What to do with extra Thome money?

[Balta1701]

I do think Borchard will end up being the fourth outfielder.  We don't really need a fifth outfielder since Ozuna can play there.  But I really hope we don't re-sign Timo.  He'd be a waste of another million dollars.

I agree. We've already paid Borchard's signing bonus and we're not getting it back...so he's basically the cheapest bench option possible, and even if he hits .200 next year, how exactly would that be worse than Timo? At least a few of Borchard's might leave the yard, and there's always the chance that he'll hit .260 and start making himself look like something people would actually want in a trade.

[Chisoxmatt]

We need a 4th outfielder and maybe a 5th.  Borchard will probably be one of them.

I assume that will be timo and borchard.

[Balta1701]

I assume that will be timo and borchard.

I don't know about anyone else...but my desire to see Timo Perez on this team again is very very low. No offense to all those "Clutch" hits and everything...I just don't want Ozzie to have the opportunity to play him any more.

[SSH2005]

I agree.  We've already paid Borchard's signing bonus and we're not getting it back...so he's basically the cheapest bench option possible, and even if he hits .200 next year, how exactly would that be worse than Timo?  At least a few of Borchard's might leave the yard, and there's always the chance that he'll hit .260 and start making himself look like something people would actually want in a trade.

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Exactly. The money is already invested in Borchard. It wouldn't kill us to use him as our fourth outfielder, even if he sucks. Afterall, Timo sucked this past season. And if Borchard actually hits well for us off the bench, he could increase his trade value and we might actually be able to get something for him in a trade. It's basically a very low risk and high reward option for us to keep Borchard as our fourth outfielder.

[YASNY]

I like this idea of Borchard being the 4th outfielder. He'd be a constant threat of power coming off the bench, and he's not bad with the leather.

[knightni]

I'd certainly rather have Borchard on the team than Timo.

[Guest JimH]

I'd certainly rather have Borchard on the team than Timo.

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Interesting discussion here.

 

My guess is Guillen wants speed and contact from the 4th OF spot. I agree that Timo has run his course and they should find someone else.

 

Borchard is an option. It really comes down to his value, is it more to the White Sox or could they get something of value in trade?

 

If they plan to let Anderson and Owens battle it out for CF does the 2nd place finisher stay as the 4th OF, or is it too risky to have two rookies?

[SSH2005]

Interesting discussion here.

 

My guess is Guillen wants speed and contact from the 4th OF spot.  I agree that Timo has run his course and they should find someone else.

 

Borchard is an option.  It really comes down to his value, is it more to the White Sox or could they get something of value in trade?

 

If they plan to let Anderson and Owens battle it out for CF does the 2nd place finisher stay as the 4th OF, or is it too risky to have two rookies?

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You may as well keep Borchard as the fourth outfielder and let Timo go. Borchard probably wouldn't net anything good in a trade anyways.

 

I think the loser of the battle between Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens should be sent to Charlotte. You don't want to stunt a prospect's growth by having him sit on the bench. Dusty Baker almost did it to Matt Murton until Hendry stepped in and made him play him. It's just not a good idea.

[YASNY]

You may as well keep Borchard as the fourth outfielder and let Timo go.  Borchard probably wouldn't net anything good in a trade anyways.

 

I think the loser of the battle between Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens should be sent to Charlotte.  You don't want to stunt a prospect's growth by having him sit on the bench.  Dusty Baker almost did it to Matt Murton until Hendry stepped in and made him play him.  It's just not a good idea.

 

Exactly. Let the guy who doesn't make the cut stay in the minors and play everyday. In the mean time, you let Borchard hold down that 4th outfielder spot and hopefully either increase his trade value or the hope for the longshot odds that he'll begin to live up to his much hyped potential.

[Guest JimH]

Exactly.  Let the guy who doesn't make the cut stay in the minors and play everyday.  In the mean time, you let Borchard hold down that 4th outfielder spot and hopefully either increase his trade value or the hope for the longshot odds that he'll begin to live up to his much hyped potential.

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Yas I tend to agree with yours and SSH comments here, in an ideal world you don't want a rookie sitting on the bench.

 

Just to tweak the focus here though, Borchard for all intents and purposes is rookie too, albeit much more experienced at age 27 and a ton of minor league AB's. You are right when you conclude there's nothing left for him to do at AAA. Personally I think the Pirates are a fit, they want power and they like inexpensive players.

 

The key here is Guillen. We know how enamored he is with speed. Let's say for the sake of discussion Anderson wins the CF job and Borchard is the 4th OF. Neither of those two steal bases, Guillen likes that type of game.

 

I really think Guillen wants another legit stolen base threat other than Podsednik, he loves versatility, and they also need an insurance policy at 3B.

 

Do you think they can pry Freel away from Cincinnati? To me he's a perfect fit, Cincy may not want to pay him.

[SSH2005]

Yas I tend to agree with yours and SSH comments here, in an ideal world you don't want a rookie sitting on the bench.

 

Just to tweak the focus here though, Borchard for all intents and purposes is rookie too, albeit much more experienced at age 27 and a ton of minor league AB's.  You are right when you conclude there's nothing left for him to do at AAA.  Personally I think the Pirates are a fit, they want power and they like inexpensive players.

 

The key here is Guillen.  We know how enamored he is with speed.  Let's say for the sake of discussion Anderson wins the CF job and Borchard is the 4th OF.  Neither of those two steal bases, Guillen likes that type of game.

 

I really think Guillen wants another legit stolen base threat other than Podsednik, he loves versatility, and they also need an insurance policy at 3B.

 

Do you think they can pry Freel away from Cincinnati?  To me he's a perfect fit, Cincy may not want to pay him.

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The Pirates just released Michael Restovich, an outfield prospect who was originally with the Twins. He's a similar player to Borchard, he has a lot of power but he strikes out a ton. If they didn't want Restovich, why would they want Borchard? Also, the Pirates seem to have a lot of outfielders already -- Jason Bay, Craig Wilson, Rob Mackowiak, Jody Gerut, and Chris Duffy. I'm sure they would like to add a power-hitting outfielder but I doubt Borchard is the guy.

 

Anderson has more speed than Rowand so he should be able to steal some bases. I would love to have Freel though.

Edited November 26, 2005 by SSH2005

[Guest JimH]

Restovich was a guy they thought would pan out, he didn't. I do know the Pirates scouts were following Borchard big time in Arizona last spring, but you are right, things may have changed. They (Pirates) really want more power though.

[SSH2005]

Restovich was a guy they thought would pan out, he didn't.  I do know the Pirates scouts were following Borchard big time in Arizona last spring, but you are right, things may have changed.  They (Pirates) really want more power though.

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If the Pirates really wanted Borchard, they would have traded for him after Borchard had a great Spring Training. Afterall, Borchard didn't even make our roster and was sent back down to the minors.

Edited November 26, 2005 by SSH2005

[The Critic]

Joe-for-4 is looking more and more like a career minor-leaguer. As cringe-worthy as Timo can be when played too regularly, he seems to have a knack for the big hit off the bench.

As for the "extra" Thome money, add me to the "sign Paulie" brigade. He's the best fit for what the Sox need, and the Sox are the best fit for him, too, I think. Anywhere else he goes, he'll be seen as the guy who has to get them to the World Series. Here, he's already helped to do that and would be living off the afterglow of that.

[NorthSideSox72]

Timo made $1M last year, and would stand to make more this year. I really think that's too much for a backup outfielder who didn't perform all that well. Any of Anderson, Owens and Borchard would be roughly $300k each.

 

As I've been saying for a few weeks, let Owens and Anderson duke it out for CF. I also really like the idea people have mentioned here of sending the loser of that battle to AAA to get lots of at-bats, and putting Borch in as the 4th OF. Anderson/Owens won't be hurt by a year in AAA, whereas Borchard is out of options. Release Timo. Ozuna becomes your 5th option in OF.

[LDF]

Timo made $1M last year, and would stand to make more this year.  I really think that's too much for a backup outfielder who didn't perform all that well.  Any of Anderson, Owens and Borchard would be roughly $300k each.

 

As I've been saying for a few weeks, let Owens and Anderson duke it out for CF.  I also really like the idea people have mentioned here of sending the loser of that battle to AAA to get lots of at-bats, and putting Borch in as the 4th OF.  Anderson/Owens won't be hurt by a year in AAA, whereas Borchard is out of options.  Release Timo.  Ozuna becomes your 5th option in OF.

 

your thought of anderson and owen battle it out is a good idea. the idea of having joey b as your 4th i do not.

 

2 yrs ago, i like timo, last yr i am disappointed in his performace. that said, we need an experience of'er who can deal with coming off the bench. they should have a better makeup to handle that.

[nitetrain8601]

Do we have that Griffeytalk.com banner still?

[lord chas]

no more timo

[Guest JimH]

If the Pirates really wanted Borchard, they would have traded for him after Borchard had a great Spring Training.  Afterall, Borchard didn't even make our roster and was sent back down to the minors.

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Maybe, but it might not be that simple. It's possible they couldn't agree on a trade. They got Restovich for nothing and they thought they'd give him a shot.

 

Anyways, it will be interesting what the White Sox do for the 4th OF spot. They may have their eye on someone already, who knows.

[timotime]

What is laughable is that no one responding to this thread backed up their statements with any meaningful analysis.

 

Brian Giles had a higher RC number and a higher RC27 number than Paul Konerko last year even though he played half his games in cavernous San Diego, where his OPS languished at .795.  On the road, it was more than 1.0.  His OBP will be around .400.  He's left handed.  He can play all three outfield positions, and presumably DH.  He's likely available for at least $4-5 million per year LESS than Paul Konerko.  He allows us to bring back Frank Thomas if he's healthy (whereas Konerko and Thome would swallow up all the 1B/DH ABs for the year). 

 

It is also laughable that some of you think Brian Anderson is going to be a full-time major league player in 2006.  What part of 12Ks in 34 ABs or his .176 avg. do you like?  Is there anything else you have to go on other than guesswork?  His AAA numbers?  Even those weren't all that good. 

 

I would take Anderson over Timo Perez as a 4th outfielder and LIDP if we did sign Giles.  But I wouldn't count on him to be an everyday starter.  The only thing he's got on Joe Borchard is that he hasn't proven himself to be a bust yet. 

 

I know Giles isn't on the Sox' radar.  But he should be.  And from what I read he wants to play for a team that will consistently contend.  So why not the Sox? 

 

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Griffey wasn't on KW's radar now.  Of course trading for Griffey would be foolish if you could have Giles for less money and have to give up no players in return.

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man, you can bang the giles drum all you want, it aint happenin'. NO CHANCE.

[timotime]

I'd certainly rather have Borchard on the team than Timo.

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dont underestimate the clutch bloop single!

[timotime]

Joe-for-4 is looking more and more like a career minor-leaguer. As cringe-worthy as Timo can be when played too regularly, he seems to have a knack for the big hit off the bench.

As for the "extra" Thome money, add me to the "sign Paulie" brigade. He's the best fit for what the Sox need, and the Sox are the best fit for him, too, I think. Anywhere else he goes, he'll be seen as the guy who has to get them to the World Series. Here, he's already helped to do that and would be living off the afterglow of that.

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YESSS!!!!

[Palehose13]

What is laughable is that only one person (I believe) realizes that the $22 million coming from Philadelphia is to pay Jim Thome.

[LDF]

What is laughable is that only one person (I believe) realizes that the $22 million coming from Philadelphia is to pay Jim Thome.

i know.

[Chisoxmatt]

I was thinking the same thing. Seriously.