Dick Allen

QUOTE (PlunketChris @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 12:09 PM) I'm of the opinion that, in modern times, any beat writer who only posts information that turns out to be correct, isn't working very hard. A lot of talk happens and rumors are out there that are true and aren't true. Cowley holds everyone else up to a 100% accuracy rate. He should live it as well. He's been about as wrong as you can be this entire offseason. Any idiot with a computer could have posted what he's posted this offseason. There really is no inside knowledge coming out of anything he has written.

QUOTE (PlunketChris @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:58 AM) I'm no Joe Cowley apologist, but he makes solid points. His coverage of the team, as well as the media that follows the team is entertaining. You also forget the original Sun Times trade report was Ozzie for Mike Stanton. Cowley was on his high horse slamming the Tribune as the Sun Times (not Cowley) broke the story. Starting tweeting about the Little Dictator at the Tribune. As it turns out, Mike Stanton was never mentioned. Timeline from MLBTRADERUMORS: 4:47pm: Williams told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that the Sun-Times report is “false,” but declined to go into further detail because of rules forbidding executives from speaking about other teams’ players. "That's tampering," Williams said. "All I can say is the report isn't completely accurate." Merkin hears that the White Sox demanded compensation from the Marlins when they wanted to talk to Guillen. 9:56am: The Marlins did not discuss an Ozzie-Stanton trade with the White Sox, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (Twitter link). The White Sox may have discussed the possibility internally, but it seems to have been wishful thinking on Chicago’s part. As the response to our poll shows, Stanton is far more desirable. 4:56am: When Ozzie Guillen was at odds with the Chicago front office earlier this year, there was discussion of a deal that would have sent the White Sox manager to Florida for 20-year-old slugger Mike Stanton, according to Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times. De Luca reports that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was intent on making Guillen the Marlins’ next manager until Guillen met with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and agreed to return in 2011. Guillen says he never spoke to the Marlins about managing the team, but he confirmed to the Sun-Times that the White Sox granted the Marlins permission to talk to him. White Sox GM Kenny Williams repeated that he is on good terms with Guillen and insisted his manager is staying put. It also is interesting he used Richard Justice as "another" source. It was probably HIS source. Hot Stove was on at 5 pm yesterday, about the same time Cowley tweeted his Quentin being shopped rumor. The guy is a joke.

QUOTE (PlunketChris @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:48 AM) Cowley: "Great reporting by the Trib, because I thought KW would come out and say, "Yes, I am trying to trade Quentin.'' http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13649903246905344 "Richard Justice also reported the Sox are looking to trade Quentin on MLB Network late last night. Where there's smoke, there's Morpheus ..." http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13650465476575232 "Didn't KW also call the Sun-Times Ozzie-to-Florida trade rumors "False?'' He is protecting the shield ... that's his job." http://twitter.com/#!/cst_sox/status/13650824991342594 He's posting like an exposed desperate fraud.

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 11:15 AM) The original rumor doesn't say they were looking to trade Quentin for relief pitching. It says for "a package that includes at least 1 reliever." That's a very different wording. And KW's original quote was any trade rumor involving Carlos Quentin is false.

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 10:53 AM) What do you expect KW to say, "We are desperate to unload Quentin and are currently initiating lots of trade talk"? No, but to say what he is saying probably means Cowley was full of it. KW is not going to shop Quentin around to teams and then have teams read he isn't shopping him around. It kind of makes the effectiveness of stretching the truth to benefit, meaningless. Joe is wrong yet again. Just like the Konerko ship sailing. Just like AJ to Toronto. Just like Paulie to Texas or the Cubs. He's had a bad week. The Sun Times wasted money sending him to the Winter Meetings. He probably forgot to pick up some of Oney's dry cleaning, so Oney is cutting him off for a while.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 10:42 AM) Interesting how that is worded. Saying that there isn't truth to trade rumors out there is different than saying "Carlos is not available." As JR said everyone has his price except for Michael Jordan. Cowley said they were "actively shopping him", which apparently couldn't be further from the truth.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 10:25 AM) KW shoots down CQ trade rumor. http://twitter.com/davandyck/status/13627784962248704 Cowley is wrong again? Say it ain't so Joe. Try again. One of your guesses is bound to be right someday.

QUOTE (beckham15 @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 08:36 AM) ozzie talked about him being the key to the offense last year and you saw where that got us Quentin had a higher OPS than Rios yet a lot of people want Rios to bat 3rd in 2011. You don't trade Carlos Quentin for something run of the mill. While he is brutal in the OF, at the plate even when he's having a bad year, he's better than most, and if he puts it all together we all know he's MVP-calibur.

QUOTE (since56 @ Dec 11, 2010 -> 08:16 AM) $2400 on a dog? How many families could use that for child care especially at Christmas. Priorities? Ok animal lovers initiate attack. I'm guessing you have never had a dog. Mine, like I'm sure is the same as most, is part of my family.

I heard today Ray Davis, a part of the ownership group, and a billionaire, is basically paying for the Cliff Lee extension himself if Lee decides to return to Texas. The money won't be coming out of the baseball ops budget. Also according to Kruk the same thing happened when the Phillies signed Thome. When they all met and had the figure Thome would require, the ownership group decided to pass, but one guy said he'd pay the contract himself.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 10, 2010 -> 05:47 PM) I shudder to think of Viciedo's range in RF, though. Especially because he turned down a chance to go play winter ball and perhaps work on his outfield skills. I like Quentin and wouldn't trade him for middle relievers, but seriously, how could Viciedo be a downgrade defensively? KW loves Viciedo. Unless he shows he can play 3b, his future is in RF or LF.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Dec 10, 2010 -> 05:35 PM) I'm not going to react much to any rumor/speculation that comes from Cowley. Now if RockRaines or DocSox posts something about this being in the works maybe my interest will perk up. That's true too. We have already had reports about Philadelphia in "advanced" talks about Quentin. That didn't get much play in Chicago. Cowley has to throw something up there in which he can get some credit breaking the story.

Everyone must realize KW loves Viciedo. If Quentin gets traded, RF just opened up for Viciedo. I'd be very careful trading Carlos Quentin. Guys who have a horrible year by putting up an .821 OPS don't come around very often. We all are very aware of what he's capable of.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Dec 9, 2010 -> 01:02 PM) Cowley didn't seem to appreciate me mocking him on Twitter about him saying the Konerko ship had sailed and that Kenny was going after Plan B and Plan C. Did he call you brah?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 08:51 PM) He was the only one I saw report that the Chairman had joined the negotiations last night. You must of missed Heyman on Sunday. Cowley said Konerko to the Cubs, Konerko to the Rangers, he didn't really mention the DBAcks offer. He said the snag was Konerko insisted on 15 million a year. It turns out it wasn't the money it was the length. He also said no Kerry Wood even if Konerko goes, then backtracked. He said AJ was heading north to Toronto, then the Sox signed him and he edited that out of his story. AJ was on MLB Network and said he was going to sign with the Dodgers. Seriously, Cowley is a goof. If you throw everything out there, one of them has to be right. Don't give him credit for saying JR was getting involved. Everyone knew JR was getting involved.

Paulie needs 90 homers to tie the Big Hurt as the White Sox all time home run king.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 03:36 PM) I'm pretty sure we were trying to sign him as the closer. You could also make the claim the Sox tendered Pena a contract instead of giving Putz an extra 2.5 million. I'm very happy Paulie is the Sox 1B instead of Pena for $2 million less in 2011. It will be interesting to see what DLee ultimately signs for. Paulie is probably now overpaid, but so are a lot of guys and just about everyone who has signed so far. You rarely get a bargain unless you wait them out. In the future though, this signing isn't on KW. Its on JR.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 03:28 PM) The extra $2.5 million this year probably just cost them JJ Putz. Doubt it. Putz was pretty good, but he signed for a couple of years, and what makes him such a sure thing? The thing that does concern me is KW's plan A seemed to come to fruition this season. In years past, and in retrospect, his plan Bs and Cs and Ds have seemed to work better than his plan As.

Whatever happened to Cowley's claim Konerko needed at least $15 million a year?

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 02:57 PM) So there is no guarantee about DLee, but there is about PK? There's no guarantee about anyone, but you said you would sign Konerko for 2 years $20 million. This is an extra year, so worry about that 3 years from now, and I really doubt the extra $2.5 million they will be paying him more per year than what you previously said you would be comfortable with, is really going to cost them anything special. Actually, they are paying him $12 million the next 2 years and $6.5 million the 3rd year, with a $1million payment for 7 years after that. Considering .196 hitting strikeout machines with OPS less than .750 can get $10 million for 1 year, its a good deal.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 8, 2010 -> 02:07 PM) An .888 OPS in the 2nd half of that down year. If your basing a lot of things on the second half of a year, I'm surprised you don't want the Sox to rid themselves of Alex Rios, considering his good year in 2010 with a second half OPS of .686.

At first you would be shocked the Sox gave Paulie 3 years. I love Paulie but this is an overpay, however if Carlos Pena can get $10 million after the year he had its a bargain.

Cowley has himself covered. He has Paulie to the Cubs to the Rangers to the DBacks, back to the Sox, and Kerry Wood too expensive even if they don't sign Paulie to possibly Kerry Wood if Paulie goes elsewhere because the sources just assumed Paulie would re-sign. When this situation comes to an end he will be proud of himself and go slam all the other reporting.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 02:21 PM) "Kid K'' is simply "Kid $'' Next. Chairman wants Konerko. What Jerry wants, Jerry gets. - Cowley in reference to Kerry Wood. Cowley says, Wood rumors blown out of proportions, Sox think Wood too expensive even if they don't get Paulie. Joe must have got that from his sources. I could have sworn JR wanted LeBron, Wade, Bosh.........Putz at a cheaper rate.............

I'm wondering if the KW/Ozzie feud has something to do with Konerko perhaps wanting to play elsewhere. It seems likestrange timing that they supposedly kissed and made up AGAIN right before the winter meetings and the negotiations to bring him back.