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Idea: Vazquez and Pods for Gordon and Abreu


VAfan

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With all the talk of Vazquez/Garcia for Gordon, what about spicing the deal up a bit by swapping outfielders too? Depending on how much Philly wants to dump Abreu's contract, the Sox might not even have to toss in any minor leaguers, but adding a minor league pitcher or two might seal the deal.

 

Abreu would hit lead off and play left field. The Sox would take on his full contract for the remainder of this year and next year, but it would be buffered a bit by the roughly $4 million difference between Vazquez's and Gordon's contracts.

 

Abreu would be a perfect lead off hitter for the Sox. He's got the best OBP of any outfielder in the game, and at .443 is third overall, behind only Travis Hafner and Joe Mauer. Plus, he has 19 SBs and 4 CSs, so his running is much more efficient than Scott Podsednik's.

 

Bobby Abreu Phi 294 57 85 22 2 8 60 19 4 85 .289 .443 .459 .902

Scott Podsednik CWS 318 63 88 19 6 2 34 29 12 38 .277 .353 .393 .746

 

Plus, Abreu's Home/Away and L/R splits indicate he's very consistent. Indeed, he hits lefties better than righties. Thus teams won't be able to use a lefty reliever on Abreu/Iguchi/Thome as easily as they do now for Pods/Iguchi/Thome.

 

Abreu's splits

Home 149 32 43 10 1 5 34 43 1 36 11 2 .289 .442 .470 .911

Away 145 26 42 12 1 3 26 42 0 38 8 2 .290 .444 .448 .893

vs. Left 96 19 31 5 2 3 18 22 1 28 4 1 .323 .446 .510 .957

vs. Right 198 39 54 17 0 5 42 63 0 46 15 3 .273 .442 .434 .876

 

Pod's splits

vs. Left 102 15 22 3 1 1 8 9 1 23 7 4 .216 .283 .294 .577

vs. Right 211 48 64 15 5 1 26 29 0 33 22 8 .303 .384 .436 .820

 

Under this deal, we would keep Abreu for this year and next, then probably let him go. We're not going to keep Podsednik any longer than that anyway. Abreu would be a fabulous lead off hitter, and would likely waive his no-trade clause to come play for fellow Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen. With Gordon in the bullpen and McCarthy in the rotation, we likely improve both areas of pitching in one fell swoop.

 

If Philly doesn't want Pods, they don't have to offer him arbitration when he's eligible. This is all about dumping Abreu's $16 million contract a year early. If we give them a bona fide starter and a couple more minor league arms, they should bite.

Edited by VAfan
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I forget the stat that Fox said yesterday. Something along the lines of Pods hitting .330 in sox wins and like .188 in sox losses.

 

The sox don't need Abreu. And Vazquez has as big a chance of any SP on the sox of improving in the 2nd half.

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QUOTE(knightni @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 12:25 PM)
But, who leads off then?

QUOTE(VAfan @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 11:35 AM)
Abreu would hit lead off and play left field. The Sox would take on his full contract for the remainder of this year and next year, but it would be buffered a bit by the roughly $4 million difference between Vazquez's and Gordon's contracts.

 

Abreu would be a perfect lead off hitter for the Sox. He's got the best OBP of any outfielder in the game, and at .443 is third overall, behind only Travis Hafner and Joe Mauer. Plus, he has 19 SBs and 4 CSs, so his running is much more efficient than Scott Podsednik's.

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Here's what Kenny Williams said last nite about trading one of his starters:

 

"If people would just take the time to look at what has been consistent, it's a pretty easy answer.''

 

Since the start of the season, Williams has said his five starting pitchers are going to remain in a Sox uniform for at least the 2006 season. While the Sox tried to trade Garcia last offseason, Williams wants six starters -- including former starter-turned-reliever Brandon McCarthy -- at his disposal down the stretch.

 

"Here's the plan, the same plan there was in spring training: Go through the season with the five,'' Williams said. "If something happens to one of the five, Brandon then steps in. Aside from that, if we are fortunate enough to get in the playoff situation, a short-series situation, we take one of the five and move one of the five to the bullpen to help us in that capacity.''

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QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 12:07 PM)
Is this an actual rumor or something you would like to see? If it's the latter, I can come up with 100 trades I would like to see.

 

It is a little of both. The Vazquez/Gordon part of it has been rumored, as can be seen from other posts. I don't think that deal returns enough value to the Sox. But adding Abreu as a lead off man in place of Pods would more than balance it out.

 

Abreu is miscast as a #3 hitter. He's an ideal lead off man, however, and could be the best in the game if he played for the Sox. It would make our already #1 offense that much better. And given the way our starters have been going, we may need all the offense we can get.

 

QUOTE(knightni @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 12:28 PM)
I don't want Abreu leading off...

 

That's a waste of his offense.

 

Why do you think Big Papi is beating Thome in RBI? In large part because Youklis's OBP is .400 and Mark Loretta's is .358. Compare that to Pods at .353 and Iguchi at .342.

 

Abreu is a walk machine with some decent speed. On a team with Thome, Konerko, and Dye, let him get on and score runs. Plus, if Uribe and Anderson come on at the bottom of the order, Abreu can still drive in runs.

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Living in the Philly area I see a lot of Phillies games since it's the local team I get, we do not want anything to do with Abreu. The media and philly fans here have been crying for Abreu to lead off for years now and refuses because he wants his numbers. His gold glove he got last year is considered a joke in the Philly area because he's horrible in the OF, and Rowand's catch has only put more of a light on his poor defense. So we do not want Abreu at all.

Edited by AWhiteSoxinNJ
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QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 01:41 PM)
Not 2 mention ever since the HR derby last year Abreu has seemed to lose all his power.... and that huge contract... I dont really want anything to do with him.

 

Yeah, who'd want anything to do with a guy leading his league in OBP? :lolhitting

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We need pitching. Gordon would be nice, but forget ARow or Abreu. Anderson has impressed me lately with his hitting, maybe he can have a hot 2nd half? I think KW will try to bank on that. I was on the "Lets get Rowand back" train for awhile but CF isn't our problem its pitching. Pitching pitching pitching! We can't afford to give up 6-7 runs a game every time one of our 'aces' goes out there. Try to get Gordon, but also try to improve the rotation some how. KW really has to decide on which of his pitchers will turn it around Javy or Freddy and from that make a deal. McCarthy is capable to start this season, but it might take him awhile to re-adjust to starting games. Jason Schmidt would be a nice addition, but as long as its for the right price. Should be interesting to see what KW does, but unlike last year, HE BETTER do something. (Not that im bashing the Blum move ;) )

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QUOTE(DrunkBomber @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 03:17 PM)
Sounds good to me but does it really make sense for Philly. That would be exactly what we needed. Talk about a feared line up.

Well,of course it makes sense to us. Its an incredibly one sided trade.

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There is no way Philly does that without the Sox giving up someone like Fields too.

 

I would love to see that move but it is totally lopsided for the Sox.

 

McCarthy starting in place of Vazquez/Garcia

Gordon in relief in place of McCarthy

Abreu in LF in place of Pods

 

Too good to be true without giving up more.

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QUOTE(knightni @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 11:28 AM)
I don't want Abreu leading off...

 

That's a waste of his offense.

 

statistically speaking it's not.

 

abreu would get more at bats, giving him more opportunities to get on base, drive in some runs. How many times do we see uribe/anderson on base w/ 2 outs then pods comes up and strikes out looking?

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QUOTE(South Side Fireworks Man @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 08:49 AM)
Sounds good to me. I was thinking the same thing.

 

Abreu>>>Pods Gordon>>McCarthy McCarthy>Vazquez

You haven't watched Brandon pitch much have you? Or are you just saying BMac out of the bullpen? I might agree with that part, but I really don't like seeing Gordon>>McCarthy at all.

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QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 03:59 PM)
You haven't watched Brandon pitch much have you? Or are you just saying BMac out of the bullpen? I might agree with that part, but I really don't like seeing Gordon>>McCarthy at all.

 

right NOW gordon is better, but if you're talking potential i'd take BMAC

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QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 05:00 PM)
If we pick up Abreu's contract there is.

I just don't see it straight up, even if we take his contract. The Phillies can get more for those two players than just Vazquez and Pods, and they know that.

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QUOTE(RME JICO @ Jul 16, 2006 -> 04:05 PM)
I just don't see it straight up, even if we take his contract. The Phillies can get more for those two players than just Vazquez and Pods, and they know that.

 

Agreed. If Kenny could pull that one off, he'd earn the right to walk around in public wearing a velvet pimp cape.

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