Saltalamacchia

[Balta1701]

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.

The thing I keep coming back to is that signing a guy like AJ who is going to play almost every day actually gets in the way of finding a long-term solution. Right now the only guys we have who might be long-term solutions are Phegley and Flowers. Sign AJ and you release one of them and the other one gets 150 PA's this year while burning a pre-arb year. Yeah based on last year there's a good chance neither of them become starters, but if they get 150 PA's next year I'd say that kills any chance of that happening.

 

From there you either spend the money on another stopgap or you spend the money on a long-term option. You've basically killed our chances of having an in-house option if you sign an AJ. Maybe you do that if your scouts tell you both Phegley and Flowers are backups...but in that case, it sure would make more sense to me to go after the catchers currently on the market who would be multi-year solutions.

[Baron]

Seems Merkin hints at the possibility of Flowers starting at catcher next year....

[fathom]

Seems Merkin hints at the possibility of Flowers starting at catcher next year....

 

I don't think there's a chance in hell they go into next year with Flowers/Phegley as the catcher/back-up

[Baron]

I don't think there's a chance in hell they go into next year with Flowers/Phegley as the catcher/back-up

 

Me too...but that seems to be what he is getting at. Saying they cant fix all the problems in one offseason. If they go into next season without making an upgrade of some sort at catcher I'm going to be immensely disappointed and pissed.

[Balta1701]

I don't think there's a chance in hell they go into next year with Flowers/Phegley as the catcher/back-up

If they're not going to sign Salty or McCann, I'd very much consider this. I'd still look to see if I could swap one of them for a LH hitting backup or see if a better option is available via trade, but if this is a true "rebuilding" year, then it makes sense to throw them out there and see if either of them can learn to hit big league pitching.

 

I'd prefer that to a 1-year stopgap like AJ.

[fathom]

If they're not going to sign Salty or McCann, I'd very much consider this. I'd still look to see if I could swap one of them for a LH hitting backup or see if a better option is available via trade, but if this is a true "rebuilding" year, then it makes sense to throw them out there and see if either of them can learn to hit big league pitching.

 

I'd prefer that to a 1-year stopgap like AJ.

 

Considering what Hahn said about the catching failure that happened last year, it seems hard to imagine they'd go into the year with the same two mediocre players behind the plate.

[Balta1701]

Considering what Hahn said about the catching failure that happened last year, it seems hard to imagine they'd go into the year with the same two mediocre players behind the plate.

Considering what Hahn said about the payroll being ~$85 million in reports today, it seems hard to figure out how they could sign anyone to more than a league-minimum deal on the FA market to supplement that positionl.

[Baron]

Considering what Hahn said about the catching failure that happened last year, it seems hard to imagine they'd go into the year with the same two mediocre players behind the plate.

 

 

Mediocre is being nice when you look at how both of them played last season. Flower's especially in my eyes doesnt deserve a second chance. I remember Rick Hahn even after announcing Flowers as the starter next year would not commit to him beyond this year.

[fathom]

Considering what Hahn said about the payroll being ~$85 million in reports today, it seems hard to figure out how they could sign anyone to more than a league-minimum deal on the FA market to supplement that positionl.

 

Yikes, I hadn't seen the 85 million dollar projected payroll until you mentioned it. That's pretty scary if true.

[Eminor3rd]

The thing I keep coming back to is that signing a guy like AJ who is going to play almost every day actually gets in the way of finding a long-term solution. Right now the only guys we have who might be long-term solutions are Phegley and Flowers. Sign AJ and you release one of them and the other one gets 150 PA's this year while burning a pre-arb year. Yeah based on last year there's a good chance neither of them become starters, but if they get 150 PA's next year I'd say that kills any chance of that happening.

 

From there you either spend the money on another stopgap or you spend the money on a long-term option. You've basically killed our chances of having an in-house option if you sign an AJ. Maybe you do that if your scouts tell you both Phegley and Flowers are backups...but in that case, it sure would make more sense to me to go after the catchers currently on the market who would be multi-year solutions.

 

Yes, I agree with this 100%

[southsider2k5]

Yikes, I hadn't seen the 85 million dollar projected payroll until you mentioned it. That's pretty scary if true.

 

I can't believe people are surprised by that number.

[Eminor3rd]

I can't believe people are surprised by that number.

 

Maybe they're surprised that we're already close to it. As far as a projected payroll budget, I think it's extremely reasonable.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

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.

By this year do you mean 2013 0r 2014? They could have paid the signing bonus out of money they saved on the contracts of Rios, Peavy, etc. from the 2013 budget.

[Jake]

If I wanted leverage, I'd sure say that I had no more money to spend and that I'm happy with all of my players

[southsider2k5]

By this year do you mean 2013 0r 2014? They could have paid the signing bonus out of money they saved on the contracts of Rios, Peavy, etc. from the 2013 budget.

 

2013 is done. 2014. I think the money saved on contracts goes to cover the revenue shortfalls from projected revenue last year.

[BlackSox13]

I like the idea of signing Salty but considering it could take few years to re-tool this team, a short term deal doesn't make much sense. With the current state of things I would only sign Salty if I could get him in a 4-5 year deal in hopes that when the sox contend again they would still have Salty around. No point in signing a guy that could be a free agent again by the time the team is ready to contend. I say take a chance and go for it as long as the annual salary is reasonable.

[hi8is]

If I wanted leverage, I'd sure say that I had no more money to spend and that I'm happy with all of my players

Ding ding ding - we have a winner!

This posture helps with trade and free agent leverage.

[justBLAZE]

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.

 

THATS IT?

[greg775]

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.

 

Fans should be outraged if our payroll is that low. Spend some money, White Sox, to improve an embarrassment of a team.

[southsider2k5]

THATS IT?

 

 

Fans should be outraged if our payroll is that low. Spend some money, White Sox, to improve an embarrassment of a team.

 

Welcome to rebuilding.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Let's just face it , this isn't exactly the Golden Age for catchers. Just have to take a chance on a Dionner Navarro or a Conger if you can get him. Catcher is a problem for many teams both offensively and defensively. About the only thing the Sox can do is roll the dice and sign a LH catcher or switching hitting one. Just going to have to "make due " there and upgrade other positions where talent is more available and money spent is more of a sure thing.

Edited November 12, 2013 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[caulfield12]

Where else would it go to?

 

 

 

Viciedo's signing bonus is in the payroll for 2009, and his original contract salary, right?

 

I just never remember either the June draft pool numbers or the signing bonuses for free agents or international signings being in the official MLB payroll.

 

If you look up the Rangers' payroll from a couple of seasons ago, is all of Darvish's posting fee allocated in the first year of his contract and against their total?

[Balta1701]

Viciedo's signing bonus is in the payroll for 2009, and his original contract salary, right?

 

I just never remember either the June draft pool numbers or the signing bonuses for free agents or international signings being in the official MLB payroll.

 

If you look up the Rangers' payroll from a couple of seasons ago, is all of Darvish's posting fee allocated in the first year of his contract and against their total?

But we've never spent $10 million on the draft and international period like we will this season.

[southsider2k5]

Viciedo's signing bonus is in the payroll for 2009, and his original contract salary, right?

 

I just never remember either the June draft pool numbers or the signing bonuses for free agents or international signings being in the official MLB payroll.

 

If you look up the Rangers' payroll from a couple of seasons ago, is all of Darvish's posting fee allocated in the first year of his contract and against their total?

 

You are talking about two different things here. How the Sox are going to pay it, isn't the same as the MLB accounting for it. Unless there is a clause that I don't know about, a signing bonus is paid on the day of signing, hence the name. For the Sox budgetary purposes, add it on top of any payroll numbers for 2014 when trying to figure out how much the team will spend this year. Factor in that the Sox are looking at about $15 million for draft and international budgets this year, that means that "extra $25 million" is gone for 2014 without adding a single domestic free agent.

[oldsox]

Speaking of Free Agents, has anyone seen who is represented by Boros? And, is he still on the White Sox no talk to list? I see he thinks Steve Drew is worth $22 million. Does not bother me if he stays away.