Dick Allen

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 01:57 PM) The problem is, they have done about everything possible to wake the giant, they have consistently been competitive throughout the last decade, so it really hasn't been a question of not having an attractive product. I know many feel that the new parks location and design were major flaws, but they cannot do anything about those factors for the next 15 years. They have created side-businesses to help generate revenue. The Sox have some of the worst local TV ratings in baseball (second to the Astros last year), granted that it was a bad year. I just don't see what the Sox can do differently outside of a new stadium, and they are not getting a new stadium in Chicago until at least 2029 when their lease expires. If they had Seattle's local TV deal, even with drawing flies, they would be in the top 6 in revenue. I think it is safe to assume they should draw more fans eventually as well. Last year was almost a bottoming out. This year could be low because of last, but then the trend should start going upward. Money is no issue. The Sox were prepared to pay over $100 million for a player who had never played MLB before. That alone tells you all you need to know.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) I'm actually not sure that would be a worse approach than the one he has now by all that much given the power he does seem to have. I kind of agree. He hits many balls hard, but his groundball rate is one Leury Garcia would be proud of. If he is thinking about homers, maybe he gets the ball in the air a bit more, and if he does, more runs will happen.

Being a 30th round pick is going to put him in all probability in the bullpen, not everyone can start, and if you check his minor league career, early on, he didn't do anything to make an organization say, "you know what, you should be a starter". A WHIP of almost 1.6 in the Sally League, walking over 6 per 9 innings, usually is a recipe for a starter to become a reliever, not the other way around. After he cut his walk rate in half, the Sox gave him a shot as a starter. I just don't see any evidence that shows if he was handled differently he was pretty much assured of being a quality starting pitcher on the major league level. Despite decent stuff, he has had many struggles with excess baserunners and throwing too many pitches. It was fairly obvious Cooper was very frustrated with him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 12:49 PM) Because that's covered exactly 20 games total? But still, using your conspiracy theory and his uber talent, shouldn't he be at least a little improved? If anything, he's going the other way. I think you will ultimately find out Santiago isn't nearly as tremendous as you think.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 12:44 PM) The other option could be that he was a 30th round pick and had to earn every chance he got. Might well have even gotten better as time went on too. Why did his performance not improve from the time he became a full time starter until now?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 12:37 PM) Where do the Sox rank in MLB in revenue? Right in the middle. There are 14 teams that had lower revenue in 2013, and 1 with the same. And that is with a horrible, horrible team and outdated TV contracts.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 12:06 PM) WEeather supposed to be warm in Denver today. Might help with Sox homer runs I'm guessing they hit less than 6.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 11:56 AM) Chris Sale has started more games since the start of 2011 than Hector Santiago has since he was in rookie ball in 2007. If it is going to take Santiago 5 years to get straightened out, you will have to admit, putting him in the bullpen was wise. Now he's the Angels headache. Santiago throws too many pitches. You can get away with it in the minors. If your stuff is HOF quality, you can get away with it in the majors. If it is Santiago quality, eventually it will catch up to you. If he doesn't change and needs 100 pitches to go 5 innings, he isn't going to be successful. What is his excuse this year? Since June 9th last year, the entire offseason, and spring training, Santiago has been known as a starter. Hahn dumped him at the proper time. Getting Eaton for Santiago should be something that makes Hahn do some time. It is a heist.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 11:38 AM) I think "Throwing too many pitches" was a direct consequence of moving him back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation. See how the fangraphs piece noted that Chris Sale took a couple years to really integrate his changeup as a weapon to right handers? A guy bouncing back and forth between the pen and rotation doesn't get to use his full arsenal so he doesn't get to work on control with those 3rd and 4th pitches. See Santiago, Hector, minor league stats. It wasn't something that just popped up when he got to the major leagues. He was a starter for the better part of the last half of last season and is a starter with the Angels and it is still happening.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 11:20 AM) Its all about the $$$. If the Sox re-location will contribute more to the revenue sharing plan, MLB would be all for it. The Sox were set to re-locate about 25 years ago to the Tampa/St Pete area before the legislature stepped up to provide funding to keep the club in town. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/art...ine/MAG1067374/ And a lot has changed in 25 years. The American League would be insane to abandon Chicago.

QUOTE (TheTruth05 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 08:54 AM) Sergio Santos leading the AL Saves category. Hopefully that guy can stay healthy, always rooted for him even after he was (very smartly) traded. Maybe it was wise to trade him, but it would have been wiser acquiring someone who actually could help you win. Molina had a big season that year, but he still wasn't very high on the Blue Jays prospect list, and his time with the White Sox organization has shown why.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 10:59 AM) I don't. I think he can be a 3, and will be a 4 at worst. By the way, I'm not the only one who thinks the White Sox didn't utilize him correctly...or mismanaged him. But I've also been happy with the energy Eaton has been bringing...as long as it doesn't end up getting him hurt all the time, like Rowand. The Angels must really be messing with him. 4 1/3 innings, 94 pitches.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 10:47 AM) http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7900/ What's his excuse? He's getting paid a lot more than Santiago. He's supposed to be a 2 guy, not a back of the rotation guy like Hector. We would be 0-2 in his starts, by the way, not 1-1 like we are with Paulino. First off, I'm not making excuses, you are. Yes, always compare how guys pitch vs. Boston and they will put up exactly the same numbers in 39 degree temps vs. Minnesota. Nice argument. And if you really truly think Hector is a back of the rotation starter, why do you always have excuses for him? Seems to me if Eaton can play, the White Sox handled him perfectly.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 10:29 AM) Well, this has been argued a million times. Someone with his repertoire and the required feel for pitches (especially the screwball change)...and the fact that he was a starter as soon as he came into own after that one season in winter ball...and never a closer...it was pretty short-sighted. In retrospect, they were probably worried about his high pitch counts and 4-5 inning starts taxing the pen. On the other hand, those elevated pitch counts were due to control/command issues and not going to disappear simply by being placed in high leverage situations. In fact, it was the opposite...he didn't feel enough confidence in his pitches because he was so accustomed to starting that he quickly found himself relying (out of the pen) on just two pitches when he didn't have the command of the screwball, and batters started to sit on the fastball, too. Always an excuse for Santiago, and I'm sure it is all Ventura's fault and Cooper had nothing to do with it in your mind. What was his excuse his first start with the Angels?

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 09:40 AM) I think the Sox have to commit to Paulino for about 8 starts. If it's mostly garbage, then yeah, pull the plug and try somebody else. Axelrod is a "be careful what you wish for" guy, but the Sox desperately need a long reliever in the pen. Whether that's Axelrod, Surkamp, Purcey, Leesman, or Putnam...they need somebody to take one for the team, or occasionally keep the team in a game long enough to win it. It's not even long enough to win. It's long enough to keep the rest of the bullpen fresh for when you need them to get outs. I'm no fan of Paulino, but you are right, Axe is be careful what you wish for. He was nothing but BP last year after a pretty decent start. If my choice is Axe or Paulino, I pick Paulino each time, although I do think there was a bit too much excitement about a guy who was really good for 7 starts 2 years ago and has since undergone elbow surgery and a procedure with the shoulder, although that appears to have been a cyst or something.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 09:09 AM) I have a very hard time believing the owners don't know how many shares/dollars they own and their percentage of equity. In fact I'm pretty sure it would be illegal for any equity partnership to exist where leadership was deceiving the owners as to their stake. They know, in some fashion, how much of the equity they own. There was an article about White Sox ownership last year where a couple of owners speculated JR's stake somewhere between 10 and 15 %. JR said their guess was significantly understated. When JR goes, the executors of his estate get control of the team. I really don't think it will be ugly at all. Some have wanted out and got out. Some want to stay and let their heirs be owners. The bottom line is JR has made these people a ton of money. A lot of them are with him with the Bulls as well.

Looking at the stands it appears the Rockies may have to move to Portland as well.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Apr 7, 2014 -> 02:39 PM) I always thought they should have built a domed, state of the art stadium near Soldier Field. City owned plenty of land there. Could have been done. It would have been great for the city. Soldier Field area would be horrific for a baseball team playing 81 home games. A traffic nighmare on LSD every night. Not really easy public transportation access either. It's OK for the Bears because it is mainly on Sundays and 10% of the amount of games. The South Loop at Roosevelt was the spot. Could have had the downtown workers after work, a riverwalk, open to the skyline, close to public transportation.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 6, 2014 -> 04:52 PM) Just worth pondering whether he's ever actually had a coach tell him the right way to handle that play, and then follow it up with practice and video of what the mistake was. I bet he has. Other Cubans have known how to play defense. He is a bad first baseman. They didn't pay him for his glove.

Melty calling him Sales on the postgame. Shields is now Shield. I love Melty. He just called Chen Chinn. There has to be a drinking game here.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Apr 6, 2014 -> 03:57 PM) It's his sixth professional game. Do they play differently in Cuba? If he cannot catch now why would he be able to next year? That is at least 2 drops in 6 games. You don't see that with 8 year old first base men.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Apr 6, 2014 -> 03:56 PM) How often are we going to hear "Paulie catches that" ...haha How about Dunn catches it?

I guess Robin didn't play enough catch with Abreu during spring training. He is awful with the glove.

What i don't understand bout replay is Hosmer was clearly out. How do they say safe?

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Apr 6, 2014 -> 02:50 PM) Hosmer also never touched the bag. I thought the foot was technically part of the bag if it is on it? If it was on it, then he was out. But how can he be safe if he was sitting in the dugout and had yet to touch first base.