The latest on Soriano

by The Cheat on Jul 25, 2006 4:35 PM CDT in News Comment 35 comments

I've been hearing some conflicting reports on the Alfonso Soriano situation, but it appears that, indeed, the White Sox are still interested and currently 'in the lead' in the quest to obtain him. From what I've been told, the Sox are trying to put together a package 'based around prospects.' I'm lead to believe that package is centered on last years #1 pick Lance Broadway, but have no other concrete names to attach to the deal. Terribly vague information, I know, but my Rolodex isn't exactly overflowing with baseball contacts. And I am on a Mariotti-like vacation-in-name-only.

My own thoughts is that Kenny really is trying to get Soriano without using anyone off the major league roster. If that's the case, he'd probably have to throw in Fields too. If I was in his shoes, I'd try to pawn off Pods, keeping Fields, and add another arm in the Tracey/Phillips/Haeger mold to the deal. Bowden may have caught Chuck Lamar syndrome after he ripped off Krivsky, and will be looking for huge haul for the 2-month rental.

Update [2006-7-25 23:33:17 by The Cheat]: Passing on more third-hand information. Comcast Sports Net's Chuck Arfien reported that the Sox currently have '3 different deals on the table,' and that 'the Soriano rumors didn't come from them.' That's a bit contradictory and even more vaugue than what I've been told. You can never be wrong if you say something like 'the Sox are carefully weighing their options,' so I thought I'd pass the info along.

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Will anyone step up?

Cheat I have been scouring news, sites etc. for 2 days straight. My real impression is the Sox have a deal that Washington will accept. Sounds like Broadway was a sticking point but no longer.

The real issue seems to be Bowden hoping he can get someone to step up with a better deal. With the Tigers recently widening the gap I think they are hesitant to do so. Cashman's power must be real now because George would have stepped in by now. And the Angels are in love with their prospects.

Kenny might have to just wait this out....

by Tdogg on Jul 25, 2006 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i wish this trade deadline would hurry up and end

before, i was only a nervous wreck for 3 hours a day during sox games. now i'm a walking timebomb 24-7. will they get soriano? will they get rid of freddy? will they find a sucker for pods/vasquez?

between this and the sox losing streak, my life is falling apart. stop the madness already. give me an answer.

by longdrive on Jul 25, 2006 4:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

even if it's geoff blum

by longdrive on Jul 25, 2006 4:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Pods/Broadway/Tracy

I'd do that deal. Honestly, at this point I just want Pods gone.

Anything more than that and you might as well pay a little more and get someone like Carl Crawford.

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Jul 25, 2006 4:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I would also do that deal

but I really don't think the Nats would. It seems like they are going to want a lot more than that.

by the wimperoo on Jul 25, 2006 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The price is dropping

The Angels don't seem likely to part with any of their prized prospects.

Same with the Twins.

Detroit's Sanchez was pulled due to an elbow issue yesterday, and I don't think they're trading Maybin.

The market isn't as steep as Bowden may have hoped.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Jul 25, 2006 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

what about the yankees?

no interest or do they just not have the prospects? i know they desperately want another outfielder...don't know if they want soriano back though.

i'm just used to george stepping in and swooping players away.

by longdrive on Jul 25, 2006 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yankees

For the most part, the Yankees have two prospects who Washington would want. One is Phillip Hughes, who is a top five pitching prospect in all of baseball (in the minors -- not including the recent grad class of Liriano, Verlander, Cain, etc), and the other is Jose Tabata (I think that's his name), who is an outfielder in A-ball.

The problem is, Cashman doesn't want to part with either of them. And I don't think Bowden wants a whole lot else in that system.

BTW, did anyone watch ESPN last night, and hear Steve Phillips talk about the Soriano rumors? Does this guy know anything about the Sox? He said something to the effect of, "If the Sox made this move, their outfield defense would take a huge hit, as they would need to move Podsednik to centerfield."

I really wish the guys who talked baseball on ESPN, outside of Gammons, weren't idiots. Hopefully Brian Kenny will get Ravich's job sometime in the near future, and they employ Neyer for BBTN.

by CWSKeith on Jul 25, 2006 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

soriano

What will happen next year if do trade for him? Are we going to be able to get a deal to keep him or lose him AND our prospects at the end of the year? Also, everyone knows we need pitching, but maybe Kenny doesn't think there is enough out there and wants to win this year with offense...???

by BigCrookedNumber on Jul 25, 2006 4:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No worries

Soriano will either be resigned, which I won't know how I feel about until I see the numbers and truly understand how he fits on the team, or he'll be offered arbitration as he leaves via free-agency resulting in one or two extra draft picks for the Sox.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Jul 25, 2006 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Soriano would be a rental...

He's a high-SO, bad glove player and will be very expensive. I don't see that as a fit for the Sox.

Would the Sox offer arbitration? If so, they'll get one or maybe 2 draft picks for him. But that's risky since I'm not sure they can afford him accepting arbitration.

by hitlesswonder on Jul 25, 2006 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With regards to wanting more pitching...

perhaps Kenny will turn around and trade Soriano for some pitching. I've heard some weak rumors that the Sox would package Soriano for Zito or Schmidt. The idea makes sense except for the fact that the A's are in first and the Giants are just 1 game back in their respective divisions.

-Jeeves Chi-Sox Blog

by jeeves on Jul 25, 2006 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesnt matter what they want

Its starting to become what they can get. That is why Bowden is hoping another team step up.

by Tdogg on Jul 25, 2006 4:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I have a bad feeling...

Kenny is going to grossly overpay for a rental.

by DeeDubs24 on Jul 25, 2006 5:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

keep hope alive

i have more faith in kenny right now than i do in ozzie. the only thing he overpaid for this year is vasquez...

and my how we overpaid.

by longdrive on Jul 25, 2006 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll say he overpaid on Vasquez...

when Chris Young is an everyday player on a MLB team.

But ANYWAYS, I think he's (KW) pressing - just like how the team is playing. I'll say it again, this team does not need to make a deal, they just need to get their heads out of their asses and play baseball like they know how. Soriano is not a difference maker - not here, not in Detroit. I think something's gonna go down, but it won't put the Sox in the WS or keep them from the playoffs. Unfortunately, the next few years will be a different story.

by DeeDubs24 on Jul 25, 2006 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think you're underestimating soriano

he can flat-out hit, he can flat-out run, and having him at the top of the order may be what the doctor ordered to reinvigorate our offense.

pods is a shell of the player he was for us the first half of last year.

there's no more pitching out there. we need some more offense in the off chance that our pitchers never regain their 2005 form.

by longdrive on Jul 25, 2006 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree

Soriano is a player. Hes 10x the player Podsednik is. Hes killing the ball in DC, just imagine what he could do at Comiskey.
There is no such thing as overpaid if the Sox win another World Series.

the_E_23 on yahoo sox message boards...

by EricGthee23 on Jul 25, 2006 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Playoffs?

In considering the Soriano deal and overpaying I keep asking myself does he assure us the playoffs. I think yes (not that we can't make it without him). Considering that the White Sox making the playoffs means the Twins (the team who scares me the most) and the probably the Yankees won't, we are faced with Soriano at the top of the lineup vs the Tigers, Boston and LA/OAK.

A 4 man rotation, a fireballing relief corps. Damn I like that in the playoffs.

Lets do it baby! That is what Kenny says in the mirror every morning.

by Tdogg on Jul 25, 2006 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Soriano - Difference maker?

You might not think the White Sox need him to make the playoffs but saying he is not a difference maker is just flat out wrong.

A dude with with a +950 ops and 31 dingers in RFK DOES matter. Soriana at the Cell? My God.

I hate to see what you think is a difference maker....

by Tdogg on Jul 25, 2006 5:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with TD

I'm confident that, without Soriano, this team could make the playoffs.

But you can't deny the upgrade from Pods to Soriano. That would give the Sox FIVE legit 30 HR guys. I also don't think the defensive downgrade would be huge -- Soriano certainly has a better arm, although I don't know how his reads are in LF.

I agree with Cheat in that I don't think the market is as strong for Soriano as it has been made out to be. I'm guessing that Kenny is sitting on a deal along the lines of Broadway + Phillips/Liotta + Podsednik, and will wait a couple of days to see if Bowden will say yes.

Kenny pulls that off, and I'll almost be able to forget about losing Lumsden and Cortes from yesterday.

by CWSKeith on Jul 25, 2006 5:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

it's not strong

because everyone knows where he's signing next year. this deal only makes sense if KW somehow gets him to sign on the dotted line. i don't see that happening.

by larry on Jul 25, 2006 6:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even if he doesn't...

Broadway + Liotta + Podsednik isn't a huge price to pay, even if Soriano decides to walk after the season. Why? If they can't extend him, we'll just offer him arbitration and get two draft picks for him in the 2007 Entry Draft. Broadway isn't a can't miss pitcher -- he'll probably be a solid #3-4 pitching in that big ballpark, as well as in the non-DH league. Liotta might not even make it -- he got demoted to A-ball a couple of weeks ago, and his K/BB ratio was nearly 1/1 in AA -- that's awful. Pods wasn't going to be here next year, anyways.

Now, if the deal includes Broadway and Sweeney or Fields, I can see your point. I'd really like to see the Sox hang on to the latter two, if only to have other options in LF next year if Soriano did walk...

by CWSKeith on Jul 25, 2006 6:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Soriano/ B MAC

why is everyone so in love with B Mac? He gives up a lot of fly balls/HRs.

the_E_23 on yahoo sox message boards...

by EricGthee23 on Jul 25, 2006 7:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

and

he's a solid middle of the rotation guy, at the very least, for the next five years or so (i think that's how long he's under our control). soriano is a ten week (more if post-season) rental.

by larry on Jul 25, 2006 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

harold reynolds

does anyone know what happened to him? i read on espn that he is no longer with the network, but they didn't disclose any details. if anyone knows something, please post it here. thanks.

by redfather on Jul 25, 2006 9:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Either sexual harrassment or an argument

over a-rod coverage, according to deadspin.

http://www.deadspin.com/sports/top/was-this-why-harold-got-the-axe-189733.php

by chrome on Jul 25, 2006 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reynolds was cut loose

due to sexual harassment.

From profootballtalk.com

ESPN DUMPS REYNOLDS

Though it has nothing to do with football, we were stunned to see that ESPN abruptly fired baseball analyst Harold Reynolds.

So we poked around a little bit with some of our industry connections (yes, we have a few) to find out why Reynolds has gotten the boot.

Here's what we learned.

Reynolds recently had signed a new contract with ESPN, and was let go for "a fairly significant company violation." Fueled by rumors that we spotted on deadspin.com regarding the question of whether Reynolds had uttered phrases like "You're with me, leather" to one or more of his female co-workers, we pressed for more info, and our source told us that it was "definitely" a case of sexual harassment.

Based on our legal experience, it's unusual for the employer to dump the alleged harasser, if there's any concern that the matter might end up in litigation. It becomes difficult for the company to claim that the allegations aren't valid if the company has fired the guy.

Our guess? There must be some pretty damning evidence to prompt the network to move so quickly -- along the lines, say, of George Costanza's activities with the cleaning lady to whom he gave the sweater with the red spot. Otherwise, ESPN would have waited until a more natural point to sever the relationship.

Also, given that Reynolds had recently signed a new contract, it's pretty clear that this is something that just, um, popped up.

www.wagersharp.com

by wagersharpdotcom on Jul 25, 2006 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs