Tigers Sign Damon - 1 yr, 8 mil; NTC

[SoxAce]

I love the rotating DH..........as long as the options are viable hitters. Jones may be but Vizquel, Kotsay and Nix are not.

 

Pretty much sums it up. I love the rotating DH idea (most teams are now doing it) but you got to have the talent to do the rotating. I'm sure if we had Jason Kubel on the team I doubt anyone here would be complaining about him rotating despite his s***ty defense, because the man can hit. If the rotator in the DH spot can play great D, thats a bonus, but give me the bat and bad defense than great defense and the s*** bat anyday.

[SoxFan1]

SI_JonHeyman

 

still looks like an AL Central battle for damon. #braves apparently dont have the funds to compete. #tigers, #chisox 15 minutes ago from web

[shakes]

Pretty much sums it up. I love the rotating DH idea (most teams are now doing it) but you got to have the talent to do the rotating. I'm sure if we had Jason Kubel on the team I doubt anyone here would be complaining about him rotating despite his s***ty defense, because the man can hit. If the rotator in the DH spot can play great D, thats a bonus, but give me the bat and bad defense than great defense and the s*** bat anyday.

 

 

The Sox horrendous defense and base running was a huge part of the problem last year. This is a pitching first team, so if the rotating DH can help to improve that, I'm good with it.

 

I would also like another bat, but there were a lot of areas on this team that needed to be shored up, and the Sox do not have unlimited resources.

[Thad Bosley]

There are anywhere between 500 and 600 at-bats in the designated hitter's spot in the line-up. Maybe anywhere between 75 and 100 of those at-bats go to Quentin and Konerko in an effort to rest them, with your "bench" players then subbing for them in the field. Fine. But then what about the remaining at-bats? Should they go to these bench players, or should they go to the likes of a Jim Thome, a Johny Damon, or anyone else who is not considered a bench player? Seems to me the answer is very obvious, but for some reason, we're choosing to go the bench player route. Mind boggling, really.

[shakes]

There are anywhere between 500 and 600 at-bats in the designated hitter's spot in the line-up. Maybe anywhere between 75 and 100 of those at-bats go to Quentin and Konerko in an effort to rest them, with your "bench" players then subbing for them in the field. Fine. But then what about the remaining at-bats? Should they go to these bench players, or should they go to the likes of a Jim Thome, a Johny Damon, or anyone else who is not considered a bench player? Seems to me the answer is very obvious, but for some reason, we're choosing to go the bench player route. Mind boggling, really.

 

I would love Damon, as well. But, if they don't get another bat I could easily see Quentin and Konerko taking 400+ at bats in that role.

 

 

 

[ThunderBolt]

The Sox horrendous defense and base running was a huge part of the problem last year. This is a pitching first team, so if the rotating DH can help to improve that, I'm good with it.

 

I would also like another bat, but there were a lot of areas on this team that needed to be shored up, and the Sox do not have unlimited resources.

What areas need to be shored up? Which ones are more important then a left-handed power hitting bat for the middle of the order? How else should we spend our limited resources?

[fathom]

I love the rotating DH..........as long as the options are viable hitters. Jones may be but Vizquel, Kotsay and Nix are not.

 

Sorry, that's exactly what I meant before, but you stated it a lot better than I did. It's the cast of characters we're looking to play at the DH, and not the actual rotating DH idea. If we were using Branyan and Gomes as our rotation DH, I would be extremely happy with that.

[ThunderBolt]

I like that Heyman still has us as players in this. It's a spot of encouraging news after Merkin and Robothal tried to downplay this.

[fathom]

I like that Heyman still has us as players in this. It's a spot of encouraging news after Merkin and Robothal tried to downplay this.

 

Or cause Boras knows how to manipulate Heyman?

[ThunderBolt]

Or cause Boras knows how to manipulate Heyman?

I think that's a huge factor here too. Boras knows how to play Heyman, and is very close to the Tigers management.

[BigSqwert]

You always have to be gentle when playing with a heyman.

[whitesoxfan101]

I love the rotating DH..........as long as the options are viable hitters. Jones may be but Vizquel, Kotsay and Nix are not.

 

Exactly, a rotation of a few to several guys who can hit is a great idea. A rotation of bench players who can't even hit at a league average level is not.

[Pants Rowland]

You always have to be gentle when playing with a heyman.

 

Posts like this are the reason I continue to visit this circular thread. Thanks.

[NorthSideSox72]

I think that's a huge factor here too. Boras knows how to play Heyman, and is very close to the Tigers management.

That same thing could be said of the Tigers' supposed offer. There's bulls*** there somewhere, but let's be honest - no one knows where it lies in this case. All we can say with some amount of certainty is that the Tigers and Sox are potentially interested, and one of them will probably sign him.

 

[shakes]

What areas need to be shored up? Which ones are more important then a left-handed power hitting bat for the middle of the order? How else should we spend our limited resources?

 

The Sox defense,baserunning, and bench were amongst the worst in baseball. They have completely reconfigured the offense, defense, bench, and added to the bullpen. A lot has been done.

 

Baseball is much more than an offensive sport. You can see how the station-to-station slugging mentality has gone the last few years.

 

Yes, they could use another bat, but I think they have improved just about every other area of the team. And changes to those areas were long overdue.

 

I don't see any gaping holes like past teams, and if being one bat short is the problem, regardless of position that bat plays, they are not in bad shape.

 

I'm willing to see how this plays out, and what the final roster looks like come opening day. Kenny is clearly still working to get another bat.

[NorthSideSox72]

The Sox defense,baserunning, and bench were amongst the worst in baseball. They have completely reconfigured the offense, defense, bench, and added to the bullpen. A lot has been done.

 

Baseball is much more than an offensive sport. You can see how the station-to-station slugging mentality has gone the last few years.

 

Yes, they could use another bat, but I think they have improved just about every other area of the team. And changes to those areas were long overdue.

 

I don't see any gaping holes like past teams, and if being one bat short is the problem, regardless of position that bat plays, they are not in bad shape.

 

I'm willing to see how this plays out, and what the final roster looks like come opening day. Kenny is clearly still working to get another bat.

I think you are making T-Bolt's point in this case. He is concerned about the one hole we CLEARLY have, at DH, and that needs to be addressed. I agree with you that KW has improved this team quite a big since mid-last season, but the one place we fell back, is a big fall.

 

[SoxAce]

Which is why I said Damon makes the most sense shake. He can hit, underrated in LF (minus the arm), and can score from 2nd to home or go from 1st to 3rd and can steal you a bag if needed. (12/12 last year in SB, and I think he's good for 10-15.. perhaps 20 if Ozzie wants to run him alittle more with his efficiency of not getting caught SB) IMO he is the perfect candidate

currently on the market for the sox. Someone on fangraphs said this is basically the Bobby Abreu steal all over again comparing both of them. Sox have already done their shoring up on defense, baserunning (smarter I.Q. out there) XBH problem which was last in the league, etc.. etc.. except that gaping hole at DH filling it with two guys KW stated would be bench players earlier in the season.

Edited February 12, 2010 by SoxAce

[macsandz]

1 game in mid September when we had 3 catchers on the roster. Yeah, that doesn't count.

 

So the game never went to Cooperstown? Ozzie has said AJ will also DH this season.

[Balta1701]

Which is why I said Damon makes the most sense shake. He can hit, underrated in LF (minus the arm)

Johnny Damon is not underrated in LF. The very fact that anyone would say that means he's still overrated.

[SoxAce]

Johnny Damon is not underrated in LF. The very fact that anyone would say that means he's still overrated.

 

He is Balta. I don't think I've ever heard Damon as a good to average OF from anyone. Any average fan would actually say he blows donkey balls with his girly arm. Read back a page or two and I explain why.

[shakes]

Which is why I said Damon makes the most sense shake. He can hit, underrated in LF (minus the arm), and can score from 2nd to home or go from 1st to 3rd and can steal you a bag if needed. (12/12 last year in SB, and I think he's good for 10-15.. perhaps 20 if Ozzie wants to run him alittle more with his efficiency of not getting caught SB) IMO he is the perfect candidate

currently on the market for the sox. Someone on fangraphs said this is basically the Bobby Abreu steal all over again comparing both of them. Sox have already done their shoring up on defense, baserunning (smarter I.Q. out there) XBH problem which was last in the league, etc.. etc.. except that gaping hole at DH filling it with two guys KW stated would be bench players earlier in the season.

 

I agree he would be perfect. Part of it is I'm not buying the Sox are really players in this, but hope I'm wrong.

 

My comments aren't really directed at you or T-Bolt, or anyone in particular. I guess I'm just saying that this constant harping on the DH position has more to do with the offense as a whole, than with DH in particular. There is a serious change in philosophy across baseball, and the Sox are buying into it, and the Sox had to find a way to improve a lot of areas on their team. The offense is definitely taking a bit of a hit, but I think it could be easily correctable. I wish they didn't have to have any flaws, but there are payroll constraints on this team so it is highly unlikely that will ever be the case.

 

I'm more excited to watch this team, even as is, than I have been about a Sox team since 2006. People are forgetting all too fast how frustrating this team has been to watch the last three years.

[macsandz]

BTW, multiple sources are reporting the Sox are very much still in the mix for Damon today. It's just the Sox & Tigers now.

 

2:12pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com says via Twitter that it looks like the Damon sweepstakes will come down to the White Sox and Tigers. He says the Braves don't appear to have the money to bid.

 

2:00pm: Don't hold your breath for a Damon signing. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that nothing is imminent with the Tigers.

 

You gotta think this 2/$14M from DET is either total BS, or Damon really doesn't wanna play there. Why else hasn't he signed?

That was classic Boras chasing $/years from Kenny. I can't see the Sox going to two years unless it's a team option.

[WCSox]

He is Balta. I don't think I've ever heard Damon as a good to average OF from anyone. Any average fan would actually say he blows donkey balls with his girly arm. Read back a page or two and I explain why.

 

Indeed. He has the range to play LF, but his arm is in Pods territory. Unless there are inferior options for LF, he's a DH now.

 

That said, he'd be the the solid leadoff hitter that this team has been lacking for most of the past 3 years.

 

[dyuen]

Pretty much sums it up. I love the rotating DH idea (most teams are now doing it) but you got to have the talent to do the rotating. I'm sure if we had Jason Kubel on the team I doubt anyone here would be complaining about him rotating despite his s***ty defense, because the man can hit. If the rotator in the DH spot can play great D, thats a bonus, but give me the bat and bad defense than great defense and the s*** bat anyday.

 

What is your basis for saying that?? It has absolutely zero merit.

 

Angels - Matsui

A's - Cust

Mariners - Griffey

Rangers - Guerrero

Indians - Hafner

Royals - Guillen

Tigers - Guillen

Twins - Kubel

Blue Jays - ??????????

Orioles - Scott

Rays - Burrell

Red Sox - Ortiz

Yankees - Johnson

 

I don't see any rotations on one other team and I think every one of those teams intends to give those guys 450-500 ABs. The Sox are the only team using this bad concept. Of all those guys listed I think only Griffey and the Blue Jays are worse than what we have. To the other person who said people are getting away from the big lumbering DH, this list also disagrees. Only Carlos Guillen (a butcher in the field) and Nick Johnson are not lumbering type guys.

[Knackattack]

The Mariners are gonna try the whole rotating DH idea too, but they are stocking their team with players who actually compliment each other and can hit.