Dick Allen

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 13, 2015 -> 10:29 AM) But attendance has nothing to do with TV contracts. But it does have to do with how much money JR is making off White Sox fans.

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 13, 2015 -> 10:03 AM) I think this is all due to the poor start by the team. I think they would have preferred him to be in the pen until the middle or end of June and then transition to the rotation so they would have him during the pennant race. They need him there now because they have fallen behind in the standings with the poor start. It will be really interesting to see what they do with him in August/Sept. Do they shut him down or risk the fatigue and injury? Dan Hayes said yesterday he would be skipped from time to time. Obviously, if they could count on Noesi giving them 5 or 6 decent innings every 5th day, Rodon is still a reliever, and they need to start winning.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 13, 2015 -> 10:11 AM) Wtf are you talking about with excuses? The team make more money off of their fans EVERY YEAR. They are making money off baseball fans, not necessarily White Sox fans. I don't think White Sox fans do much to fuel these large national TV contracts. And attendance has dropped every year since 2006.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 13, 2015 -> 10:06 AM) I know that YOU do, but you're a season ticket holder, yes? How much do you pay for seats good enough to get a better pitch angle? And when you factor in instant reply, do you REALLY get a better view of what happens on the field? I'm not knocking on your consumption of the team at all -- I think we should all do whatever we can to enjoy the team as much as possible. You have worked for the means to be a STH in a nice seat and you've made the sacrifices necessary to commute back and forth several times a week. And to each his own. But if you compare your cost and time commitment to follow the team with the cost and time commitment to follow the team on TV -- just because someone isn't willing to pay thousands of dollars and several hours on the road per week to get something maybe SLIGHTLY better (in terms of actually following the action) than what they get in their TV package that they already pay for, doesn't make that person a s***ty fan. I really don't care about the time commitment, I am going to watch the game anyway. I am just saying it is far more enjoyable to me to watch a game live than on TV. I believe you wrote TV was a better option. I totally disagree, and I love Hawk.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:58 AM) ...and during those four years, they've had a brand new stadium. That's not apples to apples at all. average attendance years 2-5 of the White Sox new stadium: 33,101 31,865 30,042 22,204 average attendance years 2-5 of the Twins new stadium: 39,113 34,275 30,588 27,785 The White Sox had 2 division winners those years and a bad team in 1995. Twins average 95.5 losses per season, and in your other post you say TV is a better option. Just more excuses. .

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:51 AM) And yet the team continues to grow its revenues every year, just like every other baseball team, because no matter how many times we have this conversation, everyone keeps pretending like it's 1980 and the internet and regional sports cable networks don't exist. Everyone is just going to HAVE to accept the fact that going to the game is no longer the most attractive option for following a baseball team. The ballpark experience is unique and valuable, but if you're a "die-hard" fan and want to follow the action, there's a better and cheaper option in your living room. Fortunately, the teams ARE being compensated handsomely for these channels, too. I'm a die hard fan and I go to as many games possible. Sure I get a better angle on a pitch on TV, but I also get a better view of the fielders and the plays developing at the park as long as you have a decent seat.

QUOTE (shysocks @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:54 AM) If the Sox were the Tigers and had won the division four years in a row, do you really believe the attendance would be lower in 2015 than in 2010? I'm just gonna keep asking until you answer. If they didn't win the WS again, yes, without a doubt. But if it takes winning the division 4 years in a row for people to attend games, your fan base sucks.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:51 AM) That was FAR from true 3-4 seasons ago. They finally lowered prices from higher levels when it was already too late...the team had missed the playoffs for too long and the 2011 disaster happened. Fans actually perceive cheap tickets to be a lesser value than much higher prices for an exciting/interesting/entertaining product. So White Sox fans would prefer higher priced tickets?

QUOTE (shysocks @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:50 AM) None of that represents a consistent winner. If the Sox were the Tigers and had won the division four years in a row, do you really believe the attendance would be lower in 2015 than in 2010? My judgment is categorically that it would be higher, probably significantly higher. To the bolded, I think you'll find the same constitution for most fanbases in sports. What part of my post was untrue or an excuse? The Twins have averaged 95.5 losses the last 4 years, their attendance has blown the White Sox away. Of course in 2005, when the team was never not in first place and won the WS, a 3 game home series vs. KC in September drew a total of 50k.

QUOTE (shysocks @ May 13, 2015 -> 09:17 AM) Good post. The Cubs are an exception to every rule as tourists will always help fill up Wrigley, and because it's there slurping up market share, the Sox can never really be considered a big-market team. It sounds like an excuse, but it's not, it's just a fact. I attend as many games as I can so I don't feel compelled to make excuses for other people anyway. A consistent winner would do a lot to push casual Sox fans to go to games. They made the playoffs in 2008, yet their attendance was lower than 2007 when they had the worst record in baseball for most of the season. And it was lower in 2009, then lower in 2010, then lower in 2011, then lower in 2012 when they led the division most of the season. They have lowered prices to where you can pay $20, $15 on Sunday to see Chris Sale pitch and they give you a t-shirt. 50 people a game take advantage of that. If you need 3 or 4 playoff appearances in a row to attend games, you are a fair weathered fan. As was stated previously, White Sox fans are excuse makers. It will always be something.

Noesi is in the bullpen. I think the White Sox have answered the question.

Why is Eaton leading off? This is the worst team ever.

QUOTE (Condor13 @ May 11, 2015 -> 08:31 PM) Calling it now, everything low and away he throws one strike and the rest out of the zone to Abreu Good call.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ May 11, 2015 -> 04:08 PM) Wisconsin just got a kid named Andy Van Vilet. Every time I see it I think of Art Vandelay. They do have a top architectural program I believe.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 11, 2015 -> 03:21 PM) Yeah I saw that article, I think the biggest differences in the two interpretations are the BaseRuns model, which is basically a much, much more sophisticated version of Pythagorean record. According to BaseRuns, the Sox should actually be even worse (10-18), which isn't surprising considering how many late-inning comebacks they've had. So I think that's why Cameron was painting the A's with a different flavor of "optimism" than Sullivan with the Sox. But yeah, as downright ugly as this season has been so far, 12-16 really doesn't look that bad. When Sale/Samardzija/Abreu/Eaton/Melky return to form, it should far outweigh the negative regression due to Garcia/Beckham/bullpen. The only thing that also lingers is those late-inning comebacks, which will most likley slow down as well. Cameron also gave them no shot a week or so ago. He even mentioned Garcia, who at the time was on fire, so I am guessing he had that particular article sitting in his drawer for a while. The Sox may suck, but I think it is way too early to determine. If no one gets hurt, I like their chances.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 11, 2015 -> 02:18 PM) Which is a timing issue, not possession. Thibs review probably cost his team the game. Timing at least makes sense. Possession was incredibly obvious, and wasn't in question. If that is what he was looking at, someone really screwed up on the Bulls side. Like Ventura with the challenge screwed up. It is possbile Thibs did it for the free TO. I know on the telecast they were saying it gave Cleveland a chance to set up a play, but maybe Thibs thought setting up his defense trumped that. I'm guessing that would have been reviewed for time anyway.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 11, 2015 -> 02:20 PM) It has, indeed, been ugly. Fortunately, regression works both ways. If they can manage to not sink themselves while they're all simultaneously slumping, then they've got a shot to get back in it when the pendulum swings the other way. I guess it has to do with where they projected teams but Cameron had an article about Oakland still having a shot and they are 12-21, which would be the White Sox record if they lost their next 5 games, and they have 3 starters with ERAs under 3.00 and have several guys hitting at levels that more than likely will not be sustained. I'd take the 12-16 team with Robertson and Duke putting up unsustainable numbers, maybe Beckham, but he's a bench guy, and everyone else due to improve. But they supposedly have next to zero chance.

Lebron also got away with pushing Butler, but they would never call that. MJ used to get the same treatment.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 11, 2015 -> 01:14 PM) Then you're qualified to say Marcus Semien is terrible defensively after just 28 games in the MAJOR LEAGUES at a position the White Sox wouldn't let him play because of the presence of Alexei Ramirez, who the metrics say has provided the same exact level of defensive value? Okay..."fun with numbers," especially when you've never even actually watched him play SS this season. Actually I have seen him play SS, and I have seen him play 2b and 3b with the White Sox. I am qualified to say he is bad at SS just like, even though he never played 1 game there professionally, I am qualified to say Frank Thomas would be terrible at SS. There is absolutely no way you would be defending a guy who is on a 46 error pace if he were a White Sox. But you still turn it to anti White Sox with the it's their fault he is no good there. I really don't understand why a guy who hates the White Sox so much wastes so much time on this board and paying attention to their games. And you do hate them. Any positive mentioned you have a rebuttal.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ May 11, 2015 -> 01:16 PM) The Flying Saucer is about a half mile away. Good beer selection and the food was much better than I expected. 900 Spruce Street Thanks. I'll be there.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ May 11, 2015 -> 01:03 PM) Maybe, but I'm not sure if I know exactly what you mean. PM me if necessary. Going to the Rush show Thursday night at Scottrade. Need a place to drink and eat beforehand. Nothing too fancy, just drinking beers, eating a burger or something.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 11, 2015 -> 12:10 PM) David Kaplan ‏@thekapman 1h1 hour ago I spoke w/former NBA ref on yday’s TO fiasco. “Referees not trained to look at bench when team is out of TO’s. They watch off ball, etc." That's pretty funny. Like they really are going to call a foul off the ball there. The coach was on the playing floor.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ May 11, 2015 -> 11:18 AM) Tax subsidies for sports teams are almost never a good investment for taxpayers and although an "indirect subsidy" this setup seems a particularly egregious example. I'm sure the locals can fill in the blanks how exactly did such a deal come to fruition? What son did JR promise to marry off? If they aren't going to move out of state, and not replaced, I would agree, but the state does make money on White Sox employees and other teams' players by taxing them the now 3.5% of the portion of money they made. It does create jobs, again, those people all have to pay state taxes, and this was financed by a hotel tax which theoretically puts the cost on visitors. You have to figure they ultimately got their money back. There IMO, is a better place to spend the hotel tax than financing stadiums, but utimately, the state isn't taking a bath on this even though Reinsdorf has quite the deal.

Theo signs Paulino. Bosio will fix him.

Does anyone know a good place to get chewed in downtown St. Louis?