Marty34

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 4, 2012 -> 08:01 PM) He looks so much better at the plate. His bat isn't still. His hands look a little higher. Hopefully, he can go on a run and never look back. Its quite obvious he has the talent to be a real nice player. Looks closer to the attacking hitter he was when he came up. Hopefully, the gap line drives are on their way.

Who do you think made the decision? My longshot guess is Herm had the final say.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 4, 2012 -> 06:15 PM) Just so we're on the same page here... Are you saying you don't like Kenny Williams? No. KW is a real nice guy.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ May 4, 2012 -> 06:05 PM) I want to give KW the benefit of the doubt, but I wasn't and still am not happy with his job performance either. I am not sure though I would blame Sale's tender elbow on KW. I think Robin and Coop have broght him along pretty well Don't blame KW for the elbow. Just his plan to rebuild the team is finished and so should he be.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:57 PM) Marty, yes, that's been his goal since he showed up, to apply everything and every situation to arguing that KW should be fired, and try to make sure that the expectations are high enough where that is the case. I am not happy with Kenny Williams job performance. I make no apologies for that. I think it's incredibly strange the lengths you go to defend him.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:52 PM) Agreed, I don't think many on here would argue that point with you. It wouldn't be the wort thing in the world for this team to be 10+ games out of contention by the deadline. Another .500 team without being active at the deadline would be a mistake. The deadline isn't worth getting your hopes up. I don't see many teams wanting to risk their future for a 1-game playoff.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:46 PM) But if you don't think it's going to work long-term (ie: 2013-2014), wouldn't you want to attend the 2012 games where the team has better talent on the field (like games in which Peavy pitches)? I'm pretty sure we talked about this in the offseason, but I've never felt like Sox fans were more likely to attend games based on Buehrle pitching instead of Floyd that day, etc. They are that team in the middle this year that Kenny said he never wanted to be. They'll be much worse in the near future.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:40 PM) Maybe they will sell more tickets if Sale is as important to ticket sales as you believe. Most games he doesn't take the field, now there will usually be a chance to see him pitch. Personally I don't think Sale means anything to attendance. Most people who attend a game only because he's going to pitch are probably on his pass list anyway. A #1 starter is more important than a closer. The Sox aren't going to pay a pitcher more than Danks for the forseeable future so where they will find one is anybody's guess.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:39 PM) Too early to start doing 2005 reunions at the games to try and draw fans? Sox fans don't care about hope or the future, with regards to attendance. All they care about is if the team is winning at that time. Sox could have the top Bryce Harper and Strasburg playing tonight, and if they were 10-15, attendance would be mediocre. There's truth to that, but I'm telling you Sox fans know that this isn't going to work long-term.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:38 PM) You don't rush into making a guy with #1 stuff into a closer, unless he's proven multiple times he can't handle a starter's workload. That's my beef with this decision. Shut him down him down for a while and try him again as a starter later this year. Yep.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:32 PM) It may be hard to believe, I want KW gone as much as you do, but Chris Sale with a tender elbow being made a closer is going to get him fired about as much as the churro stand selling stale churros would get him fired. Sale (as a starter) was the shining star of hope for this team. They are 29th in attendance because there is such little hope. Now that Sale is back to close . . .

QUOTE (Chisoxrd5 @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:32 PM) So we drafted two closers in 3 rounds in 2010? Don't forget Poreda.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:29 PM) That's pretty much the definition of the "Verducci effect". So say Wow all you want. You don't "Get yourself ready to throw as many innings in 2 months as you threw all of last year" by working out in the offseason. The Verducci effect is laughable.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 4, 2012 -> 05:26 PM) ma He spent the winter getting himself prepared for the role. He is hurting already. If you really think the reason he is sore now is because he didn't pitch 150 innings last season in Charlotte and would have had no problems doing that and if he did, be well on his way to 175-200 IP this year, all I can say is WOW. Exactly. The Sox drafted a closer. The flip side of this argument is if Sale had started in the minors maybe he would have hurt his arm before he got to MLB.

When I read the title of this thread I hoped it was a Tony La Russa decision. Anyway, Kenny's toast.

Who's the next guy on the Sox a team doesn't make what's deemed an adequate trade offer for then gets signed to a 5-year deal, Beckham or Morel?

I think he'll hold 'em at 7.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 3, 2012 -> 08:13 PM) Yeah, we get it. Or Beckham, or Molina, or Morel, or Viciedo, etc. Or he should have been fired for Teahen, Swisher trades, Hudson/Holmberg for Jackson and destroying Jake Peavy's career. Maybe we should give the position to Joe Cowley, wouldn't that be a great idea? I'm sure he has the capability of handling the job quite easily. Personally, I would love to see Cowley as GM and Don Cooper as manager, lol. It would be more fun than Harrelson/LaRussa and KW/Guillen. You predicted it C. And you were right.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 3, 2012 -> 08:06 PM) Neither? I hear ya. If they weren't going to sign Danks, get rid of Floyd, Ramirez, and Thornton too.

Danks contract could very well cost Williams his job.

Would you rather have Buehrle for 4/~$50M and have dealt Danks?

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 3, 2012 -> 07:48 PM) I liked him as a color guy with Rooney. Not play by play. Tries too hard to be "quippish" Right. The game seems secondary to Ed's comedy act. Not necessarily a bad thing if, you know, he were funny or even interesting.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 3, 2012 -> 07:36 PM) Exclusively? Absolutely. I must have a problem.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 3, 2012 -> 07:29 PM) "Time to Move Rios" "Wrapping Up April-Tough Start for Rebuild Crowd" "Closing Time -Hector Isn't Cutting It - Who Will?" "Viciedo Not Worth The Wait" "Farmer is Awful" "KW: Stay Out of White Sox Minor League Business" You are one crabby dude. Have you ever known a Sox fan who was not crabby?

I've been listening to MLB games via Gameday audio for the last couple of weeks and I forgot how good baseball is on radio. I forgot because Ed Farmer is brutal. He's not a radio guy, he can't paint a picture. I've found the best radio broadcasts consist of one broadcaster at a time and don't do the give and take that Farmer and DJ do. DJ is at least tolerable, but probably better suited for TV. I wish the Sox had a radio broadcaster calling their games instead of Farmer.