Dick Allen

HOFer. Only the 8th player ever and 3, ARod, Bonds and Sosa had some help. Thome has never been linked to the juice. An amazing accomplishment. Aaron, Ruth, Mays and Griffey the only others untainted to do it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 09:18 AM) Sadly Ozzie has won that battle statistically. He won the battle but we all lost the war. Not bringing back Thome in 2010 is going to go down as one of the most costly blunders in KW's reign, and perhaps White Sox history. If they brought Thome back last year, and he was willing to pay for peanuts, if he hit like he did in Minnesota, maybe the Sox take the division. Minnesota would have been hurting when Morneau went down without him. And if they kept Thome, chances are they don't ever offer Dunn the contract they offered him and they dodge that bullet. Whether is fair or not fair to hold someone other than Adam Dunn accountable for his lack of production after signing with the Sox, whether it was something that could be foreseen or not, and I don't think even the most pessimistic could see a drop of this magnitude, really doesn't matter.

Thome just hit #599. The Twins have the lead.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 12:31 PM) If Cowley gets in my grill a little bit if this turns out not to happen, I won't hold it against him. Actually Joe....I mean Marty, the guy that had this "scoop" and has had it for almost a year is your boy Phillip with the Tribune.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 14, 2011 -> 07:55 PM) TLR has 2 maybe 3 years left in him as a manager. If JR decides not to rebuild, TLR is the best option to get something out of this moribound bunch. Hahn is tasked with the rebuild after TLR and the big contracts are gone. I'd give it about 20 games before people would be wishing Ozzie was back if LaRussa managed the White Sox. Every game would be 3 hours plus. You would need about 4 loogys, and a real bad player, DeWayne Wise would probably be available, that LaRussa would absolutely adore and play way too much.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 14, 2011 -> 07:48 PM) Oh, I misunderstood...I thought you guys were talking about KW being President of Baseball Operations or something over Hahn as being the issue. I don't really get the impression that Hahn's strong point in the on-field stuff as much as the data and dollars stuff. I don't see him having any kind of a problem with LaRussa as his field manager. In fact, I don't really see any General Manager having a problem with Tony LaRussa as their field manager. I would imagine there are more current GMs who would have a problem with LaRussa as their managaer than those who wouldn't. As for the making KW a President or something like that, I fail to see what that accomplishes, except for putting a little money in his bank account, especially if he still would have a say in personnel decisions.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 14, 2011 -> 07:33 PM) Given JR's background with other executives, such as Krause, what would make you think that would not be possible? Sounds very similar to what the Indians did with Shapiro. Not saying I believe this, and certainly not saying he's stating anything other than the obvious with this (this has all been rumored previously), but I don't think it makes him full of s***, per se. Krause would be in a position of authority. Who did the Bulls hire below Krause after Krause was hired where he had no say? Rick Hahn rookie GM as Tony's boss would be a joke. You might as well save money and let Tony do both jobs.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 14, 2011 -> 07:33 PM) Take it FWIW, Dick. It absolutely might not happen, but the reason you give for not believing it is weak. Guillen was "forced" on Williams in 2004. No he wasn't, and Williams on his own extended Manuel before 2004. You do not hire a new GM and then tell him some other guy who is close to the owner and has 30 plus years in the game is going to be the manager. That makes the GM position beyond weak. It would never happen. Ever. I do think the fact that no one on the coaching staff has been extended does make it look like its do or die for either Guillen, Williams and the coaches or for all of them, but your scenerio is not going to happen. If they cleaned house, no new GM with any self respect would take a job where they had no say in the manager hire. Either way, I really think Tony LaRussa managing the White Sox again, even if Hahn if he where hired, or Williams if he stuck around really wanted him, isn't going to happen.

Real nice game today. It was finally a lot of fun to be at USCF.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 14, 2011 -> 07:11 PM) A little more background about my conversation, my guy used the word "brilliant" to describe Hahn. He's not thrilled with the idea of TLR replacing Guillen, but it kind of sounded like Williams and Guillen's fate are tied to one another. So they will make Hahn the GM and force a manager on him. That is brilliant, and BS. Find a new "guy". Yours is full of s***.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 13, 2011 -> 09:06 AM) It figures. Hopefully he stays gone. I hope he comes back. Anything tying up that much Cubs money for those results is fine by me. I do have the feeling the Big Z is eventually going to wind up with Ozzie, with that team paying him about minimum, wherever that may be.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 07:42 AM) What's he going to do with him. Hollywood said the contracts are "his problem, not Ozzie's or Jerry's." Very big of Hollywood, but what he neglected to say was that those contracts remain on Ozzie's 25-man roster and Jerry is obligated to pay them. Pay not play, thats Ozzie Einstein's call putting him in the 4 spot. Finally he moves him down and the team starts scoring some runs. Go figure. Its a very telling sign of where Adam Dunn's head is at when he runs harder to first base after drawing a walk, than he does when he hits a grounder to the second baseman playing in short RF.

I do think if they would have moved Dunn out of the clean up spot or 3 hole sooner, even if they kept him in the line up, they would probably have at least a couple more victories.

They do have an option this year they didn't in the past. You don't have to buy the World Series tickets until they clinch a playoff berth.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 10, 2011 -> 08:01 PM) No I wouldn't send him out next inning then. Especially after the long top half.

That last pitch I'm sure Paulie thinks he should have hit into the seats.

Its a lot easier to score some runs when you don't have automatic outs scattered all throughout the line up.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ Aug 10, 2011 -> 07:54 PM) This team is playing some inspired baseball now. Once we come back and win this division, Ozzie has to be a candidate for MOY. Good evening Oney.

Don't stop now boys

How many more times does Hawk have to indirectly jab Ozzie about Morel's playing time before Oney can't keep it inside himself anymore?

If the booing bothers the player so much he can't perform, he isn't worth major league minimum anyway and should be looking for another line of work. People don't boo until either you just don't try or have sucked for more than a little while.

Don't stop now boys.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 7, 2011 -> 09:08 PM) AA is easily my favorite GM right now. He gets great young cost-controlled talent by buying low. Guys like Escobar and Rasmus aren't huge gambles because they're cheap to begin with. If they fail, then so be it, you didn't spend a fortune. But if they succeed, then your net return is so much greater than acquiring a guy making $10+ million by trade or signing said player. In addition, guys like Escobar and Rasmus have shown that they can play at a high level before. They're not prospects, they were guys who had off years due to circumstances out of their control (in this case, it was their managers having a problem with them). A change in environment can mean a lot for a young player who doesn't get along with the man in charge and it's not like you lose your ability to play baseball in your mid 20s. It would be interesting to see how he would operate if he were running a team that had expectations to win.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 7, 2011 -> 02:11 PM) More than likely Ozzie wanted Lillibridge to move the runner over. Lillibridge chose to bunt. Yeah Joe, Ozzie is a genius and never makes mistakes.

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Aug 7, 2011 -> 02:10 PM) Would help if rios could salvage some his season What would really help although I doubt it really is possible, would be for Rios to play well enough that another team would take his contract.