Dick Allen

Who is driving Axe to the airport?

Heath is going to Japan, so now it makes more sense.

If they held Heath out because the White Sox might need him last week, this is beyond strange. Axelrod in Cincinatti would be amusing, if it ever happens.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) The Dodgers were trying to get every cable subscriber in L.A. to be forced to buy the channel they were starting up. Thus far that hasn't happened and they've been losing court battles as far as I can tell. If that doesn't happen then the Dodgers channel becomes a niche and their revenues will be far, far below those that were projected when they bought the team. Isn't the Dodgers contract with Time Warner Cable, and thus a Time Warner Cable problem, at least financially, and not the Dodgers? Granted, since only 1/3 of their fans have access to the games, that isn't a good thing, but as far as I can tell, TWC is still paying them the billions.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 10:42 AM) Because, duh. Everyone here knows that. But the organization would be negligent if it weren't taking chances on these guys. The Rockies didn't want to put him on the 40 man roster, but felt they had to in order to keep him from getting picked in the Rule 5 draft. They were trying to slip him back off of the roster, and hoping no one would pick him up, because they needed the 40 man roster spot. For the White Sox they have an open spot, and a history of being able to turn around a larger amount of pitchers than most. There is no part of this transaction that needs a deep discussion or philosophical delving. The kid is in A ball, and doing poorly. The odds of his making it are very small. The Sox need talent, and are able to take a chance on this guy. If he fails, he follows the same road out that many before him have done. You are the one who thought he was thread worthy.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 10:15 AM) Oof, no thank you. They'd have to eat way more than $35M. He has been legitimately terrible three years running now. He's worse than Adam Dunn, who everyone hates rabidly. 2012-2014 wRC+ Howard: 95 Dunn: 113 I left out 2011 because Dunn's season was an absurd outlier, but if you throw it in, Howard wins 106-100. Not enough to outweigh that contract. He's been so bad, he doesn't even do Subway commercials anymore.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 09:23 PM) The Royals look like they picked up a solid RP in former Sox player (and Chicagoan IIRC) Jason Frasor. I'm not sure what this means for us but I imagine the value of a Belisario or something is probably a lot closer to what the Rangers received for Frasor than what the Pirates got from the Marlins earlier this year (comp balance draft pick). The question is, is there even a market for ANY of our relievers? I would hope so but to me it doesn't look that way. What is the market for Putnam and do we even consider trading him for that price? Do we consider trading Petricka for anything less than a haul given how atrocious our pen is? Could we get anyone with a pulse for Belisario? You're a reasonable person. If you are running a major league team, which White Sox relievers do you want pitching for you in a pennant race? Petricka, Putnam, maybe. But would you be willing to give up anything to make it worthwhile to Hahn to move his only effective bullpen arms who also happen to be making minimum?

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 09:11 AM) Because he would fit a need perfectly. An OF of Pederson, Eaton, and Garcia is cheap and has a ton of upside to contribute to the offensive core for the next 5 years. Yes, but it isn't realistic.

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 08:53 AM) Bobby Jenks, Matt Thornton, Gavin Floyd, John Danks....all thought to be expendable and a lost cause by their former teams before they got here. Is this guy going to work out? Who knows, there's a good chance not. I don't see how this is a move anybody would complain about. Jenks was the one acquired on waivers, and he was injured and had other issues besides just sucking at baseball. I'm not complaining about Hahn claiming him, but generally, waiver claims don't turn out to be big producers. Especially players who were waived totally based on baseball and nothing else. There is no thread on the White Sox 20th round draft pick, who probably has just as good of a chance if not better, than this guy.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jul 17, 2014 -> 07:01 AM) Scout: Rick, you're wasting your time claiming these pitchers. Maybe 1 in 10 becomes a productive major leaguer Rick: **Claims 10 pitchers** If his odds were 10 to 1, I doubt a guy making no money gets waived. I understand the whole no risk, high reward thing, but why don't we preface it by saying, this guy obviously sucks so bad right now and is a longshot to be anything, or else he wouldn't be available for nothing. He throws hard, great. Maybe they can get something out of him, but there is a reason he was waived. Every team needs pitchers. Just think about how bad a White Sox minor league pitcher who throws 98 has to be to get waived.

Hahn has to be in the race for the most waiver claims trophy this year.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 02:18 PM) NFL Sunday Ticket to be made available without a satellite subscription Last year if you bought the anniversary Madden game for XBox through Amazon, they gave you a code to use for Sunday Ticket on your device. I got it for my nephew, he's a big Giants fan.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 02:05 PM) Not sure if this belongs here, but to make long story short. My cousin is a 20-something lawyer in chicago who makes good money. He got put on some big cases as far as doing some of the 'grunt' work -- flying out to various cities on the company dime to talk to experts, etc. Staying at nice hotels, living the good life on the road. Sounds perfect -- travel, money, being thought highly of at the law firm and a rising up and comer. However he has to work tons of hours (he's not married or dating anybody anymore) so he decided he hated the profession and quit. The boss talked him into taking a six month leave of absence instead of quitting. The leave of absence will run out soon and he's thinking of returning to school to be some other occupation. My questions to you: -- Do you think this is a generational thing? Kids that are raised to just be praised and receive participation trophies have some unreal expectation of the workplace? I mean it's called 'work' for a reason. Or do you think he has the right to quit and start over, to go from making mega dollars to nothing? Obviously his mom and dad are freaking out. They thought they had a rich son on their hands, now he's preparing to go to school again and be poor. Geez. If you were him would you simply suck it up and use your law degree and rake in all that money the rest of your life? Or would you return to school to be a much lower paid profession? Is this a troubled kid to give up all that money? Give up putting his law degree to good use?? Finally, is the law profession in Chicago horrible? Are 20 somethings not interested in the rat race of chicago law? A similiar thing happened to a friend of mine. He was worked like a dog and couldn't take it so he quit maybe 6 months into his legal career. He drove a beer truck for a while, then went into the world of trading indexes. Now he's back as a corporate lawyer.

Charleston RiverDogs co-owned by Mike Veeck have a couple of sweet promotions. Bill Veeck bobbleleg night (they were going to have it last year but didn't think appropriate after the Boston Marathon bombing) and Disco Demolition 2 blowing up Beiber and Miley Cyrus music. You bring in a CD or record, you get in for $1, and they blow them up after the game so no forfeit.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 12:07 PM) And guess what, we were all wrong, as proven by Ozzie himself. He wasn't humbled. He is looking for a job, and will say anything to get it. There isn't a doubt in my mind that the pattern of his life would repeat itself again once he was slighted in his own mind. He sure didn't realize he screwed up as a player. I can't see him getting it at 50something years old now. I think circumstances led to his demise. If the Sox don't win the World Series, Ozzie, who isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, isn't subjected to the constant butt kissing, and praise and talk about his genius. He doesn't get into the war of egos with KW. He isn't educated. He isn't very bright. IMO, he is the easiest type to get caught up into the hype. It's one reason I find it incredible DRose has never gotten a huge head. One thing if I were making decisions I could never get past, was his putting trying to embarrass KW over winning. (Not that I don't think KW didn't deserve to be knocked down a couple of pegs) But a lot of players liked him. Start out small, maybe a Soxfest appearance, spring training instructor. See how those go. If he returns to what he was when he left, pull the plug, but if he is willing to toe the line, he could be an asset.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 11:20 AM) He did the exact same thing when he left as a player. It didn't change him one little bit. It was worse when he left as a player, but many, including you, had a very positive view of Ozzie when he returned, for several years. Ozzie, like Ditka, bought the hype. He was thought to be some uneducated genius, but that turned out not to be true. I really think he realizes he screwed up. I would never make him the manager, but I think he would be fine in a lesser role, one where if the Sox ever won again, no one besides Cowley and Ozzie's family would say he was the reason they won. That should keep him in check.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 10:17 AM) Where is PTAC on this one? An abnormally small UCL ligament increases the future tear chances by what %? And a TJ surgery (using a regular-size ligament to replace the smaller one) would have what effect? If he was throwing 98 MPH at the end of May and is still throwing regularly, it's a difficult case to prove for the Astros. In the article about it, the one independent doctor they asked seemed to think it wasn't that big of deal either for more potential for injury it or repairing it, which seemed to be an issue with the Astros. Obviously, not everyone will agree. If Aiken is confident he is healthy, I don't see any reason he would want any part of the Astros organization at this point. Go to a JUCO or play independent ball next year. Even if you only get the money the Astros are offering, at least you don't have to deal with them through your cheap years.

I'd like to hear Tyler's take on hitting. That would be gold.

Stevenson is a loose canon. He could be a great bargain or a total waste of money. You know what you are getting with Gasol at a little more than 1/3 what it costs for Carlos Boozer. I would have liked the Bulls to pick up Born Ready. I did predict incorrectly last winter he and Danny Granger would be Bulls this summer. There's a lot to like, but guys like him also fade fast often.

Apparently his UCL isn't torn or anything, but really small.

He can't bring back Cowley and has to take Oney's twitter away. Did Oney ever get a job?

QUOTE (woods of ypres @ Jul 15, 2014 -> 06:09 PM) As long as Ozzie doesn't do any on field activities, like managing, or coaching I wouldn't have a problem with him having some kind of "job" in the organization. I really wouldn't mind him coaching. He was a great 3rd base coach. He shouldn't be in a position to give daily press conferences. I do think the Castro stuff was taken out of context. It was dumb to say, but he actually said the exact same thing a couple of years earlier, and crickets. Ozzie was a lot if good, and some bad. I think he has learned from his mistakes. He will still say stupid things, but i really think he has been humbled.

QUOTE (woods of ypres @ Jul 15, 2014 -> 05:59 PM) I knew this would be a Cowley article. I don't think Ozzie should ever manage the White Sox again, but the other stuff? Why not? He was just as bad if not worse on his way out the door as a player and no one remembered that. Just as long as he doesn't bring Cowley with him.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jul 15, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) They get physicals when they declare for the draft. Not usually. It would be impractical. Every HS senior and college JR and SR plus some first and second year guys in jucos are eligible. You don't declare for the baseball draft. Teams would spend all their time on physicals. The same thing happened to RA Dickey. The trainer actually saw a picture he was in and noticed how he was holding his arm. The deal is your bonus gets slashed. I think you would probably be a little shocked at some physicals. But I would imagine these days they probably are pretty thorough for $6 million high school pitchers. This could be a case of wanting to find something. If Aiken is totally heathy, he should release the results. The Astros would have some trouble.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 15, 2014 -> 12:24 PM) I'm just going off of Rosenthal's article, which states he can accept a college scholarship. I hope he can. Personally, I think they should be able to have agents vs. "advisors". Whcy should the teams be given the upper hand? With the recinding of the 5th rounder offer from the player with the same representation, that doesn't seem just coincidental to me. If the Astros are playing games and Aiken walks away, it wouldn't surprise me if they try to provide evidence he had an agent vs. an advisor. But I'm with you, unless there is really something there that should cause a great concern, this does not make sense from the Astros point of view. If they really are weasels, that is going to come out eventually, and would greatly hurt their future.