TheChrisSamsa

Can I get a name change to ChrisLikesBaseball?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 06:06 PM) I'd say the big difference to me is when they did it. A "feared hitter" in 2002 was putting up quite a bit better numbers than a feared hitter in 2005-2006, and especially compared to 2010. (although Ordonez did have a Hell of a 2007). Edit; not that I'm disagreeing with you on neither being an HOF candidate. Very good point. 2002 and 2010 are clearly part of different eras of the game. Beyond Pujols and I guess Jeter, I'm not sure that there's a position player playing today who is even close to a lock for the HOF after taking into account steroids and steroid speculation. Maybe I'm missing someone though.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 05:53 PM) Konerko in 2004, 2005, and 2010 was a dominant lineup force, he has 4 all star appearances, and has finished 6th and 5th in the MVP voting. It's actually not as far apart as you'd think. Ordonez has a couple more AS appearances and a #2 MVP finish, but only 1 other season where he finished #8 in the voting. PK14's best OPS+ was 158, Ordonez was 166, and they've each only gotten up there 2 times. I honestly wouldn't have considered them of the same class of "feared hitters" before your post, but that's probably my homer-ism working against me. Having PK through his prime, and having Mags leave the Sox in the midst of his may have tainted how I look at the players. Thanks for the direct comparison. That said, I really don't think either of them is a HOF player, nor do I think either will quite get over that bump.

QUOTE (Special K @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 04:40 PM) Is the DeWayne Wise/Brian Anderson debate officially dead? QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 04:41 PM) We all lost that one. There was also the Brian Anderson/Aaron Rowand debate. But that grindy grinderness of Aaron Rowand in the 2005 world series, as well as using him to net the White Sox Jim Thome kind of killed that one off. Speaking of Brian Anderson.. did anyone post that he signed a minor league deal with the Yankees as a pitcher? With the way their bullpen has fallen apart, he could make the big leagues with them this year.

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 04:51 PM) Is Konerko a HOF'er? He needs at least a few more strong seasons, but he's currently: 365 HRs, 1861 hits, 1156 RBIs, .280 avg Or how about... Ordonez -- 289 HRs, 2072 hits, 1204 RBIs, .312 avg Carlos Lee -- 331 HRs, 1967 hits, 1192 RBIs, .287 avg Mags would have the best chance to get in. He's the only one of this group who has ever really been a dominant force in a lineup, though probably not for long enough or on good enough teams to even get him a sniff of 75% of the BBWAA vote.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2011 -> 09:44 AM) Great post. Maddux is in first ballot period, and I think Glavine and Thomas will battle just below that level. And with the general questions out there about big hitters in that era, I think that's enough to get Glavine in but Thomas out in their first ballots. Then Thomas goes in 2nd year. Thanks very much for the compliment. I agree that Maddux is first ballot, no question. I'd imagine he'll get the 97%-98% treatment that only Cal Ripken, George Brett, Tony Gwynn and Nolan Ryan have gotten in the past 12 years. Glavine was one of the faces of striking players in 1994 when he was the Braves' player rep. I'd hate to say that that alone would keep him out on the first ballot, but that and how he lost his dominance while he was with the Mets will certainly come into play. I think it'd be tough to put Maddux and Glavine in in the same class, considering Maddux had 50 more wins in just one fewer season on many of the same teams, albeit in 58 more starts. I wouldn't be shocked to see Maddux and Thomas go in together (my posts on Frank being a first ballot guy or not have been largely of the "devil's advocate" variety, I'd love to see him go in first ballot). I would be surprised to see all 3 get in on their first ballots though. It's only happened once and the inductees were all undeniable. If Maddux and Glavine are the two from that class to get in and Frank has to wait, it'll be the writers tip of the cap to those great Braves teams of the 90's which I can't be opposed to because that was a hell of a run.

One year, $1.3 million and I'd be happy and I don't think it would close any doors on other moves.

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 03:33 PM) While we're talking about Dunn, Dunn is 46 HR away from #400, Konerko is 35 HR away. Maybe we'll see back-to-back #400's... I could see this happening on the last day of the season, since I imagine that'll be about where they both land.

QUOTE (DOWNTOWN PANTHER @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:22 AM) Disgruntled fan??? My team won the NL Central last year. I think I speak on behalf of the Reds fans when I say that not having Dunn is a good thing. For the Reds at leat. I think we can politely agree to disagree. All I can say is lets hear your take on your 56 Million dollar man come July. I think you may be taking this a bit too serious. Adam Dunn wasn't the type of player the Reds needed. The base-clogging thump didn't fit the type of offense the Reds had and still have. He fits nicely as the DH with left handed power in the White Sox lineup. Having Joey Votto come to life was good for the Reds. Oh.. and Cueto, Volquez, Bailey, Wood, Leake and Arroyo had something to do with it. Don't forget to mention Scott Rolen having a really nice year and Gomes, Stubbs, and Phillips all pulling their talents together at the same times. QUOTE (DOWNTOWN PANTHER @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:35 AM) Actually Dunn never played 1st for the Reds. But he should have.

Garza's a nice piece for that Cubs rotation. Zambrano, Garza, Dempster are a great top 3 in the NL, add in two of Silva/Wells/Gorzelanny and that's a pretty good starting 5 to go with a solid bullpen after the addition of Kerry Wood. Their position players are so young and so hit-or-miss, but if they make this deal and put it all together they could definitely be in the mix to lose to the Phillies in the playoffs.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 02:30 PM) You are right on about the fielding part. I really don't understand that though. I mean gold glove voters don't even pay attention to fielding anymore. They just vote for whoever won last year until they retire or get injured. The gold glove is mostly an irrelevant award but fielding isn't an irrelevant part of the game. With that said, it'll be a dominant guy like Frank Thomas to bust down the doors of the Hall Of Fame for the DH. He might even pave the way for a guy like Jim Thome, who has extended his career quite a bit via the DH position.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 01:10 PM) I think being a big home run hitter who wasn't on steroids when everyone else was will help Frank the first year. I bet some voters are just dying to vote in a big home run hitter, but they can't bring themselves to vote for "cheaters" like McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa. Frank hit his way up the HR list without using steroids in the steroid era. I could see a lot of voters respecting that enough to vote for him 1st ballot. I agree with everything you've said, and I hope you're right, but to be a first ballot guy is a very special thing. Voters have always had a difficult time putting players who primarily played as Designated Hitters into the hall. Eventually the voters will let go of the stigma of "he didn't play the field", but as of now, Paul Molitor is the only player in the Hall of Fame as a designated hitter. He played 44% of his games at DH and the other 56% of his games were spread around the entire field, literally playing every fielding position besides catcher throughout his career. Frank would be the first player to make it into the hall having played more than half of his games at DH and he played the remainder of his games at first base which is one of the least respected defensive positions around baseball. On top of that, writers are also now having a tough time letting a power hitter from the steroid era into the club, even those with no ties to performance enhancing drugs. Jeff Bagwell has similar numbers to Frank and dominated his league in the same timeframe that Frank played with no solid evidence that he used any steroids, only large amounts of speculation. He only got 41% of the vote on his first ballot. I know Frank will get more of the vote than that, but I'm not just not positive that it'll hit that 75% mark. I think the steroid cloud actually makes the "hall of fame personality" and ability to play in the field even more important to get a power hitter in. Writers may wait for Ken Griffey Jr. To become eligible before they elect a powerful hitter on his first ballot. Frank Thomas will be a hall of famer, but like I said before, I don't know that he has all of the qualities that the writers look for to make him a sure bet for his first ballot.

Being a first ballot Hall Of Famer is rare and seems reserved for those "perfect" players. Guys like Cal Ripken Jr., and Tony Gwynn were the obvious first ballot hall of famers of recent memory. They had sparkling personalities and truly represented the game during their time with no connection to any PED, drugs or cheating. I was a little surprised that a strange personality who played for nine different teams like Rickey Henderson got in on his first ballot in 2009, but his skill set was beyond what anyone had ever seen. Frank's numbers and dominance are staggering, he carried teams all throughout the 90's and into the 2000's. But he was never a media darling which could hold him back from getting that first ballot call. The 2014 ballot will also be the first for Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine who seem to be clearer "first ballot" personalities. 1999 is the only time that three players were voted in on their first ballot (George Brett, Robin Yount, Nolan Ryan) so it's not unprecedented, but also unlikely. 2014 will also be the second ballot for potential HOFers Mike Piazza, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds if none get in on their first vote. If Clemens and Bonds get in, that opens the door for a lot of the steroid era guys (McGwire, Sosa, Palmero, etc.) to get in the way of Frank, who appears to have a cleaner record. 2015 is a little softer on the new additions to the ballot, with only Randy Johnson really being a shoe in. John Smoltz, Gary Sheffield and Pedro Martinez are really the only other realistic candidates who come up for vote in 2015. It wouldn't shock me if Frank had to wait until his second year to get in. I wouldn't be surprised to see him make it on the first ballot, but part of me expects him to have to wait a year or two.

I had to make the tough choice of going to Arizona for an extended vacation for spring training, or spending that money on season tickets. I picked season tickets, but my MLB.tv subscription will keep me in the know for spring training, even if I do have to listen to Bill Melton call the games.

I'm of the opinion that, in modern times, any beat writer who only posts information that turns out to be correct, isn't working very hard.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:51 AM) He's posting like an exposed desperate fraud. I'm no Joe Cowley apologist, but he makes solid points. His coverage of the team, as well as the media that follows the team is entertaining.

Cowley: "Great reporting by the Trib, because I thought KW would come out and say, "Yes, I am trying to trade Quentin.'' http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13649903246905344 "Richard Justice also reported the Sox are looking to trade Quentin on MLB Network late last night. Where there's smoke, there's Morpheus ..." http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13650465476575232 "Didn't KW also call the Sun-Times Ozzie-to-Florida trade rumors "False?'' He is protecting the shield ... that's his job." http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13650824991342594

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:32 AM) Under-value? I'd say over-value, personally. When he's healthy, and assuming any trade would come with a physical that would verify his health, he's a proven MLB player with good power, capable of carrying a team for a stretch.

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:15 AM) The original rumor doesn't say they were looking to trade Quentin for relief pitching. It says for "a package that includes at least 1 reliever." That's a very different wording. True, and I like the idea of "atleast 1 reliever" if it brings back a potential position-piece to the MLB club too. As Sox fans, we might be under-valuing Quentin because he's frustrating to watch everyday, but he's a commodity that I'm sure the organization will value properly.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 10:42 AM) Interesting how that is worded. Saying that there isn't truth to trade rumors out there is different than saying "Carlos is not available." He also went onto say "We won't be trading a piece of the everyday lineup for relief pitching." http://twitter.com/#!/davandyck/status/13638107970674688

QUOTE (since56 @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 08:16 AM) $2400 on a dog? How many families could use that for child care especially at Christmas. Priorities? Ok animal lovers initiate attack. Considering what it'd cost to get an arrow out of an uninsured human, along with the rest of the care that would be involved, it looks pretty cheap. That said, dogs become part of the family. My dog has diabetes and when the vet told us, we didn't even think about not giving him the best care possible.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 10:24 AM) Because before you know it, you're paying out a bunch of money to players that are no longer on your baseball team. To my knowledge Paul Konerko is the only player on the White Sox with deferred money in his contract, and Scott Linebrink is the only other player being paid by the White Sox while he plays for someone else.

The deferred millions are really interesting, I think I like it.

Silver Chalice could be extremely profitable, but not to the tune of 10-20 million dollars a year. Not yet, at least.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 4, 2010 -> 04:19 PM) Cardinals just signed Lance Berkman, call him OF/1B type. Interesting. Anyone know the last time Berkman played the outfield? if ever? I've always known him as strictly a 1b.