jacksonianmarch

It just doesnt make any sense. He could possibly be had for 2yrs, $20 million. That's likely in this market. So they offer him arb where he could almost assuredly gain 75% of the total value of that contract in year 1? That makes no sense. They want the picks if he leaves, obviously, but that's a huge payday for a 36 yr old DH. And next yr, if they want compensation, they'd need to offer him a 1yr $12.5 million payday just to be eligible for picks. The guy will still hit. He may not put up another .900+OPS season, but he's almost assuredly a lock for 25HR, 80RBI and an .850+OPS. He'll still have his type A status going into 2013. Seems like they are willing to pay more money to keep him motivated

He looks just as fat as he did when he went down with an injury

He meant cross off #2 from my list, as Sizemore is back with cleveland

I posted the reasons why the sox shouldn't get him, but don't think for a second that he lacks value. He's young, signed to a 1 yr deal and won't break the bank. Teams like Cincinnati and Toronto would love to get him. He will end up costing a fair amount. Don't kid yourself into thinking Colorado will give him away for free.

He was very solid in the regular season as he was protected. We can still protect him as our #5, not as anything else.

I think Ortiz accepts arbitration and nets nearly $14 mil in 2012. In terms of Gio Gonzalez, I am unsure the sox can matchup with them, but he's a concern with the BBs.

He's a cheaper, younger and shorter contracted option on the market. He's going to command quite a haul to get him. I just don't think Boston is the best place for him.

I don't mind it, but my problem with this is two-fold. First, we had draft pick comp coming, and second, he gets lit up by good offenses, even when he throws the ball where he wants to. He needs to come into 2012 as a #4 at best, so this better not be it.

1 yr $5 million

He struggled out of the gate as most guys do coming back from TJS. But his #s in the second half were good. ERA was 3.91, which is marginal, but his other stats were impressive. 9K/9IP, WHIP of 1 and K/BB over 4. Plus his velo came back

Injury prone and inconsistent.

Joe Nathan isn't most relievers. He was, prior to his injury, the best statistical reliever in the game from when he got to Minnesota.

So wait, you guys were cool with a 1 yr deal at $7 mil to allow him to recoup his value, right? And he's coming off an injury that 90% of pitchers come back stronger from. And he finished out last yr strong enough to retake the closers role. So, if you signed him to a 1 yr deal and he had a typical Joe Nathan season, he'd command over $10 mil a yr after that. All signs point to Nathan having a good yr. and at this price, he'd be a bargain.

2 yrs $14.5 mil with a third yr option. That's a pretty reasonable contract. I am surprised the sox didn't get in on that action.

Well, the Yankees are certainly playing the game with them. "Unnamed sources arent content with the yankees giving up the motherlode for a guy with 1 yr left on his contract". That sounds like it was leaked straight from Cashman's mouth into the reporters pad. The White Sox seem to be in love with Romine as well, and he looks the part of a big league catcher in all facets of the game, so I can see their reason for liking him. And with the Yankees having effectively a Romine clone already in Martin, there really isnt a need to block his maturation. And since he is in his last yr of a deal, I think we could avoid dealing Montero or any of the two remaining B's. Romine would be the lead. Then you'd have to throw them two big league ready pitchers, and that would probably be Noesi and Warren, then a long range guy like an Angelo Gumbs or so.

Also, I am not on the "oh my god, don't get CJ!!" bandwagon. I think he could be very useful to this team. I just dont like the idea of a big contract for another guy who is considered effectively wild. Because, eventually, they will become ineffectively wild. AJ was "effectively wild" and he gave us one above average season and two awful ones

Rosenthal is a Boras mouthpiece, so the majority of the time he is being used to spin negotiations

I would caution anyone to put Aceves into the rotation long term. I watched Aceves from when the Yankees signed him out of Mexico around the same time they signed Banuelos. He's always had marginal big league stuff, with great command and has been a nightmare the second time through a lineup. His deception is that he can throw 1-2 innings of shutdown relief because he comes at you with 4 pitches and shows all of them from the getgo. As a starter, you have to show 2 the first time through, mix in a 3rd the second time through, and then your 4th pitch the third time through. He cannot operate that way as his fastball and curve arent really plus pitches. I loved Ace when he was here and thought he was the glue that held together a championship team. But I would highly caution anyone who thinks he's the answer as the #5 starter

The only info I have on him comes from roughshod articles of second hand knowledge from scouts who talked to people about him. He's just starting to show people what he can do in workouts. All things said about him are glowing, but lets see what the eyes on guys will say when they see him

Valentine goes against every media report in terms of the characteristics of who they are looking for. They want a "Yes" man in the dugout with big league experience. He has the latter, but he will not be the former.

Darvish is a little different in that he is a much bigger framed pitcher. IMO, that plays out better. Also, you hear some scouts or even Bobby Valentine talk about DiceK while he was in Japan, and it is night and day from the BS that was fed to the sox nation when they got him. Bobby said definitively that DiceK could touch 97-98mph, but that was rare and he typically sat 91-92mph. He also said in his first interview on the topic back 5 yrs ago that he didnt think he'd be an ace, since he didnt believe in his stuff and his command. Fast forward, and he was exactly right. Breaking stuff a tick above average, fastball sitting in the low 90s and he's had games where he touches the upper nineties, and major control issues. Now with Darvish, the consensus reports have him at 6'5", sitting 93+mph, having impeccable control and having a wipeout secondary arsenal. Now, maybe I am drinking the same Kool Aid as everyone did with DiceK, but this guy looks like the far superior pitcher. And he is a year younger than DiceK was when he was posted

The point, though, is that you had both. This wasn't an either or.

I wouldn't deal Williams, but I'd throw Heathcott in there.