Dick Allen

Maybe this guy is like Wimpy and blooming late. If he hits anywhere near what he did in 2012, I'm sure everyone will be happy. If he plays like a guy who gets non tendered, like he was in 2011, I'm sure he will be hated.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 08:35 AM) Dick Allen, the defender of lost causes... No lost cause, your post that JJ Putz would be quoted saying nice things in an article about AJ because he is afraid AJ will come back after him is garbage and you know it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 08:23 AM) Plus if he really is that big of a asshole, he'd be the type of person you'd say nice stuff about publicly, just so you don't become one of his targets. BS. Who has AJ ever targeted publicly? He was the target of a coward in SF who wouldn't use his name. Even when Barrett punched him, he didn't fight back.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 08:17 AM) You notice these are comments from players who have limited time with him. There are always a few guys who get along with everyone for a night out. The fact that players need to go out of their way to defend him says alot. He's a really good player and they want him on their side. Putz was with AZ when he said it, so I don't understand why he would say anything if he just hated the guy. David Ortiz loves him and has known him since the minor leagues. I've seen him out with Paulie and Jermaine Dye, they played with him for years. Maybe you or someone you know had a bad experience with him. It doesn't mean everyone hates him. He plays in a matter that agitates the opponent. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I've never met him and maybe I would hate him if I knew him, but there are plenty of people who do apparently like him and liked having him as a teammate.

Greinke is married to a former Cowboys cheerleader. Maybe she is pushing for Texas.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 07:36 AM) 2013-$10m 2014-$16m 2015-$22m 2016-$22m 2017-$22m 2018-$22m or $4m buyout. That means at least $96 million over 5 years. It doesn't make sense for the White Sox either. Looks like Loria's original plan was to hold on to him for one more season.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 08:03 AM) Jake Peavy ‏@JakePeavy_44 “@thereezmeister: What do u think about AJ possibly signing with the Yankees?” Wish him well if that's the case! The Yankees can't get Keppinger or Chavez. I wonder if they are even willing to pay AJ what he made in 2012. His has been the most quiet market. And now the Yankees are rumored to have offered Youk $12 million for 1 year.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 07:52 AM) PTATC; as others here have expressed I really appreciated your knowledge of injuries, rehab, etc. You seem to have some inside knowledge of players as well and I'm just wondering if you actually treat Sox players in your practice, or do you have friends within the Sox organization who share with you some of the personalities involved. The AJ hatred is overblown. I've seen AJ out on the town with teammates several times. In the same SI article I am posting Adam Dunn said he is no more a d--- than anyone else. Here's what JJ Putz had to say: Playing against him for so long, he was probably one of my least liked guys," said Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz, of his mindset prior to signing with the White Sox for the 2010 season. "Then my locker was right next to his, and after that he became one of my favorite teammates ever. He's not a baby, but just a guy who is so passionate that he doesn't hold anything back. Until you play with him, you have a misperception of what he is."

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 05:14 AM) How does Upton solve the problem of having a lineup that is too right handed? That contract will be expensive in 2014 and 2015, at over $14 million per year. Then you still don't have a true center fielder. De Aza wants to be moved to LF, and probably should be. He'd be a nice piece, but would you really want to give up a lot to get him? Wouldn't mind a LH hitter, but I'll take am Upton over the supposed balance any day. I would rather have a good righty than a mediocre lefty just for balance.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 08:38 PM) My other friend also said the 5 year guys is probably Greinke. No thanks, not with that kind numbers being thrown around his name. No chance

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 08:24 PM) In reference to this post... Someone I follow on twitter said Heyman was on MLB Networks and said: White Sox tossing around "pie in the sky" ideas. "somebody that they've loved for 5 years" Also he just tossed Justin Upton's name into the White Sox possibility bin. Don't know if that's based on anything but he said it. Can anyone vouch? I have no doubt if they haven't made arun at Upton, they have considered it, but I heard Heyman on TV and he was speaking in generalities. He never mentioned Upton , did say they were throwing ideas around and wondering if there was someone they have longed for 5 years they could make a run it. It was not a specific player.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 07:33 PM) I have it on pretty good authority that Alvarez will coach the Rose Bowl and there will be a press announcement tomorrow. Espn.com has had it for a while.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 07:17 PM) Don't you think he'll be fine coming off the surgery? Most pitchers come back from that now, don't they? He was not very good in 2011 and has not retired anyone in over a year. I would imagine his workload will be monitored early. Joe Nathan took a little while to come back.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 07:10 PM) This thread begs the question of "what do the Sox need the most?" I would say it's not just in acquiring bodies. This is what we need the most in order to be a team that could finish 20 games over .500. Because of Flowers' great arm I won't say the Sox's biggest need is catcher. 1.) we need a third baseman who can hit and is able to field better than Youk, who was no Brent Morel with the glove. 2.) We need Floyd and Danks to be healthy all year long. The re-signing of Peavy means we do not have to acquire another starter if my first sentence comes true. 3.) We need Viciedo to emerge as a special hitter while repeating the year he had with the glove. We won't win anything with him being the Viciedo of last year. 4.) We need a reliable righthanded reliever, somebody named Joaquim Soria, although I realize that ship has sailed. Somebody just like Soria. Gotta get one. We also could use a reliever NOT NAMED Crain and Thornton, to become RELIABLE. 5.) We need Beckham to hit better. There are too many nights our big boppers have pop-up-itis or strikeout itis. We just have to have a decent hitting second baseman to be legitimate contenders. Those are my list of needs for the team. I think they are fair. Greg I really have no idea how you can call Soria reliable at this point.

I wonder if ultimately BB just overplayed his hand. College coaches often use offers from other schools to get a new deal where they are at. Maybe he or his agent thought Wisconsin would never let a guy with 3 straight Rose Bowl teams go, and they would bump him up a bit.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 06:25 PM) Has Granderson's name been mentioned anywhere around here? I could see him come in and Rios go out. Sell high, buy semi low. Curtis's avg. was horrible though... His defense has slipped as well. I think the Yankees are moving him to LF.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 02:34 PM) I don't understand why you think I'm arguing that. Once again, someone asked why people think he's a sub-par defender, and I said it's because he has a -17.7 career UZR. That's the answer. You're right that we can't transfer that data over to third and know for sure, and I feel like I've said that in every post I've made. But, if an infielder is bad at a blend of 2B/SS/3B, I would argue it's more likely he's bad at 3B than it is that he's good at 3B. If you disagree, that's fine -- we really don't know. His metrics at 3B were also pretty bad until last year. I'm sure the Sox will take average.

Heyman tweets Chavez to the D Backs.

QUOTE (Jason82807 @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 01:21 PM) I agree, short term as well. I believe that with the new Sox ticket pricing structure, ticket revenue will be roughly the same as last year, but concessions/merchandise revenue will increase in the short term, and TV and billboard advertising revenue will increase in the long term. The other thing you have is when people see the park relatively full on television, they are far more likely to buy tickets. A good percentage of the population are sheep.

Looking at his splits, Youk's agent did his client a big disservice if there was little difference in the offers by not insisting he play half his games at USCF. He was awful on the road last year.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 5, 2012 -> 12:36 PM) Just pure speculation... I wonder of the Sox plan to trade Beckham, and maybe Floyd or another pitcher, to get a 3B? And play Keppinger at 2b? I was thinking this as well. I assume he was signed to play 3B, but maybe not.

Hahn was mentioning balance the other day. Keppinger hardly ever strikes out. 2 hole sounds like a spot for him. He has had a couple of decent years before, but not much power. He did go deep at a game I attended last summer.

I wonder if this closes the door on Youkilis. If it does, I bet he goes to Cleveland.

If he hits like last year, it's good. If he hits like he did most of his career, he's a back up.

Like was stated above, one of the studs goes down, chances are you aren't winning anyways. Trade Floyd, maybe BMac gets signed, probably not, but in a month or so, there will be a lot of guys in the bargain bin looking for jobs. There's a decent chance one of them is serviceable in cases your #4 or #5 can't handle it.