Sox could explore deals for AJ/PK-Merkin

[greg775]

I would do a dance if he was sent packing.

 

 

I'm not sure what they do with Konerko, but you're right overall. This team has a bad minor league system and a underachieving team witih a bloated payroll. It's fairly obvious with the hiring of Ventura that next year's team is going to undergo a major overhaul with AJ, Danks, Floyd, Thornton, Frazior and Quentin all possible trade candidtates, along with Buerhle and Pierre gone. They are going to have to find young talent from elsewhere because they are lacking it from inside their own organization.

 

I'd agree with everybody except Frasor. He'll be a cheap starter for the team.

I figure it'll be Sale, Frasor, Stewart, that guy who started in the last series, I forget his name, to go with one of Floyd/Danks, the other being traded.

Relievers: I'd expect either Thornton or Crain to be dealt. Sergio's the closer. Some other bodies to fill the relief corps.

Lineup: 3b-Morel. ss-Lexi (is he really 33 like the one poster said? If so he should be dealt too). 2b-Beckham. 1b-Dunn or Viciedo. LF-DeAza. CF-Rios. RF-Viciedo or Lilly

C-Flowers/Castro. DH-Lilly/Milledge.

Edited October 11, 2011 by greg775

[spiderman]

I'd agree with everybody except Frasor. He'll be a cheap starter for the team.

I figure it'll be Sale, Frasor, Stewart, that guy who started in the last series, I forget his name, to go with one of Floyd/Danks, the other being traded.

Relievers: I'd expect either Thornton or Crain to be dealt. Sergio's the closer. Some other bodies to fill the relief corps.

Lineup: 3b-Morel. ss-Lexi (is he really 33 like the one poster said? If so he should be dealt too). 2b-Beckham. 1b-Dunn or Viciedo. LF-DeAza. CF-Rios. RF-Viciedo or Lilly

C-Flowers/Castro. DH-Lilly/Milledge.

 

Frazior is a career middle releiver. I want to say he's got an option on his deal and he's making around $3 million. He didn't pitch well for the White Sox but is considered a solid guy in the pen.

 

I think at least one (maybe both) between Danks/Floyd are traded. I also wouldn't be shocked if they locked up one or both to new deals like they did with Santos.

 

Sale, Peavy and Humber will be in the rotation. Axerlod/Stewart will hopefully battle for one spot, and the other spot depends on what they do with Floyd/Danks.

 

This has all the makings of a 90 loss rotation next year.

[southsider2k5]

Anything Merkin says would be a guess. We could look around as a forum and probably come up with an educated answer.

 

His answer was a complete non-answer

[DirtySox]

His answer was a complete non-answer

 

So about as useful as the pieces he pens?

[greg775]

Frazior is a career middle releiver. I want to say he's got an option on his deal and he's making around $3 million. He didn't pitch well for the White Sox but is considered a solid guy in the pen.

 

I think at least one (maybe both) between Danks/Floyd are traded. I also wouldn't be shocked if they locked up one or both to new deals like they did with Santos.

 

Sale, Peavy and Humber will be in the rotation. Axerlod/Stewart will hopefully battle for one spot, and the other spot depends on what they do with Floyd/Danks.

 

This has all the makings of a 90 loss rotation next year.

 

Sorry spider, I had a mind freeze on Frasor. I meant Humber.

Rotation: Humber, Sale, Axelrod, Stewart and one of Danks/Floyd.

If we don't resign Buehrle and trade one of Danks/Floyd and Quentin as many are saying we are gonna do, there's no reason to keep guys like Paulie, AJ, Thornton around.

I don't know why the Sox feel they have to rebuild. Do the Yankees ever rebuild? Keep the payroll where it is and tinker some more and try to win.

The Cell is going to be a morgue from mid May on if we "rebuild."

Now, people might go to the games if they were minor league prices. But nobody's gonna pay to see the Sox win 65 games.

 

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

So about as useful as the pieces he pens?

Well, when you're hired to constantly write official articles without leaking anything or speculating too heavily or making the team look bad....

 

I don't understand how people complain about Merkin. He's not a news guy, and he never will be as long as he's writing for the Sox official site. Reifert breaks the official news while the national guys get the scoops, and when he writes something prior to the official announcement he has to source the national guys in it. In his role however, Merkin is professional and fair; he doesn't fall in love with managers/coaches/players, nor does he look to showcase any self-perceived wit or literary capabilities. It would be nice if more of his peers were like him.

[caulfield12]

Sorry spider, I had a mind freeze on Frasor. I meant Humber.

Rotation: Humber, Sale, Axelrod, Stewart and one of Danks/Floyd.

If we don't resign Buehrle and trade one of Danks/Floyd and Quentin as many are saying we are gonna do, there's no reason to keep guys like Paulie, AJ, Thornton around.

I don't know why the Sox feel they have to rebuild. Do the Yankees ever rebuild? Keep the payroll where it is and tinker some more and try to win.

The Cell is going to be a morgue from mid May on if we "rebuild."

Now, people might go to the games if they were minor league prices. But nobody's gonna pay to see the Sox win 65 games.

 

 

You mean nobody's going to go to ANY games after Opening Day except for the Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox and select interleague match-ups in the summertime.

[Rowand44]

Between Frasor being thought of as a starter and his name being botched horribly, I don't think I can handle him on the team anymore.

[spiderman]

Between Frasor being thought of as a starter and his name being botched horribly, I don't think I can handle him on the team anymore.

 

He made me want to forget how to spell his name correctly.

[GreatScott82]

I think the Sox will keep PK. However, I can definitley see them trading AJ since Flowers showed us all that he can be a decent catcher who has a bit of power to provie the offense. When the White Sox decided to pull off the "White Flag" deal in 1997, they kept Frank Thomas to be the "key veteran piece" to the younger team. That is what PK will be.

It is unfortanate we are stuck with Rios and Dunn. Hopefully they can boost up their trade value by having a good half of 2012.

I think Buerhle is all but gone.

Danks and Quentin are likely to be dealt for young talent.

AJ can hopefully bring us back an arm for the pen.

 

It will be an interesting few seasons on the southside. Hopefully Viciedo, Sale and Flowers can take advantage of this opporutunity. Hopefully Morel can play every day and continue to improve. Hopefully Beckham can wake up offensively!

[WHITESOXRANDY]

AJ had a very good year at the plate.

Can't throw well at all, but some teams will overlook that. I bet we see him in the NL.

 

 

They are not going to overlook his $ 6 mil. contract. It's as simple as that.

[harfman77]

I could see AJ end up with Ozzie in Florida, they have a good relationship, he handles pitchers well, they have been looking for someone to solidify their catching position since the inception of the franchise, and they will be bumping up the payroll to move into the new stadium.

 

PK could end up in LA for either team, San Francisco, Seattle, or one of the teams that misses out on Pujols/Fielder. It is a common percpetion that PK only wants to go out west, but if he has the chance to win it may change his mind. The Giants would be the best fit, though I am not sure the Sox and Giants match up that well so a third team would probably need to get involved.

[bigruss]

I could see AJ end up with Ozzie in Florida, they have a good relationship, he handles pitchers well, they have been looking for someone to solidify their catching position since the inception of the franchise, and they will be bumping up the payroll to move into the new stadium.

 

PK could end up in LA for either team, San Francisco, Seattle, or one of the teams that misses out on Pujols/Fielder. It is a common percpetion that PK only wants to go out west, but if he has the chance to win it may change his mind. The Giants would be the best fit, though I am not sure the Sox and Giants match up that well so a third team would probably need to get involved.

They just spent big money (for them) for their starting catcher in John Buck.

[zenryan]

I wonder if the Rays would have interest in AJ.

 

 

[Jerksticks]

Thank you Sox players for totally sucking and not even coming close to career norms this year. Thank you Morel, Beckham, Rios and Dunn for your daily 0-16 that squandered a pitching staff that would have likely destroyed this year's AL playoff teams.

 

Flowers is not really a downgrade at all. Catchers pretty much suck all around the league; at least we might have a shot at throwing somebody out a few times a year now and maybe a few RBIs out of the position...or we turn that 0-16 into a solid 0-20. Can't wait.

 

I'm all for cleaning some old house.

 

 

[greg775]

They are not going to overlook his $ 6 mil. contract. It's as simple as that.

 

What major market team needs a catcher? Six million is not outrageous, nowhere near a Rios/Dunn contract. AJ can still hit the ball.

[spiderman]

I think the Sox will keep PK. However, I can definitley see them trading AJ since Flowers showed us all that he can be a decent catcher who has a bit of power to provie the offense. When the White Sox decided to pull off the "White Flag" deal in 1997, they kept Frank Thomas to be the "key veteran piece" to the younger team. That is what PK will be.

It is unfortanate we are stuck with Rios and Dunn. Hopefully they can boost up their trade value by having a good half of 2012.

I think Buerhle is all but gone.

Danks and Quentin are likely to be dealt for young talent.

AJ can hopefully bring us back an arm for the pen.

 

It will be an interesting few seasons on the southside. Hopefully Viciedo, Sale and Flowers can take advantage of this opporutunity. Hopefully Morel can play every day and continue to improve. Hopefully Beckham can wake up offensively!

 

I am expecting Konerko to be back unless he specifically wants out, but AJ will be gone, provided that another team picks up most of the $6 million. I have no idea if Flowers can play a full season of MLB and hit a respectable average as well as manage the pitchers, but it's time to find out. My guess is that he'll bat .220 and hit 12-15 HR's, perhaps provide a small improvement defensively, but going young, and shedding salaries means a move like this is likely to happen. Ideally, AJ would be kept as another left-handed bat, and provide some insurance for Adam Dunn as a DH, but I doubt he'll be around.

[spiderman]

What major market team needs a catcher? Six million is not outrageous, nowhere near a Rios/Dunn contract. AJ can still hit the ball.

 

It is a problem when the team wants to cut down as much as possible. They can't do anything about Dunn/Peavy/Rios, so that means it's even more likely that they will save where they can and AJ is a prime example.

[spiderman]

I wonder if the Rays would have interest in AJ.

 

I think they are too cost-conscious to take him on. The Sox would probably have to take on at least half the money if a small market team like TB wanted him which I think would lessen the desire to move him if saving money is the prime focus. I'm sure there are teams that want nothing to do with him as well because of his personality (not sure how TB feels about him).

[spiderman]

Well, when you're hired to constantly write official articles without leaking anything or speculating too heavily or making the team look bad....

 

I don't understand how people complain about Merkin. He's not a news guy, and he never will be as long as he's writing for the Sox official site. Reifert breaks the official news while the national guys get the scoops, and when he writes something prior to the official announcement he has to source the national guys in it. In his role however, Merkin is professional and fair; he doesn't fall in love with managers/coaches/players, nor does he look to showcase any self-perceived wit or literary capabilities. It would be nice if more of his peers were like him.

 

I have no issues with Merkin. I just don't think he's going to provide any new information that hard core fans don't already know. He'll provide a balanced report of the team and that's fine by me.

[Eminor3rd]

I think they are too cost-conscious to take him on. The Sox would probably have to take on at least half the money if a small market team like TB wanted him which I think would lessen the desire to move him if saving money is the prime focus. I'm sure there are teams that want nothing to do with him as well because of his personality (not sure how TB feels about him).

 

Rays have and like Jaso to be their LH C. They've been platooning him with Shoppach since Navarro turned into a pumpkin. Not sure if Shoppach is coming back, but based on their past behavior, I'd expect them to run with Jaso everyday or find himj a RH platoon partner.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Eminor3rd

[southsider2k5]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,1649100.story

 

ne of the easiest duties for manager Ozzie Guillen during the past seven years was to write A.J. Pierzynski’s name in the White Sox’s lineup.

 

Even after Pierzynski missed three weeks because of a hairline fracture of his left wrist, he returned with enough time left in the season to catch 1,000 innings for his 10th consecutive season.

 

That was made possible by the efforts of Guillen and bench coach Joey Cora, who gave Pierzynski enough starts to reach the 1,000-inning mark and extend his streak – longest among active major league catchers.

 

But during the time Pierzynski was sidelined during the second half of August, pitchers, pitching coach Don Cooper and even Guillen were quick to praise the catching and power of Tyler Flowers, who was billed as a future all-star catcher by general manager Ken Williams after the Sox acquired him after the 2008 season as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade involving Javier Vazquez.

 

Determining how the playing time behind home plate is dispersed might be one of the toughest decisions new manager Robin Ventura and Williams will make, assuming that Pierzynski stays with the Sox for the 2012 seasons. Pierzynski will be 35 next season, will earn $6 million, holds full veto trade rights and is a favorite of chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

 

If the Sox consider trading Pierzynski this winter, it would behoove them to try to move him to a team that he would consider playing for, or else they would be wasting their time.

 

Pierzynski, who will be 35 next season, batted .287 but produced only eight home runs and 48 RBIs. But Pierzynski’s 48 RBIs were the second most by a Sox left-handed hitter in 2011. The Sox’s left-handed hitters drove in only 182 runs – four fewer than last season.

 

Pierzynski is notorious for swinging at the first pitch, but he batted .386 on the first pitch last year (and only .207 on a full count).

 

Catching Edwin Jackson for the first four months and Gavin Floyd for the entire season didn’t help Pierzynski when it came to throwing out base stealers.

 

Nevertheless, the praise for Flowers was steady and it came from plenty of people, even some who weren’t in his camp as recently as last spring after Flowers worked cutting down on his strikeouts and eliminated a leg kick.

 

In addition to possessing a stronger arm than Pierzynski, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Flowers often sets up with a low, inside target that pitchers say they like throwing to because it gives umpires a better view.

 

Flowers hit five home runs in only 110 at-bats. But he struck out 38 times – five more than Pierzynski did in 466 at-bats.

 

Simply, the catching position might be a case-test study of how far the Sox are willing to try to remain competitive with veterans like Pierzynski, or go with youngsters like Flowers while trying to find a team for Pierzynski and his salary.

 

Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune

[greg775]

Flowers will be 26 on Opening Day.

He's not that young.

He's ready.

If the Sox can get anybody to take AJ's contract, I'd think they will deal him. AJ is not the kind of guy who is going to respond to limited duty. Should be interesting to see how Robin will handle a militant AJ and u better believe he'll make waves if he isn't playing eight or nine of every 10 games.

Edited October 17, 2011 by greg775