Dick Allen

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 04:10 PM) I'll disagree with you on D2: he has an awful lot still to learn in AAA; he has to learn to hit AAA pitching. He's only hitting .257 with a .705 OPS right now. Supposedly they have him doing legitimate work to shorten up his swing and try to make better contact and cut down on the strikeouts. Flowers is a bit different...not only has he been in AAA for longer, he's been in AA for longer as well, and he's putting up much, much better numbers in AAA than D2. Flowers is striking out a lot, but he's also hitting those pitchers. D2 isn't. More homers and more walks is the difference right now. Flowers needs to make more contact.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 16, 2010 -> 04:05 PM) How can you honestly know that? It's just a guess, based on his K/AB rate, yes? I mean, as someone else said, what's the worst thing that could happen, at this point?? What else is he or Danks going to learn in AAA? If they're so fragile they end up like Brian Anderson or Josh Fields, well, then so be it. Then we really have to look at our drafting philosophy and totally revamp our FO structure. Now it seems like BAD LUCK is the excuse for our performance so far this season. Anyone watching Beckham and Quentin so far this season would know both those guys are doing a lot more than just hitting in "bad luck," or Gavin Floyd pitching in bad luck, etc. It's like saying, well, Alex Ramirez has hit 20-30 "foul" home runs this year. Yeah, well, so what? They are foul because the pitcher put them in that place and he couldn't keep them fair. Last time I checked, they aren't getting credit on the back of the baseball card for "just missed it" or "hang with ems," are they??? That's just such a horrible, crappy excuse. So Jordan Danks, Tyler Flowers have nothing to learn in AAA, but send Beckham down? That makes zero sense. I understand people want different personnel, I do as well, but I want better personnel, not just some minor league guys doing the same damn thing. Danks isn't even hitting .250 and fanning at an incredible rate. Flowers whiffs almost 40% of the time, if they have nothing to learn, its scary how bad this organization really is.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 04:01 PM) Here's the question to ask...how much is he going to learn from a couple more months in AAA putting up a giant OPS and hitting the ball easily out of the park? If he's going to struggle when he gets to the big leagues, may as well do that this season. If we wait until after June 1, it doesn't really cost us any extra arbitration time by having him at the big leagues, and you save some money if you can move AJ. The White Sox "saved" money last year unloading veterans, yet when it came to acquiring more offense at a reasonable rate this offseason, they passed. The "savings" means nothing. I disagree with the notion he's got nothing to learn at AAA. You throw him to the wolves now and he fails, you may never get him back. He made some progress defensively last year. He still has a lot of things to work on, getting rid of a guy like AJ who has been as close to the heart of the team as any player and putting all the pressure on Flowers is a disaster waiting to happen. Ease him in during September or if AJ gets hurt, and see what he can do next year, but always have a back up plan.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 16, 2010 -> 03:56 PM) Still, we can't be paying declining veteran players $5-6-7 million dollars that are way below average defenders and below league average offensively. The future is Flowers, whether he fails or not, the only way this offense has any upside is if Flowers is an 800-900 OPS type of player to go along with the defensive and game-calling limitations he'll obviously be presenting (think Miguel Olivo without the arm). Flowers may someday be the OPS guy you are hoping, but its certainly not now.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 03:56 PM) Bah, if you could trade him with minimal return, you save $3 million or so, and Flowers is putting up a >.900 OPS at AAA. You're right though, we'd miss AJ's work behind the plate. Just be nice if he was hitting >.200. Flowers has a .901 OPS but he also has 39 k in 101 AB and is only hitting .257. The one knock on him was he is going to k a ton in MLB. Right now it may be half his AB. There is no need to rush him unless you enjoy Josh Fields-like offense. And the savings, I just don't think they use that for anything to be honest.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 03:47 PM) Honestly, given that AJ's about to be a 10/5 guy and Flowers is our best hitter at AAA...I wouldn't be angry if we could find a taker for AJ in early June and made that switch. Keep AJ around. Its not like the Sox have a 20 year committment to him, just the rest of the season. When Flowers starts consistently raking in AAA and if the Sox are out of it, call him up then and let him play. There really should be no panic about this 5/10 stuff. People are going to realize AJ was a lot better than they thought when he is gone.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ May 16, 2010 -> 03:35 PM) Agreed, call up Flowers, get Viciedo here, D2. See what we have, get some spects for PK,AJ,get rid of Vizquel,Kotsay can go. Bring up Lillibridge and give the kid a shot at being a backup. If you don't like how Beckham is hitting and one of those guys that thinks he should be optioned to Charlotte, you are really going to be frustrated with the 3 you mentioned striking out all the time in the big leagues. Wait until they are ready.

QUOTE (TitoMB @ May 16, 2010 -> 02:36 PM) I mean, who didn't think Bannister was gonna just own face today? Guy with a high ERA, not very good.. perfect situation to ace the Sox. I don't think the Sox are done scoring, but Floyd has to stop the bleeding. The White Sox offense scored at least 7 runs in 3 of his 7 starts coming into today and he has 1 win.

I understand the runners, but with 2 out and the bases loaded, why not have Floyd wind up. He's much more effective.

The problem with trying to score runs with Pierre AB is even if he gets a hit, its so short, most guys can't score from second. I don't mind the steal attempt there. He could have thrown it into CF.

Floyd had an ERA over 7.00 his first 8 starts last year, then 2.25 his next 20. Its sitting at about 7.00 right now and today is his 8th start. Hopefully he can repeat.

Am I the only one on Soxtalk that saw Rusty Kuntz play for the White Sox in person?

If he could throw his curve close to the zone he'd fan him, but he couldn't.

He almost swung at that.

Floyd has wiggled out of bigger jams recently. We need a K or a pop up.

When this crap happens it seems their best hitters then come to the plate everytime. I like Butler.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:47 PM) Really, you have a problem with how much praise he's put on Frank? He's been flat out right. I really don't think Hawk needs to stroke Frank's ego 20 times a game. Its fine to call him the greatest hitter in White Sox history a couple of times a telecast, but I think even the most novice of White Sox fans gets it. Frank Thomas is the poster child for sports heroes you would be udderly dissappointed in if you knew him in person.

What has happened more often these telecasts, Frank saying no doubt about it, or Hawk sucking the Big Hurt off?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:31 PM) Don't underestimate our starters ability to give runs back. Doesn't matter. The Sox are getting at least 6 today.

At least they are hitting the ball today. This is a win. Its a lock.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:27 PM) If they ever had a conversation with Simeon Rice, it would go "without a doubt" followed by "most definitely". No doubt about it.

Joey Cora says "without a doubt" all the time. A conversion between Joey and Frank leaves little doubt.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:23 PM) He went, Hawk and Frank No doubt about it, but I really don't understand why home plate umpires don't ask for help anyway on all checks or semi-checks.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:17 PM) It's all about health. And he's been showing signs with a back and neck injury the past couple of weeks. Hopefully they can keep it at bay, but you have to figure he probably is going to go down sometime.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 16, 2010 -> 01:14 PM) Who ends up with the higher batting average this season, Beckham or Andruw Jones? Beckham. I was reading something yesterday. This is the AB total when Jones just fell apart last season. His numbers after 110 or so AB are about the same as last season, except he has a couple more homers. I don't think he can keep it up, but hopefully he won't fall totally apart.