Phil Rogers on Sox quest to find leadoff man

[103 mph screwball]

Sox have to keep Furcal from the Twins. In fact, I'd be surprised if the Sox DIDN'T sign Furcal even with all of KW's rhetoric to make it SEEM unlikely. I've been following KW closely for about 7 years now (most of you do too). Furcal just makes too much sense. This is why KW reacted to Cabrera's arbitration issue the way he did (bench?!). KW has repeatedly said that Alexei WILL be his shortstop next year. Beckham has been told that he will be playing short every day in the minors. The Sox don't need a shortstop right? BAM! Sox sign Furcal to a 11, 12.5, 13 with a 14 mil option with a buy out.

 

I don't buy that the economy will bring down the payroll THAT drastically. The Sox biggest position need is leadoff hitter. Ozzie wants speed. Furcal is the best leadoff hitter available and he is not even a type A free agent. Alexei can move to 2nd or CF. Beckham could move to 2nd or 3rd. I don't see Fields on KW's 3 year board much longer no matter what he tells the media. The Sox have recently payed the money needed for a key piece of the puzzle before (see Dotel and Linebrink).

 

I am attempting the impossible, predicting a KW move. Unless Cabrera throws a big wrench in the plan, Furcal will be playing short for the Sox next year and the move will happen during the winter meetings probably on Monday. He will get 3 years and an option. KW will also be adding a proven starting pitcher somehow even if it means trading JD to afford one. I have no inside info. (Don't worry Mr. Williams you don't have a leak). I just have a strong gut feeling. It is what I would do if I were KW. Should be fun next week guys.

Edited December 7, 2008 by 103 mph screwball

[Wanne]

I guarantee everyone that Alexei will be the team's starting SS on opening day 2009. This Furcal talk is beyond silly.

 

Why...because Kenny SAID SO? Ever think that was completely a smokescreen/ploy for OC? Have you ever seen Lexi play short (besides maybe once? I'm not sold that he'd be stellar over there. Furcal does make a lot of sense on many levels. Will it happen...who actually knows.

[103 mph screwball]

Why...because Kenny SAID SO? Ever think that was completely a smokescreen/ploy for OC? Have you ever seen Lexi play short (besides maybe once? I'm not sold that he'd be stellar over there. Furcal does make a lot of sense on many levels. Will it happen...who actually knows.

Right. I remember KW telling us that he was very comfortable with Ben Davis and Burke... right before he signed AJ.

[beautox]

With the lower contract demands of Furcal with the lowered market, he makes the most sense to target. Pencil him in as leadoff hitter for the next 3 yrs, while the team gets younger and more athletic.

 

If the sox can sign Furcal, what to do with the IF when Beckham is ready will be a nice problem to have.

 

If the sox sign Furcal, move TCM to CF and let getz/nix/lilli fight it out; personally i think getz takes it in spring training and puts up career numbers similar to Adam Kennedy/Steve Sax/Mark Grudzielanek and with the potential for a little more power. all in all a very solid second basemen and 2 hitter.

 

If thats the route the sox go, i would let fields and betemitt play it out for 3B with Beckham sliding over there in the not to distant future.

 

Keep Dye and Jenks and sign Penny.

 

S Furcal SS

L Getz 2B

R Quentin RF

L Thome DH

R Dye LF

R Konerko 1B

L AJP C

R Ramirez CF

R Fields 3B hopefully he develops.

 

MB

JD

GF

CR/AP/JM

Penny

 

going into '10

 

Hopefully Danks is ready to step into the Outfield

Let Thome go, Move Konerko to DH and provided he has panned out move fields over to 1B let Slayer take over at 3B

Edited December 7, 2008 by beautox

[DaTank]

Am I the only one doesn't buy any of this Furcal stuff? Besides the fact that we already have a clot in the middle IF, Furcal doesn't fit into Kenny's plans, IMO. #1. He doesn't fit into Kenny's 'youth movement'. He's 31 now, and a mentioned 3 year deal with an option for a 4th would mean he would be 34 or 35 when said deal would run out. #2. He's been hurt. I personally won't take a flier on an aging shortstop who was injured for as long as he was last year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's old right now, just saying he won't be getting any younger.

 

I admit it, he's a damn talented player, if healthy. He also wouldn't cost us a draft pick. The most I would go on him is a 1 year/$12 million deal with an option for a second year at $14 million.

 

I'm really interested to see what the young kids could do, now that we expanded the talent of our farm in the past 6 months. I also don't think Alexei would do as well in CF as he would at a middle IF position.

[Disco72]

MB

JD

GF

CR/AP/JM

Penny

 

I laughed out loud at this part. I know you didn't mean it the way I read it, but it was still damn funny considering most of our concerns about the 4th and 5th spots as of today.

[RockRaines]

Furcal would be a tremendous acquisition. I'd be thrilled if we got him. I'd offer him 3 years 34-36 million with an option year at 12 mill. It would be more than enough to get him signed.

3 years 36 mil with an option for 4 which makes it 50. Its up to his agent to accept.

[caulfield12]

3 years 36 mil with an option for 4 which makes it 50. Its up to his agent to accept.

 

 

how much would the buyout for the 4th year be?

Edited December 7, 2008 by caulfield12

[beck72]

After the deadline comes for Cabrera to accept arbitration, you should hear talk about a "mystery team" offering a deal to Furcal. The sox can't make noise now when OC still has a chance to accept.

 

The thing is, Furcal does fit in the sox plans. The plan isn't necessarily to get younger. It's to get more athletic, versatile, better at running the bases, stronger defensively, better able to manufacture runs than solely relying on the HR or stringing 3 base hits together to score 1 run.

 

Having Furcal to stabilize the top of the order for the next 3 yrs allows the sox to put younger players into the lineup, while trying to win now. This is all the more important as the sox move away from a PK, Thome, Dye led offensive team and toward an offensive team that puts pressure on a team's defense and pitching staff. Opposing team's have been able to sit back and relax in the field knowing they can turn a DP with ease or know the sox won't be taking the extra base on a single or double. Pitcher's just concentrate on not throwing gopher balls when an offense is one dimensional. A pitcher has to work harder when an offense has speed, can take the extra base, and can hit for contact.

[caulfield12]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/deluca/1317...eluca07.article

 

Chris DeLuca on the same topic...I do think it's a little ridiculous for him to use the term "rebuilding" if we don't acquire a proven leadoff hitter, as Cabrera certainly wasn't a prototypical one. If anything, going with two unproven starters will do more damage than Getz/Owens/Wise/Ramirez/Lillibridge will do leading off.

[103 mph screwball]

how much would the buyout for the 4th year be?

If the Sox signed him for 11, 12.5, 13 and an option for 14, the buyout could be only 1 million. This is a classic KW type contract. It would defer some of his money to later years so that he will fit better now and when Thome comes off the books, there will be no problem. To Furcal, that would in effect be a 3 year 39 million offer or if the Sox choose to keep him a fourth year it would be 4 year 52.(averages out to 13 mil per year either way) This is big money and I think it would be enough to get Furcal on the open market. It might turn out less if Furcal wants to play for the Sox and why wouldn't he. I think he is worth the money. Cabrera was making 9 and would be due for a raise via arbitration to 10 or 11. Furcal would be worth the premium because he fills a need that is hard to come by, a lead off hitter. Even with budget cuts and upcoming raises, I have a very hard time believing that the Sox could not afford 11 mil next year with 9 coming off from Cabrera alone.

[caulfield12]

Well, there are a couple of arguments, the same ones we see here all the time.

 

Furcal would rather stay in the NL, where he's most comfortable and familiar with the pitching staffs over there. Second, if he only signs for one year, the best place to re-establish a higher value might be in the NL, where his stats would be about 25% better than in the AL, arguably.

 

If the agent (Kinzer) turned down $35-40 million over four years (although there have been at least two inaccurate stories already in the Furcal saga, some spread by Furcal and his agent in El Caribe newspaper) AND he had a solid offer for $39 million and 3 years, I have no idea why he wouldn't take the three year deal. Every article I've seen has him around $35-45 million over four years.

 

At any rate, the list of suitors for him is diminishing. I just don't see the Twins suprising everyone and giving him a huge deal at age 31, especially considering he would play almost half a season on turt. The Orioles don't seem to have a clue what they're doing or which direction they're heading...if they are trading Brian Roberts, why would they add a veteran like Furcal to essentially replace Tejada in their IF? Oakland's out. LA's supposedly out. Detroit is looking at low-budget options like Wilson and Everett. Cleveland would surprise the heck out of me if they committed that money...CLE and DET, in particular, would seem to be most vulnerable to the economic recession playing havoc with their revenues.

[BearSox]

Why...because Kenny SAID SO? Ever think that was completely a smokescreen/ploy for OC? Have you ever seen Lexi play short (besides maybe once? I'm not sold that he'd be stellar over there. Furcal does make a lot of sense on many levels. Will it happen...who actually knows.

You can tell when Kenny is telling the truth and when Kenny is lying. I've been saying since July of last year, this team has every intention of making Alexei the starting SS in 09 and beyond. I highly doubt we spend 13 million a year on Furcal, a SS, when we finally have some middle infielders who don't suck.

[chisox2334]

my best guess is a deal for taveras is going to happened especially if rockies want a player like broadway. Alexi Raimerez was told he has job at ss even before the offseason. Plus, it would really throw a curve if OC accepts arb.

[TheKillerB's]

I agree with making a move for Taveras. Deal Broadway or someone of that caliber to the Rox, then stick Willy in CF and hit him ninth.

 

But KW shouldn't stop there. I think he should sign Furcal to the aforementioned 3 year deal alongside the Willy deal. This way he increases the speed of the squad ten-fold, acquires a proven SS and lead-off hitter in Furcal, a more-talented slightly more proven CF than their internal options (Owens/BA) in Taveras, and can keep the missile at a position in which we all know he can excel at. It certainly fits the KW bill of the low-risk/high-reward move, all while adding more speed and dealing only one possibly two prospects.

[scenario]

I like Furcal, but I'm a little concerned about signing him to a 3-4 year deal. (age and health reasons)

 

IMO, Cabrera for 1 year might make more sense than Furcal for 3-4.

[chisox2334]

alexi best postion is suppost to be at SS. If you do remember Alexi early on in 2008 season started in Cf and that changed right away. Not to mention how well alexi played so well at 2b. I do agree things can change at any moment for kenny to get a leadoff hitter. But acquiring of betemit, nix, lilibridge, and of course getz battling for 2b makes it real hard to see w sox trying to put more money at ss and place alexi in center. I look at w sox with surplus of minor league starters competing for 4th-5th role and looks like broadway is the odd man out . Of course, paper that wrote that rockies be looking at guy like broadway for taveras makes it alot easier than shelling 13 mil over 4 yrs. to get a guy. I think I do taveras deal and then shell 3 yrs into starter for 4th or 5th spot.

[fathom]

alexi best postion is suppost to be at SS. If you do remember Alexi early on in 2008 season started in Cf and that changed right away. Not to mention how well alexi played so well at 2b.

 

He was horrific defensively during the 2nd half of last season.

[BaseballNick]

He was horrific defensively during the 2nd half of last season.

 

Tell me about it! We need to get this guy off the field. It's a wonder how we even won a game with such a horrific defender.

 

Give me a break.

[chisox2334]

I do remeber as well alexi wasnt very good in center as well. If W sox didnt think alexi wasnt good in infield compared to center they def. would of have alexi out there in outfield Seen that swisher was benched. Not to metion it was almost predetermined before season ended that kenny and staff wanted alexi at ss. I just believe kenny dosent want to get burned here. Furcal when healthy is good at the top of the order. But, the key word is healthy. I know for sure kenny and ozzie dont want to play scot pods thing all over again whether he was healthy or not to play. Especially not at 13 mil.

[fathom]

Tell me about it! We need to get this guy off the field. It's a wonder how we even won a game with such a horrific defender.

 

Give me a break.

 

I'll sit back and wait for the stat posters to reveal his mediocre zone ratings, etc. He had poor range considering his athletic ability, and struggled with routine plays after the ASB. Prior to the ASB, I thought he was a potential Gold Glove candidate.

[scenario]

He was horrific defensively during the 2nd half of last season.

 

You've said that several times in past posts, but I watched all the games and I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[chunk23]

Alexei plays defense the same way Jim Edmonds does. Flashy, which distracts from the fact that other competent defenders make those plays look easy. It makes him look good because you see highlight reel plays, but you miss that they shouldn't be that difficult in the first place. Remember how Edmonds always played far back and had to make dives on pop-ups?

Edited December 7, 2008 by chunk23

[Jimmywins1]

I think "horrific" is a little bit too strong a word to use, but he definitely wasn't great, with his speed and athleticism, I think it can probably be attributed to Alexei never playing 2B before and getting bad reads/angles.

[BaseballNick]

I'll sit back and wait for the stat posters to reveal his mediocre zone ratings, etc. He had poor range considering his athletic ability, and struggled with routine plays after the ASB. Prior to the ASB, I thought he was a potential Gold Glove candidate.

 

Alexei probably isn't going to win any gold gloves (especially if he plays SS) but he is FAR from a horrific defender. To label Alexei as a "horrific" defender is asinine.