Dick Allen

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 12:54 PM) Please tell me you aren't arguing that playing Tekotte makes sense. I would have Wise in the line up myself. Maybe he's sick or something. If Wise were in the line up people would complain maybe even louder. Tekotte isn't any good, but it's not like Danks is any better at this stage. The legend of Jordan Danks around here is beyond incredible.

QUOTE (Cali @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 12:50 PM) It's funny that people are mad at Tekotte. He was on second base, that's scoring position, like those people ever move. All he did was get them out of the inning a few mins early but with the same amount of runs scored. Reliever comes in with runners on first and second and nobody out. 2 pitches later, he was out of the inning. You can't get through a half an inning that fast in strat o matic.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 12:46 PM) All line drives in the box score. It's contact and getting on base which is more than I can say for the majority of the lineup. And limited sample size ,I know, but I want a string of wins with some runs. Danks has also fanned 3 times in 7 AB. He's really not the answer. Maybe a good 4th or 5th OF some day, and really playing sporatically is something he will probably have to learn to do anyway. Odds are really against him being a regular player.

Does anyone have a list of teams who have bottomed out and then attained "sustained success" in a few seasons?

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 12:27 PM) Danks and Wise and Tekotte. Danks goes 2 for 4 since call up, Wise on opening day roster . Tekotte kills a rally with base running blunder. So yea of course he's starting. Keep in mind one of Danks' "hits" was a pop up to the pitcher.

QUOTE (Paint it Black @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 12:25 PM) Baseball Prospectus has a new series going where one of their prospect guys (Adam Sobsey) does reports from Triple A leagues east of the Mississippi http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article....articleid=20347 Yes, I know it's behind a paywall, but he had a good write up of a Jake Odorizzi start against Charlotte. But he discussed Jared Mitchell and his problems. I'm not going to post the entire 3 paragraphs (BP is wonderful and worth the money) but I thought this paragraph was good: Mitchell’s at-bats tend to run deep counts. He’s not just up there hacking, and he doesn't mind taking ball four. His 15.4 percent walk rate so far in 2013 is 21st in the league, and he has a history of getting on base via free passes. That would seem to indicate, perhaps, a mechanical problem, as though Mitchell knows what he wants to swing at but then can’t hit it when he gets it. But his manager, Joel Skinner, had a different take on it: “People key on the strikeout [pitch], but sometimes it’s the pitch before that he’s not playing. If he’s not playing that one, all of a sudden you’re later in the count.” As a consequence, Mitchell finds his plate appearances growing more fraught as he fails to take advantage of a better pitch to hit early in the count. This seems to be the same thing the White Sox have been stressing with Dunn.

QUOTE (Jake @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 11:39 AM) Yes, now that someone said the Bears would draft a WR, I have heard everything. Might as well take Matt Barkley Actually, they could use a burner.

What is funny to me is some of the same people who think Dunn should bat 9th or not play or think Ventura is stupid for batting him 4th, are some of the same people who always tried to make a case for him batting 3rd last year when he hit .191 the last 4 months. I think when some were giving out "grades" at the All Star break last year, Dunn was hitting .205 and someone graded him a B,and he was ripped to shreads saying Dunn deserved an A. Keep in mind, Adam is only 2 homers off his April total of last year. The guy certainly is no all star, but he cannot be as bad as he's been. He is somewhere in between. For those of us that want the White Sox to win, he is going to have to produce, there really is nothing else. For those who want to rebuild and want the White Sox to lose, instead of complaining when he strikes out 3 times and goes 0 fer, you should be doing cartwheels.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 10:18 AM) Well, I should be more specific. By "bad pitches" I don't mean balls vs. strikes, but rather including breaking balls that (at least) start out in the zone as opposed to exclusively fastballs in the zone. This philosophy strikes me as intuitively dumb, considering that pitchers throw breaking balls in the zone for the sole purpose of tricking hitters into swinging at them. Dunn is getting blown away by fastballs in the zone. He's really not getting killed swinging at breaking pitches. Hopefully it is correctable to the point where he can be useful.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 10:07 AM) I've always been a defender of him in the 3 hole, but now that Manto/Baines have convinced Dunn to swing at bad pitches, I'd rather have him batting 9th than anything. The advanced data suggests he's not swinging at many bad pitches, which might be even more troubling.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 08:43 AM) A good look at Conor http://www.southsidesox.com/2013/4/24/4259...conor-gillaspie Wow, only Rios, Gillaspie, and Konerkos swing at fewer pitches out of the strike zone thus far than Dunn. So the theory that Dunn was being too aggressive appears to be wrong as well. He's swinging at strikes, he's just not hitting them.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Apr 23, 2013 -> 10:55 PM) Thank goodness, I was hoping he couldn't be that clueless. Actually, you were hoping he could be that clueless. If you looked at the facts when it all happened, and I did lay them out for you, you could have easily seen what the truth was, but the ride on the White Sox manager knows less about baseball than a typical 4 year old bandwagon was going by and you couldn't help yourself but hop on.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 23, 2013 -> 06:14 PM) Yeah, they did the right thing even if they could have started at 9 or something. Looks like the Tigers/Royals are in a delay. I don't know why they're even trying. edit: they called it. 17 postponed games in the last 14 days. MLB has a record number of games postponed in April.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 23, 2013 -> 04:11 PM) I could be wrong, but by 8 tonight, we could be wondering why they didn't play. But I guess making more money later in the year is more important. I applaud the White Sox for calling the game early. It is a grwat swrvice to their fans, and considering make up games don't draw so well as far as walk ups, they aren't making more money later. Also considering the game tomorrow is in the afternoon, waiting out rain delays is probably the last thing either team wants to do. Also it being dog night, calling it early makes a lot of sense.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 23, 2013 -> 01:20 PM) I'd bat him eighth and be done with it the rest of the year. I think this is another "unwritten rule" of baseball, however. You can't embarrass the big slugger who traditionally hits fourth or fifth. I would bat him 7th or 8th until he showed he was worthy of moving back up in the order. He has hit a few balls well, something he did with even less frequency in 2011. If 2011 didn't happen, there is no way anyone would think he could possibly be this bad for an entire season. The Sox should keep playing him because their other options are no better. Just move him down and if he starts hitting, move him back.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 23, 2013 -> 07:36 AM) Hire Greg Walker! POTW

SLOWING DOWN Starting pitchers whose average speed has decreased most compared to April 2012 Pitcher '12 velocity '13 velocity Diff. 1. Jered Weaver 88.6 85.5 -3.1 2. CC Sabathia 91.8 89.6 -2.2 T-3. Zack Greinke 92.7 90.8 -1.9 T-3. Justin Verlander 93.8 91.9 -1.9 T-3. Jonathon Niese 91.1 89.2 -1.9 6. Matt Moore 94 92.2 -1.8 7. Philip Humber 91.1 89.4 -1.7 T-8. Mat Latos 92.6 91.1 -1.5 T-8. Clayton Richard 90.7 89.2 -1.5 T-10. Chris Sale 92.6 91.3 -1.3 T-10. Gio Gonzalez 93 91.7 -1.3 T-10. James McDonald 91.3 90 -1.3 T-10. Max Scherzer 93.7 92.4 -1.3

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 01:42 PM) It's absolutely stupid to assume there's a greater possibility he went on his own/missed a sign than being told to steal. Of course it's stupid to send him there, doesn't mean he didn't do it. We actually have to assume he was sent until we hear otherwise, as the manager makes the call on those things. Great move there, Dick. RV knows more about baseball! OK, can't question anything ever. Let's close down the message board. Here's the problem, that doesn't mean because you played the game you make the right move every time. He proved that last year on numerous occasions. Also, wasn't he runner on first yesterday Konerko? No s*** he didn't run, he would have been thrown out lefthanded. Use your head before you talk about the runner on first not moving. Just use your head. Both runners would have been moving if a steal was called, unless Konerko missed the sign. Konerko could have got a huge lead and jump. If there ever was a time he could have easily made it to second, that would be the time, and with a LH hitter up, the throw will almost always go to 3rd. The odds greatly favor Rios either misreading a sign or making the attempt on his own. But you want to complain about the manager, so you ignore logic.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 01:37 PM) So after the rebuild they were extremely profitable. What course of action do you recommend the Sox currently take? The approach they are taking now. They need to draft better obviously, and make better decisions signing Latin players. Paulie is off the books next year, then Dunn the next. They can sign some hitters. I see no reason to blow everything up and start at square one. Of course, I'm not a guy looking to complain about everything, so I may have a different view than others. I'd rather be sick of winning 85 games a year than be sick of winning 70. There is no way anyone can convince me the current White Sox crew is the crew you want directing you in a total rebuild anyway, and the current crew isn't going anywhere for a while. I don't understand how people complain about the Sox lack of talent in the lower levels, yet want the Sox to rebuild through the minor leagues. They haven't produced minor leaguers that could win 75 games in almost 20 years. Why would that suddenly change? If the Sox had done one thing differently, drafted Mike Trout instead of Mitchell, would the rebuilders still be crying about a rebuild?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 01:22 PM) Average teams that are veteran filled, underachieving, that almost nobody in the fanbase believes in 100%, with no interesting players or superstars and on the cusp of losing its last "franchise" player in Konerko... That's not a recipe for just a bad team, that's a recipe or formula for a team NOBODY cares about...and apathy is the worst possible result for management. If you're going to be average or below average, at least make the summer interesting SOMEHOW. The last time the White Sox totally rebuilt was after a woeful 1986 season. Please expand on how interesting baseball-wise the summers of 1987,1988 and 1989 were for Sox fans. They did finish the attendance race in the AL those years in 12th, 13th and 14th place out of 14 teams. It's also the last time members of the ownership group were issued cash calls.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 12:16 PM) False. To get back to 100% he needs to play in games, and he's refusing to do that even though he's cleared to play - not only cleared, it's recommended as the next step in the process by doctors. Everyone will remember this no matter what. You can't say "oh he's 100% now, good thing he took last year off." Makes no difference. Could have won something this year, but also would be closer to 100% next year had he played this year. Start the process. I agree with the process you are laying out, but if he plays some games over the summer and is 100% after some exhibition games, he's not going to get any flak. I agree he deserves a lot. He needs to finish his rehab, and he's refusing to do so.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 11:53 AM) Why would Rios run on his own, he knows who is up, he knows his teammates, he knows who is behind the plate (yes I know its Doumit not Mauer now). I would take Robin Ventura's baseball acumen over Alex Rios'. You want to blame Ventura, but again, the runner on first base did not run. Rios either went on his own or missed a sign.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 12:13 PM) It's possible, but to say it's more likely that's what happened than Ventura sending him is completely stupid. Even if it was just a green light for Rios to go if he felt it, that would be stupid enough. No it's not completely stupid. Robin Ventura knows more about baseball than you or me. To think he would send Rios in that situation is the stupid thing. The runner on first didn't move. I don't know, maybe they have a signal for the 3rd base coach that says, runner on 2nd, you steal, runner on first, hold your ground.

Rose still sitting at this point makes most a little perplexed, but let's face it, if he comes back next season at 100%, all will be forgiven, and everyone will say he did the right thing, the team wasn't going anywhere anyway, blah, blah blah....

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 22, 2013 -> 11:09 AM) If you have a bad veteran team, you trade the veterans to get prospects and free the salary to sign new players or put it into the farm system. It doesn't matter what market you play in. That's what you do. Nobody is going to the games anyway. At some point, they're going to be forced to take their medicine and take a step back in order to move forward. Right now, the Sox are stuck in the mud. They can't move. If you have a bad veteran team making a lot of money, other teams don't trade anything decent for that player or assume their contracts. If the Sox want to unload guys, really good prospects aren't coming back and they will have to pay some of the contract anyway. They have been bad for 2 weeks. The freaking out is absurd.