Decision Time Approaching For Crede...

[TaylorStSox]

Ok guys, since some of you are hellbent on retaining Crede... how exactly would you change the lineup??  You obviously realize that this lineup is inept at producing runs.  The Marlins are NOT going to trade Pierre, why the heck would they?  They have absolutely no reason to do so.  Delgado... maybe even though I don't recall them trying to unload his contract at the trade deadline and the fact that they JUST signed him... seems weird that they would want to trade him.  But in any event, we'd be fortunate to pull that off.  So who DO we trade or let go then?  Obviously I think everyone agrees on Everett, but more needs to be done.  Don't kid yourselves with delusions of grand "potential" stats.  As we've seen this year, we need to plan for the worst.  PLAN on Arow only being a .275 hitter with little pop, plan on Crede and Uribe swinging for the fences and popping out or striking out 7 times out of 10, count on AJ hitting 40 points below his career average for whatever reason, count on Frank not being back.  Why you ask?  Because plan on our pitching staff not being able to duplicate what it did in the first half of this year next year.  Because they haven't shown signs of getting better.  What do you have then?  A miserable lineup, just like this year.  There HAVE to be replacements, plain and simple...people that can actually hit.  Looking at career numbers and contract situations, I say Crede's the odd man out.  He's gotta hit .500 in the last 2 weeks of the season for me to even think about bringing his popup prone bat back.

 

The Marlins have been trying to move Pierre for a couple years. They also backloaded Delgado's contract with the idea of only keeping him around for a year. Why would they trade him at midseason when they were in the playoff hunt? He's only making 4 this year. I believe it goes up to 12 next year.

 

Pierre would just be a throw in. He's not that much different than Pods. The only reason that I'd consider moving Pods is that his inability to run is scary. Who knows if he will ever get on form again. He's not getting any younger.

 

My original post was somewhat tongue and cheek and semi green. However, picking up Delgado is a serious possiblity.

 

Don't forget that Pierre makes 3.5 while Pods is still league minimum.

Edited September 23, 2005 by TaylorStSox

[Frank the Tank 35]

Touche on the Delgado deal... I completely forgot about the backloaded setup. I still don't think the Marlins trade Pierre though. He did have that horrible start, but he's been doing much better. I think every team in baseball is becoming aware that Pods can't steal right now meaning I don't think any team would want to take a chance like that. Without his speed, Pods is nothing.

[fathom]

If anyone thinks this team can afford the contracts of both PK and Delgado, they're definitely forgetting we're not the Yankees.

[Frank the Tank 35]

Yeah, one or the other... but Delgado would solve the lefty problem (and hopefully the popup one). However, Delgado is considerably older so I might lean towards just keeping Konerko since we'd have to give up players for Delgado anyway. Use what players we have to trade to fit in some other hole.

[Frank the Tank 35]

Getting back to my original point... who would we Sox fans be willing to trade in for an upgrade? Has to be somebody...

[Whitewashed in '05]

Crede>Arod

Nuff Said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Apparently Crede has that certain something the French call "I don't know" that statistics don't show. Who the hell is he, Derek Jeter? When did he become Mr. Intangible. Some of the channels besides Comcast show baseball guys and you should watch some non-White Sox games if you think Joe Crede is in the top half of overall thrid basemen.

[Frank the Tank 35]

I am of the mindset that several things should happen this offseason:

1) Sign Mueller, goodbye Joe

2) Wheel and deal... trade Marte, Arow, and Duque (just a salary dump for him) for Chad Tracy. It's gotta be done... one of our young outfield prospects HAS to step up and contribute. I'm very high on Tracy, he's a lefty, high average, gaining pop in his bat, and DOES NOT have an uppercut homerun swing. An alternative is obviously Overbay, but I don't think we have what interests the Brewers at this point. I think we'd all agree that the time has come for BMac to replace Duque. I'd hope we'd try to sign Scott Eyre as a LOOGY replacement for Marte. I'd consider trading Dye instead, but they'd probably want Arow as he's younger. I also think Dye will have slightly better numbers next year (since he had that huge slump at the beginning of the year), and I like his arm in right. I'd also consider trading Pods if...

3) Sign Furcal? I'm very hesitant to push for this. He's probably going to cost way too much. I was being encouraged by Uribe's performance of late... but in the past week? batting .160... ah, all good things must come to an end, some sooner than later unfortunately. As much as everyone hates the idea, Nomar has been pretty good up until the last week since his return from injury. Even with his poor start, extrapolating his numbers out, he's right in line with a regular Nomar season (except the average). Since he's been back though, he's raised his average from .145 to .267... last week in the .280's. He'd sure come a lot cheaper than Furcal and would be an ideal #3 hitter when full strength. A lot of people on this board were willing to take a chance on the oft injured Griffey, why not on Nomar? Of course the hold up would be, would he be willing to play on the South Side?

 

Money-wise:

Sox committed payroll currently heading into next season: 4.5+2.4+3.25+3+3.15+5+2.25+9+7.75+1.9+8+marginal salary (Cotts, Jenks, BMac, Anderson, Gload, Ozuna, Widger?, etc)~ $51 mil

+1.2 mil (Politte option)+ ~6 (Garland's salary)+ ~3.5 (resign AJ)+ 10 (Konerko)=~$72 mil

then - 2.25 (Marte) - 3.25 (Arow) - 4.5 (Duque)= ~$62 mil

then + negligible amount (Tracey) + 1.5 (Eyre) + 3 (Mueller) + ?? (Furcal or Nomar)= ~$67 + ??

 

I rounded up most numbers to try to account for the small minor type salaries, but I guess you could just round it all the way up to $70 for the sake of argument and making sure the bench is rounded. In a perfect world I'd also like to trade Hermanson while his value is high, but I know that won't happen. So after all that, the team stands at $70 without adding Furcal or Nomar. I think a deal with Arizona could be a real possibility, maybe we'd have to throw in one more minor leaguer. Nomar could probably be had for a similar contract to this year, around $8 mil incl. incentives. Furcal will ask the moon and will probably get 10-12 per year. All in all, the Sox could have a payroll around $80, which is doable, especially if we somehow eek into the playoffs.

 

Option 1:

Pods

Gooch

Nomar

Tracy

Konerko

AJ

Dye

Mueller

Anderson

 

Option 2:

Pods

Furcal

Tracy

Konerko

Gooch

AJ

Dye

Mueller

Anderson

 

What's nice about the Furcal deal is that he's our leadoff man insurance if Pods' recent struggles continue into next year in which case you flip flop them in the order or Pods can be involved in a trade. I actually prefer Nomar because he'd be a great #3 hitter, and I think he'll have a great season next year. Of course he's more risky, but he also costs less. Greater risk/reward type of deal there. Anyway, that'd be MY armchair GM agenda, and it's not some far out fantasy either...everything's doable.

Edited September 23, 2005 by Frank the Tank 35