Our Top Prospects

[Dick Allen]

You don't put a winner on the field, no one goes to see the games. Who's going to want to pay 40+ bucks to go and see this team look like a group of zombies that don't even care?

I don't blame anyone for not going. Especially these "premium" games when they jack the prices up. I also wonder if calling a couple games when they could have been played is actually blowing up in their faces. If there's a couple clouds in the sky and even a slight chance of showers, does someone want to drive an hour or more, fight traffic only to sit around and have the game called? And on top of it tell you the ticket you bought is only good for an afternoon game in August.

Edited June 7, 2007 by Dick Allen

[southsideirish]

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 10:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In regards to Tadahito, when Shingo left, Tadahito's # decreased slowly. He can still get the job done. He'll get the runner over or slap the hit to go 1st and 3rd. Shingo made the transition process a lot easier for Tadahito, and it showed.

Do you just make S-H-I-T up as you go? Shingo was released in August of 2005. Tadahito had a better year in 2006 than he did in 2005. Come on man.

[Kalapse]

The problem with getting Crawford now is that he's going to be a FA in a few years.

He'll make $5.25M next year then he has a team option for '09 worth $8.25M and another for '10 worth $10M. So if you trade for him now, he'll be under your control for the next 3 years at $23.5M which is very reasonable.

[fathom]

He'll make $5.25M next year then he has a team option for '09 worth $8.25M and another for '10 worth $10M. So if you trade for him now, he'll be under your control for the next 3 years at $23.5M which is very reasonable.

 

That's better than what someone said it was....I'M BACK ON THE CRAWFORD BANDWAGON!

[briguy27]

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 10:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We should try our best to sign Ichiro while keeping Tadahito in the process.

YES!

[SoxFan1]

Do you just make S-H-I-T up as you go? Shingo was released in August of 2005. Tadahito had a better year in 2006 than he did in 2005. Come on man.

Yeah, his BA was a whole 3 points higher in 2006, with 3 more HR's and 4 less RBI's. More 2B's and 3B's in 2005, as well as more SB's. But thats not the point, Tadahito himself said that he was a bit sad/upset when Shingo was let go. It was in numerous articles. But I'm just making s*** up, so you must be right.

[My Dixie Normus]

Tadahito is getting prematurely old IMO. I was all for signing him earlier, but I think there are some pretty good secondbaseman available after this season who wouldn't break the bank.

 

2008 Free agent market.

 

2nd

Jeff Kent (40) - $9MM club option vests with 550 PAs this year

Marcus Giles (30) - $4MM club option for '08

Luis Castillo (32)

Tadahito Iguchi (33)

 

Center

Ichiro Suzuki (34)

Andruw Jones (31)

Torii Hunter (32)

Eric Byrnes (32)

Corey Patterson (28)

Milton Bradley (30)

Aaron Rowand (30)

Mike Cameron (35)

Kenny Lofton (41)

 

Right

Jermaine Dye (34)

Bobby Abreu (34) - $16MM club option for '08

Ichiro Suzuki (34)

Milton Bradley (30)

Geoff Jenkins (33) - $9MM club option for '08

Trot Nixon (34)

Jose Guillen (32) - $9MM club option for '08

Shawn Green (35) - $10MM club option for '08

Eric Hinske (30)

 

Shortstops

Omar Vizquel (41)

David Eckstein (33)

Juan Uribe (29) - $5MM club option for '08

Cesar Izturis (28) - $5.45MM club option for '08

 

Left fielders

Eric Byrnes (32)

Adam Dunn (28) - $13MM club option for '08

Geoff Jenkins (33) - $9MM club option for '08

Luis Gonzalez (40)

Barry Bonds (43)

Brad Wilkerson (31)

 

Starting pitchers

Carlos Zambrano (27)

Curt Schilling (41)

Jason Jennings (29)

Freddy Garcia (32)

Kenny Rogers (43)

Mark Buehrle (29)

Jon Lieber (38)

Bartolo Colon (35)

Joe Kennedy (29)

Tomo Ohka (32)

John Thomson (34)

Kip Wells (31)

Wade Miller (31)

Livan Hernandez (33)*

Randy Wolf (31) - $9MM club option for '08

Paul Byrd (37) - $8MM club option for '08

Jeff Weaver (31)

Tom Glavine (42) - $9MM player option for '08

Kris Benson (33) - $7.5MM club option for '08

Jaret Wright (32)

David Wells (45)

Eric Milton (32)

Kyle Lohse (29)

Matt Clement (33)

Rodrigo Lopez (32)

Josh Fogg (31)

Byung-Hyun Kim (29)

Odalis Perez (31) - $9MM club option for '08

Brett Tomko (35) - $4.5MM mutual option for '08

[hitlesswonder]

1 bad game for fields in 2007 and the criticizing starts already

Well, the GM said Fields would have an immediate impact and will be an all-star someday. Which grossly overrates a prospect who strikes out more than Brian Anderson and will be lucky to hit .200 against major league pitching. The criticism should really be directed at KW who is responsible for a junkyard minor league system devoid of a single real positional prospect.

[danman31]

Ryan = will start to show true self in mid 20's when he physically matures, .300 hitter with 20+ homer potential, solid D and great arm in RF

Josh = all-star level third baseman or solid corner outfielder, possibly a .290 hitter with 30 homer power and 15 steals as well. No Gold gloves, but adequate D and will walk and strike out a lot.

Those are a bit on the high side. I'll be very surprised if Ryan hits .300 in his career. Then again, I shouldn't bash him because everyone loves to drool over him as he hit .200 in his time with the big league club this year. As for Fields, I'm a big fan of his but I don't think he will be a .290 hitter. I'm thinking .260-.270s with probably a few less steals too.

[southsideirish71]

If attendance goes into the dumper this year, the payroll will drop. The payroll and the attendance are mirrors of each other.

[hitlesswonder]

I'm just happy to see Fields make contact every at-bat. If he keeps a high rate of contact, he'll be just fine. Also, anyone expecting Gio to ever be more than a #4 or 5 is going to be disappointed.

Agreed. Gio is tremendously overhyped IMO. He's an injury waiting to happen and his performance craters after a game or two with high pitch counts. Plus he has a very straight fastball which will probably be taken over the fence with regularity once he gets out of Birmingham. The Sox should sell high if they have the opportunity.

[iamshack]

Agreed. Gio is tremendously overhyped IMO. He's an injury waiting to happen and his performance craters after a game or two with high pitch counts. Plus he has a very straight fastball which will probably be taken over the fence with regularity once he gets out of Birmingham. The Sox should sell high if they have the opportunity.

 

Right, because another guy with a devastating hook and extremely average fastball didn't just sign a 7 year, 126 million dollar deal this offseason...

[fathom]

Right, because another guy with a devastating hook and extremely average fastball didn't just sign a 7 year, 126 million dollar deal this offseason...

 

I remember when a similar thing was said about Arnie Munoz.

[iamshack]

I remember when a similar thing was said about Arnie Munoz.

 

Gio is NOT Arnie Munoz.

[fathom]

Gio is NOT Arnie Munoz.

 

That didn't stop people from pencilling in Munoz with Zito-like numbers. All the hype started after an ESPN the Magazine tidbit about how Munoz's curve was as good as Zito's.

[iamshack]

That didn't stop people from pencilling in Munoz with Zito-like numbers. All the hype started after an ESPN the Magazine tidbit about how Munoz's curve was as good as Zito's.

 

So your logic is now that anyone that is highly-touted before should fail because some in the past have?

 

I didn't mean to suggest before that Gio will turn into Barry Zito. But Gio has put up the numbers which suggest he can be a solid #2 in this league, which is basically what Zito is. I'm not going to doom him to failure because others in the past have reached that result.

[fathom]

So your logic is now that anyone that is highly-touted before should fail because some in the past have?

 

I didn't mean to suggest before that Gio will turn into Barry Zito. But Gio has put up the numbers which suggest he can be a solid #2 in this league, which is basically what Zito is. I'm not going to doom him to failure because others in the past have reached that result.

 

No...it would be great if someone from our minors actually overachieved based on their expectations. The last person to do that has to be Buehrle. I've just always thought of Gio as more of a #4 or 5 guys. There's nothing about his numbers, while repeating AA in a pitcher's park, that makes me think he's going to be a standout starter. If Danks can be a 2/3 and Gio can be a 4/5 though, we have the makings of a competitive staff.

[maggsmaggs]

Those are a bit on the high side. I'll be very surprised if Ryan hits .300 in his career. Then again, I shouldn't bash him because everyone loves to drool over him as he hit .200 in his time with the big league club this year. As for Fields, I'm a big fan of his but I don't think he will be a .290 hitter. I'm thinking .260-.270s with probably a few less steals too.

Those were projections for their peak 2-4 years in the majors. I agre with you that Josh will likely hit .260-.270 for the majority of his career, but when he is 27 ish I think .290 isn't a stretch at all. Same with Ryan, when he hits the prime, he should easily be a .300 hitter and by then he will be strong enough for 20+homers.

[iamshack]

No...it would be great if someone from our minors actually overachieved based on their expectations. The last person to do that has to be Buehrle. I've just always thought of Gio as more of a #4 or 5 guys. There's nothing about his numbers, while repeating AA in a pitcher's park, that makes me think he's going to be a standout starter. If Danks can be a 2/3 and Gio can be a 4/5 though, we have the makings of a competitive staff.

 

Well, for one, isn't he near the top of the Southern league in strikeouts? I really don't care what park he is in, if he's striking people out at a high rate, they can play in a softball field for all I care.

[Balta1701]

No...it would be great if someone from our minors actually overachieved based on their expectations. The last person to do that has to be Buehrle. I've just always thought of Gio as more of a #4 or 5 guys. There's nothing about his numbers, while repeating AA in a pitcher's park, that makes me think he's going to be a standout starter. If Danks can be a 2/3 and Gio can be a 4/5 though, we have the makings of a competitive staff.

I'll add in that I totally disagree here. I think that either Gio is a top-of-the-rotation guy or he's a complete bust. His numbers in the minors and the stuff he's throwing up there seem so good that it's going to be really hard for him to wind up a #4-5 guy. If he can manage to stay healthy, he's a top of the rotation guy. If he can not manage to stay healthy, then he's Prior/Wood. But either way, he has the stuff of a top guy, so I just don't see how he can be a bottom of the rotation guy. The only way I see that happening is if he blows out something and has surgery that really hurts his performance.

[kwolf68]

I've just always thought of Gio as more of a #4 or 5 guys. There's nothing about his numbers, while repeating AA in a pitcher's park, that makes me think he's going to be a standout starter. If Danks can be a 2/3 and Gio can be a 4/5 though, we have the makings of a competitive staff.

 

 

In truth, he should not be repeating AA ball. He should be pitching AAA ball right now.

[RockRaines]

The Sox don't have any pitching depth IMO. I do like Gio, but other than that, maybe the kid in A ball. Everyone else pretty much sucks.

Eggy? Russell?

[gosox41]

Regarding Our Top Prospects - whether it be Gio Gonzalez, Lance Broadway, Brian Anderson, Ryan Sweeney, Josh Fields, or others - does our organization overrate them ?

 

I'm thinking specifically about the OF's right now as a lot of our pitching prospects still haven't made its way to the majors, but is Ryan Sweeney going to be a complementary OF or a difference maker. Same for Brian Anderson.

 

It's looking like quite a few of them could become key players in the next year or so for the MLB team.

 

So, just wondering, which ones do you think will become successful difference makers (if any) as opposed to just journeymen who we shouldn't get excited about (I'm sure Brian Anderson's name will come up here).

 

 

KW did say Fields can be an All Star. I assume he is being realistic and not blowing smoke becuase technically any player could be an All Star just like 5 super models could stop by my house tomorrow becuase they want to have a pillow fight in front of me. But reaisticaly 5 super models aren't coming by (maybe 4).

 

 

 

Bob

[Harry Chappas]

Fields and Owens are not ready for the majors at his time. The Fields at-bat in the 7th showed that he fits the mold of all White Sox hitters. Instead of hitting for contact he was trying to swing as hard as he could when he struck out. The bigger problem was letting him swing away on the first strike then changing it up to bunt on the second.

 

These guys may be average players in the future but right now they along with the disgrace that is Alex Cintron are leaving this team with no opportunity to succeed. There are three guys in the line-up that are over matched. Cintron's defense is abysmal. I would almost rather see the cat hat hasn't played since he was called up and listed on two rosters earlier in the week.

[Friend of Nordhagen]

Well, the GM said Fields would have an immediate impact and will be an all-star someday. Which grossly overrates a prospect who strikes out more than Brian Anderson and will be lucky to hit .200 against major league pitching. The criticism should really be directed at KW who is responsible for a junkyard minor league system devoid of a single real positional prospect.

 

My question on Fields is the same one I had last year: can he hit a major-league fastball? He seems to have trouble with good velocity. That's a little strange for a top-level prospect. It's usually dealing with the off-speed stuff that you wonder about.