Dick Allen

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Dec 26, 2013 -> 09:37 AM) The Sox were desperate when they were bidding for Abreu, and they still got him at an average annual value of a shade over $11M per for 6 seasons. Compared (probably ambitiously) to Miguel Cabrera. If they could get Tanaka for anything even remotely close to it then go for it. You can't. That's the point. You have to draw a line somewhere. Considering Scott Kazmir gets $11 million a year on the open market, I think you need to adjust what you think is a lot and not a lot of money now. Things have changed. MLB teams, including the White Sox, are flush with cash. There is zero reason for any of us on a message board trying to be responsible with JR's money. It's available if he wants to spend it. This is a unique opportunity. You don't sit around and say, well maybe in 2 or 3 years we will bid on someone. That opportunity may not come. You take advantage of opportunities when they occur. Passing and waiting on the next one or maybe the one after that, usually leaves you with nothing. Maybe the Sox scouts aren't all that high on Tanaka. If that is the case, that is the ONLY reason they should not be involved in trying to acquire him for nothing but cash.

I don't understand how anyone could come to a conclusion this guy is at best a #3. He walks no one. He gives up very few homers. His strikeout rate has declined, but is still good. His ERA the last 3 years is 1.27,1.87,1.27. 25 years old. There is nothing to suggest he is anything but an ace.

If you are ever going to spend $100+ on a free agent pitcher, a 25 year old is your best bet considering the length the contract is going to have to be to get him. I realize the Sox have next to no chance to get him, but not getting involved would be a mistake. Make him say no. Pick 4 of Sale, Tanaka, Q, Johnson, the #3 pick...I could be the 5th starter and that team would be tough to beat. This is exactly what you get to build teams around. Scouts say he has the best splitter in the world, and say he should adapt faster to MLB because, unlike most Japanese pitchers, he pitches off his fastball. Most pitch backwards. The risk you take is an injury risk, but you take that with every player you acquire. I don't think there's much of a chance he's not very successful if he is healthy. At worst, if he performs, you can always trade him. The Sox signed Peavy last year. It didn't work out but did turn into Avasail Garcia. Money doesn't appear to be much of an object these days. Bring as many quality players to your team as possible.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 25, 2013 -> 09:36 AM) If you're asking me personally, I'd rather we save our money for next year and go after both Jed Lowrie and James Shields. Or we could go really crazy and throw $300 at Kershaw... So a better way to spend money on a 25 year old ace is to throw even more money at a 32 year old or spend $300 million on another.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 02:55 PM) Surkamp is probably just as good as Danks at this point. And you say people are talking out of their ass about Beckham. I thought you like to aggregate data.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 01:17 PM) Think he'll finally learn how to pull the ball? There are no data remotely suggesting a "breakout" -- you all need to stop talking out of your ass and give up on the dream. He hit 16 homers in 2012, and in 2013 was hitting over .300 in the middle of August when he went down with the quad. His wrist injury zapped his power. If he stays healthy, and that is a huge if, a lot of people are going to be surprised, and even some haters will flip and say they knew he had it in him all along.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 12:57 PM) The question is...what happens if we're talking about the 5th guy out of 5 and there's really not a big difference between them? The one they think will have more success. Picking starting pitchers based on handed-ness to me would be like selecting a HS catcher with the #3 pick because of need. A guy doesn't hit a pitcher hard because the guy who started the day before him was close in stuff and threw with the same hand. He hits him hard because he hung a curveball or his mediocre fastball got too much of the plate. You put the guy who would do less of that in the rotation.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 12:40 PM) You know though, if you're talking about a guy like Surkamp who isn't necessarily coming in with the best stuff in the world...I could see how it would be a problem. One of the reasons lefties can be more effective with similar stuff is that hitters aren't used to seeing them. When they're thorwing mid-90's being lefty is just icing on the cake...but a guy like this it might be more of a worry. 3 lefties and 2 righties in a rotation, that's a decent setup even with a guy like this, just to give the occasional righty as a changeup. I could understand a reliever not providing much of a change, but game to game, I really don't buy it making much of a difference when there is a day between games. Just put your 5 best starters in the rotation. That will get you the best results in the long run. Besides, series are usually 3 games, so the similar pitchers many times pitch against different teams. Pitchers either make their pitches or they don't. Guys don't get lit up because someone who was similiar to him pitched the day before.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 11:41 AM) I don't think it matters at all if they have 4 LH pitchers in the rotation. If Surkamp pitches better than Rienzo and Paulino then he deserves the 5th spot. I want the 5 best guys in the rotation regardless of what hand they pitch with. Veal will be fine as a 2nd lefty in the pen. Yeah, I have not understood any of the "too many lefties" in the rotation stuff. A lot of teams have 4 RHP, some have even had all 5 over the years. It's not called too many. As long as they are good pitchers, I myself couldn't care less which hand they use to throw.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 10:34 AM) Up until last year it was well above average. He also had a hand injury which could very have limited some of his defensive abilities. And he played with a bad quad. He'll shut some people up in 2014 if he can stay healthy.

Unless something goes really wrong, like he has 5 INTs and the Bears lose and that can be pinned on Cutler, he may be playing for some money on Sunday, but not the Bears love. They fully intend to re-sign him.

I think it's very rare athletes overcome major back problems. Scottie Pippen is one I can remember.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 01:14 PM) It's pretty routine to see other teams run a 5-6 yard play, so I'm not surprised whatsoever. With as many long runs as they allow, I am actually surprised it isn't worse. The Bears defense actually allows on average, the opponents RBs to be 1977 Walter Payton.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 12:23 PM) I don't know. A world without his beautiful creations is a world I don't want to live in. I was thinking about that this morning when I was cleaning my AK 47 on the bus. When I walk home from work with it hanging from my shoulder, nobody messes with me. All those other people just walking around without one must live a scared existence. Some people may think that a 5 year old being thrown off a building by his father because of a messy divorce or an 11 year old being killed when the vehicle he is riding in is hit by a carjacker is a far sadder death than someone who was 94 years old and led a full life. But I'm with you.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 11:44 AM) McCowan, McNown, McOwn. Is it really that hard? The guys last name is 6 letters long Back when Rick Mirer was on the Bears, I went to a game he was playing at Soldier(s) Field, a guy behind me was screaming at him after an INT calling him Meyers.

QUOTE (Boogua @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 10:41 AM) It's really difficult to look at things like that. The Bears gave the ball to Forte 9 times last night, his lowest total of the season. It allowed the Eagles to key on the pass and generate a lot of pressure. The two situations aren't the same. McCown had the advantage of mixing up both run and pass (Forte had 120 yards on 5.2 YPC that game) whereas Jay did not. There will always be an excuse. Other QBs get down and have to pass and do OK. The fact is the great Jay Cutler has not distinguished himself in a good way from Josh McCown in 2013. I'll be the first to tell you I think he is better, but, it doesn't appear Jay is the franchise QB a lot of us hoped he was when he was acquired, or there wouldn't be any need for excuses.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 10:11 AM) Sure some of it is on Cutler, he didn't play his best game and a couple first downs early could have helped. But the defense also gave up 45 last night, while they gave up 23 in nearly 5 quarters vs. Minnesota. And Forte missed a couple of big blocks. And the offensive line was manhandled. And Hester fumbled early in the game. Those didn't happen vs. Minnesota, did they? Again, I am talking points scored. I am not pinning the loss on Cutler. Some were making a point McCown wasn't really as good as his numbers because they only scored 20 vs. Minnesota. It was obvious 5 minutes into the game they were going to have to score at least 40 to win. They would have needed almost 60, and if McCown started, I realize they still would have lost. I am just saying blaming McCown for the 20 should mean you should blame Cutler for the 11. Considering they scored 11 and he threw a pick 6, the defense could have been really good last night and a loss would have occurred. Like what was pointed out earlier, special teams with a bad punt and a fumble got the ball rolling the wrong way. The defense looks Illini-esque, and the offense wasn't good enough to win even if the other phases actually did their jobs.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 09:30 AM) Nothing like comparing a 3-point OT loss to a 43 point loss. I was comparing 20 points vs. 11 points both vs. horrible defenses. If it's on McCown the Bears only scored 20 vs. Minnesota, how can it not be on Cutler if they only score 11 vs. Philadelphia?

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 09:25 AM) If Jay loses next week, he better give Chicago a big discount. It won't be his fault. If the Bears only score 20 against Minnesota, it proves McCown isn't as good as his numbers. If they only score 11 vs. Philadelphia, it shows Jay didn't get enough help.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 23, 2013 -> 09:10 AM) Yeah yeah, James Starks is a fine backup and he'll easily put 200+ on this travesty of a run defense. edit: Prep yourself for laughter at watching Bostic jumping out of the running lane and behind the seal seemingly on purpose to open up a 20 yard gain to lead to Conte running benny hill style behind Starks. It's a hoot. Putting Conte and Benny Hill together is genius.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 22, 2013 -> 10:19 PM) The defense is bad. Really bad. Maybe Mel Tucker should be fired. I'll let our Scout-in-Chief Emery decide whether Tucker deserves to get another year with different personnel. They lost us today's game. What we need to figure out is whether Jay Cutler is worth our investment. Not whether he is worth the franchise tag or a long-term deal. Is he worth any deal? Are we better off rolling with a mixture of McCown/rookie/cheap FA project for the long-term future or Jay Cutler? These are the choices. We have a great offensive core locked up for a few more years. Best WR tandem in the NFL. A top-5 RB. A very good TE. An OL with real potential. If you sign Cutler, you're saying that core lives and dies with him. Are you comfortable with that? These are the questions we have to sort out. Jay is not showing me he's worth the time. McCown may or may not outplay Cutler next year, but the monetary investment will be relatively small and you'll be free to open the door to the next guy if it isn't panning out/you have the next guy ready. I've been a huge Jay fan. I've been the guy DA is mocking in this thread. I don't think I believe in [the boy from] Santa Claus anymore. IMO, I can't see Cutler leaving.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 22, 2013 -> 10:12 PM) I think Trestman's mind is made up. That's why Cutler never lost his job. I agree.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 22, 2013 -> 10:06 PM) Huh? Nothing is Jay's fault. He is flawless. surround him with an all pro line, with all pro receivers and an all pro running back, give him an excellent OC and head coach, he will show you how good he is.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 22, 2013 -> 10:05 PM) Put in McCown? No. He might get hurt.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 22, 2013 -> 10:04 PM) Boykin surprises Jay Cutler with "the most basic zone defense ever created" That isn't Jay's fault. That't on Trestman. If he called a running play, that INT never would have happened.