Saltalamacchia

[2nd_city_saint787]

I wouldn't mind AJ if the Sox truly wanna try to be competitive. Assuming of course they don't land Salty or find one on the trade market.

 

Going back to 2012 when they were competitive what was the difference?

 

Didn't have a good first basemen..You hope Abreu fills that need.

Didn't have a good catcher....You'd hope AJ can put up the numbers he did

 

If Garcia can be as good as or better than Rios was, and the Sox remember how to field the damn ball then you're looking at about the same type of team.

Edited November 11, 2013 by scs787

[hogan873]

Catcher and 3B are the two positions the Sox really need to improve. I'm not saying Saltalamacchia is the long term answer, but he's a longer term answer than AJ. I like AJ, but bringing him back doesn't help beyond 2014. If it comes down to AJ or Phegley/Flowers, I suppose AJ would be the way to go. But that has to be a last resort.

[Dick Allen]

If the money's under $5 million for one year, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

 

However, it just kicks the catching decision one year down the line, but it also gets in the way of developing Flowers/Phegley (if that is actually in the cards at this point).

 

Maybe they could just trade him at the deadline and play Flowers/Phegley in the second half, but how does that help solve anything for 2015?

 

As it is, we're already kicking permanent solutions at 3B, SS, 2B and CF down the line (into 2015). There's a decent possibility Viciedo isn't part of the future as well.

 

They're going to have to decide about Semien (75%)/Sanchez (25%)/Micah Johnson (50/50), too, if any of those guys are meant to be everyday players at the big league level.

 

We're also going to need a new DH to replace Dunn.

 

Assuming Abreu and A. Garcia are solid next year, we still might end up replacing 7 positions going into the following season...so, unless there's a catcher in our system ready to explode on the scene, we're going to have to trade from our pitching depth to solve these issues or pay top dollar on the FA market.

Assumming the catcher everyone or at least a majority of people would really be happy with in 2015 or 2016 is available at a reasonable price this offseason could also be a reach.

 

Someone has to catch. If AJ is the best choice, I don't see him "taking ABs" away from Flowers or Phegley is wrong, because obviously if getting a catcher is a top priority, those are not guys the team is going to be building with anyway. If you aren't going to go after McCann, is it wise to lock yourself into Salty? This guy was benched during the World Series. If that is a guy you want to give $10 million a year for multiple years? Obviously the White Sox want to acquire guys that will perform and be with the team for years, but the odds are stacked against that being possible.

 

I don't see AJ coming back, but those so opposed, I don't see the point. Not everyone on the 2016 White Sox will be acquired this winter.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

Catcher and 3B are the two positions the Sox really need to improve. I'm not saying Saltalamacchia is the long term answer, but he's a longer term answer than AJ. I like AJ, but bringing him back doesn't help beyond 2014. If it comes down to AJ or Phegley/Flowers, I suppose AJ would be the way to go. But that has to be a last resort.

But do you really want to be locked in to Saltalamacchia as the Sox' starting catcher for the next four years?

[NorthSideSox72]

Merkin just published an article with a lot of stuffing, but two interesting tidbits:

 

--The Sox HAVE talked with Saltalamacchia's camp already

 

--The Sox will apparently have a payroll in the vicinity of $85M to work with. I believe they are currently in the high 50's, without getting into arb or pre-arb numbers.

 

[Eminor3rd]

Assumming the catcher everyone or at least a majority of people would really be happy with in 2015 or 2016 is available at a reasonable price this offseason could also be a reach.

 

Someone has to catch. If AJ is the best choice, I don't see him "taking ABs" away from Flowers or Phegley is wrong, because obviously if getting a catcher is a top priority, those are not guys the team is going to be building with anyway. If you aren't going to go after McCann, is it wise to lock yourself into Salty? This guy was benched during the World Series. If that is a guy you want to give $10 million a year for multiple years? Obviously the White Sox want to acquire guys that will perform and be with the team for years, but the odds are stacked against that being possible.

 

I don't see AJ coming back, but those so opposed, I don't see the point. Not everyone on the 2016 White Sox will be acquired this winter.

 

It's just that it delays the inevitable. We aren't going to find all our 2016 White Sox this year, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be searching for all of them. I'd rather snatch a reclamation project like Kurt Suzuki or something than AJ.

[Balta1701]

Merkin just published an article with a lot of stuffing, but two interesting tidbits:

 

--The Sox HAVE talked with Saltalamacchia's camp already

 

--The Sox will apparently have a payroll in the vicinity of $85M to work with. I believe they are currently in the high 50's, without getting into arb or pre-arb numbers.

That doesn't count Abreu. If you count Abreu and reasonable arb numbers, they're at ~$87 million. If that's the payroll, they are done.

[caulfield12]

That doesn't count Abreu. If you count Abreu and reasonable arb numbers, they're at ~$87 million. If that's the payroll, they are done.

 

 

Wouldn't that still give you $10 million left to play around with?

 

I think Abreu was $17 million this season...

[Balta1701]

Wouldn't that still give you $10 million left to play around with?

 

I think Abreu was $17 million this season...

We're at $50.2 million guaranteed for 6 players other than Abreu.

 

$67 million with Abreu for 7 players.

 

B-R has $12 million for arbitration with De Aza, Beckham, Viciedo, and Flowers. That's probably a reasonable number, maybe $1-2 million high if the team is good negotiators or cuts Flowers loose. That's $79 million for 11 players.

 

Fill in the roster and you need another $8 million for 14 players who make close to or just above the league minimum. Thats $87 million. If the payroll is $85 million, we're already there.

[Eminor3rd]

Why are we assuming that the Sox are counting Abreu's signing bonus as part of the 2014 payroll ceiling?

[sammy esposito]

Why are we assuming that the Sox are counting Abreu's signing bonus as part of the 2014 payroll ceiling?

I think the pyranna will also be looking for a catcher because Maurer is moving to first base.

 

[harfman77]

I think the majority of the Sox remaining moves will be trades. Maybe a signing like Suzuki that can provide a LH bat behind the plate. Hahn can call anybody looking at Granderson and tell him he can deliver a better offensive upside with a smaller financial risk and not having to give up a draft pick. Obviously the defense is an issue, but for an AL team, it would be a pretty good deal.

[Jose Abreu]

Twins have also expressed interest

[BigHurt3515]

I think the majority of the Sox remaining moves will be trades. Maybe a signing like Suzuki that can provide a LH bat behind the plate. Hahn can call anybody looking at Granderson and tell him he can deliver a better offensive upside with a smaller financial risk and not having to give up a draft pick. Obviously the defense is an issue, but for an AL team, it would be a pretty good deal.

 

Suzuki is right handed and hit .230 last year with 5 home runs. No reason to sign him. I believe Phegley could do better then that.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Why are we assuming that the Sox are counting Abreu's signing bonus as part of the 2014 payroll ceiling?

That's what I asked in another thread when people were counting that and draft pick money and int'l signing money toward payroll. It never got answered and it needs to be answered.

[Dick Allen]

It's just that it delays the inevitable. We aren't going to find all our 2016 White Sox this year, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be searching for all of them. I'd rather snatch a reclamation project like Kurt Suzuki or something than AJ.

Kurt Suzuki? Really?

[Balta1701]

That's what I asked in another thread when people were counting that and draft pick money and int'l signing money toward payroll. It never got answered and it needs to be answered.

I don't think anyone can tell whether Hahn is bluffing or not when he says the total for the year is $85 million. He could count things either way.

 

However, if we're trying to assess "does this team have money to spend right now" then it absolutely makes sense to account for Abreu's signing bonus and the additional draft/international spending if we're comparing to where we were last year.

[southsider2k5]

Why are we assuming that the Sox are counting Abreu's signing bonus as part of the 2014 payroll ceiling?

 

Where else would it go to?

[Baron]

Kurt Suzuki? Really?

 

 

I had the same response when I read that

[Jose Abreu]

I'd love a 2009/2010 Kurt Suzuki. But a 2013 Suzuki? No thanks. I'd rather stick with Phlowers.

[Eminor3rd]

Kurt Suzuki? Really?

 

Than AJP, yes. Because if he bounces back, he's young enough to actually help our team.

[Eminor3rd]

Where else would it go to?

 

I would guess they would budget it evenly over the life of the contract. Otherwise, I would assume that they'd report the contract breakdown as $17m, $11m, etc. instead of the way I've seen it reported.

 

I'm not saying that's NOT how they are counting it, I just don't think it's safe to assume it unless we've heard it confirmed.

[Dick Allen]

Than AJP, yes. Because if he bounces back, he's young enough to actually help our team.

But if AJ plays like he has the last 2 seasons, he helps the team. Suzuki would have to not only bounce back for one season, but several. Odds of that happening IMO are smaller than AJ being a regular catcher at 38 or 39. Plus the sox want to be better next year. AJ buys them a year to find a more permanent solution.

[Eminor3rd]

But if AJ plays like he has the last 2 seasons, he helps the team. Suzuki would have to not only bounce back for one season, but several. Odds of that happening IMO are smaller than AJ being a regular catcher at 38 or 39. Plus the sox want to be better next year. AJ buys them a year to find a more permanent solution.

 

Yeah, I mean I'm not saying Suzuki wouldn't be close to the last possible resort, I'm just trying to illustrate, in general, that I'd favor upside over one-year stopgaps at almost all costs. It's possible that Suzuki, specifically, is too cooked to have a real shot at being a better option than anyone, and is thus a bad example for me to have chosen.

 

Separately, I think AJ's contribution are a bit overrated, in terms of his performance. As far as intangibles, maybe that's worth more (or less), it's hard to tell.

[southsider2k5]

I would guess they would budget it evenly over the life of the contract. Otherwise, I would assume that they'd report the contract breakdown as $17m, $11m, etc. instead of the way I've seen it reported.

 

I'm not saying that's NOT how they are counting it, I just don't think it's safe to assume it unless we've heard it confirmed.

 

For payout purposes, the cash is upfront on signing day unless specified otherwise. For Sox spending purposes, you have to assume it is for this year.