Dick Allen

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Mar 19, 2010 -> 06:42 PM) http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...on-resigns.html Something about this rings hollow. If there was all this between KW and Ozzie I don't think there is any way in the world JR would give the go-ahead for MLB to do a show about the Sox front office. Could this drama be staged for the TV cameras? Oney is a spoiled brat who would probably be hawking Streetwise if his name was Oney Smith. He shouldn't be using Twitter for White Sox stuff, especially as a low level employee. When he pops off about non baseball people, maybe he ought to look at his own performance as a baseball player. He was awful. He only got that chance because of his last name. Get a real job Oney, then pop off.

Here's an article on Jones written a year ago. It could have been written today. Don't get you hopes too high is all I'll say. March 10, 2009|BILL PLASCHKE FROM SURPRISE, ARIZ. — "Are you saying you're sorry?" I'm standing in a spacious Texas Rangers clubhouse, on a gorgeous spring morning, speaking to a trim and talkative Andruw Jones. His legs are back. His smile is back. Even his -- gasp -- swing might be back. Later this day at Surprise Stadium, he will stroke through a fastball from new Dodger Claudio Vargas, driving it off the left-field bullpen roof for his first home run of the spring. A nasty bite of the hand that still feeds him $22 million. Haunting Frank McCourt still. Jones seems to know this, he seems to sense that no matter what happens, last season will follow him like a swatch of toilet paper stuck to his cleats. He spends the last 20 minutes of his morning conversation hinting at remorse and regret, and I finally just have to know. "Are you saying you're sorry?" Are you sorry for showing up at spring training looking like a blue manatee? Sorry for not working hard enough to fix that weight? Sorry for ripping the fans who booed you for that weight? Sorry for asking to be put on the disabled list so you could disappear from those boos? The Dodgers gave you $36.2 million, and in exchange you gave them a batting average of .158, three home runs and 25 extra pounds, and so you're finally sorry? Andruw Jones pauses. He looks down. He wraps his fingers tight around the handle of a bat. He nods. "Yes, you could put it that way," he says. "Yes, in fact, put it exactly that way." "Put it what way?" "I am sorry I didn't stand up to my reputation," he says. "I am sorry for what I put everyone through. I am sorry I did not make it work." A couple of hours later Monday, upstairs in a spartan suite, moments after Jones hit his home run, I convey this apology to Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti. Now it is Colletti's turn to pause, to look down, to tighten his grip. "Humbleness is a nice trait," he finally says, and leaves it at that. :: The first thing you notice about Andruw Jones this spring is the one thing you don't notice. No belly. "He showed up missing a boiler," a Rangers official says. "Like night and day," Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo says. Jones smiles; it seems all he does here is smile. "Oh, I lost quite a few pounds," he says. "Somewhere in the 20s." Now he loses the weight. Now he hits the home run. Now he is being paid $500,000 plus incentives, the deal of the year if he performs. Wonderful.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 09:16 PM) As I remember, no player gets suspended for their first positive recreational drug test either, it's a slap on the wrist (it goes up to 50 for the second, as that is what Miguel Negron is faced with). It seems as though MLB is trying to sweep recreational drug use under the rug. Consider that there are 700+ players in the major leagues - do you ever remember a player getting suspended for recreational drug use at the major league level? What are the odds that 0 out of 700 players test positive 2 times for a drug of abuse? I'm sure you're probably right, but Washington isn't in the union. If the union ever goes on strike, Washington would continue to collect checks. He just admitted to greenies and pot as a player. I have a feeling Ronnie isn't going to be making out the line up card for the Rangers too much longer. It might be an upset if he makes it to opening day.

Santos has been pitching for less than a year, chances are when the games matter he's not going to be very effective. Maybe that's the Sox plan. Perhaps he couldn't make it through waivers right now. Maybe they throw him into a couple of blowouts and either he pitches well and he builds on it, or he gets lit up or otherwise struggles and gets through waivers more easily. I would bet anyone on this board anything that if Santos and Linebrink each throw 40 innings in the major leagues this season, Linebrink will have the better ERA. This bullpen slot actually may be pretty important if Jenks isn't ready to go. There has to be some concern. The fact that he's now testing out a wind up has to make you wonder if something other than an arm not being built up enough yet is wrong. Maybe it takes a little pressure off his calf.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 11:28 PM) Well then Konerko and company are insane. Either that or Alex Rios is very overhyped defensively. Of course this is the team that trotted Carl Everett and a 1000 year old Ken Griffey Jr out to CF.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 11:05 PM) Thats your example huh. Well Beckham and his ST looked great last year and he turned into a stud. Now your turn. You should watch the MLB Network more often. There's one thing they have run a dozen times and it showed last years spring training numbers. Believe me, if you saw it, you would want every White Sox to be hitting about .150 this spring and every pitcher's ERA to be over 10.00. Greinke's ERA last spring was about 9.00. Betemit led the White Sox with 6 homers 18 rbi. Teahen hit 7 homers for KC. Maybe his poor spring will mean breakout.(I'm not kidding). I think Ichiro hit real poorly as well. Lincecum's ERA was over 5.00. I think of the top 10 spring training hitters and pitchers numbers-wise, only 2 or 3 at most were productive players during the regular season. Of course last year was an even longer spring with the WBC, so perhaps it will be a bit different. Jones may have changed his approach, but you cannot tell how that will translate until pitchers start throwing their regular season stuff, and the odds of him not missing time with an injury are pretty slim as well.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 07:03 PM) well i guess if theres a positive, its that hes playing good defense and running real well He's lost weight. I saw him play CF the other night and he made a boneheaded throw over the cutoff man that eventually cost the White Sox a run. He is looking better than I ever thought he would but the breaking balls don't break much in AZ and he hasn't seen the pitchers' best stuff yet. I do know one thing.......if he does half as well as people are projecting, the Greg Walker b****fest must come to an end.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 03:25 PM) he admit to it but that he only did it once. really? at the age he is, he barely decided now to try it(last year), esp. with having hamilton on the team.. So if you're a player and you take some substance that might contain something on the banned list, you get 50 games and tarred and feathered for life. If you're a manager and do a little blow, you get no penalty? Why did they give him a drug test in the first place if there is absolutely no consequence for failing? No rehab, no suspension, no nothing. I'm pretty sure most people employed where drug tests occur probably wouldn't get off as easily if their test had the same result.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 01:45 PM) Yeah, the Sox want another IF, not a 5th OF. De Aza will start in Charlotte, and be called up if Kotsay or Jones are injured. No, I don't think it does. It means the player is free to sign wherever since they are not on the 40-man or under current contract... but it does not rule out the Sox signing them as minor leaguers who are not on the 40. At least, I think that is how it works. It doesn't, but didn't they sign minor league contracts? If they were willing to play in Charlotte and the Sox wanted to continue with them, I don't think they would have been released.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 17, 2010 -> 03:28 PM) That could also be Cabrera trying to use Cooper's style of pitching and it not working ala Nick Massett. He had lost velocity for a couple of years now. His K rate really dropped and he makes MacDougal's control look like Greg Maddux. He was a longshot that didn't pan out. No harm, no foul. It was worth giving him a uniform to see if they could find a way they could get anything to fall into place. There's just nothing to work with anymore.

This is the best day for Iowa basketball since they last won the Big Ten Tourney. Lickliter was a disaster. I thought he would be halfway decent, but if you have zero charisma, cannot recruit and like to play a style where scoring 60 points is playing fast, you're lucky anyone shows up to watch you play, and you're not going to attract players that will help you win anything worth winning. There are some who say he wasn't given a fair chance, but even with a decent recruiting class, they were going to suck next year, and if rumors are accurate, Gatens and Fuller told Barta if Lick stayed they were gone. Its pretty sad when decent but not great players have that much pull in your program, but as an Iowa alum, thank God they do. I wonder who they go after. I'm sure Pearl is #1 and he'll probably say no. I wonder if they really want an assistant from a Kentucky or Kansas. It seems to me if they somehow turn the Hawks around, they would be destined to leave. The guy I would really like is Majerus but if they somehow got him, it would probably be a very short run. They need someone who can bring in a player that isn't from Iowa or has Iowa ties.

Torres has to be the odd on favorite here if Hudson is destined for AAA. You need someone who can give you multiple innings, and to be the lamb during blowouts. Garbage time is the right time for Mr. Torres. He fills Nick Massett's old role. I did vote for someone outside the organization. I still think they may try to get another guy, especially with Jenks hurting and behind.

I'm pretty shocked Jenks' troubles aren't getting more play. Getting lit up right now doesn't me much, but his calf bothering him has to be a concern. Cooper is concerned.

If you are rebuilding, wouldn't you WANT to be in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox if the schedule is unbalanced, so you have more attractive home dates? You're not going to win anyway, so you might as well bring in the big draws. I'm all for realignment. I think its ridiculous you have a division with 6 teams and one with 4. At the very least, since some teams are competing with each other for a wild card spot, the unbalanced schedule isn't exactly fair, get rid of that. I wouldn't mind if they blew everything up and made 6 divisions with 5 teams and put the Sox in the same division as the Cubs, and Cardinals and Brewers. The rivalries would be that much more intense.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 13, 2010 -> 10:51 AM) I do think Jordan was advised against signing the 8/$25 million contract he signed, whether it was by his agent, or JR, I do not remember for certain. But you're right, he didn't complain publicly ever about it. As for JR "taking care" of Michael, it was Jordan's decision that he had enough money and to leave the game the two times that he did. Jordan could have continued playing after the 98' title run and made another $30 million, but he chose to walk away. And for a guy who played in the era he did, making $100 million-ish in career earnings is pretty impressive. Of course, he was also making, and continues even now to make $30-40 million a year in endorsements. He has a boatload of money. Juanita got a lot, and he's the sole investor in the Bobcats. My post was in response to the post that said JR paid him like the best player in the world. He did, but for 2 seasons. He was the greatest bargain in sports history the other seasons he played, and I'm sure he ultimately was a huge bargain when he was being paid $30 million +. The fact is, he couldn't be paid what he was actually worth, and JR and his partners were perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of that fact.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 01:09 PM) . But this year, I think I may go with Teahen. We'll see. Sit behind firstbase. He'll probably throw you a ball.

I can't see how its anything but bad. He misses a season at a time he needs experience. Running is a huge part of his game. What is the guarantee that he comes back anywhere near 100%? At a minimum, its something that sets him back a year. There's a decent chance it could be worse than that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 13, 2010 -> 09:20 AM) JR did him a big favor. Jordan wanted a long term deal, that he was actually advised against signing... by Jerry. He also told him that once he signed it, he wouldn't renegotiate it, and he didn't, which is why he was underpaid for so long. That's Pippen who had that conversation with JR, not Jordan. Jordan signed a contract, never b****ed about it once. It may be the biggest bargain in sports history. I guess today marks the 25th anniversary of JR buying the Bulls for $16 million. Just a few million less than they paid Tim Thomas to go away twice. Since Jordan last wore a Bulls uniform, they are over 200 games below .500, yet have drawn more people than any other NBA team during that time. He's still making them money.

Ozzie's take from the Tribune: "Very, very bad," manager Ozzie Guillen said."It's a shame.He has to use his speed. "It's going to cost him a year at least. The kids is still young. Unfortunately, this happened to him." chicagotribune.com has some bad editing. The kids is still young?

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 11:13 PM) It's gonna REALLY hamper his development time if this is a season ender. Worst case scenario already happen. Now we gotta hope the best case scenario is he's only missing a few weeks and will be good to go around May/June or so. Any type of experience is crucial for him. We also got to hope it isn't one of those surgeries that requires another ligament to be reattached to it or a screw. Ptatc.. you better be around my good man.. This is true. He's a tool guy who badly needs the development time. This could set him back even more than we could imagine even if he can come back at 100% physically. The only way it has an effect on the 2010 White Sox was if some team might have wanted him in a deadline deal. Teams aren't going to trade for him until they see how he comes back from this.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Mar 13, 2010 -> 06:50 AM) WSF, OT but when I read that I couldn´t help but remember Michael Jordan. That statement epitimizes what Jordan stood for and how JR paid him what he was due because he was truly the best in the world. Michael Jordan's salaries: 1984-85 Chicago Bulls NBA $550,000 1985-86 Chicago Bulls NBA $630,000 1986-87 Chicago Bulls NBA *$737,500 1987-88 Chicago Bulls NBA $845,000 1988-89 Chicago Bulls NBA $2,000,000 1989-90 Chicago Bulls NBA *$2,250,000 1990-91 Chicago Bulls NBA $2,500,000 1991-92 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,250,000 1992-93 Chicago Bulls NBA $4,000,000 1993-94 Chicago Bulls NBA $4,000,000 1994-95 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,850,000 1995-96 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,850,000 1996-97 Chicago Bulls NBA $30,140,000 1997-98 Chicago Bulls NBA $33,140,000 2001-02 Washington Wizards NBA $1,000,000 2002-03 Washington Wizards NBA $1,030,000 Seems JR "paid him what he was due" for exactly 2 seasons. As for Mauer, I expect he will remain a Twin. I'm sure if they trade him the other team will want to negotiate a contract first. If he ever did become a FA, he's exactly the kind of guy JR would open the checkbook to obtain.

QUOTE (knightni @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 06:04 PM) That thread title is a little overreactive, don't you think? He twisted his ankle, he didn't "Robin Ventura" himself. The guy has quite a few years before he even sniffs the majors. I do agree he's a ways away from playing in Chicago, but ankles can be serious, and it really would be a shame if it costs him much time. He can ride this little high he's been on and maybe take off. Who knows how much a significant injury could set him back.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 05:45 PM) I'm still trying to figure out what Lick does well. He apparently interviews extremely well. He received a 7 year contract. He gets $1.2 million a year. I guess if they fire him he receives $600k a year for the balance. He's also good at the congratulatory handshakes after the games.

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 03:31 PM) Eh, Bruce Weber still sucks. I'll trade you Todd Lickliter for him. Will even throw in little Lick. At least it seems the Iowa AD finally may be starting to realize Lickliter wants to play a brand of basketball that talented players have no desire to play. Alford has New Mexico ranked in the top 10. I think Pierre Pierce may have singlehandedly killed Iowa basketball. Apparently Alford can coach and recruit, but after the Pierce fiasco he just was never going to be a fit in Iowa City. I just don't know what decent coach would want the Iowa job.

As bad as Linebrink supposedly has been, his ERA was lower each of the past 2 seasons than Putz. The confidence in Putz around here is amazing. If he gets back to where he was 3 seasons ago, its warranted, but let's be real. One guy needs to be bought out, and one guy is the savior? Look at the numbers.