White Sox trade for Javier Vazquez

by rungood on Dec 14, 2005 7:57 AM PST

Looks like Javier Vazquez got his wish and got out of AZ, while the D-Backs succeeded in adding a bit more pitching (though I'm sure they'd like more). In exchange for Vazquez, the Diamondbacks receive pitchers El Duque and Luis Vizcaino, not to mention outfield prospect Chris Young, who Baseball America ranked at #7 in the ChiSox farm system, and within the farm system was also labeled as the Fastest Runner and Best Athlete.

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Just terrible for the White Sox

Chris Young waas # 6 last year, but he'd be number 1 now after an amazing performance at AA. As a 21 year old:

26 homers, 41 dobules, 77 RBI's, 32-38 SB's, 70 walks, 120 K's in 466 at bats. .277/.377/.545/922
Comparisons to Mike Cameron... Dude he's a centerfield putting up that line. He'd be the Sox number one prospect for sure... And they didn't even NEED Vazquez, though i like him for comeback player.

RIP Bill King "By the Beard of Zeus!" "I don't know if you heard me counting. I did over a thousand"

by ohad on Dec 14, 2005 8:15 AM PST reply actions

Vaz is too hard to predict...

If he goes back to the old Vaz...I love it for CWS. But he knows where he goes from here and if he ever gets back to being the stud he was.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Dec 14, 2005 9:41 AM PST up reply actions

I dunno ...

I think it's a pretty good deal. Young's a very good prospect but that's really all the White Sox gave up. Vizcaino is a mediocre reliever adn El Duque wouldn't get an PT with Vaz in the mix.

I think Vaz is going to bounce back in a big way. His k/bb was great last year and his May, July, Sept, Oct last year showed what he can do when he's one. With a year between him and Yankee Stadium, no pressure on such a deep staff and an easy to play for manager at the healm, I think Vaz is a contender for the Cy.

Money aside, I think their rotation just got better than ours.

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by devo on Dec 14, 2005 9:54 AM PST up reply actions

Pods

But Scott Podsednik will still be the reason the White Sox succeed. It will have nothing to do with their stellar pitching.

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Dec 14, 2005 10:00 AM PST up reply actions

and the small ball abilities of

Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome and Paul Konerko.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Dec 14, 2005 10:16 AM PST up reply actions

there you go again ...

... with the implicit 'roid accusations ...

@('.')@

by monkeyball on Dec 14, 2005 10:32 AM PST up reply actions

but it doesn't make sense

they don't need him. At all. Young could potentially step into CF in one year (with Podsednik gone and Anderson in left) and then choose between Contreras and Garland to re-sign. Vazquez is making 12 million the next two years moving to another hitters park. It won't be as bad depending how much money the White Sox get.

RIP Bill King "By the Beard of Zeus!" "I don't know if you heard me counting. I did over a thousand"

by ohad on Dec 14, 2005 10:18 AM PST up reply actions

Isnt that what Brian Anderson is for?

He is their stud young CF....Why not deal from strength?

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Dec 14, 2005 10:27 AM PST up reply actions

Sure they do ...

the reason they were so succesful is because their rotation was so good top to bottom and had unmatched depth. They just made their rotation younger and better and it only cost them a good-non blue chip prospect. Young's a three-true-outcome type of hitter without the kind of power to really make it work.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Dec 14, 2005 10:55 AM PST up reply actions

could this mean

some of AZ's prospects might be available for a big-name pitcher to replace vazquez? hmmm...well, maybe not, but this could be an opening. even if not for zito, maybe we can give them a package of pitchers/prospects for one of the three of jackson/quentin/nippert.

"welcome to ME, motherf*^*er!" - tim hudson

by guy incognito on Dec 14, 2005 8:26 AM PST reply actions

my thoughts exactly.

they gained an SP but they lost and equal or greater one, in my opinion. They definitely still need pitching, so maybe either Zito goes, or perhaps we can trade them Kennedy or Saarloos in some type of package?

Let the fleecing continue!!

"You can't get any more 'Oakland' than the Coliseum. Get any more 'Oakland' and you're in San Leandro!" -Random Drunk Bum at Game

by rungood on Dec 14, 2005 9:09 AM PST up reply actions

that's what i'm thinking

if zito goes, we get at least 2 of them (or chad tracy plus one). but being that zito will be expensive in the future, maybe billy can do one of those "yeah, but i've also got this that could work for you for cheaper" angles, and we send other pitchers (duke+kennedy+cruz) to them instead. who knows, i think we're all just high off the f*&cking a trade billy pulled off yesterday, and are jonesing for more!

"welcome to ME, motherf*^*er!" - tim hudson

by guy incognito on Dec 14, 2005 9:20 AM PST up reply actions

This increases Zito's value

Perhaps, as said, the Quentin/Jackson/Nippert trade WILL go through?

That, or maybe we can fleece LAD again and get Billingsley/LaRoche/Broxton (or Tiffany)

There are only two races in Baseball, Right Handers and Left Handers.

by Zonis on Dec 14, 2005 8:31 AM PST reply actions

Much as I'd love to see that...

Jackson AND Quentin will never be packaged together. Even a questionably run team like the D-Backs is smart enough to retain at least one of their two best hitting prospects. Ditto for L.A, you don't just give up two great pitching prospects for a guy with one year left on his contract. This is wishful thinking...

by Little Rickey on Dec 14, 2005 11:54 AM PST up reply actions

they are trying to repeat

gotta give some DAP for the world champs improving their team

"Baseball is like church, many attend, few understand" - Leo Durocher

by gWiLiKeRzZz on Dec 14, 2005 10:02 AM PST reply actions

Yeah, unlike the 02 Angels.

Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Dec 14, 2005 10:03 AM PST up reply actions

I haven't looked at a map in a while, but...

Isn't Chicago further away from Puerto Rico than Arizona is from PR? I thought he wanted to play closer to home. Looks like a good deal for AZ.

by FlagsFlyForever on Dec 14, 2005 10:35 AM PST reply actions

I have a map on my wall

right in front of me ...

and he's moving much further to the east than he is to the north, so this is closer. It's also a bigger transit hub, so flights are probably more readily available.

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by devo on Dec 14, 2005 10:48 AM PST up reply actions

more OF implications for the A's

seems like kenny lofton is leaning towards signing w/ the dodgers (according to Fox Sports) over the dbacks. i doubt they land damon, who i believe they're also looking at. gee, now AZ could use a decent CF stop-gap before young is ready to play. hmmm...jay payton anyone? payton and pitching for some parts of the AZ 3/tracy would be great, reasonable, and would fill needs for both teams.

"welcome to ME, motherf*^*er!" - tim hudson

by guy incognito on Dec 14, 2005 11:44 AM PST reply actions