Dick Allen

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 03:35 PM) Flowers is handling the position defensively. Montero would be an incremental upgrade, and we'd still be lousy offensively at catcher. And of course, I 'm sure people want to send a good prospect along for this marginal upgrade. Why the love of high priced declining veterans? Because they are obtainable? Of course they are obtainable. Danks is one of those - he's obtainable. But would you want your team trading for John Danks? Says the guy who wants Alex Rios back.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 03:25 PM) This certainly hasn't been the White Sox's problem the last 5+ years, it's been expensive guys who don't perform. They have had a lot of guys not perform. Keppinger, Downs, Belisario, and Paulino was a total waste of about $22 million.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 03:17 PM) And 35-year old 125 wRC+ DHs get like 2yr/$24m. If that's where we are, then it's a different discussion. Before last year, Victor Martinez's career, offensively, spanned from 86 wRC+ to 130 wRC+. Last year, he put up 166 wRC+. That's SO much better. Even if you ignore the possibility of age-related decline, you have got to be suspicious at a guy who suddenly hits 40% better after 12 years of remarkably consistent performance. So when you say it's "worth the risk," I really don't understand. I mean EVERY free agent presents a risk, I'd argue that if one was worth the risk, it wouldn't be one that DOESN'T have so many obvious signs that his performance was flukey. I'm not saying we all wouldn't like 2014 VMart in our lineup, but that's just not what is going to happen if we sign him. It's the same thing with Shields. They've been awesome, but we can't afford to push the chips in on guys that are obviously riskier than the others. He was awful the first 2 months on 2013 after missing 2012. He hit .361/.413/.500 the second half of 2013. I think he is a good bet to put up a 125 or higherwRC+ the next couple of years. Signing guys like Butler is being cheap which often gets expensive.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 02:40 PM) What is going crazy to you? I would say guaranteeing him $60 million would be crazy. If it has to be 4 years I would think the 4th year should be an option that could be guaranteed based on performance.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 01:45 PM) Surely you can see the worry about citing his career numbers as a projection of what he'll do in his 36-38 year old seasons. (Articles showing how far most players are falling back by those ages cited here, Here,Here.) Considering he had his finest season at 35 I wouldn't put much into what typically happens. He was down the first half of 2013 after missing 2012 but has been on fire the last year and a half. Sure there is risk. But this gamble makes sense as long as it doesn't go crazy.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 12:58 PM) I don't want anything to do with him. Bad age, bad injury history, definite draft pick compensation, position limited, and coming off the best year of his long career in a time when there is certainly no reason to believe his skills have suddenly blossomed. No reason to believe he can repeat what he just did, but he'll get paid like he's expected to do just that. Let's let some other team make that mistake. Clearly had his best season but still has a career wRC+ of 125. The guy can hit.

The other thing to consider is with Sale and Q signed for the long term there really isn't anyone you have to come up with big bucks the next 3 years to sign. Rodney is not going to be a guy that signs himself to something delaying free agency. The stars are aligned just like with Abreu. As long as Detroit doesn't go nuts and there are signs they are getting close to their limit, this is a great gamble to take. Abreu and Martinez would be a dynamic duo.

His offensive game ages well. The only question is can he stay healthy. If he signs for 3 years he will be 38 when the contract expires. Bring him on.

It appears Rose is out tonight. Jimmy gets Buckets is back. I read an article wwhere Calipari said Rose has a very low threshold of pain. Taj also out. Rose is in uniform.

If the Sox do sign Victor, for $300,000 to $400,000, I would be willing to relay the signals to him from the bleachers.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Nov 1, 2014 -> 02:18 PM) Rose has missed 2 and a half out of the last 3 seasons. Until proven otherwyise it looks like he is just one of those guys who can't stay healthy. It is frustrating but landing on a foot happens. At least it wasn't trouble with the knee after no contact.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Nov 1, 2014 -> 11:28 AM) I still don't understand why this is so impossible. IF the players they're signing all make since I could certainly see it. Now the chances on them being able to "beat" every other team on these guys that make sense might be rather slim, but hypothetically speaking if their offers do get em I don't see them capping their spendings. The one problem they are going to have is many teams who spend a lot of money are looking for the exact same things the White Sox are looking for. So the top pf the line guys are going to cost a lot in either cash if they are free agents or talent in a trade, so I would imagine most of the White Sox holes are going to be filled by lower tiered guys they think project well.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 31, 2014 -> 01:53 PM) I like the quote that Theo used: "It came down to be loyal to Rick or be loyal to the organization". "The organization is more important that one single person". Exactly. I wonder why Theo didn't go after Andrew Freidman to be the GM and replace Hoyer. Freidman is a better GM. I understand what they did, but it is a BS line. There have been plenty of opportunities to bring in better than what they have and they have passed. “Today we made the difficult decision to replace Rick Renteria as manager of the Chicago Cubs. Yeah Theo, you made that decision today. His first sentence is a lie.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 31, 2014 -> 09:51 AM) I'd suggest it may be more important to have managing and coaching staffs familair with the playoffs, than players. Game 7 was won by SFG in part due to a managing gaffe (the bunt) and a baserunning gaffe that should never happen (sliding into first). No guarantee what would have happened in either case, but in both cases, poor leadership caused poor decisions that gave the Royals fewer chances to win. I think Hosmer diving into first being on a manager or coach is a little far fetched. I bet that has occurred under everyone. It is a stupid move and everyone knows it. Sometimes you can't fight your instincts.

QUOTE (Friend of Nordhagen @ Oct 31, 2014 -> 09:53 AM) Maddon's great. But I have a few observations, and potential pitfalls, regarding his hiring: (1) Two weeks ago, Renteria was swell because of the progress made by Castro and Rizzo. Why mess with that? (2) If we've learned one thing from the dominance of sabermetrics, it's that the front office guys run things, all the way down to the field. (Ask Art Howe and even Terry Francona about that.) Maddon is a lot of things, but one thing he is not is a shrinking violet. I'll be curious to see how it works out with Epstein and Hoyer. (3) There seems to be some groundswell that Joe's presence will lure free agents. But if the reason for Maddon's reputation was his ability to handle YOUNG players, how do we know he can actually handle a team with those veterans? In fact, the best Rays veterans were lost because of budget (Shields, Crawford). What lures free agents is money. Joe's a nice guy but I didn't see any of the big names take a pay cut to play for him in Tampa.

Maybe the Sox should consider talking Jeter out of retirement. He has a ton of playoff experience.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 31, 2014 -> 08:45 AM) If there's one thing I have utmost confidence in the Cubs to accomplish it's making their manager look bad. Yes, but that is usually on the field. They are going to make Rick Renteria one of the most sympathic figures getting paid a few million to do absolutely nothing in baseball history. He'll probably show up on Dr. Phil.

What kind of playoff experience did the 2005 White Sox have when they went 11-1? Caulfield needs some meds.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/...me-in-the-game/ The Cubs almost have to admit they pursued Maddon illegally to make him not look bad.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 31, 2014 -> 07:42 AM) http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/10/30/t...ering-troubles/ Unlikely that a player would go to the Rays...as this possible tampering situation is MUCH under much different circumstances The way this went down, one would have to be very naive to think the Cubs didn't have some sort of contact with Maddon before he opted out, or at least let it be known through "intermediaries" their interest and what they would be willing to pay. One problem is technically just about every team tampers in some form. Another is unless it is totally admitted, unless you want to spend a lot of money and time, which will probably offset any award you may receive, you probably aren't going to prove it.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 30, 2014 -> 06:10 PM) And yet one could get probably 18-20 head managing jobs in baseball and the other would be EXTREMELY lucky to get a 1st or 3rd base coaches' job. Now why is that? You actually made my point. Ozzie won more often managing the White Sox than Joe did managing the Rays and won more WS. Now Maddon is a lock to lead a team that has not won in over 100 years to heights he has never been, and Ozzie is a bum, just like Dusty, and Lou and the great Rudy Jaramillo. Leo Mazzone was a pitching guru until he got bad pitchers. Then no one would hire him.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Oct 30, 2014 -> 04:47 PM) So what you're saying is, the talent level and strength of schedule is the exact same on the Rays and White Sox I don't think the AL East was all that tough this year, and many pundits predicted the Rays to make the playoffs. I think they had more talent than the Sox, but according to some media, talent isn't necessary if Joe Maddon is around.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 30, 2014 -> 02:25 PM) Not sure. That's a headline writer that does that though. Not Wittenmeyer. It will be historic in the sense that he's probably going to make about $30 million. They were going to pay Girardi the same last year, and historic never came about. I know he doesn't write the headlines, but Wittenmeyer, the guy who has spent the past year or so slamming the Cubs, talking and writing about how they have no money and will be terrible for years wrote earlier that the Cubs are by far the best fit for Maddon. Why would a team with no money who will be terrible for years be the best fit, by far, for a manager in his 60s, when there are several teams that would sign him up? I don't know if you live in the Chicago area or not, but if you do, just turn on the local news tonight or watch Kaplan on CSN, or read any of the articles and the headlines...it is nothing that we haven't seen several times before. Maybe this time it really happens. I tend to doubt it. Joe Maddon winning pct. .517 Ozzie Guillen White Sox winning pct. 524 (That's for Greg)

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 30, 2014 -> 02:12 PM) Nowhere in that article does it say that the Cubs are going to win the World Series because they hired Joe Maddon. No, but what do you think about the "Historic Signing"? What is that implying? I don't think they used those terms when the Sox signed Jerry Manuel.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 30, 2014 -> 01:26 PM) I don't think this is entirely true. Find me examples of people in the media that actually think that the Cubs are going to win the World Series because they hired Joe Maddon. I think it improves their chances. I think that Maddon is great at handling young players and making the pieces fit. I think the Cubs have enough young talent to compete starting in 2016. If the Cubs win divisions and get into the playoffs on a consistent basis, they have as good of a chance as the other teams. They might win one soon. Joe Maddon would have something to do with it if so but no he wouldn't be the "sole reason" why it happened. Check the headline http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cu...e-thursday.html