White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

[oakfan162]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

Pretty good trade for the A's. This is how you re-build. Looks pretty Marlins-esque.

Funny you should mention that...
From fanhouse.com

Swisher Trade 'Guts' White Sox System

by Pat Lackey

Filed under: Chicago, Oakland, White Sox, Athletics, AL Central, AL West
At least that's what John Sickels says about the move. As he does every season, Sickels has been posting each team's top twenty prospects. Today is (not-so-coincidentally) White Sox day. Except that in posting his list of the White Sox top twenty today, you can see that now three of the top five are now in Oakland's system, which means that Nick Swisher is not going cheaply to Chicago.

One thing's for certain, Billy Beane is laying a lot on the line this off-season. Trading proven players for prospects is always a risky move and Beane has now moved the best pitcher (Dan Haren) and best hitter off of his 2007 team. He's gotten a ton of great-looking prospects for them, but prospects are just that for a reason. If they don't pay off big-time for the A's Beane may be putting his reputation at risk.

It's actually quite interesting to note the different routes taken by the A's and Sox this off-season. Both teams were disappointments in 2007 with some serious work needed to catch up to the AL juggernaut (or juggernauts) in their division. The A's, the younger of the two teams, have chosen to go with a complete near Florida Marlins-level rebuilding. The White Sox have chosen the opposite route. As risky as trading stars for prospects can be, the White Sox selling the farm to compete with the Tigers and Indians seems almost as risky to me.

[Dice]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

Funny you should mention that...
From fanhouse.com

WHAT? The A's gut the White Sox farm system? WHAT farm system? The White Sox have one of the worst farm systems right now. OK, the A's get our best pitching prospect in our farm system. Big deal. That like, "Dating the best looking crackhead." Gonzalez maybe a solid starter one day but it's not like he's the next Roger Clemens. A 9-7 record with a 3.18 ERA in AA ball is hardly impressive. And Ryan Sweeny couldn't crack the everyday roster for a team that had one of the worst outfields in baseball last year. And he has 33 career minor league homers in 5 minor league years. Maybe a solid everyday player but nothing impressive.

I think the White Sox came out big in this one. Now is this a move that's going to put them over the top? Not likely. BUT they get a guy who's now entering the prime of his career for minor leaguers who never put up eye popping numbers in the minors.

With the exception of trading Chris Young to Arizona, White Sox GM Kenny Williams has had a good track record of trading away so-called 'prospects'.

[johnnyg83]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

Swisher is signed thru 2011 with an option for 2012. He's cheap and could replace Dye in RF if Dye moves to DH after Thome leaves/retires. He could also be moved to 1b if the Sox want to dangle Konerko for pitching.

Swisher's got a great OBP and will benefit immensely by playing at the Cell vs. the Coliseum and being protected by Thome, Konerko, Dye et al.

He could put up 35-40 HRs ... now if the pitchers can get someone out.

This team is shaping up a lot like the Whitesox of 2004 with lots of lumber and not enough pitching.

[JBH3]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

That Billy Beane knows how to acquire pitching. Dan Meyer for Tim Hudson seems to be working out really well for them.

Dude... That's one deal which might of fell through... He brought Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson to that team. Then moved Mulder and got in return Dan Haren and Rich Harden. That completely wipes out your little Hudson rant. C'mon the man knows how to acquire pitchers.

I don't even know why I'm arguing this...I'm a Phillies fan...

[Coug00]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

the AL West is such a joke...i think this is Anaheim's problem, they win by default, and then are put up against teams that have had real competition all year...well, at least more than in the ALW...

The Angels and Mariners had winning records against the AL East, Central, and West last year. The lowly A's had a winning record against the AL East.

The AL West is competitive enough.

[Tomahawk]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

Dude... That's one deal which might of fell through... He brought Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson to that team. Then moved Mulder and got in return Dan Haren and Rich Harden. That completely wipes out your little Hudson rant. C'mon the man knows how to acquire pitchers.

The A's drafted Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Rich Harden. Hudson was drafted before Beane became the GM. Only Harden wasn't a high-round draft pick and all of them were drafted when Grady Fuson was the A's Scouting Director. Fuson left the organization in 2002 and nows works for the Padres. I doubt the "great" Billy Beane was out beating the bushes and looking at each one of them either. He was probably studying his stats and charts. Say what you want, but the A's have not drafted an impact pitcher other than 1st rounder Huston Street since Fuson left.

The way I see Beane's ability to "acquire pitchers' is this, he traded for Haren and Jason Isringhausen and traded away Haren, Mulder, Hudson, and Jeremy Bonderman plus let Zito and Isringhausen walk for nothing. What kind of grade would you give that?

The two pitchers Beane "acquired" were Haren and Isringhausen. He got 2.5 years out of Izzie and 3 years out of Haren.

A good read about Beane's first draft (2002) without Fuson.
The Perfect Draft?:

http://baseballevolution.com/guest/richard/rvzbeane1.html

Genius Moves:

http://www.halosheaven.com/story/2007/9/3/145646/4776

[DaGame2584]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

The AL West is competitive enough.

lol, that's funny. Tampa Bay would make noise in the AL West.

[JBH3]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

The A's drafted Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Rich Harden. Hudson was drafted before Beane became the GM. Only Harden wasn't a high-round draft pick and all of them were drafted when Grady Fuson was the A's Scouting Director. Fuson left the organization in 2002 and nows works for the Padres. I doubt the "great" Billy Beane was out beating the bushes and looking at each one of them either. He was probably studying his stats and charts. Say what you want, but the A's have not drafted an impact pitcher other than 1st rounder Huston Street since Fuson left.

The way I see Beane's ability to "acquire pitchers' is this, he traded for Haren and Jason Isringhausen and traded away Haren, Mulder, Hudson, and Jeremy Bonderman plus let Zito and Isringhausen walk for nothing. What kind of grade would you give that?

The two pitchers Beane "acquired" were Haren and Isringhausen. He got 2.5 years out of Izzie and 3 years out of Haren.

A good read about Beane's first draft (2002) without Fuson.
The Perfect Draft?:

http://baseballevolution.com/guest/richard/rvzbeane1.html

Genius Moves:
http://www.halosheaven.com/story/2007/9/3/145646/4776

All I'm saying is over the years he has had a lot of talent at pitcher. He might not be in the "weeds" as you say but hell he is still the freakin GM, and has the authority to not draft these guys if he thinks there not gonna work out in the bigs. He has to get some credit as being the GM for having all of this talent over the years. Your also forgetting the A's and there payroll, and how Mr. Beane has to manage payroll w/ talent. So moving pitchers, and acquiring younger players/pitchers is part of managing the A's payroll and has to be factored into the deals you say he was ripped on... Isringhausen etc.

[Coug00]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

lol, that's funny. Tampa Bay would make noise in the AL West.

Wonderful factual argument. Well done.


Seattle had a winning record against Boston, Baltimore, Tampa, and split with the New York.

Los Angeles had a winning record against Baltimore, Tampa, and New York.

Oakland split with Boston and Baltimore, and had a winning record against New York.

Like I said, the AL West is competitive enough.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: White Sox acquire Nick Swisher from A's

Wonderful factual argument. Well done.


Seattle had a winning record against Boston, Baltimore, Tampa, and split with the New York.

Los Angeles had a winning record against Baltimore, Tampa, and New York.

Oakland split with Boston and Baltimore, and had a winning record against New York.

Like I said, the AL West is competitive enough.

Seriosuly, check out the AL East record against the AL West last year. They were a combined 10 games under .500 (82-92).