2nd_city_saint787

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Sep 15, 2013 -> 10:20 AM) If you have no idea wha the expectations are for Abreu, why did you post this: As I've detailed before, there quite possibly is a team out there that would trade for Upton if his price tag were $25-$30M over 4 years. Take the $30M hit on the payroll over the next two years and the prospect. The Braves get rid of the entire contract, the team that traded for Upton gets what it wants, and the Sox basically buy a prospect while keeping their long-term financial flexibility. Better than Abreu for 4-years? I would say yes. And what team is interested in Upton and what type of prospect can you "buy" for $30 million? C'mon Marty, provide specifics or quit trolling. And a team is going to take on $30 million of Uptons contract AND give you a top prospect back? If you are that high, you need rehab. Ya, I still haven't found a deal like that. People brought up the Toronto trades but that was ALL salary and no prospects. Emilio Bonifacio, Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and John Buck, so that rules out that trade. On a different note, I was checking out the splits, and Gillaspie is actually hitting .282/.334/.432 with 12 HRs and 25 XBHs vs RHP. This surprised me, perhaps the Sox can get by with just picking up a platoon player to bat vs LHP which should be a cheap "fix" for 3B. Same for catcher where Phegs is hitting LHP pretty well (though I'd like to see him take more walks). I wouldn't be against McCann but picking up a platoon partner for Phegs would obviously be cheaper and they could spend the big money else where. Perhaps on Ellsbury. Ellsbury and Abreu are now my pipe dream. I moved on from Abreu/McCann.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 11:52 PM) I don't know that hiring a new manager will get people to buy tickets. I suppose it may give people a false sense of optimism if things are arbitrarily changed, but I think they are too loyal to Robin to take that inch. This, once again, only takes place if the Sox "punt" and don't open up their wallets this off season.....Adding a few potential impact bats will make people buy tickets.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 06:48 PM) That's interesting. I had the impression that he was considered very good defensively. Thanks You do have a good point about bringing in guys who smash RHP though. Looked it up and there are only 5 LH starters in our division, none on the Tigers, and the only one on the Indians is one the Sox have already roughed up, Scott Kazmir. If the Sox think they can put Avisail in CF or are ok with ADA out there for another year then I'd be game for putting Choo in a corner where he would be passable defensively.

and as far as the numbers you brought up goes who knows maybe this part of the article comes into play...

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 04:30 PM) Oh well. You must not have read my stats I posted. I can't blame you for not listening; I often times don't listen in regards to my favorite players, but seriously, what do you see in Dunn that I don't? He angers me beyond belief if "angers" is the right word. 31 and 82, that's what I see and you don't apparently. That 82 number is probably better with a better team around him as well. Here's something I read in a sporting news article. http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2009...-overrated-stat You can replace Reynolds name with Dunns and it still fits.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 03:29 PM) That s*** is hilarious, I gives no f***s what anyone thinks lol it's how I keep up with current events.

Greg, since you like google things like "Hilary Clinton is a b****" and they sway your opinion, how about you google "Strikeouts are overrated".....There's A TON of articles so it must be true right? (Thats right, I peep the filibuster from time to time)

QUOTE (Lillian @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 03:57 PM) I haven't read anyone suggesting Shin Soo Chu, in quite a while. Why aren't more of you advocating his acquisition? His contract hasn't been extended has it? He's an On Base machine, left handed and a very good outfielder. I'd prefer him to Pence, mainly because he's a LH hitter. Chu is really good against RHP, and as I have pointed out before, our Division has very few good LH pitchers. The Sox could use several bats that would be effective vs. some of the very good right handers on the Tigers and Indians. There have been people suggesting him. Problem is, he's really not a "very good outfielder". I know some people said UZR wasn't that good but when comparing apples to apples it works, De Aza had a -3 something UZR rating and Choo had a -15 something UZR, the worst in the league. If they're looking to improve their D I don't think he's a good fit.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 03:39 PM) Somebody please call and ask Hahn about Adam Dunn in a respectful manner. "Q - Rick, Adam Dunn received a lot of positive publicity for his new approach in going the other way with pitches. I may be mistaken, but it appears as of late that's not the case and he's also hit just one home run all month and four the previous month. Has the approach of pulling everything returned and are you concerned about this? Also a general comment on Dunn's future with the Sox and I'll hang up and listen off the air." You own a phone don't you?

He's been bad the last few weeks, this is true, do I expect him to produce that little next year? not at all. I'm not gonna "pray" he's off the team because he's had a bad few weeks to end the season. Do I think he'll be the hitter he was from June-August? No probably not. Do I think he's still a valuable player even if he hits .210 with 30+ HRs 90+ HRs and Ks 200+ times? Absolutely. If Dunn didn't K so much he'd be a superstar, instead he's merely a good productive player. He leads the team in HRs, RBIs, OPS, and he's 2nd in runs.

I don't really follow comedians as much as I should but I watch Chelsea Lately on the regular. Loves me some Brad Wollack and Loni Love.

He had an OPS of .881 and .976 last April and May. I'm not totally against a platoon but I think you play him everyday and get what you get out of him. He's had the most HRs and RBIs vs LHP on our team the last 2 years. As long as he's producing I can care less what he bats and how many Ks he gets.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 12:13 PM) You'd rather have Bourne and Swisher? If Bourne and Swisher put us in the playoffs? It's not even a question. Once they get in the playoffs anything can happen.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 12:04 PM) At what price? This run certainly hasn't re-energized their fan base either. Certainly not the price of taking on bad contracts for prospects who may or may not turn into anything.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 11:55 AM) Any thinking fan wants to stay as far away from what the Indians have done as possible. lol huh??? "Thinking fans" don't wanna go from a 94 loss team to a potential wild card team?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 11:52 AM) The Indians plan is not the one I want followed, but too each their own. Welp, you asked how a 100 loss team(94 might as well be 100) can contend by signing Free agents and we answered. Whether you like it or not it obviously can be done, and I don't think we need to add as much as they did to get it done due to our pitching.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 11:35 AM) Absolutely, Dick Allen just likes to cast stones. I believe what kite was saying is every "model" we go after will be "after the fact".

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 10:55 AM) The problem is this team itself. How do you go from losing 100 games to contending buying free agents. Doing what the Indians did last year. They added Bourn, Swisher, Raburn, Aviles, Stubbs, Gomes, and Giambi to a 94 loss team and now they're in the wild card hunt. Looks like I was a little to slow with that response.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 10:39 AM) So B.J. Upton at $15M/per over the next 4 years plus a B prospect makes us better than Abreu at $12M/per over the next 5 years? And the Sox have to give something up as well. What are some deals where the team got a good prospect back with a bad contract for a virtual nobody? The Blue Jays trades came up earlier but those aren't good examples because Toronto got back all "bad contracts" and no prospects.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Sep 14, 2013 -> 10:03 AM) I've gone back and forth on what the best course of action is this winter and as this season draws to an end, I think 2016 is a realistic season to think about contention. I hope there are opportunities to use their money over the next couple of years to take on bad contracts for prospects instead of signing any free-agents. This, to me, doesn't make any sense. Why are they taking on bad contracts for prospects when they can simply sign free agents and save the prospects? Was this sarcasm? miss worded? To your other post about this being the "proper way" to rebuild, was that sarcasm too? I hope I'm just misunderstanding you because I don't see how trading prospects makes sense for a "rebuilding" team. EDIT- after reading the last 2 posts I see whats going on here, nevermind. I agree with CWS, I don't think you're gonna get good enough prospects back in these sorts of trades....Show me some deals that prove otherwise. And at this point the FA market doesn't look half bad.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 13, 2013 -> 10:25 PM) I respect your support of Dunn. We all have our favorite players. ... I've just seen way too much of him. If he's still on the team I can't see renewing my mlb.com. I just know what kind of offensive team we are going to have if he's still around. We already have too many guys who swing from their heels. Maybe if we get a real hitting coach and real manager (no offense, Robin, I loved you as a player) I'll give Dunn another chance, but ugh. Haven't most of you seen enough of Big Adam to last 3 lifetimes? To the bold sentence, no you don't. One hitter doesn't make a lineup. I'm fine with his last 2 years here. There just needs to be better hitters around him. Why? because once again, one hitter doesn't make a lineup.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 13, 2013 -> 07:28 PM) With all due respect, you enjoy watching him bat? He's the reason I turned the game off today. I can't take his ineptitude. Everybody talks about how he was willing to hit to leftfield for a week or so. He even got an article written about him. I watch an at bat today. It's a tie game first and second I believe and the first pitch is slop on the outside part of the plate. All he's got to do is poke it to left and we get a run. He swung through it. He's in my top five least favorite Sox of all time right now I'm afraid to say. The man defines our last place team. He has 31 homers or whatever and we still are steaming toward 95-100 losses. Does anybody else on here think Dunn is "fun to watch?" I won't start a poll on it, but fun to watch does not describe my feeling toward Mr. Whiff. Yet he still has the 3rd highest OBP on the team, the highest slugging percentage, the 2nd highest OBP, the most HRs(by more than double), and the most RBIs(by almost 30).....His Ks might be not be fun to watch but without him this team is far worse than it is even now....Dunn is far from the reason.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Sep 13, 2013 -> 11:49 AM) That was a great deal for us last year. We took a guy who was a defensive liability, a signing no one was too fond of, and it paid off for us big time. Had Robinson not turned out well for us last year? No big deal, there was no commitment. I don't see why we should stop signing those guys this year. Do we need a better back up big? Yes. Do we need another guy who can score? Hell yea. This is suppose to be the year we can finally contend, yet we stay put. So yes, go sign guy who totally f***ing suck last year to a minimum deal, because he has more talent than our 6 through 10 players, and give him a chance. And oh yea, Thibs is a guy who wouldn't let anyone out of his dog house if he doesn't think they can positively contribute. I don't see how a signing like Beasley or anyone else would hurt the team financially or basket wise. If you honestly think the FO is pulling everything out of their pocket to make this team a championship team this off season, you are highly delusional. Dexter Pittman!!!....Only semi kidding.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 12, 2013 -> 11:10 PM) So this year the general consensus appears to be managers don't matter at all. OK, I'll remember that one as I follow baseball in the future. I assume that goes for coaches as well. So the only thing that matters is the GM, cause he assembles this talent that heads onto the field to play baseball. So my suggestion to Rick Hahn for next year. ... Position players for the roster 1B - Must acquire somebody (Paulie a bit too old). 2B - Must acquire somebody (Becks just can't hit; time to move on). SS - Lexi. 3B - Must acquire somebody (Gillaspie is not a MLB answer for any team; good sub though). LF - Must acquire somebody (Tank's hitting approach is reprehensible and Caufield/Fathom combo is better defensively). CF DeAza (I'll give him one more year I guess). RF - A. Garcia. Our only superstar in the making (if he decides he wants to be one). C - Must acquire somebody (Phegs is our backup, though). DH - Must acquire somebody. Dunn is kind of the poster boy for our lousy team, even though he has over 30 homers. Pitchers Go with the contingent we have, but go ahead and trade 2 of the starters in our system. Make the team motto, "our starters must go 7" next year, so the combo of Nate and Addison can finish almost all games. Turn one of our many lefties into a setup guy. Manager Ask Robin politely to enter the front office. Open the job up to all candidates and hire somebody that will make our great city proud. Comments? I don't think it's the consensus here that managers don't matter, I think me and Hawk are the only ones to say this, and I still feel somewhat ridiculous saying it...Certainly makes some sense. As far as your assessment goes... Dunn stays and I'm fine with Tank staying as well, he's had an OPS near .800 after the break. If they miss out on Abreu at 1B then I'm cool with moving Tank to 1B and bringing in a good club house guy like Pence to liven up the dugout. I'd love to see 2 FAs 2 players brought in via trade and hopefully Semien steps up and shows what he did in the minors(high obp/decent power) and takes the 2B or 3B spot depending on who they brought in at those positions.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Sep 12, 2013 -> 11:05 PM) He was a terrible manager for the Cubs. Which is proof that it's all about the product. You can't put Lou or Francona on this team, as constructed, and expect even a .500 team.