Sox interested in Kubel?

[DumpJerry]

A Cub fan friend of mine said this of Paul Maholm early last season:
"He is a Cub killer. He beat us when he was with the Pirates and he beats us when he's with us."

The same can be said of Kubel. Each year it seemed like he hit 15 home runs, 20 of them against the White Sox (no typo).

[russ99]

Originally Posted by spawn

+2

The man has one full season under his belt. Unless you are a hitting coach, which I'm pretty sure you aren't, you don't know this.

A bit irritated with this tack dismissing rightful concern with what we're seeing.

He has 711 AB over three seasons. It's not like he's a rookie with half as many ABs.

IMO, trading Viciedo for Kubel would be selling Dayan way too short. Hitters like Kubel are available in FA every year. Ditto Alexei, but his ascending contract makes him less of an asset.

[spawn]

Originally Posted by russ99

A bit irritated with this tack dismissing rightful concern with what we're seeing.

He has 711 AB over three seasons. It's not like he's a rookie with half as many ABs.

2010- 38 games, 104 AB's
2011- 29 games, 102 AB's
2012- 147 games, 505 AB's

He played in twice as many games last season as he did the previous two combined. So, as I said, he has one full season under his belt. Sorry if the truth irritates you.

As for the "proven pop" from Kubel, his stats last season are pretty much in line with Viciedo's, so how is he an upgrade?

[JB98]

The Sox shouldn't subtract Viciedo, Ramirez or anybody else from the everyday lineup to add Kubel.

That said, I'm not opposed to adding Kubel to this roster. WSI posters, including me, have spent a good deal of time on this board complaining about the Sox lack of depth. I would love it if this team had 10 or 11 position players you could put in the lineup and feel good about. That's not something the Sox had last year.

Would a DH rotation involving Dunn, Konerko, Kubel and Viciedo be so bad? I think not. As a matter of fact, that would make this team better. Whichever guy isn't in the lineup on a given day could then come off the bench and pinch-hit for a guy like Beckham in a game situation, if need be.

Of course, everything I've said here may be a pie-in-the-sky scenario. I don't know what Arizona is looking for. The Sox should not be trading anyone out of the everyday MLB lineup. Simply put, that is not a position of strength for this club, IMO.

[spawn]

Originally Posted by JB98

The Sox shouldn't subtract Viciedo, Ramirez or anybody else from the everyday lineup to add Kubel.

That said, I'm not opposed to adding Kubel to this roster. WSI posters, including me, have spent a good deal of time on this board complaining about the Sox lack of depth. I would love it if this team had 10 or 11 position players you could put in the lineup and feel good about. That's not something the Sox had last year.

Would a DH rotation involving Dunn, Konerko, Kubel and Viciedo be so bad? I think not. As a matter of fact, that would make this team better. Whichever guy isn't in the lineup on a given day could then come off the bench and pinch-hit for a guy like Beckham in a game situation, if need be.

Of course, everything I've said here may be a pie-in-the-sky scenario. I don't know what Arizona is looking for. The Sox should not be trading anyone out of the everyday MLB lineup. Simply put, that is not a position of strength for this club, IMO.

Now this makes sense and isn't at all crazy.

[KRS1]

Not sure where or how Kubel makes us even a little bit better on the roster outside of being a left handed bat. He's an average corner OF coming off a career year in the National League with a ton of strikeouts. I don't even consider trading anything of value for him let alone Alexei or Tank -- that would be a ****ing joke.

[dickallen15]

Originally Posted by CoopaLoop

Why is everyone excited about a guy that hit .176 after July 22nd last season?

Adam Dunn hit.181 after May 26th last year, and people love him and his $15 million salary.

[johnnyg83]

Originally Posted by dickallen15

Adam Dunn hit.181 after May 26th last year, and people love him and his $15 million salary.

Who people?

[CoopaLoop]

Originally Posted by dickallen15

Adam Dunn hit.181 after May 26th last year, and people love him and his $15 million salary.

What does Adam Dunn have to do with giving up players of value for Jason Kubel?

I know that is a fun phrase to throw around, but it has nothing to do with the present conversation. Hell if anything it should be a deterrent to getting Kubel because we already have a very expensive version of Kubel.

[Domeshot17]

Kubel, no, but I would move Vicideo and Ramirez for Upton in a second.

Ramirez, if he doesn't find his bat, puts us in a bit of a spot. The White Sox could literally be below average offensively at all 4 positions up the middle. While these are primarly defensive first positions, it is hard to win being that below average.

People overvalue Ramirez a ton here. He was 2nd to last in OPS among qualifying SS. His defense is solid, but even that only makes him a 2 WAR player, good enough for the bottom half of the league. Beckham was 17th out of 21 qualifying 2b in OPS and 19 out of 21 in WAR. De Aza actually grades low in WAR, and Vicideo's OPS was good enough for 12th out of 14 qualifying LF.

Not exactly a good thing. If you look at next years team, and heck, lets even give the benefit of the double to Flowers that he is above average and Konerko that he comes back healthy.....

The sox are below average offensively at 2b, SS, CF, 3b, LF, and depending your criteria, DH. Those are 6 positions where we are going to run out 2 WAR players or less.

Outside Rios, we don't really have a standout at any position. This offense needs to be rebuilt.