Could Dye return in '10?

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

No one is going to offer him more than half of what he got last year.

Agree, and I think he'll get even less as a base, like $4-5M tops, but I could see him getting up to about $8M+ maybe if he reaches all his incentives or something.

[bmags]

Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

You're right though. Our current team as it stands is not good enough to compete with those juggernaut 2010 Twins and Tigers teams. I hear the Tigers are going to bring back Adam Everett and the great Orlando Cabrera might even return to Minnesota for - get this - a full season. The Indians are going to be a force too when Matt Laporta makes up for the Lee, Sabathia, and VMart deals all by himself, and 2010 should be the dreaded Year of the Hochevar. I know, my knees are shaking too. Kenny better hurry up and overpay for a veteran in decline to DH and a couple spotty relievers or else we're doomed.

 

while you're point is obviously taken, I think their point, which I'll accept, is with a starting 5 set up the way we have it right now, it's time to go for more than merely taking a mediocre division. They want to go for it all. And who can blame anyone for that?

[greg775]

Dye will be DH for Texas next season and probably hit 28-35 home runs; not bad.

 

As far as this statement: You're right though. Our current team as it stands is not good enough to compete with those juggernaut 2010 Twins and Tigers teams. I hear the Tigers are going to bring back Adam Everett and the great Orlando Cabrera might even return to Minnesota for - get this - a full season. The Indians are going to be a force too when Matt Laporta makes up for the Lee, Sabathia, and VMart deals all by himself, and 2010 should be the dreaded Year of the Hochevar. I know, my knees are shaking too. Kenny better hurry up and overpay for a veteran in decline to DH and a couple spotty relievers or else we're doomed."

 

I'm talking about getting over .500 and doing something significant, not just squeaking into the playoffs.

Assuming Dye is gone, we have to replace that bat and we need bullpen upgrades or we are not going to top .500. And not topping .500 is a recipe for being about 7 out in September which we were this year.

Right now we have an excellent starting rotation, sub-par lineup (no Thome, Dye), sub par bullpen and average defense.

Edited November 2, 2009 by greg775

[CanOfCorn]

I don't understand what bat we are replacing? I love JD and what he did for the Sox while he was here...but he's done with the team. As has been said many times, the Sox want to get younger, faster and more athletic. That doesn't translate to home runs. The Sox don't need big boppers. They need guys who can hit 25-30 because in the Cell, that translates to roughly 30-35. They want to manufacture runs, not Earl Weaver them. That doesn't work...they've tried it. I don't think you are going to see any big signings, but possible an above average LH 4th outfielder that's going to rotate into DH.

[witesoxfan]

I don't understand what bat we are replacing? I love JD and what he did for the Sox while he was here...but he's done with the team. As has been said many times, the Sox want to get younger, faster and more athletic. That doesn't translate to home runs. The Sox don't need big boppers. They need guys who can hit 25-30 because in the Cell, that translates to roughly 30-35. They want to manufacture runs, not Earl Weaver them. That doesn't work...they've tried it. I don't think you are going to see any big signings, but possible an above average LH 4th outfielder that's going to rotate into DH.

 

The Earl Weaver offense does work; the problem lies in the fact that you need guys who hit for average and get on base too. The Sox hit .258 (tied for last), put up a .329 OBP (10th) this year, and a .411 SLG (11th), which was good for 11th in the league in overall OPS and tied for last with a 90 OPS+. That is pathetic. Last year, the Sox finished 11th in AVG and 9th in OBP - still bad - but finished 2nd in the league in slugging; the result was 811 runs.

 

I have no problem with a broader offensive attack, but they need to do it right. If they go ultra-grindy by manufacturing runs all the time, the offensive is going to struggle mightily. Being fundamentally sound and able to manufacture a run when you have to, yes, but nothing more than that.

[bmags]

Personally, I'd rather replace Dye with a power bat. Our power is only going to come from quentin/konerko/becks next year...I guess rios, too. But, I'd rather not have a bunch of light hitters in the outfield.

 

 

[simba43]

The Earl Weaver offense does work; the problem lies in the fact that you need guys who hit for average and get on base too. The Sox hit .258 (tied for last), put up a .329 OBP (10th) this year, and a .411 SLG (11th), which was good for 11th in the league in overall OPS and tied for last with a 90 OPS+. That is pathetic. Last year, the Sox finished 11th in AVG and 9th in OBP - still bad - but finished 2nd in the league in slugging; the result was 811 runs.

 

I have no problem with a broader offensive attack, but they need to do it right. If they go ultra-grindy by manufacturing runs all the time, the offensive is going to struggle mightily. Being fundamentally sound and able to manufacture a run when you have to, yes, but nothing more than that.

I totally agree with you we still need a power line up everybody seems to want this speed line up and slap bunt type hitters we play in a homerun park . Yeah we need some speed types but more importantly we need good avg guys who can hit 25 to 30 homeruns at least our 3 to 6 hitters . Thats why i would love Beckham at 2nd and getting a power guy for 3rd or if we keep him at 3rd get a guy like B. Roberts for 2nd a guy who can hit and steal bases with some pop i mean the Twins have more power then we do and there lineup 1 to 7 is much better then ours .

[BaseballNick]

I totally agree with you we still need a power line up everybody seems to want this speed line up and slap bunt type hitters we play in a homerun park . Yeah we need some speed types but more importantly we need good avg guys who can hit 25 to 30 homeruns at least our 3 to 6 hitters . Thats why i would love Beckham at 2nd and getting a power guy for 3rd or if we keep him at 3rd get a guy like B. Roberts for 2nd a guy who can hit and steal bases with some pop i mean the Twins have more power then we do and there lineup 1 to 7 is much better then ours .

 

I don't think anyone said they wanted slap hitters. The team needs to be more well-rounded so that when they aren't hitting HRs, there's another way to score runs. For instance, Alex Rios and Gordon Beckham are guys who can deliver HRs and score from second base on a single. The idea is to get more athletic so it doesn't take four hits to score one run. Jared Mitchell and Jordan Danks are guys in the minors who also fit that mold.