20 replies to this topic

[SoxScout]

The Red Sox are kicking the tire on free-agent starters but have interest in Gavin Floyd. They are looking to move Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who would be a good piece for the White Sox as a platoon partner for Tyler Flowers. The White Sox would save some money, which would help them fill their needs at third base. Eric Chavez is an interesting name on the free-agent market there. He could share the position with Brent Morel, who gets at least half a mulligan to prove that he can hit in the big leagues. Definitely something to watch.

ChiTribRogers: Purely in terms of fit, Boston is emerging as a possible source of help for the White Sox. http://t.co/3Qjv6V6X

[Jed Zeppelin]

Floyd has one year left at $9.5 million.

[rembrat]

FINALLY.

I was beating this drum all last season. Gavin Floyd is exactly what this staff needs. 29-30 starts, 180-190IP of decent FIP.

[Savin Hillbilly]

FINALLY.

I was beating this drum all last season. Gavin Floyd is exactly what this staff needs. 29-30 starts, 180-190IP of decent FIP.

The FIP spiked a bit last year, but hopefully that was just a blip and due for a correction. His velocity and K rate seem to be holding steady at middling. He's basically a bankably OK RH starter, which I agree would be a nice thing for us right now. A rotation of

Lester
Buchholz
Floyd
Doubront
Lackey

with RDLR in the wings would be....OK. Not exciting, but it's a rotation that could keep us in the wild card hunt, at any rate.

Do we think we could get him for Salty one-up, or would we need to throw in a prospect? I'm guessing the latter, which would be OK with me as long as the prospect was pretty fungible--ideally somebody on the 40-man, like Gomez or Hassan.

[PandaSox]

Do we think we could get him for Salty one-up, or would we need to throw in a prospect? I'm guessing the latter, which would be OK with me as long as the prospect was pretty fungible--ideally somebody on the 40-man, like Gomez or Hassan.

White Sox need a catcher - A.J. Pierzynski is a FA and Tyler Flowers has been nothing special at the MLB level. This trade makes a lot of sense for both sides.

[Joshv02]

In addition, Floyd is paid roughly $5-5.5mm more than Salty. They were each approximately as useful as each other in 2012. I'd expect Floyd to out perform Salty in 2013 by a win or so (given 2010-11), but not by more. Finally, each only has one year of team control left. Considering all that, they are roughly equal value - Salty may be slightly more valuable, even, but not enough to matter.

Straight up seems like a good deal for both teams.

Edited by Joshv02, 03 December 2012 - 01:07 PM.

[Drek717]

The FIP spiked a bit last year, but hopefully that was just a blip and due for a correction. His velocity and K rate seem to be holding steady at middling. He's basically a bankably OK RH starter, which I agree would be a nice thing for us right now. A rotation of

Lester
Buchholz
Floyd
Doubront
Lackey

with RDLR in the wings would be....OK. Not exciting, but it's a rotation that could keep us in the wild card hunt, at any rate.

That's a staff with real potential if Lester and Buchholz can bounce back/stay healthy and be the front line anchors we need. Floyd actually saw his K/9 go up last season to a career high 7.71 (career average is 7.01, including last season), but his walk rate climbed even higher, up to 3.38 BB/9 (career average of 3.02). There's no reason to think his slight decline last year was due to a loss of stuff, just weaker command and likely all the variables that have consistently given him a better FIP than ERA. A change of scenery and some slight coaching tweaks might be all he needs to break the ERA v. FIP bad luck he's seen the last several years.

Do we think we could get him for Salty one-up, or would we need to throw in a prospect? I'm guessing the latter, which would be OK with me as long as the prospect was pretty fungible--ideally somebody on the 40-man, like Gomez or Hassan.

Probably going to depend big on how the catching market develops. We've bought up two of the better FA options now with Ross and Napoli. Did that create a market for Salty? If so and we get a few teams involved (Yankees, White Sox, and Mets are three teams at least in real need of a catcher) we could come out looking pretty good.

If it's got a real chance I can't imagine it'll take too long for it to happen. The Red Sox aren't going to wait around on Salty and the White Sox aren't going to find a ton of trade partners willing to take on a single $9.5M player who will send back anything of real value in return.

[mabrowndog]

Straight up seems like a good deal for both teams.

Agreed. Both were 2.0 fWAR players last season. Both are free agents after 2013. Salty will be 27 in May, Floyd turns 30 in January.

The Sox would be buying low on a pitcher who regressed last year in both hit rate (8.9 vs 8.4 H/9) and walk rate (3.4 vs 2.1 BB/9), but improved from 2011 in K rate (7.7 vs 7.0 K/9), swinging strike % (9.8 vs 8.4), contact rate outside the zone (61.3% vs 67.4%) and GB/FB ratio (1.36 vs 1.17). He's made at least 29 starts for 5 straight seasons, and his pitch mix and velocities have been fairly consistent.

The only thing that gives me pause is that Lackey had a similarly impressive resume before signing here. Hopefully lightning wouldn't strike twice on that front, so sign me up.

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Cross posting from the Lester thread because it might be more relevant here.

Lurker Shanks shared a link with me via PM: http://www.overthemo...ed-sox-rotation

The argument is to trade for Dickey instead of Floyd. It's an interesting thought and would fill the same need. The advantage of going with Floyd is that he's consistently been the same solid but not spectacular pitcher for a long time now. He's been basically the same guy for 6 straight seasons and he's younger than Dickey to boot.

Of course, Dickey is a knuckleballer so his age isn't as big an issue as it would be otherwise, and he's coming off a spectacular season which caps off an excellent 3 season run where his ERA has been below 3.00 twice and his FIP and xFIP over that stretch have both been good.

For a one year deal, I could see the argument for Dickey over Floyd and both teams are looking for catching help.

[MoGator71]

The thing about Dickey is that there isn't the obvious fit the way there is with Chicago needing a catcher. Yes the Mets could probably use a catcher, but it makes zero sense to act like a seller by trading a year of Dickey only to turn around and buy 1 year of Salty; they should be asking for guys they'd have under team control for awhile if that's their plan.

Then again, it is the Mets.

[Edelpeddle]

I'm not sold on going in to the season with Doubront and Lackey both assured rotation spots. I'd be all for trading for Floyd IN ADDITION to signing someone like Sanchez, Marcum, Lohse, Depmster, McCarthy, etc.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Of course, Dickey is a knuckleballer so his age isn't as big an issue as it would be otherwise...

Although Dickey is unique because his knuckler's velocity is much faster and harder than has traditionally been seen. So I'm not sure this conventional wisdom applies as strongly to him as to Wakefield comps etc. Even Wakefield himself has said the trope that knuckleball pitchers never tire was not true.

I do think Dickey would be a good addition to the Sox rotation for the right price etc etc.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 03 December 2012 - 04:24 PM.

[someoneanywhere]

I'm not sold on going in to the season with Doubront and Lackey both assured rotation spots. I'd be all for trading for Floyd IN ADDITION to signing someone like Sanchez, Marcum, Lohse, Depmster, McCarthy, etc.

I don't think you need worry: the Sox will attempt to add deep depth, as Larry has started to call it, in the rotation as well.

[SoxScout]

ESPNJoeyMac: Red Sox met with Mets on knuckler R.A. Dickey, according to a baseball source. Mets want Bogaerts and Bradley, Jr.

Dear LOLord

[foulkehampshire]

Dear LOLord

Comical, if that's what they're asking for.

2 of the top 50 prospects in baseball for a 37 year old knuckleballer.

Edited by foulkehampshire, 03 December 2012 - 04:44 PM.

[Savin Hillbilly]

Dear LOLord

If you try sometimes, Sandy, you might find you get what you need.

Seriously, this is one of several reasons why I'd rather they go after Floyd. The Cy award is going to inflate DIckey's acquisition cost. He may be better than Floyd, but he's not as much better as his price will be higher.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

The Mets can ask for anything they like. I can likewise ask for Kate Upton's phone number. Neither request is likely to be fulfilled.

[Mugsys Jock]

The Mets have a big need at catcher and I think Salty could be attractive to them as well. You may need to add in a bottom-of-the-Sox-top-ten prospect given Dickey's inexpensive 2013 salary, but if it were much more than that, I'd probably just as soon go with Floyd.

Edit: That Boegarts and Bradley suggestion is so outrageous I misread it.

Edited by Mugsys Jock, 03 December 2012 - 05:17 PM.

[TomRicardo]

ESPNJoeyMac: Red Sox met with Mets on knuckler R.A. Dickey, according to a baseball source. Mets want Bogaerts and Bradley, Jr.

And if they didn't start asking for that they should be fired. You have the reigning Cy Young winner you sit down and ask for the moon. Then you hope someone is stupid enough to say yes.

[RedOctober3829]

I still say my offer of Salty, Kalish, and Workman should be enough to get Dickey. Bradley and Boegearts for him? Dream on.

[Paradigm]

I still say my offer of Salty, Kalish, and Workman should be enough to get Dickey. Bradley and Boegearts for him? Dream on.

You're crazy. The Jays can step in with Arencibia and any pitcher from their Top 10 (Nolin, Stroman) and immediately put forth a comparable package.

Edited by Paradigm, 04 December 2012 - 10:56 AM.