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« 2008 Non-tender Candidates | Main | Cubs Acquire Steve Trachsel »
White Sox Targeting Eckstein
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, shortstop David Eckstein is the #1 target of the White Sox this offseason. An Eckstein signing would then result in the team paying $300K to buy out Juan Uribe's $5MM option for '08.
Eckstein signed a three-year, $10.25MM deal with the Cardinals after being non-tendered by the Angels in December of 2004. He'll be 33 heading into the '08 season, and injuries have been increasing over the years. Another three-year pact for $15-18MM would be fairly risky for the White Sox. Especially for a player whose value is tied so closely to his batting average.
A coworker of mine, Mike, mentioned that the Sox might be trying to assemble an all-grinder type team. They could conceivably have Eckstein, Darin Erstad, Jerry Owens, and Aaron Rowand in the lineup next year.
However, they won't be signing Rowand if, as Cowley claims, he demands a contract similar to Torii Hunter's. Ken Rosenthal recently talked to an exec who set the floor for Hunter at 5/75, with 6/102 certainly within reach. I imagine the White Sox will top out with an offer around 3/33, a little more than Eric Byrnes received. I could be wrong though.
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The Sox have Fields and Dye slated for the corners, so I don't see how all those guys could be in the lineup. At worst, Owens or Erstad is the starting CF.
Posted by: Andrew Cabiness | August 31, 2007 at 11:25 AM
Good point, hopefully some of those guys will be pushed out for lack of a position.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | August 31, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Damn it keep the league average albino in the NL.
Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | August 31, 2007 at 11:40 AM
I don't see how Rowand could demand anything close to Torii Hunter. And if he is, the White Sox should just sign Torii Hunter...
Posted by: moebarguy | August 31, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Is it really certain that Fields will be the LF, though? I thought Joe Crede was rumored to be non-tendered due to health issue, that would force Fields to play 3B, no?
Posted by: zs190 | August 31, 2007 at 11:50 AM
As for Eckstein, he sure seems like the type of player that Ozzie likes, not a bad leadoff guy for them considering what they've gotten, if they can get him for just a bit less than Uribe money(5 mil/year), it would be a good deal.
Posted by: zs190 | August 31, 2007 at 11:52 AM
Funny, I was just looking over the White Sox roster and determined that what they need for 2008 is a .334 OBP leadoff man without much speed or defensive value.
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | August 31, 2007 at 12:12 PM
Want to know how good the 2008 Sox will be ? Just look at the 2007 team.
Sign David Eckstein. Who will there starting SS be ?
Posted by: Blutarski | August 31, 2007 at 12:27 PM
On the other hand, this is a Joe Cowley article that we're talking about.
Posted by: Blutarski | August 31, 2007 at 12:30 PM
I just noticed that same detail, Blutarski. He probably just has an Eckstein boner and thought he'd float the idea out there.
(Is this the first use of "boner" in these forums? I hope so.)
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | August 31, 2007 at 12:46 PM
"Funny, I was just looking over the White Sox roster and determined that what they need for 2008 is a .334 OBP leadoff man without much speed or defensive value."
Sadly, that would still be an upgrade.
As for Crede, I don't think the Sox would have moved Fields to LF if they didn't expect Crede back.
Posted by: Andrew Cabiness | August 31, 2007 at 12:57 PM
The Sox have a lot of holes to fill and in one of the weaker divisions that might be able to fill enough of them to contend but not in the AL Central. It's too tough.
Next year, Eckstein is probably a better choice than Uribe but mostly because of the new blood factor as opposed to much of an upgrade.
If they don't add a few good free agents, it really won't matter.
Posted by: Blutarski | August 31, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Eckstein isnt that great, I see him in spring training every year. sure you could say that he was the world series mvp but mine is the tigers bullpen (joel zumya) inparticular because he doesn't know how to field a bunt correctly and thats the reason the cardinals won because the tigers bullpen blew
Posted by: Barroid_Bonds | August 31, 2007 at 05:42 PM