Winter Meetings Chit-Chat

[ThunderBolt]

Let's just hope the Reds like Taveras more then we do.

[SoxFan1]

Let's just hope the Reds like Taveras more then we do.

Right, because Jerry Owens, who's actually older than Taveras, is a much better option.

[ThunderBolt]

Right, because Jerry Owens, who's actually older than Taveras, is a much better option.

They're both bad ballplayers, but having both Taveras and Owens on the same team decreases the chance of a better option (like BA) getting the role. The idea is to lessen the chance of Ozzie falling in love with another speed guy.

[R.J.]

There hasn't been so much as a peep hinting that the White Sox have any interest in Furcal. Oh well.

 

I think we're going to get Taveras, and then the speedy, bunty, grindy rhetoric can officially begin.

[bigruss]

There hasn't been so much as a peep hinting that the White Sox have any interest in Furcal. Oh well.

 

I think we're going to get Taveras, and then the speedy, bunty, grindy rhetoric can officially begin.

Ok, I need to know. Where is your avatar from? It just looks freakin hilarious.

[chunk23]

I think it's from a Japanese ad for the Mario game on the Nintendo DS.

[G&T]

Furcal to the Braves.

 

Rosenthal

 

It'll be interesting to see what they do with Escobar.

Cabrera must be really happy to see Furcal go to a team that didn't need a shortstop.

Edited December 16, 2008 by G&T

[caulfield12]

There's a good possibility Furcal would be at 2nd, with Escobar at SS and Kelly Johnson in LF according to most reports out there. Escobar is unlikely to be traded or be part of the Peavy package, but MAYBE!

 

Also, LHP Eric Milton's name is surfacing on the market in the "retread" department as yet another "buy low" fifth starter prospect/suspect. Of course, with our overabundance of lefties (Poreda, Danks, Richard and Buehrle), Oliver Perez or someone like Milton would seem much less likely...as that would put us at 4 lefty starters if things play out according to theory.

[RockRaines]

I'll tell you its not Furcal or Gathright

[103 mph screwball]

Sox must get a legitimate leadoff hitter and at least one more starting pitcher. If it is not Furcal, then Willy T will be the next in line. I know some do not think of him as a legit leadoff hitter, but I'm willing to bet KW will.

[Kyyle23]

I'll tell you its not Furcal or Gathright

 

I love when you offer these little tidbits. Its like talking to an agent

[EvilJester99]

It will either be Willy T or Daniel Cabrera me thinks...I know KW has had man love for both those guys.

[dasox24]

I'm honestly feeling like it will be Willy Taveras, which makes me happy b/c we won't have to see Jerry Owens at the big league level.

[caulfield12]

Here’s a friendly wager for (Dayton) Moore. Here’s a list of a number of players that are or were available for around the league minimum: Waechter, Eduardo Morlan (Rule 5 pick by the Brewers from Tampa Bay), Jesus Colome (non-tendered by Washington), Joe Nelson (non-tendered by the Marlins), and Muntader Al-Zaidi (just signed by the Yankees.)

 

Using whatever metric you prefer – ERA, ARP, WXRL, whatever – I’m willing to bet that including Farnsworth and the first four pitchers on that list (I’m not sure the shoeicide bomber is ready for prime time), Captain Tightpants will rank no higher than third among these five pitchers at the end of 2009. Unless the metric you prefer is “salary”.

 

from royalsblog

 

I guess KW prefers the flexibility of DJ Carasco for that last spot out of the pen...or, if consider Carasco 5th, then the competition is really Nunez (Yankees), Jimenez (Blue Jays castoff), Poreda/Richard, Wasserman and Adam Russell for that final position.

Edited December 16, 2008 by caulfield12

[NorthSideSox72]

I'm honestly feeling like it will be Willy Taveras, which makes me happy b/c we won't have to see Jerry Owens at the big league level.

If we get Willy T, then you get Jerry Owens with a better arm and a recovering broken leg.

 

woo.

 

hoo.

 

[ThunderBolt]

If we get Willy T, then you get Jerry Owens with a better arm and a recovering broken leg.

 

woo.

 

hoo.

And a worse OBP. YAYYYY!!!!

[caulfield12]

Well, there are certainly different kinds of broken legs. It appears this is a stress fracture with a 4-6 week healing time frame, compared to something like Jermaine Dye's horrific foul ball, there's no relationship between the two injuries.

 

However, these types of injuries (like shin splints or hamstrings or groin pulls/adductor muscle) are ALWAYS a concern for a player whose primary "plus" skill is his speed and fielding ability.

 

That said, there's certainly no harm in having another option in camp. At least we already have Wise and Anderson as "insurance", but Wise is definitely not a CFer by any stretch of the imagination. I know a lot of people would prefer Anderson as the everyday player, and I would probably agree with it, were it not for the fact that we don't have any leadoff hitter on the roster that's currently better suited for the position than Owens and possibly Lillibridge.

 

The Cubs signing Gathright and dumping Pie eventually is further proof of the value of someone in that role.

[RockRaines]

Well, there are certainly different kinds of broken legs. It appears this is a stress fracture with a 4-6 week healing time frame, compared to something like Jermaine Dye's horrific foul ball, there's no relationship between the two injuries.

 

However, these types of injuries (like shin splints or hamstrings or groin pulls/adductor muscle) are ALWAYS a concern for a player whose primary "plus" skill is his speed and fielding ability.

 

That said, there's certainly no harm in having another option in camp. At least we already have Wise and Anderson as "insurance", but Wise is definitely not a CFer by any stretch of the imagination. I know a lot of people would prefer Anderson as the everyday player, and I would probably agree with it, were it not for the fact that we don't have any leadoff hitter on the roster that's currently better suited for the position than Owens and possibly Lillibridge.

 

The Cubs signing Gathright and dumping Pie eventually is further proof of the value of someone in that role.

I'd rather have Pie than Gathright and Taveras.

[ThunderBolt]

I'd rather have Pie than Gathright and Taveras.

Pie + Anderson would be awesome options in CF.

[caulfield12]

But would you rather have Pie as your starting center fielder and leadoff hitter than Taveras?

 

That's the real question, not who would you rather have on your roster.

 

PS I'm also surprised we haven't heard more talk of someone asking the Cubs to take a huge chunk of Fukudome's deal...which would give them more flexibility to sign Bradley, who the Rays apparently also covet.

Edited December 16, 2008 by caulfield12

[scenario]

I know a lot of people would prefer Anderson as the everyday player, and I would probably agree with it, were it not for the fact that we don't have any leadoff hitter on the roster that's currently better suited for the position than Owens and possibly Lillibridge.

 

The Cubs signing Gathright and dumping Pie eventually is further proof of the value of someone in that role.

 

Except of course that the Cubs have no intention of having Gathright start in CF and lead off. He will be a bench/role player.

 

(BTW - Don't count Chris Getz out as a leadoff hitter. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he comes out of spring training with the job.)

 

[RockRaines]

But would you rather have Pie as your starting center fielder and leadoff hitter than Taveras?

 

That's the real question, not who would you rather have on your roster.

 

PS I'm also surprised we haven't heard more talk of someone asking the Cubs to take a huge chunk of Fukudome's deal...which would give them more flexibility to sign Bradley, who the Rays apparently also covet.

I'd rather have Pie on my roster than taveras. Pie can put it together at the MLB level, he RAKED in the minors and i think needs to get out of that fishbowl that is the cubs.

[caulfield12]

But are you so confident in Pie that you'd trade Owens and/or Anderson, not sign Taveras, and hand him the starting job in CF?

 

I think I'd rather try Fukudome out of that fishbowl if the Cubs were willing to eat 55-65% of his contract.

[ThunderBolt]

But are you so confident in Pie that you'd trade Owens and/or Anderson, not sign Taveras, and hand him the starting job in CF?

I'd be fine with trading Owens and not signing Taveras and having Pie compete with Anderson going into spring training. Pie's upside as a hitter is exponentially bigger then that of Taveras and Owens combined.

[RockRaines]

I think OC signs with the A's or Dodgers.

 

Secondly, I wonder what happens with Andruw Jones.