Dick Allen

Jim Johnson makes Belisario look good.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 08:21 PM) Don't forget belisario and half the bullpen. The problem is our number two home run hitter on the roster is likely to only hit 12-15 next year and that won't work...either Gillespie or Garcia. The Angels have the best record in baseball and will have 4 guys hit double figures homers. As long as there are several in the 12 to 15 range with Abreu they will be fine.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 08:17 PM) Dbacks stupid to dump Bauer even though he's a bit of a head case...if indians infield prospect Lindor lives up to his promise along with Salazar, kluber, Brantley, kipnis, Santana...they might be the best team in the central right now...giving the royals fits Definitely the best manager Who ? The guy who pitched to Abreu with 1st base open 3 times in 2 games and got burned 3 times?

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 07:50 PM) Also the Sox don't have a game on Monday, so there's no point in making call ups official until Tuesday 9/2. With the Dunn/Konerko/Abreu coverage at DH/1B, there's no point in bringing Wilkins up for tomorrow other than something actually happening. Just my humble opinion. Yeah it really points to something happening. Maybe Dunn is just going to retire.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 07:43 PM) Charlotte has 3 games left. He was in the lineup tonight, and got scratched. Something is up. Wilkins isn't on the 40 so you would think a trade is happening.

Someone has to come off the 40 man.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 04:49 PM) Generally over the years I think the White Sox org takes a narrow profit most years, on average. They have had a couple losing money seasons, but last year was the big downside. Presumably the hope with Tanaka would have been that had they lost money again in 2014 with him, the money coming off the 2015 books could help pay for him. They may well have even offered a backloaded deal in that case. The only reason they were willing to do that though is that it was a long-term solution, not a short term stopgap for a guy in his late 30s. They could have backloaded but there was that posting fee. According to Forbes they have profited well over $100 million this century.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 03:05 PM) Based on the Forbes numbers, the White Sox lost ~$5 million last year with a $110 million payroll. They have seen a continued erosion of 1000 tickets sold per game so far this season, a number that is likely to increase before the year ends since we still have the crappy late-september attendances to get through. Their new revenue stream in 2014 is the MLB national TV deal money, which offsets a portion of the erosion in ticket sales since 2013, but they're also reportedly near the bottom of the league in TV ratings and advertising money right now. All of this has worked together to make the White Sox in 2014 profitable at a level of $91 million based on public statements, but there is no new revenue stream coming onto the table next year compared to this year. The continued erosion of revenues at the gate and in the ballpark we're witnessing means that if the team holds steady at $91 million, they're closer to their break-even point than this year and if they go beyond it there's a good chance they go into the red unless they can push ticket sales the other way. I can't give you exact numbers to within a million dollars, but I think it's pretty clear that in 2014 their break-even payroll would be in the range of $100 million and they would have every reason to expect continued erosion of ticket sales by about 1000/game next year, along with little/no boost in ratings or ad sales. If they'd signed Tanaka at what they'd offered him they'd very likely be in the red for another season. I could see them doing that if a 27 year old good fit was on the free agent market. I cannot see them doing that for 34-36 year old stopgaps. What is their profit or loss with Silver Chalice? And have they spent or paid out all of their profits over the years? And where were they getting the money to pay Tanaka and his posting fee?

Nice comeback for the team mailing it in.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) Like say, 3/$45 to a 36 year old DH? If I were running things, I wouldn't be thrilled handing that out, but the White Sox don't have the soon to be albatrosses Verlander and Miggy contracts. If they sign Scherzer or lose him that is either another financial hit or blow tot heir staff. The Sox could gamble, they need a LH bat and there isn't much on the free agent market. That said, chances are someone will probably go even crazier and Victor won't be a White Sox.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 12:58 PM) 6 Ks through 3 for Chris. Apparently, Ks and speed are all he cares about now. His fastball has been 91-93 the past couple of innings.

The other thing is Detroit will eventually become a cesspool of bad contracts to broken down players. The White Sox will hopefully be on an upswing. It may be next year.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 12:52 PM) It would be interesting to know just how bad Flowers has to do the rest of the way to lose his starting spot for next year? I think unless something crazy happens, they know they need an upgrade. He is below .200 since the end of April.

How come when Hawk uses old school stats to judge a player, he is a crazy old man who the game has passed by, but when Stone constantly praises pitchers on their W-L record, there is nothing similar?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 10:01 AM) My question is why would Victor Martinez want to leave Detroit for Chicago? Just think about what you just wrote.

QUOTE (LDF @ Aug 30, 2014 -> 12:08 AM) I find this very interesting article. I in my suspicious state is asking why would something like this come out now. I mean its one thing to discuss it in a fan forum but another in an article. question, would det use this as tampering against chi? if it was a true article, why would chi sox org talk about it now? how bout a it being a possible diversional tactic against who and for what reason? I just don't know about the validity of this article at this time. There was something similar that came out last year. I think it was Granderson.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 10:49 PM) This game was not a serious effort. The team just clowned it up. Reason number xxxxx that they need a real manager. Which players didn't give effort? These are guys that have to go.

If the Sox are going after VMart, it is a sign they expect to contend next season.

I think people who love snow games and games in s***ty weather but also b**** about the Soldier Field turf, are hypocrites. Personally, I like games in ideal weather. You only play 16, even fewer in college. That is too few to potentially have a game decided by weather.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 09:41 PM) He played injured all year. I'm not saying he's a lock to be great right away, but he was on the fast track, and they'll have room for him. And he is the guy the Sox FO wants there.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 09:18 PM) Conor can you maybe stop 1 ball tonight? Conor started out pretty decently defensively last year, but was awful the last couple of months. This year, a similar pattern seems to be occurring.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 08:49 PM) "Tyler Flowers is so good it's scary" - greg, like 2 weeks ago At the time, it was an accurate statement.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 08:46 PM) Flowers looking like old self again. Every player is streaky to a certain extent, but Flowers this year has been extreme.

QUOTE (Señor Ding-Dong @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 08:37 PM) He hasn't gone more than 4 innings as a pro up to this point, so bullpen seems likely for September. Yes, and he made the point that way they can pick his spots. Give him some confidence, and set him up to hopefully be awesome next season.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 29, 2014 -> 08:32 PM) Last start? Rodon might take his spot. Stone still thinks he will spend September in the bullpen.