To contend next year...

[chisoxt]

there are two guys who should not see the light of day on the Sox infield. Jaun Uribe should be gone for good, and Josh Fields who should immediately begin trying out left field. The left side of this infiled absolutley blows. As Hawk says, you cannot hit enough to compensate for bad defense.

[fathom]

Josh Fields is the least of our problems for contending. There's about 20 other spots on the team, and many jobs in the front office, that need to improve upon to have any chance. This team is so far away from competing.

[BearSox]

We aren't contending any time soon. Let Fields go throw his growing pains at 3B. It will pay off in the long run.

 

However, contending or not, Uribe needs to get his ass back to the Dominican and never come back.

[santo=dorf]

How will throwing Josh in LF for one season and then shifting him back to third for Crede's eventual departure (if it doesn't happen after this season) help Fields' development?

[Balta1701]

How will throwing Josh in LF for one season and then shifting him back to third for Crede's eventual departure (if it doesn't happen after this season) help Fields' development?

It will keep his bat facing major league pitching. He's not going to learn to cut down on the K's against AAA pitching.

[Flash Tizzle]

I'd honestly have more respect for Williams if he just completely dismantled the ballclub. Yeah, I know, Williams won't rebuild and has already told Guillen as much. It just feels fake. Almost as if 2008 -- far away as it may be -- is just some old whore dressed up in makeup to appear pretty, but everyone still knows what lies beneath.

 

It just seems pointless. We're just delaying the inevitable rebuilding one more season. I'm under the belief that rebuilding now is better with the world series still in recent memory, rather than several seasons from now when the season ticket base begins to decline.

 

Anyways, even if the next few years are bad, once the team begins to rebound from the cellar the fans will be back. No one should be worried about losing fans forever.

[santo=dorf]

It will keep his bat facing major league pitching. He's not going to learn to cut down on the K's against AAA pitching.

So is the tradeoff of stunting his defense for letting him continue to face major league pitching worth it? I say get rid of Crede and quit trying to pencil Fields in left.

[fathom]

Or find a LF, pencil in Crede at 3b, and let Fields get a ton of at-bats against LHP, play twice a week at 3rd base, etc. Even if it's a LF who excels vs RHP, but struggles vs LHP, that's fine. Get Fields some experience in LF as well then. I'd definitely like to see more creativity by Ozzie/KW, especially when it comes to facing lefties.

[Flash Tizzle]

Or find a LF, pencil in Crede at 3b, and let Fields get a ton of at-bats against LHP, play twice a week at 3rd base, etc. Even if it's a LF who excels vs RHP, but struggles vs LHP, that's fine. Get Fields some experience in LF as well then. I'd definitely like to see more creativity by Ozzie/KW, especially when it comes to facing lefties.

And allow Guillen more players to f*** around with?

 

You just have to keep things simple. Either have Fields play full time in LF, or full time at 3B.

[beautox]

So is the tradeoff of stunting his defense for letting him continue to face major league pitching worth it? I say get rid of Crede and quit trying to pencil Fields in left.

 

+1

 

maybe even package Crede with Broadway to one of the following giants/padres/phillies for a decent return.

 

Josh is the 3B for the present and future. Crede lost his credibility when he and his agent we're to selfish to have the out paitent procedure to allow the sox FO to lock him up knowing he was healthy. The only way josh becomes supplanted is if the sox draft Pedro Alvarez in '08.

 

even though Sweeney has been a disappointment down at AAA, hes still young, let him develop at the ML level and deal with his growing pains, putting him RF, and moving JD to left brings our defense up a couple notches. Signing one of the 3 elite CFer's in the offseason will make us even better.

 

Sox attendance has been pretty good this year. If the sox trade one of their SP(garland to the dodgers for furcal) and sign Rowand the vast majority of our fanbase will look at those moves as brining us back into contention and we'll be in year two following our championship run.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

Based on the holes this team has and the way many of next year's starters are playing right now, I will say there is no chance in hell this team contends.

[WCSox]

Based on the holes this team has and the way many of next year's starters are playing right now, I will say there is no chance in hell this team contends.

 

That's the spirit!

 

[29andPoplar]

even though Sweeney has been a disappointment down at AAA, hes still young, let him develop at the ML level and deal with his growing pains, putting him RF, and moving JD to left brings our defense up a couple notches. Signing one of the 3 elite CFer's in the offseason will make us even better.

 

Seems like a lot on this board are just aching to get Sweeney in the starting lineup.

 

Unfortunately he has a lot to learn and prove at AAA, let alone MLB. Ryan Sweeney won't be pushing Jermaine Dye out of RF in 2008. Sweeney will be an insurance policy or if he shows growth by leaps and bounds between now and 3/31/08 he might be a 4th OF next year. They want to contend and they have more payroll room than most of this board realizes.

[WCSox]

They want to contend and they have more payroll room than most of this board realizes.

 

I hope that the second part of that statement is true, as they're looking at $115 million or more to be competitive next year.

 

 

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

there are two guys who should not see the light of day on the Sox infield. Jaun Uribe should be gone for good, and Josh Fields who should immediately begin trying out left field. The left side of this infiled absolutley blows. As Hawk says, you cannot hit enough to compensate for bad defense.

do to a lack of other options, I suspect Swing from the Heals Uribe will be our starting SS again next year.

[Balta1701]

maybe even package Crede with Broadway to one of the following giants/padres/phillies for a decent return.

Whether we like it or not, here is the simple fact right now.

 

The value of Crede + Broadway

 

Joe Crede has negative value because he will cost you $4+ million next year with no real knowledge that he is healthy. Trading Crede + Broadway will NOT bring a "Decent return".

[Dick Allen]

Whether we like it or not, here is the simple fact right now.

 

The value of Crede + Broadway

 

Joe Crede has negative value because he will cost you $4+ million next year with no real knowledge that he is healthy. Trading Crede + Broadway will NOT bring a "Decent return".

If Crede shows in spring training that he's healthy, a $4 million or $5 million contract will make him very attractive. I really wonder if Broadway has any value.

[santo=dorf]

If Joe Crede has negative value then there is no reason whatsoever to keep him. If the Sox can't trade him, they should non-tender him for the cost of nothing.

 

That is what you are saying.

[Flash Tizzle]

Seems like a lot on this board are just aching to get Sweeney in the starting lineup.

 

Unfortunately he has a lot to learn and prove at AAA, let alone MLB. Ryan Sweeney won't be pushing Jermaine Dye out of RF in 2008. Sweeney will be an insurance policy or if he shows growth by leaps and bounds between now and 3/31/08 he might be a 4th OF next year. They want to contend and they have more payroll room than most of this board realizes.

Problem I have is, even with several FA additions (perhaps a trade), is it enough to win the American League Central? Or the Wild Card? I just don't believe we're capable of defeating Detroit, Minnesota, and Cleveland next season without a collection of career years from the pitching staff and lineup.

 

IMO, the entire key to the division is Liriano. If he returns even at 75%, there's yet another team with an advantage over ours. Minnesota may lose Hunter and replace with him some soft hitting guy with a girly name, but a pitching staff headed by Santana/Garza/Liriano is better than anything we can throw out.

 

[29andPoplar]

Problem I have is, even with several FA additions (perhaps a trade), is it enough to win the American League Central? Or the Wild Card? I just don't believe we're capable of defeating Detroit, Minnesota, and Cleveland next season without a collection of career years from the pitching staff and lineup.

 

IMO, the entire key to the division is Liriano. If he returns even at 75%, there's yet another team with an advantage over ours. Minnesota may lose Hunter and replace with him some soft hitting guy with a girly name, but a pitching staff headed by Santana/Garza/Liriano is better than anything we can throw out.

 

Baseball is funny sometimes. I know you've already written off the next two seasons but I would suggest waiting it out and see what happens.

Edited August 19, 2007 by 29andPoplar

[WCSox]

Problem I have is, even with several FA additions (perhaps a trade), is it enough to win the American League Central? Or the Wild Card? I just don't believe we're capable of defeating Detroit, Minnesota, and Cleveland next season without a collection of career years from the pitching staff and lineup.

 

IMO, the entire key to the division is Liriano. If he returns even at 75%, there's yet another team with an advantage over ours. Minnesota may lose Hunter and replace with him some soft hitting guy with a girly name, but a pitching staff headed by Santana/Garza/Liriano is better than anything we can throw out.

 

Given how far the Tigers and Twins have fallen since last season, I don't necessarily think that the Central is going to be insurmountable next year. The Sox absolutely have their work cut out for them, but I'd be very surprised if the '08 Central looks anything like the '06 Central.

 

[shoota]

Anderson should have the center field job locked up, and not have to compete for the job in ST. Sweeney and Owens should come into camp knowing they're competing with each other for the left field position.

 

 

 

 

[Gregory Pratt]

Anderson should have the center field job locked up, and not have to compete for the job in ST. Sweeney and Owens should come into camp knowing they're competing with each other for the left field position.

 

Anderson's wrist is all messed up, if I recall correctly, and he wasn't good to begin with. His time with the White Sox is almost assuredly over with and he isn't going to magically hit a fastball or a breaking ball.

 

Anderson should have the CF job locked up. Yeah, right.

[WCSox]

Anderson should have the center field job locked up, and not have to compete for the job in ST.

 

Forgetting the green?

 

[Flash Tizzle]

Baseball is funny sometimes. I know you've already written off the next two seasons but I would suggest waiting it out and see what happens.

Nah, I've only written off 2008.

 

There are several reasons I'm not thrilled about 2009. One is the strong possibility Thome, Dye, Konerko will be even slower and/or less effective than they are right now. Another is our starting rotation -- how will Buehrle, Garland (if he's still around), Vazquez hold up? At which point, none would be classified as being in their prime. The wild card here is the effectiveness (if they're still around) of Gonzalez, DLS, Egbert. In addition, there are several interesting prospects in Bristol, Great Falls, Kannapolis, so who knows? Two years is a long time; someone may break out. I just know, from looking at our system right now, there's no indication that we're going to be overwhelmed with blue chip prospects capable of replacing Thome, Konerko, etc