Sox trade RP Jeff Soptic for 3B Conor Gillaspie

[Cali]

Dammit. Just realized ill never be able to use my nickname for Soptic if he was terrible:

 

Jeff Septic Tank or just "Septic"

 

 

[peteward]

Thus far it looks like Hahn values players who make contact and hit for average rather than for power.

Unfortunately, that does not fit the profile of what some people want out of a corner infielder.

 

In addition to the Sox concerns about Morel, they might also be concerned with Keppinger.

Perhaps has has not fully recovered from his injury. If that is the case, the Sox might not be done looking for a regular third baseman. Third base may be a roster hole that keeps just getting deeper. If only Viciedo had worked out defensively at third.

Edited February 23, 2013 by southside_hitman

[oldsox]

Giants GM is better than Sox GM.

[Jake]

It seems that this knocks Morel out of the picture, but Hahn wants us to believe that he'd be willing to DFA Gillaspie if Morel looks enough better in ST. I don't see how you could have both on the roster though, we have to have somebody that can play SS. Maybe Morel can survive at 2B, but not having a real utility guy hamstrings your ability to give guys a day off or make late game substitutions.

[bigruss]

Giants GM is better than Sox GM.

Clearly you're a fan because all you want to do is complain. You don't love the White Sox, you love whining, you love that the grass is greener throughout the neighborhood (though it's not). Just stop following the Sox for your sake and everyone else's.

[ScottyDo]

Giants GM is better than Sox GM.

Yeah, man, we're really gonna miss Soptic. We're really short on flame-throwing relievers but our 3b depth is fantastic.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah, man, we're really gonna miss Soptic. We're really short on flame-throwing relievers but our 3b depth is fantastic.

 

Especially one who throws 100 but couldn't get out of A ball.

[Chicago White Sox]

It seems that this knocks Morel out of the picture, but Hahn wants us to believe that he'd be willing to DFA Gillaspie if Morel looks enough better in ST. I don't see how you could have both on the roster though, we have to have somebody that can play SS. Maybe Morel can survive at 2B, but not having a real utility guy hamstrings your ability to give guys a day off or make late game substitutions.

For what it's worth, Morel did play 17 games at SS in 2010.

[Marty34]

The competition is Morel or Beckham in 2014 and going forward.

[elrockinMT]

The competition is Morel or Beckham in 2014 and going forward.

 

 

What are you suggesting Marty? Beckham at 3B next year? I for one think he would be a great option at 3B since he did so well there when first moved. Carlos Sanchez might be better suited for 2B and even though Gordon has show gold glove ability if we keep Sanchez then 2B might be his best position. He can play 3B also but not sure that it is the best fit for the team.

[Marty34]

What are you suggesting Marty? Beckham at 3B next year? I for one think he would be a great option at 3B since he did so well there when first moved. Carlos Sanchez might be better suited for 2B and even though Gordon has show gold glove ability if we keep Sanchez then 2B might be his best position. He can play 3B also but not sure that it is the best fit for the team.

 

Keppinger goes to second, with Morel at third. I think Beckham is at his salary cap for for the Sox unless he shows improvement. Keep Sanchez at short to as a possibility to eventually replace Ramirez.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Marty34

[elrockinMT]

Keppinger goes to second, with Morel at third. I think Beckham is at his salary cap for for the Sox unless he shows improvement. Keep Sanchez at short to as a possibility to eventually replace Ramirez.

 

 

I am not sure what you don't see in Beckham but I have a feeling he is going to have a break out year. Beckham-Ramirez-Sanchez (and who at firstbase for the future?) Konerko will retire at some point and will we keep Dunn at the salary he is making? Salary cap applies to guys like Dunn with 200 plus K's and a low batting average IMO

[Balta1701]

I am not sure what you don't see in Beckham but I have a feeling he is going to have a break out year. Beckham-Ramirez-Sanchez (and who at firstbase for the future?) Konerko will retire at some point and will we keep Dunn at the salary he is making? Salary cap applies to guys like Dunn with 200 plus K's and a low batting average IMO

Beckham is legitimately on his last rope. He's in his first arbitration season, he will be paid $2.9 million this year. He's been barely worth that level of money the last 2 years. His next year, he'll probably double that amount if he's offered arbitration again. That means, if the Sox are going to bring him back next year, he needs to hit like a player worth $6 million or more. If he has a breakout season, great, but if he doesn't; then Carlos Sanchez will probably come into next season as the starting 2b.

[Vance Law]

Thus far it looks like Hahn values players who make contact and hit for average rather than for power.

Unfortunately, that does not fit the profile of what some people want out of a corner infielder.

 

I would disagree with this. It looks like Hahn is making the smart moves while remaining within a budget. In regards to 3rd base in particular, you had a very thin crop of free agents of which most anyone would agree the top 3 most useful were Youkilis, Keppinger, and Chavez. Keppinger had the best year last year and is by far the smallest injury-risk. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Sox make a competing offer for Chavez, but he chose Arizona?

 

 

If there were a glut of useful power-hitting third basemen available for reasonable prices, I'm sure Hanh would have taken one. There weren't. What he did get was potentially the best player out there (Kepp was the best of the three last year) and definitely the best value for the money.

 

 

[peteward]

I would disagree with this. It looks like Hahn is making the smart moves while remaining within a budget. In regards to 3rd base in particular, you had a very thin crop of free agents of which most anyone would agree the top 3 most useful were Youkilis, Keppinger, and Chavez. Keppinger had the best year last year and is by far the smallest injury-risk.

 

I agree with everything you said. The fact that Kepp and Gilli are not prototypical corner infielders with power

does not necessarily mean, as I implied, that Hahn chose them for that reason. My impression about his preference for

contact hitters was probably formed from Hahn's comments in the press following those acquisitions.

In any case, if he is looking for contact hitters rather than sluggers, I , for one, would welcome that to balance all of the K's that Dunn and Flowers will be racking up.

I wish I could have watched the game today. Spring Training games are fun to watch especially when there is competition for

spots on the 25 man roster. You tend to pick out a few guys and root for them to succeed even though we know they all can't make it.

[Quin]

Clearly you're a fan because all you want to do is complain. You don't love the White Sox, you love whining, you love that the grass is greener throughout the neighborhood (though it's not). Just stop following the Sox for your sake and everyone else's.

 

 

Yeah, man, we're really gonna miss Soptic. We're really short on flame-throwing relievers but our 3b depth is fantastic.

 

[oldsox]

Clearly you're a fan because all you want to do is complain. You don't love the White Sox, you love whining, you love that the grass is greener throughout the neighborhood (though it's not). Just stop following the Sox for your sake and everyone else's.

Are you having a bad day, Russ? All I did was make a simple, one sentence statement that the Giant GM (Brian Sabean) is very good. I didn't even criticize the trade. I have never seen Gillaspie play. It doesn't look like whining to me as I re-read my post, nor was that intended.

[Chicago White Sox]

Are you having a bad day, Russ? All I did was make a simple, one sentence statement that the Giant GM (Brian Sabean) is very good. I didn't even criticize the trade. I have never seen Gillaspie play. It doesn't look like whining to me as I re-read my post, nor was that intended.

You are so full of s***. You just said Brian Sabean is a better GM than first year GM Rick Hahn in a thread about a trade the two of them just made. If that's not a clear indirect rip on this trade then I don't know what is.

[ScottyDo]

Are you having a bad day, Russ? All I did was make a simple, one sentence statement that the Giant GM (Brian Sabean) is very good. I didn't even criticize the trade. I have never seen Gillaspie play. It doesn't look like whining to me as I re-read my post, nor was that intended.

If that was truly a non sequitur...stop posting non sequiturs. I love lamp.

Edited February 24, 2013 by ScottyDo

[Kyyle23]

Are you having a bad day, Russ? All I did was make a simple, one sentence statement that the Giant GM (Brian Sabean) is very good. I didn't even criticize the trade. I have never seen Gillaspie play. It doesn't look like whining to me as I re-read my post, nor was that intended.

 

A simple, one sentence post that falls in line with most of your other simple, one line posts that do nothing but criticize the front office just to do it.

[Jake]

It will take time to see if Hahn loves this type of hitter or if he's just adding this kind of hitter because the team lacks them.

[oldsox]

You are so full of s***. You just said Brian Sabean is a better GM than first year GM Rick Hahn in a thread about a trade the two of them just made. If that's not a clear indirect rip on this trade then I don't know what is.

Any objective baseball fan would say that Sabean has the edge. Look at his credentials, his record. But it was not a rip. Just a comment.

[southsider2k5]

It will take time to see if Hahn loves this type of hitter or if he's just adding this kind of hitter because the team lacks them.

 

It could also be he is trying to add depth to the IF. After hearing Buddy Bell talk about the lack of quality IF's in the system on the Blogger's call the other day, it makes sense that they would target more of these positions.

[Harry Chappas]

Any objective baseball fan would say that Sabean has the edge. Look at his credentials, his record. But it was not a rip. Just a comment.

 

Hahn's regime has lost less than Sabean's.

[Chicago White Sox]

Any objective baseball fan would say that Sabean has the edge. Look at his credentials, his record. But it was not a rip. Just a comment.

I don't even know how to respond to this.

 

Hahn is a rookie GM who has had one off-season of work, which was somewhat constrained by the work of the previous GM. His teams have literally played ZERO games. Any objective baseball fan would say there is practically no way to evaluate Hahn at this point in time.

 

I'm blown away that you would even try to compare the two of them, especially when you claim that you have no strong feelings either way on the only trade these two have made together.