Dick Allen

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 17, 2010 -> 12:13 PM) I agree, especially for a one year deal. Damon's actually the rare player that will generate merchandise sales. Also, it's a pretty sound risk. If the team does well, he'll likely earn whatever money you give him. If we struggle, you know there will be teams out there willing to trade for him. Except for maybe Beckham, Damon would sell as many tickets as any White Sox player.

Guys like Mauer in Minnesota probably help the White Sox attendance-wise.

Did anyone see the baseball special on ESPN last night. They let a very uncomfortable looking Mark Gonzalez on the panel with Eduardo Perez, Bobby V (I love Bobby V), Kurtjian, Olney, Gomez and some host. They each had to name the top team in baseball that wasn't the Yankees, Boston, Philadelphia or St. Louis. The writers named TB, Perez and Gonzalez named the Angels. Bobby V named Minnesota and the host and Pedro Gomez each went with Detroit. I was pretty shocked, although Bobby V seemed to indicate he believed the White Sox were far better than Detroit.

Over the past 4 years, the Twins have had a better road record than the Sox except for 2008, when it was 1/2 game worse because of the Black Out game. So if their homefield advantage is as compromised as some here seem to believe, the White Sox changing from a power team to one without a lot of power and still seemingly a fairly low OBP may compromise their homefield advantage. The Twins didn't win many games last year against the White Sox in Minneapolis in which you could pin the stadium as the reason. As someone who has played several games in the Metrodome in college I can tell you offensively its a little adjustment (obviously I wasn't facing major league pitching) playing there, but something I'm sure major leaguers are over, especially if they have played there in the past, after their first BP when they come to town. Defensively, it was a little tough at first, you just have to always watch the ball, but when you're in college and play in a big league park, even if it may be the biggest dump, its pretty much heaven, especially when its indoors in Minneapolis in March. The alternative is brutal. One way the move might help the White Sox is mentally. The past several seasons, they lost series there before they ever started. I do agree with the post above, it seems the Twins are stacking themselves with LH power hitters, perhaps a sign of how they feel the park will play. Ironically, its one thing the Sox definitely lack.

Considering they have already given Teahan 23, not only with JD not be back, they really have no plans to put in mothballs.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 02:25 PM) The issue we're having is...a lot of people are holding it against him that he wasn't immediately as advanced as some people had assumed, and ignoring what he actually is. But................part of what he is, or rather what he has been, is an unmotivated guy who tends to get by on ability alone. It may work for a while in Cuba, where the talent pool isn't as big, but it won't work here. It appears he's been working hard this offseason, so maybe he's grown up. There was a Cuba scouting guru who was really down on Viciedo due to his work ethic.

QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 01:53 PM) So... a 20 year old player who projects as a power hitter... who just completed a full year in AA (and was the youngest player in the league)... has 'far to go' to be considered a legit prospect, eh? Take away his first month (ever) in minor league ball... where he hit .221 with 20Ks and 2BBs... and his season looks fairly impressive actually. I don't know where anyone would think he's not a legit prospect. I could see where there may be question if he ever will amount to much. Obviously, there is no need to panic, but when he signed a lot of people assumed he would be in the White Sox everyday line-up in 2009. He obviously wasn't nearly as advanced as some assumed. He has ability. I think its all going to come down to how badly he wants to be a good player.

First off, I've never bought into the notion you could build a team that can win 95-100 games in the regular season, but isn't built to win 4 out of 7 games in the playoffs. That's just ridiculous. As a baseball fan, I think its good that Mauer stays in Minnesota. As a White Sox fan, it probably isn't so good, but in the long run, its better for the sport. Carl Pohlad may have been the richest owner in baseball. I don't know what the situation is now, but they've upped the payroll significantly and still need to pay Mauer, so I don't think finances really were ever much of a problem in Minneapolis. They just played it that way. They were one of the first teams to have a higher revenue sharing check than a payroll, although that has changed. Although they have had a better recent history than the Chicago NHL team, I wonder if Pohlad's son isn't the Rocky Wirtz of MLB.

QUOTE (MattZakrowski @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 11:00 AM) So the latest recalculation has a 3 way tie at 80-82 between the Twins, White Sox, and Tigers, FWIW. I think you should move away from the projected record and just go to the point their system thinks the 3 ALC teams are in a dead heat. I think that projection is base on everyone and everything performing to the exact Pecota projection. They know that isn't going to happen.I don't think anyone at BP actually thinks there will be no teams over .500 in the central division. I don't think they think anyone will win 90-100 games either, but it can happen.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think its Atlanta or Detroit for Damon. The Braves offer him something pretty small. Then it gets out they supposedly have $6 million to spend. Where did that come from? I think its the Boras camp saying that is the price you can have Johnny Damon . Whether this $14 million offer is true or not, it probably is all part of the game. Boras can justify Damon to Atlanta for $6 million with that offer on the table, saying living at home for spring training, the short flight for his wife to ATL, etc. are worth the smaller wage. For the White Sox, if he signed for $6 million, what excuse is he going to use to take less? They train in AZ so that's not as convenient. He can say he liked the White Sox situation better. The team, the city, etc., but if he did that, he probably has used the Tigers owner for the last time especially with all the gushing about how Johnny loves a lot of things about the Detroit area. I really don't think Boras wants to burn that bridge.

Rickey had the best line I have ever heard in an interview over 20 years ago about playing hurt. I'll never forgot it. "When I'm injury, I'm totally concentrated of my mind." The guy interviewing him just moved on like it made perfect sense.

Frank's 35 is retired Aug 29. The Twins fall apart, the Sox need another bat, they trade for Thome Aug 31 making him eligible for the postseason. His number 25 is taken by Andruw Jones, so Thome sports 35 as a tribute to Frank. Perfect.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 10:36 AM) Granted, your DH might not be able to play defense, but does it kill you that much to have one guy who can hit and not play the field? Not at all. I don't understand why anyone is against a guy who can only hit even if he is a beast at the plate. In the AL there is a position for guys who hit but don't play the field. Look at all the Frank Thomas love on this board. I don't mind the rotating DH as long as the guys DHing can hit like a guy who deserves every day playing time. I don't see where it matters that particular day if they can field or not.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 10:08 AM) If Thome is part of your DH rotation along with someone who kills LHP I doubt you have a lot of people complaining about that. That's different. I agree. There is nothing wrong with the concept of rotating DHs. What's wrong is having second-rate hitters rotating in that role.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 09:48 AM) That would indeed point to the Sox being Damon's team. Or Atlanta. Six weeks of being able to stay home has to be attractive. Boras had his puppet Heyman say the Sox and Tigers were bidding far more than Atlanta, but that could have been and probably was BS too. One thing it does make clear, Johnny doesn't seem too enthusiastic about Detroit. I would think in a perfect world, to end the silliness, the Tigers would pull their offer off the table, who knows, maybe they have, but they need Johnny more than he needs them so Boras can play his game. I think Johnny is probably certain if he had a decent year this year, the Yankees would welcome him back in 2011.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 07:21 AM) Except when it was said that they could add payroll if the right player came along. I've read quotes from JR that he won't lose money to win games, but he will bust the budget if said player(s) guarantee a championship. If the White Sox spend money, it means it was available.

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 07:05 AM) FWIW, Merkin says the Sox have about 4M to throw at him. I'd love to know how he came up with that figure. I seem to recall that had zero to work with, in fact might have been over budget last year then got Peavy and Rios. The White Sox aren't going to tell anyone how much they have to spend. At this point, I think we could probably come to the conclusion Boras is playing with at least one team regarding finances. I just wonder which one it is.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 08:25 PM) I'm just worried that a lot of that better-ness may be related to the Yankee stadium. Like it or not, he's actually quite a bit older than Kotsay. Damon is 2 years older than Kotsay, but has had 2 less back surgeries. I think its pretty unfair to give the stadium all the credit for Damon's performance. He's almost at 2500 hits for his career. He's been an exceptional player who has been on winners, and more importantly, played a key role for the winners. You do bring up a good point though, and there was an article on this board about it yesterday I believe, 36 seems like a magic number age-wise these days. I am of the opinion Damon still will be a good player for a couple more years at least. I think the Sox need him. It seemed like a no brainer when his price seemed to be $5-6 million for one year, but the Tigers may have bailed Boras out again. If they have, I doubt Illich will be very popular at the owners meetings.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 04:36 PM) Anytime I have the opportunity to watch world class athletes, I take it. Even if it's curling. Or biathlon. I like watching events you really only watch every 4 years. Breaks the monotony of the other sports. Plus, there is pure excitement when they win since this is the pinnacle of their sport...usually. They had a segment on Real Sports about the US Curling team. I wouldn't exactly call them world class athletes, although they seemed like fun guys. If you really need a curling fix, you should go down to the bars on Division Street on Saturday or Sunday early in the morning. They have guys sweeping all the cigarette butts.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 07:20 PM) Community Cards: Johnny Damon Pot Size: 14 Million Tigers to win the pot: 86% Sox to win the pot: 14% It just seems to me kind of odd, the best Damon could do yesterday was a one year contract for $4 million with half of it deferred, and now today he's at over $14 million for 2 years. Something, somewhere doesn't add up. Either he doesn't have that particular offer on the table or Boras scammed someone into believing that another team had made a similar offer. I can't see 2 teams all of a sudden going that high. For one year and $7 million, maybe $8 million, yes, but not 2 years. Maybe the Sox are offering him 1 year at $5-6 million with some incentives. At least then if he gets paid, he's put up some numbers.

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 07:00 PM) KW is just teasing us on this one, I think there is no chance. Don't you just wish this could be like poker on TV and you could see everyone's offers?

QUOTE (b-Rye @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 06:56 PM) I'm sure if KW wanted him he would of signed him by now... unless he was under the radar trying to get a good deal, Boras is just driving up the price. Maybe not. Remember JR talking about dealing with Boras. His main complaint was how he drew everything out. It was too difficult to negotiate. Maybe that's whats going on. He's decided its time to make a decision, so the Sox decide to jump in and see how they stack up.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 06:57 PM) Yeah. If they could have only kept Konerko a few seasons back... Yeah, and if you're comprehension skills were any better, you would have taken note of the word "usually", besides, if it was a bidding war for Konerko, the Sox wouldn't have won.

If this is a bidding war, the Sox usually come in second or third. From what I've gathered on the internet, Heyman seems to be a pseudo spokesman for Boras, so this entire bidding war could be totally made up. On the other hand Illich seems to bust budgets before and I don't think he's going bankrupt any time soon, so perhaps Detroit is going to $14 million. I do think the Sox interest is genuine. I don't think like Cowley suggests that KW would be in it to drive up Detroits final price. If its a couple of million, its not going to bother Illich. At the very least we now know, if JR's comments and BB's comments earlier didn't drive it home, the Sox have some money to play with. I will say this, if Matsui is worth $6 million a year, and I think plenty of people would have been thrilled if the Sox got him for that price, Damon at $7 million isn't exactly overpaying, at least from a production point of view.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 10, 2010 -> 05:42 PM) If you really believe your line of thinking, you probably should find a new user name then. ? As far as I know Dick Allen has nothing retired. I really don't use it as a "tribute" he's just the player I have always thought of first since I was a little kid when it comes to the White Sox. But if it wasn't available I wouldn't have tried to track Dick down to see if it would be OK I can pay him a tribute to use it. If Vizquel is so attached to Aparicio, how come he didn't "honor" him before, and how come he only decided to "honor" him, when another number wasn't available? Its a number, its silly to argue this, but I think the White Sox should have told him that 11 wasn't available either, no matter what Aparicio says. Again, if it is a bigger honor to have someone wear your number than to have it retired , teams are doing their greatest stars a disservice taking the numbers out of circulation. The Yankees should have let David Wells wear 3. It was a tribute. He even tried to train like him. Why do they retire numbers in the first place?