Dick Allen

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 23, 2013 -> 08:44 AM) And what does that tell you? That Alex Rios, while the best player on the team after Sale, doesn't have a huge following because of lingering doubts and anger dating back to the 2009 and 2011 seasons. That Gordon Beckham never became the franchise cornerstone he was touted to be when he was drafted. That Jake Peavy, while he has his fans and a big name and salary, was injured so often and has never been the Cy Young winning pitcher we remember from SD, so there's always a lingering sense of disappointment, even though he's worked his butt off to get back to where he is... Dunn...we know that story. Danks...same thing. Nobody wants to see him end up like a noose around the neck of the Sox payroll, but ALMOST everyone is concerned whether he can return to being the same pitcher he was before the surgery. And that AJ/Buerhle are gone and nobody has emerged to replace them as fan favorites. For now, the only position player with the POTENTIAL to do that and be around five years from now is Viciedo. As we keep saying, this team is lacking both an identity and a younger superstar. Sale is close, but you need a position player to build a franchise around because White Sox fans are so used to offensive fireworks at their home stadium...Carlos Quentin was the closest, but he was not the kind of player who was easy to love, either. You respected and feared him if you were the opponent...but he was always a bit too remote or distant for fans to embrace 100% except for 2008 when he was so good you couldn't help but marvel for 5 months. IMO, the problem is this team needs a new fanbase. White Sox fans are probably the biggest whiners in baseball. They just took 2 out of 3 against Boston who had 3 starters who were 15-1 on the season, and the White Soxhad to scratch their ace in the finale. Yet, people are complaining. There are many people on this board who whine when the Sox lose, but in their minds the solution is to lose games. So they aren't happy losing, but want to lose even more. This is not the NBA. One or 2 drafts don't change you overnight.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ May 23, 2013 -> 08:34 AM) Omogrosso has been **** all year. How can you possibly say that it's not poor managing to run him out there back to back innings in a one run game after he BARELY got out of the first one? I'm sorry but IMO that is terrible no matter how you look at it. Let Lindstrom or Jones work with the bases empty. Jones has been bad most of the year. Lindstrom has been bad recently. Veal has been horrible. Everyone complains when Thornton comes in. Crain and Reed weren't coming in there. There weren't many options, and what did Jones do last night that would make anyone think he would have been fine had he come in with the bases empty? This is just complaining to complain. It didn't matter. The Sox scored 2 runs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 23, 2013 -> 08:26 AM) The problem is NOBODY is advocating dumping an entire product line.New Coke would be the closest example, as it actually replaced the former. The only problem is that lasted about six months before they brought back the original. This isn't letting Robin Ventura go in the prime of his career, or the White Flag trade. Do you honestly think if Paul Konerko played out the season as a .220 hitter with 15 homers and 55 RBI's that ANY fans would not renew their season tickets next year because he wasn't coming back again? Nobody is clamoring for a return of Mark Buehrle or AJ Pierzynski. They just want a clear direction and plan they can believe in and get behind. In the end, the core product is Chris Sale...he has to be successful for the franchise to win anything in the next five years. Around that, you trim away the products that aren't getting a successful ROI (think Hostess going bankrupt and selling off individual brands)...and keep the best remaining ones (Viciedo, Quintana, Santiago) to build around. You leverage other assets (Ramirez/Peavy/Crain) to clear payroll space and bring young blood in to revitalize and re-energize. It's not like the White Sox would be closing their stadium for 3-5 years and disappearing from the face of the earth. The final member of the last product line (Konerko, following AJ and Buehrle) is becoming obsolete and needs to be replaced. While on this subject, despite his .215 average, at USCF, the guy who gets the biggest ovations and it's not even close, is Konerko.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ May 23, 2013 -> 08:23 AM) I understand that, but there is no reason for Omogrosso to be out there for back to back innings in a 1 run game with an off day following. That is poor managing no matter how you look at it. No it's not. The alternative was Jones and/or Veal. They were in the game last night and didn't exactly dazzle. Plus, Jones had been warming up on and off since the 4th inning. They probably got to the point where theye wanted to avoid using him last night.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ May 23, 2013 -> 07:51 AM) I know we won 2 out of 3 against the Red Sox, but yesterdays managing from RV had me downright furious. He basically gave Boston a free win. Hector goes out & puts up one gutsy performance on 3 days rest & keeps us in the ball game against Bucholz at 2-1. Thennnnnnnnn the 7th inning comes along. When I saw Omogrosso on the mound I immediately thought oh no, but then he escaped the 7th after allowing 2 hits & what I thought was a for sure hit back up the middle off the bat of Gomes. Bats stay cold against Bucholz in the bottom half. So after dodging a bullet in the top half of the 7th he trots OMOGROSSO BACK OUT THERE FOR THE 8th??? Thought for sure I was seeing things. He promptly goes on to load the bases up before RV goes & gets him, & then he brings in Jones in a bases loaded situation when the guy has struggled to find the zone consistently all year??? YIKES...He goes on to fall behind in the count to just about every single batter & they end up putting 2 more on the board. Never have been more upset with RVs decision making. He managed the bullpen like we were down by about 5 runs. You simply don't use Omogrosso in a one run game when your team is gaining momentum & looking to sweep a team...& you for damn sure don't use him for TWO innings...Heck trot Jones out there for the 7th & let him work with the bases empty, then trot Crain out there for the 8th.....but OMOGROSSO?.....FOR TWO INNINGS??.....& WITH AN OFF DAY FOLLOWING SO EVERYONE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THAT PEN?? Just couldn't believe it. /rant Is he supposed to use the same 2 or 3 guys every game? You can't manage every game like it's game 7 of the WS. Crain appeared the last 2 games. Do you want him to get hurt and miss the next 120? The Sox came up with 2 runs. They were destined to lose no matter what BO or NJ did. The Sox bullpen has been getting a workout lately. Sometimes you have to hope the last guys in there can get the job done. You can't wear everyone out by the beginning of June.

Santiago's last 28 innings, he has given up 28 hits 14 runs 9 walks 26 strikeouts 5 homers and has hit 4 guys. It is a small sample size and he may prove to be the multiple Cy Young award winner some here seem to project, but if Axelrod had the same line, it would be held against him. I am one who always thinks Axelrod is going to get smoked, but for now he is doing the job. I don't know how anyone could complain if he is the one they select. Santiago would only have himself to blame.

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ May 20, 2013 -> 08:36 PM) Scariest part is he doesn't seem to have much gap power. He's slugging .267 this year. He's young. He can get stronger. If he's the prospect the Sox thought he was, if he wants it bad enough to put in the work to get better and stronger, he still has plenty of time to be pretty good.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ May 20, 2013 -> 09:05 PM) Sanchez never made any sense to me. I don't think they would have brought him in had Greene already been acquired.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 20, 2013 -> 09:02 PM) Greene has a fairly negative UZR at every position that he's played more than 25 innings. Doesn't pass the eye test either. He has been pretty bad at 2nd. I just don't know what Sanchez really brings to the table. Greene can hit lefties.

Gomes got fat.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 20, 2013 -> 08:56 PM) Could be a factor in the decision to keep Greene or Sanchez as the backup infielder. Sanchez is a little better than Greene as a SS, but Greene is no stranger to that position, and everything I have read makes him average there, so for a back up who can hit lefties, Greene would be my choice.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ May 20, 2013 -> 08:47 PM) The holes in this lineup are miles deep... Tey have 6 runs in 5 innings vs a guy who has dominated the rest of the league this year. The bats are coming around.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 20, 2013 -> 08:45 PM) Gillaspie-Soptic Forgot about that one. Was Gillaspie technically a major leaguer when he was traded?

Keppinger has been hitting a little better lately. I wonder if there is anything with Beckham playing SS tonight other than to get hi some ABs.

Has Hahn made a major league trade as a GM yet? It might be a record.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ May 20, 2013 -> 03:56 PM) When is Beckham going to be back? He is playing SS tonight for Charlotte.

Initially I think Reinsdorf owned a very small percentage, but had all the power. I believe his stake has increased over the years. We probably will never know, but I have heard many investors have wanted to sell for years, but their requests were rejected by JR. He made them more money as the price of the franchise has skyrocketed. It has to be peaking here shortly, so if they were to sell, that would probably be the time.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 19, 2013 -> 03:28 PM) Seemed to me more them having him played poorly, way around the other way, than sleeping. Another missed cutoff man though. If you look at the replay, it was a lack of effort from Keppinger that caused the cutoff to be "missed." And it may have been a blessing. I wouldn't put the odds of Keppinger throwing him out at very good, so the guy would have had 3rd and the Angels would have had another out to play with.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 19, 2013 -> 08:41 AM) Sanchez was Rule V, so he has to be sent back to previous team if he's not on our 25 man. Also plays SS, switch hits, and has more potential to become a starting caliber player (unlikely he does that, though) He has to be offered back, but will they want him back, and if they do what really are the Sox losing? He is 29 years old, a little better tha Greene defensively, but Greene can at least hit LHP pretty well. Greene will probably go down so they have thwm both in case they need them, but losing either one most likely doesn't matter, and If I had to choose, I think Greene can help you more. If Greene were acquired before the rule 5 draft, I bet Sanchez would not have been selected.

As ridiculous as McCarver has been over the years, i think he has been really good today.

The Sox should be winning this game by a rather large amount right now.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ May 18, 2013 -> 04:36 PM) Hector will be lucky to go 5. He throws a lot of pitches.

QUOTE (Baron @ May 18, 2013 -> 04:29 PM) Alright I guess I better go buy lottery tickets. I could use a little spare change. Don't bother. I have it won. I'm totally due to win the lottery. I have never one won before.

You play with fire, eventually you get burned.

Sweet victory.