Dick Allen

QUOTE (Cali @ Jun 3, 2012 -> 02:00 AM) So I wouldn't be surprised if there's a Sunday lineup tomorrow strictly because everyone has been playing a lot during this good stretch, but at the same time I think losing 2 of 3 to the M's would hurt morale in the clubhouse. That and the fact that the bench is pretty awful all around. Ventura has already stated he's going with his regular line up for a while. Maybe extra innings will change that. I am a little concerned these bench players will not be able to contribute much when they do get another opportunity, but its not like they have contributed much up until now.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jun 3, 2012 -> 01:21 AM) This is going around the internet: You wouldn't believe how many people were booing because they thought that pitch was a little tight. It was a strike.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 09:57 PM) Well clearly he hasn't. Regardless 1.3 whip and under 3 era last year. Point stands. Clearly not hot garbage. Well, its my opinion he's not going to be a hot shot starter for very long. How's that?

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 08:41 PM) I don't understand the point you're trying to make, Dick. If it's that MLB and Bud and JR love Hawk, I am certain you are right. He's a great ambassador for the White Sox and the Game. He has a long relationship with JR, who happens to have a long relationship with Bud. That everyone wants Hawk to continue is beyond dispute. If the point you are making is that Selig was more concerned about the feelings of his umpires than of MLB looking bad as a result of poor umpiring, than you'll have a very difficult time convincing me of that. But hey, I wasn't there...I don't know. My point is Hawk can pop off about the umpires every game the rest of the year, and really all Bud can do is ask him to stop. JR wants him to stop, probably for different reasons than Bud. I suspect JR would think the umpires, although we all know they are above this, may hold a grudge. Bud doesn't want every PBP guy bashing the umpires, and maybe some of it is for umpire safety. I don't know how many MLB games you attend, but they show replays of all controversial plays on boards at every professional sporting event, except one. You will never see a replay of a close call on a board at an MLB park.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 08:31 PM) I'm not sure as to the formalities of his employment. That was the reason I originally stated "If" Hawk is an employee of the White Sox. I was assuming he was, as he travels with the team, has access to team facilities beyond the scope of his employment needs, etc. But you may be right; he may technically just be a member of CSN/WGN/WCIU and/or some kind of an "independent contractor" or something. That being the case, I am sure MLB and its Commissioner have other legal rights. They can also clearly exert certain pressures on JR to end Hawk's employment, and I am also sure they do have certain rights when it comes to their broadcasts. My guess is that simply by having purchased the contract to broadcast the White Sox games, CSN/WGN/WCIU cannot simply make any representations as to the product on the field without being liable for any repercussions. Whatever the options MLB and the Commissioner have, whether they be legal or otherwise, I am sure they can achieve the desired result. Trying crap like that would give them 100 times worse PR than Hawk's rant alledgedly was, and if Hawk and his employers fought it, he does have a contract, Bud would lose. But its much ado about nothing, as both Bud and JR love the Hawk and were never mad at him. In fact, one article I read but can't find said MLB was looking into a token suspension or some sort of minor discipline, but it was determined Hawk wasn't an employee of the White Sox so they had no authority. So they can't suspend him, but they can fire him. Makes no sense to me.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 08:30 PM) Man, everything you say always seems so condescending to me. What you expect with Illini in his name?

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 01:55 PM) Might want to check your facts, he was actually good last year too for a full season, and this is his first year starting, and he's been good there now too. Not sure what baseball sense that would make. 50 walks in 88 innings last year. If he goes back to that, he won't be a starter very long. The Cubs will be bad for at least 2 or 3 years, it would be a good time to dump him.

The delay could have been waiting for the pinch runner to be ready. Hopefully Morel is OK . Perhaps they see enough to conclude he's healthy and he's coming back to Chicago. The ODog needs a break.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 04:46 PM) Selig could end Hawk doing games if he wanted to, zero question. How? He can't even have Ryan Braun suspended for failing a drug test.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 07:53 PM) In the 6th? They didn't score that inning, although it was extended through Stewart and Santiago. But not stopping AJ's throw (in the 8th) turned out to be huge, because we could have had a tie game going into the bottom of the 8th instead of the 1 run deficit that Dayan tied up against Pryor. He also should have knocked down the double. Was the balk call legit? I was sitting a couple rows behind the Mariners on deck circle, you could hear Robing yelling the call was "bulls***".

I think we saw today why the ODog really isn't an option to play everyday at 3B if you want to win. I don't know what's going on with Floyd, but as little as I have always thought of him, he's been awful lately. Other than that, the team looks good. Obviously Crain had a bad outing, but its going to happen, and Reed was pretty hittable, but it was his second inning, even with a low pitch count, something he is not used to.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 02:05 PM) I think at the price, Fukudome was a decent gamble and looked good on paper. What has he done in a Sox uniform? Nothing. Jordan Danks isn't projected to be a starter in the big leagues any longer. He's at that age (almost 26) where he's played enough AAA baseball and he could be a valuable bench piece. De Aza has been great, but giving him a rest once every 10 days during the hot months would be a good thing, and that's where Danks can help. He can also go in on defense for Viciedo (who isn't bad, but Danks is better). Why is Danks an upgrade over Fukudome? The guy has a tough time making contact playing every day against weaker competition. I think he'd be hard-pressed to do anything playing as infrequently as Fukudome. Fukudome at least has done it before. Its best for Jordan and the Sox he not be called up to take Fukudome's place. If Fukudome were in AAA, he'd probably be hitting over .300 and the consensus would be to call him up.

De Aza to me is like a LH Ray Durham offensively. Maybe not quite as much pop, but pretty similar.

Trading a starting pitcher wouldn't be bright. Humber is still a question mark. Sale is going to be on some sort of innings count. When they say the White Sox are buyers, I think the 2 spots they would be looking for are 3B and starting pitcher, not necessarily in that order. Hopefully, Morel's problems were physical and he's over them. I think giving up anything of value for Youkilis would be a mistake.

If I was Theo, the guy I would trade is Smarjdkfdjfdk. He was hot garbage until this year. You could probably get a mint for him. He just seems like a short term wonder to me.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 09:53 AM) No, I think you're looking far too much into this. I think Bud ripped him a new one for going off on his umpires. Its one thing when White Sox fans hear it, its another when it becomes a national story and everyone hears it. And btw, we went through this whole song and dance earlier in the thread...Selig can discipline Hawk and/or fire him. Hawk is an employee of CSN/WGN, not of the White Sox, not of MLB. Selig cannot fire him. It would be like saying he can fire you from your job. If Selig was so pissed about this and had some authority, Hawk would at least get the weekend suspension BS. He and JR don't want him ripping umpires, and its not because Hawk is necessarily wrong.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 09:20 AM) So the umpires could feel better to the 224 listeners of the Mully and Hanley show? It seems like a bit of a stretch to make up this big conspiracy so that the umpires would feel better about the terrible call. No, MLB doesn't want a bad relationship with the umpires. If Selig doesn't talk to Hawk, the umpires are going to be upset. Do you really think Bud and JR read Hawk the riot act? First, there is nothing Selig can do to discipline Hawk. Do you really think JR disagrees with Hawk's view? Not a chance. He didn't even apologize and wasn't sure if he ever would. They want Hawk to lighten up on the umpires. Its nothing new. JR has been asking him to do this for at least 15 years. Its not as if he's in danger of losing his job. Its all show. There's a reason these private conversations became public.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 09:13 AM) He's a great defensive outfielder that can play all three positions. He's a left-handed bat who has a .400+ OBP and is actually hitting for some power. I know the strikeouts are a huge red flag and will ultimately hinder most of his value. However, the rest of his stats look great and let's not forget he has many physical tools that scouts love. I honestly believe that there are some teams out there that would think he was rushed to AAA and that maybe he's finally putting it together. He'd be a great fit for the Padres, as he'd be perfect for Petco defensively and they actually could roll the dice on him and not worry if he flops. Again, due his strikeouts and age his value will be minimal. Having said that, maybe you can convince a team to take him as a secondary piece over another prospect you like better. That right there is more valuable IMO than anything you'd add by replacing Fukudome with him. I doubt he has any more value than a throw in. He's a great defensive replacement, and might make a nice extra OF if he can hit at all, but the lack of contact. I didn't realize he's actually a month older than Beckham.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Jun 2, 2012 -> 12:35 AM) Apparently Beltran hit a line drive over 3rd base that was called foul but was actually fair. Oh well. Yeah, they showed the ball mark on the chalk.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Jun 1, 2012 -> 11:41 PM) No, they don't want problems with announcers going f***ing crazy out of line on umpires. They don't want announcers going off on every blown call and having their rant go viral, I'll give you that. The conversations Hawk had with JR and Bud though were just for show. If they were the "knockout" Hawk was telling everyone they were, he would have said he's not going to snap over umpires ever again and would have issued a public apology. He didn't apologize and said he couldn't guarantee it wouldn't happen again.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 1, 2012 -> 08:37 PM) That's the silliest thing you could possibly have said to defend him. He has every right to go out on the street and say whatever he wants. He doesn't have the right o make his owner look bad if his owner decides that's what happened. Do you really think they let Hawk have it? It was a PR move for the umpires. They probably told Hawk he's was absolutely correct, but they don't want problems with the umpires.

Winning a game by a CF taking one off his face. Something is going on here.

They aren't getting 3 off Reed tonight. This game is ova.

Reed looks like a young Hawk. Mercy.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 1, 2012 -> 09:50 PM) Beckham looking more and more dangerous each and every game, and at-bat. Could easily have 3 hits tonight if not for the great catch by Saunders in CF. Does anyone think this would have happened with Walker and Guillen still around? We'll never know, but doubtful. Considering it did, I'll say yes. 2009 Gordon was very good. He also was excellent the second half of 2010 before breaking his hand.