Balta1701

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:23 PM) And if it's better but not playoff worthy without, isn't that better for the draft pick to have him around? Or we could just let Adam Dunn face lefties.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:23 PM) So what do you think the Sox record will be with Konerko on the roster vs. without? Isn't that the bottom line? No, the bottom line should also include cost and player development as well given where this team currently sits. All of which are hurt by having Paul Konerko on the roster. But again...none of them...winning games, player development, or maximizing resources were the goal of signing Paul Konerko.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:19 PM) If the Sox aren't gonna compete this year, then who cares if Adam Dunn faces LHP? It doesn't matter, right? Or, if we're really desperate to keep Dunn out against LHP, we could play Keppinger at 1b/DH, give Abreu some extra time at DH while still getting at bats, and keep Davidson in the lineup at 3rd, with a left handed bat on the bench available should a right handed reliever be put in.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:12 PM) You have been complaining about Konerko. He has nothing to do with Davidson making the team. Keppinger is either going to be on the team or traded, not released, and you seem to be the president of the Conor Gillespie fan club. So now you are even complaining about the things you want. Keppinger, Gillaspie, and Davidson could all have made this team, giving the White Sox useful bench and backup options throughout their infield, if Paul Konerko was not retained. That would easily have been the best scenario given that Keppinger is under contract and cannot be traded or released without the White Sox eating a large portion of his salary based on his performance last year. Should Davidson not be ready in the spring, that would give the Sox the opportunity to bring along a backup SS other than the emergency ones they'd have, such as Elmore, who can also play middle IF and would be a very useful utility player overall. That's the obvious setup for both winning games, long term development of players, and maximizing the resources we currently have (i.e. potentially making Keppinger more easily traded if he gets off to a good start). None of those things were the White Sox's priority in bringing back Konerko as a player.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:08 PM) More hyperbole. I already stated it is all up to him. The White Sox traded one of their better players to get him, and they would like nothing more to have him playing every day batting in the middle of the order for them, but he does have his warts. AAA may be where he needs to be in April. So he should clearly have 2 guys without options in his way. Because that's the sign you give to a guy you want him to earn the big league spot.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:07 PM) No harm going to spring training with everyone--Keppinger and Gillaspie included, and make some deals in March if Davidson plays like he's ready. I think there's a lot of harm in this actually. That's not a whole lot of at bats to go around in the spring to judge a guy by, at least not against the better competition. And you're assuming a deal will be available in March, which is a roll of the dice.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 03:04 PM) Joe Borchard, Brian Anderson, Josh Fields, Tyler Flowers, Brent Lillibridge, Brent Morel, ....just some names that BA had ranked just as high as Matt Davidson as prospects at one time. It's really not that crazy to think Charlotte might be a logical place for him to start the 2014 season. And so therefore he should not have any chance to earn the job.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:52 PM) Track record. Reduced role. Even in a down year an over .900 OPS vs. LHP, which also keeps Adam Dunn out of the line up vs. the same LHP. Captain. Good influence on others. I heard him talking, saying playing less will allow him to help these guys more. Besides, if you want Gillaspie on the team, he plays 3B and 1B and would be taking ABs away from Davidson and Abreu. I thought that was a no no in your book. You want that list for Gillaspie? Youth. Ability to play multiple positions. Hits left handed making him a much more useful piece off the bench for an extremely right handed team. 2 more years pre-arbitration. Not at his prime years/ceiling years yet. .738 OPS against righties, which to this team is a lot more valuable than a guy pinch hitting for lefties in the lineup that we don't have. Able to be traded during the season. Not a strongly negative value player last year. Not a leader on a team that acted completely leaderless. Hopefully not influencing others the way the team's leaders did last year. Not paid the price of a reliever for the privileged. I'd rather have Gillaspie play 25 games backup up Abreu and Davidson or even giving one of them a break against a tough righty than Konerko giving Adam Dunn a break against a tough lefty.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:47 PM) What is it about Conor Gillaspie's .695 OPS and awful glove that makes you excited to watch him play? Besides if Gillaspie is 1/10th as good as you think, there is no reason to release him, teams will be lining up to acquire him. What is it about Paul Konerko's .669 OPS and awful glove that makes people excited to watch him play?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:42 PM) Who are they releasing that will cost them $10 million? Keppinger isn't getting released. Why do you make things up just to complain? So they're going to keep the right hand hitting backup who plays a poor 3b because he makes $10 million over the next 2 years and release the much younger, left handed hitting guy who fits the roster much better. Well that's a relief.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:36 PM) The roster will take care of itself. I don't know why you think Davidson absolutely shouldn't start the year in AAA. I don't know why we should have to release 2 players and pay $10 million for the privileged in order to keep a backup DH on the roster if Davidson does earn the spot.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Opening Day - Gillaspie different team. Keppinger different team. Unless Dunn is traded, which isn't likely. Davidson- 3B in Chicago. If you gave me the choice between Konerko on the roster and Gillaspie on the roster, I'd have gone with Gillaspie without a 2nd thought.

Very likely that would have worked better as a reply to Kyle.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:32 PM) I'm sure there will be a translator around, if not one of the other players. All clubs will employ them, if needed. PK has always been willing to help younger players and I think he will be available to Abreu. Well, it's a good thing we have a strong record of developing hitting prospects recently then.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:29 PM) It's different for pitchers and hitters. Pitchers need to pitch regularly to maintain the endurance and muscle strength since they get time off between starts anyway. For hitters the breaks are usually mental breaks especially for rookies who struggle or foreign players who are adjusting to many variables in life not just slumps in baseball. I think have PK as a resource for Abreu is a great idea. Pk went through many struggles as a similar player to Abreu. I assume Konerko also speaks fluent spanish for this to make sense, right?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:27 PM) If Davidson is not on the opening day roster, it isn't because of Konerko. It would be because of Davidson. Right now, if he and Gillaspie both put up similar numbers in spring training, he'd miss the roster because we'd want to keep the guy who was out of options and there's no room for both of them. That could be the case no matter how good their numbers are. There could have been room for Gillaspie, Davidson, Keppinger, and a backup OF on the roster if Konerko were not there.

That's what she said. Wait...

QUOTE (palehose1 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:04 PM) I would sign John Buck for a year, probably only cost $3 to $4 million. He is not the long term answer but a definite upgrade over Flowers /Phegley His OPS the last 3 years are .683, .644, and .648 respectively. I mean it's possible that the guys we have are worse than that again...but man, I'd rather gamble on one of Phlowglieto turning into a reasonable option than paying $4 million for that unless we're really, really desperate for a veteran to handle young pitching.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) I went to a Bears/Falcons game on a Monday night (I think, maybe Sunday night) that was 7 degrees, windchill in the negatives. It was a f***ing blast. That said, I won't do it again! Just think...this could be the same weather the Super Bowl gets this year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 02:01 PM) I said earlier that I wouldn't mind Abreu being in the 125 to 130 game range. He is a big boy who is used to playing 90 game seasons. Giving him regular rest is probably a smart idea. It doesn't him no good to wear down and slump at the end of his first year. Which is why you also advocated shutting down Danks after 25 starts last year and Peavy after his arm clearly tired out in 2011, right?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 01:44 PM) lol. I am curious who this poor unfortunate sole that is going to help is in the future, that is being blocked by Paul Konerko is, because I sure don't see it. Besides if you prescribe to the theory that if you can't be first, be last for the best draft pick, then Konerko is a bigger help to the future. I'm going to continue to hope you guys are right and his name isn't Jose Dariel Abreu...because he happens to be a right hand hitting 1b/Dh.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 10:16 AM) It's not going to affect the bullpen. The only thing it will affect will be the bench, and by all accounts, they are going to have the necessary pieces to be able to play someone at every position on any given day. I mean every game where he gets the honor of starting against a lefty, he gets to pop out weakly when they put a righty reliever in against him in the 7th inning.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 10:12 AM) He is going to DH vs. LHP. What did he do against LHP last season which would indicate he cannot contribute? This makes sense when they ban bullpens.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 10:06 AM) Put winning out of your mind and it changes your perspective. This team isn't going to win, so why stress about it? I can't find the joy in watching a guy who can't contribute.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 3, 2014 -> 09:57 AM) Both of these. The difference between PK on the bench is what? A game, maybe two? Regardless it won't make any difference to the 2014 White Sox. They aren't winning this division anyway, so we might as well let a guy like Paul Konerko go out on his own terms, and get a little bit of well deserved love from the fans. Hell I wish guys like Mark and Frank got to do this too. I can't tell you how much I hated sitting there watching a diminished Paul Konerko weakly popping out last year and almost never hitting the big flies to LF that I was used to from him.