Getting Pumped for 2011!

[southsider2k5]

Unless the economic situation has really worsened around MLB, we have zero shot at Crawford. Even in the last few years where the market in general has been depressed for free agents, the top named guys are still getting top dollar.

[justBLAZE]

The Sox are paying Juan Pierre $3M in 2010, and $5M in 2011, as long as he has a touch better season next year I wouldn't conisder this overpaid.

 

I realize he has a huge contract but the Dodgers are paying for most of it.

[dmbjeff]

Huge offseason for KW.

 

1B-Franchise's 2nd best player in my eyes, PK is a FA. If he leaves, alot of fans will be upset, but if he wants a long term deal or big time money one last time, I am not for the Sox doing that. 2 year deal at the max with an option for a 3rd in the 10 million range. There will also be other FA's or trade candidates the Sox can explore. Also the possibility of going cheap and giving Viciedo the job is a slight possibility. Dunn, LaRoche, DLee, Huff, Pena, Overbay lead the list of 1B FA's.

 

2B-SHould be Beckham, but the possibility of a trade of Beckham along with someone like Teahen or Linebrink to give financial flexibility can't be ignored. The only way to get rid of one of our bad contracts is to also give up something of value. I don't think it would be Beckham personally, but seeing a similar player go is a decent probability.

 

SS-Alexei has had a fine season. He will be back. Defense much improved and outside is usual slow start, was a solid hitter all season.

 

3B-Another huge hole for this team. We have in house candidates in Morel,Viciedo,Teahen. We could resign Vizquel, but I'd rather him be back as a super IF sub. FA options include Beltre and that's about it.

 

C-Is Flowers ready? Why isn't he starting down the stretch to see what we have. AJ has been a staple on the Sox, but his production has slipped. He would be nice to have back at a cheap 1 year deal. FA options include VMart, Buck, Olivo.

 

OF-Rios and Pierre will both be back I assume. What about Q? He has looked lost nearly all year. His 2008 self has been gone for a while. Also his D in RF is atrocious. If he is brought back it would seem to be surely as a DH. FA options include Crawford and Werth but after that, the options are very limited. A trade is another possible option.

 

DH-The problem area of 2010. Any of those 1B options could be a possibility along with Thome,Manny,Ortiz,Matsui,Burrell.

 

SP-Our area of strength. One of these guys will almost surely be dealt for financial reasons. Danks,Floyd or Jax seem most likely to go. Buehrle should be back and hopefully Peavy will be back from his injury. We also have Sale as a possible 5th starter.

 

RP- Thornton and Linebrink are the only sure things to be back. Sale too, depending on how the Sox want to use him. Jenks should be gone. Putz could be brought back along with Pena, but inevitably, we will also have another cheap arm or 2 back there for financial reasons.

 

Bench- Teahen looks to be the super sub and I think Vizquel will be back as well. That leaves a backup C and OF to be needed. These could be taken care of by just bringing back Castro and Jones.

 

Financially KW has a tough offseason ahead. 15 guys under contract for about 83million or so. That leaves about 20-25 mil to play with to address C,1B,3B,DH,RP, a 3-4 bench spots. He has never been a let the kids play type of GM so I anticipate alot of deals this offseason. 3 huge offensive positions need to be addressed and will he trust kids to fill them out? It will be an exciting offseason for sure.

[Milkman delivers]

Huge offseason for KW.

 

1B-Franchise's 2nd best player in my eyes, PK is a FA. If he leaves, alot of fans will be upset, but if he wants a long term deal or big time money one last time, I am not for the Sox doing that. 2 year deal at the max with an option for a 3rd in the 10 million range. There will also be other FA's or trade candidates the Sox can explore. Also the possibility of going cheap and giving Viciedo the job is a slight possibility. Dunn, LaRoche, DLee, Huff, Pena, Overbay lead the list of 1B FA's.

 

2B-SHould be Beckham, but the possibility of a trade of Beckham along with someone like Teahen or Linebrink to give financial flexibility can't be ignored. The only way to get rid of one of our bad contracts is to also give up something of value. I don't think it would be Beckham personally, but seeing a similar player go is a decent probability.

 

SS-Alexei has had a fine season. He will be back. Defense much improved and outside is usual slow start, was a solid hitter all season.

 

3B-Another huge hole for this team. We have in house candidates in Morel,Viciedo,Teahen. We could resign Vizquel, but I'd rather him be back as a super IF sub. FA options include Beltre and that's about it.

 

C-Is Flowers ready? Why isn't he starting down the stretch to see what we have. AJ has been a staple on the Sox, but his production has slipped. He would be nice to have back at a cheap 1 year deal. FA options include VMart, Buck, Olivo.

 

OF-Rios and Pierre will both be back I assume. What about Q? He has looked lost nearly all year. His 2008 self has been gone for a while. Also his D in RF is atrocious. If he is brought back it would seem to be surely as a DH. FA options include Crawford and Werth but after that, the options are very limited. A trade is another possible option.

 

DH-The problem area of 2010. Any of those 1B options could be a possibility along with Thome,Manny,Ortiz,Matsui,Burrell.

 

SP-Our area of strength. One of these guys will almost surely be dealt for financial reasons. Danks,Floyd or Jax seem most likely to go. Buehrle should be back and hopefully Peavy will be back from his injury. We also have Sale as a possible 5th starter.

 

RP- Thornton and Linebrink are the only sure things to be back. Sale too, depending on how the Sox want to use him. Jenks should be gone. Putz could be brought back along with Pena, but inevitably, we will also have another cheap arm or 2 back there for financial reasons.

 

Bench- Teahen looks to be the super sub and I think Vizquel will be back as well. That leaves a backup C and OF to be needed. These could be taken care of by just bringing back Castro and Jones.

 

Financially KW has a tough offseason ahead. 15 guys under contract for about 83million or so. That leaves about 20-25 mil to play with to address C,1B,3B,DH,RP, a 3-4 bench spots. He has never been a let the kids play type of GM so I anticipate alot of deals this offseason. 3 huge offensive positions need to be addressed and will he trust kids to fill them out? It will be an exciting offseason for sure.

 

I certainly don't think Linebrink is a lock to be on the team next year. He only has one year left (I believe) on his contract, so I'm sure someone would be willing to take a chance on him.

[bigruss]

I certainly don't think Linebrink is a lock to be on the team next year. He only has one year left (I believe) on his contract, so I'm sure someone would be willing to take a chance on him.

If we ate $3 mill or so we may be able to dump him back onto a NL team who thinks he could be a decent 7th inning guy.

[bigruss]

The Sox courting a big free agent, only to have him sign somewhere else for more money? I don't believe it.

 

Haha yea it just seems so Sox like for them to target a big name player that they've loved for years then lose out to another team in FA after banking on signing that guy.

 

The Sox are paying Juan Pierre $3M in 2010, and $5M in 2011, as long as he has a touch better season next year I wouldn't conisder this overpaid.

 

I realize he has a huge contract but the Dodgers are paying for most of it.

$5 million might not be a whole lot for a starting OF, but I just hate his style of game and unless he was playing for under $1 million then I think he is more detrimental to the team then good. But thats my opinion, and I know alot of people can claim he's a decent leadoff man (I have different ideals what a good leadoff man entails) but he does play pretty good D, I do give him that.

[southsider2k5]

I certainly don't think Linebrink is a lock to be on the team next year. He only has one year left (I believe) on his contract, so I'm sure someone would be willing to take a chance on him.

 

I am betting Liney ends up in a bad contract for bad contract kind of deal so that we can fill positions of need.

[Milkman delivers]

I am betting Liney ends up in a bad contract for bad contract kind of deal so that we can fill positions of need.

 

Sounds like a real possibility.

[SoxAce]

I don't get the heavy dislike that Pierre gets by some. I think he's an okay lead-off guy, has got good speed, and has shown some pretty good defense this year. However, I agree that he is way overpaid. And if that's the only source of the dislike, I can understand that.

 

I can care less about the money he is making. Overpaid or underpaid, I just hate his game. I'm sure he is a fantastic person, and his work ethic is second to none, but him as a baseball player.. terrible. I'm not speaking for anybody else though. Other than Kalapse, I hate him the most on this board.

Edited September 30, 2010 by J.Reedfan8

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I can care less about the money he is making. Overpaid or underpaid, I just hate his game. I'm sure he is a fantastic person, and his work ethic is second to none, but him as a baseball player.. terrible. I'm not speaking for anybody else though. Next to Kalapse, I hate him the most on this board.

 

Agree or disagree with his game or beneficial he actually is to a team, the results he produces makes him far from terrible.

[dmbjeff]

I certainly don't think Linebrink is a lock to be on the team next year. He only has one year left (I believe) on his contract, so I'm sure someone would be willing to take a chance on him.

well liney is otechnically the only one under contract for next season. if we deal him, it will be for another bad contract. if the numbers were ok, i wouldnt mind a fukudome for liney swap. fukudome can at least plat some D and get on base.

[NorthSideSox72]

well liney is otechnically the only one under contract for next season. if we deal him, it will be for another bad contract. if the numbers were ok, i wouldnt mind a fukudome for liney swap. fukudome can at least plat some D and get on base.

Thornton's option was picked up, Pena has another arb year I believe, same for Jenks, and youngsters like Sale and Santos are still under team control. So actually, the only bullpen arm not under team control in 2010 is Putz, I think.

 

[Balta1701]

Unless the economic situation has really worsened around MLB, we have zero shot at Crawford. Even in the last few years where the market in general has been depressed for free agents, the top named guys are still getting top dollar.

Carl. Crawford. Will. Be. A. Yankee.

[Balta1701]

Thornton's option was picked up, Pena has another arb year I believe, same for Jenks, and youngsters like Sale and Santos are still under team control. So actually, the only bullpen arm not under team control in 2010 is Putz, I think.

Although Jenks is technically under team control, it'd cost $10 millionish to offer him arbitration this offseason. The odds of that happening are about the same as the odds of the Sox getting a top 15 draft pick.

[NorthSideSox72]

Although Jenks is technically under team control, it'd cost $10 millionish to offer him arbitration this offseason. The odds of that happening are about the same as the odds of the Sox getting a top 15 draft pick.

Yeah I know, Jenks is 99% sure to leave. I was just replying to the idea that the Sox have only one arm under control, which isn't the case.

 

[witesoxfan]

Carl. Crawford. Will. Be. A. Yankee.

 

Really? Cuz their outfield of Gardner-Granderson-Swisher is already pretty good. I am thinking more along the lines of Angels, Red Sox, or perhaps even a different sleeper team. I'm not sure I really see the Yankees interested.

 

Of course, if they did sign him and then subsequently made Brett Gardner available, the Sox should be on the phone with Cashman immediately.

[Balta1701]

Really? Cuz their outfield of Gardner-Granderson-Swisher is already pretty good. I am thinking more along the lines of Angels, Red Sox, or perhaps even a different sleeper team. I'm not sure I really see the Yankees interested.

 

Of course, if they did sign him and then subsequently made Brett Gardner available, the Sox should be on the phone with Cashman immediately.

One article alone doesn't prove anything...but the talk has been out there for so long...you can google if you really want more.

Tampa Bay Rays star Carl Crawford might as well have a pinstriped target on his back. The Yankees will have their hands full next winter, with their own big-time free-agents-to-be Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and manager Joe Girardi, but don't expect them to stop there. They not only have a seemingly limitless supply of spending money, but also know how to juggle several deca-million dollar contract negotiations simultaneously, and they will focus on Crawford. Just just about everyone but Crawford seems to know it.

 

When he is told that word has it the Yankees covet him, he seems unfazed. Maybe he's heard this before, maybe he doesn't care.

 

"I don't think about other teams,'' says the perpetually upbeat 28-year-old. "I'm only concerned with what goes on with the Rays.''

 

Still, as one competing executive says, "The Yankees absolutely love Crawford."

 

And what the Yankees love, they usually get.

The Yankees are going to make him a big money offer. Whether he takes it or not is going to be up to him.

[Jerksticks]

One article alone doesn't prove anything...but the talk has been out there for so long...you can google if you really want more.

The Yankees are going to make him a big money offer. Whether he takes it or not is going to be up to him.

Has Crawford ever said anything about loving Chicago or Ozzie or anything? That would be cool.

[Milkman delivers]

Has Crawford ever said anything about loving Chicago or Ozzie or anything? That would be cool.

 

If he ever said anything about Chicago or Ozzie, my guess is that it wouldn't be positive.

[Balta1701]

Has Crawford ever said anything about loving Chicago or Ozzie or anything? That would be cool.

In my memory, Crawford's been about as good of a citizen in Tampa Bay as one could possibly have been with that franchise.

[SoxAce]

Really? Cuz their outfield of Gardner-Granderson-Swisher is already pretty good.

 

I don't think the Yankees would hesitate moving the 4.0 WAR Granderson this winter for the 7.0 WAR Crawford. Gardner has a been a + defender at CF in the past as well (he's much better in LF, but Crawford is so good there you can move Brent at CF and still be as good, maybe even better defensively) not to mention they get the better OBP player in Crawford the last two years. It's the Yankee way.

[LittleHurt05]

In my memory, Crawford's been about as good of a citizen in Tampa Bay as one could possibly have been with that franchise.

 

Love this from Passan's twitter: JeffPassan Crawford: "Maybe to David and Longo that was a problem, but they should be happy. When I came to the big leagues, it was 5,000 showing up."

about 16 hours ago via web

[Balta1701]

Teahen is planning to work on being back as a utility/jack of all trades guy this offseason.

[Balta1701]

Ozzie would love to have Vizquel back in 2011

[Wanne]

gotta say...a very disappointing season in my eyes. 95 wins could have been very attainable IMO...just too much inconsistency and losses to much lesser teams did us in.