Marty34

Team was an 83 win team before season started. Terrible return on payroll investment from KW.

When does KW and his "cost certainty" way of putting the team together start to get called out?

Team is a weird mix. Its baseball playing ability nowhere near its payroll number.

All these depend on the price of course. I'd maybe take Dotel back for 6-7 inning, Crain 7-8 inning, and Santos to close.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 10:33 PM) Youre right, the Sox should spend less. Spending more money is what is making this team bad. Prior to 2005 when the Sox werent spending money they went to so many more playoffs, dont you remember the great times of 1983, 1994 and 2000. They were like every year events. Im not even sure what you are arguing at this point, because it cant really be that if the Sox spent less money theyd win more. (its so ridiculous I cant even post it right) Well ... if they had an $80M payroll they probably don't trade for Peavy or pickup Rios and keep cheap pitching talent like Hudson and Gonzalez.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 10:26 PM) im not confusing payroll with wins at all. Run the average wins of teams with highest payroll, Yankees versus the team with one of the lowest payrolls, Pirates. You can get away with not spending, but spending money, makes winning a lot easier. There is a reason why every other professional sport prevents teams from excessively spending, and its not because the teams who are spending lose more often... We have a grand total of 1 postseason victory in our 5 post-World Series big spending years.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 10:17 PM) You can quote Forbes all you want, but there are plenty of businesses that say: "We made $27mil, id rather make $50mil" My guess is that there is a way to make 27mil per year by running out a team that costs $30mil, having 10k in attendance and getting money from MLB revenue sharing. Say what you will, it seems different this year, I could be wrong, but it seems worse. You're confusing payroll with wins.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 10:08 PM) You can hope that the ownership is just going to blindly throw money at the team even with poor attendance, but that isnt what I believe. You can make all the excuses you want, but plenty other teams are drawing 20k or so on weeknights. I actually feel like Reinsdorf and the ownership may feel disrespected, they went out and got a good product, and people still dont show. Its just frustrating to watch the same thing every year. The team MADE $27.1M last year according to Forbes. The Sox are one of the best run franchises from a financial standpoint in all of sports. I'm very thankful to JR for that.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 10:00 PM) 2005 the stars aligned, you cant count on that. If you want to compete every year, you are going to have to spend $100mil in todays game. The stars have to align any year you win a championship. Who says the Sox can't spend $100M a year regularly? According to Forbes their operating income last year was $27.1M(!!) when they drew only 2.3M.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 09:52 PM) If crowds dont get better I fear in 2013 we are going to be a middle of the pack spending team. Ill hopefully get to 20-40 games this season, but from all reports even on the weekend it was really low attendance. Sox won their World Series spending around middle of the pack.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 09:45 PM) It's really puzzling why fans aren't showing up right now. Won't get much better with Bulls postseason run coming up. You can't be serious. The draw in April after they win a World Series. The economy not recovering is going to be a big issue in attendance all over MLB this year as well.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 09:28 PM) Ohman will be ok..not great, but decent, I believe No room for a one out lefty guy with Thornton and Sale as setup guys.

Bullpen needs to be reconstructed. It can be done internally, but are they willing to eat the contracts of Pena and Ohman.

Everyone loves his 95 mph fastball, but really Thornton has never been more than the best situational lefty in baseball. There's great value in that. It just doesn't make you a closer. Thornton's career OPS+ against with: Bases empty: 88 RISP: 123(!!)

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 8, 2011 -> 10:49 PM) Ken Patterson, Wayne Edwards, and Scott Radinsky would like to have a word with you. I'll amend what I said. When you don't have a lefty closer and have two other capable lefty relievers, Ohman should not be in your bullpen.

Santos is the best option to close IMO. Problem with that is Crain is the only other reliable right-hander and there is no reason to carry 3 left-handers in a bullpen that has a right-handed closer.

Per MLB network "issue with drug testing policy", Ramirez decided to retire.

http://twitter.com/CBSSports

I don't consider jogging after a ball that's bouncing toward the fence with a runner circling the bases a mental lapse. Milledge isn't a good enough hitter to overlook that. Hell, he's not even a starter.

I'm not a Lillibridge fan at all, but that doesn't mean you keep Milledge. His numbers don't make up for his lack of effort. Again, he's a 4th OF'er.

I'm still trying to figure out why Milledge dogged it on that double in KC. You'd think that a guy who is running out of chances in the big leagues would've played with more of a sense of desperation on that play.

He really loafed going after that double yesterday, too the point where it was noticable. a 4th OF'er not busting to try to keep a runner at 3rd might not be someone who you want to keep around.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 6, 2011 -> 02:17 PM) What did KW do wrong with Buehrle? Realize that going "All In" with this rotation is not a wise thing to do.

Shoddy defense aside, it's going to be difficult to win anything with *this* Buehrle. The blame for that goes on the GM.

Part of the problem with the bullpen is having a lefty as the closer. It means you have to carry a guy like Ohman.