 4.74 ERA entering Monday night's game against the Cubs. The Giants hold a $10.5 million option on Schmidt, who has pitched at least 207 innings in each of the past two seasons.

 

Entering Monday's game, Schmidt had struck out 105 in 1061/3 innings, including 10 strikeouts in seven innings against Atlanta on July 19.

 

Schmidt had an 18-7 record in 2004 with 251 strikeouts in 225 innings, and he was the National League's ERA leader (2.34) in 2003.

 

The Sox and San Francisco have been trade partners in the past, most notably the 1997 "White Flag" deal that brought the Giants pitchers Wilson Alvarez, Roberto Hernandez and Danny Darwin.

 

The trade helped the Giants win their first NL West title in eight seasons, but it also brought the Sox six minor-league players led by All-Star closer Keith Foulke.

 

The Giants' farm system, ranked 17th in Baseball America, is pitching-heavy. The Giants have scouted the Sox's Double-A and Triple-A teams thoroughly and could be attracted by Birmingham outfielder Chris Young, who has 18 home runs in 322 at-bats.

 

Florida had a scout at Brandon McCarthy's last start Friday for Charlotte, in which McCarthy allowed two runs on five hits while striking out eight in six innings at Syracuse.

 

The Marlins likely would need a starting pitcher in a deal involving Burnett, raising the possibility a third team (Pittsburgh) could be included.

 

Guillen, however, downplayed the need for another starter and seemed prepared to have his current rotation ready once the Sox clinch a playoff berth.

 

"Right now, I don't think we're going to do anything," Guillen said. "If you make the playoffs, you're going to use three [starters]. And your bullpen is going to be stronger. Maybe in the second round, you're going to need four [starters]."

[SoxFan1]

Gimme a good reliever and Vizquel.

[DBAHO]

Oh boy, Chris Young mentioned, that's not going to please a lot of people. I'd love Eyre, if we need another LHP, but I don't want to give up a Young or B-Mac for him.

[fathom]

For every game like Uribe has tonight, it just makes it more unlikely to me that KW and Ozzie would trade him.

[fathom]

Oh boy, Chris Young mentioned, that's not going to please a lot of people. I'd love Eyre, if we need another LHP, but I don't want to give up a Young or B-Mac for him.

 

I can't imagine how it would be on here if we traded Young or McCarthy straight up for Eyre.

[Rowand44]

If that Burnett deal goes through with Damaso and bmac, I guarantee the Sox have Eyre or another lefty reliever(I just saw some article today that mentioned afeldt) lined up. Hell, Burnett and Eyre would make this pitching amazing to be quite honest with you guys. Getting to Schimdt as you guys know I still felt like he had plently left in the tank when he got killed by Arizona I believe. Every outing he's getting stronger and if I had my way he'd be the starting pitcher to get if possible. Should be an interesting 6 days, all I know is I really want to the 31st to get here all these rumors are making me crazy.

[Rowand44]

Oh boy, Chris Young mentioned, that's not going to please a lot of people. I'd love Eyre, if we need another LHP, but I don't want to give up a Young or B-Mac for him.

I highly doubt Young or Bmac would be included in a deal for Eyre. Schimdt though is an entirely different story.

[fathom]

  Should be an interesting 6 days, all I know is I really want to the 31st to get here all these rumors are making me crazy.

 

It sure is fun though. The funny thing is that we analyze things so much, but it could be a little thing like Scott Eyre retiring Jim Edmonds for the 3rd out in the 8th inning of game 7 of the WS, and that would be the biggest out of the Sox season. However, there would be some people that would be freaking out about losing some prospects that they've likely never even seen play in the minors. I guarantee you that the Red Sox never though D. Roberts would be so important to them in the playoffs. However, his stolen base was as big of a play as anything in their WS run last season.

[SoxFan1]

I can't imagine how it would be on here if we traded Young or McCarthy straight up for Eyre.

Id ban myself....

[fathom]

I highly doubt Young or Bmac would be included in a deal for Eyre.  Schimdt though is an entirely different story.

 

Remember this aspect of any trade: Ozzie loves Ryan Sweeney. Of all the minor league players, I feel like Sweeney is the one guy Ozzie wouldn't want to give up.

[southsideirish71]

Remember this aspect of any trade:  Ozzie loves Ryan Sweeney.  Of all the minor league players, I feel like Sweeney is the one guy Ozzie wouldn't want to give up.

 

 

I agree on this. Brian Anderson is the closest to being major league ready. That makes him a big bargaining chip and the best from the OF class in the minors. I bet they dangle him. They have Dye, Arow and Pods locked up through next year. When Dye comes off the books is when Sweeney would be projected to be ready. Now as much as that is not popular belief with our guys. Sweeney is loved by Ozzie.

[qwerty]

Id ban myself....

 

Wouldn't be that bad of a trade after all...

[DBAHO]

I highly doubt Young or Bmac would be included in a deal for Eyre.  Schimdt though is an entirely different story.

I wouldn't give up Young period. B-Mac I don't really want to give up either, but if it's for Schmidt or Burnett, KW's prob gonna pull the trigger. Brian Anderson is a guy SF would like though, considering they have Marquis Grissom and Ellison patrolling CF at the moment. I can definitely see him being included into an expanded Schmidt / Vizquel / Eyre or at least 2 of those parts.

[beck72]

I think the key quote is "The Giants had Ted Uhlaender, one of their top talent evaluators, in attendance at Monday night's Sox-Kansas City game." This means that SF is at least looking at a player from the current 25 man roster to include in a trade, in addition to any minor leaguers

 

The only logical guys who played and could be parted with--Willie, Uribe, Vizcaino and possibly Jenks. You wouldn't do a Jenks for Eyre, but if somehow it could help get Vizquel...

[Rowand44]

I think the key quote is "The Giants had Ted Uhlaender, one of their top talent evaluators

Bingo, that means the interest is mutual.

[daa84]

Bingo, that means the interest is mutual.

if this doesnt get your engine turning i dont know what will. a very good friend of mine who works at wrigley field, called my at like midnight telling me he saw KW at the game. KW walked right by him, hes positive it was him. said interestingly enoguh that when he saw him he was chatting with jerry krause. at any rate this is a very reliable source and is 100% accurate. take it for what its worth, schmidt, vizquel, eyre, who knows. but KW was there, and usually when a GM is there scouting a game something big is usually goin down

[YASNY]

if this doesnt get your engine turning i dont know what will. a very good friend of mine who works at wrigley field, called my at like midnight telling me he saw KW  at the game. KW walked right by him, hes positive it was him. said interestingly enoguh that when he saw him he was chatting with jerry krause. at any rate this is a very reliable source and is 100% accurate. take it for what its worth, schmidt, vizquel, eyre, who knows. but KW was there, and usually when a GM is there scouting a game something big is usually goin down

 

In all the articles and columns I read this overnight, I did read somewhere that KW and 3 Sox scouts were at Wrigley to watch Schmidt pitch.

[daa84]

In all the articles and columns I read this overnight, I did read somewhere that KW and 3 Sox scouts were at Wrigley to watch Schmidt pitch.

oops yeah sorry, after reading thru the other threads after i posted i realized that levine said it last night too apparently....sorry......3 scouts and the GM seems like a ton to me.

[YASNY]

oops yeah sorry, after reading thru the other threads after i posted i realized that levine said it last night too apparently....sorry......3 scouts and the GM seems like a ton to me.

 

I was just trying to reinforce your story, not criticize you for posting it. That's good info.

[southsider2k5]

If that Burnett deal goes through with Damaso and bmac, I guarantee the Sox have Eyre or another lefty reliever(I just saw some article today that mentioned afeldt) lined up.  Hell, Burnett and Eyre would make this pitching amazing to be quite honest with you guys.  Getting to Schimdt as you guys know I still felt like he had plently left in the tank when he got killed by Arizona I believe.  Every outing he's getting stronger and if I had my way he'd be the starting pitcher to get if possible.  Should be an interesting 6 days, all I know is I really want to the 31st to get here all these rumors are making me crazy.

 

I think the order will be the opposite. If you see the Sox get a lefty reliever, the big deal is on the way immediately to follow.

 

Bingo, that means the interest is mutual.

 

With the position that the Giants are in, they have got to be thinking about new players for next year and beyond. They are an old team, and screwed without Barry Bonds. They really need to start planning for life AB, After Barry.

[S720]

I think the order will be the opposite.  If you see the Sox get a lefty reliever, the big deal is on the way immediately to follow.

With the position that the Giants are in, they have got to be thinking about new players for next year and beyond.  They are an old team, and screwed without Barry Bonds.  They really need to start planning for life AB, After Barry.

 

Damn, this suspense is killing me! I can't take it anymore! I am going insane with anticipation! I... I... I...

 

I would love to have Schmidt AND Vizquel on this team.

 

Burnett AND Lowell or Schmidt AND Vizquel

 

Make your selection known!

[YASNY]

Damn, this suspense is killing me!  I can't take it anymore!  I am going insane with anticipation!  I... I... I...

 

I would love to have Schmidt AND Vizquel on this team.

 

Burnett AND Lowell or Schmidt AND Vizquel

 

Make your selection known!

 

For this team, this year ... Schmidt and Vizquel. This year is what should be the main consideration.

[daa84]

Damn, this suspense is killing me!  I can't take it anymore!  I am going insane with anticipation!  I... I... I...

 

I would love to have Schmidt AND Vizquel on this team.

 

Burnett AND Lowell or Schmidt AND Vizquel

 

Make your selection known!

its a tough call, the last few weeks ive been saying schmidt over burnett, but i think burnett may be pulling closer. a better question is omar vs. lowell. considering our style of play and the money, i think vizquel is a better option. the only people i have ever seen that have softer hands than omar are ozzie smith and marvin harrison.

 

i feel like burnetts stock can only get worse than what it is now, and i feel that schmidts will only go up. so i would tend to buy low and go with schmidt and vizquel.

[Milkman delivers]

What would it take to get Schmidt, Vizquel, and Eyre?

 

Stupid imagination is gonna get the best of me today. But, oh man, that would be f'n sweet.

[knightni]

Get Schmidt, Eyre, Vizquel, Burnett AND Lowell.

 

Me getting woken up -->