Dick Allen

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Oct 22, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) This makes total sense, but I disagree. Logic and reason tend to get ignored in free agency, especially with top of the rotation starters. He will still get paid, and very likely overpaid, by a team that will come to regret it. He will still get paid, but not like he would have if he truly was Big Game James this postseason. 3 out of 4 bad starts.

Shields has cost himself some money this postseason. He will have about 250 innings pitched this season including the playoffs. Someone is going to pay him, but there are some warning signs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 09:35 AM) Clearly, there was some pent-up frustration with the fact that he did spend three years in the minors and had also been a first base coach. Especially because Buddy Bell had two opportunities and Hillman was a complete and utter disaster. Tony Muser wasn't much better, although he's more respected in Royals' circles to this day. Another factor is probably all those guys like Ventura, Ausmus and Matheny that had virtually no experience. Having lived in Kansas City for ten years, the affection for White is even more than White Sox fans feel for Ventura. In the end, there's a lot of pride involved. Can you imagine Reinsdorf lowering the salary of Skowron/Melton/Minoso/Thome, etc., from $150,000 to $50,000? That would never happen. Nor would they replace Farmer/Harrelson/DJ with the likes of Rex Hudler. It's the accumulation of many things. Everyone could see that the Royals were foundering, and White was honest about it...to the team, that's being too negative or critical. There are obviously two sides to every story. All those ex Royals from the 70's and 80's set a standard of excellence and they felt the organization and Glass family had gotten too far away from what made it great. From the Passan article, more recently, it seems that White's pride isn't allowing him to give in when the olive branch is being extended a bit. Seems he had it better than most. A color commentator for the team while raking in an extra $150k to show up at a few things a year. He was very critical of the team and wants to be treated like George Brett. Sometimes guys act like spoiled, jealous brats. IMO, that is what Frank White did. They have tried to reach out to him but nothing will be good enough. I bet someday, maybe even already, he is privately regretting not appearing with all the others in the Royals HOF. You can't get that back. He probably was holding out for more ass kissing and it wasn't coming. It is too bad it came to this point, but it is hard to feel sorry for Frank White.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 09:02 AM) Sure, Edwin Jackson is an extreme example, but the point remains the same. Take away 5 of Jeremy Guthrie's 32 starts and suddenly his ERA is 3.05, instead of 4.13 and he's a top 10 pitcher in the AL. Either way you can't just ignore nearly 20% of a starter's starts, especially when he gave his team a nearly zero percent chance of winning those games. No but I think the point being made is the 20 or so really good starts or the 26 with an ERA of 3.18 are the starts being ignored. Danks will be the first to tell you he didn't have a good year, but overall there were definitely some positives. He wasn't, as a few wanted to point out, the 3rd worst starter in baseball. Not even close.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 08:43 AM) After that, White worked in the front office. He did not like it. He made it clear that he would like to be considered for Royals manager, and backed up his ambition by going to Double-A Wichita and managing in the minor leagues for three years. The Royals instead hired veteran manager Buddy Bell -- a good baseball man who in 24 years of playing and managing had never reached the postseason. When that did not work out, they hired Trey Hillman, who was managing in Japan. It was a pretty clear statement. White went to work full-time in Royals promotion. When Hillman didn't work out, the Royals hired Ned Yost, who has managed the Milwaukee Brewers for six years to an overall losing record. Somewhere in there, a Frank White statue was built and placed outside the stadium. from a joe posnanski article 2 years ago http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/40420...anged-from-team here's a recent one about the somewhat thawing relationship between the Royals and White...he's gone to at least 3 games now in September and the playoffs, but still won't go down on the field and hasn't been offered to throw out a first pitch Just a thought, but maybe his managing in the minors showed KC he wasn't major league managing material. I don't know why he would be owed the job.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 08:42 AM) Take away Edwin Jackson's worst 8 starts and he has a 4.20 ERA. Why do the Cubs want to dump him so bad? 4.20 ERA in the NL is still pretty bad. And you are taking 8 away of 27, where Danks has an ERA a run lower taking 6 away from 32.

QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 08:22 AM) I'm so sick of every game (win or loss) being about cutler. If they win and he plays well, it's "yeah, but still..." from his detractors. If they lose, it's "see, I told you...." I'm not sure why certain guys are such lightning rods. That said, it's inexcusable that he skipped his show on espn1000. Equally bad that waddle and Silvy didn't explain the reason why. It shows a lack of accountability and lack of leadership from cutler. I know it wouldn't have been an easy show, but jay should have appeared on it. I can excuse on field failures because there's often much more to a QB making mistakes than we can see. A interception can be a bad read by the QB, a missed block, a bad pattern by the wr, or a combination of so many things. We focus on the qb. However, the failure to show up and be a leader and be accountable can only be jay's fault. The fact is, how Jay goes is how the Bears go. When he is good they win. When he is bad, they lose. It is pretty apparent 7 games in.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 08:26 AM) But reality doesn't work that way, lol. He did NOT have a 3.18 ERA because he DID have 6 dreadful starts. EVERY pitcher looks good when you remove all their bad performances. I would rather he have 20 or more really good starts with the 6 or 7 real clunkers, than have a consistent 5.00 ERA for all of his starts. The fact is, most of the time Danks did not suck, advanced stats be damned.

Re Cutler Apparently he is the reason Forte had 2 rushing attempts in the first half on Sunday, many more runs were called but checked out. One reason he loves Trestman's offense is he has been given a very broad ability to check out of something and call basically whatever he wants. Trastman supposedly really limited that at halftime on Sunday after Jay checked into a 54 yard 0 point half.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 20, 2014 -> 09:12 AM) Yes, i would love to have this ultimate tease/offensive Javy Vasquez back on the team. "LOOK AT THE TALENT, FORGET THE NUMBERS" He did blast 4 homers this year.

QUOTE (Brian @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 04:50 PM) It's one of the reasons I can't listen to sports talk radio anymore and I mostly stay out of game threads. I honestly used to be like that but as I got older didn't want to be miserable because of something so out of my control. I am the same. It used to bother me several years ago when any team I followed lost, saying and posting the same things I cringe when I hear others say and post them now. s*** happens in your life and eventually you realize iin the grand scheme, the game result really is not life changing. Sure I want them to win, but it is just a game. My problems or the probkems of others close to me aren't solved if the team I want to win wins. I will still get unhappy, but I think I have a little better perspective now.

QUOTE (Jake @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 02:19 PM) You do have to grade on a curve here. The defense was constructed to be slightly better than average at best. Now, I'd say they are around average. Null expectation would have been "must not be worst in league" as they were last year. The team was built so that it could be good if the offense was elite. Entering today, the offense was merely better than average. After today, it's looking like it's just average. It has been far below expectations and doesn't have convenient excuses for it. ST have been bad too, but we didn't have high expectations and they just don't matter as much. Marshall and Jeffery being hurt a couple of games along with the OL injuries didn't help, but they should be better than they have been.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 02:10 PM) The offense has 7 points. And now 3 turnovers. Except for the GB game, they are the problem in every loss. Cutler hasn't thrown an INT in any win, but has thrown at least one in every loss.

Why does Cutler make stupid faces and shake his head when someone else turns the ball over?

Mills is awful, and the Sheriff has a tough time holding on to the ball.

QUOTE (Jake @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 01:29 PM) Right now, I don't see anything to the Royals model except you can win less than 90 games after a decade of brutal baseball then get lucky in the playoffs. I'm going to need to see more seasons of success before I see anything worth emulating here I agree. If you must follow a model, wouldn't the Giants be the one to follow?

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 01:09 PM) What a terrible half for fans to sit thru.................fans a booing as they should. At least in only took 70 minutes.

5 seconds why aren't they trying a hail Mary?

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 12:59 PM) Is Jay drunk today? At least that would be a decent excuse.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Oct 19, 2014 -> 12:43 PM) Get a new field. This field is great. Everyone who likes snow games and games in pouring rain get to see the same type of game but with better visability. How much more of this BS do the Bears have to see before they switch. The ankle injuries in week 1 were turf related as well. Cutler INT means a Bears loss in 2014 so far.

Will all the games be on the same channel?

First WS in a long time, in a non strike year, that features no 90 win teams.

QUOTE (flavum @ Oct 16, 2014 -> 03:21 PM) What did you do with Zach Putnam? He was really good this year, but had shoulder issues. I don't think he pitched the last 2 weeks. Maybe he found something, but he was with 4 or 5 organizations the last 4 or 5 years. I wouldn't count on him being healthy or effective in 2015. I'd bring him back though.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Oct 16, 2014 -> 12:24 PM) I think with a better bullpen we are better and only reason I had it a little lower on my priority was the fact that I'd like them to do most of it via trades and lesser signings while going after one guy we think can be our closer. Whether it is Andrew Miller or Robertson, I'm okay spending money in that area as long as it isn't too long term. We need someone at the back end to stop things and that will help as it pushes other guys down. I also think some of the guys in our current pen could be decent options, especially as you find a guy or two who come in. I also think guys like Bassit can help too. However, our defense is just horrific. We have too many guys that are significantly below average players and a lot of those guys are also average to below average hitters. Combine that two and that is something that will really really hurt a club. I agree the defense could be better, but Garcia is going to be out there. Eaton is solid. Maybe an upgrade in LF. 3B could use some improvement. SS, 2B, and 1B are going to be internal, as well as probably C. If you can get a middle of the order LH hitter and improve the defense all in one signing or trade, that seems ideal. I just think we have to live with the White Sox having an average defense.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 16, 2014 -> 12:20 PM) How many other bullpens did he call the "best"? He uses that word more than he breathes. None. But.....KC has had a good bullpen for several years, and it didn't get them anywhere. It worked this year, and the last couple of games of the ALCS. As was mentioned, they barely made the playoffs, and really should have lost the wild card game. But if you get on a roll at the right time, you might win a trophy.