Report: Sox, 7 other Teams Interested in Takashi Saito

[Marty34]

Cubs also interested. Would be a nice pick up, perhaps the Sox could offer him the closer's spot as incentive to take less money.

 

Sox Amongst 8 Teams Interested in Saito

By Jason Gage

SoxNet

 

NBP Tracker, a well respected Japanese Baseball blog, is reporting that the Chicago White Sox are one of eight teams interested in former Dodgers closer and Red Sox set-up man Takashi Saito. Saito would be the third Japanese player to represent the White Sox, joining Tadahito Iguchi and Shingo Takatsu.

[Dick Allen]

Cubs also interested. Would be a nice pick up, perhaps the Sox could offer him the closer's spot as incentive to take less money.

 

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/11/free-age...ishi-kobayashi/

He'd fit right in with the youth movement. Seriously, he wouldn't be a bad pick up. Probably would take Dotel's role for less money.

[elrockinMT]

I needed the link translated except for the pictures of the ladies at the bottom of the page B)

[chw42]

I like this. He did have a 1.35 WHIP last year though. Nothing dominating.

[elrockinMT]

He'd fit right in with the youth movement. Seriously, he wouldn't be a bad pick up. Probably would take Dotel's role for less money.

 

 

Why should we expect to hand over a role to someone and for them to take less money? If there is a lot of bidding going on wouldn't they take the most money? Maybe there is something about Japanese baseball I don't know-well there are alot of things actually-but money is the lure to signing any free agent IMO.

[elrockinMT]

Cubs also interested. Would be a nice pick up, perhaps the Sox could offer him the closer's spot as incentive to take less money.

 

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/11/free-age...ishi-kobayashi/

 

 

Where does Bobbie Jenks fit in here?

[Marty34]

Jenks: preferably dealt, non-tendered at worst.

[Dick Allen]

Why should we expect to hand over a role to someone and for them to take less money? If there is a lot of bidding going on wouldn't they take the most money? Maybe there is something about Japanese baseball I don't know-well there are alot of things actually-but money is the lure to signing any free agent IMO.

Well, Dotel made $6.5 million last year. Boston declined the $6 million option on this guy this year. Maybe its a rather large assumption, but I don't think he gets $6 million, let alone $6.5 million, which would make him cheaper than Dotel.

[elrockinMT]

Well, Dotel made $6.5 million last year. Boston declined the $6 million option on this guy this year. Maybe its a rather large assumption, but I don't think he gets $6 million, let alone $6.5 million, which would make him cheaper than Dotel.

 

I don't disagree that he might make less money. I am guessing a lot of free agents are going to be dissapointed. I fact the new bargainig fellow for the union may be pressured into filing a law suit against the MLB owners for collusion. I liked Dotel but I know some others here don't. Not sure what we might end up with this off season

[southsider2k5]

Where does Bobbie Jenks fit in here?

 

Probably still working her job as a truck stop waitress.

[Ranger]

He'd fit right in with the youth movement. Seriously, he wouldn't be a bad pick up. Probably would take Dotel's role for less money.

 

 

I know the age thing is getting to be a joke after the last couple of signings, but just so we're clear: 5 of the 8 starting position players are under 30 (with one position yet to be filled) and 3 of the 5 starting pitchers are under 30. So what, the bench players are old. Who cares? You can get new bench players every year.

[iamshack]

I know the age thing is getting to be a joke after the last couple of signings, but just so we're clear: 5 of the 8 starting position players are under 30 (with one position yet to be filled) and 3 of the 5 starting pitchers are under 30. So what, the bench players are old. Who cares? You can get new bench players every year.

I actually think it's brilliant what Kenny is doing. The current market is vastly undervaluing veterans right now, so it's a good place to recoup some of the value we are overpaying on for guys like Konerko, Peavy, and Mark.

[GreatScott82]

I actually think it's brilliant what Kenny is doing. The current market is vastly undervaluing veterans right now, so it's a good place to recoup some of the value we are overpaying on for guys like Konerko, Peavy, and Mark.

exactly. good post.

[RibbieRubarb]

Probably still working her job as a truck stop waitress.

 

She used to pour the fastest cup of coffee, but her service has slowed down the past few years...

 

[southsider2k5]

She used to pour the fastest cup of coffee, but her service has slowed down the past few years...

 

 

She just can't close out a check like she used to either...

[bigruss]

She just can't close out a check like she used to either...

Yet gratuity keeps going up.

[witesoxfan]

Jenks: preferably dealt, non-tendered at worst.

 

The "worst" would be either Jenks doing something or something happening to Jenks that would make the Sox non0tendering him. Jenks is going to be on the Sox or someone else next year. Don't be crazy.

 

I actually think it's brilliant what Kenny is doing. The current market is vastly undervaluing veterans right now, so it's a good place to recoup some of the value we are overpaying on for guys like Konerko, Peavy, and Mark.

 

Ken Williams is beating Billy Beane at his own game. Moneyball is all about getting undervalued players and plugging them into the system. There's a reason he traded Mulder and Hudson, let Giambi, Tejada, and Zito go to free agency, and signed Chavez to a fantastic deal (problems arose), and it had nothing do with them performing poorly, and all about them becoming way overvalued by the market, and he continues to do it to this day. Williams is doing the exact same in signing these veteran players to contracts actually below what would normally be their market value. He did the exact same thing before *gasp* 2005. Iguchi, Hernandez, Pierzynski, and Dye were all signed below what their market value would have been the following season. Hermanson was a different story, but his first half put the Sox into position to do what they did.

 

Moneyball.

[ThunderBolt]

Ken Williams is beating Billy Beane at his own game. Moneyball is all about getting undervalued players and plugging them into the system.

Moneyball.

Exactly, KW is playing an excellent hand here. He's going after logical, cheap targets. He's looking for solid insurance in case his bigger plans don't work out.

[Chisoxfn]

Sox Interested in Takashi Saito

By Jason Gage

SoxNet

 

SN Take:

When Saito first broke onto the scene for the Dodgers, I considered him a fluke reliever, who was getting by more on smoke & mirrors than pure stuff. Four years later, Saito has proven that when healthy, he's an above average reliever. He's struck out close to a batter an inning or more in each of his 4 big league seasons and has shown success in both leagues. He also fills one of the clubs biggest holes (set-up man) and would provide the club with some leverage regarding Bobby Jenks.

 

If Jenks stays, Saito would team-up with Thornton to provide the Sox with an above average 7th/8th inning righty/lefty combo. If Jenks is traded, hurt, or non-tendered, Saito would set-up Thornton and provide the club with a back-up plan at closer. All of this can be had, at what I expect to be, a fraction of what the club spent on Octavio Dotel in 2009.

[Chisoxfn]

I wonder if signing Saito would have any impact on the possibility of luring Hideki Matsui over to be our DH? I would think Hideki would feel a bit more comfortable knowing that he'd get to play with another Japanese ball-player.

[NorthSideSox72]

Sox Interested in Takashi Saito

By Jason Gage

SoxNet

Adding Saito for the right price is appealing, but I am confused as to why you think the setup role is one of the team's biggest holes. As has been discussed ad nauseum, Linebrink sucked last year, but the pen overall was solid, and unless we trade Jenks, it seems like we're pretty set in the back end of the pen.

 

Don't get me wrong, for a cheap-ish deal, I'd jump at Saito. But I don't know that he'll be that cheap, and unless we trade Jenks, I think the need isn't nearly as great as filling the two actual holes still on the team (OF, DH).

 

[Chisoxfn]

Adding Saito for the right price is appealing, but I am confused as to why you think the setup role is one of the team's biggest holes. As has been discussed ad nauseum, Linebrink sucked last year, but the pen overall was solid, and unless we trade Jenks, it seems like we're pretty set in the back end of the pen.

 

Don't get me wrong, for a cheap-ish deal, I'd jump at Saito. But I don't know that he'll be that cheap, and unless we trade Jenks, I think the need isn't nearly as great as filling the two actual holes still on the team (OF, DH).

Who is the current right handed set-up man? From what I remember, the Sox pen outside of Thornton was awful in the 2nd half of the season. Tony Pena struggled, Dotel struggled, Linebrink struggled, and DJ is not to be considered an 8th inning man.

 

So in my personal opinion, I'm very worried about the clubs pen because it was one of the worse pens in all of baseball, imo. I'd also be the first to admit relievers seasons tend to be all over the map and there is no denying that Linebrink and Pena could be lights out again next year, but that doesn't mean the club should count on it and I have reliever as one of the teams biggest needs and I don't think I'm the only one to feel that way.

 

Saito can be an 8th inning guy and that would be real real nice to have. If Pena develops like the Sox think and Linebrink pans out, awesome, we have a few guys and the Sox can really shorten a game and win a ton of games via our starters and bullpen. But in this day an age, the pen is so important to getting into the playoffs, so I sure hope the Sox are looking at upgrading it.

[Princess Dye]

Assuming the price is right, I dont see how a Sox fan could be against adding him.

 

The pen looked good last year #s wise....but you have to factor in the loss of Dotel and the year-in-year-out second half struggles of Linebrink. Things would be pretty bare for a playoff run.

[NorthSideSox72]

Who is the current right handed set-up man? From what I remember, the Sox pen outside of Thornton was awful in the 2nd half of the season. Tony Pena struggled, Dotel struggled, Linebrink struggled, and DJ is not to be considered an 8th inning man.

 

So in my personal opinion, I'm very worried about the clubs pen because it was one of the worse pens in all of baseball, imo. I'd also be the first to admit relievers seasons tend to be all over the map and there is no denying that Linebrink and Pena could be lights out again next year, but that doesn't mean the club should count on it and I have reliever as one of the teams biggest needs and I don't think I'm the only one to feel that way.

 

Saito can be an 8th inning guy and that would be real real nice to have. If Pena develops like the Sox think and Linebrink pans out, awesome, we have a few guys and the Sox can really shorten a game and win a ton of games via our starters and bullpen. But in this day an age, the pen is so important to getting into the playoffs, so I sure hope the Sox are looking at upgrading it.

I posted the stats a few days ago, the pen was not anywhere near awful last year, they were middle of the pack, more or less. And even with no changes, the only significant person out the door is Dotel, while we have the likes of Pena and Hudson in the wings, AND we had more people than not last year who pitched well below their career lines (Thornton being the only one who did better than his usual, and DJ the only one who was more or less the same). How does that translate to "worse pens in all of baseball"?

 

Linebrink is a huge question mark of course. And like I said, I'd be all for getting Saito. But this idea I have seen touted on SoxTalk that the pen is so awful, is just not supported by any facts I can find. In fact, I think if you add Saito, a pen of Jenks closing, Carrasco in long relief, and setup being handled by some combo of Thornton/Saito/Linebrink/Pena/Hudson, has a good shot at being one of the better ones in baseball. Even without Saito, I think its decent.

 

Sign Saito, great. But this need is far, far below the needs we have at OF and DH, who play every day and where we literally have no one.

 

[Chisoxfn]

The Sox pen ranked 18th in baseball in ERA. Albeit, I realize ERA is not the most important bullpen stat. In batting average against, it was 26th. In Ops, it was 23rd. In WHIP, it was 23rd.

 

So in no way, shape or form was the Sox pen good or even average last season. It was amongst the worse in baseball and down the stretch was arguably the very worst in baseball.