Scotty Po

[daa84]

I guess people forget that Pods can't hit, steal, throw, or catch. Besides that, he's a pretty toolsy player. I hate the injury excuse for Pods also. If anything, he seems like a player struggling to get his body back to the level it used to be.

i agree that pods stinks...but personally id rather not trade something from our team/farm for any marginal upgrade that we will get from figgins, a guy who cant hit, throw, or catch, and only barely steals better than podsednik....same goes for dave roberts who will get a ton of money probably in the wake of the pierre deal...now if the sox want to try to get a guy like jose guillen or jay payton cheap...those are much better options...but i dont wanna do something stupid like trade for a podsednik type player when we can resign pods cheap

[chitownsportsfan]

Scott Podsednik plays relatively the easiest position on the field, a position where good defense isn't worth that much relative to good offense. While doing this he hits 261/330/353! Not only that, but he plays terrible defense.

 

So he can't hit and he can't field and he's going to cost more than the minimum and he can't stay healthy as well.

 

Why does anyone one want this guy back?

Edited November 25, 2006 by chitownsportsfan

[SABR Sox]

Scott Podsednik plays relatively the easiest position on the field, a position where good defense isn't worth that much relative to good offense. While doing this he hits 261/330/353! Not only that, but he plays terrible defense.

 

So he can't hit and he can't field and he's going to cost more than the minimum and he can't stay healthy as well.

 

Why does anyone one want this guy back?

 

I don't know.

 

Some are sold on this "off-year on-year thing" but as far as I'm concered his 2005 season sucked too. .290/.351/.349 from a LF sucks, and even though he stole 59 bases he ws caught 23 times.

[Heads22]

Scott Podsednik was one of the main reasons we jumped out to the huge lead in 2005 to help us even make it to the playoffs. "Great" season or not, he did not suck for us in 05.

[chitownsportsfan]

I took a look at some of Pods underlying offensive stats and they actually surprised me a bit. His LD% has steadily been going up which actually means he's becoming a better hitter (literaly) of the ball, however all his other indicators are stagnent or in decline. His ISO is just pathetic -- he's the definition of a "slap" hitter.

 

If you subscribe to the "on year off year" theory I think it's more a case of Pods relying alot on luck with BABIB to drive his batting line. He doesn't take enough walks and he has no power. His BABIB is only good when he's completely healhty and beating out ground balls. But he's almost never completely healthy and he's getting old.

[SABR Sox]

I took a look at some of Pods underlying offensive stats and they actually surprised me a bit. His LD% has steadily been going up which actually means he's becoming a better hitter (literaly) of the ball, however all his other indicators are stagnent or in decline. His ISO is just pathetic -- he's the definition of a "slap" hitter.

 

If you subscribe to the "on year off year" theory I think it's more a case of Pods relying alot on luck with BABIB to drive his batting line. He doesn't take enough walks and he has no power. His BABIB is only good when he's completely healhty and beating out ground balls. But he's almost never completely healthy and he's getting old.

 

Problem is, he still hits a ton of groundballs too.

 

His BABIP was .340 in 2005, which is a bit high considering his LD% was only a shade over 20%.

 

His BABIP should have been a bit higher given his LD% this season, but even with the boost I wouldn't expect anything more than a .280 BA and a .350 OBP. Still would have been better than his .262/.331 line, but his SLG still would have sucked.

 

He was a bit unlucky last season.

 

But whether we have a lucky or unlucky Pods, we still have a piss poor corner OF'er.

[santo=dorf]

Pods dropping a ball near the third base line and getting a bunt single was part of his game. Of course that makes his BABIP higher and makes Scott "luckier." BABIP is a worthless stat.

 

Pods was only good for the Sox in the first half of 2005 (.369 OBP 44/53 in the stolen base department.) He was hurt afterwards and his performance on the basepaths that half made it obvious.

[CWSGuy406]

BABIP is a worthless stat.

 

In your opinion. I mean, I know you've put in hours and hours of study in which you've proven that BABIP is a worthless stat and everything, but you could at least qualify your statement by saying it's your opinion ...

[hitlesswonder]

Fix centerfield with someone who can lead off. Let Pods earn his job. I want him back because I feel he is worth the risk.

 

If you want to take a chance on a player improving in 2007, IMO Brian Anderson is a much better bet to do that than Pods. And BA is making the minimum. If the Sox do bring in a different CF, I hope they stash BA in AAA. It doesn't cost them anything to do so, and I think he'll only increase his gtrade value racking up some decent numbers there.

 

I really hope the Sox do take a run at Carl Crawford. I would take a lot to get him, but I'd be willing to trade McCarthy and Jenks to do it. And I think the DRays migth consider that deal.

[Gregory Pratt]

If you want to take a chance on a player improving in 2007, IMO Brian Anderson is a much better bet to do that than Pods. And BA is making the minimum. If the Sox do bring in a different CF, I hope they stash BA in AAA. It doesn't cost them anything to do so, and I think he'll only increase his gtrade value racking up some decent numbers there.

 

I really hope the Sox do take a run at Carl Crawford. I would take a lot to get him, but I'd be willing to trade McCarthy and Jenks to do it. And I think the DRays migth consider that deal.

 

Ha! Jenks AND McCarthy?

We need a strong bullpen, thanks. Jenks stays.

[Balta1701]

Ha! Jenks AND McCarthy?

We need a strong bullpen, thanks. Jenks stays.

I wouldn't deal either of those guys, McCarthy included, unless we had 2 guys waiting around from trades to take their spot of equal/greater talent (i.e. Pelfrey, Billingsley, E. Santana, etc.). With the age of our staff and the fact that in 2 years holding it together would cost $70 million a year or greater...we need some youth in there.

[hitlesswonder]

Ha! Jenks AND McCarthy?

We need a strong bullpen, thanks. Jenks stays.

 

I know it's not a trade everyone would make, but I think that's the kind of talent it would take to get Crawford (who is young, all-star level talent, and signed through 2010 I believe). Jenks did have a 2nd half ERA of 5.72 and I think MacDougal might be just as good as Jenks. The Sox definitely would need to bring in another setup man then, somehow (too bad Speier signed with LAA). I still think the Sox have more acceptable options for putting together a bullpen than they do for a leadoff LF/CF

 

Anyway, I know I may be the only person who would make that trade, but I was just trying to put together a reasonable proposal for a premier player.

[Heads22]

You can nearly always get hitting. Getting cheap, talented pitching is a heck of a lot tougher.

[Balta1701]

I know it's not a trade everyone would make, but I think that's the kind of talent it would take to get Crawford (who is young, all-star level talent, and signed through 2010 I believe). Jenks did have a 2nd half ERA of 5.72 and I think MacDougal might be just as good as Jenks. The Sox definitely would need to bring in another setup man then, somehow (too bad Speier signed with LAA). I still think the Sox have more acceptable options for putting together a bullpen than they do for a leadoff LF/CF

 

Anyway, I know I may be the only person who would make that trade, but I was just trying to put together a reasonable proposal for a premier player.

You are right on 1 thing...that is roughly what it would probably cost to pry Crawford away from Tampa Bay. But as quite a few teams the past few years, including for example the Cleveland Indians, the New York Yankees, and a few other teams with dominant offenses have proven...you simply DO NOT win championships with offense.

 

Carl Crawford is a premier offensive and defensive player who is very cheap for the next few years. However, Carl Crawford is still not a pitcher. If we want to win this thing, we need to follow the 2005 formula...pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching. Every single team, by my count, to win the W.S. since the Yankee dynasty has done so on the strength of their pitching. The D-Backs with Schilling and Johnson, the performances of Lackey and KRod in 2002, Beckett in 2003, Schilling, Wakefield, Arroyo et al. in 2004, 4 straight complete games in 2005, and then what we all just saw in 2006.

 

No matter how talented the guys you acquire are...you just can not win if you don't have pitching. Starting pitching and bullpen pitching both. And young starting pitching is without a doubt the most valuable quantity in the game right now...which is why that's what Tampa Bay wants back for Crawford. Brandon McCarthy is our young starting pitching right now. And to my eyes, we need at least 2, if not 3, solid young starting pitchers to fit into the rotation in the next 2 years unless we have $150 million to spend.

[Gregory Pratt]

I think McDougal is better than Jenks but, alas, he's a huge injury risk that should be dealt with carefully.

 

McCarthy on the other hand is a guy that I believe will be out of baseball in five years due to injuries and, beside that, I think he's average and nothing more.

 

However, Heads sums it up perfect: good, young, cheap pitching is hard to get, and so you hold onto Jenks and McCarthy and McDougal.

[spiderman]

i agree that pods stinks...but personally id rather not trade something from our team/farm for any marginal upgrade that we will get from figgins, a guy who cant hit, throw, or catch, and only barely steals better than podsednik....same goes for dave roberts who will get a ton of money probably in the wake of the pierre deal...now if the sox want to try to get a guy like jose guillen or jay payton cheap...those are much better options...but i dont wanna do something stupid like trade for a podsednik type player when we can resign pods cheap

 

Good Posting - I'm glad to hear someone who doesn't want to overpay for a free agent or in a trade because of overreaction to other moves being made.

 

I trust KW, and will give him the benefit of doubt on anything he does - he's earned that much, but I'm hoping that he holds still and doesn't sign Roberts to an overpriced deal or trade a player like McCarthy away.

 

Scott Podsednik plays relatively the easiest position on the field, a position where good defense isn't worth that much relative to good offense. While doing this he hits 261/330/353! Not only that, but he plays terrible defense.

 

So he can't hit and he can't field and he's going to cost more than the minimum and he can't stay healthy as well.

 

Why does anyone one want this guy back?

 

Wny does anyone want him back ?

 

Because we won't have to give players for Figgins, who I like, but looks to be pretty similar to Pods. I also don't want to give Roberts a 3 year deal.

 

Pods is coming off a bad year - he has something to prove. Whether he gets the job done is to be determined, but, like I said in an earlier post, he wasn't the only player who sucked in the 2nd half - and I don't want to get rid of them either.

[Gene Honda Civic]

Gregor.Blanco.

 

Here's a guy the Sox should be targeting.

 

The Braves are kinda in the market for a leadoff guy. I saw they were in the conversation for Roberts, whose skills are pretty redundant with Mr. Dergan's. I don't know what the market will be for Pods, since i don't know if there is a team out there stupid enough to think that he can play centerfield.

 

Gregor Blanco is a 22 year old Venezuelan recently added to the Braves 40-man roster. He spent time between AA and AAA this year, posting OBPs of .397 and .408 in the Southern and International Leagues, respectively. He also stole 31 bags, though he got caught 15 times.

 

He's currently playing for a certain team that is now being coached, at least in some part, by Ozzie Guillen in Venezuela, the Tiburones. In the league where Anderson and Fields couldn't hit their weight, Blanco's hitting .295/.415/.409.

 

Because Gregor has absolutely ZERO power, you're not going to see him on any top prospect list, (Sickels didn't list him in his most recent Braves top 20. BA didn't even name him to the top 20 players recently added to the 40-man roster, while they put Heath Phillips 9th) but he belongs in the conversation. He's posted OBPs at or very near .400 at every stop in the minors, and figures to be able to do the same at the majors.

 

I suspect that Ozzie's got a good scouting report on the kid, and if he feels he can play, we'll be making a push for him. However, there is one troubling sign. I don't know how involved Ozzie is with the Tiburones, but whoever is filling out the lineup cards down there keeps putting Blanco 9th, with Alex Sanchez (Yes, I'm pretty sure it's that Alex Sanchez) leading off.

 

Let's just hope that if Pods is gone, we've got a replacement that hasn't been dumped by the Tigers, Giants, and DRays. Because Sanchez is tearing up the VENZ.

[witesoxfan]

Fix centerfield with someone who can lead off. Let Pods earn his job. I want him back because I feel he is worth the risk.

 

Pods has had every opportunity to earn his job, and he has lost it many times. Because Ozzie has a mancrush on him, he is still a member of the White Sox.

 

Also, your statement is a bit contradictoral(maybe not the exact word I'm looking for, but it will work). If "fixing CF" (which will not happen, BTW, unless it is a huge upgrade - meaning I see no way in hell it's a leadoff hitter) solves our leadoff problems, then why in the hell would Podsednik be on the team? I can probably find 5-10 non-prospects on AAA clubs that could put up .270/.350/.400/.750 lines in LF while playing mediocre defense and stealing bases at a horrendous rate.

 

Podsednik is unnecessary at this point in time.

 

(and yeah, I know, Ozzie's a dumbass...I've made the argument. It doesn't change the fact that Podsednik blows and has to go)

[chitownsportsfan]

Pods dropping a ball near the third base line and getting a bunt single was part of his game. Of course that makes his BABIP higher and makes Scott "luckier." BABIP is a worthless stat.

 

Pods was only good for the Sox in the first half of 2005 (.369 OBP 44/53 in the stolen base department.) He was hurt afterwards and his performance on the basepaths that half made it obvious.

 

 

The Left Fielder in a home run hitters park shouldn't be dropping in bunt singles then getting picked off -- He should be lacing doubles, taking walks, and hitting the ball out of the park.

 

I'm not offering any quick fixes but Pods is def not the answer and it will be easy to upgrade that position because pods sucked so badly.

 

I'd be willing to bet Gload could play slightly worse or the same defense while posting a 280/350/445 line. And that is just in house.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

IF Pods stays, our manager needs to stop playing him if he performs like last year, something Guillen failed to do last year. Pods was useless, yet Guillen kept running him out in the leadoff spot every day. If he struggles, hell I'd rather have Owens leading off.

[103 mph screwball]

Also, your statement is a bit contradictoral(maybe not the exact word I'm looking for, but it will work). If "fixing CF" (which will not happen, BTW, unless it is a huge upgrade - meaning I see no way in hell it's a leadoff hitter) solves our leadoff problems, then why in the hell would Podsednik be on the team?

 

Speed. Ozzie wants speed. Pods can hit 280 batting 9th with 40 stolen bases easily if healthy. Crisp, Crawford, Figgins or Patterson is what I mean by fixing center with someone who can lead off. If Pods can not perform well enough to lead off, move him to 9th.

[Balta1701]

McCarthy on the other hand is a guy that I believe will be out of baseball in five years due to injuries and, beside that, I think he's average and nothing more.

In a couple years, maybe even this year...I'm going to find a nice, shiny picture or a specific trophy, and I'm going to bounce this thread and laugh a lot. I just hope its because that guy is still pitching for the White Sox.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(chitownsportsfan @ Nov 25, 2006 -> 02:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Left Fielder in a home run hitters park shouldn't be dropping in bunt singles then getting picked off -- He should be lacing doubles, taking walks, and hitting the ball out of the park.

 

I'm not offering any quick fixes but Pods is def not the answer and it will be easy to upgrade that position because pods sucked so badly.

 

I'd be willing to bet Gload could play slightly worse or the same defense while posting a 280/350/445 line. And that is just in house.

Pods in the first half of 2005 wasn't get picked off. Pods was getting on base either droping the bunt or drawing a walk, and then stealing second and sometimes third. Considering he was a leadoff man, a spot in the lineup that can permit the lack of home runs, he did his job.

[beck72]

The Left Fielder in a home run hitters park shouldn't be dropping in bunt singles then getting picked off -- He should be lacing doubles, taking walks, and hitting the ball out of the park.

 

I'm not offering any quick fixes but Pods is def not the answer and it will be easy to upgrade that position because pods sucked so badly.

 

I'd be willing to bet Gload could play slightly worse or the same defense while posting a 280/350/445 line. And that is just in house.

 

The sox get enough HR's from other positions. They don't need Hr's from LF.

 

As far as it "being easy to upgrade that position"--not at all. This is why Pods is still being mentioned as possibly being around for '07. Sure the sox could stick someone like Gload in LF. But not if they want to win a world series.

 

The sox need a leadoff hitter who can hit .285, steal some bases, and have an OBP of .350. That isn't exactly easy to find. With so few options available, a healthy Pods might be the best bet to give the sox what they need.

[beautox]

People WANT this guy back? What the...

 

Do any of these people who want him back remember how detrimental he was to the offense in the second half? I don't think they do.

 

Seriously, All this affection going around for Podsednik and Figgis is making me want to heavily. Chone is a lateral move, and not much of a move at all, esp if its going to cost anything in terms of talent, did everyone suddenly forget that Scioscia was batting him 9th near the end of the season???? Add to the fact Chone is only 2 years younger than scott and i say no thank you.

 

The only person i would want coming back our way from the Angels to lead off it Reggie Willits, lead milb in OBP and is a excellent bunter and exceptional out in CF and all around badass lead off man, and hes a switch hitter, sign me up.

 

I'd rather deal Podsednik to the rockies for Patton and Morillo or the Padres since Roberts appears to be on the verge of signing with the Giants.

 

If we can't get Willits. I'd rather have KW sign Lofton to a 1-2yr deal as a stop gap and eventually a 4th OFer(2008) or Guillen to an incentive laden deal. Next years crop of FA is going to be much much better, and Ichiro is tired of playing on a non contender.

 

In closing Chone Figgins is a 1337 SuX0r