Dick Allen

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Dec 9, 2013 -> 09:29 AM) Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN 49s Diamondbacks are among the teams with the most serious trade interest in Chris Sale -- IF they would agree to part with him. A big if. Bradley, Owings, Davidson, Skaggs, Delgado anyone? They actually have prospects at positions that make the most sense, but this can't be what Hahn would consider to be a fair trade. He has to feel he won by a wide margin.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 9, 2013 -> 09:13 AM) Whatever. The point being you need a big package. You only trade him if you are getting an absolute overpay of epic proportions. You said you need a big package.

Whether they want to or not, for the White Sox to ever have this "sustained success" which seems to be the goal, they will eventually be forced to join the teams handing out "ridiculous" contracts.

So the Japanese team now determines the amount they will accept and any team that is willing to pay that will be able to negotiate with the player. This should save the big market teams some money.

JR wins mege miliioms, signs Choo, trades an extra OF in a package for Headley. Signs Headley to an extension, and suddenly the White Sox offense looks a lot better. jR's bank account.....not so much.

He's got an ankle. He'll be fine.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 8, 2013 -> 08:22 AM) A few things to remember about Choo: He is terrible vs. left handed pitching. He was hit by pitches a league leading 26 times last year, and that's not a good way to generate a high OBP. One of those pitches is likely to land him on the DL. He is not a good defensive outfielder, especially in CF. And of course, he will cost way too much money, and want too long of a contract. I'd still like to see a one year deal, at a reasonable price, for a certain other former Indian, left handed, center fielder. Dare I mention his name? With these crazy contracts, that gamble is looking better every day. He's the same age as Choo, and is a better outfielder, even after the knee surgery. He's also better suited to bat in the middle of the order, if he's really healthy, of course. He will probably be much more interested in guaranteed playing time, than a long term deal, as he will want to prove he is healthy, in order to re-establish his value. The Sox are in a position to take that gamble, as he would not be blocking anyone, and would not cost a draft pick, as I mentioned one of the several times that I brought it up. I know some will attack me for belaboring the point, but these ridiculous contracts provide a new perspective on the idea. What would the Sox have to lose? I think Choo is the better fit of all the free agent OF. You could play him in RF and move Garcia to CF. I think a problem the Sox would have even if Sizemore could play is I would image he would probably have to DH occassionally. Balta would have an anuerism if the Sox picked up another guy who would have to DH.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 8, 2013 -> 06:31 AM) Dick Allen to the rescue! Quick, someone is ripping Greg Walker in the general MLB thread! But seriously, not sure how one random quote changes anything. Most guys are going to follow clubhouse rules and not rip their former teammate to the press. For example, you're not going to hear Beckham crying to the beat reporters about how A.J. didn't want to let his girlfriend fly on the team plane. What happened in San Francisco should be very telling. Even more so should be what patc has told us all. He has insights into the clubhouse that the rest of us just speculate about and he's told us time and time again that A.J. is a s***ty teammate. I'll take his word over what any of us can find out through random google searches. Jason Schmidt on the Giants days Schmidt comes close to apologizing for the way the Giants treated Pierzynski. "His numbers were great with me, no doubt," he says. "He didn't get enough credit. It's just that when he came in here, we heard all this stuff about him … we just never gave him the opportunity to prove it wrong. I'll always feel bad about that." It would be different if there were some other quotes about what a bad guy he is, you would think there would be several. I am sure he is no angel, but neither is anyone. He has probably been an ass many times, but who hasn't? I will go with Dunn's quote, he is no more an asshole than anyone else. Don't believe what any of his current or ex teammates say. He is a s***ty teammate. If anything, the perception about AJ is he is a difficult guy. Even most of the people ripping concede he is a great teammate.

"A lot of people have this bad image of A.J. in general, it seems around the league, but the guy is one of the greatest guys when he needs to be," Beckham said. "It's something nobody sees. He can be a really great friend. He was there for me in tough situations off the field and was a big-time mentor. So, it's tough to see him go." What a s***ty teammate.

If you let the player choose if there is a tie, and at $20 million, every stud player will have a tie, nothing is going to change except the fee will be lower. If you go by reverse order, if a guy is coming out, the race could be on to be the worst in baseball in August and September. That could get ugly. I think they should break out the ping pong balls and have a lottery with all the teams tied participating.

Brett Gardner is 30+ right now and due to be a free agent after next season. I have read the Sox aren't supposed to trade for those types. See Headley, Chase.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 05:46 PM) But Alexei will suffer a certain injury if he continues to play 156 games or more like he has the past four years?? That is the sum total of your argument for why signing Konerko is somehow the worst thing ever. It would be foolish to not waste a roster spot on a backup shortstop who will not play at all is your argument. A backup shortstop who doesn't play is more valuable than a platooner who'll perhaps start 40 or 50 games. As support for this you've offered no reasonable quantitative projections/estimates/analysis because there is none. The White Sox signing Konerko as their 25th man will be a low-cost marginal upgrade on their DH situation (if nothing further happens). The overreactions to this non-event are beyond silly. Exactly. I don't even know how anyone can conclude it downgrades a bench that featured Angel Sanchez, Blake Tekotte and Tyler Greene. White Sox pinch hitters hit .177 with 3 RBI in 2013. I also don't understand how anyone can conclude the White Sox won't have another guy who can play SS on the roster.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 02:30 PM) Apparently the idea of players breaking down if they don't get adequate rest seems to have eluded you. Prince Fielder has missed 1 game in 5 years. Next time Alexei goes on the DL because he played too much, let us know. And when he does and the Sox pennant hopes are dashed, we can all go to USCF and protest Rick Hahn outside his office for bringing back Paulie because Alexei's back up didn't have a back up which caused Alexei to get hurt. I sure hope Robin lets Alexei take it easy during spring training.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:57 PM) Unless Alexei Ramirez pulls a muscle and misses a whole lot of time because he doesn't have any reasonable backup and is getting older. Apparently they have changed the rules and you can no longer call up someone from the minor leagues if your players get hurt. Thanks for the clarification.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:00 PM) Please take note...I was replying to a post suggesting Keppinger and Beckham could cover the backup SS spot. I was not suggesting this, I was responding to continued suggestions from others that it could happen. If the biggest problem the White Sox have is who the back up to the back up is because Paul Konerko took up a roster spot, the Sox will be a lot better than anyone could imagine in 2014.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 12:52 PM) Again I keep pointing this out. Alexei Ramirez played every single game until they traded for Leury, and certainly looked for portions of the season like he could have used time off. He did not get that time off despite having those same guys on the roster. Beckham playing SS or Keppinger playing SS because Ramirez was seriously injured in the middle of a game is acceptable, but the teams actions have already said how much confidence they have in those guys starting more than 2 games per year. 0. Leury or another guy who can play SS as well as the OF will be on the team. The back up SS isn't going to be Beckham or Keppinger. I know you don't think so, but why don't we make a real wager on it? Put your money where all your ridiculous posts on this subject are. Who was going to play SS when a lot of people wanted Alexei dumped at the deadline?

The price for Sale should be ridiculous. If someone is willing to meet that ridiculous price, Sale should be traded. He's great, but he's not Michael Jordan. There is no point making anyone on the White Sox untouchable. Maybe in reality they would be considered untouchable, but Chris Sale should have a price in which he can be had.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 11:34 AM) Again, I think this is another contract that does make Dunn a lot more reasonable for a trade target for teams. Dunn's market is extremely limited by the fact that he really is nothing more than a DH. You could put him at 1B, but I doubt an NL team at this point wants to even consider putting him there for 140-150 games. Maybe the Sox get lucky and he hits like he did in June, July and August for at least the first half. Then someone would probably take the rest of the contract or close to it, or he would be helping the team win games. I don't think a lot of people realize how productive he was in those months. April, May and September were a 2011 flashback.

Aren't most of the Sox better position prospects middle infielders?

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 09:57 AM) 10 years 240 million. Wow. Seattle overpaying to make a splash I didn't think there would be a chance he left the Yankees. Seattle is a nice place, but it's been nice seeing Cano play in the spotlight. Now he will play the rest of his career mostly in obscurity unless the Mariners really turn it around. If the Mariners hated paying Chone Figgins, I can't imagine what they will be feeling when this contract gets to it's final 2 or 3 years. Ouch.

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 09:39 AM) Cano should just take the 7/175 from the Yankees. But whatever. Wherever he ends up, I hope it's in the next 3-4 days. That would make the trade market more clear going into next week. Heyman is saying it looks like Seattle is back in. I hope someday someone makes a documentary all about the actual negotiations of these contracts. It would be so interesting and probably entertaining watching the BS from both sides.

If money is the only thing that matters, and the Mariners are totally serious about pulling their offer permanently and dropping out, Jay Z screwed up, because he isn't getting that money anywhere else. I highly doubt any of it is true. I think Cano would play for less in NY. I think the Mariners would sign Cano today for exactly what they were willing to sign him to play yesterday. IMO, The Yankees got Cano's attention by signing Ellsbury. Now Cano and Jay Z are trying to get the Yankees attention.

If Cano was serious about playing in Seattle, depending on what actually occurred in the meeting, Jay Z may have done some damage. If it isn't gamesmanship on Seattle's part, there would have to be more than just requesting another year at around the same amount to end negotiations permanently. I find it hard to believe if the Mariners offered 9-$225 million, that if they called them today and said they would take it, the offer wouldn't still be there.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 03:18 PM) Guess I underestimated the market as well as teams that are desperate, big time. I'm surprised people would go that high (20's) for Granderson. Call me crazy but I would pay Ellsbury 20+ before Granderson. I don't think he meant per season.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 03:16 PM) I'm pretty sure they've more commonly wound up with a 13 man rotation over teh last few years than an 11 man rotation. There will be plenty of guys you and I and everyone else would hope they send to Charlotte at some point in 2014. They could get by with 11 pitchers for a few days if they had to. I don't think it would kill the pennant chase.