Dick Allen

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 08:17 AM) Maybe they're making the mistake of touting every Friedman move these days as genius. Obviously, they themselves have been about as bad with catchers recently as the White Sox with 3B or developing hitters in the minors. However, that's one position where a more veteran leader really could have helped the White Sox...as well as buying more time for youngsters to develop or simply finding the right "younger" franchise type of catcher Hahn surely is looking to build around. The White Sox rotation is basically in place to win, if not now, at least in 2015. The White Sox can't afford to have the worst catcher in baseball again that season if they realistically hope to compete. I agree with this. If a long term solution wasn't available, a short term, to me, would have made sense. I am not familiar with Hanigan, but some here were when it was public he was the odd man out, and thought the Sox should inquire. I do know if he is half as good as the spring training fluff for the next couple seasons, and Hahn doesn't have a solution to the catching problem, it would have been a big mistake waiting for the home run, when a single or a double would have been just fine.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 08:22 AM) Well, since most are written in Spanish...Bjorkman would probably have some insight. And someone writing a negative article about baseball factories in Latin America isn't exactly going to receive a warm reception from the folks down there. I'll give you an example from basketball, though. The Chinese national team/government absolutely killed Yao Ming. Basketball is much different than baseball and humans 7 feet 6 inches tall wind up with physical problems often. Cuba isn't trying to develop players to sign multi-million dollar contracts in the US. Besides if it was so abusive and Cubans age faster, how do you explain El Duque and Contreras, who both pitched until they were about 40 and some insiders swear 50 years old?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 07:46 AM) They're not pushed from the age of 14-16 like those kids in the "baseball factories" in Latin America. And those kids play all day long, after pretty much being forced to drop out of school. It is their job, and the future of their family, at stake. Do you have any links showing the abuse 13 year old baseball players take in Cuba? Baseball isn't a grueling sport anyway. When I was a kid I played everyday of every summer from 9 AM until my mom called me in for dinner, and then went out and played until it was dark. I am sure there are many here that did the same thing, let's not get so dramatic and say playing baseball at 13 all day makes Alexei and old 31. The only thing that would make him an old 31 is if he, like some other Cubans, is actually older than advertised. I would think verifying a Cuban's age is pretty difficult. And if you don't think American kids are pushed by adults trying to live the dream, you aren't paying attention.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 07:58 AM) The catcher It's very possible that the most important catcher to change teams this winter wasn't Brian McCann or A.J. Pierzynski. It might very well have been Hanigan -- picked up from the Reds in a three-team deal that included the Diamondbacks, then locked up to a three-year, $10.75-million contract. "They've been looking for a catcher forever," said one scout. "And this guy might be the best catcher they've ever had." Hanigan's selling points: Big-time defensive skills across the board. A lifetime 40-percent caught-stealing rate. A .786 career OPS against left-handed pitching. More career walks than strikeouts. And a reputation as a superior leader of staffs. "Getting a guy like that, that's huge," says Maddon. "I mean, why is he huge? Talk to him, for like five minutes. And then watch him play, for like one inning. And you know the impact this guy can have on your team, because he's skillfully good, and then he's just totally dripping with intangibles that you want out of a catcher." Jayson Stark with ESPN.com uses Hanigan as one of his primary reasons for the Rays to reach the World Series and win it all. Is he being grossly overrated, based on the comments of one or two scouts? Did the White Sox simply pass...not have the right talent match to make the deal...are we missing something here? Just curious what everyone thinks, since his name didn't come up very much as an option...of course, he wasn't a FA, but as a back-up catcher a lot of teams were after, I suppose. Mostly, we talked about McCann and Saltalamacchia. And his contract is MORE than affordable, it's less than we're paying Keppinger. He has been a back up most of his career. Hit under .200 last year and is 33 years old. I think he would fall under short term at best upgrade that Hahn wasn't interested in this past offseason.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 29, 2014 -> 08:24 PM) You don't think players who play year round in the Dominican, Cuba, Venezuela, etc., don't take more physical abuse, especially speed-based players like a Pods or Chone Figgins who take even more hits to their bodies from all those stolen base attempts and diving on the ground in the infield (as opposed to outfielders)? Or a catcher (or running back), whose career timeline is almost always 2-3 years shorter than the average player. It's the exact same idea as those arguing against Tanaka or Dice K because of the extremely high pitch counts they've been exposed to since they were younger...the number of pitches thrown in-between starts because of the rigorous Japanese training regimen, etc. Yes, I'll argue that Tanaka is more like a 28-30 year old pitcher, if not older, and that he's definitely going to break down in the first four years of his deal and have to undergo surgery. Also, he relies more on torque/movement than having elite velocity (like Darvish), so there's another red flag to consider. Kids in warm weather in the USA play all year as opposed to those in cold weather climates who don't play half the year. It doesn't make them an old 31.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 29, 2014 -> 09:42 AM) The good news is, the White Sox have an overwhelmingly LH hitting lineup, so a RH pinch hitting option is going to be desperately needed. As I stated months ago, the odd man out with Konerko coming back is Jordan Danks. Is Jordan Danks better off playing every day in Charlotte or being the 5th OF in Chicago? Konerko and his .900+OPS takes Dunn's spot vs. LHP. Whine all you want about it, but it isn't weakening the team.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 28, 2014 -> 10:45 PM) But those are actually the kind of versatile veteran bench players we need. I'd rather have him than Keppinger, at least. And he would make the minumum salary. A major league team needs players like Alex Liddi? Try again. He has one tool, power. Strikes out more frequently than Adam Dunn. Doesn't walk and defensively, although you can put him in at several positions, he doesn't play them well. I have seen guys have hard ons for some mediocre players, but to think Liddi has even in the slightest way shown he belongs on a major league roster or taking it farther and saying he is the type of player the team needs is about as ridiculous as your claim Alexei is an old 31 because of what he was doing when he was 13.

Season ticketholders now get a 10% discount at Sports Depot and whatever they are calling Bacardi at the Park. It might not be much, but it is better than a kick in the jimmy.

JR and LaRussa are tight. There is no way the Sox give Rasmus big money. They could have had Rasmus for Edwin Jackson when they were desperate for a CF, but passed.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Mar 28, 2014 -> 06:32 AM) So who should we target then Dick? We're going to have a ton of money to work with next offseason and hopefully should a few key players away from being serious contenders (if all goes right this season). If you don't like Jimenez or Santana for 4 years and $50 million, and a second round pick I don't understand how you can like Masterson next year for significantly more money and a higher draft pick. See how this season goes. You don't have to have targets on free agents yet. I will say, one of the reasons I thought the Sox should target the above THIS year is the price tag. You will be giving up a lot more later for something similar both in money and draft pick. I liked Jimenez a little more than Santana, but it is funny that Don Cooper is a supposedly a genius, but if an expensive free agent pitcher signed this season, they certainly would bust. Hopefully the Sox young starters and Paulino are as good as some posters here think so it will be a non issue.

Masterson will be 30 next year. He has also been just as inconsistent as Santana and Jimenez, yet will cost more money, and a draft pick, perhaps even a first rounder.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 27, 2014 -> 02:53 PM) Jon Garland 2.0 IMO. Oh, you mean Jeff Marquez.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Mar 27, 2014 -> 01:48 PM) That is interesting... Not really. They will probably be playing with the extended spring training guys. They need to get some ABs before they play.

QUOTE (Hawkfan @ Mar 27, 2014 -> 02:00 PM) So lower prices to get more attendance doesn't mean more profits??? shocking Attendance was down yet again. When you lose 99 games and become an uninteresting team the first week of the season, with a fanbase full of excuses not to go to games anyway, like in 2012 when the team spent most of the summer in first place, many "just knew" it wouldn't last, so they didn't go to the games, you will hit rock bottom.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 03:46 PM) That IS his swing plane. There's no right now about it. He has a career GB% of 57.1% at the MLB level. I mentioned this a few months ago. His GB rate is one of a slap hitter.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Mar 27, 2014 -> 08:55 AM) Was in Seattle in 2012 when The King pitched, they did something similar and it was cool. I'm sure the logistics of selling based on Sale's day of pitching can be dealt with (if you pre-bought you're in, any unsold prior to a certain period get the deal could work). I just know it wasn't a robust crowd when I went to the Mariners game but that section was packed. Teams that lose 99 games should lose money. If you are bad in other business, you tend to lose money. $3 million isn't too bad of a hit, considering they made close to $20 million the year before. Supposedly, their TV ratings were second-worst in baseball.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 26, 2014 -> 01:41 PM) We don't care at all how much money that JR has, it's just we're looking past that and dealing in reality. None of us know how much the Sox make, how much they have saved, ownership's ability or willingness to expand budget, balh blah etc. The reality is that there is a limit to how much the team is going to spend on payroll, and we have some frame of reference that tells us that our team is willing and able to be in the upper quarter when they feel it's necessary. This is PLENTY of information for us to like or not like deals based on financials. You can wish JR would spend endlessly if you like, but it isn't going to happen. There IS a ceiling, it's a reasonable ceiling, and therefore we don't like s***ty deals that waste money because we know there's a limit. The morality of that is completely separate from the analysis and interpretation of the deals that happen to the team. Marty's kindergarten logic dictates that we should sign overpriced players because JR should have enough money to continue throwing money at problems anyway DESPITE the fact that there is no precedent for this type of behavior. But we know that he WON'T continue to throw money at problems anyway, and therefore we should NOT sign overpriced players. Marty deals in Martyland, the rest of us are dealing in reality. Again, in the Abreu thread, you said if he was a bust, $60 million wasn't going to harm the team. At least be consistent. The fact that the Sox were in on Tanaka tells you all you really need to know about their finances. Apparently JR WAS WILLING TO THROW MONEY AT HIS PROBLEMS. He threw $68 million at Abreu and in total was probably willing to go twice as much for Tanaka.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Mar 26, 2014 -> 02:10 PM) Veal being the 2nd LHP in pen tells me we really have 1 in Downs right now. I do not have any faith in Veal at all. Veal was great in 2012 and his last several appearances, from the beginning of August on last year where lights out. Cooper was talking about him the other day, raving.

There is always one guy they will never let win. Melton 2 years ago, Kittle last year. I'm sure Farmio is looking at zero victories.

Maybe he can DH. He has walked every time he has batted in the major leagues. Once.

When the Sox trained with AZ, they seemed to make a lot of deals with them. Maybe the same will eventually happen with the Dodgers. For some reason, I think the Sox will wind up with a couple of these high priced Dodger veterans some day for a fraction of what they are paid.

How many times will Hawk win by a nose?

This board is so concerned with JR checking account balance. I just wonder, what if the Yankees or Dodgers needed a 1st baseman and Abreu's price went up, what would have been the cutoff money-wise before his current can't miss, can't wait to see him in the middle of the line up would have change to the "he's never faced a pitch in the major leagues, he's not worth it, maybe when the team is a little better you could spend the money".

QUOTE (raBBit @ Mar 26, 2014 -> 10:34 AM) Are you implying when KW or JR said it they were saying it with hopes that Boyer and the marketing team would pick it up? It's the market department's decision. I am sure JR has insight or the last word, but it's the marketing team's responsibility to pick the slogan. Let's not nitpick. Yes, but upper management used the slogan when they signed the players. Winning Ugly in 1983 was from an opposing manager. If your ownership says they are all in, all in isn't a bad marketing theme. If they used the slogan and upper management has final say anyway, just because you don't like Brooks Boyer shouldn't be reason to blame him if you don't like the slogan.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Mar 26, 2014 -> 10:26 AM) That's Brooks Boyer not JR. Actually, I think it was KW or JR who initially said they were "all in" when Dunn signed and PK and AJP came back. The marketing department ran with it.