Dick Allen

It was the perfect storm for the Sox to get Abreu with the Yankees, Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, Red Sox all pretty much set at 1B/DH. If a couple of those teams really needed him, his price tag probably rises significantly. With Tanaka, with KW in LA, obviously the Sox appear serious. It makes total sense, and would put their rebuild on the fast track. Obviously, I still believe it's a long shot at best, but roll the dice.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 06:56 PM) Yeah, you were dead wrong about Beasley. #JimmyButlerWillBeTheDifference Lmao. Are you serious? Why the hell would they risk Oden In December against the Bucks, Magic and Raptors? Not every coach is as shortsighted as Thibs. They're saving Oden for Hibbert, Duncan/Dwight in May/June. This dude said Eddy Curry. Please. He was regular season roster filler. They'd have to discontinue food all together before a basketball genius such as Pat Riley would even think of counting on Eddy Curry for a postseason run. You said every move they made worked out. And if Oden is working out why would they need AB? The Heat obviously are great, but you are exaggerating about their smarts. You have moved the goalposts to legit move now instead of every move, but of course you will only characterize a move as legit if it works out.

I haven't read the entire thread but if it hasn't been mentioned ,the Sox are taking out full page ads in the Chicago papers tomorrow congratulating the Big Hurt.

He definitely deserved it.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 12:43 PM) 36.4% is a new percentage record so that includes almost all submitted ballots. Why would 60% of folks not vote? I think it's 36.4 % of last years total number of ballots that have become public. That's their record.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 12:37 PM) The 2014 HOF Ballot Collecting Gizmo! Updated: Jan.8 - 1:35 ~ 207 Full Ballots ~ (36.4%* of vote ~ based on last year) (*new pct. record!) 99.5 - Maddux 95.7 - Glavine 89.4 - F. Thomas 79.2 - Biggio If Frank doesn't make it, the Gizmo will go the way of the Edsel.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 12:12 PM) I would say the phone call would be any time now. I bet the calls were made several hours ago.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 12:08 PM) didn't Joe Cowley have his BBWAA credentials revoked? I think the Chicago chapter suspended them for a year or so because he wasn't taking the MVP voting seriously. Apparently he thought it would be cute to screw around, bring some attention to himself (shocking considering he is Joe Cowley) and it wound up messing with the end result.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 11:48 AM) Will the freed up Luol Deng cash affect how much we have to spend I did get a kick out of Paxson saying over and over again yesterday how the $20 million+ they saved trading Deng will be put back into the team? How? There's a salary cap.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 11:30 AM) Basically, Frank needs to be on 2 out of 3 of the unknown ballots. Until Jeff Idelson says the Hall welcomes 3 new players (or 4), I'm not 100% confident. Especially considering the ones who don't have their ballots known generally are older. They are more likely to be on board with holding guys out a year, being DH-biased.... But it is looking pretty likely.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 11:08 AM) FWIW, I heard an interview with him and he said that he'll probably abstain for the foreseeable future in reaction the the vitriol he has received lol. He shouldn't have that choice. His should have his voting rights revoked.

Here's a guy who needs to be deleted from all future votes. He only voted for Jack Morris. Eliminating everyone from the steroid era because he doesn't know who did and who didn't. How does he know no one from the non steroid eras didn't use a PED? http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10259259...-hall-selection

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jan 8, 2014 -> 07:50 AM) C'mon really? I know we hate the Heat, but these posts are pretty biased. On top of my head, the bigger name signings that didn't work out for them the last few years: Eddy Curry, Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis, Greg Oden. But there are other guys who signed who also performed over the value of their contract: Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Birdman, and even Beasley this year. And yea, they also made it to the Finals three straight years, so I think things are working out pretty well for them. Not biased. Just responses to the very biased post that every move they have made the last 3 years worked out. You gave 4 that did not. The posts you are calling out each gave one.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 05:40 PM) And then the rest of the board will say what an awful signing it is and it'll never workout despite the fact every move the Heat have made since July, 2010 has worked out. Yeah, that Eddy Curry signing really worked out well. Surprised the s*** out of me.

Obviously the Sox have interest. Might as well see if it is mutual. Who knows, maybe he is a big Shingo and Iguchi fan and had a White Sox cap as a teenager. It really would be kicking Theo in the balls signing him.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 11:46 AM) Gibson is paid like a starter, that changes things a lot It is still not standing pat when you can change around 75% of the roster if you wish. The Bulls could keep Noah, Gibson, Rose and a few more and it wouldn't be standing pat.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 11:20 AM) Im not getting in the middle of your argument here, but comparing MLB rosters/salaries with NBA rosters/salaries is apples and oranges. Yes, but Gibson is a bench player. Noah is a starter. If keeping a starter and a bench player on an NBA roster means you are standing pat, 99% of NBA teams stand pat every season.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 11:04 AM) lol. Keeping your players isn't standing pat? Back to arguing just to argue... Yes that is exactly what you are doing. Arguing to argue.We are talking 2 players on the roster. 2 out of 14 or 15. Keeping them is not standing pat. Rick Hahn has kept Dunn, Konerko, Beckham, De Aza, Sale, Quintana....why has he stood pat this offseason after losing 99 games? Your argument to argue is beyond ridiculous. Why don't you actually act like a moderator and not an instigator?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 10:49 AM) So what does standing pat accomplish? It is the one way that is 100% guaranteed to not result in a title. No surprise you didn't answer the question. And keeping Noah and/or Gibson is not standing pat.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 10:44 AM) Who are you getting in sign and trades that improve the team to the point where they can win as is? Again, one of the max guys, which would be probably Melo as LeBron isn't coming to the Bulls. I don't think Melo is either, but to trade Noah or Gibson for a draft pick now to make room for a theoretical max guy is putting your franchise out on a limb. If Melo stays in NY or goes to LA, you just made your team worse, but not bad enough to improve your draft status all that much. It's pretty funny who the one doing the arguing just to argue really is. Why don't I ask the question. If the Bulls trade Noah, what should they receive and who are they going to sign in the future with the extra cap space? .

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 10:28 AM) Which means you still need to free up space to get the guys you want. Common sense pretty clearly shows that this group was in NBA hell. Not only were they going to be in luxury tax jail, they weren't going to win anything. The worst possible thing would be to keep this group together. Deng and Boozer will be gone. Rose, Noah, Butler hopefully Morotic, Gibson are who they should build with. You dump Noah or Gibson now and don't land the star, you still will be looking for a star and a Noah or Gibson replacement. These 2 aren't terrific stars but are definitely guys that help you win. Replacing that would be tough. As stated, you still could use them in sign and trades, which would offer you some protection in case you fail to land the star.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 10:17 AM) They are winning a crown? They could be part of winning one. You trade those guys and fail on your attempt to land a star, like what happened when they had to settle for Boozer, what do you have? NBA hell, and now you need a few big men. Draft picks are nice. Sometimes great, sometimes Marcus Fizer or Stacey King. Trading Noah or Gibson just to get more under the cap isn't doing your team a favor unless getting that far under actually gets you something, not the chance of doing something. If you think Melo or LeBron becoming Bulls is realistic, it makes sense, but I don't. I'm sure the Knicks would love to have Noah or Gibson and Butler if Melo was leaving them. So keep them until you are sure you are getting replacements. If Rose is anywhere near healthy, it isn't like this team is going to be horrible. They would be in NBA hell regardless.

Mirotic isn't going to be cheap to bring over. He's pulling in about $5 million a year converted, and Real Madrid wants to sign him to an extension.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 10:01 AM) How are "Melo and Lebron" not realistic targets when Melo has already dropped the Bulls name personally? Yeah it could just be leverage, yeah they could strike out and have to sign someone lesser like Luol Deng, but both Gibson and Noah are perfect fits for any team wanting to win now and a poor fit for a team that needs to see what happens in the draft first. Didn't Kobe drop the Bulls name before? Keep Gibson and Noah, if Melo is serious, one could be included in a sign and trade, but Melo on the Bulls is slim to none.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 7, 2014 -> 09:38 AM) I know you are arguing just to argue, again, but what about this group screams keep it together? Is it a crown waiting to happen? I love this new "arguing to argue" a couple of guys are giving me now when, of course, they are arguing against me. I already stated this Deng move was IMO the correct move. The point is, there really isn't a max contract realistic target out there right now. Trading Noah or Gibson to get enough to offer a max contract this coming offseason doesn't make things better, it will make things worse.