Dick Allen

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ May 8, 2012 -> 12:46 AM) It's an annual May tradition: Consecutive inter-divisional series give-away games that result in free fall into Division irrelevance? CHECK. Obvious qualified closer candidate that is more than capable but remains unused until later in the season when he proves to be the best choice all along? CHECK. Inability to execute basic fundamental baseball resulting in opponent momentum and shattered Sox player's confidence? CHECK. Late-inning pressure Matt Thornton choke-job? CHECK. 2 of the 3 hits off Thornton were of the very cheap variety. He was way closer to unlucky last night than bad.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 7, 2012 -> 03:07 PM) Bet the Sox score one run and get two guys on for Beckham to K or ground into a DP to end it. You have a shot at being pretty correct.

The kid did his job. I won't get too excited about his future yet, Stewart pitched a game or 2 like this last season, but now the Sox are fully loaded for game 2. Its an impressive debut.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 7, 2012 -> 02:54 PM) His problem was he didn't get enough AB's in the minors. Yeah, he's only had 2800 minor league plate appearances. 3200 and he's in the All Star game every year.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 7, 2012 -> 02:44 PM) Apparently KW's man-crush on Quintana may be warranted. I wouldn't go that far, but he did do his job today and saved the bullpen from disaster while keeping the Sox within striking distance. The line up is filled with too many out makers.

Meat.

The new and improved Alex Rios has his OPS down around Juan Pierre as a White Sox range.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 7, 2012 -> 02:09 PM) Lillibridge should at least swing at strikes Against RHP, he will swing at sliders 2 or 3 feet off the plate.

Nice job that inning.

This game is not out of reach for as bad as its been.

QUOTE (TitoMB @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:50 PM) So what is Humber's ERA minus the perfect game? 10+? 10.31

On non perfect game days, opponents are hitting .329 against Humber.

6.51 ERA for Humber. Considering where we are in the schedule and he has a perfect game under his belt, that's hard to do. This guy may wind up waived before long.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:34 PM) 1/8 of a season at rookie ball and 1/4 of a season at low A after being drafted, one full season at high A, 1/2 season at AA, 1/2 season at AAA before being moved into starting in the big leagues. Danny Valencia was drafted at the same age and got almost 1.5x as many minor league PA's as Morel before coming up, just as a "prospect philosophy comparison". The evidence so far indicates Morel sucks, but he needs a good week and many opinions will change. I don't think he's as good as last September, and he's certainly not as bad as he's shown so far in 2012, but will he be good enough to play regularly?

QUOTE (Jake @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:31 PM) I don't know if VERY aggressively is the right way to put it. Let's face it, he's had much more time than most players to prove himself at this level. He has to bat over .220 to keep his spot and he's just not doing it. Send him down to AAA, if we don't have an everyday third baseman somewhere down the line and he puts up good AAA numbers, he can have another crack. Something has to give pretty soon. He can't keep playing if he continues to look like he's been looking. The problem is the alternative may be worse.

Anyone see Michael Phelps on 60 Minutes last night? He said he was depressed for a period and used to wake up at 11 o'clock in the afternoon.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:27 PM) It would be nice to use Lillibridge against LHP more. The way he's been used this year is just ridiculous, in my opinion. Hell, platoon him with De Aza. He did hit a lot of homers last year, but Lillibridge has never done anything else but strikeout a ton. I really don't understand the fascination with him. If Gordon Beckham put up the same numbers, people would be calling for his head even more than they do now.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:23 PM) Is there really an improvement to this team if Lillibridge replaces Morel? The small amount you might gain offensively with a little more speed, you lose defensively. Its a wash at best. The Sox have to see if Morel can play everyday. They know Lillibridge cannot.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:22 PM) Brent putting some good swings on the ball, but strikes out looking . Last season with the HR was a fluke. He's a glorified pinch runner. He strikes out as often per AB as Adam Dunn.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 7, 2012 -> 01:19 PM) Fire Kenny! Makes you wonder why they even bothered with Juan Pierre.

De Aza is showing his performance last season was no fluke. He's a pretty good hitter.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ May 7, 2012 -> 12:59 PM) Well we don't get the perfect game Phil Humber today. Aside from the perfect game, Humber has looked like a waiver claim this year.

QUOTE (jeffro2525 @ May 7, 2012 -> 12:40 PM) Strike two to Dunn was bogus. At least he kept his streak alive and has now doubled the previous record to begin the season.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 7, 2012 -> 11:40 AM) How deep is the Rays' starting rotation, vis a vis the White Sox? How deep is their minor league system, vis a vis the White Sox? Where are they in the standings? Whatever they're doing, it's seeming to work, since they've been in the playoffs year after year after year in the toughest division in MLB. Their major league rotation isn't going to suffer as a result because they have the depth to cover it up or make a trade. What team's going to give us another Chris Sale for $12 million worth in commitment to Matt Thornton? Not likely. Whereas the Rays still have the ability to trade Wade Davis and get a nice return because everyone knows he doesn't have the structural/mechanical flaws. Then they should have traded him correct? The second he moved to the bullpen his value plummeted. You have taught me well. I must say I am just shocked you don't believe Don Cooper can develop a #5 starter in the next couple of seasons. And just so you know, every team knew about Sale's potential issues. Its the only reason the Sox had a chance to draft him. Also, since the Sox had the #5 starter instead of Sale yesterday, for that game to be a win, Sale would have had to thrown a shutout. Highly unlikely. There's one start the Sox are better off he's in the bullpen.

It is funny Texas and Tampa were brought up as 2 examples of how to build a bullpen considering each has down something that is supposedly taboo to Soxtalk. Feliz was the closer for Texas when he should have been stretching out his arm in AAA to start, and Tampa has made the curious decision to move Wade Davis, once a top 40 prospect peaking at #17, which I believe is higher than Sale ever peaked, from the rotation to the bullpen thus killing his value.