Dick Allen

If AJ leaves and plays for a team that goes to the postseason, the posters sort of saying get rid of him right now will pull a Uribe and suddenly love him. There is a lot AJ adds to a team. The White Sox bench does not call pitches, so while its ultimately up to the pitcher, the staff has trusted him through the years and that's a big plus. Problems with catchers, no matter what their stature is trouble, see Burnett and Posada. He also is a workhorse.Not having to play your back up catcher 60 games a year is something we haven't seen for a long while. There is a reason they are back up catchers and usually its because they hit like pitchers. I hope they retain him. I just don't see anyone better than him the Sox have a reasonable chance of acquiring.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Nov 2, 2010 -> 07:58 PM) More like Heat cruising to their 4th straight double digit victory. Except for the first half against Boston that team has looked awesome so far which really isn't surprising. There's a photo of the game on the main page at espn.com. A lot of empty seats in Miami. That's pretty sad.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 08:33 PM) I don't see how it's his fault the student died.... he chose to practice in the wind, I'm sure a lot of coaches would have done the same thing... whoever constructed the tower that fell over or whoever conducts the safety inspections are the one to blame. The University has made the decision to let people on those things now a university decision not a coaching staff decision. As far as I know the video guy is a part of practice. The kid was very scared up there and it cost him his life. I'm sure you are correct, there are many coaches if not all that would have held practice and had the kid up filming. That doesn't mean its not a huge mistake. I do feel sorry for Kelly in a way even though I think he's a snake. He just happened to be the coach this happened to. It probably could have been 100 other coaches.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Oct 31, 2010 -> 10:48 AM) I'd argue Vlad wasn't really picked up off the scrap heap, he got $6.5M guaranteed with another $900K in incentives, and $9M mutual option for 2011. Scraps don't get that much money. And the Giants got away with that lineup playing in the NL. You need more pop to compete in the AL. Pitching wins, but you need an offense too. For the last three years, the AL leader in fewest runs allowed per game has not made the playoffs I probably exaggerated a bit when I used scrap heap. The term I have been using is 2nd tier free agents. The White Sox offense, even without a DH, was ranked in the top half of most categories in 2010. (Praise to Walker) Beckham is going to be better. Ramirez will be about the same most likely, as will Pierre. Rios probably drops off a little. I think Quentin can hit. Whoever plays first even if Paulie comes back will probably be a drop off from the 2010 Konerko. Get a DH who can produce some runs, and a 3rd baseman, because I don't think Morel is ready to hit. Add a decent catcher, if not AJ, who I think its a mistake not to re-sign, then a guy like Buck, and your offense should be pretty decent. Decent enough to win it all if Peavy comes back 100% and everyone pitches up to their capabliities. The problem is every year some will surprise and some will dissappoint. You have to keep your better players from the later.I . There is enough offense if you sign the correct 2nd tier free agents. There is no need to spend $100 million on Carl Crawford, who, while a real nice player, will never live up to the contract he signs. There is no need to make you starting rotation a gigantic question mark by trading John Danks. I actually think the Sox are sitting pretty for 2011 with just a couple of nice moves. As bad as things seemed this year, and knowing Sept. probably doesn't play out exactly as it did if the race was closer, as bad as the Sox were against Cleveland and KC, and Detroit, if they were .500 against Minnesota, they still would have won the division. Cleveland and KC aren't good and won't be good. Detroit has a lot of holes and seems to be willing to spend money, but they still have to convince players to come to Detroit. Minnesota is due for a let down. This isn't the AL East where the immediate future would seem hopeless.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 31, 2010 -> 10:22 AM) Well for starters... AJ 1365 games played, 5207 PA, 11088 Innings caught Castro 544 games played, 1528 PA, 3326 Innings caught And what is it about Castro's career that would make you believe at age 35 he would be up for more than 40 games started? It doesn't happen for the guy. AJ has been durable and remained durable. This guy, while I think he's just fine as a back up, would be a train wreck as a starter. If he was given more opportunities, he'd be on the DL more than Nick Johnson. For the record, despite the workload, AJP has never been on the DL. I thought defensively, 2010 was one of AJs finest years with the Sox. If he hit the entire season like he did in the second half, most people would hope the Sox payed up to bring him back.

One thing some may not realize about Ramon Castro is that he's about a year older than AJP. So if you think AJ is old for a catcher, I don't know how you would expect Castro to hold up for more than about 40 games started considering his age and physical condition. I also believe one big issue the White Sox have with re-signing Konerko or AJ regardless of what they say or will say publicly is if they are re-signed they automatically have no trade clauses. I think if things went sour, KW would like the flexibility to move salary if he wished, and move it where he could get the best deal.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 31, 2010 -> 08:02 AM) You have a banana. Norberto has pudding. You generally prefer pudding to bananas. Norberto prefers bananas to pudding. You trade your banana for Norberto's pudding. You believe you have improved yourself through this trade, and Norberto believes the same. You do not know if you have improved yourself - hence, the reasoning behind a trade. You see that the pudding is tapioca, and nobody likes tapioca pudding, not even people who claim to like it. Why would a team make a trade that they believed they lost the second they made it? When you go shopping, would you buy spoiled bread that is expensive or non-spoiled bread that is cheap? Obviously, the non-spoiled bread, because you believe it will improve yourself. Turns out that mold on the bread was penicillin, you have a major respiratory infection, and the cheap bread you bought actually contains a meningitis bacteria, and you lose the ability to lose your legs due to the ingestion of that bread. Initially, you believed you had made a good trade of money for product, but instead you made a poor one and did not know it. How is this hard to understand? --- Are you just trying to justify a point that you know was wrong and now you don't want to admit a mistake? No matter your feelings about Ozzie Guillen, if the Marlins tried to trade for him, then he has value. If Ozzie Guillen were viewed as a mediocre or bad manager around the game, such as Ned Yost, the Marlins would not ask to talk to him. Is that hard to understand? --- I am not arguing whether he is a good manager or not - I believe he is a terrible in-game manager who gets outmanaged about 75% of the time and that his non-game skills have eroded due to family issues - but instead about his value. If the Marlins asked to talk to him about their manager position, then, according to the precedent set, he is a well respected manager. They would not ask to talk to him if they believed he was a bad manager. Is that really that hard to understand? I think the truth is somewhere in the middle of both arguments. If Ozzie Guillen has this incredible value than wouldn't Florida not only have talked to him but given up Stanton to get him? The record shows they had permission to speak with him, but never did. The Marlins didn't try to trade for him. I'm not naive enough to believe he has no value. There are plenty of teams that would hire him, perhaps not for baseball reasons, but maybe so. The bottom line is if the Sox fired Ozzie today, he'd have another job tomorrow if he wanted it. That job just may not be one he wants. Ozzie's "value" to many teams isn't additional wins because he makes out the line up card. I don't think Loria sees his team winning 82 games with a run of the mill re tread manager and 98 with Ozzie. Ozzie's value is at the box office.

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Oct 31, 2010 -> 09:31 AM) Good point, but it's not like Quentin is going to play 162 games anyway. Berkman would find plenty of at bats at DH and (back up) 1B. Exactly. This year when the anti-Thome people refused to ever admit there was even the slightest possiblility the Sox made a mistake by not bringing him back, one thing they pointed to was Konerko's big season and how the extra time at DH was the huge reason. He DH'd 5 more times in 2010 than 2009.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 03:10 PM) Because the Giants offense is bad. But they are in the WS, and Texas picked up Vlad off the scrap heap, and they are in the WS. Pitching wins.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 05:35 PM) Kelly can't possibly make it out of this season right? Between what happened during the week and now the bad season, I can't argue against it. I'm mostly basing this on the tragedy that was mismanaged because I wouldn't normally support a year one firing. Am I just bitter because Mizzou is playing like crap or is this a valid possibility? There is no way they fire him. They are still paying or have just paid Charlie a ton of money, they aren't going to be paying 3 guys. Plus, they at least give him 2-3 recruiting classes unless they have some out in his contract and thought he was responsible for the student dying. I am a ND hater so there probably is at least a little prejudice, but Kelly seems like a snake to me.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 06:50 PM) I'm not at all disputing what you say D.A.; but wouldn't Buehrles' contract come off of the books about the time that Puhols' extension would start? If it does, I could see the Cardinals wanting to take on a little more salary for a solid run next year, especially if Rasmus is the problem that LaRussa makes him out to be. By the same token, would K.W. want to add a problem child to our roster without doing some serious checking on this guy first. The Tribune also mentioned that the Cardinals would be interested in Tajeda for a stopgap at shortstop, meaning they might want a shortstop for the future. If K.W. decides that he really wants Rasmus, would something like a Escobar (fresh off a hot Arizona Fall League), Buehrle, Quentin, Harrell package, give or take a few parts or $ on either side, work for Rasmus? There's a kicker for Buehrle if he gets traded, so it would be about $15 million next season, plus Quentin will be around $5 million and Rasmus will make peanuts. No way that deal gets done.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 01:36 PM) Outside of 5 pitchers and 1 catcher....doesn't that basically describe the entire San Francisco Giants lineup? Yet when I suggested 2nd tier free agents to improve the White Sox offense instead of trading John Danks, you ripped me for the thought.

Asking for compensation for a manager with time still left on his contract really isn't unique. The Sun Times made it seem like Stanton was on the table for Ozzie, which apparently wasn't true. The Marlins according to Ozzie, were given permission to speak with him but never did. A lot of people think the Ozzie/KW feud will still end badly and one thing I read was the Marlins may be one of the parties. There's no question Ozzie would appeal to certain teams from a PR standpoint and with the Latin community in Miami, Ozzie probably could sell a lot of tickets. The bottom line is if the Sox were offered Stanton for Ozzie and they didn't put Ozzie on JR's jet to Miami, they are not too bright. It just was never available.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 12:26 PM) Who is Cardinals top pitching prosepect and how can we arrange a trade that sends Carlos, and Buehrle to the Cards for Rasmus and studs? The Cardinals need to re-sign Pujols. I don't think adding close to $20 million to their payroll is something they want to do.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 12:20 PM) I don't think there is any way he's going to be with that team in the spring. LaRussa pretty much made that clear. I could be wrong, but I'll be stunned. Maybe he won't be there, but Carlos Quentin and prospects, especially White Sox prospects, isn't going to get the job done, and I don't know that they really want to take on much money. If it comes out the Cardinals are dealing him there are going to be offers the Sox can't match or would be stupid to match.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 12:06 PM) Honestly...the Cardinals with Rasmus are in a similar boat with Quentin...because everyone knows the Cardinals want to get rid of Rasmus, so that kind of is going to depress his value a bit. I totally disagree. First, the Cards GM is on record saying he isn't going anywhere. That could be a smokescreen, but this isn't a guy who has a contract that is going to scare anyone away. There's 29 other teams that would love to have him. The Cards may trade him, something without any issues they probably wouldn't even consider, but his value isn't depressed. You aren't going to get a bargain rate for him.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 11:52 AM) Definitely wanted Uribe gone, but I loved him at the same time. It was his ability to strikeout in fantastical ways that made me wish he was gone, but something about the guy made me love him anyway. I do cop to ushering him out the door, though. Good on 'im, I've been rooting for him and Lincecum all postseason. Also, for the record, I was never a "Rowand is God!" guy, and I haven't been since he left, either. Liked him, never loved him. The shocking thing about Uribe was he really didn't strike out all that much.

Cowley tweeter earlier how the story about the potential trade Ozzie/Stanton was just another example of why the Sun Times was a superior sports section. Of course, the Marlins never considered it, if it were even brought up to them, but why let facts get in the way of a good story. I seemed to recall Cowley ripping a Soxtalk report on a potential 3 way trade last year involving Paulie and Adrian Gonzalez. Now he's reporting a potential Quentin/Rasmus trade? I am one who feels Quentin has a lot more value than most, but as the big piece for Rasmus? Never.

I seem to remember a very different opinion of Uribe when he was a White Sox.

KW made a play for Nick Johnson last offseason but the Yankees saved the day and stepped in to sign him. Another year, another injury. I'm sure KW would be interested if he were cheap, and White Sox doctors found him to be sufficiently recovered from his latest injury. The only place we know for sure where he'll be next season is the DL.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 26, 2010 -> 03:34 PM) Just because Flowers' had a bad season doesn't mean he's a non-prospect. This is the same exact kind of stuff people were saying about Viciedo last year, and then he had a good all around season. The example I used was JP Arencibia for Toronto. Had a piss-poor 2009, comes back this year, destroys AAA pitching, and he's looked at in a different light again. Flowers is still a relatively young player. This is a very important season for him, but considering him a non-prospect after his first full go around in AAA is pretty ridiculous. I agree he's not a non prospect, but to think he's anything but an average one at best is silly. He's a 25 year old who could not make contact in AAA. That's a huge problem.

It was a lock Castro was coming back, but as a BACK UP Catcher. He's not going to start. You saw what happens when he gets more playing time. He's a fine back up, but if he's getting 400 plate appearances, his numbers will dive. Supposedly, he also was the NY Mets fans' choice to be annointed the starter.He wound up getting moved for Lance Broadway and the Mets picked up cash.

QUOTE (gatnom @ Oct 26, 2010 -> 12:21 AM) Well, that's the kind of risk you take when trading a guy when his value is at its lowest. He might end up doing what you once thought he could. I did think Swisher had a low value, and that coupled with the fact that he had an unlucky season made me think it was a bad idea to trade him, even with his contract. Swisher obviously forced KW's hand in trading him by not fitting in well in the clubhouse, but I think most people's beef with that trade lies in the fact that we gave up quite a bit of value for a very poor return, Swishers' 2008 season, while going on to actually make that poor return worse by trading him to the Yankees. Individually, the trades aren't all that bad all things considered, but when you put them together they are ugly. Not entirely sure what this has to do with Carlos Quentin or Adam Dunn, though. If you think Swisher had a lot of value but was traded when he had none, how can you not say the same thing about Quentin?

QUOTE (gatnom @ Oct 25, 2010 -> 04:30 PM) I think the point is that the potential that Quentin has to play similarly to how he did in 2008 is worth more to us than to any other team, and if he has yet another mediocre or oft-injured season, his value will be less than what he will be paid. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by your last sentence, but I really hope you aren't trying to say that since we traded away Nick Swisher he had value because we pretty much got nothing out of that trade. No what I was saying is if you think Carlos Quentin played well for 3 weeks and has no value, you should have felt the same way about Nick Swisher, and should never complain some team took his entire contract, even if they gave you garbage in return. With the Sox, Swisher was good for about 3 weeks and hit below .200 tne rest of the time.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 25, 2010 -> 01:11 PM) In general I think Friday night is death for most television. In particular the 18-49 demographic tends to not be watching tv that night. Saturday gets some of the same effect as well. The problem is with this format they have Saturday, Sunday, Monday which they will have to compete with college football and the NFL. Of course its not our problem, but without truly marquee teams playing, these ratings are going to get hurt by the football.