Dick Allen

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 27, 2010 -> 06:57 PM) I don't think Ozzie ever really consider the option of having Thome all offseason because he assumed he would sign elsewhere. When given the option of having Thome back at like $1-2 mill a year to be a dangerous bat for the Sox and take playing time away from someone like Mark Kotsay, Ozzie chose to go with Kotsay over Thome because he would have to give too many bats to Thome, which would take away from his ability to use everyone and anyone at the DH position, and when it boiled down to that, he declined. It isn't because they think Thome's a bad player, it's simply because he's not good enough to overturn the direction the White Sox are going with their rotating DH. I disagree with their decision, but I'm sitting behind a computer while Ozzie gets to put on a uniform and make decisions for the team on the field while Williams gets to put on a suit and tie and call other GMs and make trades and sign people, so there's not much I can do about it. I imagine if the Nationals offered Adam Dunn plus $$$ for CJ Retherford right now, the Sox would take it and Kotsay would sit on his ass quite a bit throughout the entirety of the season. I'm starting to believe the White Sox knew all along they wouldn't bring Thome back. Then word on the eve of Soxfest hits that he's close to signing with Minnesota, basically their biggest rival. Instead of Soxfest becoming the "how could you let Thome go to Minnesota"fest, they decided to make it seem as they still were considering him. Ozzie talked to Thome Sunday night, right after Soxfest had ended and he wouldn't be hounded with questions about it. If my theory is correct, I don't blame them for doing it that way, although if they really don't think they are a bat short at this time, I think they are very wrong.

In 1990 or 1991, the Royals had the highest payroll in baseball.

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 08:06 PM) Do you think there is any chance we could ever get Johnny Damon on a one year deal, notwithstanding his agent? That would be awesome, I realize it's a pipe dream so criticize me accordingly. I think it could happen, but I think one of the biggest problems is the Sox signed Andruw Jones, also a Boras guy and Damon would take ABs away from him, but if the Sox money is right, and from what I'm reading Mark Teahan 2010 money is either the top bid or very close, I think Damon would sign with the Sox. I do know KW inquired earlier in the offseason when his price tag was much higher. I don't know if the Sox have any interest. After all, you wouldn't want Johnny Damon taking ABs away from Jones, Kotsay or Vizquel.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 07:32 PM) Thome as a full time DH isnt the answer for this team. He showed signs of breaking down last year and the organization knows that. For the first time in years he put up a sub .800 OPS in the second half of the season and is almsot 40 years old with a bad back and high maintenance swing. I think they easily could have penciled Thome is for the DH ABs vs RHP. I just don't think there is any chance the White Sox don't have injury issues with Kotsay/Jones/Quentin, even Vizquel if he plays very often. After all, he's 43. I think this was a cheap way to effectively improve the offense. They passed, but they will eventually have to do something about it. I just hope they do something about it before it costs them games.

The Cubs signed Chad Tracy to a minor league deal. He'll make 900k if he makes the team.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 07:04 PM) Can't sign somebody you didn't offer arbitration until either May 1st or 15th. Can't remember which date it is. They did away with that rule.

I don't know if this is technically a Chicago thing, but Ricobene's breaded steak sandwich is one of the worst things I have ever tasted.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 25, 2010 -> 09:23 PM) LOL @ JimH trying to drag people into fights on the chicagonow board. "Im right here, Im not hiding...." I wonder if he even realizes the irony in the garbage he spews. He claims he knows Mrs. fathom. My condolences to her.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Jan 25, 2010 -> 08:48 PM) Yes, the Twins have capable starters, but I wouldn't say they're nearly as good as the front 4 the Sox will send out there. The Sox should also have a good bullpen, especially combined with a really strong rotation. They have the two most talented players in the division in Morneau and Mauer, but the Sox have some pretty good talent too. As I have said 1000 times, I have concerns about the DH. But when people bring up Kotsay/Jones/Vizquel/Nix, it's almost as if they're thinking all four of those guys will be in the lineup together at the same time. This is one spot out of 9 we're talking about. And while I share the same concerns on that one spot in the lineup, I think we're drastically overstating the impact it's going to have. They would probably be better with a sure bat in that spot, but it is not going to mean everything. I will say this now, and you can tell me I'm wrong if it doesn't work out, but I think this lineup will do a much better job than people realize. And I say that because I think Quentin and Rios get back to where they need to be. This offense will live and die by what those two contribute. I believe that when we look back on the season in September, if it is an offensive failure (or success), it will be mainly because of those two guys or because of what Konerko does or doesn't do. It won't be because of who the DH isn't. If I'm wrong about that, I'll wear it. Its one spot that can be fixed cheaply right now. Why wait for the failure? Andruw Jones is a bum. Mark Kotsay is no good either. If Quentin and Rios get back to where they were great, but why, if you can make your team better and can easily afford it do you pass? And why as fans of the team should anyone accept the BS? Why just try to be a little better than the teams in your division? Why not try to be the best you can possibly be? If KW and JR left this entirely up to Ozzie and still think he is wrong, and didn't use their authority, shame on them. I'm hoping they have another move because if they are seriously going with the current plan, its going to work out as well as Erstad and Alomar and Colon part II (although I endorsed that one) and Griffey and Wise as a leadoff man every day CF. Its dumb.

Thome has supposedly been told the White Sox will pass. Hopefully they have something else up their sleeves or they will be in the market for hitting during the season.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jan 25, 2010 -> 06:43 PM) I suppose the argument would be that those stats fail to include a bunch of playing time for guys who were not there on Opening Day. And then you have Teahan to factor in as well. Teahan hasn't equaled what Pods put up for a slugging pct. last season since 2006.

The White Sox were 11th in the AL in slugging pct. last year. Only Oakland, Seattle and KC were worse. I don't see where rotating mediocre at best hitters as the DH is going to help.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jan 25, 2010 -> 05:21 PM) It's much easier to overcome a hole like Burrell created when you have 4 guys in the lineup with an OPS over .875 like the Rays did. Just for comparison purposes... Only one player on the Sox had an OPS over .850 in 2009... Thome. Three players did in 2008... Quentin, Dye, and Thome. Only one player did in 2007... Thome. Three players did it in 2006... Konerko, Dye, and Thome. (BTW - Alex Rios has done it twice in his 6 year career... the last time was 3 years ago.) So... take Thome and Dye out of the equation... replace Thome with sub-standard DH production... and if other guys do their jobs we should be OK? I'm just struggling to see how we'll score enough runs to be competitive. This is a Thome thread but I agree people are underestimating the loss of Dye offensively. We did see the loss the second half and it wasn't too pretty. Maybe that's why some are OK with Kotsay and Jones. The first half, JD was a great hitter.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Jan 25, 2010 -> 04:51 PM) You will get no argument from me that it is not ideal. I agree with that. I'm simply saying that the fate of this lineup does not necessarily hinge on the DH, especially if the big boys do their job. The Rays scored the 5th most runs in the league last year (7th overall) and Pat Burrell had an OPS of around .680 as their full-time DH. It's not ideal, but it doesn't mean it won't be good enough...especially in the Central. It wasn't good enough for the Rays and they were looking and are looking for a replacement. That's the argument. Why wait for the inevitable? We all know this DH experiment as currently constructed is going to fail. There really is no good argument as to why it would not. You yourself have said on your show you expect the White Sox to get another bat. It doesn't have to be Thome, although the price seems hard to beat. I just hope they come to their senses before the games start to count. Every game you win in April and May is one less you have to win in August and September.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Jan 24, 2010 -> 09:40 PM) I thought I was pretty clear in what I said. Most of what I get (caller, emails, texts) is that people wanted Thome gone by midseason last year. Actually they wanted him gone midseason the year before. Now it seems to have completely changed. Actually, the Sox are really only in this position because Thome doesn't have a job yet. And because he said publicly that he would welcome a return, which then piqued everyone's interest and it became a topic. And because it became in issue, they've had to address it. I thought it was fairly obvious they decided to part ways with him this winter. There isn't one player on the Sox who fans haven't wanted gone at some point. Even Beckham people were down on after his slow start. I'm sure the White Sox have known Thome's first choice is them from before they traded him. Its not a new revelation. They need a bat. This Kotsay/Jones/Vizquel rotating DH thing is not going to work, just like Wise in CF didn't work. Just like Swisher leading off didn't work. Just like Darrin Erstad didn't work or Mike MacDougal or Andy Gonzalez.................................................They have to do something to correct it before it costs them wins. If its bringing back Thome fine. If its someone else fine. I agree Thome's popularity has increased tenfold, just on this board alone the past couple of days, but if the Sox had adequately filled his position, his potential signing with Minnesota would have been met with a collective yawn.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 11:24 PM) Am I the only one that's bothered that this entire board is obsessed with adding a 40-year old DH? I mean I'd like Thome back as well. But you would think we were talking about a combination of Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr. I don't think anyone is pinning the White Sox World Series chances on bringing back Thome, in fact, I've always been one of his biggest fans and there are a couple of guys I would prefer, but it does appear the current scheme is pretty flawed. This guy costs you no players and apparently little money (relatively speaking, as $1 million for 6 months of work would be significant money to me.) If the current plan does indeed fail for whatever reason, and there are several to choose from, the Sox will have to find an alternative. That could cost them more cash or talent for similar production. The Thome figure, if accurate, is peanuts. This is money they paid Bartolo Colon last year. A third of what they paid Mike MacDougal. What they paid JD to go away. Maybe they think he can't hit anymore and want to be classy and not come out and say it. That would be one thing. Maybe they are in on someone else they think is a better fit than Thome, that's another OK thing, but if they think he can still contribute and can fit him in financially and the only excuse not to sign him is because Jones and Kotsay are on the roster , that is ridiculous.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 05:27 PM) Ozzie was 13-for-30 that year in SB, lol. The Sox had 140 SB to 90 CS, a 61% success rate with a .320 team OBP. If it didn't work then it's not working now. The HR leaders BTW were: Fisk, 18 Kittle, 16 Sosa, 15 Calderon, 14 Pasqua, 13 They did win 94 games. It really was a fun year. They won more than a couple of games on WP. Got no hit and won by 4. One ironic thing about that year as the Sox were trying to make a run at Oakland who was stacked and juiced, were the deadline deals. Oakland picked up Willie McGee and Harold Baines. The Sox added Jerry Hairston, who I think did not play, they just put him on the roster it might have been Sept. 1, as a favor for his pension, and Minnie Minoso who was going to bat as a gimmick. He was 60 or 70, but the commissioner wouldn't let Minnie play. I think it was Ueberoth. One player was very vocal in his disgust about the disparity between the teams late season pick ups in the race for the division crown. His name was Ozzie Guillen.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 05:16 PM) The funny thing is that we're trying to create at-bats for Kotsay, who will surely be injured when he's not putting up a .270 average with 10 homers over the course of a full season. I love how KW is putting Ozzie on the hot seat. Kotsay hasn't had an OPS higher than .746 since 2004. Jones signed for 50% less guaranteed than Brian Anderson, even with Boras repping him. I think Wise working out as the leadoff man last year had a better chance of working out than this idea does. (If they are being straight) Supposedly Damon said he will sign this week. Maybe just maybe the Sox are still holding out hope and Thome is the second option. Probably not, but its nice to dream.

QUOTE (CryptviLL @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 04:49 PM) Thome is not the naswer! Damon is! I can't wait to see what Ozzie has instore for this season by the looks of it! I personally hope he lives by his word and does crazy stuff. This is coming from a guy who hasn't liked Ozzie since 2006! haha I think he wants to play like the 1990 White Sox. I think their leading HR hitter had 14. If they got on base, they would go. I remember one game they had 5 guys in a row caught stealing. It didn't stop them from running. It was a fun year, but I don't know it that style will work today.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 04:47 PM) on one of the local radio shows Scott Merkin was on, said somebody asked about Damon in the townhall meeting thing today and it was shot down. Yes. KW responded with the question, "Who is his agent." I would have told him the same guy who reps Andruw Jones. I think Damon is the perfect guy. I think he would do wonders as far as the way Ozzie wants to play and he can hit some homers too. It appears it won't happen. Thome at $1 million seems silly to turn down. If there is a silver lining, its that the White Sox usually work real hard correcting their wrongs the previous year. In 2007 when they went to all those minor league FA to fill out the bullpen, they wound up spending some good money on Linebrink and Dotel. Last year when DWise lead off, they wound up getting Pierre. If the current arrangement doesn't work out, they will wind up getting a big hitter to fill the role in 2011. Its just going to cost them more than it does now. I wish someone would ask Ozzie and KW if they really think all 3 of Quentin, Kotsay and Jones can stay healthy the entire year. Even if they all come up aces in performance, all of them staying healthy is a pipedream.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jan 23, 2010 -> 09:44 AM) I think B& B yesterday mentioned it's 328 Very few HR are hit right down the line. The big measurements are the gaps.

Supposedly he's willing to sign for $1 million. That's not even Toby Hall money. If you aren't going to bring in Damon, this is a no brainer.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jan 22, 2010 -> 10:00 PM) I got KW mad at Soxfest today! I asked about the failure of Sox draft picks and if there has been a shift in draft philosophy. He was quite terse. I will give KW credit, he doesn't give the standard lines when he gets criticized, he come firing back. I almost think its to discourage anyone else from firing on him like pre-2005. I used to go to Soxfest just for those sessions and of course acquiring all the Liu Rodriquez baseball cards I could get my hands on. It seemed like as soon as someone started firing away it snowballed and a lot more people had the nerve to fire away as well. Usually the Friday's were all softball lovefests no matter what the state of the team.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jan 22, 2010 -> 09:54 PM) I have a feeling if Thome signs elsewhere the Sox will be in the division race and deal for a bat giving up good prospects. I agree that another bat seems to be a pretty obvious need right now. Then again, if Bobby Jenks pitches like he used to pitch and Linebrink comes back strong and Thornton stays were he's at, and Putz gets back to what he was in 2006-7 and Pena pitches like Cliff Politte in 2005, they won't have to score many runs, but as we all know chances are that doesn't happen. There are always some surprises and some dissappointments every season.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 22, 2010 -> 09:49 PM) Dick, you make some very good points at times. I generally like you as a poster. But as J4L stated, you beat s*** into the ground so much it makes people crazy. We read you the first 157 times you typed that. Thanks for the critique. I'm just curious why the responsibility has changed. I'm hoping its all BS because they really need another hitter.