*Official* 6-23 Alexei wins Pick to Choke; KC 7 SOX 6 Postgamer

[blandman]

Originally Posted by Brian26

What is lost is Gordon's clutch hit driving in two runs. Beckham's crouch at the plate makes him look as good at the plate since maybe his rookie year. He seems to have finally figured it out.

Good timing.

But hey, maybe we can coax something decent out of him.

[LoveYourSuit]

Lost today is how much Dylan Axelrod sucks.

Beach Balls, that's what he throws up there.

Need to find someone else down in the farm to take his sport.

These are wasted innings for perhaps someone you can actually build for the future with.

[amsteel]

Alexei was actually worse in '09 as far as runs saved goes:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...03-field.shtml

I know his parents are in the US, but is it possible he's having some sort of family issue either domestic or international? The drop off from last year is so precipitous that I feel like there has to be larger things at work than just regression.

[Golden Sox]

It's been obvious this year that Alexei is not the defensive shortstop he has been in the past. Nobody will like to read this but are his defensive skills worse simply because he's older than his given age of 31? Alot of these foreign ballplayers are actually older than what they say they are. He has missed routine ground balls this year. His defensive skills have dimenished this 2013 season. Is he actually alot older than 31?

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by Brian26

What is lost is Gordon's clutch hit driving in two runs. Beckham's crouch at the plate makes him look as good at the plate since maybe his rookie year. He seems to have finally figured it out.

lol

[JB98]

We're not even halfway through the season yet, but it's obviously time to look toward 2014.

I'm pretty sure Rios and Beckham are the only two starting position players I'd want back for next season. Well, actually I wouldn't mind keeping De Aza -- as a fourth outfielder. Of course, if Hahn can get some pieces in exchange for Rios, he's gotta pull the trigger.

Pretty sure Sale is the only guy I absolutely would not move. I'd be inclined to hold on to Reed, as well, but I wouldn't describe him as off limits in a deal.

[Boondock Saint]

Originally Posted by JB98

We're not even halfway through the season yet, but it's obviously time to look toward 2014.

I'm pretty sure Rios and Beckham are the only two starting position players I'd want back for next season. Well, actually I wouldn't mind keeping De Aza -- as a fourth outfielder. Of course, if Hahn can get some pieces in exchange for Rios, he's gotta pull the trigger.

Pretty sure Sale is the only guy I absolutely would not move. I'd be inclined to hold on to Reed, as well, but I wouldn't describe him as off limits in a deal.

I hate the idea of holding onto a good closer when you're not really going to be needing one for at least a couple of years. Closers don't last, and it'd be a complete waste if he stops being effective before we're ready to contend and we didn't get anything for him because we wanted to keep him for the future.

[Jurr]

Originally Posted by amsteel

Alexei was actually worse in '09 as far as runs saved goes:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...03-field.shtml

I know his parents are in the US, but is it possible he's having some sort of family issue either domestic or international? The drop off from last year is so precipitous that I feel like there has to be larger things at work than just regression.

He is a Cuban immigrant who moved to a phenomenal city and gets 5 million a year + to play baseball. The guy is loving life, as he should.

Maybe he has fallen in love? Maybe he is enjoying his life a ton, since his entire life has been spent playing a game at a high level so he could enjoy an easier existence. Quite possibly, he is content and isn't practicing he fundamentals quite as hard as he used to.

We forget the human condition sometimes, and that can be a problem.
This is why I love the concept of loading the roster full of guys with upcoming contracts or a chip on their shoulders.

They work harder. They want it a little more.

[JB98]

Originally Posted by Boondock Saint

I hate the idea of holding onto a good closer when you're not really going to be needing one for at least a couple of years. Closers don't last, and it'd be a complete waste if he stops being effective before we're ready to contend and we didn't get anything for him because we wanted to keep him for the future.

He's young and cheap and somebody has to pitch out of the bullpen. Why not him and Jones? There's no reason to pay mediocre veterans inflated salaries to do that job.

If somebody offered me a big return, yeah, I'd trade Reed. But I wouldn't actively try to move him. The guys with salaries are the ones that need to go first.

Reed's status as the closer on the team is beside the point.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by Boondock Saint

I hate the idea of holding onto a good closer when you're not really going to be needing one for at least a couple of years. Closers don't last, and it'd be a complete waste if he stops being effective before we're ready to contend and we didn't get anything for him because we wanted to keep him for the future.

I agree that it is kind of pointless to hold onto a closer when you aren't really contending, that was part of the logic in trading Sergio Santos in 2011 (or at least that is what a lot of posters claimed) however if they are going to trade Reed they need to get more than a Nestor Molina level prospect.

[JB98]

Originally Posted by LoveYourSuit

Lost today is how much Dylan Axelrod sucks.

Beach Balls, that's what he throws up there.

Need to find someone else down in the farm to take his sport.

These are wasted innings for perhaps someone you can actually build for the future with.

Erik Johnson is very close to big-league ready. We'll see him in the rotation before the year is over.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by JB98

He's young and cheap and somebody has to pitch out of the bullpen. Why not him and Jones? There's no reason to pay mediocre veterans inflated salaries to do that job.

If somebody offered me a big return, yeah, I'd trade Reed. But I wouldn't actively try to move him. The guys with salaries are the ones that need to go first.

Reed's status as the closer on the team is beside the point.

Yea but Reed is the guy who can get you the most value in terms of prospects because he is young and cheap. Not as many teams are going to want to get those expensive veterans and they certainly won't be willing to give up much for them.

[JB98]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

Yea but Reed is the guy who can get you the most value in terms of prospects because he is young and cheap. Not as many teams are going to want to get those expensive veterans and they certainly won't be willing to give up much for them.

Of course, I'm an evil, evil Sox fan. I've yet to resign myself to the fact that the team is going to suck for five years. I actually think they could return to legitimate contention within about two years, well within the shelf life for a guy like Reed. So, someone would have to make me a great offer before I'd trade him.

Again, he's not untouchable. Just saying the offer would have to be very good. I wouldn't think twice about dealing Crain and Thornton.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by JB98

Of course, I'm an evil, evil Sox fan. I've yet to resign myself to the fact that the team is going to suck for five years. I actually think they could return to legitimate contention within about two years, well within the shelf life for a guy like Reed. So, someone would have to make me a great offer before I'd trade him.

Again, he's not untouchable. Just saying the offer would have to be very good. I wouldn't think twice about dealing Crain and Thornton.

I don't think they will suck for 5 years but I don't think they will really be contending until 2016 or so and since it seems to me that the shelf life of a closer is about 3 years I would probably be more willing to at least shop him around, but I agree with you that it has to be for a high price. Much more than what we would get for Crain or Thornton.

[Wedema]

Originally Posted by JB98

Erik Johnson is very close to big-league ready. We'll see him in the rotation before the year is over.

I heard Buddy Bell on the Score yesterday morning saying that Johnson is ready now and compared him to Quintana last year coming from AA.