Dick Allen

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 04:44 PM) Ha. Someone doesn't want to get charged with tampering... View 5 new Tweets Paul Sullivan ‏@PWSullivan 3m3 minutes ago Cubs' source calls Maddon report "inaccurate." No word from Cubs or Maddon's agent. I think they don't want to compound their potential future troubles by having this news break 2 hours before game 7 of the World Series.

Why do people hate Gordon Beckham but like Rasmus?

Jimmy will come back when he feels 110%.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 10:23 AM) He should read the Lucas Mann book about the Clinton LumberKings season about 3-4 years ago and the way Nick Franklin treated him as a "geeky" writer who didn't really know much about the game and how to approach a conversation about it. With the explosion of sabremetrics, there's just a ton of non-athletes who think they understand the sport but just can't speak the lingo and try to be clever/cool. Hosmer and Moustakas have had so much pressure on them since the time they were drafted, and they haven't lived up to that pressure for the most part, with a few exceptions (Hosmer's rookie season, a Gold Glove, Moustakas had one pretty good season and this year was abysmal). You're already going to be wary of "armchair QB's" who think they've figured you out from reading numbers on a data sheet but couldn't hit a BP fastball if you gave them 100 swings. Part of the mistake was not doing his homework and being able to tell the difference between Hosmer and Moustakas...and until he understood it or it was explained to him (the Greek joke), Hosmer probably had no clue what the writer was talking about and thought he was trying to be too cute/glib. Hosmer and Moustakas have been a LOT more media friendly this post-season, they've matured a lot and have become much more personable and better interviews. They will never rival White, Brett, Saberhagen....or even Alex Gordon, but Hosmer's really well-liked by kids. Moustakas is a bit touchier, harder to approach, he's been carrying around a lot of expectations since the time he was drafted, and he hasn't lived up to them (not unlike Gordon Beckham, not unlike Alex Gordon until he vacated George Brett's position). Every player reacts differently. But that kind of "fraternity brother" reaction happens in every clubhouse/locker room in America to writers who aren't exactly sure how to talk to professional athletes but find themselves with a media credential. Immaturity, whatever it was, there really is no reason to treat a guy like that, I thought describing it as bullying is very accurate, but he obviously comes in there with all these questions yet it appears he's never even watched any of them play. He didn't appear to know who anyone was. If you are going to get credentials to access these players, and are willing to study Fangraphs in an attempt to "understand" their playing ability, why not watch a few games? To me, that is just as inexcusable.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 10:16 AM) They got in at an awful time with the collapse in real estate and the economy, plus the Cubs falling apart on the field. If the actual worth of the franchise has doubled since they bought, they probably got in at a great time, although now I am reading they are looking at $300 million for 20% of the franchise. This will help them finance the rehab, and the rehab will help them pay down their debt. They still aren't at paying players.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 08:11 AM) Very much related. http://www.hardballtimes.com/learning-the-...-the-clubhouse/ They were immature jerks without a doubt. The writer also was incredibly unprepared. You memorize their groundball rates, their walk rates, at least study who the heck they are. I still have never heard or read an interview with a player where they are discussing these types of things. It would be interesting to see how many players think much about it. There have been stories that front office guys have said sabermetrics have really changed how some players operate, it would be interesting to read.

QUOTE (Big Hurtin @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 07:00 AM) I've never handled firearms, but wouldn't you clean it empty? It's Jose Canseco. I believe that tells you all you need to know.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 03:30 AM) Bill James is THE BEST. He'll eat the Sabes people alive cause he is THE expert on real Sabes. I've met him and love the guy. He will not tolerate stupidity and recognizes ability. I like that he says even most of the crap he came up with is BS. Everything is. There is no formula. As much as people want to laugh and rip at Hawk for his anti-SABER stuff and his will to win, they should also laugh at Brian Kenney who works for MLB Network and still can't tell you if a player is any good even if he has seen him play 1000 times without consulting Fangraphs. As is the case when there are 2 sides to a story, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

Jake sucked. It didn't matter because the Giants never scored.

Speaking of douches,Jose Canseco bleww the middle finger of his left hand off today cleaning a gun.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 03:17 PM) Lol so funny to me. How pompous. To think any person on earth gives a s*** about the words or reputation of a sports writer, one of the all-time major clown jobs of modern society. Oh you predicted some sports event? Cool man, here's a taco. Yeah, the other guy I take great delight when he is constantly wrong, but you wouldn't know so from his pompousness, is Hub Arkush.

QUOTE (Brian @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 02:26 PM) Is league pass having free preview for first week? On DirectTV it is. I don't watch TV, I direct TV. Except when it rains and the picture goes out.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 02:10 PM) Jeez, I never heard his report was to this extent. Regardless, whoever does end up with Lind may as well have been a contender for Martinez. A lot of people have thrown Baltimore and Seattle out there as options and they figure to be involved with Martinez as well. If I had to guess on both I would say Lind to Oakland and Martinez to Seattle or Detroit. EDIT: I still think nothing of Levine, just thought it was interesting he'd put his reputation out there. The Sox have watched Martinez very closely over the years and it's not hard to believe they like him a lot as a player. His age, contract and compensation are a lot to swallow though. It was another comment. When Omar Vizquel was a free agent, he said it was a done deal he would be a White Sox and staked his reputation to the claim. Omar signed with SF a day or so later.

If Levine was accurate at all when he said the Sox were going to target Victor, unless they have already been told no chance, I can't see them trading for Lind. But he has been wrong before, even when he said he would stake his reputation on it's accuracy.

QUOTE (Bigsoxhurt35 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 01:56 PM) Sox acquire CarGo and cash from the Rockies for Tank and a prospect. I was hoping the Danks boys for Mike Trout and cash would go through first.

Smoak claimed on waivers by Toronto. That can't help Lind's chances of not being gone, although Smoak sucks.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 11:52 AM) http://www.suntimes.com/sports/30693879-41...ckage-deal.html I don't think teams would be willing to pay unless those two love each other so much they would be willing to take big discounts.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 10:47 AM) Definitely time to panic. Yes. Someone said more people have been married to Kim Kardasian. But there does need to be something done to keep it contained.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 10:02 AM) At Wrigley does it contain more urine? Yes, but the 2015 stuff might have some of Joe Maddon's. Combine it with some of Theo's and it is worth every penny.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 27, 2014 -> 07:52 PM) Why would they want Viciedo if they're putting all their efforts into keeping Melky Cabrera in TOR? They already have Lind for DH getting the majority of at-bats, so paying $4.5-5.5 million for a part-time player as a cash-strapped franchise isn't good business. Maybe Viciedo would be Option D, but on that artificial turf, it's a disaster waiting to happen. He has a lot more ground to cover into that LCF gap...not like SF, but it's an appreciable difference from USCF in terms of sheer coverage area. I don't think Rogers Communications is cash strapped, but I do agree with the premise they most likely wouldn't want Viciedo.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:47 AM) I'm guessing TNT tonight is Mavs Spurs/ then Lakers/Rockets? Ugh, I'm wondering how much of a terri-watch the lakers are gonna be this year. If he's healthy enough, I am thinking Kobe is going to try to get 80 every night.

I have a couple of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. One is a pet, and he is awesome . The other is a Grand Champion show dog, and I am hoping to base my new retirement plan on his stud fees. My wife was walking the show pup the other afternoon, and when he does his business he circles around, taking up the entire sidewalk, then backs in like a dump truck. He blocked the sidewalk when a big guy was walking by. My wife apologized to the guy , noticed his enormous size and told him he looks like he played football in college. The guy laughed and said a little in the NFL too. It turns out it was Dan Hampton. She had no idea who he was. Apparently, he seemed to enjoy someone not having a clue who he was.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:42 AM) Maybe we should trade some of these sabes for a 6-pack of wRC Cola. wRC Cola is so in the past. It is like a TV without a remote. You need the wRC+ stuff. Much better.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 02:05 AM) http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-colum...cle3396999.html Shields hasn’t been his best in this postseason. He started the night having given up 15 runs in 19 innings, a 7.11 ERA. Maybe that’s just a coincidental string of off nights, or maybe some of it is in the kidney stone he passed during the ALCS. Maybe it’s just the fatigue of a mercilessly long season in which he threw more pitches than anyone in baseball and 252 innings including the playoffs. Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-colum...l#storylink=cpy I know from personal experience I wouldn't have been standing, let alone pitching or performing. He did (according to reports) change his arm slot in Game 5, was able to pitch lower in the strike zone and if not for two non-plays by Escobar, he gives a 0-0 tie game to the bullpen in the 6th or 7th. If you read the full article, you'll see 50% of the reason Shields was brought on board wasn't just performance-based, it was a playoff-tested veteran who would instill belief in his younger teammates that they could break through that barrier and win for the first time. That never would have happened had they held onto Myers and Odorizzi. In the end, he'll get less money and less years, probably four instead of five and probably $80-90 million instead of $95-125 million, but he will never be poor. What were his excuses for stinking it up in the postseason in 2010 and 2011? I don't think anyone has suggested this performance will cost him $100 million. He will still get paid, but the miles and the warts are starting to accumulate.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 07:40 AM) Lincecum's making $18 million in 2015...and has full no-trade protection. He couldn't even last in that rotation after Cain went down, in the NL West with all those big stadiums...how would he fare in the AL Central, exactly? The Giants would be elated to dump that contract, let alone get anything back in return or NOT have to surrender cash as well. With Peavy likely headed out the door, they still probably will keep him around for one more season...not to mention they don't know what they'll get out of Cain upon return, or when he'll be back to 100%. I bet Peavy stays. He likes playing for Bochy. They were together in SD.