greg775

The only thing that could save the Sox if they go down to 80 million roster is the s*** division they are in. That is assuming Ventura can change the mentality of being everybody's whipping boy in the division. If Detroit has gotten its act together and is a real team again, forget it. We'll be out of it in May cause we will be a .500 team AT BEST with that payroll.

QUOTE (mcgrad70 @ Oct 13, 2011 -> 12:43 AM) I will never hate Robin. But I am disappointed that he allowed himself to get caught up with an organization at the threshold of a steep decline. He's never shown any interest in managing. He should have spent at least a season cutting his teeth at the minor league level to see whether this was appealing to him. Unfortunately, with the sorry of state of affairs on the South Side, Robin Ventura was all we were getting. Robin won't save us - only new ownership that comes in and completely changes the culture will. I tend to lean toward your line of thinking. We will find out this offseason what is up with the White Sox. Will they tinker? Or will the loss of Mark B start a firesale of sorts. Seems like a team with Dunn and Rios would go on the cheap in all other positions. Should be interesting to see what happens with the roster. Nobody is really speculating yet.

I think he'll get fined for this one. It is alcohol which is a drug technically. I have no problem with it, though. But some will say if he had one shot, he probably really had 5-6 and might have been impaired.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 06:53 PM) It all comes down to this...if you win, the fans enjoy the "personality and colorful commentary of Ozzie." If you lose, fans get tired of the nonsensical bulls*** after a while. This is a theme that repeats itself over and over again throughout history. True, but baseball teams do this all the time. They go from flamboyant manager to dull. Then after Robin it'll be flamboyant again. I want to give Robin a chance and will, but I think after KW's dealing are over this winter, we'll be lucky to win 65-70 games and that doesn't cut it in Chicago. Not with the Cubs there.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 06:19 PM) This thread makes absolutely zero sense. True. One thing is for sure. They better win big cause without Ozzie there are no headlines, no buzz in this city about the White Sox at all. Jerry seems to have no sense of urgency, just telling KW to "think outside the box with no retreads." This might sound dumb, but I'd have taken the Theo/Tito combo on the southside WAY OVER KW/Robin.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 03:15 PM) Nobody cares about Seitzer in this conversation because he isnt the failed hitting coach that is being discussed. Maybe you should poll people in KC about Walker and Seitzer and get back to us. I took your advice. They think Walker is OK and they love Seitzer. The vast majority chose Seitzer but had nothing bad to say about Walker.

QUOTE (chiguy79 @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 09:05 PM) Question #1- At what point would you have benched Rios/Dunn last year Question #2 - What are you goign to do to make sure Rios/Dunn bounce back. Question #3 - Who in your family will be opening a twitter account His Answers: 1.) I wasn't here last year so I really have no comment on that. I know they are both great baseball players and I'm looking forward to being around them next season as they work hard to help us win games. 2.) Like all our players we'll work extremely hard with them and they will work extremely hard to have good seasons. 3.) I don't use twitter at this time.

QUOTE (WHITESOXRANDY @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 08:23 PM) They are not going to overlook his $ 6 mil. contract. It's as simple as that. What major market team needs a catcher? Six million is not outrageous, nowhere near a Rios/Dunn contract. AJ can still hit the ball.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 02:48 AM) Who gives a f*** if he is a good interview? Seriously, that is just a horrible thing to worry about for a manager. I wasn't the one who made a post concerned about one of his boring answers today. I was responding to it. I prefer funny showmen like Ozzie, but Ventura deserves our support even if he is very very very bland.

Get used to it. You anti Ozzies should be thrilled because as expected, Sox hired polar opposite of Ozzie. Ventura is going to say NOTHING of interest during his tenure. You guys got what you wanted. Get used to it. Robin will say nothing of interest, absolutely nothing. EVER. That's Robin Ventura, not that there's anything wrong with that. Hopefully he's a good manager. He is not a good interview. In fact, he's a horrible interview which should please those who take sports SOOOO seriously. I thought Ozzie was funny as s*** and it added to my experience for sure.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 06:23 PM) Can't afford to lose him why? He may be the difference between 70 and 80 wins, but really does that even make a difference if you are not contending. The older he gets, the less valuable he will be. Move him if you can find someone that will give you something of value in return. Matching a team that will take PK with one he would accept a trade to is the hard part. If the Sox start winning 70 games a season, how long before the team moves? Seriously, once the hope is gone, won't the ticket sales dwindle to nothing? Or is this team so solid after the WS it will never have to consider moving again? These are the White Sox we're talking about, not the Cubs and their automatic sellouts. I do think there's a good chance he's dealt when Buehrle signs with another team, though. After that, we may see the dismantling of the team in terms of guys other teams may still want.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 04:54 PM) I'm happy it didn't happen, as I would hate to eventually dislike my favorite Sox player of all time Great post. Glad to see you admitted that. Refreshing post. That is the danger of hiring a former player. It's why the Royals wouldn't let Brett or White ever manage. Ventura will be hated at some point just as Ozzie is despised. That is a given. Hopefully he'll win a WS though as that will give him some love no matter what. But it will end badly. It almost always does.

QUOTE (spiderman @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 03:52 AM) Frazior is a career middle releiver. I want to say he's got an option on his deal and he's making around $3 million. He didn't pitch well for the White Sox but is considered a solid guy in the pen. I think at least one (maybe both) between Danks/Floyd are traded. I also wouldn't be shocked if they locked up one or both to new deals like they did with Santos. Sale, Peavy and Humber will be in the rotation. Axerlod/Stewart will hopefully battle for one spot, and the other spot depends on what they do with Floyd/Danks. This has all the makings of a 90 loss rotation next year. Sorry spider, I had a mind freeze on Frasor. I meant Humber. Rotation: Humber, Sale, Axelrod, Stewart and one of Danks/Floyd. If we don't resign Buehrle and trade one of Danks/Floyd and Quentin as many are saying we are gonna do, there's no reason to keep guys like Paulie, AJ, Thornton around. I don't know why the Sox feel they have to rebuild. Do the Yankees ever rebuild? Keep the payroll where it is and tinker some more and try to win. The Cell is going to be a morgue from mid May on if we "rebuild." Now, people might go to the games if they were minor league prices. But nobody's gonna pay to see the Sox win 65 games.

I also pointed out that a clown like Bevington can affect a team's performance. I did not discount the role of a clown coach. All things considered, yes, I think most managers make the same calls during games. Some might hit and run more if they have the personnel to do so. But I always said the clown factor is to be considered. A manager like Bevington can affect a team negatively and if you read my posts I never discounted what a truly gawd-awful manager can do.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 02:22 AM) I would do a dance if he was sent packing. QUOTE (spiderman @ Oct 11, 2011 -> 03:21 AM) I'm not sure what they do with Konerko, but you're right overall. This team has a bad minor league system and a underachieving team witih a bloated payroll. It's fairly obvious with the hiring of Ventura that next year's team is going to undergo a major overhaul with AJ, Danks, Floyd, Thornton, Frazior and Quentin all possible trade candidtates, along with Buerhle and Pierre gone. They are going to have to find young talent from elsewhere because they are lacking it from inside their own organization. I'd agree with everybody except Frasor. He'll be a cheap starter for the team. I figure it'll be Sale, Frasor, Stewart, that guy who started in the last series, I forget his name, to go with one of Floyd/Danks, the other being traded. Relievers: I'd expect either Thornton or Crain to be dealt. Sergio's the closer. Some other bodies to fill the relief corps. Lineup: 3b-Morel. ss-Lexi (is he really 33 like the one poster said? If so he should be dealt too). 2b-Beckham. 1b-Dunn or Viciedo. LF-DeAza. CF-Rios. RF-Viciedo or Lilly C-Flowers/Castro. DH-Lilly/Milledge.

QUOTE (WHITESOXRANDY @ Oct 10, 2011 -> 10:34 PM) Exactly. Both very likely to be here next year. AJ had a very good year at the plate. Can't throw well at all, but some teams will overlook that. I bet we see him in the NL.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Oct 10, 2011 -> 10:31 PM) You go out of your way to be unpopular. Well why isn't Seitzer considered the best or one of the best? KC hit the s*** out of the ball. People here love the offense in KC. But you wait and see the responses we get about Seitzer on here. Seitzer does the same stuff as Walk. Talks to the hitters, makes tape available but ultimately they have the bat.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Oct 10, 2011 -> 07:01 PM) LOL I know we all hate Walker but sometimes a fresh start and a new opportunity is the only thing needed. I mean no one was complaining about Walk in 2005. Walker obviously is a hard worker and well respected in baseball. He did a fine job. The players have been the ones with the bat in their hands IMO. You hit well and you are loved. KC is thrilled with Seitzer cause the team hit the s*** out of the ball. Is anybody on here excited about Seitzer? This is a tough tough crowd.

I'd be stunned if AJ is back. The hiring of Robin signaled the start of rebuilding (and slashing roster salary by a ton!) and loss of Buehrle for sure. AJ is definitely gone. Somebody will take him. Sox will want to free that money. AJ won't want to be on a team that has no chance of competing. I could see dealing Paulie as well. For sure. Hope the Sox have fun with maximum crowds of 20,000 cept for the big games like Yankees/Cubs/Red Sox. The Central Div. crowds should be ridiculously small. Rebuilding is not gonna be fun. Thanks, Sox millionaires for playing so s***ty the last 2 years and turning us back into a small market team. It's not going to be fun.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 9, 2011 -> 10:13 PM) Ozzie might have learned after some years, but yes, I think it was about 99.44% Cooper when it came to the pitching staff. I think you are totally wrong on this one. Cooper didn't decide when to bring in relief pitchers in games. If you can prove that one you are the smartest baseball mind of all time.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 8, 2011 -> 11:03 PM) He knew he was going to lose, but he had to do it anyway to defend himself and his teammates. I recall an interview where he said that he was running to the mound thinking, "What am I doing?" the whole time. How is running out to the mound to get the s*** beat out of you by badass Nolan Ryan defending "his teammates." Nolan Ryan is going to hit whoever the f*** he wants to hit. He's Nolan Ryan. Defending himself? I guess.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 9, 2011 -> 03:27 PM) Here is a little secret. Ozzie had nothing to do with the pitching staff. He just did what Don Cooper told him to do. You believe Ozzie didn't make the calls on relievers he put in? Like Jenks? Santos? Thornton? Ohman? You think Coop made those calls on which pitchers to bring in in certain situations? Coop decided to pitch the starters the whole game in the postseason? Give me a break. I'm talking about Cooper making all calls on which pitchers to use and when to demote a closer, etc. Ozzie is a lot smarter than you guys give him credit for as his ring proves. It's all on you right now to show us your credibility. Yes or no. Did Cooper make all the pitching calls for Ozzie? Anxious to see the answer.

QUOTE (soxfan-kwman @ Oct 9, 2011 -> 05:44 AM) I like the hire. Robin is a true student of the game. I'm sure it was just a matter of getting Robin to commit to coming back to the game full time. He'll help our hitters next year regardless of who we hire as hitting coach. Plus, we have Coop for our pitching staff. Assistant coaches, I would like Harold as bench coach & bring back Rock Raines. That or have Buddy Bell as bench coach. Third base coach, Lance Johnson?.. Joe Crede as hitting coach. Any thoughts? Harold as bench coach is interesting. He's another quiet guy like Robin, but Harold has been in a dugout a long time as well. I guess I'd have nothing against that hire. No on Crede as hitting coach. Lance would be good to bring back; Crede too but not as hitting coach.

Unless Ventura is some kind of baseball guru/genius and he doesn't strike me that way, how in the hell will he know how to handle a pitching staff and know who to bring in and all that? If the Sox are truly thinking outside the box, I hope they give Coop the authority to make all the pitching moves. Coop should revolutionaize the position of pitching coach and have the authority to make ALL the pitching calls including in-game decisions. Let Ventura make out the lineups and decide when to hit and run and steal. I wonder how closely he's followed other teams.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Oct 7, 2011 -> 03:50 PM) Greg, Marty Turco was last year's #1 to start the season and quickly usurped by Corey Crawford. He now works for NHL Network! I never had much faith in Crawford, but he won me over with steady play. Goaltending remains a question mark simply because no one anywhere expected Crawford to be this productive between the pipes, but the Blackhawks look much better on that front than they have since the days of Eddie Belfour. Our backup, to start the season at least, is Ray Emery. Emery took over for Jonas Hiller who had vertigo issues last year in Anaheim, and was simply brilliant down the stretch (.928 save percentage), playing 10 games for the Ducks to finish out the year. The Hawks chose him over Salak simply because he had a 1-way contract, while Salak can use the seasoning and get every-day work in Rockford with the IceHogs without having to clear waivers. Speaking of Salak, he's the organization's first legit goaltending prospect, and was acquired in possibly my favorite trade the Hawks have ever made... sending of Jack Skille and two dudes I don't care about and receiving Michael Frolik and Salak. Hopefully he's as good as advertised, and he sure looked awesome in the preseason. #1 - Corey Crawford #2 - Ray Emery #3 - Alexander Salak This is the most excited I've been about goaltending in Chicago in a very, very long time. Sweet. Nice goalie explanation for me.