hogan873

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 07:31 AM) Do you know who else never did anything in the offseason? Mark Buehrle. He wouldn't even pick up a baseball all winter, but I never heard him classified as lazy. Then he had a bad year where he wore out, so he changed his offseason routine. Same thing with Dunn. For 10 years, he was the best home run hitter in all of baseball without picking up a bat in the offseason. Then 2011 happened, so he realized he had to change his ways as he got older which he did. It's not like he signed that big contract and decided to be lazy, that was his routine every year and it worked pretty damn well. Good point. Adam Dunn gets a lot of criticism, and some of it is warranted due to his performance since signing with the Sox. But he's not lazy, and he's a good clubhouse guy...at least from everything I've heard. Hindsight says don't sign the guy, but oh well. He'll be playing for the Sox in 2014 during the last year of his contract, and he'll most likely hit in the low .200's and crank out 30 HRs or so. If 2014 is indeed a rebuilding year (and with a reported $85 million payroll, that seems likely), you don't trade Dunn and cash for a nobody prospect. You stick it out and start looking for that left-handed bat for 2015 and beyond.

Did everyone stop watching TV?

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 09:41 PM) Here's a great reason to trade Dunn, and it's the one of the reasons the Cincinnati Reds traded him: To get him out of the clubhouse and away from the younger players. He's out of shape, lazy and not much of a leader. Or maybe he'll follow through on one of his hollow threats to walk away from the final year on his contract if he thinks things just aren't working. QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 12:00 AM) Is Dunn lazy? Is that a proven fact? I do think it was ridiculous we had to read about his commitment to go to left field during that week period when he actually hit a few balls to left and left center. He completely stopped doing it shortly after having a bit of success doing so. That appalled me he gave all those comments about how smart it is to hit the other way, then he stopped doing it ... again. I've never heard that Dunn is a bad clubhouse guy. I don't think he's lazy either. He talked about his prep for 2011, when he said he didn't do a lot of baseball work over the winter. I think because of his disastrous 2011 season, it made him look like he was lazy. And, Greg, for a guy whose baseball career has been hitting to right field, making an adjustment to hit to left field is not as simple as saying, "I'm going to start hitting to left field." He made the adjustment a few times, there was some success, but it didn't stick. A hitter will tend to fall back into patterns, especially if a pattern has been part of their life for 10 years. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge Dunn fan, but unless the Sox have a plan to replace his left-handed bat and 30+ HRs, he'll be back for 2014. Beyond that, no way, he's gone. I imagine the Sox will be looking for another left-handed power hitter soon...but not for next season if for no other reason than no team would likely trade for him and give the Sox anything in return.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 11:58 PM) I'd give anything to have Uribe replace the Kepp/Gillaspie duo for one year. Come on, Greg. Think about your statement. You want to pay Juan Uribe, who is 34 years old, $6 million a year to most likely give you what Keppinger and Gillaspie will. I like Juan, too, and he was awesome for the team in 2005...that will be nine years ago. He had a great 2013, but his 2011 and 2012 seasons were not so good. And again, this team should not be looking for a one year "solution", especially for a position like 3B. They shouldn't settle for Juan Uribe for a year if all he's going to do is be a one man version of Keppinger and Gillaspie.

Catcher and 3B are the two positions the Sox really need to improve. I'm not saying Saltalamacchia is the long term answer, but he's a longer term answer than AJ. I like AJ, but bringing him back doesn't help beyond 2014. If it comes down to AJ or Phegley/Flowers, I suppose AJ would be the way to go. But that has to be a last resort.

I'm going to assume (and hope) that the Sox sign Salty for the purposes of predicting a lineup. So here goes: 1. De Aza - CF 2. Ramirez - SS 3. Dunn - DH 4. Abreu - 1B 5. Garcia - RF 6. Salty - C (with Phegley or Flowers getting some starts vs. lefties) 7. Viciedo - LF 8. Keppinger/Gillespie - 3B 9. Beckham - 2B I still think that lineup needs work. I'd love to see an upgrade at 3B and/or 2B.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 31, 2013 -> 09:50 AM) If he's on the big league roster opening day (and just so it's said...that'd be rushing him)...he needs an obviously cleared spot. You can't have a guy in hist 5th year in the league making $4 million sitting there on the bench and expect Semien to get regular playing time. I see what you're saying, and I agree. So, do you think semien needs to at least start in AAA next year? I don't know much about him, but it seems like he has potential.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 31, 2013 -> 09:43 AM) Having Marcus Semien sitting mostly on the bench as a fill-in/utility guy could be your worst idea yet. In greg's defense (has that ever been said here?), he said to have Beckham be the back-up to Semien. But your point remains...having Semien be a bench guy would be a terrible idea.

Skill vs. Will. In the normal everyday world, I'll take Will over Skill. If somone is willing to try and tries their hardest, you can usually give them the skills. In the MLB world, however, the Skill is so damn important. The percentage of baseball players (from little league on up) who make it to the big leagues is so tiny, it shows you how important skill is. Now, if some shlub gets in the bigs based on skill and under performs because of a lack of will, that usually gets taken care of by coaches and teammates. Now to contribute something related to this thread: Congrats to Jake and Matt. Peavy is a very good example of someone who has the skill and a s***load of will to go along with it.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 31, 2013 -> 07:23 AM) TATBG - the ability to be good - is far more important than TWTW. If you give me the choice between taking 25 players who "just want to win" and 25 players "who are very good at baseball," I am going to take the 25 "who are very good at baseball." I'm also not sure why you put Thome in this fabled TWTW category since, by all accounts, he was an incredibly unclutch and bad player late in games. Pretty sure he only had 1 walk-off homer during his entire tenure with the Sox. And I believe that was his 500th.

I always feel like I need a drink after watching an episode of American Horror Story.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 31, 2013 -> 02:33 AM) I could "handle" giving Beckham the proverbial one more year IF he's the backup to Semien at 2B and fills in once in a while at 3B for what I hope will be a new third baseman. I really truly want to see Kepp and Gillaspie gone and I've had my share of Beckham as a starter. If he's a Lillibridge type utility guy, fine. Out of Beckham, Keppinger, and Gillespie, I'd keep Gillepsie. Keppinger was a major letdown, and Beckham has had his chances. I'd keep Gillespie as the bench guy depending on who the Sox find for third base...if anyone.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 30, 2013 -> 02:14 AM) He still hit lefties well. He's still a great fielder. There are arguments to keep going (if healthy). This has been debated over and over. I think everyone (at least most everyone) can agree that Konerko is not a great fielder. He does not have good range, and that has only gotten worse as he's aged and has been hurt. His greatest asset as a first baseman is his ability to pick badly thrown baseballs. Granted, that's a needed skill, but that's far from what would make him a great fielder. Adam Dunn played a lot more first base than he had in the past because he was better at that position than Konerko was in 2013. Think about that. I love Paulie, but unless he signs a very minor deal to come back as a bench player and (very) occasional spot starter, he will not be back.

Nice vague answer about Konerko's future with the Sox. Sounds like he was always keeping in touch with Konerko about the signing.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 28, 2013 -> 12:11 PM) This is an awesome article, not just because of the conclusion. Very detailed. I like the analysis, and looking at the gifs, I'd say Abreu has a great swing. I'm thinking (and hoping) that in a year or so, many are going to look back and realize that Abreu at an average of $11 million a year is a bargain.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 29, 2013 -> 01:31 AM) Can Abreu play LF? I'd rather have Paulie at first and Abreu in LF (if he is OK out there) and trade Dayan. How bout a Dayan/Beckham package to somebody for a 3B and set up man. If Abreu can't play left then have him split time between DH and first and give Paulie and Dunn breaks. Abreu was signed to play first base. Not to be bounced around from position to position to make room for someone who might be retiring or moving on. I like Konerko, but unless he signs to come back as a bench player and to give the occasional break to Dunn/Abreu, he's not going to be part of the Sox in 2014. It's time to move on. Stop with the crazy ideas.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 28, 2013 -> 06:01 PM) Good post IMO until the final sentence. From reading the Ventura comments this season, I thought most on here agreed managers have very little effect on games. Hmmm Ozzie led the Sox into underachievement cause of his ego? Maybe the players let him down as the did Robin? Yay. Eminor gives Greg a vote of confidence of sorts a few days before Halloween. Greg, this is why you get attacked when you talk about Ozzie. Make up your mind. Does the manager have a big impact on the game or not? Or is it only Ozzie that has a big impact when things are good and not much of an impact when things are bad?

QUOTE (Tex @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 03:15 PM) OMG this is comedy gold from the Slammers! That is classic. But, they better be careful about offering to cover ALL fines.

QUOTE (Tex @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 03:13 PM) THAT would be awesome. Canseco was offered a players contract with our local team. Against what is basically PE coaches and Walmart clerk he went 1-11 and retired again. I think it would do wonders for ticket sales.

Oh Christ. The Joliet Slammers are trying to bring Ozzie in as manager. http://jolietslammers.com/archives/8650?ut...w-field-manager

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 03:03 PM) Yep and that's why he's cooked. No more jobs for Ozzie. Hope he's saved his money unless he can keep landing broadcast gigs. Maybe if a close buddy gets a managing job they'll bring him in as 3B coach. Asst coaches don't do much talking to media or they don't last a week. I like Leyland; no disagreement there. I'm just thanking oz for getting it done in the Sox one and only trip to the WS. We could have lost that series and our streak of futility would be looking very very very bad right now. There's no sign in sight we can even win our division again the way we play in divisional games much less get back in the WS. I mean if you had to bet your life savings would you predict we get back in the WS in the next 10 years? Next 20? Odds aren't good as we start over. I'd give anything to have Leyland take over the Sox helm tomorrow. The Sox could have lost the ALCS had it not been for AJ. And they could have lost the WS had it not been for Konerko, Dye, Jenks, Podsednik, etc... Hey, I thank Ozzie, too, but after the World Series he wasn't nearly as good a manager...and he was pretty damn bad the last year or two.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 02:20 PM) This may sound blasphemous to some, but Mark is a better pitcher than Q and will have the better career. Q is good and I like him, but Mark is the master. He's been damn amazing. We'll have to wait about 10 years to see if this is true. Right now, Quintana is a better pitcher, but if you compare their careers so far, it's not even close...mainly because Buehrle has pitched a lot longer than Qunitana has. Quintana has the potential to be good to very good, and I think he could end up having a career like Mark's.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 02:32 PM) I could list 20 reasons why Ozzie is a good fit to coach again, but you probably don't want to hear them. Don't discount the value of a guy who has won the big prize. As good as Leyland is, he couldn't get a ring with the Tigers though he got one earlier than that. Ron Washington? It's not easy to do. At least when Ozzie got to the big series, the World Series, he took care of business. Had we not won in our one-and-done appearance we'd still be without a WS title since the dark ages with none in sight. Personally I respect the ring and Mr. Mouth has one!!!! No matter what u guys think of him. And he's not begging for a job; he's smart to answer questions pointing out he wants back in. Give me Jim Leyland, Ron Gardenhire, and Clint Hurdle any day over Ozzie. He was the manager when the Sox won the World Series, but giving him as much credit as you are, and implying that a ring and only a ring makes one a good manager, is ridiculous.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Oct 23, 2013 -> 04:10 PM) I nominate this for post of the year if we still do that. I second that.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 24, 2013 -> 01:19 AM) I think we should start a thread Santiago trade value. I'd rather trade him than Q. Could Santiago get the Sox Lawrie? Straight up? Santiago and Gillaspie for Laurie. Right now I think Quintana is more valuable, maybe a lot more valuable. Santiago seems a bit more raw, but I think he will only be getting better. Personally, I'd like to Sox to hold onto both of them unless a can't-pass-up deal comes along. I know they need to fill a couple gaping holes, but I'm not sure Lawrie fills one of those holes adequately enough to give up a very good, inexpensive left-handed pitcher.