Dick Allen

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 6, 2011 -> 07:29 AM) How often does a May callup actually wind up affecting a pennant race? Probably at least as often as a team that opened with the Sox current record actually makes the playoffs. Its happened twice. In history.

QUOTE (chw42 @ May 5, 2011 -> 10:02 PM) One of those two was that 05 Houston team, who started 15-30. No, they were 12-20 through 32, then went real bad. Hawk mentions the 1983 Sox who were 14-26, but the point is, while all is not lost, the Sox have already dug themselves a hole in which very few have dug themselves out. The odds are already stacked against them.

There have been 91 teams in major league history to start the season 11-21. Five have finished over .500 and 2 have made the playoffs. The Sox have their work cut out for them. A bad roadtrip and it really might be over.

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 4, 2011 -> 08:58 PM) Well, I'm all in favor of bringing in Dave Martinez. And I think doing that now could pay dividends this season. I do worry about losing Cooper, although I don't want to argue this because I know you don't feel the same way. I'm really not anti Cooper, I just like to point out that when hitters don't perform Walker needs to go, but when pitchers don't perform Cooper gets zero blame. I'd like it to be more consistent.

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 4, 2011 -> 08:48 PM) Oh, so 38 games in would be a suitable sample size for whether a 4-year contract was wise? DA, I admit you make some valid points and I admit that just because a signing or acquisition seemed wise at the time doesn't negate results. And I am in agreement that the responsibility ultimately falls on the GM, regardless of what a player's history might have suggested at the time of the deal. As the old adage goes, better to trade a player a year early than a year late. Perhaps we have been acquiring some of these players a year late. But hindsight is 20/20, and the complete collapse of several players who have track records which would never suggest the performance we have seen is certainly not something that can just be completely ignored. The bigger concern to me is not who is to blame right now but rather why has this happened in the past and why does it continue to happen to us? Why have we had so many talented rosters not perform up to their potential, over a span of different managers, different clubhouses, against different competition, etc? What can be done to prevent this from happening again? I still believe there is too much talent on this team to not put together a prolonged stretch of very good baseball, but I am ultimately in agreement that some changes have to be made at the top. I just don't subscribe to the notion of criticism that implies that any of us could have seen this coming. That's why I said give it the season. Changing GMs or managers or coaches really isn't going to make a difference right now. At the end of the year, if the team was crap JR shouldn't decide which of KW or Ozzie to keep, he should get rid of them both, and take all the coaches with them. I would also imagine the KW/Ozzie relationship has a good chance of going sour if the losing continues, because fingers will be pointed, things will be said. I hope this works and still think there's a chance, but if it doesn't, I hope JR decides to try something else. These seasons are starting to seem like re-runs.

QUOTE (lostfan @ May 4, 2011 -> 05:27 PM) The last front office-type figure that I can recall being fired for subpar performance was fired because he got f***ing indicted, so that doesn't really count. Larry Himes got fired after he built a team that won 94 games with the lowest payroll in baseball.

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 4, 2011 -> 08:22 PM) You think 30 games is enough to declare the Dunn signing a mistake. That's really all I have to say. NIce try. You really need to read a little better. I wrote if he doesn't pick it up soon. If he doesn't this season is in jeapordy and the White Sox window may be closed. $14 million a year DH's on non contenders usually isn't a good idea.

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 4, 2011 -> 08:09 PM) I'm as disappointed as the next person, if not more, but I think it's a bit disingenuous for any of us to pretend as though we saw anything like this coming. Sure, some of us had our concerns, but this is defying all explanation. I think criticisms like this are unfair and invalid. Why? There were plenty of publications that had the Sox an average at best team. I liked the roster, but I don't get paid millions to construct it. If the team is bad, its on the White Sox organization. If they are all in and the team falls flat on its face, its time for someone different to make decisions. If you can't recognize or admit mistakes, you keep making them. KW has been real good with off the radar acquisitions the past several years. His big ticket moves have mostly blown up in his face so far. I loved the Peavy trade, but there's no denying just because I liked it, it was a mistake. I liked the Dunn signing, but if he doesn't pick it up soon, it was a mistake. I liked the Jackson trade, but if the Sox don't win and he leaves, it was a mistake. Alex Rios is still owed $50 million. Picking him up was a mistake. A lot of people loved the Swisher trade. It was a mistake. Results are what matters. Not the backs of baseball cards from previous seasons. I don't know where the "criticism is unfair". If this is the best he could do, its not good enough and there has been a pattern developing here. They are below .500 vs. the AL since winning the World Series. Interleague can't come soon enough for this team. As I posted, I'd give them all the season to turn it around. If this crap continues, everyone needs to go.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ May 4, 2011 -> 07:55 PM) I try to remain positive, and for some reason I still watch the games. However, I'm starting to think that watching a Kids Can Play II team would be much more enjoyable than watching what's going on now. Until the Sox actually have Kids who can play, Kids Can Play II is going to be brutal.

They said they are all in. They probably all deserve to get canned now, but I think they should play it out and if they fall short this year, clean house. New GM, new manager, new coaching staff, new era. All in IMO means your bes shot. If this is their best shot, major changes need to be made.

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 3, 2011 -> 08:43 PM) It was during warm ups before the game when there weren't many people around. There were alot of team personnel around.The trainer did double over. I know the guy he wouldn't lie about it. The Giants didn't cut him after trading 4 prospects for him because they really thought he was a valuable asset. They guy who wrote the story didn't write in until AJ was released, and there has never been confirmation from another player. If AJ was as hated as you claim, that would have come out a lot sooner, and there would have been at least 24 other players, plus coaches plus trainers telling everyone they could about it.

I think they should have a Ligue Appreciation Night. No shirt or at least 25 percent of your body covered in tats gets you a $1 ticket. They could even have a beat up a coach competition. It looks like Greg Walker would probably be getting pummeled.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ May 3, 2011 -> 10:34 PM) So you're suggesting we bring back the Boomer? He'd shake things up. I think the hamster is spinning the wheel overtime in JRs head right now. He hates losing money and even just another week or so of this kind of play may guarantee him a loss this season. I think the perception that the organization is playing this calmly and expects everything to be fine, isn't the reality. I think there are a lot of nervous and scared non uniform and uniform employees of the White Sox. The hammer is going to come down soon if this doesn't turn around. KW is the most resposible, but I would imagine he's safe and he'll have the opportunity to cover his ass by making a sacrificial lamb out of someone.

Gene Lamont led the White Sox to an AL West crown in 1993. In 1994 he had the White Sox in first place in the newly formed AL Central when the strike hit. JR still talks about how that team would have won the World Series. In 1995. when the Sox gave away Jack McDowell, and had a done John Kruk and Chris Sabo DHing, Lamont was fired after 31 games with the Sox sporting an 11-20 record, and was replaced by Terry Bevington. The Sox current record is 11-20.

Jackson looked good tonight, and Thornton hit 99 on the USCF gun. Wasted performances. Personally, I don't blame the hitting coach, but if this continues he's probably the cheapest lamb he's going to go.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 3, 2011 -> 10:03 PM) My prediction is Walker goes sometime in May, Ozzie leaves for Florida at end of year, and KW becomes VP with Hahn taking over during offseason. I've never understood the kicking KW upstairs part. Either the Sox are happy with him as the GM, or he needs to go. Having him around meddling with his successor makes zero sense.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ May 3, 2011 -> 06:14 PM) I think they did this with Gary Ward. He was relieved of his duties as hitting coach (and Greg Walker was hired), and within a year or two he was the hitting coach at Charlotte. I'm not saying I agree or disagree, just that (if I am remembering correctly), there is precedent for such a move. No one has to worry. If Greg Walker isn't the hitting coach for the White Sox, he's going home to Georgia.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ May 3, 2011 -> 04:41 PM) I have a feeling that "story" is the only reason why you feel the way you do about AJ. And from what I understand, that alleged incident may not have even happened. You're right, it didn't happen at least not the way it was reported. It was reported AJ took a shot to the nuts, the trainer came rushing out to see how he was and AJ kneed him. Wouldn't there have been a ton of witnesses? If he really kneed him wouldn't the trainer have gone to the ground?

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 3, 2011 -> 10:03 AM) It isn't crap. AJ is a classic jerk and bully. Nobody likes him. They tolerate him because of how he can help a pitching staff. MB may repsect him, I don't know for sure, he tends to try to get evrone to play niceand is usually postive but I guarantee he doesn't like him. Nobody likes him? I saw him out one night with Jermaine Dye and David Ortiz. Why are they hanging out with him if they don't like him?

Michael Jordan was despised by his teammates. That really didn't play out on talk radio. Whether the AJP stuff is true or not, and I tend to doubt that it is, the only reason they are talking about it now is they are kicking a team when they are down.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ May 2, 2011 -> 06:40 PM) THANK YOU! While I still think it's too early to pack it in, I loved reading every word of that article. If it were Minnesota or Detroit they were 10 games behind, I may consider it a lost cause, but its Cleveland and KC. I just cannot believe they can't make 10 games up on them, and they are 2.5 behind Detroit. That's one series.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ May 2, 2011 -> 06:29 PM) White Sox season is over He wants a fire sale. I get a kick out of Rosenbloom, but you can't say everyone sucks so the Sox can trade them for useful players. Buehrle and Ohman for Rasmus? Right there that tells you how tuned in he is.

QUOTE (soxfan72 @ May 1, 2011 -> 09:18 PM) I only disagree on a few points. Don Cooper stays. Harold Baines stays. Cox stays. KW and the rest have to go. Hope for Change in 2011. Why does Cooper stay? The White Sox have given up more runs than every other AL team. Cooper went out to talk to Floyd today with the bases loaded, the next pitch, all the runners scored. Maybe he told him the Sox were all in this year, and he thought let all the runners in. There are a lot more pitchers that struggled with the Sox while being coached by Cooper who went on and were productive elsewhere, than hitters coached by Walker having success elsewhere after they had left. Its not just Soxtalk where Walker couldn't possibly a bigger idiot and Cooper is some sort of pitching coach God. Its everywhere, but if you really look closely the results suggest Walker has done more with less, if you base the entire success or failure on a hitting or pitching coach. People blame the streakiness on Walker, but that's how a lot of players, most players really, go. Although I did see a stat on the board for Mark Teahen on Friday. He has either hit 10 or 11 homers total in April, May, June, July , August and September,in his career. Not too many are like that. Could you imagine if the Sox traded Brian Anderson in 2006 and he hit like Daniel Hudson pitched for AZ in 2010? People wouldn't blame KW, it would be all be on Walker. No one ever mentions Cooper when Hudson's ERA dropped 4 or 5 runs. In all honesty I don't think Cooper should be fired, or Walker for that matter. I would just like the people who blame Walker for every bad ball the Sox swing at also blame Cooper for some of the crap the pitchers throw up there. It never happens. Be consistent. If Chris Sale gives up a homer, if its not Cooper's fault, don't blame Walker when Alex Rios grounds out weakly to SS.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 1, 2011 -> 08:23 PM) The team is hitting like .240 with an era of about 4.50 IIRC. 10th in the AL in batting average, 9th in runs scored, 12th in ERA and dead last in runs allowed. You can't blame Peavy's injury. His replacement has been nails. If Walker is so terrible, Don Cooper isn't exactly the pitching guru he's made out to be. The Sox will be awful if they allow more runs than all the other teams. If hitters swinging at bad pitches is the hitting coach's fault, then pitchers making bad pitches shoud be the pitching coach's fault.

QUOTE (Tex @ May 1, 2011 -> 07:46 PM) That's a very good point, but you can't ignore one problem because you have another. The team can work on more than one problem at a time. I just don't understand the constant pounding Walker takes not only here but just about everywhere and most years, including this one, the White Sox hitters are ranked higher than the White Sox pitchers even though on average, a lot more money is spent on the pitchers. Cooper gets no crap at all, in fact, just the opposite.