Dick Allen

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 26, 2010 -> 04:49 PM) Which is why the org tried moving Viciedo to 1b to start last season, traded for Mark Teahen, and spent $15 million extending Teahen. Morel has been a nice surprise, and Viciedo was moved back there last year because of Teahen's implosion, but really, they went out and traded for Teahen because they didn't want Viciedo at 3b and they thought Teahen would be a defensive upgrade there. Viciedo's going to need years in the minors to become an adequate 3b, and his bat doesn't belong there. Why then does KW have Viciedo working out at 3B daily this offseason with Joey Cora? That's the spot he can find major league playing time in 2011. I'm sure he's been told that. He appears to be a guy that needs a carrot in front of his nose for maximum results.

Chris Sale has 33 IP under his belt as a professional. Any talk he would be just fine as a #5 starter is total speculation. He was great in his 23 innings of relief for the Sox in 2010. While there is reason to be optimistic he can be a good pitcher for the Sox going forward, to think he would be a real successful starter in 2011 is ludicruous. Another year in the bullpen isn't going to kill him.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 25, 2010 -> 08:25 PM) From what I have been told, they absolutely love Morel. I think they're going to give him every opportunity to lock down the job unless some obvious and clear upgrade becomes available. It could be the next big KW/Ozzie showdown. KW loves Viciedo. Ozzie loves Morel. If Viciedo shows he can play a solid 3B, there's a reason Cora is working daily with him this offseason, there's going to be more conflict.

KW loves Viciedo. I would be shocked if he traded him. He's been working out with Cora this winter at 3B. He obviously has to play there or a corner OF spot. If he can be decent at 3B, it will really help the offense IMO. Vizquel could spell him in late innings. Morel may be able to hit in the major leagues someday, he's hit pretty well in the minors, I just think throwing him at 3B in 2011 on a team who has a marketing slogan "All In" is a recipe for failure at the plate not for just 2011 but perhaps longer, no matter his defensive prowess. See 2006, Anderson, Brian.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 25, 2010 -> 11:36 AM) With all the injuries and illness in 2010, I'd be shocked if the system doesn't take some nice steps forward in 2011. But sadly, I have to agree that this is a bottom tier system as it stands in terms of current talent. That does NOT mean that the system's VALUE is bottom tier, necessarily. Sale and Beckham cruised all the way through, and many prospects were traded for major league talent - these rankings simply don't take that into account. What it does do, assuming the rest of baseball agrees with this analysis, is handcuffs them for midseason additions in 2011 unless some of these guys play a lot better. Alsi assuming they will be at the mark they cannot add salary, and with not much impressive talent to deal, it will be next to impossible to acquire anything major during the season without giving up a big piece of your current team.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 22, 2010 -> 06:28 PM) How much basketball have you played with or against men OR women at the college level? How much time have you spent watching women's college B-Ball at the D1 level, in person? And I see you moved the goal posts. Mid-level team is now a district final team. When I was at the U of Iowa, they had really good women's teams. C Vivian Stringer was the coach and I think they played in the finals at least once, and were always ranked high. Some of them would come to the Fieldhouse to play pick up games, and the guys I played with, I'd would imagine we would have made up a pretty good high school team, although we had no plays, and we didn't practice together etc. beat them pretty easily. Face it, its a big deal if there's a girl 6'5" who could dunk. There's a lot of guys playing college intramurals who played on average high school teams who could do that. I don't want to take anything away from UConn's accomplishment. It is pretty incredible, but probably at least 95% if not more of Division 1 women's players wouldn't make their high school's All Conference squad if they played on the boys team.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 20, 2010 -> 06:30 PM) I will say the Brewers have no margin for error from the top 6 in their lineup. Because right now you're looking at a 7-8-9 of Gomez, Betancourt and the pitcher. That will definitely be the "go take a s***" inning when those three come up. Betancourt can hit an occassional homer, but you're right, its not a very scary bottom of the order.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 11:02 PM) I think his argument would only hold up against truly one-dimensional, pull-hitters like Thome, but only in a park like Oakland would you even consider it. In his case, the 1B would hug the line and same with RF. But again, I think you'd only consider it for the ultra-predictable guys like Thome who, for whatever reason, won't try to help the team and hit it the other way. How many of Thome's HR were hit to CF or LC? Ted Williams never hit the ball the other way.

You get his services for 2 years, probably 2 draft picks if he goes elsewhere and can use the money it will take to extend him on someone else if necessary. You don't have to trade him, unless you're planning on not winning, then trading him makes a lot of sense. Milwaukee just gave up 4 pretty good prospects to pick up a pitcher in the same boat because they are trying to win.

Its the smaller field, so less "ducksnorts", and and easier OF to cover. There are very few triples at USCF as well.

Supposedly Jeffres isn't in the deal, but a PTBNL.

QUOTE (Real @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 10:30 AM) al central just got easier to win Did you think the Royals were a threat with Greinke? The other teams in the division don't have to face him either.

QUOTE (quickman @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 10:30 AM) Did the sox officially announce this guy yet? If not why not? His website has in in a Sox cap. I'm sure whatever the hold up, its just a formality.

QUOTE (shipps @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 07:34 AM) ESPN Olney and Heyman are now also reporting this deal as done. Not a bad move for either IMO. Milwaukee gets one of the better pitchers on the market, who if it doesn't work out with winning, can always be flipped elsewhere. KC gets 3 or 4 pretty intriguing young players plus over $25 million to play with.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 04:58 AM) LOL people compared Javy Vazquez to Zach Greinke? Sorry, perhaps I'm naive, but I don't equate Greinke with Vazquez at all. Just because a player has psychological issues doesn't mean they can't succeed in the New York spotlight. Hell, that type of stuff can be a motivating factor if you find the right coach. I mean, the Yankees have the most money in the league...if they are to acquire this guy, they are going to find the best psychiatrist they can for him, to allow him to exercise these demons, and to allow him to perform to the very best of his abilities. If anything, the fact that he has desired a trade shows to me that he wants to win before he makes it to his next contract, and he isn't going to find a better place to win than New York. Further, to the person who said that, because the Yankees haven't traded anybody who has meant a goddamn, I point to Ian Kennedy, Robinson Cano, Joba Chamberlain, and Phillip Hughes (and I'm sure there are others as well). The Yankees farm system is fully productive and doing just fine, and if you trust your scouts, you will trade for players they believe are good. There are more than a few people that don't have Grienke's issues that couldn't perform in NY. Its not as simple as hiring the best psychiatrist in the world and everything will be fine. If it were that simple, every team has the money to hire the best psychiatrist in the world. Maybe he's over his issues, maybe he's not, but this guy is a weird dude. He once said he would rather mow grass while listening to music with headphones on than pitch in the major leagues. KC was a great place for him mentally.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 09:06 AM) The coverage on the radio yesterday was priceless. Jurko was trashing him pretty good as it being a riding off into the sunset and becoming an ambassador for the rest of his life. He is the new Ron Santo in my book. That's exactly what I thought when Wood signed. Who knows, maybe he has a deal to take Santo's chair when he's done playing. He'd make probably at least triple what Jurko is making, get almost 6 months a year off, and would be able to do it for as long as he wanted. He obviously doesn't need the money, so he's the guy who gets the last laugh at everyone trashing him.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 02:15 PM) I wonder how he passed the Red Sox physical. I doubt it was a very strenough physical. Maybe he's dropped a few pounds since we last saw him. His ankle and back may be better, same with his elbow. Once he starts pitching again and gains access to the postgame spreads, that's when things start heading south. Maybe the change of teams will do him good. He has plenty of ability, and when he's on the mound, he's very competitive. He just hasn't prepared as well as he should have the past couple of years, and part of his prep should be to get himself in a little better shape. He doesn't have to be a marathon runner, but taking some pressure off some of his body parts could make him a lot of money. I just find it odd that someone with so much talent is employed in a profession where his is using his body and can make so much money if he just keeps himself in somewhat decent condition, and he doesn't appear to really have any desire to do that.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 01:59 PM) I still contend that Jenks was worse than his numbers last year, and that his inability to stay healthy caused Thornton and Putz to get overused. I wish Jenks the best, and I'm very happy to see the break-up be cordial. A few of us were worried it would get ugly. I think he's been worse than his numbers for a couple of years, in 2009 the majority of his saves he had a 2 or 3 run lead and had to get 3 outs before 2 or 3 runs scored. A lot of guys can rack up a lot of saves if they are usually in those situations, and totally agree his inability to stay healthy is huge. I really think its the reason why KW let him walk. The White Sox have thought most of Jenks' physical problems were the result of poor conditioning. Apparently when he went to Soxfest last year, he had lost some weight and met with KW and Ozzie about it. They were satisfied that he lost it properly but I think both became disgusted when said weight returned as did the injuries.

QUOTE (WHITESOXRANDY @ Dec 17, 2010 -> 11:25 PM) He was horrible! He blew 4 saves last year. The Sox will miss him. Believe it or not Thornton, Santos or Sale are gonna blow saves, too. They might blow more. Remember the game Jenks didn't get anyone out in Minnesota and blew a 3 run lead in the 9th? He didn't get a blown save in the game, just a loss. BS is a great abbreviation for blown save in more ways than one.

What I don't understand is on the same board which just a month or so ago came to the conclusion John Danks had to go because his "trade value" will never be higher, now has the what will it take to get Greinke, a guy under team control for the same length as Danks, only more money, a guy who you really don't know how he will handle a big market, and a guy you have no idea would be up for signing a reasonable extension.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 09:21 AM) Bobby Jenks the steal of the offseason? So predictable, And apparently Jenks was as good as Rafael Soriano last year. But if he had signed with the Orioles, all you would hear about is weight problems and inflated ERAs. http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/i...f-the-offseason I guess the back issues, the leg issues the elbow issue isn't an issue for these guys. You used to be able to count on Jenks answering the bell. You can't anymore, or at least haven't been able to as much the past couple of years.

QUOTE (SEALgep @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 11:10 AM) Which is a great point, as relief pitchers sometimes offer every other year good production. If it works out like that, you'd almost rather have a guy like Crain for 3 years versus 2. Not really. He's due to be bad in year 1, which if he did the alternating good and bad, make him worth his paycheck 1 out of 3 seasons. Maybe the guy has figured something out. I sure hope so. This was the one guy I personally would have stayed away from this offseason. You pay him for 2010 which he was lights out for June, July and August. Just about unhittable. He wasn't very good the rest of the year, had shoulder surgery in 2007 and shoulder issues in 2009. At least its not an obnoxious number they are paying him.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 09:02 AM) My point was the White Sox should try and use Danks to get the prospects to add to their own to get Greinke. There is no way they should move Danks.....unless they are getting guaranteed MLB pitching back like Greinke. The Yanks are really not in a position to be thinking L/R options right now. Why trade Danks to get Greinke? They are under control the same amount of time with Danks being much cheaper, and except for 2009, better. And it wasn't like Danks was bad in 2009. I think there are more than a couple teams that would rather have Danks than Greinke.

Peavy was pretty bad the first couple of months, but seemed to really turn a corner at the time he went down. I think his ERA was below 2.00 his last 5 or 6 starts. I don't think anyone really knows how this injury will affect him. You hear the good news is he didn't tear anything, the muscle just basically fell off or detached from the bone. He's a huge question mark, but at least its not like a guy who had shoulder surgery. You have to figure there's at least a halfway decent chance he still has most of his stuff if not all. How long he will have it is another thing. Its still my favorite KW trade. I loved the Contreras trade, but he wasn't an ace at the time of the deal.

If Jenks dedicates himself, he can still be pretty effective and could still close. Maybe this whole thing works as a wake up call to him. Its not just the effort you put in when you are in the game that count. Bobby has to prepare himself better before he hits the field. I still think he's on borrowed time, but I didn't think he'd last this long. I believe KW was frustrated with his weight. I think the injuries, and believe the Sox concur, have a lot to do with his conditioning. The leg problems can probably be solved by eating salads and doing some exercising. The elbow issue I think totally scared off the Sox.