Marty34

Is the Floyd trade the last clear winning trade for KW? Was an excellent trade, but that was way back in 12/06.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 6, 2012 -> 08:17 AM) You know what we should do? We should project everything based on what happened two days ago and expect nothing else to happen, ever. that is what we should do. Where are they going to get a potential top-of-the-rotation starter next year. If Danks doesn't step up they'll need two. Every year they go without that settled is a rebuilding year.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 5, 2012 -> 07:15 PM) 24 year olds never, ever, ever change pitches or get better on them. On a scale of certainty where would you put it that he develops that second pitch?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 5, 2012 -> 07:22 PM) Have you missed the entire Don Cooper era? Coop needs to develop Thornton's second pitch if it's that simple. First things first.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 5, 2012 -> 07:02 PM) He has got to find an off-speed pitch. Whether it is the screwball or a change, he has to get hitters off of his fastball. If he hasn't developed one by now . . . His fastball though gives him a decent chance to have a long career as a situational lefty.

Huge win. Let's see what Axelrod can do against a lineup that is bound to produce better than it has so far. Tough situation for him, but it is what it is.

QUOTE (Baron @ May 5, 2012 -> 04:54 PM) You can rebuild but do it a little bit at a time while also staying competitive. Its possible to do both. Instead of possibly being a complete laughing stock of the league for 5-10 years. I don't think it is possible to do both. Certainly not in the situation the Sox are currently in.

QUOTE (Baron @ May 5, 2012 -> 04:50 PM) Exactly....you could be even more screwed than you were in the first place. What's the alternative?

That Shortstop should be first to go in any rebuilding. Good thing Kenny has to run any decisions by LaRussa first now.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 5, 2012 -> 03:45 PM) How about moving Viciedo back to 3rd? Great, Miguel Cabrera has more range than Morel and Alexei today. Why not?

Kenny Williams deserves all the credit he receives for the World Series win. The time for this franchise to move on has come though.

QUOTE (flavum @ May 5, 2012 -> 02:16 PM) Unfortunately, the Sox aren't in a position to look at their remaining schedule. They need (or needed) wins now. If they can't get to ten games over by the break, they have to sell. So if they have 59 games until the break, they basically have to go 35-24 to stay in it. With the Sale move, they have less of a chance now. Danks needs to pick it up, and Axelrod has to be good enough. The extra wild card hurts teams trying to rebuild via the trade deadline. I don't see teams dealing away any prospects of consequence for a shot at a 1-game playoff. If they are 10 games over by the break they might be 3-4 games in first place.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ May 5, 2012 -> 02:11 PM) Caulfield, you're right the Sox are a mess and it's mostly KW's fault. Maybe it's the pressure to always win now. You don't win fans don't show up. That's evident through Sox history which endangers the franchises' place in the city. The thing is, they'd likely be more profitable in a rebuilding situation than they are now. "All In" was a farce because it depended so much on Peavy coming back from surgery as an ace and that was if Dunn had hit as normal. KW has overstated the talent on this team to the fanbase for years then when one of his mediocre creations of the last 3-4 years goes on a bit of a hot streak, he can't wait to get to the microphones and chastise the fans for not showing up. Ultimately those teams don't make the playoffs and you don't hear from him again. Of course there was nothing wrong with the talent. The Danks contract extension is exhibit A of how arrogant this organization is in it's decision making. Nobody made what they deemed an acceptable offer for Danks so almost as if to prove other teams wrong they sign him to a $65M contract.

If the Sox can finish up this road trip and stay around a couple games under .500 they have 51 games left against the Astros, Cubs, Mariners, Royals and Twins. That represents 40% of their remaining schedule. Best to get any bullpen issues squared away now to get on a run in those 51 games.

With the Sale news, it's very difficult to see how the state of the franchise gets better before things get worse.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 5, 2012 -> 10:02 AM) -you could have fired him after last season, perhaps other times as well -you have committed some amount of time to him since you didn't do that -firing him today or even at the end of this season is likely just adding on years to our potential non-contention I don't understand these three points as reasons for keeping him. Since he wasn't let go prior to this season, how has Chairman Reinsdorf committed to him? And how on earth does letting him go in the near future set the Sox back further?

QUOTE (Reddy @ May 5, 2012 -> 09:45 AM) so i'm honestly in a state of shock and mourning at this. i really haven't ever been this upset about sports before in my life. it's weird. but it's because we had hope of replacing a guy like buehrle with a phenom kid like chris sale, and with this one single move we've now taken ourselves out of contention not only for this year but for the foreseeable future. as someone posted earlier, a rotation of Danks, Humber, Axelrod, Stewart, Santiago, Molina (take your pick) puts us on the level of Kansas City or Minnesota or Houston or any other bottom dweller team. It's just depressing. and with OUR anemic offense, mediocre pitching like that is too much of a challenge to overcome. Agreed. This decision, or the need for this decision, is a watershed moment for this franchise.

Peralta's HR came on an 0-2 count, is that correct? Unbelievable how many times the Sox have given up big hits on 0-2 counts over the last year. Maybe Coop should tweak his attack the strike zone philosophy some.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 5, 2012 -> 09:30 AM) Since we're going to talk about Kenny Williams as if he's never made a good move, let's just go ahead and mention all the good moves so we remember that he's actually done some good. Aaron Rowand, Gio Gonzalez for Jim Thome Freddy Garcia for Gavin Floyd, Gio Gonzalez Chris Carter for Carlos Quentin Esteban Loaiza signing Esteban Loaiza for Jose Contreras Joe Borchard for Matt Thornton Chris Sale draft pick Signings in 2005 - AJ Pierzysnki, Jermaine Dye, Tadahito Iguchi, Bobby Jenks Extending Paul Konerko 2x Brandon McCarthy for John Danks Alexei Ramirez signing Phil Humber signing TBD: Dunn signing Peavy trade (didn't lose much), especially if insurance payouts were had Quentin trade (injured, who would guess that) Ozzie Guillen compensation players? (lol, not entirely serious) this is all I can remember off the top of my head. There are some non-moves, like non-tendering Jenks, that stick out as well Based on his body of work do you believe he deserves to continue as GM, why/why not?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 5, 2012 -> 07:56 AM) Manto said Viciedo, who went into Friday’s game batting .213 but was 7-for-23 in his last six games, has close to a slump-proof swing because of his bat speed. ‘‘Viciedo’s numbers are definitely deceiving,’’ Manto said. ‘‘He’s a guy we actually enjoy watching at the plate. We can’t wait to get to him. Although his numbers don’t indicate that, his bat speed will never put him in a slump.’’ Viciedo is a free-swinger — he had walked twice while striking out 20 times — but Manto is more than fine watching him take three big hacks every at-bat. ‘‘Every at-bat he has, there’s always one pitch that you think he will hit for a double,’’ Manto said. www.suntimes.com/sports That made me chuckle because of what it might say for the other guys.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 5, 2012 -> 08:51 AM) Worth pointing out, everyone here loved the Sale pick at the time because it was an aggressive, high ceiling, hard throwing guy that was taken in a place where he might have to be paid above slot, the opposite of the "Safe" picks from the previous years. With due respect, I don't think it is worth pointing out. The White Sox are privy to information specific to their organization's short and long-term plans that no expert or message board poster commenting on the pick has. For instance, did they make Reed a reliever because they figured they had Sale as a future starter in their hip-pocket?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 4, 2012 -> 09:07 PM) When LaRussa takes over as GM, it will be interesting to see who he brings in as manager Nah, LaRussa signed off on the Ventura hire.

Surprised they don't walk Beckham

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ May 4, 2012 -> 08:05 PM) This is a completely different team on the road. Why is that? Hitter's park.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ May 4, 2012 -> 04:33 PM) I get that, but on Gameday audio you have the option to listen to the either team's broadcast. You don't say.