southsider2k5

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:59 PM) The Sox didn't do much in 2011 other than Dunn so I am not sure what this other big offseason is but "selling offseasons" does seem have to caught some momentum amongst Sox fan gripes. I still don't know the offseason that has been the problem this year. It's been 2B, 3B, C, SP4 and SP5 along with a lot of established players unexpectedly underperforming. Robertson has been absolutely awesome. Grade: A Samardzija, while you wouldn't know it from reading this board, has been just a tad below expectations and is still on pace for a 3-4 WAR season. Grade: B Melky has been terrible. That signing doesn't look great at the moment but were only LaRoche is a notoriously slow starter and has struggled to the tune of about a league average bat. Not good enough for a DH, but I think he'll turn it around. Grade: C- Duke has been okay. Grade: B- Jennings has been pretty good and could hold a bullpen spot for the next years to come. Especially if they get him retiring lefties at a rate typical for lefties. Grade: B+ The problems: 1.) Flowers, Grade: F 2.) Alexei, Grade: F 3.) 2B, Grade C- 4.) 3B, Grade: C- 5.) Eaton, Grade: F 6.) Cabrera, Grade: F 7.) Danks, Grade: D 8.) Noesi, Grade: F My point with my silly grades is that it's not the offseason that's holding this team back. I'd argue that our biggest problems are the starting pitching that we needed most to be good (Sale, Samardjiza, and Quintana) has been noticeably worse than last year. Next has been that we have exactly one guy on offense who is either at, or better than, his numbers last year. Guys like Abreu, Alexei, LaRoche, and Eaton are WAY under what they did last year.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:52 PM) Falls woefully short of what? What are you talking about here? The point I made is Kansas City had a very exciting postseason last year and their fan base responded, hence the nice bump in attendance this year. They are poised to build upon that success and add to and solidify their fan base by making it to the playoffs again this year. They might not make it, and they may slip backwards like we did since we did not sustain our success after the WS run. But if they do make it and have another exciting run at things this fall, it will only help continue their success at the gate. And who knows? Maybe they are about to go on a nice three or four year run of sustained success like every other team in the AL Central team has done at one time or another since the advent of the division. Every other team, that is, except the White Sox. I know, I know - confounded bandwagon fans! They're to blame for all of this!! You actually are proving my point again. Kansas City needed one playoff appearance in 30 years to get fans to show back up. The White Sox got 2 in 4 years and their attendance dropped over the last two years, and the next season after again. Nothing about what the Royals have done could be called "a nice three or four year run of sustained success".

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:30 PM) My word! Would you look at those Kansas City Royals! Averaging nearly 32K this year after that splendid run they had through the postseason last year. Their average attendance last year was only 24K, reflective, of course, of the years and years of losing prior to last season. But lo and behold, it turns out that their fan base enjoyed all of the excitement that a solid postseason brings, and have signed up this season in hopes for more. Sounds like another fan base we know from 2006, doesn't it? And to add to the good news for fans of the Royals, their team seems well poised to do the unthinkable - make it to the playoffs in consecutive seasons! Now how about that! And if they do so, and give their fans another thrill, they will continue to build upon and expand their fan base. Yep, yep, yep - that's how it works. That's what a little winning will do for you! All on the backs of one playoff run in 30 years, without a World Series Championship to show for it, which according to the repeated standards of years and years of winning in a row, falls woefully short.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:34 PM) Need to score to win. Don't we know that by now? Also need to catch the ball so that the other team doesn't get a bunch of gift runs.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 12:36 PM) Mark Sheldon ‏@m_sheldon 3m3 minutes ago Cueto getting MRI today on his right elbow #reds Mark Sheldon ‏@m_sheldon 2h2 hours ago Cueto's agent, Bryce Dixon, said the #reds ace told him the MRI revealed good results, no tears.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:10 PM) I'm going to assume Gillaspie is hurting (or they're worried the turf will hurt his foot), or else it makes no sense to not get his bat into the lineup. He has an OPS of .845 this month. I would guess they want the better fielder in there for a higher contact rate pitcher in John Danks.

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 60m60 minutes ago The #Marlins under Jennings could turn into a soap opera. Numerous sources say frustration among players mounting.

Daryl Van Schouwen ‏@CST_soxvan 34m34 minutes ago Hutchison's shutout was third time White Sox blanked this season. They've been held to one run seven times.

Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 28m28 minutes ago #WhiteSox have scored 3 runs or fewer in 8 straight. Are hitting .190/.240/.273 w/ 15 runs and are 2-6. Are 3-22 with 3 or fewer in 2015.

Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 14m14 minutes ago #WhiteSox for 5/26: Eaton 8, Cabrera 7, Abreu 3, LaRoche DH, Ramirez 6, Shuck 9, Beckham 5, Flowers 2, Sanchez 4. Danks vs. Dickey. Alexei Ramirez career vs. R.A. Dickey: 4-for-10, 2 homers, 5 RBIs. #WhiteSox

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ May 26, 2015 -> 02:36 PM) 2005 will probably get him applause for a long time at this f***ing rate. I don't think the team should replace RV with Ozzie but... Corpseball was after 2005. Now apparently people have forgotten about that kind of stuff.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ May 26, 2015 -> 01:49 PM) I am starting to think the team just doesn't buy into Ventura. How else can you explain the lackadaisical performances? We saw the same stuff with Ozzie at the helm. Remember Corpseball being the favored term around here? Now Ozzie gets almost as big of a round of applause as Paulie.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 26, 2015 -> 01:06 PM) Is financial risk the only one here? Is there a PR risk issue? They also have a potential fine of $150k from the NFL front office for now having signed 2 people with law-enforcement issues, that fine could increase if anyone else gets into trouble. Eh. Only so much. The Bears are like the Cubs when it comes to fan base. They might complain, but they will still sell out and draw huge TV ratings.

Mark Sheldon ‏@m_sheldon 3m3 minutes ago Cueto getting MRI today on his right elbow #reds

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 26, 2015 -> 12:28 PM) Decrease in year-over-year ticket sales during the season: 2014 117592 2013 197542 2012 35162 2011 193261 2010 89785 2009 216485 2008 183747 2007 273019 Sorting: Team below .500: 2007 273019 2009 216485 2011 193261 2014 117592 2013 197542 Team above .500: 2008 183747 2010 89785 2012 35162 Average ticket sale decrease over the last 8 seasons: Team below .500: 199,580 Team above .500: 102,898 When the team has been above .500 the ticket sale boost from the world series has eroded at 1/2 the rate that it has in the losing seasons. #bandwagon

This is a great clip on how players cheat with the ball. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12953119

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ May 26, 2015 -> 09:42 AM) There's a huge difference between winning a lot of games and being in first place for "most of the season" and being in first place on the last day of the season. The latter typically draws more fans in. Especially if it's done frequently in a short time period. You can nitpick on a specific number of consecutive post-season experiences all you want. I was just throwing out an example. There are lots of different ways to define success. It can be 2 years in a row. It can be 3 years in a row. It can be 3 times in 5 years. 5 times in 10 years. Something a lot of other teams in the league have done many, many times. If the Sox could manage any one of those scenarios I would bet that attendance would go up at least in the short term. But they never have. Actually, I just checked. The Sox are the only AL team that has never hit any of those scenarios. The Nationals, Marlins and Rockies are the only other teams that haven't either. Agreed. 2008 sure didn't see that either.

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors 8m8 minutes ago #Braves Alberto Callaspo has rejected a trade to the #Dodgers, per @Ken_Rosenthal. Read the developing story: http://bit.ly/1RkDbke Chris Cotillo ‏@ChrisCotillo 11m11 minutes ago Chris Cotillo retweeted Ken Rosenthal Likely to be DFA'd later in week by #Braves now.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 26, 2015 -> 10:23 AM) Samardzija's a bit like Verlander where he gains significant velocity as the game goes on. A few times this year, he got burned on 91-92 mph fastballs in the first inning. If it were just Samardjiza, that would be different. But it isn't. Take Chris Sale. Coming into this year his first inning over his career was 85IP 27 ER good for 2.86 ERA. Even including this year his career numbers are a .587 OPS against, good for 89 OPS+. This year 8 IP 6 ER 6.75 ERA against, along with an .845 OPS against for a 121 OPS+. Quintana 1st innings in 2015, 9 IP, 8 ER, 8.00 ERA, .988 OPS against good for 157 OPS+ Before this year 4.37 ERA in 87 career IP in the first inning. So what has changed?

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:30 AM) I think it's all moot until Aiken's camp releases a health update. People are getting a little too giddy over the success of Giolito and the potential of Jeff Hoffman. Both Aiken and Matuella have unique and potentially more damning injuries. This is 100% true. A drafting would be contingent on two things. The Sox medical team being happy with his reports, and then The Don Cooper not only approving of his motion and delivery, along with talking to the kid and giving his thumbs up.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:03 AM) And then he just doesn't sign. Based on what transpired last season, I don't see him taking a discount to go anywhere. He could go to UCLA next year, sit out the season rehabbing, and then enter the draft the following season after building his value back up. Jeff Hoffman had a lot less leverage last year and still signed for slot. He already gave up $5 million. If he passes on money again, who knows what his next chance looks like, especially post surgery.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 10:26 AM) Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 39m39 minutes ago Sources: #Dodgers talking to #Braves about trade that would send Uribe to ATL for Callaspo. Lesser names also involved. Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 28m28 minutes ago Sources: Deal between #Dodgers and #Braves would involve six players. Uribe and minor leaguer for Callaspo and three minor leaguers.

Doug Padilla ‏@ESPNChiSox 7h7 hours ago Hawk Harrelson to miss upcoming White Sox road trip http://es.pn/1LuLdDg

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 3h3 hours ago Josh Hamilton, nervous in 2015 #MLB debut with #Rangers, says he's ready to play after 'reality check' http://usat.ly/1HGfSQg

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan 48m48 minutes ago Welcome to the spin zone: How baseball is learning that RPM might be just as important a three-letter acronym as MPH. http://yhoo.it/1Rjb6K0