Jeremy Reed, Lance Broadway and Brian Anderson Non-Tendered

[Dick Allen]

I still dont think it matters in the grand scheme of things because of the boom or bust nature of prospects. We can sit here and talk about how the Sox system is full of nobodies and lesser players, and that scouts look at the system with derision, but that same farm system netted them Peavy last year, and at this point the only player that looks like will truly stick at the Major league level is Richard. Prior to the last few years the system was subpar, and KW was masterful at being a snakeoil salesman to get what he wanted. Now with them focusing on minor league development, KW will be able to be less of a snakeoil salesman and more of a Rolex salesman and the deals will be a little easier, and the kids will be able to come up and produce.

The other thing is when you are trading prospects for established players, it really isn't exactly how it used to be. Most trades aren't baseball trades, they are financial deals. Generally, if you are willing to pick up most of a big contract and send over some prospects, there is a pretty good chance when the trade is evaluated 10 years later, you will look like a genius. See Hendry, Jim. It still happens where you will get burned, but giving up prospects for established players usually works out in your favor these days because its not all about the talent coming back. Its one reason I think the Peavy trade is KW's all-time best. He might have even been able to give up less, but Clayton Richard and Aaron Poreda is all it cost for Jake Peavy? That's a no brainer.

[Kyyle23]

Agreed DA, and Peavy was definitely a financially motivated deal on the part of San Diego

[Dick Allen]

Agreed DA, and Peavy was definitely a financially motivated deal on the part of San Diego

And KW was on the other end with the Swisher deal. He moved $27 million or so owed to a guy who hit .219 striking out all the time and was passed by Dewayne Wise. Swisher does alright. The guys coming back are basically nothing and people are up in arms, but I think the next couple of years they will be a lot happier with the players the Sox have that will be making the money that would have went to Swisher, than had he would have kept Nick Swisher. I thought and still think it was a good deal for the Sox, even though 10 years from now and even now, some may think KW got taken to the cleaners.

[ptatc]

KW has made the most trades involving prospects by a pretty good margin since he's been GM. And not a single one of them has become an even above average major leaguer. You're right about the Yankees (although guys like Cano, Chamberlain and Hughes have come through their system). But the Braves have been a prospect factory for over two decades. Just off the top of my head guys like Adam Wainwright, Neftali Feliz, Joey Devine and Elvis Andrus were drafted/signed then traded. That's top flight major league talent. Not to mention guys like Tommie Hanson and Jason Heyward. If I'm a GM and I'm lookin' to trade for prospects, one of the teams I'd target would be the Braves. Not the White Sox. But props to Kenny. He obviously knows when to get rid of these guys. You would just think after a while GM's would catch on.

 

This is because KW understands that prospects, no matter how good they look in the minors are still suspects. You don't know how they'll do. So if he can get a major league player with a proven rack record for them, he will. These don't always work out either (Swisher). But you have a better chance on getting a good return on a player with major league record.

[MattZakrowski]

BA has a place in the majors (if you can call the NL that) as a bench player. The others, not so much.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Man I remember people freakin out over trading Reed away....

I did

[Jordan4life_2007]

This is because KW understands that prospects, no matter how good they look in the minors are still suspects. You don't know how they'll do. So if he can get a major league player with a proven rack record for them, he will. These don't always work out either (Swisher). But you have a better chance on getting a good return on a player with major league record.

 

I'm not complaining one bit. As a fan, I love the fact that KW is consistently able to get rid of future crap before everybody figures out they're, well, crap. I'm looking at it from a rival GM standpoint. If I'm a GM, I've LONG crossed KW and the White Sox off my list of teams I'm willing to deal with when it comes to young prospects. I'm looking at teams like the Braves and Marlins. Teams that consistently either produce their own talent or trade away young talent that goes on to flourish for other organizations. You just wonder how long KW is going to be able to get away with this. Hopefully, with all the changes throughout the minor league system the last few years, and an obvious philosophical change in drafting, will FINALLY be able to start to produce our own talent and not have to rely on swindling other GM's.

[The Ginger Kid]

I did

Reed actually played okay in Seattle for a spell. Anderson and Broadway have never been worth a damn.

[greg775]

I wonder if KC will sign Anderson on the cheap. They are kind of like the Sox in taking chances on people.

He could play every day there and finally see if he's worth a crap or not.

 

 

Should we sign both Reed and Broadway and put em back in our minor league system?

Edited December 13, 2009 by greg775

[MiddleCoastBias]

I'm not complaining one bit. As a fan, I love the fact that KW is consistently able to get rid of future crap before everybody figures out they're, well, crap. I'm looking at it from a rival GM standpoint. If I'm a GM, I've LONG crossed KW and the White Sox off my list of teams I'm willing to deal with when it comes to young prospects. I'm looking at teams like the Braves and Marlins. Teams that consistently either produce their own talent or trade away young talent that goes on to flourish for other organizations. You just wonder how long KW is going to be able to get away with this. Hopefully, with all the changes throughout the minor league system the last few years, and an obvious philosophical change in drafting, will FINALLY be able to start to produce our own talent and not have to rely on swindling other GM's.

 

Agreed. And I would add the Pirates in there, too. They love to ship out any talent they have for fear that they might cost too much after 3 years...

Edited December 13, 2009 by The Baconator

[southsider2k5]

The amazing part is that Kenny was able to turn all three of these flops into other players.

[DaveBrown85]

BA has a place in the majors (if you can call the NL that) as a bench player. The others, not so much.

i think reed might still have a chance

[Hawkfan]

I think Beckham may have re-established faith in our system.

 

Perhaps that will make teams trade with us again.

 

He was hardly in the system.

[bmags]

He was hardly in the system.

 

Correct, however I think we are talking about our scouting. And you can screw up a top ten pick, happens all the time.

 

I think one important thing Beckham did was kind of teach us what a real prospect looks like. When we produce trades we think our junk can compare with legitimate prospects with star potential. Seeing beckham made me realize the large difference between a future star and a potential future starter ala Brent Morel.

[caulfield12]

Well, the other thing you have to consider is our dearth of Top 10 picks over the last twenty years or so.

 

The last really significant "big-time" prospects before Beckham were probably Joe Borchard and Jon Rauch (I suppose you could include Kip Wells and Jon Garland in there somewhere too)...speaking of Borchard, flipping him for Matt Thornton has to go up on the all-time Top 5 KW moves list, too.

 

Our system actually isn't even in the Bottom 10-12 teams in terms of producing major league players, it's simply that we haven't produced very many All-Stars of our own after the Magglio/C-Lee/Durham triumvirate, there's really only been Crede and Rowand since (for position players). We're good at producing Angel Andy Gonzalezes and Ehren Wasserman types to fill out the last three roster spots.

 

Buehrle was perhaps the least likely of all those pitching prospects to make it in the 1998-2002 group. Ironic, that Buehrle and Josh Fogg, along with Chad Bradford, would end up having the biggest impact on the game...not Wells, Ginter, Rauch, Barcelo, Danny Wright, Aaron Myette, Jason Stumm, Rob Purvis, Brian West, etc (all of those "power arms" that KW was collecting at the time).

 

It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes of the T. Thompson pick...we've gone through so many athletes trying to play baseball (Borchard, Josh Fields, Brian West, Brian Anderson, Chris Young) that Beckham stood out as a "pure" baseball player, so different from the typical White Sox draft pick. In some ways, Chris Getz also seemed to fit this mold as well, not the kind of player off the charts in the scouts' ratings but something akin to Bobby Hurley or Chris Corchiani, a "gym rat" who forced his way onto every team he played for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[witesoxfan]

Odds are really good that Trayce Thompson never amounts to anything other than potential trade bait, but if he gets the correct coaching and the Sox go really slow with him, he's definitely got the type of talent to become a special player.

 

When I think of athletic players, I tend to consider the likes of Granderson and Sizemore. If, come say 2014, Thompson can be considered anything close to either of those two when they first came up, it'd be incredible.

[SoxAce]

It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes of the T. Thompson pick...we've gone through so many athletes trying to play baseball (Borchard, Josh Fields, Brian West, Brian Anderson, Chris Young) that Beckham stood out as a "pure" baseball player, so different from the typical White Sox draft pick. In some ways, Chris Getz also seemed to fit this mold as well, not the kind of player off the charts in the scouts' ratings but something akin to Bobby Hurley or Chris Corchiani, a "gym rat" who forced his way onto every team he played for.

 

Jared Mitchell is in the same category if you were talking athletes BTW. Not sure if you meant the theme of 1st round athlete picks either.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

I expect Josh Fields to lose his baseball life within two years as well.

 

It makes me sad to recognize that I'm upset about Chris Getz going to KC for Teahen and damn near forgot that Fields went in the same deal. After the no-hitter and Jimbo's 500th, this guy was probably the only legit reason anyone could reasonably justify watching White Sox baseball in 2007. Shame.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Swingandalongonetoleft

[southsider2k5]

It makes me sad to recognize that I'm upset about Chris Getz going to KC for Teahen and damn near forgot that Fields went in the same deal. After the no-hitter and Jimbo's 500th, this guy was probably the only legit reason anyone could reasonably justify watching White Sox baseball in 2007. Shame.

 

I am pretty sure Fields doesn't amount to anything at the major league level. He just can't cut that swing down enough.

[Jordan4life_2007]

It makes me sad to recognize that I'm upset about Chris Getz going to KC for Teahen and damn near forgot that Fields went in the same deal. After the no-hitter and Jimbo's 500th, this guy was probably the only legit reason anyone could reasonably justify watching White Sox baseball in 2007. Shame.

 

If I were you, I'd just erase every White Sox first round pick from 2000-2006 from your memory. Just try to act like it never happened.