KW: Pods not likely to come back

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I think he knows there will be good deals out there and DH is usually one of the easier positions to fill. Right now I think Kenny's focus will be finding that starting OF to go with Rios and Q and retooling the bullpen and giving himself some more financial flexibility so he can get Danks locked down, maybe go to Q for a deal (buying low), and of course freeing up the payroll necessary to add one more big bat.

 

I really feel we see a few rumored Jenks/Konerko deals which give the club financial relief and some young arms that project to the pen (and maybe a young outfielder depending on the Konerko situation).

I hope so. If the Dodgers, Braves, Mets, or Giants (all need a 1B) would take Konerko's deal without the Sox having to eat salary then I wouldn't ask for anything in return, and if I had to, I'd even throw in a halfway decent prospect or two. Jenks we should be able to get something for, but nothing fantastic or anything.

[Chisoxfn]

I hope so. If the Dodgers, Braves, Mets, or Giants (all need a 1B) would take Konerko's deal without the Sox having to eat salary then I wouldn't ask for anything in return, and if I had to, I'd even throw in a halfway decent prospect or two. Jenks we should be able to get something for, but nothing fantastic or anything.

It would be hard to give up Jenks without getting something in return because the reality is a healthy Jenks along with Thornton is a pretty damn good back-end of the pen. So if you deal Jenks, you should be getting a power arm or two in return, plus some financial flexibility (for it to make sense to the Sox). I don't know if another team will think Jenks is worht it to them, but thats what it would take for me to move him (which probably puts the odds at remote).

 

In Konerko's sake, I could see the value in moving him for nothing. 12M would go a long way to do some nice things, but we'd also have a major void we'd have to fill in that lineup and there aren't a ton of guys lying around in FA that can put up those type of numbers that wouldn't take significant contracts.

 

If we could move Konerko and go with a Holliday or Bay that would be fantastic, but again, I don't think it would be realistic, so we'd have to be able to get something plus the cash savings to make the move more beneficial (and would than probably have to acquire his replacement on the trade market and than maybe go with a Johnson or whomever, who could play 1B and DH).

[southsider2k5]

Pods is looking to get one last big contract. Its a smart move on his part, but I can't see him getting nearly as much as he thinks. I am glad the Sox aren't chasing it.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

It would be hard to give up Jenks without getting something in return because the reality is a healthy Jenks along with Thornton is a pretty damn good back-end of the pen. So if you deal Jenks, you should be getting a power arm or two in return, plus some financial flexibility (for it to make sense to the Sox). I don't know if another team will think Jenks is worht it to them, but thats what it would take for me to move him (which probably puts the odds at remote).

 

In Konerko's sake, I could see the value in moving him for nothing. 12M would go a long way to do some nice things, but we'd also have a major void we'd have to fill in that lineup and there aren't a ton of guys lying around in FA that can put up those type of numbers that wouldn't take significant contracts.

 

If we could move Konerko and go with a Holliday or Bay that would be fantastic, but again, I don't think it would be realistic, so we'd have to be able to get something plus the cash savings to make the move more beneficial (and would than probably have to acquire his replacement on the trade market and than maybe go with a Johnson or whomever, who could play 1B and DH).

I'd want something useful for 2010 out of Jenks, but at this point it might be a situation where we'd rather not move him but we kind of have to do it anyway, and given the circumstances we should look for the best reasonable package of talent we can find in exchange for him. We had better be getting lots of cash for Teahen because if we're at about a $95M payroll in 2010 we're going to have some issues if nobody wants Paulie.

[buckweaver]

I asked this a while back and didn't get a response, but this is an appropriate thread to ask again. Does anyone share my belief that Kenny dropped the ball when he signed Pods this year by not including/insisting on a reasonable club option for 2010? I am firmly in the "In Kenny We Trust" camp, but I think this was simply a mistake. Pods was watching TV at home, released by the Rockies and had no other great options (if he did, he wouldn't have come back to Charlotte). Kenny had all the cards, so to insist on a club consideration in the event he had they type of year he indeed ended up having, would have been a no-brainer. Now if we want him back, we pay his price.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I asked this a while back and didn't get a response, but this is an appropriate thread to ask again. Does anyone share my belief that Kenny dropped the ball when he signed Pods this year by not including/insisting on a reasonable club option for 2010? I am firmly in the "In Kenny We Trust" camp, but I think this was simply a mistake. Pods was watching TV at home, released by the Rockies and had no other great options (if he did, he wouldn't have come back to Charlotte). Kenny had all the cards, so to insist on a club consideration in the event he had they type of year he indeed ended up having, would have been a no-brainer. Now if we want him back, we pay his price.

In hindsight it would have been a smart thing to do, but I think Kenny initially looked at Pods as a stopgap for a couple of weeks or so, that's about it, so he probably didn't put any thought into it.

[southsideirish71]

Pods is looking to get one last big contract. Its a smart move on his part, but I can't see him getting nearly as much as he thinks. I am glad the Sox aren't chasing it.

 

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

 

[southsider2k5]

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

 

For real? Drug test the dude now because he is on something, or he added a 1 in front of that 5, that didn't belong there.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

LMAO, seriously?

 

Reading Kenny's comments made me think Pods was looking for something like 2 years, $6M. That would even be too much for me. If Pods gets 2/$15M then he needs to quit baseball and become a full-time agent pronto because not even Borass would be able to get him that.

[WCSox]

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

 

Sadly, some GM might be dumb enough to agree to that.

 

[lostfan]

Highest AVG and highest OBP (other than Thome) on a team whose offense sucked and we don't want to bring him back.

 

Sounds like a plan!!!!

 

 

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

Well. There you have it.

[southsider2k5]

Sadly, some GM might be dumb enough to agree to that.

 

Not a chance.

[witesoxfan]

Highest AVG and highest OBP (other than Thome) on a team whose offense sucked and we don't want to bring him back.

 

Sounds like a plan!!!!

 

also led the team in times being picked off as well

[Kalapse]

also led the team in times being picked off as well

Isn't "best hitter on a real bad offense" a pretty lousy argument in and of itself?

[harfman77]

I dont think Pods is the full time answer in CF defensively, and he has not shown the ability to stay healthy through an entire season. I think a CF upgrade will be the priority for the offense for the rest of the offseason along with re-tooling the bullpen a little.

[daggins]

I dont think Pods is the full time answer in CF defensively, and he has not shown the ability to stay healthy through an entire season. I think a CF upgrade will be the priority for the offense for the rest of the offseason along with re-tooling the bullpen a little.

 

Mike Cameron as a stopgap? He could fill in till Danks/Mitchell can step up.

[Chisoxfn]

In hindsight it would have been a smart thing to do, but I think Kenny initially looked at Pods as a stopgap for a couple of weeks or so, that's about it, so he probably didn't put any thought into it.

Ya, no one expected Pods to do what he did. Ozzie even indicated when Pods was signed that they didn't honestly expect much out of him. WE didn't even know if he'd join our roster. To Pods credit he had a solid season and helped us much more than any of our other in-house candidates.

[Chisoxfn]

What about a Marlon Byrd?

[SoIL]

What about a Marlon Byrd?

 

I thought about him when I saw he was released. I don't know much about him, but it's an interesting idea.

[bobryansson]

Boers and Berstein are talking about how Pods wanted a 2 year 15 million dollar deal.

Wow, I laughed when it was rumored $10mil over 2yrs. I seriously LOL'd at 2/15. I mean, this is America and it's good to dream, but...

[SoxAce]

Thank god.

[LVSoxFan]

I'd welcome him back. I thought he was damn near our MVP this year. Hittin homers (?!!?), batting .300, hustling. Not the greatest outfielder but neither was Dye.

 

But geez the idea of a blank in the 1-hole starting next season? Please God, not again...

[bobryansson]

I'd welcome him back. I thought he was damn near our MVP this year. Hittin homers (?!!?), batting .300, hustling. Not the greatest outfielder but neither was Dye.

 

But geez the idea of a blank in the 1-hole starting next season? Please God, not again...

Pods at $7,500,000.00 per year for 2 years? You must be kidding,... or... something.

[soxfan-kwman]

Asking price, emphasis on "asking"!!

[jphat007]

Yah thats way too much, but I'm scared to death to be losing 2 of our better offensive players from last year off of an atrocious offense. KW better have some real nice tricks up his sleeve.