Free Agents

[rowand's rowdies]

Ike Davis would come cheap. He's considering going to Japan if he doesn't get a major league deal, so 1 year/$3 million probably keeps him in the states. Low risk high reward if he can figure it out. He's a LH bat who can DH and play 1b. Has hit 30 HRs. Former top prospect, only 28 years old.

[shysocks]

jeeze ...... what did he do, kick your dog?

Ha, he might have. I don't know.

 

I just don't think he'll ever be any good.

[southsider2k5]

I personally don't think Phegley can do anything.

 

EDIT: In relation to Major League Baseball, of course. I'm sure he has other hobbies at which he excels.

 

I had no optimism for Josh until the last week of the season. The fact that his swing got fixed gave me a bit of hope. I am sure it is misplaced, but I at least feel like I saw something tangible to rest some hopes on.

[LDF]

Ha, he might have. I don't know.

 

I just don't think he'll ever be any good.

 

 

good come back.

[LDF]

 

what are your opinions on these possible pickup on the free agents?

 

Edinson Volquez, Andrew Bailey, Jason Grilli, Burke Badenhop

 

all pitchers who might be a buy low with high rtn.

 

[Jose Abreu]

what are your opinions on these possible pickup on the free agents?

 

Edinson Volquez, Andrew Bailey, Jason Grilli, Burke Badenhop

 

all pitchers who might be a buy low with high rtn.

yes, no, no, maybe

If Volquez is available for the right price, we should go for him. An incosistently above-average RHP to break up the lefties

Edited October 16, 2014 by Jose Abreu

[BlackSox13]

I like the idea of Volquez but any idea what his project annual salary could be? I read in September that he was long for a two or three year deal which sounds great.

[LDF]

I like the idea of Volquez but any idea what his project annual salary could be? I read in September that he was long for a two or three year deal which sounds great.

 

it all depends on the market. but why not assume 10 mil

[witesoxfan]

Edinson Volquez scares the absolute hell out of me and I think he probably scares Cooper too. I don't think he's the worst option, but his command and control seems far too shaky. It's amazing to think that a guy who had a BB/9 of 3.32 just exhibited, by far, the best control of his career. It also came at the expense of his K-rate.

 

If it were early to mid January, I'd be OK with it, but it definitely wouldn't be my first move.

[caulfield12]

Is there any such thing as a pitcher in this day and age who DOESN'T scare the hell out of you?

 

Scherzer, Lester and Shields? Check.

 

Masterson, check.

 

Liriano and Volquez, check.

 

Peavy? With how poorly he pitched for the Red Sox, and then how well he's done with SF, who knows what to expect with him at this point in his career. On a playoff team and potential World Series-winning team, he's pitching like a 2, whereas we only need a 3/4.

 

John Lackey? Is he motivated at all to pitch next season?

 

McCarthy? Check.

 

Santana? Covered over and over and then over again.

[Balta1701]

Is there any such thing as a pitcher in this day and age who DOESN'T scare the hell out of you?

It all depends on what else we're doing this offseason.

 

If John Danks is in the rotation by contract default, but we're going to blow huge money on a FA outfielder or DH, it would scare me a lot more to go into the season relying on Bassitt and Rodon as middle of the rotation starters on a competing team than it would to spend money on those guys.

 

On the other hand, spending big money on a guy to block Rodon would scare me if we're still continuing the youth-movement theme.

[Dick Allen]

It all depends on what else we're doing this offseason.

 

If John Danks is in the rotation by contract default, but we're going to blow huge money on a FA outfielder or DH, it would scare me a lot more to go into the season relying on Bassitt and Rodon as middle of the rotation starters on a competing team than it would to spend money on those guys.

 

On the other hand, spending big money on a guy to block Rodon would scare me if we're still continuing the youth-movement theme.

There is ZERO chance there will be a pitcher that blocks Rodon if Rodon belongs in the major leagues.

 

ZERO

[witesoxfan]

Is there any such thing as a pitcher in this day and age who DOESN'T scare the hell out of you?

 

Scherzer, Lester and Shields? Check.

 

Masterson, check.

 

Liriano and Volquez, check.

 

Peavy? With how poorly he pitched for the Red Sox, and then how well he's done with SF, who knows what to expect with him at this point in his career. On a playoff team and potential World Series-winning team, he's pitching like a 2, whereas we only need a 3/4.

 

John Lackey? Is he motivated at all to pitch next season?

 

McCarthy? Check.

 

Santana? Covered over and over and then over again.

 

I would feel much more comfortable with Peavy or McCarthy next year than I would Volquez. Guys who exhibit good command of the strike zone. Frankly, I feel that way about Masterson too.

 

I think those may be targets 1, 2, and 3 for the Sox going into the offseason. No draft compensation, no long-term commitment, no extraordinary cost.

[Balta1701]

There is ZERO chance there will be a pitcher that blocks Rodon if Rodon belongs in the major leagues.

 

ZERO

What happens if the arrival time for Rodon is June/July? IMO that's by far the most likely scenario, a few months of AA/AAA and then appears late enough in the season that it happens to be after he'd pass the Super-2 point. Not just because of that, but because he's had so little minor league time.

 

If he puts up an ERA in the 2's in AAA in the first half there's no reason to keep him in the minors all year, but if you sign someone to a big contract, who leaves the rotation? One of the big contract guys? Quintana/Sale? Or are we counting on Noesi to be worse than last year - because if he's any better than this year, replacing him mid-season with a rookie would be a downgrade that won't happen.

[Balta1701]

I would feel much more comfortable with Peavy or McCarthy next year than I would Volquez. Guys who exhibit good command of the strike zone. Frankly, I feel that way about Masterson too.

 

I think those may be targets 1, 2, and 3 for the Sox going into the offseason. No draft compensation, no long-term commitment, no extraordinary cost.

I am just so sick of Jake Peavy. I get why he would make sense. I am just so sick of him, his attitude, and how that played out in Chicago. Call it personal all you want, I'm allowed to have a visceral reaction to a guy. Ugh.

[witesoxfan]

I am just so sick of Jake Peavy. I get why he would make sense. I am just so sick of him, his attitude, and how that played out in Chicago. Call it personal all you want, I'm allowed to have a visceral reaction to a guy. Ugh.

 

I personally loved his attitude in Chicago. He wanted to take the ball at any given cost and all he wanted to do was win. To me, that's more an indictment on his intelligence (pitching hurt or pitching when he should not have been), not his attitude.

[Dick Allen]

What happens if the arrival time for Rodon is June/July? IMO that's by far the most likely scenario, a few months of AA/AAA and then appears late enough in the season that it happens to be after he'd pass the Super-2 point. Not just because of that, but because he's had so little minor league time.

 

If he puts up an ERA in the 2's in AAA in the first half there's no reason to keep him in the minors all year, but if you sign someone to a big contract, who leaves the rotation? One of the big contract guys? Quintana/Sale? Or are we counting on Noesi to be worse than last year - because if he's any better than this year, replacing him mid-season with a rookie would be a downgrade that won't happen.

If the White Sox have 5 starters that keep a guy like Rodon trapped if he is dominating in Charlotte, there really is nothing to complain about. The reality, which you continue to ignore, is that never happens.

 

I think the 2005 White Sox set or tied a record with only 6 pitchers starting games that season. Even then Rodon would have taken over for El Duque.

[Balta1701]

I personally loved his attitude in Chicago. He wanted to take the ball at any given cost and all he wanted to do was win. To me, that's more an indictment on his intelligence (pitching hurt or pitching when he should not have been), not his attitude.

My view of his attitude is "all talk".

[shysocks]

What happens if the arrival time for Rodon is June/July? IMO that's by far the most likely scenario, a few months of AA/AAA and then appears late enough in the season that it happens to be after he'd pass the Super-2 point. Not just because of that, but because he's had so little minor league time.

 

If he puts up an ERA in the 2's in AAA in the first half there's no reason to keep him in the minors all year, but if you sign someone to a big contract, who leaves the rotation? One of the big contract guys? Quintana/Sale? Or are we counting on Noesi to be worse than last year - because if he's any better than this year, replacing him mid-season with a rookie would be a downgrade that won't happen.

We've had this argument before, but that seems unlikely. Noesi is expendable.

[Balta1701]

We've had this argument before, but that seems unlikely. Noesi is expendable.

If this team is below .500 I can buy that, but if the pitching staff comes together early and this looks like a competitive team, you're not putting a rookie in the rotation unless someone gets hurt.

[shysocks]

If this team is below .500 I can buy that, but if the pitching staff comes together early and this looks like a competitive team, you're not putting a rookie in the rotation unless someone gets hurt.

And like DA, I fail to see the problem there.

[Balta1701]

And like DA, I fail to see the problem there.

Do you keep Rodon in the minor leagues all year if the team is above .500 ?

[LittleHurt05]

I am just so sick of Jake Peavy. I get why he would make sense. I am just so sick of him, his attitude, and how that played out in Chicago. Call it personal all you want, I'm allowed to have a visceral reaction to a guy. Ugh.

 

My thoughts exactly (Might as well keep up the saltiness today)

 

Plus I have a hard time trusting him outside of San Diego/Francisco

 

[shysocks]

Do you keep Rodon in the minor leagues all year if the team is above .500 ?

Maybe, it would depend on a lot of factors. No matter what I would wait until after Super 2. I would try to avoid a bullpen assignment.

 

If we're assuming the rotation on Opening Day is Sale/Q/Free Agent/Danks/Noesi and all five of those guys are pitching well and we're contending, why would we even need Rodon? Leaving him in the minors wouldn't be the end of the world. There is also reason to think that - maybe - Rodon won't excel in the majors right away and that we wouldn't be missing out.

 

I'll sum up my thoughts like this: Danks and Noesi both pitching well, AND the Sox being contenders in June, AND Rodon absolutely kicking down the door to MLB - the likelihood of all those things happening is low enough that it wouldn't enter my thought process when deciding whether to bring in starting pitching help.

[Dick Allen]

If this team is below .500 I can buy that, but if the pitching staff comes together early and this looks like a competitive team, you're not putting a rookie in the rotation unless someone gets hurt.

BS. This is a guy they consider a cornerstone of their future. This isn't Andre Reinzo having a couple of good months in AAA.

 

They didn't pay him the bonus they paid him and drafted him with the highest pick they have had since Harold Baines so he can wait for Hector Noesi to blow up. Besides, someone will get hurt or be bad. That is just the nature of the game, and if somehow that didn't happen, there will be nothing to complain about because the White Sox will be rolling.