Dick Allen

What's going to happen when the White Sox home run pace slows down? Do they really have a line up that can string 4 or 5 hits together? They are among the league leaders in homers and steals and coming into tonight have struck out less than any AL team and they are horrible. Something needs to be done soon. One series win this year. The tumbleweeds are returning to USCF. Starling Castro has as many RBI in his first game as Mark Teahen has this season. He also had more extra base hits after one AB than Juan Pierre has this season.

I don't think it was just coincidence his old team was dropping bunts on him last night. The guy is just not good with the glove. Hopefully he hits like a lot of people thought he would hit several years ago, or he'll just be another guy will be waiting for his contract to run out.

QUOTE (hogan873 @ May 5, 2010 -> 06:57 AM) This seems like a strange move to me. One almost has to wonder if KW is trying to set something else up. However, it's not like Coats is a young guy who could slip into the Sox's minors and become a future star...the guy is 28 and hasn't done much in his little time in the majors. Well, one can hope that KW has something up his sleeve, but I imagine this isn't much of anything. I'm sure Coats wasn't acquired to play in Chicago. It looks like he's headed to Birmingham. Minor league fodder.

QUOTE (Brian @ May 4, 2010 -> 08:29 PM) I know nothing about pitching, but Hochevar's pitching mechanics look odd. Like he could blow out his arm at any second. Even with perfect mechanics, most pitchers eventually blow out something.

QUOTE (chw42 @ May 4, 2010 -> 08:15 PM) I think Gavin's having one of those games where he just gets lucky as hell. This happened a lot in 2008. Its a little bit both ways. I'm not Gavin's biggest fan, but they haven't him many balls hard tonight.

Are there examples of guys Teahen's age who have improved significantly defensively? I remember as a little kid hearing spring after spring how Jorge Orta improved as a 2B, then the season would start and it was the same old Jorge. He was a good hitter at least.

KW went after Kendall but fortunately Billy Beane gave Pittsburgh a better offer and KW had to settle for AJP.

Pierre with 14 SB. Paulie with 12 HR. Ozzie stated this winter he would rather Rios steal 50 bases than hit 50 homers because he wanted production. Does this mean Ozzie likes Pierre's production more than Paulie's? They have to run every time they are base against Kendall.

I cannot believe anyone would give jphat007 any crap for being negative. This guy was the ultimate optimist for years. I think he feels burned and he's skeptical.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ May 4, 2010 -> 07:59 PM) Just wanted to point out that Getz is hitting .190 while playing his usual sloppy D without a trace of power. The KC brass likes his D.

Floyd's ERA was over 6.00 entering June last year. Struggling early is nothing new. He's come to spring training throwing hard raring to go the past 2 seasons. He may have to reel it in a bit during the offseason.

If he can keep them to a run or two here, the Sox are still in it.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ May 4, 2010 -> 07:51 PM) I hope so. I'd rather have Morel at 3B right now than Teahen. There's always the possibility of Teahen becoming a utility guy and playing all the positions he played in KC. I just can't picture him helping a contending team playing 3B every day. If his defense doesn't kill you, his strikeouts might.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 4, 2010 -> 07:49 PM) Chances he's another acquisition that gets unloaded after the season because he didn't fit it? Unless they want to eat money, or take on some cash coming back, I'm pretty sure the Sox are stuck with him. Hopefully something clicks. He's a horrid 3B, but maybe he'll hit eventually.

Teahen looks so stiff to me. He also looks like a guy who would rather be in a million places other than USCF right now.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ May 4, 2010 -> 07:37 PM) Jim Thome - 39 years old - $1.5 salary - .278 AVG, 5 HR, 15 RBI, .409 OBP, .630 SLG, 1.039 OPS, 0 SB, CAN'T PLAY DEFENSE Andruw Jones-33 years old - $.5 salary - .284 AVG, 8 HR, 13 RBI, .400 OBP, .687 SLG, 1.087 OPS, 5 SB, CAN PLAY 3 OF positions, and well. Stop whining. Seems to me the White Sox have room for both of them in the line up. Of course it would cost Pierre and Kotsay some ABs.

I like when the bases are loaded having Pods bat against the White Sox. In 2005 his "near MVP" season according to some, he was 0-7 with the bases loaded with 1 RBI which he got with a walk.

Ernie Harwell died today.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ May 4, 2010 -> 07:19 PM) so, Kenny said Teahen is a real 3B. but he isn't. what does this mean? Kenny cant properly evaluate talent? Kenny also said Josh Fields would be the White Sox most popular jersey in 2009 and Brent Lillibridge would swipe 40 bases. Of course he's going to say that. I didn't like the trade at the time it was made, but I suppose I could understand it. I just don't get the extension.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 3, 2010 -> 05:51 PM) Too funny...TWO Sox fans both using the exact, particular phrase "piss poor" to describe the Sox. It could be worse. We could have been Royals fans.

Another non story. I really don't think KW needs another month to conclude he needs more talent. I think he may now regret calling it an offseason after he acquired a leadoff man who can't get on base much and a third baseman who doesn't hit or field all that well, and thinking his piss poor 2009 offense was poised for a turnaround.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ May 3, 2010 -> 01:48 PM) Bingo! I think that is ultimate answer with Teahen - utility guy off the bench, and not just necessarily for the Yankees. I don't think he should be a starter at the Major League level, period. He is below average offensively and defensively and has proven so pretty much throughout his entire career. The one quality he does bring to the table, though, is versatility. And the last time I checked, versatility was an attribute considered to be quite valuable for someone coming off of the bench. In Teahen's case, you can theoretically run him out to five positions on the playing field. And even though he isn't particularly good defensively at any one of those positions, in short stints that kind of versatility could come in quite handy for a manager over a long season. Additionally, as is the case with so many good bench players out there, they seem to hit better in limited action vs. having their weaknesses exposed as a full-time player. So to me, Teahen would be acceptable as a super sub, but as a regular player, I just don't think he cuts it - ESPECIALLY in a line-up that also frequently features the names Pierre, Vizquel, and Kotsay along with Teahen's. This is true. How much better of a ballplayer is Mark Teahen than a guy like Geoff Blum? Is he 3 times the player? Blum has never made more than $1.5 million in a season. The White Sox inexplicably guaranteed Teahen $15 million.

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 3, 2010 -> 04:41 PM) I'd be shopping the hell out of Greinke right now too. His value will never be higher. And by the time they are any good to where he can actually make a difference for them, he will be walking via FA. Then the cycle would continue. They would never be good. I would hate to be a Royals fan who grew up with the George Brett era teams with the way this franchise has floundered the past 2 decades. They need to keep their good players. When Greinke can become a FA, he's kind of a strange dude and perhaps except for the losing, likes the low pressure environment in KC, Royals ownership needs to sign him to a fair market contract. They have some decent young players, but it seems there is such a loser's atmosphere around there. I don't think their GM is going anywhere, but KC, if I were a young GM in waiting, would be a sweet job. They have some gpod young talent. Expectations are beyond low. The fans there are starved for something just decent. Guillen is coming off the books. I really think if you had a decent plan, I think you could really make quite a name for yourself as their GM, and if you were successful and they couldn't afford to keep what you have built, you would have your choice of other jobs.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 3, 2010 -> 05:09 PM) Screw his contract. It wouldn't matter if he was playing for free. There's just no better option. 'Lexi? Rios? Beckham? This is an incredibly flawed roster. The best bet is that Juan can become at least 80% of what he's been his entire career (not that he's ever been that good. but he's never been THIS bad). He is better than he's shown, and he does get ridiculously hot at times. They are usually all singles, but I still think he winds up with better numbers than Pods this season.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 3, 2010 -> 05:03 PM) Like it or not, JP has no value on THIS team if he's not leading off. There's just no better option. Blame Ozzie/KW for the construction of the roster until you're blue in the face. It's just fact. I think he wouldn't be bad in the 2 hole especially considering Ozzie likes his #2 guys bunting. He makes a lot of contact for hit and runs, can bunt, and even though he has several so far this season, he historically doesn't GIDP much. 10 times is a career high.