If I'm the GM...

[Bmr31]

Its time to back up the truck and dump the s***. I agree with Cerb.

[clujer420]

Well Segui and Conine aren't long term answers. 

 

I did see in Rogers column the name Darren Dreifort and oh my goodness would I love to acquire him.  I don't give a damn about his arm injuries, he's not only an awesome teammate but he has electric stuff.

 

Last season while rehabbing he was in the Dodgers dugout for every game (He just didn't travel because of the rehab).  Now thats how it should be. 

 

Thats never going to happen though.  In regards to the Mets, we'd have to take on some salary, I'm assuming Roger Cedeno (don't know how long he's signed for) and then hope to get a prospect or something as well.

Jason, you'd be willing to take on an $11.5M a year contract on a pitcher coming off of his 2nd Tommy John surgery? Sure, he's pitching lights out through about 10 starts, but who knows how long his arm will hold up? Plus, he's got very average at best numbers throughout his career -- ESPECIALLY for a guy making as much as he is. I think the Sox could spend that money MUCH more wisely than on Darren Dreifort. Not to mention that his trade value at this time will never be higher, so the Sox would have to give up too much to get him.

[Chisoxfn]

I'm just saying I'd trade Konerko's high salary for Dreiforts, mainly because I love pitching. It would be a risky move, but having a study pitcher like that would greatly help the team. Now I admit 11 mill for him is riduclous but how many more years is he owed that (2 including this year?) Meaning the salaries match up very similar over the long haul.

[Chisoxfn]

I can say one thing, if the Sox were to swing a deal of Lee for Ponson, then they could definately swing a deal involving Garland to the Cardinals for JD Drew. Or there is a better shot they could swing a Konerko and Jon Garland deal to the Red Sox for some talent; First and foremost Nixon and Freddy Sanchez and then there is the possibility of much more.

 

They could also decide to hold onto Garland and deal Loaiza in that trade if they would prefer it and stick with a younger staff that will be cheaper a bit longer (even though Esteban will only make 3.5 mill if they pick up his option.

 

Another possibility is moving Flash to Boston, St. Louis or San Fransisco. A Flash/Kelly Wunsch trade later in the season could land the Sox a heck of a prospect (One of the Giants big guns, imo)

 

Right now I think the Sox could do some selling and buying and make the team better fundementally in the short run while strenghtening the farm system as well as making it a pretty much guarantee that they could reup with Colon and keep Maggs.

 

Coul you imagine this rotation

Colon (10 Mill)

Buehrle (5 Mill)

Ponson (3 Mill)

Garland

Wright

 

Eventually pencil in Foppert, Williams, (one of them potentially)

 

Lineup

Jimenez

Nixon (3-4 Mill)

Thomas (7 mill)

Magglio (14 Mill)

Daubach

Crede

Borchard

Olivo

Sanchez

 

Bullpen

Koch (6 Mill)

Marte

Glover

Munoz

Sanders

Ring

Almonte

 

Thats roughly something like 50 to 52 million payroll and thats assuming the high in some areas. I'm asuming the Sox would be willing to go with something along those lines. They would have Magglio, Buehrle, and Colon signed long term which is nice. Then I'd sign Magglio but for less money in his next contract, which would drop his salary. It still shocks me that the payroll would be that much, considering how few players really make money.

 

That wouldn't be too shabby in my books. Eventually I'd look for the Sox to find a replacement for Daubach; I'd say Beltran, but Sox need to be realistic acquiring guys that they can play. I'd like an outfield of Borchard, Nixon and Magglio. That would be damn good defensively and very solid offensively. Rotation would have a good mixture of power pitchers and finesse guys and the bullpen would eventually add one of our starters with one of the Giants prospects taking over.

 

Just throwing out some of these options.

 

I think when it comes down to things, we will be talking with the Giants, Cards, Orioles, and Red Sox. There is some chances we talk to the Pads and then of course Oakland but I think most of us are afraid everytime we hear that name. The Cubs could also tango with us if they are interested in adding Carlos Lee (If Alou goes down).

[southsider2k5]

Why are we talking so much about adding starting pitching? That is the one aspect of the team that has been realatively successful, and that we have some immediate depth at the minor league level. We need position players much worse. We have no CF's prospects within 2 years of the majors. It is the same story at the SS position. Think how different the last few weeks are if we have a real CF who can play defense? Same at SS. IMO these are the spots we need to fix ASAP. Even if we can't get major leaguers right away, we need to find some AA prospects to fill in the holes in our system.

[zach23]

The Sox have been rebuilding for 99% of the 30 years I have been watching them.

Too bad watching them rebuild is like watching the three stooges episode when they were building their own house. Round up all the prospects and trade for whoever you want, it will only all blow up in their face and turn out bad.

[SI1020]

why doesn't anyone believe me when i say this team is poisoned from the top down?  as long as jr reigns supreme this team will not succeed.  he could completely reinvent this team for next year but nothing will change.  jr will not have people under him who won't do things his way. it's the way he puts his organization together. if not for the incredible luck of having probably the greatest player who ever lived playing for his basketball team, and one of the greatest coaches (and neither were appreciated by their organization) the bulls would have gone down the same path .... the path they currently travel.

you can talk forever about what this team should do ... who should be traded ... who should be brought up ... etc, but the only operation that will help this club is a jr-ectomy.

As Marv Albert would say, "Yessss!".

[SI1020]

Cerb you've got some good ideas and I like reading your baseball stuff, especially when you post about prospects. However I think JR's chickens have come home to roost. He was, is and always will be the same. Things can never be right in White Sox land until he's gone.

[Steff]

Mark, Garland, and Paul to Baltimore for Sidney and Jerry.

[CubKilla]

Cerb you've got some good ideas and I like reading your baseball stuff, especially when you post about prospects. However I think JR's chickens have come home to roost. He was, is and always will be the same. Things can never be right in White Sox land until he's gone.

So true. If you're gonna "white flag" sometime in 2003, it will be futile unless you cut the real cancer out from this team first..... Jerry f***ing Reinsdorf.

 

" :fyou him! :fyou that..... motherf***er!"----- MauryPinStripes

[elrockinMT]

You don't trade away your young talent. Crede can be another Melton or even Ventura. You can trade Konerko to maybe the Mets, but what do you want in return? White is tradeable to a number of teams as is Garland or Wright, but again they are the young pitching talent and we have given away quite a bit of that already. I like Jose Valentin and don't want to see him go. He adds spark to this team at a time they desperately need it. Jimenez might be trade bait and Miles in his place, or if you trade Konerko maybe Valentin, Miles, Jimenez and Thomas all kind of switch around from game to game. I think Carlos Lee is ready for a bust out season and he is giving it his all trying to improve in his weak areas. CF is the one glaring weak spot I see now so trading Konerko and/or White needs to bring us a CF prospect.

[Bridgeport_Joe]

CF is the one glaring weak spot I see now so trading Konerko and/or White needs to bring us a CF prospect.

 

Uh, the Sox have three of the top ten CF prospects in baseball, if you count Borchard.

 

They need to get Reed up to AA, Webster up to high A, and bet that one of them will be the Opening Day CFer in 2005.

 

As to this thread, I try to package Konerko and Garland to get the best young lefthanded bat possible. Throw in whatever prospects are needed, but don't touch the AA or AAA pitching prospects--they're going to be needed very soon.

 

Maybe:

 

1.) The Obvious: Garland, Konerko and Wunsch for J.D. Drew.

2.) The Reach: Garland, Konerko, Marte and Almonte to New York for Nick Johnson.

3.) The Settle: Garland, Wunsch, Almonte and Aaron Miles to Toronto for Frank Cattalanato.

[southsider2k5]

Uh, the Sox have three of the top ten CF prospects in baseball, if you count Borchard.

 

They need to get Reed up to AA, Webster up to high A, and bet that one of them will be the Opening Day CFer in 2005.

 

As to this thread, I try to package Konerko and Garland to get the best young lefthanded bat possible.  Throw in whatever prospects are needed, but don't touch the AA or AAA pitching prospects--they're going to be needed very soon.

 

Maybe:

 

1.) The Obvious: Garland, Konerko and Wunsch for J.D. Drew.

2.) The Reach: Garland, Konerko, Marte and Almonte to New York for Nick Johnson.

3.) The Settle: Garland, Wunsch, Almonte and Aaron Miles to Toronto for Frank Cattalanato.

I don't count Borch as much of a CF prospect, he has future corner OF written all over him as soon as Maggs or Lee is gone. Other than that our CF's are at least 2 years away.

[Bridgeport_Joe]

Other than that our CF's are at least 2 years away.

 

I think you're being a little pessimistic. Reed is tearing up high A ball now, and he's not young. If the Sox really wanted to fast track him, he could be ready by the All Star break next year (i.e., move him to B'ham this July, let him make Charlotte next spring).

 

As for Webster, he's so young that they're going to want him to take some more development time, but a timeline where he's promoted to high A this summer and goes to B'ham after a month or so in 2004 isn't unrealistic.

[clujer420]

1.) The Obvious: Garland, Konerko and Wunsch for J.D. Drew.

 

Too much to give up for a guy whose career best year was only 27 HR. Plus, if you want to trade Wunsch, his value will be MUCH higher later in the season when the teams competing for a pennant will be getting desperate for left-handed help in the pen

 

2.) The Reach: Garland, Konerko, Marte and Almonte to New York for Nick Johnson.

 

You're joking, right? 3 young arms (one of which is one of the most dominant lefties in the league) and an All-Star for Nick Johnson, a career .251 hitter?

 

3.) The Settle: Garland, Wunsch, Almonte and Aaron Miles to Toronto for Frank Cattalanato.

 

3 young arms for Catalanotto? I say that's too much.

[southsider2k5]

I think you're being a little pessimistic.  Reed is tearing up high A ball now, and he's not young.  If the Sox really wanted to fast track him, he could be ready by the All Star break next year (i.e., move him to B'ham this July, let him make Charlotte next spring).

 

As for Webster, he's so young that they're going to want him to take some more development time, but a timeline where he's promoted to high A this summer and goes to B'ham after a month or so in 2004 isn't unrealistic.

Am I? How many years has it been since a guy ripped through our minors and became an instant contributor, as a position player? It seems like the last few years everyone gets up here and looks over matched or overrated.

[clujer420]

How many years has it been since a guy ripped through our minors and became an instant contributor, as a position player?

Heh, 1990, Frank Thomas? Just a guess.

[southsider2k5]

Heh, 1990, Frank Thomas?  Just a guess. 

I was actually thinking of Maggs, but I guess he didn't exactly tear up the minors... He was solid, but Carlos attracted much more attention during that time frame.

[elrockinMT]

Uh, the Sox have three of the top ten CF prospects in baseball, if you count Borchard.

 

They need to get Reed up to AA, Webster up to high A, and bet that one of them will be the Opening Day CFer in 2005.

 

As to this thread, I try to package Konerko and Garland to get the best young lefthanded bat possible.  Throw in whatever prospects are needed, but don't touch the AA or AAA pitching prospects--they're going to be needed very soon.

 

Maybe:

 

1.) The Obvious: Garland, Konerko and Wunsch for J.D. Drew.

2.) The Reach: Garland, Konerko, Marte and Almonte to New York for Nick Johnson.

3.) The Settle: Garland, Wunsch, Almonte and Aaron Miles to Toronto for Frank Cattalanato.

Bridgeport Joe, with all due respect to a fellow Sox fan, I don't know if Borchard will actually end up in CF. There was some concern about his ability there and that he might be better at LF or RF. The other two are not close enough for consideration, heck even JB has been struggling at Charlotte. Also the numbers and players you want to give up in a trade are to far weighted in the benefit of the trade partner. I do think your on the right track looking for J.D. Drew.

[CWSOX45]

Uh, the Sox have three of the top ten CF prospects in baseball, if you count Borchard.

 

They need to get Reed up to AA, Webster up to high A, and bet that one of them will be the Opening Day CFer in 2005.

 

As to this thread, I try to package Konerko and Garland to get the best young lefthanded bat possible.  Throw in whatever prospects are needed, but don't touch the AA or AAA pitching prospects--they're going to be needed very soon.

 

Maybe:

 

1.) The Obvious: Garland, Konerko and Wunsch for J.D. Drew.

2.) The Reach: Garland, Konerko, Marte and Almonte to New York for Nick Johnson.

3.) The Settle: Garland, Wunsch, Almonte and Aaron Miles to Toronto for Frank Cattalanato.

The only deal I really think would benefit the Sox in the future would be your first two deals. I don't like the third one, just because of the fact that Cattalanato is basically another Tony Graffanino, except that he starts for the Jays.

 

CWSOX45

[Chisoxfn]

You don't trade away your young talent. Crede can be another Melton or even Ventura. You can trade Konerko to maybe the Mets, but what do you want in return? White is tradeable to a number of teams as is Garland or Wright, but again they are the young pitching talent and we have given away quite a bit of that already. I like Jose Valentin and don't want to see him go. He adds spark to this team at a time they desperately need it. Jimenez might be trade bait and Miles in his place, or if you trade Konerko maybe Valentin, Miles, Jimenez and Thomas all kind of switch around from game to game. I think Carlos Lee is ready for a bust out season and he is giving it his all trying to improve in his weak areas. CF is the one glaring weak spot I see now so trading Konerko and/or White needs to bring us a CF prospect.

To me Marte, Crede, Jimenez, Olivo, Magglio, Colon (If signed), Buehrle, and Wright are the guys that the Sox build this club around. Then you mix in Borchard (I'm about ready to just bring his ass up here and let him learn at this level like Patterson) Joe is a sharp kid, give him a year or two or three developing; each season improving upon himself and he'll be fine. I also still like Garland and will only move him if the Sox get another young pitcher in another deal to help him out.

 

I also rank Koch in this list, but if we could get some kick butt young arms for him (I mean million buck arms, no sissy arms). Then you could make Marte the closer. This team still has quite a few real good players and guys that are going to get real good. All those guys mentioned about can be absolute studs at their respective positions and I think almost all of them will be. They also are all very sound fundemental players (I guess you could say Jimenez isn't, but I think he knows his stuff) and would be a great building method to this team. I like Carlos Lee as well. Hell, I'm really loving his hustle and as clujer said if more guys worked their ass off like he did, we'd be a better team.

[Cerbaho-WG]

Not that Cleveland WON'T be good in 2005-2006, but don't forget how the national media was gushing about the Sox and all of their young talent in 2000.  What ever happened to the that No.1 farm system?  Promise is just that, promise.

There is a big difference in what the Sox had in 2000, and what, say the Oakland Athletics have. The entire Sox organization mostly bases their prospects on what a prospect is defined to be: "What we can make him right now" rather than "What he already is right now." The A's spend draft picks and free agents not on potential, but on what their stats display to the organization. If no one klnows about Jeremy Brown, read up on him: A's scouts said that he was too fat, and shouldn't even be drafted. This was a guy who was the all-time leader in hits and OBP for Alabama, as a catcher. yet, he is still referred to as a non-prospect. Why? Plate discipline and hitting is almost impossible to teach successfully, more often that not a hitter will revert back to his old form of baseball, which is usually detremental to him being successful. Anyone who already possesses these qualities is already one step ahead of the raw 5 tool guys.

[Cerbaho-WG]

Cerb you've got some good ideas and I like reading your baseball stuff, especially when you post about prospects. However I think JR's chickens have come home to roost. He was, is and always will be the same. Things can never be right in White Sox land until he's gone.

Then explain to me how Billy Beane wins in Oakland, with Steve Schott as the owner. His payroll is around 50 million, but he wins.

[witesoxfan]

Then explain to me how Billy Beane wins in Oakland, with Steve Schott as the owner. His payroll is around 50 million, but he wins.

Because Billy Beane is a friggin genius. KW can't hold Billy Beane's jock....or he can't hold his book, or something like that. I'm not sure how you compared GM's like that.