sprtfrk
10-08-2008, 09:17 PM
Let's fire up the hot stove early. Here is my take on what could/should take place this winter. Let me know your thoughts of what you see in the future for our White Sox.
An SP would not hurt at all. My feeling is that you cannot count on Contreras at this time. I am so PO'ed at Vasquez that I would like to cut him loose immediately but thinking regarding him should be held off for a couple of weeks or so and everyone cools down. I have heard that the Orioles are interested in him. Brian Roberts would look great around here. Would solve the leadoff, front end speed and 2B questions. I would even give up on Swish if necessary if they threw in a pitching prospect.
As for CF, I like BA alot. He is a tremendous CF in my opinion. About as good as any I have ever seen for that matter with the glove and I started followin' this game back in '59. In August of 07, he actually received 70 AB's and hit .300. After the Sept callups, Ozzie had him back on the bench where he has languished ever since. Granted he has some problems with RH pitching powerwise (he hit all of homers off of LH), but he still hit about .230 playing sporadically. With regular playing time I feel he would improve this at least 20-30 points minimum. He had 181 AB's with 21 extra base hits. If you 3Xed his totals, he would have ended up with 24 HR, 78 RBI, and 15 SB. Same HR, more RBI and 12 more steals than Swish. Swish hit .197 against LH. Hopefully, it was just a down year for Nick.
As for the Konerko - Thome - Griffey trio, one or two of these guys are not needed. I don't know if you got to see him but Griff has really slowed down. Thome, and as much as I like his father - talked with him extensively three or four times this season - is only trying to hit HR's in an effort to gain the HOF. His dad even asked me how many more, when Jim had 535, that I thought it would take for him to get there. He said about 40 and I said about 25. His father, and I suppose Jim also, really want him to get in there before his father passes. There is just not a need for all three of them. Paulie probably has the most value to the club on the field but also in a trade but is there anyone in baseball that is slower than he is?
We definitely could use an everyday 3B who can go 1st to 3rd and/or score from 2B on singles . This means a decision on Crede, which is a tough one, needs to be reached. I say we keep Uribe. He is a real team guy who lost his job twice - SS and 2B - and did not complain one iota to my knowledge. He is a strong armed utility guy who can more than adaquately play three positions. He just needs to change his approach at the plate or get one period. And that leads me to my next thought.
Greg Walker needs to go. My feeling is that the guys are not listening to him anymore. I am sure he knows his stuff but our situational hitting is horrendous. As for our pitching coach, Cooper has done a fine job with Danks and also to a lesser extent with Floyd. He has failed miserably with Vasquez. Javi has great stuff but he is worst 200/yr 2000 career strikeout guy that I have ever seen. He gets ahead of hitters and then does not trust his stuff. He starts nibbling until he has to just lay it in there and then he gets hit. There is a reason he has been on several different teams. He needs some balls. McDougal is another guy who has great movement on his pitches but just does not seem to get it done consistantly.
Lastly, I really wonder what the WSox do at spring training. We really need to work on bunting for hits or sacrifices, rundowns and holding runners on base. We look like a team that was just thrown together recently in these areas in my opinion.
The really tough reality is that we need to do all these things just to stay competitive in the league and the division. I feel that if we were in the other league and were able to accomplish this stuff, then we would be odds on favorites to go to the World Series!
Add, subtract or tell me I'm crazy. Let's hear your version.
An SP would not hurt at all. My feeling is that you cannot count on Contreras at this time. I am so PO'ed at Vasquez that I would like to cut him loose immediately but thinking regarding him should be held off for a couple of weeks or so and everyone cools down. I have heard that the Orioles are interested in him. Brian Roberts would look great around here. Would solve the leadoff, front end speed and 2B questions. I would even give up on Swish if necessary if they threw in a pitching prospect.
As for CF, I like BA alot. He is a tremendous CF in my opinion. About as good as any I have ever seen for that matter with the glove and I started followin' this game back in '59. In August of 07, he actually received 70 AB's and hit .300. After the Sept callups, Ozzie had him back on the bench where he has languished ever since. Granted he has some problems with RH pitching powerwise (he hit all of homers off of LH), but he still hit about .230 playing sporadically. With regular playing time I feel he would improve this at least 20-30 points minimum. He had 181 AB's with 21 extra base hits. If you 3Xed his totals, he would have ended up with 24 HR, 78 RBI, and 15 SB. Same HR, more RBI and 12 more steals than Swish. Swish hit .197 against LH. Hopefully, it was just a down year for Nick.
As for the Konerko - Thome - Griffey trio, one or two of these guys are not needed. I don't know if you got to see him but Griff has really slowed down. Thome, and as much as I like his father - talked with him extensively three or four times this season - is only trying to hit HR's in an effort to gain the HOF. His dad even asked me how many more, when Jim had 535, that I thought it would take for him to get there. He said about 40 and I said about 25. His father, and I suppose Jim also, really want him to get in there before his father passes. There is just not a need for all three of them. Paulie probably has the most value to the club on the field but also in a trade but is there anyone in baseball that is slower than he is?
We definitely could use an everyday 3B who can go 1st to 3rd and/or score from 2B on singles . This means a decision on Crede, which is a tough one, needs to be reached. I say we keep Uribe. He is a real team guy who lost his job twice - SS and 2B - and did not complain one iota to my knowledge. He is a strong armed utility guy who can more than adaquately play three positions. He just needs to change his approach at the plate or get one period. And that leads me to my next thought.
Greg Walker needs to go. My feeling is that the guys are not listening to him anymore. I am sure he knows his stuff but our situational hitting is horrendous. As for our pitching coach, Cooper has done a fine job with Danks and also to a lesser extent with Floyd. He has failed miserably with Vasquez. Javi has great stuff but he is worst 200/yr 2000 career strikeout guy that I have ever seen. He gets ahead of hitters and then does not trust his stuff. He starts nibbling until he has to just lay it in there and then he gets hit. There is a reason he has been on several different teams. He needs some balls. McDougal is another guy who has great movement on his pitches but just does not seem to get it done consistantly.
Lastly, I really wonder what the WSox do at spring training. We really need to work on bunting for hits or sacrifices, rundowns and holding runners on base. We look like a team that was just thrown together recently in these areas in my opinion.
The really tough reality is that we need to do all these things just to stay competitive in the league and the division. I feel that if we were in the other league and were able to accomplish this stuff, then we would be odds on favorites to go to the World Series!
Add, subtract or tell me I'm crazy. Let's hear your version.