Toby.Hall.

by The Cheat on Dec 17, 2006 11:06 AM CST in White Sox News

White Sox and Toby Hall agree to terms on $3.65 mil two-year contract with $2.25 mil club option (with a $150k buyout) for 2009.

~~I'm out the door. Hall should be a White Sox by the time I get back~~.

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You were right...

I just heard on WSCR 670 that the Sox did indeed sign Toby Hall to a 2-year contract. No word yet on the money.

Good job Kenny!

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 11:47 AM CST reply actions

It's official

ChicagoSports.com just posted the story.

Crisis averted!

by Ryno on Dec 17, 2006 11:49 AM CST reply actions

and kenny didn't have to give away anyone

HEY THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
THE PEORIA POUNDER

by The Wizard on Dec 17, 2006 7:22 PM CST up reply actions

huzzah

now bring in Denorfia/Cabrera/Willits and call it a good offseason.

by beautox on Dec 17, 2006 11:54 AM CST reply actions

miguel cabrera?

florida will ask for kenny's firstborn and two pitchers...

more expensive than crawford yes?

HEY THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
THE PEORIA POUNDER

by The Wizard on Dec 17, 2006 7:31 PM CST up reply actions

Oz

He's talking about Melky for LF I believe.

by 3E8 on Dec 17, 2006 8:03 PM CST up reply actions

oh, melky

any idea what would cashman want? probably too much...

HEY THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
THE PEORIA POUNDER

by The Wizard on Dec 18, 2006 2:39 PM CST up reply actions

Toby Hall signs with White Sox...

White Sox signed catcher Toby Hall, who had been with the Dodgers, to a two-year, $3.65 million contract with a club option for 2009.
Hall said he wasn't ready to be a backup, but to no one's surprise, he went where the money was. He'll earn $1.75 million in each of the next two years. The 2009 option is worth $2.25 million and includes a $150,000 buyout. Hall will likely act as the platoon partner of the left-handed-hitting A.J. Pierzynski. He's not much of a hitter overall, but his .274/.319/.403 career line against lefties isn't too bad.

Cheap too!!!

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 12:01 PM CST reply actions

Interesting option

Buster Olney reported in his blog today that the Blue Jays are looking to trade Alex Rios for a 4th starter. Couldn't he lead off and play left field better than Pods? He's not an OBP monster or anything but he was better than Pods last year, has enough speed for Ozzie to like him, and of course is a far more potent hitter than Pods. He's also just turning 26 in February and only made $354K last year. Certainly an intriguing possibilty.

Olney also mentioned that he thought the Sox might be interested in acquiring Joel Pineiro as a reliever.

by Ryno on Dec 17, 2006 12:04 PM CST reply actions

KW on Toby

"Toby brings us a veteran presence"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-061217soxcatcher,1,1092596.story?coll=chi- sportstop-hed

finally we found the replacement for timo's veteran presence.

by larry on Dec 17, 2006 12:07 PM CST reply actions

alright so,

backup catcher - check
traded starter - check
improve bullpen - check

-----------------

The only thing left is upgrading left field.

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Dec 17, 2006 12:12 PM CST reply actions

booyahkashah!

I can rest easy now knowing Ol' Creaky Knees wont be behing the plate for us.

Great move, Kenny.

-Jeeves Chi-Sox Blog

by jeeves on Dec 17, 2006 12:41 PM CST reply actions

Toby Hall...

Toby Hall's 3-year splits versus lefties (2004-2006)
303 AB | .297 AVG | .334 OBP | .436 SLG | .770 OPS

Hall has also thrown out 116 of 359 attempted base stealers in his career, good for 32.3%.

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 12:52 PM CST reply actions

Quotes from Kenny and Toby...

White Sox and Toby Hall agree to terms on two-year contract with club option for 2009

"Toby brings us a veteran presence behind the plate and allows us to keep A.J. Pierzynski rested as the season goes on," said White Sox general manager Ken Williams. "There are a number of left-handed starting pitchers in the division and we feel Toby will enhance our offensive attack against them.

"I had a great conversation with Toby to explain how we view his role and he expressed how difficult a decision it was for him. He had chances to go to other clubs that may have offered more playing time, but he chose the White Sox and we are a better team for it. His desire to play on a winning team and in his words, 'Wear a Sox jersey,' ultimately won out."

"Playing against the White Sox in the American League, I was familiar with all that they had accomplished over the past few years and it will be an honor to wear the Sox uniform," said Hall. "Chicago is where I wanted to be."

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 12:56 PM CST reply actions

Awesome

We've been calling for this for the last year, and we finally got our wish. Good work.

--------

Olney mentioned Piniero as a guy the Sox might be interested in? I've always like his arm, although it's been close to 350 innings since he's been remotely good.

----------

If I could ask for one more thing, it'd be a real LFer or platoon partner for Podsednik.

by CWSKeith on Dec 17, 2006 1:14 PM CST reply actions

Joel Pineiro...

Pineiro would be our longman with Floyd and Sisco pitching in AAA preparing to be starters for 2008. But I think I'd rather stick with what we have in terms of pitching and put that money towards a LF'er as well. Besides, with the money that mediocre starters are getting these days, Piniero will get a decent contract to be a starter for some team out there. If the Cubs are set to give Jason Marquis a 3-year, $21 million dollar deal, I don't see Pineiro signing for what the Sox would offer him.

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

I hope the "real LF'er" is Ryan Church

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 1:49 PM CST up reply actions

Blue Jay outfielders

I've watched a fair number of Jays games up here in Canada and all three of their outfielders are outstanding. Take Vernon Wells off the board and this leaves Alex Rios and Reed Johnson.

Rios is a super talent, has had some injury issues, and has, like lots of young outfielders, lots of very hot and very cold streaks. Tall, fast and power, kind of like Jermaine Dye when he was a youngster.

Reed Johnson a close buddy of Aaron Rowand in the offseason and cut from the same cloth (not a super talent but a hard working muscular guy). A much better hitter than Rowand.

With the Jays losing Frank Cattalanotto to FA they don't have much after these three.

However, the Jays are admittedly desperate for a #2 or #3 starter.

Always liked Piniero's stuff too. Can't figure out what happened with him as it has been a long time struggling to be even a decent starter.

However, it looks like all the Sox need now is a LF and 2007 is looking good!

Canada's finest

by MarkD on Dec 17, 2006 1:45 PM CST reply actions

We have one spot on the 25-man roster available...

depending on what Kenny does with Luis Terrero. Terrero signed a split-contract just like Ozuna did last season. Terrero will receive $410,000 if he's in the Majors and $78,000 he is assigned to the Minors. I'd love to see a quality LF'er brought in with Terrero and Sweeney to serve as outfield insurance at Charlotte. If Kenny adds a solid LF'er, the offseason was a success in my opinion.

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 8:26 PM CST reply actions

Hmmm...

The Javy Vazquez for Lastings Milledge and Aaron Heilman trade would actually work then, if the Mets miss out on Barry Zito. Milledge would probably make a decent platoon guy to go along with Podsednik in LF. It will be interesting to see what Kenny decides to do. I would definately make this trade though.

Buehrle
Contreras
Garland
McCarthy
Heilman / Haeger / Floyd (the runner-up for the 5th starter job gets the long reliever job)

LF Podsednik / Milledge (strict lefty-righty platoon)
2B Iguchi
DH Thome
1B Konerko
RF Dye
3B Crede
C Pierzynski
SS Uribe
CF Anderson

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 8:40 PM CST up reply actions

I like that deal if Fred wasn't gone....

I like the deal, but the Sox would have a hard time with that rotation. I would fear we would have a 5th starter turnstyle like 2002-2004. Granted alot more talented turnstyle, but no established 5th starter, with an inexperienced 4th starter. Just doesn't work.

by Tony82087 on Dec 17, 2006 9:17 PM CST up reply actions

Marcus Giles joining his brother in San Diego...

Marcus Giles close to joining Padres

The Giles family reunion is on.

Free-agent second baseman Marcus Giles is expected to sign with the Padres early this week, joining his older brother, right fielder Brian Giles, FOXSports.com has learned.

Marcus, 28, likely will agree to a one-year deal and possibly a club option. His salary will be significantly less than the $5.5 million that he might have earned in salary arbitration with the Braves, who declined to offer him a contract.

The short-term deal will give Marcus a chance to re-establish his value as he tries to rebound from his worst offensive season as a regular. It also gives him the opportunity to return home to San Diego and become major-league teammates with Brian, 35, for the first time.

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 9:15 PM CST reply actions

Preston Wilson?

Anyone think Kenny goes cheap on an outfielder and signs Preston Wilson to a 1-year deal? I doubt Kenny wants to give up any of his pitching talent for a guy like Alex Rios or Melky Cabrera. Wilson probably wouldn't be a bad signing if he plays LF and some CF and only against lefties. He can also steal a few bags. Obviously, Kenny is taking note of players who have good platoon splits after signing Toby Hall. Wilson is the only decent outfielder available on the free agent market other than Trot Nixon and we need help versus lefties, not righties, which is what Nixon provides.

Preston Wilson's 3-year splits versus lefties
308 AB | .279 AVG | .346 OBP | .516 SLG | .862 OPS | 18 HR | 58 RBI

If Podsednik is worth $3 million, I would think Wilson should be as well. He might not be the ideal guy that everyone would be happy with but I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny signs Wilson. A Podsednik / Wilson platoon in LF might actually be productive and I'd rather have him as our extra outfielder than Luis Terrero.

by SSH2005 on Dec 17, 2006 9:54 PM CST reply actions

Preston Wilson

I think you're right on track with Preston Wilson. He's exactly the type of player KW's been grabbing off the unloved & unwanted heap for years.

Downside is he's an unholy strikeout machine, and he's never played in the AL so it could get extremely ugly. Upside is that he could be putting the ball over the wall at a very high rate at the Cell.

Sox got lucky with JD & Everett, I can see them rolling the bones on Wilson. He'd probably come cheap, and you'd think they'd want a proven power hitter around with JD leaving next year.

by ChicagoPete on Dec 18, 2006 11:22 AM CST up reply actions