White Sox trade Scott Linebrink to Braves

[IamtheHBOMB]

KW is on a roll. If we could re-sign PK and Putz and add another pen arm, I'd be ecstatic.

 

This. I really do think PK is going to be back, but I worry about Putz. I would like Thornton to remain in the setup role and have Putz assume closing duties.

[NorthSideSox72]

Cofield sounds a lot like Charlie Shirek but with a bigger frame and more walks. Fireballer with low-ish K totals and good ground ball rates, similar age.

 

[soxrwhite]

No more cringing watching Linebrink warm up? No more "Oh no, sinking feeling as he comes in? I wish him well, maybe he will find some success in the National league, but I am glad he is gone. I don't care who we got for him.

[maggsmaggs]

If they're deferring cash til next year, it means that Buehrle may be going bye-bye after this season.

I am not so sure. There is no way he or any other team thinks he is worth $14 million after this year (let alone this). If he wants to play some more baseball, I could see him re-signing with the Sox for like two years at $14 million. Obviously, he is only would play here or St. Louis. But if Paulie is back and the Sox do well next year, I wouldn't shut the door on Mark. As well, the guy would be willing to sign on the discount as he is not a guy about the money.

 

BTW, any Asian relievers out there from the Japanese leagues? You can usually get get one to two good years out of a solid pitcher there.

Edited December 4, 2010 by maggsmaggs

[Eminor3rd]

This seriously made me more excited than Dunn or Pierzynski.

[knightni]

I am not so sure. There is no way he or any other team thinks he is worth $14 million after this year (let alone this). If he wants to play some more baseball, I could see him re-signing with the Sox for like two years at $14 million. Obviously, he is only would play here or St. Louis. But if Paulie is back and the Sox do well next year, I wouldn't shut the door on Mark. As well, the guy would be willing to sign on the discount as he is not a guy about the money.

 

BTW, any Asian relievers out there from the Japanese leagues? You can usually get get one to two good years out of a solid pitcher there.

 

Buehrle shouldn't have to take a discount. He has a better resume' than he did 4 years ago.

 

Any Japanese players have to be released from their contracts by their owners in order to come over to the U.S. This involves MLB clubs bidding on them via posting fees just to get the right to talk to them about signing. Or, they have to "retire" - which means that they are on the decline and may not be good enough for MLB.

 

 

[WHITESOXRANDY]

This seriously made me more excited than Dunn or Pierzynski.

 

 

DITTO

[Jordan4life_2007]

Meh, save a couple million and get a nothing prospect back. Not that big a deal to me. But I am glad Linebrink is gone.

Edited December 4, 2010 by Jordan4life

[lostfan]

If this allows the Sox to retain Paulie then I LOVE the deal, but Cofield doesn't offer much in the way of upside at all. A true salary dump.

I almost want to say "who cares"? If he got Linebrink the f*** off this team, I don't care if he never sees the MLB roster.

[Wanne]

I almost want to say "who cares"? If he got Linebrink the f*** off this team, I don't care if he never sees the MLB roster.

 

^^^^

this

[witesoxfan]

Buehrle shouldn't have to take a discount. He has a better resume' than he did 4 years ago.

 

By simply being 33 when his next contract starts instead of 29, his resume is worse. If he thinks he can get $14 mill on the open market again, by all means, he should try it. I doubt he'll be able to, but he can go ahead and try. If anything, he is worth $8-10 million, and the Sox should sign him to an extension for no more than that.

 

I also believe they should consider it. Even if he isn't even a #2 caliber starting pitcher by the end of that contract, he's still never made less than 30 starts in his entire career (aside from 2000 when he was a midseason call-up), and there is huge value in a pitcher who can give you 200 innings on a year to year basis.

 

Any Japanese players have to be released from their contracts by their owners in order to come over to the U.S. This involves MLB clubs bidding on them via posting fees just to get the right to talk to them about signing. Or, they have to "retire" - which means that they are on the decline and may not be good enough for MLB.

 

Or their contract could simply run out. The White Sox were able to get Tadahito Iguchi because he was a free agent and wanted to come over to the US.

[greg775]

Putz is on his way, and yes I think he will get a chance to close.

 

I don't know why Putz would close over Thornton.

Putz to me would be a perfect setup man

[lostfan]

I don't know why Putz would close over Thornton.

Putz to me would be a perfect setup man

So would Thornton. Really you could just flip a coin.

[witesoxfan]

The fact that Thornton throws with his left hand and is, in fact, a top left handed reliever in the game (and arguably the best) means that he loses value when he only throws in the 9th. By keeping him in a situational role like this, he can be used anytime between the 6th and the 9th, and he can be used in the 9th if the situation calls for it. Putz doesn't have that platoon advantage - not that he's not better against righties than lefties (I'm sure he is) - simply because right handed pitchers aren't nearly as in demand.

 

Putz closing would be a good thing for this organization.

[greg775]

The fact that Thornton throws with his left hand and is, in fact, a top left handed reliever in the game (and arguably the best) means that he loses value when he only throws in the 9th. By keeping him in a situational role like this, he can be used anytime between the 6th and the 9th, and he can be used in the 9th if the situation calls for it. Putz doesn't have that platoon advantage - not that he's not better against righties than lefties (I'm sure he is) - simply because right handed pitchers aren't nearly as in demand.

 

Putz closing would be a good thing for this organization.

 

The Putz that ran out of gas last season closing would not be a good thing for this organization. That home run he gave up in that one game might be the hardest hit ball I've ever seen. I forget the particulars. It was on the road. I realize the lefty thing with Thornton, but before he hit that bump in the road late as well, he was nasty.

I'd prefer a nasty closer like Thornton.

We have needed a reliable one or two inning setup man for a long long time. Putz could be the man.

[lostfan]

The Putz that ran out of gas last season closing would not be a good thing for this organization. That home run he gave up in that one game might be the hardest hit ball I've ever seen. I forget the particulars. It was on the road. I realize the lefty thing with Thornton, but before he hit that bump in the road late as well, he was nasty.

I'd prefer a nasty closer like Thornton.

We have needed a reliable one or two inning setup man for a long long time. Putz could be the man.

You are talking about Roberts destroying that ball against the O's and I think it was the 10th inning. That was the beginning of a skid that'd last a couple more weeks, I guess he was hurt or not ready to go that deep into the season or whatever, but before that he was money. He's been a successful closer before he got hurt (he was in the Cy Young discussion actually).

[Balta1701]

The Putz that ran out of gas last season closing would not be a good thing for this organization. That home run he gave up in that one game might be the hardest hit ball I've ever seen. I forget the particulars. It was on the road. I realize the lefty thing with Thornton, but before he hit that bump in the road late as well, he was nasty.

I'd prefer a nasty closer like Thornton.

We have needed a reliable one or two inning setup man for a long long time. Putz could be the man.

The ball Thome hit off Thornton was hit harder.

[greg775]

The ball Thome hit off Thornton was hit harder.

 

I didn't see that one thankfully. But Roberts crushed it.

Hopefully Putz running out of gas last season is because of his comeback from injury. But those that hated Bobby's implosions are not gonna like Putz either if he has 4-5 outings like that. That's all it takes to hate a closer, especially if two implosions come in a row.

[Balta1701]

I didn't see that one thankfully. But Roberts crushed it.

Hopefully Putz running out of gas last season is because of his comeback from injury. But those that hated Bobby's implosions are not gonna like Putz either if he has 4-5 outings like that. That's all it takes to hate a closer, especially if two implosions come in a row.

Putz also hurt his knees. That really screwed things up.

 

Like it or not, it's not a good bet to think he'll stay 100% healthy the full season. But...that's also why he's in our price range.

[macsandz]

Putz also hurt his knees. That really screwed things up.

 

Like it or not, it's not a good bet to think he'll stay 100% healthy the full season. But...that's also why he's in our price range.

 

Can't recall the exact record, (to lazy to look it up) but JJ had some kind of scoreless innings record last season. I think it was 22. Putz returning is huge.

They're getting the band back together.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

My post in the AJ signs thread was " hell yea that's Linebrink money". I wonder if I knew something.

[witesoxfan]

The ball Thome hit off Thornton was hit harder.

 

To be fair to Thornton, he shouldn't have been out there in the first place. I've seen half of that highlight one time, and that's all I needed to see. That was brutal.

 

Greg, if you are basing your entire opinion on ONE appearance, then ignorance will haunt you. And, if you base your opinion entirely upon ONE appearance, I suggest you watch the video from Bobby Jenks on July 18th. That will change your opinion of Jenks instantly. He has a few others like that as well. Putz does not.

 

In fact, aside from those knee injuries (which I do believe has to do with overusage, which - and I have no data behind that but merely a hunch - has to do with Ozzie using his setup men far more often than his closer, whether warming and bringing in or simply warming and then shutting down once the Sox take control or lose the game. IF that is true, then I think Putz is fine as a closer)

Edited December 4, 2010 by witesoxfan

[fathom]

Greg, the biggest reason that Thornton and Putz ran out of gas and had to be overused was due to Jenks' ineffectiveness and inability to stay healthy during the 2nd half of the season. And btw, Fred Lewis' homer off of Jenks was hit just as hard as Roberts.

Edited December 4, 2010 by fathom

[Rowand44]

Albert Pujols' ball in the 2005 NLCS is still the hardest hit ball in the history of life. Just saying.

[fathom]

Albert Pujols' ball in the 2005 NLCS is still the hardest hit ball in the history of life. Just saying.

 

Bonds vs KRod in the World Series