White Sox Acquire Nick Swisher from Athletics

[TheBigHurt]

Anyone have Swisher's defensive stats from recently? I know he's a good hitter, but I know very little about his defensive ability.

[NorthSideSox72]

He must be drinking out of the same bottle as Isiah Thomas. KW needs to get some more pitching and he will have a decent ballclub.

If one of the back 3 in the rotation can be improved significantly... this team could very well compete for a playoff spot.

 

[Guest]

Well, this is the kind of move that allows a team to reach the postseason iff absolutely everything goes right.

 

The rotation itself is a question mark right now, but I see Contreras as a huge wild card right now. If he pitches well, the team could be in for a surprise season; if not, the Sox are screwed.

 

you're right about one thing. if JC shows up, forget about it! let's be real. westbrook and verlander aren't that good. they won't repeat what they did last season. bondy has mental issues often giving up 3 to 4 runs in the 1st inning of every start. the tigers wish they had our pen at this point. zumaya isn't anything special post injury and grilli is just a running joke. i think our pitching is right there with the indians and tigers. especially given linebrink's addition. many aren't expecting much from him but if he shows up with JC, we're in the postseason. i don't think there will be a finer setup-closer duo in the central than linebrink-jenks.

[Balta1701]

you're right about one thing. if JC shows up, forget about it! let's be real. westbrook and verlander aren't that good. they won't repeat what they did last season. bondy has mental issues often giving up 3 to 4 runs in the 1st inning of every start. the tigers wish they had our pen at this point. zumaya isn't anything special post injury and grilli is just a running joke. i think our pitching is right there with the indians and tigers. especially given linebrink's addition. many aren't expecting much from him but if he shows up with JC, we're in the postseason. i don't think there will be a finer setup-closer duo in the central than linebrink-jenks.

Westbrook isn't that good...but dude...Yes, Verlander is that good.

[bmags]

Westbrook isn't that good...but dude...Yes, Verlander is that good.

 

amen.

[Guest]

Westbrook isn't that good...but dude...Yes, Verlander is that good.

 

after verlander, who do they got? ceratinly no one of vazquez's ability. bonderman is overrated, remember. willis hasn't been good in years and that was the weak NL, not the AL CENTRAL.

[bmags]

i don't know about that, I really like Det's rotation, at least 1-2-3, it is their bullpen that I don't think much of.

[witesoxfan]

I'd bet my left nut that Contreras is WAY over the hill and will do nothing significant in the MLB ever again, and will be our worst pitcher next year...

 

I'll take that bet.

 

I also see someone's just a little upset over losing Ryan Sweeney.

[jackie hayes]

I'll take that bet.

 

I also see someone's just a little upset over losing Ryan Sweeney.

wite, I'm not entirely sure why you'd want someone's left nut. But I am sure that when you start betting your genitals on baseball, it's time to reassess things.

[witesoxfan]

wite, I'm not entirely sure why you'd want someone's left nut. But I am sure that when you start betting your genitals on baseball, it's time to reassess things.

 

Well I figured I'd come to some other agreement later, like a finger or something, but it seems pretty macho betting something like that.

 

And then I'd donate the nut to charity in all likelihood. You know, show them that I am actually a good character guy even when taking another's nut.

[Guest]

i don't know about that, I really like Det's rotation, at least 1-2-3, it is their bullpen that I don't think much of.

 

yeah, and they know their bullpen sucks. i was over at motown sports yanking on their chain earlier today (under the name John Smith).

[jackie hayes]

Well I figured I'd come to some other agreement later, like a finger or something, but it seems pretty macho betting something like that.

 

And then I'd donate the nut to charity in all likelihood. You know, show them that I am actually a good character guy even when taking another's nut.

Those sick children can ask for strange things, it's true. Still...

[Guest]

everyone say hello to our top prospect...

 

 

That's right, Jack Egbert...

 

I like Eggy, but when he's your top prospect, your farm system truly sucks.

 

wtf...come on dude! have you heard of Ramirez? He's an entire island country's best baseball player!

[Guest]

sense.

 

if you want to talk sense, atleast the South Side has a balls to the wall willing to weel and deal and shake things up GM in kenny williams. he's aggressive and he knows what he wants. and then he gets it.

Edited January 4, 2008 by DonnyDevito

[sircaffey]

you're right about one thing. if JC shows up, forget about it! let's be real. westbrook and verlander aren't that good. they won't repeat what they did last season. bondy has mental issues often giving up 3 to 4 runs in the 1st inning of every start. the tigers wish they had our pen at this point. zumaya isn't anything special post injury and grilli is just a running joke. i think our pitching is right there with the indians and tigers. especially given linebrink's addition. many aren't expecting much from him but if he shows up with JC, we're in the postseason. i don't think there will be a finer setup-closer duo in the central than linebrink-jenks.

 

Was that really a serious comment? Verlander may be the best young SP in the majors.

[DBAHO]

Is that sarcastic?

No I'm being serious here.

 

It was his 1st full season in the minors, and his K/9 ratios indicate he's a pretty dang good prospect.

 

There's not many other prospects out there who have the FB / Slider combo that he has.

 

I think you're seriously underrating him only because

 

1 - He doesn't have a good 3rd pitch yet (which can be developed) and;

2 - He only reached high A ball at the end of 2007.

[witesoxfan]

Was that really a serious comment? Verlander may be the best young SP in the majors.

 

That's a pretty bold/vague statement. I mean, what's your definition of young? Sabathia was 26 last year and won a Cy Young; that's pretty good as far as I'm concerned. And Scott Kazmir is 23 and put up a lower ERA than Verlander too.

[witesoxfan]

No I'm being serious here.

 

It was his 1st full season in the minors, and his K/9 ratios indicate he's a pretty dang good prospect.

 

There's not many other prospects out there who have the FB / Slider combo that he has.

 

I think you're seriously underrating him only because

 

1 - He doesn't have a good 3rd pitch yet (which can be developed) and;

2 - He only reached high A ball at the end of 2007.

 

I love DLS, but without a 3rd pitch - which may or may not be developed - he's nothing more than a bullpen arm as far as I'm concerned. He'd be a filthy reliever, but a reliever nonetheless.

[DBAHO]

Just off the top of my head without looking, Bailey, Cueto, Chamberlain, Hughes, Buccholz...

I suppopse it depends if you consider guys like Chamberlain and Hughes prospects, even though it's most likely they'll be in the Yankee rotation at the start of 2008.

 

Buckholz could be part of a 6 man rotation in Boston, while Bailey lost a little value in 2007. I'd be worried if I was him with Dusty Baker as my manager as well. Just look at Mark Prior (although there's the whole thing about mechanics etc.).

 

Kershaw I will definitely give you Balta (although isn't he only also in A ball, or did he make it to AA in 2007)?

[DBAHO]

I love DLS, but without a 3rd pitch - which may or may not be developed - he's nothing more than a bullpen arm as far as I'm concerned. He'd be a filthy reliever, but a reliever nonetheless.

He does have a changeup though. It's not a great one, but I assume the A's minor league brass will have him working on it like crazy in the next year or 2.

 

A pitcher such as Santana who has a great FB and slider shows how good an effective changeup can be. I've lost count how many White Sox hitters have K'd against that change over the years.

 

You just have to remember, we haven't had a pitching prospect who has had the same type of stuff as Fautino De Los Santos had over at least the past few years.

 

All I'm hoping is that we can find another in the Latin America region this year, because god knows our farm system needs it.

[sircaffey]

That's a pretty bold/vague statement. I mean, what's your definition of young? Sabathia was 26 last year and won a Cy Young; that's pretty good as far as I'm concerned. And Scott Kazmir is 23 and put up a lower ERA than Verlander too.

 

It wasn't made to be a pinpoint statement, and its not really bold. Point is, he's pretty f***ing good now, and pretty soon will be one of the top SP in the majors. There are maybe 2-3 other SP in the majors that can match his pure stuff

[Guest]

alright, so it is established. all they have is verlander. i'll take buehrle thank you very much.

[witesoxfan]

He does have a changeup though. It's not a great one, but I assume the A's minor league brass will have him working on it like crazy in the next year or 2.

 

A pitcher such as Santana who has a great FB and slider shows how good an effective changeup can be. I've lost count how many White Sox hitters have K'd against that change over the years.

 

You just have to remember, we haven't had a pitching prospect who has had the same type of stuff as Fautino De Los Santos had over at least the past few years.

 

All I'm hoping is that we can find another in the Latin America region this year, because god knows our farm system needs it.

 

Santana's changeup is filthy. That pitch, moreso than anything else, is why he is as dominant as he is. If/when he only throws 92-94, and if that changeup is still as nasty as it is today, he will still be an outstanding pitcher. His slider is his "worst" pitch; it seems pretty average, but when it comes at you when he's also throwing 93-96 and then a 78 change, it's pretty hard to hit all the same.

 

It wasn't made to be a pinpoint statement, and its not really bold. Point is, he's pretty f***ing good now, and pretty soon will be one of the top SP in the majors. There are maybe 2-3 other SP in the majors that can match his pure stuff

 

Absolutely agree with that

 

[greg775]

Nice to get an everday player so many of you say is good.

I'll trust you that we got a good player.

Do you think Sweeney is going to be a good major leaguer?

 

I officially am in favor of the trade FWIW and I realize my blessing ain't worth much more than a cup of coffee.

Edited January 4, 2008 by greg775

[RockRaines]

No I'm being serious here.

 

It was his 1st full season in the minors, and his K/9 ratios indicate he's a pretty dang good prospect.

 

There's not many other prospects out there who have the FB / Slider combo that he has.

 

I think you're seriously underrating him only because

 

1 - He doesn't have a good 3rd pitch yet (which can be developed) and;

2 - He only reached high A ball at the end of 2007.

He had a good season, many scouts project him as a bullpen arm because of his lack of a third pitch, hes all ceiling, hes not even a top 50 prospect, let alone 10. Hes also not our top prospect.