WTF are we waiting for ? Call up Viciedo !

[kitekrazy]

The longer he stays in AAA, the more he looks like a trade chit when Kenny goes all in. Logic would have him up by now. The only reason to keep him down pounding the crap out of the ball is to max his value without risking damaging it by bringing him up.

 

Maybe they want to be more careful handling this guy. Frank Thomas believed Beckham was brought up too soon, maybe Sale would be better off in the minors now. Maybe they don't want to make the same mistake with Vic.

 

[kitekrazy]

If Kenny traded Viciedo SoxTalk would blow up, literally

 

Unless they got someone like Pujols with a contract extension.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Maybe they want to be more careful handling this guy. Frank Thomas believed Beckham was brought up too soon, maybe Sale would be better off in the minors now. Maybe they don't want to make the same mistake with Vic.

 

Dayan has played in 279 games with 1173 PAs in the minors. Beckham played in 59 games with 259 PAs in the minors. Chris Sale pitched 10 1/3 innings in the minors. There's no comparison here. Viciedo should be up and Lillibridge should be getting 5 starts a week between CF/2B until he proves he can't handle the jump in playing time.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Dayan has played in 279 games with 1173 PAs in the minors. Beckham played in 59 games with 259 PAs in the minors. Chris Sale pitched 10 1/3 innings in the minors. There's no comparison here. Viciedo should be up and Lillibridge should be getting 5 starts a week between CF/2B until he proves he can't handle the jump in playing time.

As the title of one the best albums of all time by the Talking Heads says "Stop Making Sense."

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Unless they got someone like Pujols with a contract extension.

 

Or Colby Ramus, or like a few dozen other players.

[caulfield12]

Or Colby Ramus, or like a few dozen other players.

 

 

Where would he play? Do you honestly think Ozzie would bench Rios for Rasmus?

[Balta1701]

Where would he play? Do you honestly think Ozzie would bench Rios for Rasmus?

Over the last 30 games, Rasmus is hitting .173, sub-.600 OPS.

 

He'd fit right in.

[Milkman delivers]

Even Cubs fans and Sox fans that don't pay much attention are now asking why Viciedo isn't in the majors yet. I had a few of them ask me why last night.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Over the last 30 games, Rasmus is hitting .173, sub-.600 OPS.

 

He'd fit right in.

 

At least he's cheap garbage. Rios is expensive garbage.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Jordan4life

[Steve9347]

The longer he stays in AAA, the more he looks like a trade chit when Kenny goes all in. Logic would have him up by now. The only reason to keep him down pounding the crap out of the ball is to max his value without risking damaging it by bringing him up.

If Kenny trades Viciedo, I will institute a White Sox boycott.

[Steve9347]

Lillibridge will get his once a week start because a lefty is pitching tomorrow. Then it will be Pierre getting outs in bunches on Sunday.

This is where greg775 will ridicule you for picking on Pierre and having no problem with Alex Rios and Adam Dunn. Fair warning.

[Steve9347]

Even Cubs fans and Sox fans that don't pay much attention are now asking why Viciedo isn't in the majors yet. I had a few of them ask me why last night.

Even Andy Behrens of Yahoo finds it comical.

 

Dayan Viciedo feasting in minors, Juan Pierre still a mess

By Andy Behrens

 

Just a few days ago, in an interview with MLB.com, White Sox farmhand Dayan Viciedo(notes) announced, "I'm ready." When general manager Ken Williams was asked to assess the young slugger's progress, he agreed: "He's ready."

 

So there aren't many questions within the organization about Viciedo's readiness. That's a good sign. The 22-year-old is hitting .325/.370/.542 this season at Triple-A Charlotte, with 11 homers, 21 doubles and 47 RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Viciedo has been a monster: 18-for-39, five doubles, one homer, six RBIs, three walks, six multi-hit games.

 

The numbers say he's ready, the player says he's ready, the GM says he's ready. You'll recall that Viciedo hit .308 for Chicago last season in 104 at-bats, posting an OPS of .840. He's shifted full-time to the outfield, yet still qualifies at third base in Yahoo! leagues. There's legit fantasy potential here.

 

Here's more hype from Williams, for those who need it:

 

"He is slowly acquiring a little bit more plate discipline, and the ball comes off of his bat harder than anyone we have," said Williams, who regularly sees Viciedo through minor league video feeds that he has at U.S. Cellular Field. "And the sky is the limit to where his potential can take him. Getting him off of third base and putting him in the outfield, it has really helped him start to make some progress offensively."

 

The GM added, "I'm not going to bring him here to sit." So when The Tank is recalled, we can expect him to have an everyday role. Viciedo's arrival would presumably mean that the dreadful Juan Pierre(notes) would cease to have an everyday role — and that would be a huge win for the Sox.

 

In case you haven't noticed, Pierre has been an all-phases disaster this season. He's reaching base at a lousy .319 clip, he's slugging just .299, he's been caught stealing nine times in 19 attempts, and he's committed five errors in left field, delivering a UZR of -8.0. His atrocious late-inning defense led to a pair of Matt Thornton(notes) blown saves early in the year.

 

It shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that Pierre is dead-last in baseball in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), at -1.2. In a nutshell, WAR is a stat that measures a player's total contributions to winning, comparing his production to the performance that might be expected from, say, Florence Henderson. (At least that's how I like to think of it). And yes, sabermetrics has definitively proven that the White Sox would be a better team if Juan Pierre were replaced by Florence Henderson.

 

Thus, we know they would be better with Dayan Viciedo in right, Carlos Quentin(notes) in left, Pierre in exile, and Brent Lillibridge(notes) in a utility role. Let's make this thing happen, Mr. Williams. The kid is ready.

 

It's nothing we don't know, but just further cements the baffling stance of running Pierre out there every f***ing day.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Steve9347

[Balta1701]

Think that's the 3rd time that article has been posted in the last 2 days.

[maggsmaggs]

Quote from Ozzie about Pierre:

 

"If people don't like Juan, well, that's too bad," Guillen said. "As long as he's here, I have to play him. He's my leadoff guy and can make a lot of things happen. We know he's struggling right now."

 

Simply, a what the f*** moment?? No, Ozzie, you don't have to play him. We have a guy named Brent Lillibridge who is clearly better. Now, he won't sustain a high-.900 OPS, but he is a better hitter by far. And is by far the best defensive outfielder on this team.

 

Comments like this only further make me despise Ozzie.

Edited June 18, 2011 by maggsmaggs

[GreenSox]

If Kenny trades Viciedo, I will institute a White Sox boycott.

If we trade him for the usual declining veteran garbage, yea. But he's a limited defender, we're stuck with Dunn at DH, so if we can trade him for a good young player, I'd consider it.

[MattZakrowski]

That's a decent theory. Teams all around baseball are calling up their young studs now that the 'Super 2' deadline has passed. We've got some of the worst everyday players in baseball taking up space yet we can't find room for one of the top hitters in all the minor leagues. And another thing...why the hell does Lillibridge have 1 PA since he basically won the game last Saturday against the A's? This organization. Oh my goodness.

 

Viciedo has acquired some service time, so wouldn't they have to keep him down longer to avoid the super 2 cutoff?

[Kalapse]

Viciedo has acquired some service time, so wouldn't they have to keep him down longer to avoid the super 2 cutoff?

He has 83 days of service, they'd have to keep him down there until like August to have a shot at avoiding super 2.

[Jordan4life_2007]

He has 83 days of service, they'd have to keep him down there until like August to have a shot at avoiding super 2.

 

Ooops.

[Balta1701]

He has 83 days of service, they'd have to keep him down there until like August to have a shot at avoiding super 2.

Which is entirely do-able, FWIW.

[Dick Allen]

On the flipside, the Sox are paying Viciedo $1.25 million to play in Charlotte. It would seem silly they would pay him to not play in Chicago in hopes it will save them money in a couple of years.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Dick Allen

[Balta1701]

On the flipside, the Sox are paying Viciedo $1.25 million to play in Charlotte. It would seem silly they would pay him to not play in Chicago in hopes it will save them money in a couple of years.

?

 

It might well save $10-15 million if he's as good as we hope he is.

[Dick Allen]

?

 

It might well save $10-15 million if he's as good as we hope he is.

Not really. He's signed next year for $2.5 million. Its the only difference is one year the Sox can renew or they given him arb. Its probably a $2 million difference considering he's going to be eligible for arb anyway eventually. His contract stated that in 2012 if he was eligible for arbitration the $2.5 million became a $3.5 million team option.

 

And if he's as good as we hope, he will help the team win this year and make more than enough money to cover the difference.

 

And if you're baseball decisions are based on arbitration a year or two from now, you should look for a job with the Pirates.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Dick Allen

[Balta1701]

Not really. He's signed next year for $2.5 million. Its the only difference is one year the Sox can renew or they given him arb. Its probably a $2 million difference considering he's going to be eligible for arb anyway eventually. His contract stated that in 2012 if he was eligible for arbitration the $2.5 million became a $3.5 million team option.

 

And if he's as good as we hope, he will help the team win this year and make more than enough money to cover the difference.

 

And if you're baseball decisions are based on arbitration a year or two from now, you should look for a job with the Pirates.

If you buy him another year pre-arbitration year, then that pushes back his big payday by a full year, gets you another year at that $2.5 million, keeps him here for an extra year, and pushes back each arb year.

 

Basically, here's your question. If you want the White Sox to totally rebuild and look maybe 3+ years down the road, then you want Viciedo in Charlotte until rosters expand so that he makes that Super 2 deadline, because it makes the Sox roster cheaper and better in 3 years. That money and arb-status will actually be big then, even if it looks small now.

 

If you want the Sox to go all in this year to try to save Ozzie Guillen's job, then you want Viciedo up and playing every day right now.

[ILMOU]

Think that's the 3rd time that article has been posted in the last 2 days.

 

The journalists obviously want to see DV on the big club as bad as we do.

[Dick Allen]

If you buy him another year pre-arbitration year, then that pushes back his big payday by a full year, gets you another year at that $2.5 million, keeps him here for an extra year, and pushes back each arb year.

 

Basically, here's your question. If you want the White Sox to totally rebuild and look maybe 3+ years down the road, then you want Viciedo in Charlotte until rosters expand so that he makes that Super 2 deadline, because it makes the Sox roster cheaper and better in 3 years. That money and arb-status will actually be big then, even if it looks small now.

 

If you want the Sox to go all in this year to try to save Ozzie Guillen's job, then you want Viciedo up and playing every day right now.

Exactly how many guys get $10 million their first year of arbitration? The Sox still get the same amount of years of control with Viciedo, its a question of one of those years being arb eligible vs. not being eligible. Its either 3 or 4.

 

Ozzie isn't going anywhere. You know it, I know it, we all know it. The object is to try to win. They are only 5.5 out with 90 to play. As I stated before, if Ozzie wants to play with his toys too much for KW's liking, its time the GM take those toys away and make him play with better toys.

 

If, and I think you're a little off, the extra arb year is going to be $10 million more expensive for the White Sox, then Viciedo is going to be an MVP quality performer and some wins, maybe some playoff games, will all offset that finanicial number over the next couple of years.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Dick Allen