Friend of Nordhagen

QUOTE(Yossarian @ Aug 1, 2007 -> 02:04 PM) Come on people. Floyd's had his chances and more. He's awful. He has no stuff, it's almost cruel to send him out there anymore. You know Danks hasn't been all that great this year, but if you want to extend some chances, then he's the guy. Danks doesn't back down when things get rough. I say work with young pitchers like Danks, who have some moxie. Floyd melts like a campfire marshmellow. I've seen enough of him. He's a bust. Most prospects don't pan out, and baseball is a very hard game. I wish Gavin Floyd all the success in the world in the game of life. Floyd aims his pitches. And he's bad.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jul 8, 2007 -> 12:00 AM) For someone who "is sorry that negotiations" became public, KW sure does get quoted a lot about it. Considering that he probably leaked the initial information about the Red Sox, Williams has no place to complain.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 7, 2007 -> 12:32 PM) The living on the outside of the plate I think is what allowed the Twins to jack him so much. AJ and Coop, seem to get into a pattern every so often when they call away away away, especailly with young pitchers to pitch away from Contact. When you have power hitters like this, I would like to see Floyd back the hitter off the plate a bit, then crack the curve off. This is the same thing we see with Buerhle from time to time. Buerhle is very effective pitching in, when he runs his cutter in he dominates. When he and AJ get into a pitch away from contact away away away mode, he gets rocked. Now Buerhle is in a different world compared to Floyd, but young pitchers like Floyd, like Danks need to pound in, and then go away with their secondaries. When you pitch to one zone, you give the hitter the advantage and you allow them to extend their hands and swing free and without fear. Seemed like Floyd did work inside against the righties, particularly Cuddyer. In fact, the 1st inning walk that set up Morneau's first homer was on a series of pitches up and in. Maybe he got gun-shy with pitching inside after that walk, I don't know.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 11:39 PM) The competition level in the International League is brutal. There's a reason Timo is one of the top hitters in it. And I don't know if this was mentioned anywhere else, but Masset has allowed 51 base runners in his last 17 innings in relief. Besides for two games with the Sox, he might be the worst pitcher I've ever seen stay on the team for 81 games. But man, you should have seen him in the Mexican League.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jun 28, 2007 -> 12:33 AM) Look who is number 1. We got a steal for the Garcia trade. Loved this story in the article: The low point of the Phils’ 95-loss 1996 season was when lefty Rafael Quirico was called up from Triple-A to make his major-league debut in Game 1 of a June 25 doubleheader in Cincinnati. When Quirico’s first pitch came in at about 82 mph, manager Jim Fregosi looked to pitching coach Johnny Podres and said, “Changeup?” Podres shook his head no and said, “Fastball.” Quirico never made it out of the first inning, as he retired two batters and gave up seven runs on four hits, five walks and a balk. Fregosi was steaming after the game that the Phillies forced him to pitch this kid. Quirico never pitched another game in the majors.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 25, 2007 -> 04:06 PM) I would give the money/years to Buehrle. However, I think it's hard for KW to judge things right now because he has no clue how much payroll he'll free up with the trades. If we do lose these guys, expect us to be in the running for Zambrano as a way to make it look like we're not slashing our payroll/rebuilding. Yes, as long as "in the running" means making a phone call, finding out Zambrano wants a contract of at least 5 years, and that at least 4 other teams are willing to give it to him. Then we'll be "out of the running."

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 25, 2007 -> 03:43 PM) Nope, and with that in mind, I believe Buerhle's agent thinks he can get him a 7 year deal. Something that no one is talking about is that if the Sox don't bring back Buehrle and create more salary space by getting rid of Contreras and/or Garland, they could very well be players for Zambrano this offseason. Fathom, would you pay Zambrano more and/or give more years than Buehrle? Just curious what you think. I wouldn't -- better stuff, but too unstable, and I think he's prone to injury.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 25, 2007 -> 03:05 PM) Now you are saying 2 different things. Unrealistic expectations of players or situations were addressed. No one said Erstad cured all ills. They were asking him to play solid defense and be better offensively than Anderson. Pods has been hurt every season with the White Sox but before that he was very healthy. Competently? Describe good. Good = playoffs? If good = playoffs then most GMs would be fired under the same standards you put on KW. 4 teams make the playoffs every year. The Yanks are usually always one of them - that leaves 3 others. That is a pretty high standard. The only AL Central Division team to win the World Series since 1991. I agree, but before the season you didn't know what you had in Fields. Crede also had this back issue last season and had his best season ever. If you actually thought you were going to contend this year then sticking with Crede was the right thing to do. To me, it all comes back to Williams being a big baby about the market for pitching. He got upset (and contemptuous of other GM's) for the money being paid last winter, so he turned around and traded Garcia and McCarthy for young, "locked up" pitching. Fine. But the minute he relinquished those assets, Garcia and McCarthy, for pitching -- and not POSITION PLAYERS -- he was effectively putting his head in the sand about LF, SS and CF. So we get Pods back, Uribe back and Erstad. Now, come on -- a lineup with Crede, Thome, Pods and Erstad is a lineup that is going to be injury-prone. And you're going to need quite a bit of luck to contend with that spectre of injuries hanging around. By the way, I had absolutely no problem holding onto Crede or non-tendering Ordonez. I thought those were understandable moves, and I believe Rogers is wrong on those two counts.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 06:12 PM) The hold up is probably this trade becoming a three way. KW must be insisting on Jon Adkins being part of this deal. Third team is probably Charlotte -- trying to acquire Gavin Floyd again.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 06:06 PM) He's not very rated at all. He's seen as a lazy POS who has the tools to be a perrenial all-star but will never be one. I'd still be willing to take him off their hands as a throw in though. He's the kind of guy we should be getting away from -- feast or famine, bad fundamentals.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:55 PM) I think Ellsbury is definitely someone they'll trade, as they can afford to go get one of the FA CF's this offseason. Pitching is important, of course. But if Buerhle is traded and Williams only gets more pitching prospects -- presumably because he's a baby about the pitching market and these prospects are "locked up" for years -- I will not be a happy man. This team sorely needs position players. And, yes, I've regretfully concluded that Gustavo Molina and Andy Gonzalez are not impact position players.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:50 PM) Sorry for not wanting to read through 12 pages, but what contract agreement rumor? Greg Walker has agreed to a 50-year extension.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:44 PM) Sweeney and Gio for Theriot. Solid. I've got to get back Jacque Jones in that deal. Let's throw in Konerko.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:43 PM) "our scouts noticed something on video that they think they can correct" "No one works a DVD like Dave Wilder."

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:38 PM) The only way you rush this trade is if they're blowing you away with the proposal. KW's been getting offers for Buehrle for a month now, so he had a decent idea of what he migth be able to get. We should just start looking for any Red Sox minor leaguer who did good in Winter Ball. "Our scouts just love his arm. And, of course, many pitchers have made a leap working with Don Cooper."

QUOTE(BearSox @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:35 PM) He also said Massett's fastball was a tic below Jenks'... Yeah. Power arm.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:32 PM) Who cares what he says. Also, maybe he thought the negotiations for the contract would be longer than they were. Fathom, it'd be tough for the guy to say "not today" and then make a trade today, even if the contract negotiations went faster. He wouldn't look too bright or credible. But that wouldn't stop him from concluding a trade and announcing it tomorrow.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:28 PM) Just remember, if something did happen today, they might wait until the Red Sox game is over today. They're in the 7th inning. Apparently, when asked earlier today if Buehrle would be moved, KW said "not today."

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 24, 2007 -> 05:25 PM) But you know it will be Lowrie and some A ball reliever who throws hard. In other words . . . Grinder + Power Arm.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 21, 2007 -> 03:21 PM) Didn't Stone also say Masset would be a devastating reliever this year? You can't start if you can't throw strikes. Its amazing the criticism McCarthy got on this board when he suddenly became a relief pitcher and wasn't successful, but Masset and Sisco get nothing but the benefit of the doubt saying they should be starters. Considering Massset is 32-45 with a 4.53 ERA in his minor league career, I don't know where anyone can come to the conclusion this guy is much of anything. Stone only THINKS he knows everything.

QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 01:08 PM) White Sox organizational development failure personified. Ding.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 01:10 PM) They won't. If they were going to pay MB what he was worth, they would have done it a long time ago. I for one will be intersted to see if Mark can get a nine figure contract in this market place. Yep. He's an interesting case: seemingly durable, consistent (with the exception of the 2d half last year; ouch), but not a "great arm" guy. Zito got his cash, but he's got the Cy Young and the big bender/great stuff. And there may be a few teams that shy away from Buehrle because he has logged so many innings, and see the 2d half last year as where he might end up. But I think Mark gets the money, simply because he's young, he's won, and he takes the ball. And it only takes one team to take the plunge. I only wish that team were the White Sox.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 10:52 AM) Actually you are wrong there. The price of durable mediocre starters is pretty much what we are paying Vazquez. Go look at the pitching contracts over the last couple of winters. SS2k5, I don't disagree that that's what those guys get. I'd be fine with that if I felt they would pony up for what Buehrle is worth. It's more. And I don't think they will. If I'm right, those are crazy priorities.

QUOTE(Allsox @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 07:36 AM) Yeah, Vazquez takes the ball every 5th day but you hafta pray he gets past the 5th inning every start. Here are two other things you can count on Javier "He's got great stuff even though he stunk in the NL in '05" Vazquez for: 1) To carry on a losing streak 2) To stop a winning streak I'd rather watch a rookie in there than to watch this 11 mil per yr career underachiever continue to take a giant crap on the mound every 5th day. Many of you know that I've posted on Vazquez before. I have little good to say about him, so I'll pretty much leave it at that -- EXCEPT I think we need to get away from the idea that he has great stuff. Again -- if you're consistently hanging off-speed pitches -- that is, throwing pitches that don't break -- your stuff isn't great. Mediocre. And not at a mediocre cost.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Jun 15, 2007 -> 01:56 AM) He was trying to start a fight with A.J. and Ozzie no doubt, but I mean nothing he said today lacked validity. I'm going to put in a word for North here. And I'm not talking about his work with Ozzie or AJ -- just with Cooper. I didn't hear the interview, but I've heard quite a few that North has done with Cooper before. They actually have a great, no BS rapport -- they've gone after each other, and not taken it personally, quite a few times. North is no doubt a jerk, but his stuff with Cooper is almost always entertaining -- and as a Sox fan, I generally feel that it's good therapy. Basically, North cuts to the chase -- none of that typical sportscaster "What can you guys do to improve?" stuff. And Cooper's a tough New York guy (who's been paid for this weekly appearance for 2 years, by the way), and he doesn't back down. One other point: North is many things, and many of them not good. I don't agree with his politics, and he's often a bit of lunkhead. But my long-held view -- backed even by some in the industry and not fans of his -- is that he is a very good interviewer. He gets people to be candid in a way that they generally aren't. Just my 2 cents.