Dick Allen

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 02:49 PM) A .650 OPS is 251 points above where Garcia was last year. To give some depth to how much improvement that is, adding 250 points to Bonifacios OPS would get you up to Miguel Cabrera. (actually .895) Using his OPS from last season isn't fair. He's better than that. I think he will someday be capable of a .650 OPS, that doesn't mean right now. He needs some ABs. He has 240 in AAA. When Joey Bats was 23 he put up a .512 OPS in the major leagues. Followed that up with a .404 as a 24 year old. I am not saying Leury is Joey Bats, but improvement does happen. When you aren't ready, you tend to look bad, and he clearly wasn't ready offensively.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 02:56 PM) This is what people are missing here... how do you get Leury a full season of AAA AB's? Who of Davidson, Saladino and Sanchez do you remove playing time from to give it to him? No one, for me. He can play all 3 positions plus some OF. It's not like the Sox have can't miss guys ahead of him.

Did the Bulls dodge a bullet with both Carmelo and Kevin Love? Love isn't exactly lighting it up this season. He would have cost a mint in talent and $.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 02:28 PM) There are degrees of not being able to hit. Garcia really, really won't hit. You could be right, but again, Leury only has 240 AB in AAA and was in over his head and not batting regularly, a recipe for bad results. Emilio Bonafacio is loved here. He put up a .650 OPS last year, the second highest of his career. Leury could develop enough to put up a .650 OPS IMO.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 02:19 PM) Sanchez has a far better hit tool and is able to defend all three skill INF positions at least competently, in fact he looked better at 2B than Garcia did to me (the only one I saw them both play more than a game). They both have some speed. The only advantages I see for Leury is that he can also play OF in a pinch and has slightly more speed. I'll take Sanchez. That still doesn't mean it makes sense for the White Sox to just let Leury go. Saladino, Sanchez and Garcia aren't much different as projected finish projects. They pretty much all project to utility guys. Leury may not ever be able to hit, but same with the others. Saladino will be 26 this summer. Still in AAA usually isn't the recipe for future difference maker. Keep as many as you can around. No reason to let anyone go to make room for Brad Penny.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 02:10 PM) If I thought he had any shot at starting, I'd agree. As being a utility guy is IMO his ceiling, then his time in the majors is pretty meaningful. And heck even if he'd managed a .600 OPS (just to pick one stat in this case), then that'd be fine, but he was WAY bad offensively. Just awful. And if the Sox lacked MIF depth for AAA I'd be all about him starting down there. But they don't, and my view is that Saladino and Sanchez are both better now and have more ceiling. Therefore, I see no reason to keep Leury around, unless you can get him through waivers and use him as a bench guy in AAA. Then, fine. He didn't skip either. True he didn't play a lot at either though. He should have been in AAA last year but because of roster construction was in over his head. Any of the other guys would have been as well. Leury's time in the majors is not significant. He clearly wasn't ready. Sanchez got some regular ABs when he was called up, and he didn't manage a .600 OPS.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 01:48 PM) I thought the consensus on Leury has always been "no bat." He has skills that can be useful to the right team but I wouldn't expect him to ever hit much, and that limits his ceiling severely. He is never going to be a good hitter, but chances are most of the White Sox prospects will not be good hitters in the major leagues either. He does offer other things many White Sox prospects do not. And if he can work on keeping the ball out of the air, he may develop into a guy whose offense is good enough.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 01:31 PM) Disagree. We've seen him in the majors for 1.5 seasons now, 94 games, over 200 PA. He posted a .399 OPS in 74 games last year. That's not a SLG or OBP, that is OPS. That is worse than a lot of pitchers. He was 24 that season, which is young but not THAT young. He's been playing pro ball since 2008. Even that defense he's known for was nothing spectacular to my eyes. Yes he can play all over, yes he's likely to be semi-comptetent or better at many of them. Yes he can run. But to me, he is behind Sanchez, Saladino and maybe even Juan Diaz for MIF depth in the minors, as all of them could provide superior value IMO. I'd hate for him to get playing time above any of them. He turned 24 less than a week ago. To judge him based on scattered ABs last year is ridiculous. Let him get some time in AAA. In AA as a 21 year old he hit .292 with a .337 OBP. As a 22 year old in AAA he hit .265 with a .317 OBP. He fields a lot of positions well, many scouting reports and my 2014 BP think he will be a ++ SS defensively. He has a great arm and can run like the wind. Dumping him because as a 23 year old he didn't adjust to less than one AB a game is crazy. Not many guys who will be at Charlotte will be able to help the White Sox win games this year with their bats this season. He can help at some point with his glove and legs.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Mar 24, 2015 -> 07:49 AM) I just saw the episode last night. I can't believe Sammi did that. I'm really curious how they're all going to respond to this. As for Cameron Monaghan on Gotham, is it even known how much he'll be in the show? If it will be significant I would not be surprised at all if he's sent away on Shameless or killed off. I don't think Shameless has more than 1 or two more seasons left anyways. He can easily do both shows. Shameless only has 12 episodes a year.

Butler back. Noah out.

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 05:47 PM) He's been a massive disappointment based off of his 2013 numbers. He has talent, but if he can't get his control issues fixed he will be doing something else.

Hey look, Webb walked somebody. Now we need a WP. And there it is.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 05:42 PM) But did he look good doing it? He took a healthy pass at a high fastball.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 05:38 PM) Dammit. Don't have CSN+ in my area for Xfinity. Hawkins fanned so you didn't miss anything.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 04:56 PM) Jose hasn't looked very good this spring. Thank god it means jack. .484 avg 1.062 OPS.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 02:14 PM) Sale said running today felt fine although it felt a little weird since he hadn't done it for a while. Seems very upbeat. https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/580083963256946688 Chris Sale is set to throw five innings/75 pitches for Friday's simulated game. Has just a normal bullpen session Monday. https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/580083849629040640 I hope they are extra careful with him. I know he was throwing from his knees and tossing around a medicine ball, but that is still not the same.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 01:30 PM) You take every opportunity to pile on Davidson. Every. Opportunity. I sincerely hope your dog recovered from the kick. Would it be OK on this site if he prefaced it with a Gordon Beckham or John Danks sucks?

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 12:35 PM) Certainly sounds like a torn ucl. Rough, was certainly hoping this didn't happen because I still think it's ridiculous how the Astros treated the whole situation. Was there an update on this? Supposedly he said his arm was tight. If it was a UCL, I would think he would have described it differently.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 11:26 AM) MLB atbats From the looks of things not a horrible bat, but it looks like positional versatility will cement him in MiLB probably for good. Could spell the end for Wilkins and/or Davidson as White Sox prospects.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 11:00 AM) Heck, the White Sox might even be higher on Diaz at this point than Leury... In Charlotte, Saladino plays SS and some 3B, Sanchez plays 2B and Diaz/Garcia are the back-ups. Maybe one of them (or both) will be gone, but it's not important one way or the other. Leury is a nice guy to have at the team's disposal. He can pinch run and play + defense at several positions. A September call up candidate for sure.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 10:56 AM) Flowers and Soto CAGE MATCH. Watching Soto throw the ball back to the pitcher is hurtful to the eye.

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 10:35 AM) Sports scores are the ultimate spoilers. People just don't watch games that are on the dvr. Advertisers want people to watch their commercials. And live sports means there is a better chance to get viewer that can't or won't "touch that dial" That is a great point. People don't in general DVR games, at least to watch them the first time.

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 22, 2015 -> 10:38 PM) It's been an accurate representation of the entire season. Awful offenses, bad refs and a lack of star players. You would think with shot clocks and a relatively favorable 3 point line, 65 points wouldn't be that much to score in a game. Now it seems if a team gets 80 they have been on fire. I have a theory that the 3 point line has hurt fast breaks. Offenses already have 2 or 3 guys back on defense.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 10:08 AM) First, Cleto might get claimed but honestly the guy can't maintain control for more than a couple appearances anyway. So put him through waivers. Then there's Brantly who has options left, so I think he can come off without waivers. Kottaras probably has an out. One of the two will be out of the org. Then there's Leury Garcia, who I think they'll trade or release soon. I think they want to keep both Smith and Nieto around, and I bet Nieto goes to AA, though technically right now he's in AAA. Jones to 60-day opens a slot too. Finally, I think Surkamp likely gets next to nothing in trade, but that's OK. I don't see him as being a particularly good lefty reliever anyway, and as a starter he'd be behind a good 4 or 5 guys in Charlotte. Leury has options left, why would they release him?

QUOTE (shysocks @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 09:58 AM) Because of a mechanical change. Guys don't triple their K-rates at age 31 for literally no reason. If you've already read this column and are still pushing this argument, then I've got nothing. I don't think it is that simple or sustainable. If it was, he would have struck someone out this spring I would think. You are paying him for 2015, 2016, and 2017, not 2014. I think Hahn got ahead of himself on this one.