Dick Allen

I think the Bears will need at least 40 tonight.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 06:53 PM) The rental agreement between him and I states it's month to month. I would get a small storage locker for a couple of months and put his s*** in there. It would probably cost you less than $100, and that should be reasonable enough for him to get someone to pick it up. By then you should have a better idea of his fate.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 12:24 PM) Deadspin takes aim at Dan Bernstein. http://deadspin.com/derrick-rose-isnt-a-vi...dium=socialflow I don't think Bernstein is all that wrong . He is just blasting the wrong guy. The two things I think are common knowledge, some seem to ignore. First, if the Bulls are "rebuilding" it isn't going to be a 3 or 4 year process. They will be trying to win next season. Second, Derrick Rose isn't necessarily the bad guy here. Sure he can be questioned, but IMO, he is just a rather naive person who thinks his brother has all the brains, and he is letting him run the show. Any controversy is all Reggie Rose. He has had a bad reputation for years. This is a dumb athlete listening to his even dumber older brother. Nothing more, nothing less. Blast Derrick for letting Reggie run the show, that is totally fair.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 09:55 AM) I don't know, it may be true but it's too early to tell. The guy has never broke a story or anything and has tweeted about the Sox as a fan very recently. I hope it is true but I'd wait for some more concrete evidence. If he is making it up, tweeting Scott Downs to the White Sox to gain some attention is pretty pathetic.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 09:08 AM) Was Lee's arm anywhere near Viciedo's? I don't recall it being that way, and if I'm right then if Viciedo could catch the ball as often as Carlos Lee, he'd be a much more effective fielder because he'd pick up some extra assists and he'd cut down on a lot of people taking extra bases. No, Lee was a bad fielder, but did make all the routine plays, something as you pointed out, would really help Viciedo. It is funny the both were 3B, who were converted to LF who eventually probably should be 1B/DH. Lee was a better baserunner before he got really big.

QUOTE (coco1997 @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 08:55 AM) Who is the guy who 'broke' this? Does he have any credibility? Who knows, but I think there is probably a better chance than a normal random tweet of being true. I don't think there is a big market in breaking Scott Downs news.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 19, 2013 -> 08:50 AM) I'd say wait until at least 2014 to decide whether to move him to DH as well. He was, like almost everyone else on this team, a more reliable fielder in 2012 than in 2013. Usually 23 year olds don't obviously get worse in the field when they get to their 2nd year at a position, they're expected to get better. He didn't, but then again he was on a team where it seemed like everyone in the field also got worse. Even if he doesn't have good range, his throwing arm makes up for quite a few mistakes out there. He can be an average defender in LF or RF if he has poor range and a great throwing arm. If he keeps getting worse out there...fine, move him to DH once Dunn is out of the way...but we should also ask who in the world is coaching this kid if he keeps getting worse in the field as he gets more experience, because that's not how it's supposed to go. He can be Carlos Lee part 2. A converted 3B, who will never be a very good LF, but he can throw and that has offset at least some shortcomings defensively. Obviously, getting to CLee's level offensively is going to be tough, but look at CLee's walk rate as a youngster. The talent is there, it's just a question of whether or not he will put it together. Not unlike several of the players everyone is excited to have added to the roster.

This is why if you have a small child, you do everything you can to get them to throw left handed. This guy has made over $27 million in his career.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 01:28 PM) If Tanaka had Yu Darvish's stuff, I think many might be more inclined to take on the risk. I like him as a pitcher, but I don't think the sox will take that route. The guy throws 95 and has what many call the best splitter in the world.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:41 AM) I have no problem with them pursuing Tanaka, but this is absolutely the worst argument for it. You simply never know what need might emerge. Maybe Davidson busts and David Wright or Evan Longoria become available for trade. Maybe they develop the assets and save the money to pursue a player like Mike Trout or Bryce Harper. Maybe whoever they draft 3rd this year is extended in 2016 because he's that good. You simply don't know what opportunities will present themself, so spending just to spend is an absolutely terrible philosophy that gets teams in all kinds of trouble. I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with Marty again, but he did say who "better" to spend their money on, not spend it to spend it. If Tanaka is as good as advertised, if you could get him for $100 million, the way the cost of pitching has skyrocketed, he will be a steal. And Sale, Tanaka, Q, Johnson, perhaps a pitcher with the #3 pick is a rotation where a lot can go wrong on the offensive side, and you still will be in really good shape.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:12 AM) I listened to the Hahn interview this morning, and not once (if I recall) did he mention anything about trying to win the division this year. I was very impressed by this approach. As for Tanaka, no thanks...the cost is just going to be insane. It will be insane but the price of pitching is insane. You can pay this guy $100 million and more than likely be ace/like or you can pay guys like Kazmir $10-11 million a year to most likely suck. This guy is only 25. Unless you just can't afford him, there is absolutely no reason to at least see if you can get him signed, especially when the Sox have Sale under contract for what they would have to pay Grant Balfour at his advanced age.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:17 AM) Well, he's Mexican so I'll give him that much... (I'm half BTW, so that's what I was implying that I like) Is he any relation to Dave Valle, he of the ridiculous hair plugs? I also think Dave Valle was playing for the Mariners when Bo Jackson hit a home run which clinched the division for the Sox in 1993.

While it certainly appears he can't hit, catchers usually do take longer to find their way. It wouldn't kill the Sox to stash him in Charlotte.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 09:55 AM) If he is decent, I can't see him making it out of the AL. I think you meant NL, and he has been DFA'd not waived.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 02:45 PM) I agree. Moving prospects for a young controlled piece is not counterproductive for any team if that piece turns into a nice player. Wite he slashed a .297/.394/.469/.863 in 2012 in 226 PAs. Small sample size but still very nice. He had a .967 OPS away from Petco that year in 112 PAs. Even in an injured/down season in '13 he had .352 OBP. Alonso's Minor League Career - 755 PAs - .310/.408/.487/.895 Phegley's Minor League Career - 1573 PAs - .263/.313/.417/.730 Flower's Minor League Career - 2233 PAs - 275/.391/.484/.876 Nieto's Minor League Career - 1414 PAs - .254/.346/.386/.732 The only one who is even remotely close to Alonso's minor league numbers is Flowers and we all know how he has produced over 5 different years in the bigs. Not to mention Alonso was a first round talent and is the only one with any success in the majors. He is much more proven and much more likely to provide at the big league level. 3 out of 4 either busted or linked to PEDs.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 02:39 PM) Because there is a correlation between a pitcher having a good game and a win and a pitcher having a bad game and a loss. However, that only makes it a useful stat if there aren't already better stats to evaluate whether the pitcher had a set of good games or bad games. So if there is a correlation between getting a win and pitching a good game, a lot of wins would indicate you pitched a lot of good games. There are also times guys give up 5 runs and pitch pretty well, and times when they give up 2 runs and don't pitch as well. EX. Wind blowing out a Wrigley, it's a bandbox, blowing in, it's tough to get it out of there. I believe it usually evens out, but occassionally it does not. I'll take a guy with 15 wins and a 5+ ERA. Generally that will be a #4 or #5 starter, and it shows you were probably over .500 in their starts. And it shows they probably went a decent length in the game resting the bullpen a bit.That's pretty good.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 03:00 PM) Last year Dunn was one of 12 baseball players to hit 30 home runs. In 2000, for example, 47 guys hit 30 home runs. There is value in being one of the only guys in the league who has home run power. I don't think it's just PED testing that has lowered the HR rates. I think they have done something to the ball. In fact, wouldn't doing something to the ball make MLB look good in the court of public opinion? It would definitely help make their PED testing program look a lot more successful. It wasn't just hitters using PEDs. Lots of pitchers as well.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 02:16 PM) Then we will agree to disagree. I just find absolutely no meaning in W-L. -ERA tells me how many earned runs a pitcher gives up on average -WHIP tells me how many base runners a pitcher allows on average -IP tells me, generally, how durable and/or efficient a pitcher is (though it tells a lot, though not all is incredibly telling of talent) -GS also tells me about durability; thus, IP/GS is important to me as well -FIP tells me approximate talent level of the pitcher this year -xFIP tells me what he should probably be putting up, given his peripherals -K/9 tells me a little about his stuff and how efficient he is about getting outs (which improves consistency) -BB/9 tells me how good a guys control is and whether it will ever typically get him in trouble -HR/9 tells me how many homers a guy gives up -HR/FB tells me how unlucky the pitcher has been about giving up home runs (typically 10% in all circumstances) -GO/AO tells me how good a guy is about producing ground balls which, while more likely to become hits, are very unlikely to be anything more than singles I could go on. On the other hand, W-L tells me how good the pitcher's team was, or how the team performed when he was on the mound. A pitcher has very, very little control over that. He can pitch to his defense and in NL parks, he can help try and score runs when up at the plate. Otherwise, all he can do is pitch as well as he can and then hope the team wins the game. Theoretically, Chris Sale gives up a lead off homer every game he pitches, but then retires the next 27 by striking them all out. His opposing pitcher loads the bases every inning but gets double plays and keeps the team off the board. At the end of the year, Chris Sale is 0-32 while opposing pitchers are 32-0. Did Chris Sale really deserve to lose 32 games, or should he be upset at his team for allowing him to lose 32 games? If it is all about how the team performs, can you explain why pitcher's ERAs and all their other numbers are generally better when they gets wins vs. when they get losses and no decisions. Obviously W-L isn't the best, but guys who win a lot of games generally have the other numbers that match up to showing they are pitching very well. While a guy who is 8-12 could have numbers that show he is pitching much better than the record shows, it is less likely a guy who wins 17 or 18 games has numbers that show he actually has pitched horribly. A starting pitcher with a lot of wins is going to pencil out pretty well sabermetrically.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 02:12 PM) The problem is he can't hit the ball. He'd be buzzkill. If you want Buck, I'd just keep Flowers. Yeah, Buck doesn't seem like an upgrade over what is already there. I wouldn't understand the point.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 01:33 PM) I think you are right. I have this sick feeling John Buck is going to end up a White Sox. I'd prefer we make a deal for somebody besides Buck and simply dump Flowers. I can take Phegley and a new guy at catcher. I also have a feeling Hahn has more moves in him. I bet he dumps DeAza or Viciedo, just a feeling. I read where Buddy Bell is a big fan of Buck so you may be need to keep in mind where the bathroom is at all times.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 01:20 PM) No doubt about it. Odds are pretty good that at least one of the guys we just got, turns into a bust. Hope the AZ guys play like the last offensive prospect the Sox received from them. TCQ.

QUOTE (staxx @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 12:18 PM) I feel like often times many "blue chip" prospects end up playing poorly and are in reality overhyped. There have been a lot of 50-100 ranked players who wound up becoming very good players. If none of Abreu, Eaton, Garcia or Davidson bust, Hahn is one of the best GMs in baseball. He's probably upper tier if one busts. Prospects break your heart. BP actually has a feature named that. If Davidson is more Crede than Fields, if Garcia is more Maggs than Jeff Abbott, if Eaton is more Dykstra than John Cangelosi, Hahn's work will try to be copied everywhere.

One thing that might make the Sox more inclined to trade Viciedo, isn't his agent now Boras?

Or it could be by mistake, or Viciedo might not have been able to make it. I wouldn't read too much into it.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 08:48 AM) $20 million for Gavin Floyd when he might only pitch a season a half and wasn't exactly an All-Star the last 2-3 seasons isn't exactly a huge bargain for the Orioles. It is interesting because that's his hometown region and everyone assumed he would end up in BALT eventually, but he preferred the NL and the Braves' track record with pitchers. Maybe the only way to reach those incentives was pitching 200 or at least 150+ or 175+ innings in 2014 and 2015. I would agree. The incentives were obviously not easily attainable or Gavin Floyd turning down a chance to make $20 million the next 2 years coming off his surgery is crazy. But the thing is, if he doesn't show he can reach those types of numbers, who is going to pay him more than what the Orioles numbers with the incentives? It must have been a very low guarantee both seasons.