Couch says: Sign Frank for $3M

[aboz56]

GMAFB. Seriously. 

Had to say that just for you...

 

In all seriousness, wasn't there talk that Frank needed some cash after his last divorce? Certainly not his main motivation for playing, but some guys do hold on too long just to continue making money. If he can't stay healthy consistently, why shouldn't he retire?

[Balta1701]

Why would there be a dropoff in production from Gload to Anderson.  Did I miss something?  Was Anderson the one who put up the 115 OPS+ in 2004, in a decent-to-good amount of ABs?

Just to point out...that was only 234 at bats you're talking about, and many of them were at the end of the season when the Sox were basically out of the playoff chase.

[Rowand44]

Had to say that just for you...

 

In all seriousness, wasn't there talk that Frank needed some cash after his last divorce?  Certainly not his main motivation for playing, but some guys do hold on too long just to continue making money.  If he can't stay healthy consistently, why shouldn't he retire?

Some guys do actually love the game.

[aboz56]

Some guys do actually love the game.

No question he loves the game from me, aka the Frank basher.

 

[CWSGuy406]

Just to point out...that was only 234 at bats you're talking about, and many of them were at the end of the season when the Sox were basically out of the playoff chase.

 

He was still good for us the whole year, though. His worst month was July, and he was able to hit .250 in that month...

 

I'm not looking at Gload as a full-time player, but there's no reason he shouldn't be on the Sox' bench next year. He instantly gives us a decent bat there, something this team has lacked for a while.

[Steff]

Had to say that just for you...

 

In all seriousness, wasn't there talk that Frank needed some cash after his last divorce?  Certainly not his main motivation for playing, but some guys do hold on too long just to continue making money.  If he can't stay healthy consistently, why shouldn't he retire?

 

 

 

He's only had 1 divorce. And she had more money than him to start with so unlike many men of divorce.. he didn't get hosed.

[Balta1701]

I actually wouldn't mind a platoon of the two.  I think it's a good way to ease Anderson into the big leagues, while keeping good production at the same time.

 

Of course, I know some dislike the idea of Anderson not being a full-time starter, but I can see it's advantages...

Which is exactly why I like the idea of an Anderson/Thomas alternation. You don't exactly go lefty-righty, but there's really not that much more Anderson is going to learn if he's put in AAA, he can clearly help our ballclub next year, he's very cheap, and he gives us the opportunity to hold onto a gigantic bat with very little monetary risk associated with it.

 

Plus, how many great ballplayers started off their first year or two in some sort of a platoon situation?

 

And on top of that, how much healthier could we keep guys like Pods and Dye if our outfield not only got 1 day off out of 3, but if on another day, another outfielder got to DH because we put Anderson in the field twice?

[Balta1701]

He was still good for us the whole year, though.  His worst month was July, and he was able to hit .250 in that month...

 

I'm not looking at Gload as a full-time player, but there's no reason he shouldn't be on the Sox' bench next year.  He instantly gives us a decent bat there, something this team has lacked for a while.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the idea of Gload on the bench...I just start to worry about roster spots. This year, we simply didn't have room for Gload...especially since he could only really play 1 position. The reason we traded for Blum instead of using Gload was that we needed an extra backup guy who could back up 3rd or short, especially when Crede's back was hurt and we didn't know how he'd be affected. (turned out to be very little once he got his swing straight & his hand healed).

 

I think there probably should be room for Gload next year, but I think the fact that Anderson can play all 3 outfield positions quite well and therefore give 4 guys extra rest makes him more useful than Gload.

[Felix]

Don't get me wrong, I do like the idea of Gload on the bench...I just start to worry about roster spots.  This year, we simply didn't have room for Gload...especially since he could only really play 1 position.  The reason we traded for Blum instead of using Gload was that we needed an extra backup guy who could back up 3rd or short, especially when Crede's back was hurt and we didn't know how he'd be affected.  (turned out to be very little once he got his swing straight & his hand healed).

 

I think there probably should be room for Gload next year, but I think the fact that Anderson can play all 3 outfield positions quite well and therefore give 4 guys extra rest makes him more useful than Gload.

Timo likely won't be here, and Blum has already filed for FA. Two spots right there.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Felix

[Balta1701]

Timo likely won't be here, and Blum has already filed for FA.  Two spots right there.

What is Timo's contract status?

 

Everett is also gone, so that's a roster spot there also.

 

So we've freed up 3 roster spots. Now let's plug guys in. Brian Anderson. Frank Thomas?. Do you want Gload with that 3rd spot, and if so, are you comfortable with Pablo being your only backup on the left side of the infield (other than, of course, Jermaine Dye and Chris Widger.)

[SSH2005]

What is Timo's contract status?

 

Everett is also gone, so that's a roster spot there also.

 

So we've freed up 3 roster spots.  Now let's plug guys in.  Brian Anderson.  Frank Thomas?.  Do you want Gload with that 3rd spot, and if so, are you comfortable with Pablo being your only backup on the left side of the infield (other than, of course, Jermaine Dye and Chris Widger.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't see anything wrong with Anderson, Frank, and Gload filling the three roster spots. Ozuna was bad at third base when he first started playing there but did anyone notice how much better he got at it when Crede was on the DL with his broken finger? I wouldn't mind Blum back because of his versatility but I'm not sure he will be.

[CWSGuy406]

What is Timo's contract status?

 

Everett is also gone, so that's a roster spot there also.

 

So we've freed up 3 roster spots.  Now let's plug guys in.  Brian Anderson.  Frank Thomas?.  Do you want Gload with that 3rd spot, and if so, are you comfortable with Pablo being your only backup on the left side of the infield (other than, of course, Jermaine Dye and Chris Widger.)

 

Go with what ya got -- Anderson (if Rowand isn't traded), Ozuna, Harris, Widger, Gload. Anderson takes the OF, Harris takes 2B, Ozuna takes the left side of the infield. Widger -- he can play anywhere, he's a star.

[Felix]

What is Timo's contract status?

something ridiculus like 1+ million for next year through arbitration, although I dont know for sure.

 

My roster for next year (no particular order, started out alphabetically, but then stopped):

SP Mark Buehrle

SP Jose Contreras

SP Freddy Garcia

SP Jon Garland

SP Brandon McCarthy

SP/MR El Duque

MR Neal Cotts

MR Dustin Hermanson (if he misses the year with his back, then Jeff Bajenaru)

MR Bobby Jenks

MR Cliff Politte

MR Luis Vizcaino

C AJ

C Widger

1B Konerko

1B Gload

2B Iguchi

SS Uribe

3B Crede

UTIL Ozuna

UTIL Harris

LF Podsednik

CF Rowand

RF Dye

OF Anderson

DH Thomas

 

Thats off of the top of my head, there are probably little things I'd switch around (such as Harris), but in general, thats what I'd like to see.

[Balta1701]

Ah, and now I see why that'll never happen.

 

You have only 1 lefty reliever. Ozzie this year seemed to adore having 2 of them.

[Felix]

well, in my mind (not Ozzie's, but still), Cotts is good enough against lefties for that to work

[Balta1701]

well, in my mind (not Ozzie's, but still), Cotts is good enough against lefties for that to work

I would tend to agree, but that would mean that Ozzie would have to a.) be more willing to allow Cotts to throw to both righties and lefties (i.e. when a team plays a lefty-righty-lefty-righty batting order), and he'd have to be more willing to let guys like Cliffy and Hermy attack the lefties.

 

Of course, this all assumes that the guys we have will be able to put up similiar numbers next year to what they did this year...one thing we've seen in baseball lately is that the performance of relief pitching from year to year can be a very, very fickle thing.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Don't forget that Gload was b****ing in September. We learned with Jon Rauch that things can be swept away for while but not forgotten. Bench players griping is however as common as the game is old. Might not be a big deal

[Balta1701]

Don't forget that Gload was b****ing in September. We learned with Jon Rauch that things can be swept away for while but not forgotten. Bench players griping is however as common as the game is old. Might not be a big deal

So was Marte. So was Iguchi for that matter. What was Gload complaining about? I didn't hear about that one.

[Felix]

I believe he was whining about playing time, but I cant really remember. There was a whole thread on it way back when, but the search engine is disabled, so I can't find it :|

[knightni]

All these pipedreams for Ryan Howard.

 

Gillick won't let him go.

 

Book it.

 

Thome would be the guy they would be looking to move.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

So was Marte.  So was Iguchi for that matter.  What was Gload complaining about?  I didn't hear about that one.

 

Correct on the other two. I feel Marte will likely be gone but Iguchi will of course stay

[Balta1701]

All these pipedreams for Ryan Howard.

 

Gillick won't let him go.

 

Book it.

 

Thome would be the guy they would be looking to move.

See, here's the story with Philly:

 

There are only a limited number of possible options for them. The best possible circumstance for them would be to move Ryan Howard for a very high level player/prospects, and have Thome come back healthy. In this case, they pay Thome's contract, but they get his performance out of it, and they get the benefit of whatever Howard could bring them in a trade.

 

The next best option is to trade Thome and stick with Howard. This option has less risk than sticking with Thome, because the odds are they'll get years of service out of Howard. In order to trade Thome though, it's going to either cost them a ton of money or they're going to have to take very little in return, and more likely it'll be a combination of both. Thome is such a question mark for them right now that he simply isn't worth a ton to other teams.

 

Their next option is to stick with Thome next year, have him split playing time with Howard, and just hope that Thome can raise his trade value. This may be the safest option all around, but it also hurts the team, because 1 of the 2 spends time on the bench, they still pay Thome's salary, and they don't get any benefits from anything they could get in a trade this offseason.

 

Their worst option is for them to Trade Howard and Thome to be unable to play. They still get whatever they get for the Howard deal, but they lose out at 1b.

 

Personally, if I'm in Gillick's chair right now, I start listening to offers for Howard and check in regularly with the doctors for Thome. I'm barely going to get 3 scraps of paper if I try to move Thome without picking up 80% of his contract. But if I can get a quality offer for Howard, and I can get some confidence in Thome coming back, it might very well be worth the risk.

[WilliamTell]

Getting Frank here for 3 mil is a good idea. Hopefully Frank would go alone with it. I don't think we need Marte as previously said and we have to keep Iguchi.

[Dam8610]

If we don't resign Paulie, I'll be advocating a trade for Ryan Howard.

 

Do you really think the Phillies will hire an insane GM?

[CWSGuy406]

Do you really think the Phillies will hire an insane GM?

 

They hired Ed Wade...