http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/gammons/story?id=2172266

 

Boston, like the White Sox, was in on Burnett, offering Bronson Arroyo and Sanchez. "Considering what eventually happened (including Arroyo's 5-3 record after the deadline, compared to Burnett's 3-4), maybe in hindsight we'd have done more for our future," says Beinfest. "But I couldn't rectify trading A.J. at the time (to Boston or Chicago) in the clubhouse." Little did Beinfest know that his team would be so crippled in September that his New York-Penn League manager, Mike Mordecai, would be playing second base.

 

Williams was willing to part with right-hander Brandon McCarthy and reliever Damaso Marte, which Florida GM Admin Beinfest eventually turned down because of his team's place in the race and the fact that Burnett at the time was one of the hottest pitchers in baseball.

 

Obviously it's not surprising that Beinfest regrets not dealing Burnett now that the team has fallen out of the race, but I didn't know that the Sox actually did offer Arroyo and Sanchez for Burnett - I thought that was just a message board rumor (which, with Gammons recent reports on Delgado, among other things, it still could be).

 

Oh well, it's the past - can't go back in time to make the trade.

 

*sigh*

damn that white sox trade looks nice now

 

hindsight is 20/20, nothing we can do

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

:tissue

Sanchez is a prized prospect that plays shortstop, right?

 

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

 

 

All major league contracts are guaranteed.

I'm baffled by the choice of words, specifically "rectify".

 

If he was getting a starter back, Arroyo, who at the time Fiends of Sam Horn fans would have gladly traded as would most basball people for AJ, I keep thinking he meant he couldn't add another starter (beside Arroyo) to sell it internally.

 

My read was that Arroyo wasn't considered enough (pitching-wise and putting Sanchez aside for a moment) to by himself replace AJ.

 

And as for the White Sox offer, the way Gammons presents it, it sounds as if he's getting that info from the White Sox side and not from Beinfest.

I still think keeping AJ was the right choice, but I wish I had a time machine

I'm baffled by the choice of words, specifically "rectify".

 

If he was getting a starter back, Arroyo, who at the time Fiends of Sam Horn fans would have gladly traded as would most basball people for AJ, I keep thinking he meant he couldn't add another starter (beside Arroyo) to sell it internally.

 

My read was that Arroyo wasn't considered enough (pitching-wise and putting Sanchez aside for a moment) toby himself replace AJ.

 

 

Probably.

Sanchez is a prized prospect that plays shortstop, right?

 

 

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

 

 

All major league contracts are guaranteed.

 

No, Lowell's wasn't. Lowell could have opted out, and the Marlins could have allowed him to walk because there was no stadium in place. The Marlins decided to pick up essentially 3 option years on Lowell. His contract did not feature a guaranteed 2005, 2006, or 2007...but it now does.

Sanchez is a prized prospect that plays shortstop, right?

 

 

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

 

 

All major league contracts are guaranteed.

 

No, Lowell's wasn't. Lowell could have opted out, and the Marlins could have allowed him to walk because there was no stadium in place. The Marlins decided to pick up essentially 3 option years on Lowell. His contract did not feature a guaranteed 2005, 2006, or 2007...but it now does.

I don't think Beinfest made that move on his own. Loria seems like he is very hands on. So maybe you should be 2nd guessing the front office and not just Beinfest?

Sanchez is a prized prospect that plays shortstop, right?

 

 

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

 

 

All major league contracts are guaranteed.

 

No, Lowell's wasn't. Lowell could have opted out, and the Marlins could have allowed him to walk because there was no stadium in place. The Marlins decided to pick up essentially 3 option years on Lowell. His contract did not feature a guaranteed 2005, 2006, or 2007...but it now does.

 

Oh, yeah, I see what you mean. You're right.

Sanchez is a prized prospect that plays shortstop, right?

 

 

Just like I'm sure he's regretting guaranteeing Lowell's contract and not trading Mota to the Yankees when he could have also brought a king's ransom. Hind-sight's 20/20.

 

 

All major league contracts are guaranteed.

 

No, Lowell's wasn't. Lowell could have opted out, and the Marlins could have allowed him to walk because there was no stadium in place. The Marlins decided to pick up essentially 3 option years on Lowell. His contract did not feature a guaranteed 2005, 2006, or 2007...but it now does.

I don't think Beinfest made that move on his own. Loria seems like he is very hands on. So maybe you should be 2nd guessing the front office and not just Beinfest?

 

I'm not second guessing anyone right now. I was just illustrating a point how there's a lot that we did/didn't do that I think everyone wishes we could have back, and I was defending myself because lately it's seeming as if a few people here are on a quest to prove me wrong no matter what I say...

I knew keeping AJ was a bad move, but I trusted Beinfest at the time. I guess even the best GMs make crappy decisions. Keeping Pavano last year kinda worked out as he didn't eff up like AJ has.

I was supportive of keeping AJ at the time. Everyone expected a much stronger 2nd half from him. Just about any pick-up could have done as well. But hindsight is 20-20. C'est la vie.

If the Chicago and Boston deals were indeed on the table like Gammons reports, then I'd have to admit I'm somwhat baffled. Reportedly, the only real deal that was being offered was the Baltimore deal that enabled him to get rid of Lowell. And this was a deal without much talent and a whole lot of filler. If that was the only trade Beinfest was interested in, as it would seem based on the newspaper reports at the time, I have to question his judgement. Beinfest was dead set on shedding Lowell, and so blinded by this that he refused to get value for Burnett. As a result, he was left with Lowell's vastly underperforming contract and got nothing in exchange for Burnett. He was so busy trying to correct a mistake from his past, that he was oblivious to the present. Thus he made two mistakes instead of one. Let this be a lesson to all you future GMs.

I definitely still think not making the deal was the right move. It's highly unfair to base your judgment of the decision based on what happened since. AJ was considered a much better pitcher at the time. Plus, we'll get a 1st rounder for him anyway, so I don't see what the big loss is.

I'm just speaking from hindsight, knowing now that there were actually other offers on the table. At the time, I was for a deal only if we got good value that helped now and in the future. That's the important thing. Before the deadline though, the only deal we were being told that was offered was the Baltimore trade. And that was trash. If it was between the Baltimore deal and keeping AJ, I keep AJ every time.

And that was trash. If it was between the Baltimore deal and keeping AJ, I keep AJ every time.

 

 

I agree with you on this. Though it's always easy to play Monday Morning QB (to use another cliche), if these other deals were on the table at the time, it's much easier to second guess Beinfest's decisions at the deadline.

"In Beinfest we trust" :lol

Despite everything that has happened lately, I still think keeping Burnett was the correct move. This team should have made the playoffs. Unfortunately a shaky bullpen and injuries contributed to its downfall.

 

I agree...at the time AJ was pitching extremely well and the team was surging, it looked like only a matter of time before they got in playoff position. Though it will never be looked at as one of the "great collapses" because we were never really that much in front of anything, the speed and totality of the way the team fell apart this season is staggering and something that I doubt anyone would have been able to predict on 31-July.

 

And since it keeps being quoted with nobody answering, the "Sanchez" in question is Anibal Sanchez, a pitcher who is fairly well-regarded but not one of the Sox' top prospects. I believe the person who originally asked about him was thinking of Hanley Ramirez, who is their top positional prospect.

Hey guys, first time poster.

 

That White Sox trade looks extremely tasty now, but hindsight is a luxury.

 

I'm just glad we didn't end up doing that "blockbuster" trade with the Orioles that was almost a done deal - trading Lowell and A.J for Admin Bigbie, Julio Jorge and some prospect whose name escapes me. As much as Lowell has sucked this year, that would've been the worst trade ever.

AJ had a hand in the failed negotiations. The only way these teams were going to accept a deal (and these included Lowell as a tag-a-along) is if AJ was willing to sign a multi-year contract. AJ wasn't and the deals fell through.

Hey guys, first time poster.

 

That White Sox trade looks extremely tasty now, but hindsight is a luxury.

 

I'm just glad we didn't end up doing that "blockbuster" trade with the Orioles that was almost a done deal - trading Lowell and A.J for Admin Bigbie, Julio Jorge and some prospect whose name escapes me. As much as Lowell has sucked this year, that would've been the worst trade ever.

 

 

Welcome aboard and you nailed it on your first post.

What about keeping Jack McKeon after the All Star Break? Can you believe that many fans were right about what they were criticizing? That looks bad on a FO when the fans get it right. I know that many Jack Supporters say their pieces in favor of him, but I'll point out something---you guys don't play for him. If the players want him out, that is what should be done. Especially when this is the 3rd year trend everywhere he has been. We got burned last year by his previous problems. Anyone remember Griffey?

 

In short, don't buy damaged goods or managers with questionable histories, trends, or patterns.

Look if the team didnt get crippled with injuries down the stretch we would be in the playoff race still right now. The killer was in the philly series before Houston in many ways. When we blew that big lead with AJ. I think that was the start. We came on strong in houston, then Philly down here sold out the season and the team wasnt the same after those three series.

 

I think the most important thing of the season happend in cincy when a catcher tried to get to third base upon a long fly ball to right field. Pulling his hamstring badly within the effort and starting a spiral downwards. That is the biggest thing that happend to start the spiral.

 

You know what though? If I was in beinfest's shoes I would of held onto AJ too.

 

Ask the White Sox, the Indians, the cubs, 90% of baseball if they would take the chance to make the playoffs or be happy settling instead for next year. Ask 90% of baseball fans that. Hindsight is a beast because everyone can be right. Beinfest did the right moves, he thought McCarthy wasnt ready. I cant blame him for that, he wasnt yet. He would of needed to add another pitcher and Pitt wanted too much for Redman.