Dick Allen

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 08:46 AM) I know, I know. It's the same reason I can say with confidence that the veteran will get his at bats instead of the rookie at 1b - that's standard managing. Didn't Abreu sign the biggest contract in team history? Didn't Paulie say himself he wasn't going to play a lot? There is no reason to think Abreu is going to ride any pine, except for occassional breaks in 2014. None.You are just way off base.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 08:48 AM) Well, given that he's had success in the past as a platoon player, if he were put in a 3b platoon perhaps his numbers next year could return to some semblance of his career numbers. That could either allow him to actually be traded at only a small loss or could help the white sox actually win games. Given that the White Sox are spending $9 million on him the next 2 years, it doesn't make much sense to me to pay him that money to go play golf. Again, with wins and losses, what is the difference, if, indeed, Konerko takes Keppinger's spot. You are going on and on about Jeff Keppinger now. Don't ruin your reputation on Jeff Keppinger.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 08:45 AM) All right fine, because I want an actual backup OF and I don't want to be forced to dump Keppinger's contract at what hopefully is its lowest possible value in order to carry a backup DH. Tell me how much better the Sox would be with Keppinger on the roster and Konerko playing golf in AZ?

Wisconsin is the only team in the country that can shoot less than 30% score 48 points and still win by 10.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 03:06 PM) I just don't think it matters all that much...heck, Omogrosso in 2012 was probably better than Lindstrom last season. That's where you get into this argument about veteran guys like Lindstrom or Konerko taking time from other players in the organization. It's a Catch-22. Is there more value in his "veteran presence" or being able to trade him at the deadline...or giving more opportunities in that 7th inning role to a Daniel Webb? Is Leury Garcia going to get screwed over by the Konerko move...or is it better for him to be playing everyday at Charlotte with Semien? If there's any place on the roster that's BEGGING for veteran leadership, it's at catcher, where we have NOBODY that can even make a claim on the position in AA or AAA. I would rather spend $4-5 million there any day of the week than on a middle reliever. 2012 showed that could still succeed without a ton of veterans contributing in the bullpen, other than Jesse Crain. For all intents and purposes, Matt Thornton was already a shade of his former self by then and they still did just fine for the majority of the season with about 10 rookies filling roles down there. I think this improves Leury's chances of making the team as he plays both infield and outfield.

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 02:41 PM) It's a 24 man roster, with occasional walk-on appearances by PK. This is the team right now (roughly): De Aza, Ramirez, Garcia, Dunn, Abreu, Viciedo, Gillaspie, Flowers, Beckham Garcia, Keppinger, Phegley, Konerko Sale, Quintana, Santiago, Danks, Johnson Leesman, Veal, Webb, Petricka, Jones, Lindstrom, Reed 90 losses at least. Hope Konerko enjoys it. Yep. I hope Hahn doesn't even bother going to the Winter Meetings. His work is obviously done.

If Konerko didn't come back, I would put money on whoever the 25th man was, would either be deemed a wasted roster spot or a guy who should be playing everyday in Charlotte. No matter what, there would be complaints.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 01:03 PM) No, last year we could have waited on these guys to see if an improved deal would come along. We weren't forced to move the guys, at the worst they were dead losses. Frankly, it was starting to look like the market for Dunn could actually improve if we didn't show everyone our cards already. What evidence do you have that the market for Dunn was "improving" and is no longer there because of this signing? Think about it please. "Yeah we will take Dunn if you eat half his contract. Wait, you signed Konerko? Forget it." The White Sox were never going to get anything of substance for Adam Dunn, and it hasn't gone down farther because of this.

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 01:03 PM) OK. So you are in favor of rushing players into the lineup and keep them in while struggling. It seemed like you were saying the opposite. That you should not rush them into the lineup and play them when they struggle. He's saying giving this guy occassional breaks is stupid. If the Sox don't give Alexei occassional breaks, like this sets them up to do with Abreu, that's stupid. Everything is stupid. Don't stop him. He's on a roll.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:53 PM) And now we're in a position where any team we're negotiating with has the upper hand because they know the White Sox have foolishly created a logjam. The logjam is Dunn/Konerko/Abreu. The Sox aren't going to trade Abreu. The aren't going to trade Konerko, they probably would try to trade Dunn, but where exactly was the leverage BEFORE Konerko came back? Please, bring back some logic.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:54 PM) Also, remember that Leury Garcia can play CF. He's the ultimate super-sub. It would make a lot more sense to carry him than it would to carry Danks. Exactly. That creates a spot for Keppinger /Gillaspie.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:46 PM) But of course...the guy who really should be playing every day at 1b, Abreu, now has a RH hitting veteran backup in a position to make things very awkward if he's not in the lineup often enough. Instead of continuing to make things up, why don't you read Paulie's comments and Hahn's comments. There is nothing to suggest now or in the past, that Paulie will make anyone uncomfortable. Part of his job is to help Abreu get MORE comfortable.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:46 PM) Please tell me that this was a joke. It was sarcastic. Anyone complaining about how this shows the Sox don't want to win or all the other stuff, need to consider that the player whose spot Paulie is taking would eventually, if not immediatley, be considered a waste of a roster spot.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:10 PM) No, it's a win in 2015 and 2016 and maybe now move. Sammy Ayala, our only legit upside C in the system, is at least that far away, if he ever makes it at all. Next year's catching FA's are even less thrilling as a group. We must make a trade for C, and the current options all have many fleas. Apparently the Sox weren't the only team that thought that money for Salty wasn't such a good idea. The guy wound up in Miami. Keep that in mind. Miami. Loria.

Paulie is getting the Jason Giambi with the Indians role. It's already been defined. Check out his and Hahn's comments. What a wasted roster spot. The Sox could have picked up a guy like Jayson Nix or Tyler Greene and won a ton more games. Anyone who gives Greg crap about AJ and it's supposed lack of effect on being a good or bad team should be suspended for complaining about this move.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 12:34 PM) I'd say this is clearly false because it forces Alexei Ramirez to play every game for the first 5 months of the season since we can't carry a backup IF other than Keppinger. Hyperbole. It's December 4th. Leury Garcia and/or the guy the got from the Astros, Jake Elmore or another guy who can play SS will clearly be on the roster when Opening Day arrives.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 10:31 AM) Yup? Like, yup, gonna happen? Or, yup, hope it happens? I think if they have had the chance to trade Dunn at a price they were comfortable with, Konerko coming back or retiring really would have little bearing on whether or not to pull the trigger.

Again, it's the 25th roster spot. If signing AJ supposedly only gets you 2 wins, bringing back Paulie instead of Jordan Danks or some other minor league fodder is probably even less if Paulie isn't any better. There is really no need to be upset.

I also agree with Marty when he said if Konerko realizes he can't play, he probably won't wait until the end of the season to hang em up.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:13 AM) I am surprised Konerko came back. With Abreu in the fold, and Dunn still around, he has to know that PT will be fleeting, especially if his problems the last couple of years weren't just because of injury. My thought is I wonder if Paulie is looking at this as a chance to work in more of a "coaching" role to see if he likes the idea of doing this type of a job in the future. It has to be in the back of his head knowing that Kenny wanted to hire him as a manager. I would think his coming back, considering the roster crunch, considering the current state of the team, shows he thinks his problems were at least mostly injury-related.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:09 AM) That looks right. But I have a feeling Keppinger or Gillaspie are gone. You can't go into the season without a 4th OF. They play a lot more than a few innings. Garcia can play the OF. And in a pinch, Dunn can play the OF for a little bit (I am stretching the meaning of can). I don't think, if the roster stands as is position-wise, you can have a guy that is strickly an OF on the bench.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:04 AM) This really does mess with the bench. I'd assume we're stuck with Keppinger, but he can't play SS, which means there is no backup shortstop unless Garcia is on the team. Seems at this point that either Keppinger is traded/released, or he learns to play SS. Or maybe, just maybe, they go with a 5 man bench and 6 man bullpen. I suppose that is possible. If they do, then it can work. What else am I missing? Is there some way to make the bench work otherwise? My instinct here is, there are a number of moves coming soon. Almost has to be the case. I think it would mean someone like the guy they claimed on waivers from Houston has a shot. I think Konerko gets Jordan Danks spot. You can plug infielders into the OF for a few innings if needed, but not the other way around. L Garcia basically has the team made if Hahn doesn't clear the 1b/DH logjam.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:02 AM) I think we need to make some trade. Whether we dump Dunn or Keppinger, although Dunn would be hard to do... just something. How about Keppinger for the TB catcher?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 08:48 AM) If Konerko wasn't back I'd have said I'd prefer the Granderson option if he was at a contract I liked, but any chance for him to get PA's rotating positions to the DH spot just evaporated. Unless someone is moved. I am surprised he came back. I thought for sure he would call it a career. What would be interesting is if Paulie physically came back better than last year and started hitting again. It's not like he's 45, and before his wrist surgery, he was hitting around .400. Last year he obviously was hurting when Dunn was playing first all those games early. Obviously, chances of broken down 37 year olds returning to form aren't as good as broken down 27 year olds, but maybe Paulie has something left. He apparently thinks so. Also, perhaps the Sox mapped out their plan to him. I would think coming back to a team destined to lose a ton of games isn't so desirable. For some reason, I think the Sox may try to sign Choo.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 11:11 PM) Entertaining Iowa nd game. Excited for the isu game. The difference between Fran and Lickliter is incredible. Iowa can score a ton. Players like to score. I think he is going to start landing some big recruits in the next few years.