Dick Allen

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 12:59 PM) The middle infield next year will more than likely be Beckham/Semien with Gillaspie as part of a platoon at third. Garcia will take one outfield spot, so that leaves an outfield spot and 1B as the other places to upgrade offensively. I'd rather take on a contract than sign a free-agent as I think the few guys who are on the market this year will get grossly overpaid. Dumb organizations trade for Andre Ethier. Andre Ethier will not be on the White Sox next playoff team. Besides, LF with power are easy to find. You have always told us so, and the Sox need to maximize Viciedo so they must mov ehim to RF. I' m sure you have several better candidates than Ethier to take over LF.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 12:14 PM) The Yankees are going to move to void the contract once he is suspended. MLB is opening the door to this by suspending him for something other than PEDs. I read that it was a possibility but not likely. Most likely ultimately is a buyout, but ARod might not want that either. I think the Yankees just want ARod and this situation to go away ASAP, so they may just release him and pay him what they owe him starting in 2015 if ARod won't negotiate a settlement.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 4, 2013 -> 12:27 PM) I think Rienzo works faster than Buehrle. It is one thing I think the Sox should emphasize on the lower levels. I think working quickly not only helps the pitchers keep a nice pace, and keeps fielders on their toes, I think it really disrupts hitters.

I don't think A Rod will play again unless he pulls a Jose Canseco, but he is going to get paid, by the Yankees and/or their insurance provider. I think if he won't retire after he has served his suspension, that is when things are really going to get nasty. And why would he forfeit the cash? If ARod was available for the minimum for the 2015 season, does anyone think a team would give him a chance? I used to think absolutely, now I think it would be way too big of a distraction. Maybe the Marlins because they still may need that type of distraction, but not a team that is any good. And would he want to play for an awful team at 40 years old for the same money he would get laying by his pool sucking back a margurita?

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 03:14 PM) The White Sox have requested waivers of Dewayne Wise for the purpose of granting his unconditional release, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Wise appeared in 30 games for the White Sox this season, slashing .234/.258/.328 in April and May. The outfielder has been on the disabled list since June 2nd. Wise, a veteran of eleven big league seasons, owns a career slash line of .228/.264/.381 for the Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, Marlins, Blue Jays, Yankees, and White Sox. The 35-year-old re-signed with Chicago on a minor league deal back in November which marked his seventh minor league deal in three seasons. per MLBtraderumors.com Sunday will be Gonzales' final day on the Sox beat. I lalways liked his work. His head wasn't buried too far up the Sox ass.

QUOTE (Real @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 03:58 PM) ?? I said the exact opposite Is Ventura the reason the Sox won't win the pennant?

QUOTE (Real @ Aug 3, 2013 -> 03:54 PM) managers don't win pennants but they can be a factor in not winning them Yeah, a better manager and this team may win 100.

Phegley's stance looks like Quentin's when he was with the Sox. Quentin now stands straight up.

QUOTE (gatnom @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 03:33 PM) It took Paul Konerko a long time to get where he was the past few years, and I don't think he started anywhere near where Garcia is. I'm not saying he can't or won't dramatically improve in this area, but I'm not sold on him being some instant all star caliber player that a lot around here seem to think he is. Value-wise he is a fine center piece for a Peavy deal, no doubt. I'm just not his biggest fan, personally. Konerko was the #2 prospect in all of baseball entering the 1998 season. His age 21 season in AAA was stellar. It was in the PCL so the numbers are inflated a bit but 37 homers .327 avg over 1.000 OPS is quite impressive from a 21 year old.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 03:04 PM) No I think AJ is a terrible idea. We've committed to playing young guys there, we should play the young guys. Phegley should be the starter. Flowers, I dunno, he's still actually not a terrible backup option and still has plenty of room to improve, but the downside is that he hits from the same side of the plate as Phegley. A LH hitting catcher who is actually a backup could be a reasonable addition though. If they're going to bring in a veteran, fine, there is plenty of room to upgrade the bench and we could benefit a lot if we had bench players we wanted to play. But we need to stop signing guys like Wise and Kotsay who no one in their right mind wants to give playing time to. If we're signing a grindy veteran player, fine...just make sure they can at least hit well enough that we put them in the lineup every so often. If no one wants to give Kotsay playing time, how come he's still playing 3 years after he left the White Sox? Guys like Kotsay and Wise are fine on winning teams in limited roles.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 01:11 PM) You did not answer the question. You are just being ridiculous. What proof do you have that he is as talented and sought-after as you think and the only reason he isn't running a team is because he wants to spend time with his family? You didn't answer that when I asked. You like Keith Law, I do not. Let's just leave it at that. Every claim you can make that I have no idea what I'm saying, I can throw right back at you. So this is all pointless.

The White Sox don't get on base very often. Getting the team's overall OBP to a respectable level is going to take a long time considering they really don't have many if any high OBP guys on their roster or in their system, and when guys do get called up, they unfortunately tend to struggle initially. The best way to offset low OBP is with power. Power and pitching (with defense being an extension of pitching) will win.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 12:19 PM) He just discussed how Ventura handles players. That part's probably fine. But his use of personnel and strategic decisions are not so fine. Ventura is Williams' guy. Hahn is supposed to be a more modern baseball guy - needs his manager and coaching staff sans legacies. If all this experience is a prerequisite, how would you have any idea what anyone is doing wrong? I take it you have zero experience in a major league dugout.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:48 AM) How do you know this? What information do you have that no one else does? Better sources than the sources that told you Alex Rios was worth something in trade.

He works fast. I like guys who work fast.

Here's some comments he made about Robin. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,6745078.story

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:36 AM) Still is. The prior manager had these problems late in his career when he tired of his job. The current manager was brought in after a 10 year absence from MLB and are the result of lack of skill and experience, and don't indicate an organizational issue (other than hiring him in the first place). If is lack of skill and experience is the problem this year, how do you explain last season?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:35 AM) I don't believe this to be true. I am guessing he is getting close to $500k a year or more working for ESPN, while he would make considerably less doing the same amount of work, or a similar or greater amount of money while working way more hours for an MLB team. At the end of the day, there wouldn't be enough difference in talent between the "top" choice (Law) and the second best choice to justify the financial cost it would take to make up the difference. And, due to his contract with ESPN, I doubt he can even be a senior advisor to a team. I can guarantee you he is making nowhere near $500k from ESPN.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:55 AM) your initial point was that, "if Law was so good, why didn't he have offers?" And he did have offers. Then it was "well if he has offers, why did he turn them down to be with his family?" To be with his family. "But he must not be good enough if he is spending time with his family." It's an 80 hour week. "So if they work 80 hours, he must not be good enough." 40 hours vs 80 hours. "You made my point." WHAT?!?! Rest assured, if Keith Law knew all the answers , he would be an employee of a MLB team whether you choose to believe so or not. He's just another guy with an opinion, and his track record is no better than anyone else in a similair position.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:43 AM) For the love of god, yes. That doesn't change the fact that Keith Law is a skilled talent evaluator. I also don't understand why you're driving this "if he's as great as he thinks" angle. I am great at my job, and I work 40 hours a week at it. If I worked 80, I'd be better. I don't need to work 80 and I don't want to work 80 because I value my personal time. Why can't Keith Law do the same? I suspect that wasn't the real reason Law decided not to continue his quest. I'm pretty sure he knew the time commitment from the get go. But you said if you worked 80 you would be better, and I'm sure every team has guys who work that, so you are admitting Law, doing what he is doing, is not as good as any current team's evaluators. You made my point. Thank you.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:00 AM) Many of you need to read the new thread I created about Rick Hahn on with Spiegel and Finfer this morning. Those of you that want free agents this offseason are going to be disappointed. Many will be spent on the draft and on the international market. Maybe a free agent here and there. 2014 is a wash. There is a limit on what they can spend on the draft and international free agents. Assuming the Sox payroll makes them break even, with the extra $25 million from a new TV contract, and with Thornton, Crain, Peavy, Floyd, Konerko off the books, or $1 million for Paulie, there still is plenty of cash left over after maxing out on the young guys.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:34 AM) I wouldn't dare make that claim, I'm not qualified to judge either way. You're the only one that's trying to tell us how Keith Law compares to ML scouts. I haven't interviewed him for a job -- have you? All I said is if he was as great as he thinks, he would be working for a MLB team. You said the 80 hour a week thing made him walk away. If that is true, the guys working the 80 hour weeks should have a more informed opinion, correct?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:25 AM) If you're asking me if he's the best talent evaluator in America, I would say that no one thinks that. But if you're implying that the fact he does not work for an MLB team is sufficient proof that he doesn't have the talent to work for an MLB team, you are wrong. If you think writing a blog and doing a chat on ESPN.com shows he has the talent to work for a MLB team, you're wrong. I don't think anyone should get excited if Law says he likes a prospect, and they shouldn't get too upset if he says they will bust.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 10:00 AM) This is absolutely not a valid argument. Working for a team and working in the media are drastically different lifestyles and it it not at all unreasonable to want to be ESPN's Keith Law rather than an anonymous member of the Astros working 80 hours a week. If that job requires 80 hours a week, how could his opinion be informed when he's not working anywhere near that? Are there specifics examples over the years of Law's opinion being superior ? And if his opinions were superior working whatever he was working, I'm sure a team would offer him a job paying him more money, working the same amount of hours he's working now, for exclusive rights to those opinions.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 09:54 AM) He was completely wrong on Sale and now brushes it off saying he is going to break down soon due to his arm action, which is why he didn't like him in the first place. That brings me to my original point nicely though, he seems to put a high emphasis on a clean pitcher's delivery, for example, when the Sox obviously do not. Poreda, Sale, and Danish are the first few examples that jump into my head. Sox also seem to value athletic ability quite a bit, where he prefers more pure baseball skills. Etc etc The problem is, even guys with "clean" deliveries get hurt. Pitching to me is like smoking. We all know it's bad for you, and pitching is bad for your arm, shoulder, elbow. Some people smoke all day everyday until they are 95 and die in a car accident. Some get sick and die from it in their 40's. It's easy to project Sale eventually getting hurt. I've done it myself. But really you could say that about any pitcher.