White Sox Might Want Pierre (Sun-Times)

[Southpaw191679666239]

The White Sox have interest in acquiring Juan Pierre, perhaps for Damaso Marte and/or Aaron Rowand.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, but with multiple sources reporting the story, there must be some truth to it. Pierre is both a worse player than Rowand and the more expensive of the two. Plus, he'd only be under the club's control for one year. If the White Sox do decide they need Pierre to go along with Scott Podsednik, they should at least refuse to give up Rowand in the deal and try to use him to upgrade elsewhere. Nov. 19 - 1:17 pm et

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

 

Article mentions that Furcal is likely to stay with Atlanta. Now, if we miss out on Pierre and Furcal... ?

 

#-o ](*,)

[CuseCubFan69]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the White Sox move one of their starting pitchers for a player like Pierre or a player with a good bat.

[nolanwood]

Very disappointing news :(

 

Furcal stays with the Braves - and Pierre going to the White Sox. Man, that Sox. And if we lose out on both those guys, count yourself in for a long, turdy season!

[Jehrico]

Why would they want an OF with both Podsednik and Pierre at the same time? Seems redundant and stupid.

 

However, I thought most of their moves last season were stupid though...

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I don't want Pierre or Furcal. Hopefully Furcal decides on Atlanta quickly and Hendry has to trade to fill the holes on this team. With Pierre off the table, maybe he'd go for someone like Bradley or Wilkerson.

 

I read a quote today about how Karros had clubhouse issues before coming to Chicago and Hendry said he was a great clubhouse guy. Maybe he is more willing to take a chance on a guy like Bradley than I thought.

[nolanwood]

I don't want Pierre or Furcal. Hopefully Furcal decides on Atlanta quickly and Hendry has to trade to fill the holes on this team. With Pierre off the table, maybe he'd go for someone like Bradley or Wilkerson.

 

I read a quote today about how Karros had clubhouse issues before coming to Chicago and Hendry said he was a great clubhouse guy. Maybe he is more willing to take a chance on a guy like Bradley than I thought.

 

Please elaborate how a mere Wilkerson or Bradley addition to this team would be that great of an improvement? I just don't see any difference with an outifeld of Patterson, Wilkerson/Bradley and Murton than we had last year.

 

Also, with no Furcal, we'd be seeing an infield of Cedeno/Perez? Or Cedeno/Perez and Gonzo?

 

I just dont like either one of those scenarios. I think for this team to contend, we need two offensive improvements in the OF, and an offensive improvement in the middle infield. Please elaborate and convince me otherwise :) I'm open to any alternate theories.....

 

THANKS!

[nilodnayr]

I don't want Pierre or Furcal. Hopefully Furcal decides on Atlanta quickly and Hendry has to trade to fill the holes on this team. With Pierre off the table, maybe he'd go for someone like Bradley or Wilkerson.

 

I read a quote today about how Karros had clubhouse issues before coming to Chicago and Hendry said he was a great clubhouse guy. Maybe he is more willing to take a chance on a guy like Bradley than I thought.

 

Please elaborate how a mere Wilkerson or Bradley addition to this team would be that great of an improvement? I just don't see any difference with an outifeld of Patterson, Wilkerson/Bradley and Murton than we had last year.

 

Also, with no Furcal, we'd be seeing an infield of Cedeno/Perez? Or Cedeno/Perez and Gonzo?

 

I just dont like either one of those scenarios. I think for this team to contend, we need two offensive improvements in the OF, and an offensive improvement in the middle infield. Please elaborate and convince me otherwise :) I'm open to any alternate theories.....

 

THANKS!

 

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

EDIT: As Hendry has soured on Nomar and has prioritized defense, I assume if we lose out on Furcal we use Cedeno at short and acquire a second baseman. Giles and Castillo would be the obvious first options.

Edited November 19, 2005 by nilodnayr

[Southpaw191679666239]

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

Nomar isn't going to happen...

[nolanwood]

If we pass on Furcal, Nomar better be coming back @ SS for certain! However, I think we ruined the Nomar scenario - which means once again we screwed ourselves royally if we don't get Furcal. I'd settle for Bradley/Wilk in CF - what's our RF option then?

[Southpaw191679666239]

If we pass on Furcal, Nomar better be coming back @ SS for certain! However, I think we ruined the Nomar scenario - which means once again we screwed ourselves royally if we don't get Furcal. I'd settle for Bradley/Wilk in CF - what's our RF option then?

 

Someone via trade, more than likely.

Maybe we can convince Brooks Kieschnick to revert back to an OF. ;)

[RockTheIvy]

This could be a blessing. It could mean the only possibility for CF is Bradley. Then we would need a leadoff hitter. Todd Walker and a generic pitcher for Luis Castillo? Either keep Cedeno or get a cheap Nomar deal, get a RF bat, and we are cookin' with grease.

[nilodnayr]

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

Nomar isn't going to happen...

 

Ohh im well aware...but it should.

[USSoccer]

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

Nomar isn't going to happen...

 

Ohh im well aware...but it should.

 

Why? What about Nomar makes you think he still has the durability and range to be a major league SS? Do you really want to count on a guy who's missed most of the last 2 years due to leg injuries?

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I don't want Pierre or Furcal. Hopefully Furcal decides on Atlanta quickly and Hendry has to trade to fill the holes on this team. With Pierre off the table, maybe he'd go for someone like Bradley or Wilkerson.

 

I read a quote today about how Karros had clubhouse issues before coming to Chicago and Hendry said he was a great clubhouse guy. Maybe he is more willing to take a chance on a guy like Bradley than I thought.

 

Please elaborate how a mere Wilkerson or Bradley addition to this team would be that great of an improvement? I just don't see any difference with an outifeld of Patterson, Wilkerson/Bradley and Murton than we had last year.

 

Also, with no Furcal, we'd be seeing an infield of Cedeno/Perez? Or Cedeno/Perez and Gonzo?

 

I just dont like either one of those scenarios. I think for this team to contend, we need two offensive improvements in the OF, and an offensive improvement in the middle infield. Please elaborate and convince me otherwise :) I'm open to any alternate theories.....

 

THANKS!

 

I'd like Bradley/Wilkerson in CF. Neither is a great option in a corner OF spot.

 

Personally, I want an OF of Murton, Bradley/Wilkerson, and Giles. With Furcal hopefully re-signing with Atlanta, we'll have a lot of free cash and a limited pool of players to spend it on. The pressure is on Hendry to get a big name. If Furcal and Pierre go by the wayside, which certainly looks plausible, I can see Giles in RF next year, even if Hendry is forced into overpaying.

 

It's funny that the Cubs don't want to overpay on Giles, but they're willing to overpay for Furcal, Eyre, Rusch, and Neifi. Crazy.

 

The only reason I'd applaud a Furcal signing is to help keep Neifi's ABs down. I don't see Hendry dealing Walker if we don't get Furcal.

 

Walker/Cedeno works for me. It is likely that Neifi is going to get a fair number of ABs in that scenario under Dusty, but I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that is going to happen regardless. you don't pay someone 2.5M to sit on the bench all year. cedeno is going to have to play is butt off, which is certainly possible considering the league hasn't seen much of him.

 

i'd love to have a middle infield of castillo/cedeno or giles/cedeno. Hendry has always been high on Cedeno's glove. It's the offense that has been lacking up until last year. Neifi doesn't really offer more than Cedeno (probably much less production offensively!), so I don't see Hendry advocating Neifi playing over Cedeno. Of course Dusty makes up the lineup card. :(

 

A Cedeno/Perez MI is a nightmare with an average/below average OF. I can't believe that Hendry just goes with a Murton/Patterson/Mench in that scenario. He has too much money to spend. With a stud OF, I can live with an offensively iffy MI (Cedeno/Neifi).

Edited November 19, 2005 by Meat&PotatoesMan

[USSoccer]

If we add an impact RF, and get a serviceable CF, then Cedeno/Walker with Neifi getting occasional time would be passable, provided that the CF can lead off, and Walker or Murton bat 2nd. Neifi needs to be down in the lineup, like 7th or 8th, if he's going to play.

[nilodnayr]

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

Nomar isn't going to happen...

 

Ohh im well aware...but it should.

 

Why? What about Nomar makes you think he still has the durability and range to be a major league SS? Do you really want to count on a guy who's missed the 2004 season due to an achilies problem that has not bothered him since and the 2005 season due to a freak groin pull? Not that he has any muscle, ligament, joint, or conditioning issues that would make you think he will get injured in the future.

 

Fixed

[nilodnayr]

I'm working under the assumption that Hendry is going to trade Walker...how said is it that Hendry would need to trade valuable pieces for M.Giles/Castillo to come close to (Giles better, Castillo worse) the offensive production Walker as well as take on a couple mil more in salary. Additionally, Hendry would have to trade valuable pieces for Abreu/Dunn to match the offensive production B. Giles would provide (Dunn being cheaper $ wise, Abreu being more expensive).

[NewUserName]

LOfton cf

Walker 2b

lee 1b

ARam 3b

Mench rf

Barrett C

Murton LF

Perez ss

 

I predict this will be the Cubs opening day lineup. I would go with Cedeno at ss but I dont think Dusty will. I think this lineup would do fairly well, though not a major defensive upgrade. If we had Hairston, Cedeno, Blanco, grieve and anyone but macias I wouldnt mind it. It would be much more cheaper and probably as good as going with

Pierre cf

Frucal ss

Lee 1b

ARam 3b

Mench rf

Barret c

Murton lf

Perez/cedeno 2b

 

the first option would also make more room to add better free agents next year and to resign several key players that we have coming up on big contracts

 

so I say if we dont get frucal and pierre GOOD. If though we end up with this I will puke again(i pucked already when niefi got 2.5 mill for 2 years)

 

Perez ss

cedeno 2b

Lee 1b

ARam 3b

Encarcion RF

Barret C

Patterson cf

Murton LF

[USSoccer]

He means Bradly/Wilk to play CF and maybe Nomar for short. That would be a signficantly better offense than Furcal and Pierre.

 

Nomar isn't going to happen...

 

Ohh im well aware...but it should.

 

Why? What about Nomar makes you think he still has the durability and range to be a major league SS? Do you really want to count on a guy who's missed the 2004 season due to an achilies problem that has not bothered him since and the 2005 season due to a freak groin pull? Not that he has any muscle, ligament, joint, or conditioning issues that would make you think he will get injured in the future.

 

Fixed

 

It was more than a groin pull. He tore the muscle right off the bone. Those things take their toll on his lateral movement. I do not feel comfortable counting on Nomar Garciaparra to be able to play SS defensively at anywhere near the level he used to.

 

He probably wants far more money than he rightly deserves. He's not going to play 3B. He's not going to come back in a supersub role for less than $4m (which is the only condition I'd want him back) and it would be really dumb to put him in LF. If we don't have a position that he can play, and be better than players we already have at said position, than what's the point in bringing himm back?

 

He's not the batting champion anymore. It sucks, but oh well. We took a risk on him, and got burned twice. No reason to make it 3.

[Geech]

I'm working under the assumption that Hendry is going to trade Walker...

 

I don't think it's a given that Walker is gone if the Cubs don't get Furcal. Maybe I'm giving Hendry too much credit, though, Miles seemed certain that the Cobs wanted Walker gone.

[Illini Iceman]

The Beckett/Lowell for Blaylock/Pitching Prospect potential deal could make for some interesting options

 

According to the MLB source, the Marlins may turn around and package Blalock as part of another deal.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051119&content_id=1270572&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

(sorry for the long link)

 

I know it is probably a long shot but I wonder if the Cubs could get involved in a spin off of Blalock to the Phillies and find a way to get Pierre and Abreu?

 

Mitre, Novoa, CPatt and Pinto to Marlins for Blalock and Pierre then Blalock and Williams to Phillies for Abreu.

 

It only works obviously if both the Marlins and Phillies are highly motivated to move salary.

 

If the Cubs could pull that off they would be able to live with Cedeno/Walker/Perez as the middle infielders and not need to throw money at Furcal. Abreu would obviously provide the impact corner outfield bat and Pierre the leadoff man. Walker could be second and Cedeno/Perez eighth.

 

What good is the offseason if not for thinking of virtually impossible scenarios? :lol:

[MPrior]

I'm working under the assumption that Hendry is going to trade Walker...how said is it that Hendry would need to trade valuable pieces for M.Giles/Castillo to come close to (Giles better, Castillo worse) the offensive production Walker as well as take on a couple mil more in salary. Additionally, Hendry would have to trade valuable pieces for Abreu/Dunn to match the offensive production B. Giles would provide (Dunn being cheaper $ wise, Abreu being more expensive).

 

I don't think Castillo is that much worse than Walker offensively.

 

Castillo: .301/.391/.374 (2005) .293/.370/.356 (career)

Walker: .305/.355/.474 (2005) .290/.348/.441 (career)

 

Walker has more power, but Castillo gets on base a good bit more. I'd love to have Castillo leading off (or batting second, I guess, but I'd rather have him lead off, considering the dearth of power).

[imb]

Castillo's 40 points of obp are more valuable than walkers 100 points of slg, especially on this team.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

You simply MUST sign Furcal at this point, everything else depends on it. We can get a #2 hitter for CF, but Furcal is our only real option for SS and leadoff that makes sense for us. Yes, he'll be overpaid, but we are between a rock and a hard place, and Hendry has roughly $30MM to spend here.

 

Get it done.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Castillo's 40 points of obp are more valuable than walkers 100 points of slg, especially on this team.

 

But what if it's more like their career numbers, 20 points of OBP v. 85 points of SLG?