VAfan Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I'm thrilled the Sox re-signed PK for the relative bargain of $12 million/year. Let's hope he remains healthy throughout and continues to improve his hitting the way he has for the last couple of years (by not chasing pitches out of the zone). Between him and Thome, they have 1B/DH covered for the next 3 years. But the Sox shouldn't call it an offseason just yet. We still have an open outfield position with only very unproven rookies to fill it. Why not let one of those rookies -- Brian Anderson -- develop as a 4th outfielder the same way Aaron Rowand developed, and give AA players Jerry Owens and Chris Young a year at AAA to sharpen their skills? If the Sox want to solidify their offense and give themselves the best chance of repeating as WS champs in 2006, they should sign the best available free agent outfielder - BRIAN GILES. By re-signing Konerko, the Sox have already replaced Everett with Thome at DH. That should add 40 runs to the Sox offense. (Everett created 65.2 runs for the Sox (4.48 RC27); Thome in 2004 when healthy created 114.7 runs for the Phillies (8.05 RC27); you have to adjust, however, b/c Everett didn't play full time.) If the Sox added Giles for LF and moved Pods back to CF, they could add another 40 runs. (Giles created 116 runs for the Padres last year (7.68 RC27) - 13th in baseball and ahead of PK, even with a terrible hitters park at home; Rowand created 76 runs for the Sox (4.54 RC27) - 99th in baseball.) If, instead, the Sox use Anderson or Jerry Owens in CF, there is little doubt that neither will be able to even match Rowand's limited production in their first full year. The result would be a Sox offense with a boost by inserting Thome for Everett, but an offensive subtraction by inserting Anderson/Owens for Rowand. Doesn't it make sense to try to increase rather than decrease the offensive production now that there is an opening in the outfield? There would still be plenty of work for a 4th outfielder (with Perez gone) like Anderson, while Owens and Chris Young could move up to AAA. Anderson could get 200+ ABs subbing for Pods against lefties, and giving a rest to Giles and Dye. He would also get into a lot of games as a LIDP. The Sox would have transformed their offense from one with a terrible on base percentage, to one that can get on base and slug with the most offensive minded teams, without sacrificing the ability to manufacture runs. And they would have great R/L balance. This my dream lineup for 2006: L Pods CF R Iguchi 2B L Giles LF R Konerko 1B L Thome DH R Dye RF L Pierzynski C R Crede 3B R Uribe SS A lineup with Anderson instead might only be 25 runs better than last year, with Thome's +40 negated by Anderson's -15, and that's if we're lucky and Anderson doesn't turn into a second coming of Joe Borchard. (After all, he did hit only .179 and struck out 12 times in 34 ABs, with 0 walks.) The Sox used the addition of Thome to persuade Paulie to come back. Why not use both to persuade Giles that his best chance at a WS ring in on the south side? I would certainly like our chances a whole lot more with Giles' .400 OBP in the lineup than Anderson's zero walks and 34% strikeout rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punch and Judy Garland Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 he just signed last night with San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I think you missed something last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSH2005 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I'm glad this pointless plea is finally over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RME JICO Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I doubt the Pads will trade him after just signing him to a cheap deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JimH Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I'm glad this pointless plea is finally over. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I couldn't agree more. VAFan ... what's with you, seriously? What's the point of posting the same idea 3 times a week, even when you admit it's a pipe dream and it isn't going to happen? :banghead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:30 AM) I'm glad this pointless plea is finally over. ^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSH2005 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I couldn't agree more. VAFan ... what's with you, seriously? What's the point of posting the same idea 3 times a week, even when you admit it's a pipe dream and it isn't going to happen? :banghead <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Posting this after Giles re-signs with the Padres makes this thread all the more classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Man im glad we didnt go after Giles, we have a player with similar production in Dye for much less money and less age. Thanks KW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAfan Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 I didn't realize he had signed, obviously. It was hardly a pointless plea, however. Do all of you really think Brian Anderson is ready to be a productive full time CF for the Sox in 2006? What part of 12Ks and no walks in 34 ABs do you like? Or would you rather spend most of the money it would have taken to get a productive Giles to add Juan Pierre, whose RC27 number was worse than Rowand's, and would take valuable prospects to pry him from the Marlins? Right now, I'm not sure who the Sox should sign for the outfield, but I would bet that Joe Borchard can hit as well as Brian Anderson, and that's not saying much. I guess my best hope is that Jerry Owens or Chris Young can win the CF job in spring training, and the Sox will be open to bringing up the best of those 3 to start the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RME JICO Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) The best option right now is for the Sox to trade for Thome and re-sign Paulie. Edited December 1, 2005 by WinninUgly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(VAfan @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 04:41 PM) What part of 12Ks and no walks in 34 ABs do you like? Because that's sooooo many AB's to judge him from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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