What was KW's best post 2007 season move?

[caulfield12]

Peavy trade.

 

Sergio Santos acquired for a bag of peanuts and cracker jacks after filtering through MINN and SF systems.

 

On May 13, 2008, Santos was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox[2], but on March 20, 2009, was traded to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for future considerations. Less than two weeks after the trade he was brought back to the Chicago White Sox organization and sent to extended spring training to convert from infielder to pitcher.

 

Signing Alexei Ramirez as a FA out of Pinar del Rio...Ramirez nearly wins ROY after almost every team passed on him after workouts. Signed to one of the true great contracts in the game for a young player in his prime playing a premium position.

 

Signing Dayan Viciedo/ditching Swisher's contract.

 

Offering arbitration to O-Cabrera and watching him blink.

 

Future AL MVP Carlos Quentin acquired for INF Chris Carter.

 

Signing Andruw Jones as a FA for a bargain-basement contract.

 

Signing JJ Putz to a similarly favorable contract.

 

Gambling on Alex Rios returning to All-Star form and assuming his contract.

 

Gordon Beckham drafted and becomes TSN ROY (and perhaps the first to be sent to minors the following season, :-()

Edited May 7, 2010 by knightni

[Steve9347]

Gordon

[knightni]

I assume you meant to only allow one vote per person, so I edited the poll.

[caulfield12]

The next year he went to the Twins on waivers, and after the 2008 season the White Sox signed him as a minor-league free agent.

 

He's never really given me the impression of being a position-change guy. He's got three quality pitches, and they're all above-average pitches."

- Sox Pitching Coach Don Cooper So a year ago, Santos was also in Sox camp -- as a non-roster third baseman. In mid-March, a few days after he got cut, Chicago player-development director Buddy Bell told Santos he would be a backup in Triple-A and gave him a few choices. He could accept that job, take his release and look elsewhere, have the White Sox try to trade him -- or pitch.

 

Teams had talked to Santos about moving to the mound over the course of his career, "but being able to put up the numbers I did, position-player-wise, I just dismissed the idea."

 

After his talk with Bell, Santos threw a bullpen session."I did some soul-searching, and I just felt it was hard to start all over," Santos said. "I'm so close to just having it click, and then I'm there [in the majors as an infielder]."

 

Chicago worked out a trade on March 20 with San Francisco, where Santos was told he would be the everyday shortstop at Triple-A.

 

But four days before their opener, the Giants pulled a surprise move, sending down Kevin Frandsen rather than keeping him in the majors as the utility infielder. So they asked Santos if he'd try the outfield, and he did.

 

For a day.

 

But there was a logjam in the outfield too.

 

"They said, 'The White Sox really want you back as a pitcher. What do you think?' " Santos said. "I just said, 'You know what? Everything I've tried as a position player just isn't working out. Let's give this a shot. Why not?'

 

"The circumstances helped me change my mind faster. Because I felt I did everything I can, so now I can look back with no regrets."

 

San Francisco traded Santos back to Chicago, and after a few weeks of extended spring training, Santos went to Class A to begin life as a pitcher -- his first time pitching in a game since he was 13.

 

He made it up to Triple-A by the end of the year, but his overall numbers weren't pretty: 0-3, 8.16 ERA, 37 hits, 20 walks and six wild pitches in 28 2/3 innings.

 

"I knew I had the stuff," Santos said. "As far as putting it together, making it consistent, like big-league pitchers -- that's a different story. I knew it was a matter of repetition, of innings, of experience in order to get that way."

 

Santos said after three weeks of pitching he decided to ignore his statistics.

 

"What I cared about," he said, "is if I leave the mound that day, did I get better? And if so, what did I get better at?"

 

In the Arizona Fall League -- where he had been twice before as a hitter -- Santos was a bit better: 6.14 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 10 walks and 15 hits allowed in 14 2/3 innings.

 

"[During the regular season] he had great stuff but he was all over the place," one scout said. "In the Fall League he tightened it up a little bit."

 

Enough that had the White Sox not added him to the 40-man roster, Santos would have gone to another team high in the Rule 5 draft.

 

"The second they put me on the [40-man] roster," Santos said, "I said, 'OK, you know what, this is attainable. ... This is probably the best opportunity I've had in a big-league camp to make the team.' "

 

In six Cactus League outings, Santos has allowed three hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out nine.

 

"Every inning I go out there," he said, "and I feel like I'm gaining experience and getting better and getting better."

 

Since he's out of minor-league options and "there is no way they can pass him through waivers," as the scout said, Santos (barring injury) seems likely to make the opening-day roster. That would give the Sox another power bullpen arm to go with Bobby Jenks, Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz and Tony Peña.

 

"He's done extremely well," Cooper said of Santos, "and we really like him.

 

"Certainly we're think he's got a chance. ... I've got him scheduled all the way [to the end of the month]."

[caulfield12]

Found it interesting that nobody's voted for TCQ yet. Post 2008, there would have been only 2 possible answers, that move and Alexei Ramirez would be 1 and 1A. Now both are looking more and more MEHHHHHHHH, but both directly led to the 2008 ALCD at least.

 

Maybe I should have added keeping TMK to solidify our already devastatingly effective bench?

 

Or acquiring Jayson Nix for nothing from the Rockies...? Ran out of options here, too many good KW moves to count.

Edited May 7, 2010 by caulfield12

[Steve9347]

Found it interesting that nobody's voted for TCQ yet. Post 2008, there would have been only 2 possible answers, that move and Alexei Ramirez would be 1 and 1A. Now both are looking more and more MEHHHHHHHH, but both directly led to the 2008 ALCD at least.

 

Maybe I should have added keeping TMK to solidify our already devastatingly effective bench?

 

Or acquiring Jayson Nix for nothing from the Rockies...? Ran out of options here, too many good KW moves to count.

TCQ is lost and hasn't done anything since 2008.

[caulfield12]

But isn't Gordon Beckham also lost, too?

 

I suppose I could have added drafting high-potential impact position players in Mitchell and Trayce Thompson, to go with the Jayson Nix move.

 

PS: Brandon Short (24 game hitting streak) is now only 7 games off the All-Time Carolina League record of 31 games

Edited May 7, 2010 by caulfield12

[chetkincaid]

TCQ is lost and hasn't done anything since 2008.

 

 

I wonder what would have been had he not broken his wrist...

[Balta1701]

I wonder what would have been had he not broken his wrist...

He was in a great groove to start off the season last year until his foot acted up.

[fathom]

Santos was my pick...if he can stay healthy, we have our version of Carlos Marmol with better control.

[Kalapse]

Santos was my pick...if he can stay healthy, we have our version of Carlos Marmol with better control.

It's simply remarkable how good his control is right now given how long he's been pitching. He absolutely aced Vernon Wells with an inside breaking ball yesterday, a filthy, unhittable pitch that for whatever reason was not called a strike. There are a ton of veteran relievers that just can not put that pitch in that location.

[BigSqwert]

Right now I say Rios. He's a genuine 5 tool every day player and will be our CF for a few years, a position we've been trying to fill for what seems like forever.

Edited May 7, 2010 by BigSqwert

[fathom]

It's simply remarkable how good his control is right now given how long he's been pitching. He absolutely aced Vernon Wells with an inside breaking ball yesterday, a filthy, unhittable pitch that for whatever reason was not called a strike. There are a ton of veteran relievers that just can not put that pitch in that location.

 

It's not that he's just putting up great numbers, but the opposition looks clueless against him.

[ThunderBolt]

Or acquiring Jayson Nix for nothing from the Rockies...? Ran out of options here, too many good KW moves to count.

How is picking up Nix some sort of shot across KW's bow? Last time i checked picking up a former top prospect whose team gave up on him has worked out really well for us in the past. So, basically we spent nothing for a guy with a world of potential to take up the 25th spot on the bench. What a disaster.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Thunderbolt

[LittleHurt05]

I'm going with Rios. It was pretty ballsy to claim a guy making so much money who had been struggling. He a great defensive CF who can definitely be a 20/20 hitter. I didn't vote for Beckham, cause picking a kid like that in the top 10 of the draft isn't exactly a very tough decision to make and we have to see how he adjusts from the sophomore struggles.

[SouthsideDon48]

I picked Rios, but Santos, Quentin, and Ramirez rank a close 2nd for me.

[NorthSideSox72]

Sort of strange to have Viciedo and Swisher as the same vote item, since they had nothing to do with each other.

 

Beckham, Q, Santos and Rios are all good votes, though Beckham wasn't really a "move" by KW. I'm actually surprised no one has voted for Alexei yet, he was a damn good pickup too.

 

[ThunderBolt]

Rios. Mostly because i don't think Kenny gets another credit for the amount of balls it took to claim a guy with his contract off waivers.

[caulfield12]

2010= $6.75million, 2011=$9million, 2012=$10.25million, $1million buyout)

 

That's the money we would have been committed to paying Swisher had he stayed, which was going to happen in a sub-zero day in HADES.

 

KW has said on at least 3 occasions (I can pull the quotes if you'd like) that the White Sox were only able to offer Dayan his contract once the Swisher money (future allocation) was removed from the future payrolls.

 

That Dayan was the bat of the future and essentially Swisher's replacement on the BIG BOARD....that the return from the trade was meaningless, and that the only thing that mattered was how Viciedo did over the long-term as providing a big bopper in the middle of the line-up.

 

So, once again, KW at least WANTS us to perceive that trade as Swisher versus Vicieodo's future payoff to the Sox, not Swisher for Betemit/Marquez/Nunez, which is a debacle/disaster.

 

 

SECOND...Thunderstix

 

I said Nix could have been included but wasn't, smart acquisition, great PH batter against LHP, occasional spot starter, the starter (should be) over Vizquel for the rest of the season at 2B if for some reason Beckham doesn't pull out of this tailspin and needs to go to Charlotte, theoretically (according to Carney Lansford) the best fielding 2B he's ever seen in his lifetime. And it cost the Sox almost nothing, what, $50,000 or something like that, yes?

Edited May 7, 2010 by caulfield12

[SoxAce]

I don't think I would call Beckham "a move." Dude just happened to fall in their lap at the draft (though you can say they made the right pick at the time, but it wasn't a KW trade/FA signing etc..) so I won't count him.

 

I'll say Peavy for CR/AP. I think him struggling early on has affected some judgment here and Rios raking as well as I remember last year it was the other way around. Unless Richard really becomes good, I think we just took Peavy and ran. Rios was more or less a gift from the Jays cause of the contract. Not sold on Santos yet, though he's a beast (wanna see him respond after he gives up his first ER and he might change my vote) Quentin has to hit after 08, Jones was pure LUCK (I mean c'mon), O-Cab? And Viciedo is a wait and see, though I loved Swisher and thought he got a bad rap here. Alexei and Putz deals are a close 2nd and 3rd in my eyes.

[dyuen]

Sort of strange to have Viciedo and Swisher as the same vote item, since they had nothing to do with each other.

 

Beckham, Q, Santos and Rios are all good votes, though Beckham wasn't really a "move" by KW. I'm actually surprised no one has voted for Alexei yet, he was a damn good pickup too.

 

I just voted for Ramirez. As frustrated as many are by him he still has been a very good pickup and given us a starting MI. After that I would pick Rios and Santos. I agree Beckham wasn't a move so I can't vote for that. Peavy seemed like a risk worth taking but it remains to be seen how that works out. I am not going to be convinced by one great start. Q looked great for a year and now not so much especially since Chris Carter is raking bombs and looks to be a legit power hitter. I don't see how you could vote For Viciedo at this point.

[WHITESOXRANDY]

Alexei Ramirez.

 

Signing a major league average at least, defensively and offensively, shorstop for a million bucks a year.

 

A steal.

[caulfield12]

Randy, I agree with you.

 

Ramirez would probably be my #2 pick, although fading to number 3 if he continues to put up sub 650 OPS numbers.

The jury is still far from convening to decide the fate of Dayan Viciedo, speaking of our other Cuban.

 

Alex Rios has 100% opened some eyes and went from the running joke/punchline representing 2009 to perhaps our best all-around player. Not even perhaps, considering his defense and speed, he's the most gifted player who can play well in all facets of the game since I don't know when...we just haven't produced those guys, which is why KW basically went out and "bought" him.

 

 

[nickofypres]

O-Cab. It gave us a pretty solidly defensive infield with Crede, Uribe (for the start of the season) and Konerko. A solid #2 hitter with some speed and could actually bunt, plus he was able to lead off after Swisher proved he couldn't.

[DBAHO]

I'd say Quentin.

 

You just don't often get to acquire guys with his talent on the cheap.

 

And yeah he's basically struggled for a season and a bit now, but I still have faith he can turn it around.

 

I had more faith in him turning it around this season than Rios, and the latter's proved me wrong so far.