Thinking Like KW on SS/2B situation

[Balta1701]

If you can sign Hudson on an inflated 2 year deal, considering the other options that are out there in FA, I'd be inclined to do that. You'll lose 2 draft picks for doing that, but the Sox should gain 2 for losing OC anyways, IIRC.

The problem with signing a type A guy this offseason is that our draft pick will be in the latter half of the 1st round...which means instead of losing a 2nd rounder like we did last year, we'd lose our first rounder this year. That's rough.

[witesoxfan]

You only lose the one draft pick though. The other is given to the team as a sandwich pick.

[Balta1701]

You only lose the one draft pick though. The other is given to the team as a sandwich pick.

Yeah, but losing a pick in the 20's hurts a lot more than losing a pick in the low 50's like we did last year.

[DaTank]

Billy Beane, Brian Anderson, Joe Borchard, Josh Hamilton, Alex Gordon, Rocco Baldelli, Evan Longoria, Jay Bruce, Nick Markakis, Rick Ankiel, Joe Mauer, Grady Sizemore, Ian Stewart, J.R. Towles, and many more. It may not seem like it, but it's a fairly even line. I don't think race really factors into it.

IIRC, Sizmore is half black.

[DBAHO]

Yeah, but losing a pick in the 20's hurts a lot more than losing a pick in the low 50's like we did last year.

Still if you use it to draft players such as Lance Broadway and Kyle McCullough, it isn't a huge loss.

 

And you know KW likes to be aggressive. If he can get the right guy in FA, I'd think he'd definitely make a move there, losing draft picks or not.

[witesoxfan]

Still if you use it to draft players such as Lance Broadway and Kyle McCullough, it isn't a huge loss.

 

And you know KW likes to be aggressive. If he can get the right guy in FA, I'd think he'd definitely make a move there, losing draft picks or not.

 

The Sox aren't going to be drafting Broadways or McCulloughs anymore though either.

[ThunderBolt]

The Sox aren't going to be drafting Broadways or McCulloughs anymore though either.

Exactly, the drafting of Poreda and Beckham In the 1st round are clear examples of a seismic shift in the way this team drafts. No more of this “safe” stuff, we take the best player on the board (as suits our needs).

[Balta1701]

Exactly, the drafting of Poreda and Beckham In the 1st round are clear examples of a seismic shift in the way this team drafts. No more of this “safe” stuff, we take the best player on the board (as suits our needs).

And Poreda for Hudson wouldn't strike me as the greatest trade Idea I'd ever heard proposed.

[frankiethefixer]

What about Chin-lung Hu from the Dodgers? Rumor is they want to re-sign Furcal and their system is full of middle infield prospects that have passed him by. It may be a classic Kenny move.

[EvilMonkey]

KW should pick one of the prospect-type infielders that he thinks will NOT make it, and pretend to like him ala Quinten. Let that info slip out, and see some of the other teams fall all over themsleves trying to 'steal' the guy from KW, who meanwhile quietly pursues his real goal. He has worked magic pickng up people that others aren't too high on the last few years, maybe someone will try to intercept his next target.

[VAfan]

All these names for second base, and no mention of ...

 

BRIAN ROBERTS ?????????

 

He's at least worth being in the discussion. Solves the leadoff problem. Gives us a true base stealer. Better defensively at second than Ramirez. He's perfect, really.

 

The issues are 1) availability, and 2) cost. Maybe those couldn't be solved. But this option should at least be considered.

 

 

[Paint it Black]

KW should pick one of the prospect-type infielders that he thinks will NOT make it, and pretend to like him ala Quinten. Let that info slip out, and see some of the other teams fall all over themsleves trying to 'steal' the guy from KW, who meanwhile quietly pursues his real goal. He has worked magic pickng up people that others aren't too high on the last few years, maybe someone will try to intercept his next target.

 

Yeah well, this has been tried with many bad prospects who we "the next thing." Guys like Brian Anderson and Joe Borchard come to mind. Remember, IIRC the White Sox wanted to give up BA in that deal with the Diamondbacks for Vazquez. The Sox said "How about you take Brian Anderson" and I'm sure the reply went something like "Um, how about we take Chris Young, instead."

 

The Brian Roberts name is intriguing. IMO, a lineup with Roberts and Furcal (if somehow both could be signed) at the top of the order would excite me.

[Kalapse]

All these names for second base, and no mention of ...

 

BRIAN ROBERTS ?????????

 

He's at least worth being in the discussion. Solves the leadoff problem. Gives us a true base stealer. Better defensively at second than Ramirez. He's perfect, really.

 

The issues are 1) availability, and 2) cost. Maybe those couldn't be solved. But this option should at least be considered.

The names Brian Roberts and Orlando Hudson get thrown around in every single thread. I believe the purpose of this thread was to think outside the freaking box instead of just regurgitating the same names over and over.

[greg775]

The names Brian Roberts and Orlando Hudson get thrown around in every single thread. I believe the purpose of this thread was to think outside the freaking box instead of just regurgitating the same names over and over.

 

Amen. I'm sick of hearing about Roberts and Figgins. We need to acquire some of those Pirates and make them our farm system.

[beck72]

I think you might see Beckham at 3B and Getz at 2B in '09.

Maybe. I agree on Getz for 2b. If the sox think Beckham could be in Chicago in 2009, I could see Fields starting at 3B. Esp. if the sox sign Uribe to be the UTL guy. Of all the names for 3b, few make sense for the short or long term if you look at the price in terms of trade or dollars. A healthy Fields has just as good a chance as any of the FA's or likely trade targets to put up decent numbers. Not to mention Fields could improve his trade value with a decent start to 2009. With Uribe around as a defensive replacement, having Fields around makes decent sense.

[santo=dorf]

The Sox aren't going to be drafting Broadways or McCulloughs anymore though either.

...and you know this how?

Exactly, the drafting of Poreda and Beckham In the 1st round are clear examples of a seismic shift in the way this team drafts. No more of this “safe” stuff, we take the best player on the board (as suits our needs).

 

I think it's way too early to tell and it's not fair to include Beckham because the White Sox had a top ten pick for the first time in like 18 years during the last draft. ...and if the Sox were really about taking the best player on the board, why did they skip over Porcello and take Poreda? Actually I hope I never hear the name Porcello because this board was unreadable during that draft.

Edited October 18, 2008 by santo=dorf

[santo=dorf]

What about Chin-lung Hu from the Dodgers? Rumor is they want to re-sign Furcal and their system is full of middle infield prospects that have passed him by. It may be a classic Kenny move.

Oh God. A few posters were in love with him and yet he ended up being replaced by Angel Berrora.

[Dick Allen]

I don't see the Sox getting Hudson. Historically Kenny has used 2B as a position to save some money. Think back on our 2Bs, he has never ponied up big for a guy over there.

 

Alexei Ramirez, Juan Uribe, Danny Richar, Tadahito Iguchi, D'Angelo Jimenez, and Willie Harris are the guys that come to mind right away. When Ray Durham was about to get paid, Kenny traded him for nothing. I'd bet on Getz, a cheap FA, or some minor league guy no one is thinking about that Kenny swings a minor deal for.

I don't think they will sign him either, but if Ramirez goes to short and Beckham is ready to go in 2010, KW is going to have a couple of pretty cheap infielders for at least a couple of years, so he theoretically should have money to spend. Hudson is a nice player, I think he wants 8 figures. I don't think he's that nice.

[Marky Mark]

Who here would give up Poreda and Fields for Wood? That's a fairly hefty price to pay, but Wood does have the ability to be much better than both of them if he can get thing figured out in the MLB.

[ILMOU]

The Brian Roberts name is intriguing. IMO, a lineup with Roberts and Furcal (if somehow both could be signed) at the top of the order would excite me.

 

Hell, I'd be so excited, I'd break out my Kenny Williams life-size doll. Realistically, though, that ain't happenin' unless Reinsdorf ponies up like never before. I'd be ecstatic if we got either, because it solves the lead-off dilemma we've had since '05.

[bighurt4life]

The names Brian Roberts and Orlando Hudson get thrown around in every single thread. I believe the purpose of this thread was to think outside the freaking box instead of just regurgitating the same names over and over.

 

thank you. We've been hearing about Roberts and Hudson since before the 08 season even started. I for one would like to see Kenny get creative on this one instead of spending big on either of those two.

[witesoxfan]

...and you know this how?

 

Because KW and company came out and said they were going to take a different approach to drafting in the next few years while trying not to make the safe pick. There's been a complete shift within the organization's thinking, and nothing in the past two years has made me think otherwise.

[ThunderBolt]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3651897

Ok, I’m one of the biggest Billy Beane guys out there, but this move doesn't make sense to me. They traded for two of the biggest IF prospects in the game in Cardenas, and E Patterson, and then draft a 2B (Weeks) with their first pick this year. Unless there’s a follow up move immediately following this signing. I just don't get it. Ellis is solid, but the teams rebuilding, and he is in no way part of their long term plans.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Thunderbolt

[Kyyle23]

Ok, I’m one of the biggest Billy Beane guys out there, but this move doesn't make sense to me. They traded for two of the biggest IF prospects in the game in Cardenas, and E Patterson, and then draft a 2B (Weeks) with their first pick this year. Unless there’s a follow up move immediately following this signing. I just don't get it. Ellis is solid, but the teams rebuilding, and he is in no way part of their long term plans.

 

 

Ellis just became a valuable trading commodity, thats what Beane is doing. If a young 2B with promise comes up in Spring Training, then Beane can flip Ellis at the deadline and get a good value for him because he is signed for a few years at an affordable contract

[ChiSox_Sonix]

We should just trade for Hanley Ramirez . That'll have our middle infield set for the next 5-7 years