Cemprae, three things:
Read the Baseball Prospectus descriptions of Kouzmanoff. There really is no comparison between Gonzalez and Kouzmanoff. Gonzalez may not have the range he once had (something that BP also noted) but he is a magician with the glove and knows how to play his position about as well as any SS in the game. His defensive impact on the Sox this year was quite remarkable. I don't think you will find any analyst who would suggest that Kouzmanoff would have the same impact.
A team has a farm system to develop players either to be on its major league team, or to be traded to other teams. They aren't there just to admire. If the Sox are able to get an elite player for the major league team at the cost of "draining" the farm system, the only real question that I think the Sox consider (and why they sometimes will not do it) is whether they are giving up so much that the deal will prevent them from making another deal that they need to make.
If the reports of the offers the Sox made last summer for Gonzalez, Halladay etc. are true (and I usually discount news reports of offers) the Sox were perfectly prepared to drain the farm system to get those elite players.
And finally, the only reason average players like a Kouzmanoff should be acquired is if there is not a better option and the position absolutely has to be filled. One of the greatest mistakes that many teams make is choking their lineup with average players. Toronto is a good example. They end up having a fairly high payroll but not a championship team. And it is increasingly difficult to get rid of expensive but average players unless they basically are given away, like Rios was. A player like Kouzmanoff is that kind of player, good enough to play for many teams, but not for a team that wants to compete for the post season every year.
Read the Baseball Prospectus descriptions of Kouzmanoff. There really is no comparison between Gonzalez and Kouzmanoff. Gonzalez may not have the range he once had (something that BP also noted) but he is a magician with the glove and knows how to play his position about as well as any SS in the game. His defensive impact on the Sox this year was quite remarkable. I don't think you will find any analyst who would suggest that Kouzmanoff would have the same impact.
A team has a farm system to develop players either to be on its major league team, or to be traded to other teams. They aren't there just to admire. If the Sox are able to get an elite player for the major league team at the cost of "draining" the farm system, the only real question that I think the Sox consider (and why they sometimes will not do it) is whether they are giving up so much that the deal will prevent them from making another deal that they need to make.
If the reports of the offers the Sox made last summer for Gonzalez, Halladay etc. are true (and I usually discount news reports of offers) the Sox were perfectly prepared to drain the farm system to get those elite players.
And finally, the only reason average players like a Kouzmanoff should be acquired is if there is not a better option and the position absolutely has to be filled. One of the greatest mistakes that many teams make is choking their lineup with average players. Toronto is a good example. They end up having a fairly high payroll but not a championship team. And it is increasingly difficult to get rid of expensive but average players unless they basically are given away, like Rios was. A player like Kouzmanoff is that kind of player, good enough to play for many teams, but not for a team that wants to compete for the post season every year.
