Eric Hinske

[elrockinMT]

Saw this in a Rotoworld FA Hitters preview;

 

 

 

He could be an excellent backup for the 1B/OF spots. Wonder how much he'll be after?

 

 

I was wondering before who would act as the back up to Konerko. Hinske might be a good choice for that role plus he can fill in at the corner OF spots, but do you think a minor leaguer from our farm system could fill the back up role and at a cheaper price?

[Balta1701]

I was wondering before who would act as the back up to Konerko. Hinske might be a good choice for that role plus he can fill in at the corner OF spots, but do you think a minor leaguer from our farm system could fill the back up role and at a cheaper price?

Betemit played 36 games at 1b for the Yankees last year, starting there 21 times. For a long term outage he's not a great option there unless both he and Fields explode, but in terms of giving PK an offday if 14 stays reasonably healthy I'll take that.

[MO2005]

Who is saying that? Hinske would be an acceptable bench player, not more.

Varitek would be a good platoon for AJ, but at the cost most posters here agree hes too much money and probably wants to start still.

Right now, Fields and Getz are a couple of the best options for their respective positions, adding youth and speed like what you claim to want.

 

Colon is still a big if, Garcia the same. Pedro is right there with them. One may be signed as a 5th starter but the Sox I dont believe give out incentive laden deals very often. And where's Floyd in the rotation?

 

You want speed? you want youth? Were are you going to get it from? At what cost? What other abilities will that/those player(s) have?

Sure we can assemble a team on youth, get the Nook Logans, the Wily Taveras, the Corey Pattersons, Joey Gathrights, we can get a team of that. It wont be good, but we can could potentially get that. We could become the fastest team, and be awful, or we could strive to become balanced, have a couple big boppers, some high OBP guys, a little speed here or there or just guys who can score from second on singles and doubles. We need line drive hitters, not just pull and lift, but its nice to have that feared hitter too. You need balance, which means that yes we should add some speed, but not to the point where its going to make the team worse. Dont acquire speed just because, acquire it along with line drive hitters, high OBP to utilize the speed.

 

Seriously instead of investing so much time into this post, invest it into some common sense..Number one why does ANYONE want these players on this team. They make no sense anywhere near this team. Eric Hinske vs. Brian Anderson? Jason Varitek vs. Cole? Pedro Martinez vs. Clayton Richard or Poreda. It is a waste of a couple million dollars that could be used elsewhere. Speed does not slump!!! If you throw guys like Jerry Owens, Wily Taveras, Chone Figgins, etc. etc. into speed roles, they will use speed to create opportunities. Winning in baseball involves role players. If Owens job is to bunt to create an opportunity, then let him bunt 100 times next year to get into a pitcher's head that he is hard to get out. Look what makes the Twins so damn successful. Everyone hates them because guys like Gomez and Span will bunt to just create opportunities. What I am saying is instead of talking about backup guys that we already get enough of on this team should be swapped for guys like Nick Punto, what about him? Howie Kendrick, what about him? Damn I'll even go out on a limb here and say Felix Pie as a back-up..Kenny knows he needs someone to put some fear into opposing pitchers!

 

[MO2005]

And everyone PLEASE stop referring to stats all the time as your reference. Stats don't mean s**t! Pods had a very low OBP when he came here the year before? What did he do again in 2005 for this team?

[BearSox]

Seriously instead of investing so much time into this post, invest it into some common sense..Number one why does ANYONE want these players on this team. They make no sense anywhere near this team. Eric Hinske vs. Brian Anderson? Jason Varitek vs. Cole? Pedro Martinez vs. Clayton Richard or Poreda. It is a waste of a couple million dollars that could be used elsewhere. Speed does not slump!!! If you throw guys like Jerry Owens, Wily Taveras, Chone Figgins, etc. etc. into speed roles, they will use speed to create opportunities. Winning in baseball involves role players. If Owens job is to bunt to create an opportunity, then let him bunt 100 times next year to get into a pitcher's head that he is hard to get out. Look what makes the Twins so damn successful. Everyone hates them because guys like Gomez and Span will bunt to just create opportunities. What I am saying is instead of talking about backup guys that we already get enough of on this team should be swapped for guys like Nick Punto, what about him? Howie Kendrick, what about him? Damn I'll even go out on a limb here and say Felix Pie as a back-up..Kenny knows he needs someone to put some fear into opposing pitchers!

 

Wow, this post is so awful I don't even know where to begin.

[MO2005]

You had Varitek and Pierzynski in the same lineup also.

 

If you read correctly, it says team...not lineup

 

That's the importance of reading thoroughly

[caulfield12]

Seriously instead of investing so much time into this post, invest it into some common sense..Number one why does ANYONE want these players on this team. They make no sense anywhere near this team. Eric Hinske vs. Brian Anderson? Jason Varitek vs. Cole? Pedro Martinez vs. Clayton Richard or Poreda. It is a waste of a couple million dollars that could be used elsewhere. Speed does not slump!!! If you throw guys like Jerry Owens, Wily Taveras, Chone Figgins, etc. etc. into speed roles, they will use speed to create opportunities. Winning in baseball involves role players. If Owens job is to bunt to create an opportunity, then let him bunt 100 times next year to get into a pitcher's head that he is hard to get out. Look what makes the Twins so damn successful. Everyone hates them because guys like Gomez and Span will bunt to just create opportunities. What I am saying is instead of talking about backup guys that we already get enough of on this team should be swapped for guys like Nick Punto, what about him? Howie Kendrick, what about him? Damn I'll even go out on a limb here and say Felix Pie as a back-up..Kenny knows he needs someone to put some fear into opposing pitchers!

 

Now Mike MacDougal is a waste of a couple of million that could be used elsewhere. To say bringing in someone like Colon, Garcia or Pedro as the fifth starter is a waste of money...well...it's far from clear that the White Sox even view Poreda as a starter for 2009, and it's far from clear that Richard can consistently get through opposing line-ups the 2nd and 3rd time around.

 

Yeah, we're not going to bring in Varitek as a back-up or even platoon, and it's also far from clear that we've just given the job to Cole Armstrong already.

 

We don't know what KW's thinking, but I doubt it's whether Eric Hinske would be better than Anderson/Wise/Owens.

 

The reason the Twins scare other teams is because of that dome...mostly. Before, it was Liriano/Santana and then Nathan...that could be intimidating. I don't think Jerry Owens will ever intimidate anyone like Pods did the first 3-4 months of 2005. Taveras? Closer. But Punto diving into 1B when he's out on a routine grounder to SS by 15 feet? Well, that's just kind of silly grinderism. Pablo Ozuna brought much of the same to Sox, by the way.

 

The Twins have won 4/7 division championships, the White Sox 3/9 and a World Series. Why should we be copying them, exactly? Especially since they are moving into a new facility and it's unclear how that will translate...they certainly were a horrible to average road team last year. Finally, if we should emulate anything, it's the Twins' success in incubating Scott Baker, Liriano, Perkins, Blackburn and Slowey within the last couple of seasons. We really haven't been able to get one legit starter to the big leagues since Buehrle/Garland/Wells.

 

[BearSox]

do the Twins move into their new stadium next year or in 2010?

[witesoxfan]

And everyone PLEASE stop referring to stats all the time as your reference. Stats don't mean s**t! Pods had a very low OBP when he came here the year before? What did he do again in 2005 for this team?

 

I'm going to run into a wall as fast as I can. Someone call me in about an hour to check on me.

[southsideirish71]

And everyone PLEASE stop referring to stats all the time as your reference. Stats don't mean s**t! Pods had a very low OBP when he came here the year before? What did he do again in 2005 for this team?

 

I won't throw stats at you. Lets look at things that Owens does well.

 

Run

 

Lets look at things he can't do

 

Hit

bunt

Throw

or

Field

 

Owens can't hit. He can't field. He runs very fast. If being fast turned you into a superstar, then guys like Gaithright would be an allstar.

Edited November 20, 2008 by southsideirish71

[FranktheTank35]

If Hall can play 1b, I'm sure Varitek can handle some 2b.

That made me laugh, nice one!

 

But seriously, I don't think we need a guy like Hinske at all for a lot of reasons many of you have repeated.

 

Just my two cents.

[DBAHO]

If you read correctly, it says team...not lineup

 

That's the importance of reading thoroughly

Well then;

 

1 - You've only got 10 players in your "TEAM" then.

2 - How much do you want to give Varitek to be our backup catcher for our team?

[harfman77]

Hinske is not a good fit as he pretty much duplicates what you get with Betemit. I think the last player on the bench after Betemit/Anderson/Backup C/ will be a guy who can handle both outfield and MI, could be someone like Bourgeois or Shelby, not them, but someone with similar range.

[lostfan]

And everyone PLEASE stop referring to stats all the time as your reference. Stats don't mean s**t! Pods had a very low OBP when he came here the year before? What did he do again in 2005 for this team?

This post made me lol. I don't know what to say.

[SoxFan562004]

And everyone PLEASE stop referring to stats all the time as your reference. Stats don't mean s**t! Pods had a very low OBP when he came here the year before? What did he do again in 2005 for this team?

Ha

[MO2005]

This post made me lol. I don't know what to say.

 

I'll tell you what to say...I'm going to have another krispy kreme and go back to work. The carts are getting full in the lot.

[MO2005]

Now Mike MacDougal is a waste of a couple of million that could be used elsewhere. To say bringing in someone like Colon, Garcia or Pedro as the fifth starter is a waste of money...well...it's far from clear that the White Sox even view Poreda as a starter for 2009, and it's far from clear that Richard can consistently get through opposing line-ups the 2nd and 3rd time around.

 

Yeah, we're not going to bring in Varitek as a back-up or even platoon, and it's also far from clear that we've just given the job to Cole Armstrong already.

 

We don't know what KW's thinking, but I doubt it's whether Eric Hinske would be better than Anderson/Wise/Owens.

 

The reason the Twins scare other teams is because of that dome...mostly. Before, it was Liriano/Santana and then Nathan...that could be intimidating. I don't think Jerry Owens will ever intimidate anyone like Pods did the first 3-4 months of 2005. Taveras? Closer. But Punto diving into 1B when he's out on a routine grounder to SS by 15 feet? Well, that's just kind of silly grinderism. Pablo Ozuna brought much of the same to Sox, by the way.

 

The Twins have won 4/7 division championships, the White Sox 3/9 and a World Series. Why should we be copying them, exactly? Especially since they are moving into a new facility and it's unclear how that will translate...they certainly were a horrible to average road team last year. Finally, if we should emulate anything, it's the Twins' success in incubating Scott Baker, Liriano, Perkins, Blackburn and Slowey within the last couple of seasons. We really haven't been able to get one legit starter to the big leagues since Buehrle/Garland/Wells.

 

 

O.k. Let's look at the seasons for in depth then. Since 2001 The Twins lead the Sox in overall win totals 707-683..Those 24 wins account largely on the way the Twins continously have the Sox number. So why we do we want to be like the Twins. It is because they beat us with the little things. Yes we beat them last year, but come on the coin flip was bogus and they beat us in the head to head series. Let's rewind the season with additions like Eric Hinske and Varitek. What would they have done? NOTHING! We had a future hall of famer on the team, a consistent starter with the A's hit .219 and was benched, slumping power hitters who only swing for the fences, our best player gets hurt, etc. etc. When we acquired Swisher and Griffey everyone on here was like yep they are going to be the difference makers, but what happened again? Now you all are like man they were not meant to be on this team, there was no place for them to play...Now Colon and Garcia are wastes. You know that! Colon is a cocky overweight pitcher who can't pitch anymore..Plain and simple, he's done! He wasn't even in the bullpen for the playoffs. Garcia pitched well against us because if you remember at that time we weren't scoring a hell of a lot of runs or putting together hits.

 

What I am saying is this team needs to obtain some speed and situational hitters. I think Betemit is a start! Also for you to say someone sliding into first base 15 feet away is silly, that's like saying someone hustling to first base when they are clearly out is silly. Ur right we don't know what Kenny is thinking, but right after they lost the series to the Rays, Kenny in an interview said we need to get some more speed on this team. I am just quoting Kenny that's all.

 

[lostfan]

I'll tell you what to say...I'm going to have another krispy kreme and go back to work. The carts are getting full in the lot.

I was being polite, but since you want to act this way I'll drop that pretense and say that if you want to be taken seriously you should probably say things that don't sound ridiculously uninformed. Like... "Stats don't mean s***!" If you want to hear what my actual thoughts are on that post, see the words in my signature.

 

If I were to take the expression literally along with the reference to Scott Podsednik and '05 right afterwards, then that would mean I could relax since our leadoff hitter for 2009 could just be Jerry Owens (we can ignore the fact that Owens has never had a season with a .379 OBP in the majors or stolen 70 bases in spite of a .313 OBP to be consistent, since you did - after all, stats don't mean s***).

[DBAHO]

Ok;

 

1 - Who on here has been for signing Colon? Because seriously, I haven't seen 1 person who would want him.

 

2 - If an aging Ken Griffey Jr. was going to be a difference maker, maybe it would have been back in 2005, but it didn't matter then. Didn't see anyone saying he was going to be the difference, but he was useful enough.

 

3 - Our ballpark isn't exactly suitable for playing "Twins - Like baseball" (hitting grounders that are hard to handle on astroturf for starters).

 

4 - Garcia came back from major arm surgery last season, adn wasn't 100%. To write him off currently though, is pretty stupid I would say. Who knows what he'll do next year.

 

5 - Hinske probably would have done better than what Swisher or Wise did at the end of last season I would say. Varitek, well that's just ludicrous, good luck trying to justify why you would want him.

 

6 - Give me OBP over speed anyday. But then again, speed doesn't slump does it.

[caulfield12]

First of all, it's a huge injury risk to slide headfirst into 1B. Second, it actually slows you down, this is a proven/statistically-valid point.

 

Second, you're leaving out the 2000 season, when we finished 28 games over .500 and the Twins 24 games BELOW .500. Not even our putrid 07 team managed to accomplish that, in all its Andy Gonzalez-ness. Include 2000, and we're ahead of the Twins in overall record.

 

The coin flip has been the rule of baseball for decades. Should we apologize to them? Maybe the AL should give up some of those World Series titles in the last 15 years, too, with the home field "unfairly" going to the All-Star game winner.

 

Nobody expected TOO much out of Griffey. Swisher, yes. But Griffey had been battling injuries all season long.

 

We don't need pure speed. We need baseball players who are more athletic and can score from 1st on a double, 2nd on a single and from 3rd on sacrifice flies...and hopefully not hit into 20+ double plays per season.