Dick Allen

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 09:35 PM) All the metrics say Vizquel is still a damn good fielder so if the Sox aren't going to have a good defensive infield they better have at least one late inning replacement who can field. Baseball has changed of course but defense should still be a priority in the late innings when you need to protect a one run lead. They aren't going to lift Alexei in the late innings or Beckham. Maybe Teahan. What I'm concerned about is the once or twice a week starts Vizquel gets. Want to bet he leads off occassionally?

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 09:29 PM) It makes plenty of sense if you value defense. The position of SS has really changed from what it used to be. Even a Manager like Earl Weaver who loved the 3-run homer and was not much of a believer in "small ball" saw a need for someone like Mark Belanger who makes Omar Vizquel look like Albert Pujols. Belanger was a slick fielding no hit ( and seriously no hit to the tune of a lifetime BA/OBP/SLG/OPS of .228/.300/.280/.580 ) SS who managed to play 18 years in the majors for some very very good Baltimore teams in the late 60's and 70's. You can bet your arse that the vaunted Oriole starters of that time like Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar, Pat Dobson and Milt Pappas loved having him out there every day. A few years Belanger even got some MVP votes probably from Baltimore writers. Good defense makes a helluv difference when you've got golden arms out there pitching for you. The current infield of the Sox is going to be torture to our staff. Alexei Ramirez is the White Sox SS. Vizquel will see very little time there and he is 43 years old. You think Jermaine Dye is old. This guy is 7 years older than him. And the game has changed. You can't get away with a guy who hit like Belanger anymore. At least in the AL.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 01:07 PM) It's just his talent that's intriguing. On a terrible team he can be an adequate 5th OF/pinch runner for a year, then he'd be back in the minors again to continue developing. I don't think anyone would consider giving him much playing time right now. But then you have a guy wasting a year and he'll be 25 back in the minors. I don't think many teams want to spend $400k to keep him around all year just so they can send him to AAA the following season. They are going to want him to be able to contribute something. Nothing in 2009 seems to indicate he's ready to do that.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 07:33 PM) According to Klapisch's column, Matsui will land with our White Sox. Doesn't jive with other recent statements, but, it would make sense. Supposedly most if not all and then some of what Matsui would get in a contract could be covered by money made off his popularity in Japan. Some article in Japan said they Yankees would lose $15 million if they let him go. Plus his agent is Arn Tellum, one of JR's favorites. I don't think it will happen, but it wouldn't shock me.

Before the renovation the Sox were playing the Cubs on a Sunday night and me and my friend were in the front row of the RC field bleachers back when there were bleachers in RF. There was still the mote in front of us and we had a rather large lady flashing us her brains for 7 innings. It really wasn't a pretty sight, and I'm not gay.

Here's what I think: I really don't think there is any way the Sox non tender Jenks. I also don't think teams will want to pay him his arb figure and/or give up anything to acquire him. I think the Sox go to arb, get the non guaranteed contract, and if Jenks comes to spring training looking like a slob throwing 91 and not doing the job, seeing him get released or if he's in decent shape throwing well, he'll be worth the check.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 06:50 PM) Yeah. Vizquel's bat has been absent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a mentor to Ramirez at SS like he was with Andrus last season. I've heard this argument about Vizquel a lot. First off Andrus was a pretty top notch prospect.I don't know if its fair Vizquel gets credit for his success. Also, Ozzie Guillen was a GG SS. If he and Joey Cora can't get through to Alexei, I don't see how anyone can think its probable Vizquel could get through to him. Its not like Omar is in a different generation as the other 2. They are practically the same age. Again, not a horrific signing, but IMO a waste of money.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Nov 20, 2009 -> 03:55 PM) I'm in the camp saying that I'd lke to know what else that $1M could have gone towards. Nonetheless, we dont know for sure that JR is unwilling to spend. So just like Rios, you cant knock it til you see the final product they have for us. And, much like that move, you cant argue with a move aimed at shaving some brutality off our 2010 late inning defense. I thought the Teahan trade was supposed to cover the bad defense. Vizquel isn't going to play SS in the 9th for Ramirez. He isn't going to play 2B for Beckham, he may occassionally come in to play 3rd, it isn't a brutal signing, but for a team always apparently strapped for cash, a very curious one. Offensively, he's done. He basically can be used as a pinch bunter. What I don't understand is, the White Sox have already begun the money is tight campaign, yet they have spent $4.5 million more with Teahan and Vizquel than with Getz and a guy like Lillibridge. I know Lillibridge sucks, but was it wise to spend $4.5 million for what to me is a slight upgrade at best? Considering guys like Abreu got $5 million last year and this year's market is supposed to be flooded with non tenders and bargains, not only can I not understand going after Teahan, I don't know why you spend $1 million on a 43 year old defensive replacement who can go at any time. He's not going to win you games. This signing won't hamstring the team most likely and hopefully they won't fall $1 million or so short of a target than can actually help them win, but Omar Vizquel in 2010? I think its silly.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 09:33 PM) There's always time for adjustments in the majors. You know that. Just because someone puts up a bad stat line in 100 AB's doesn't mean they suck. Overbay is a perfect insurance policy guy if Allen were to struggle. I'm sure that's why they were looking at him, especially if all they had to give up was Chris Snyder. There was a scout on ESPN about a month ago talking about Allen. He didn't believe Allen was anywhere near ready to be a regular in the majors and questioned if he ever would be, of course scouts have been wrong like everyone else, but there are more signs that Allen isn't ready to contribute than there are signs he is. As for the 100 ABs, if he had the 100 ABs with the White Sox and did the same thing, it would be because of Greg Walker, at least on this board.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 08:23 PM) I don't mean to bring up a subject everyone already beat to death last season, but I'll be honest, I wish we still had Brandon Allen. Lets just assume that the Adrian Gonzalez rumor will never happen... we could've simply traded Konerko this offseason for a grab-bag of 2 or 3 relievers and then start the 2010 season with Brandon Allen at 1st base. It just seems like Brandon Allen would've served us well as a lefty first baseman if we cannot get Adrian Gonzalez, and that Konerko could've gotten us better relievers than Tony Pena, not to mention more than one reliever that could've pretty much plugged up our bullpen. Brandon fanned 40 times in just over 100 AB in the major leagues in 2009. He hit below .200 in the AZ fall league. The D-Backs were close to acquiring Lyle Overbay to play 1B in 2010. Allen is far from ready to help a major league team win anything worthwhile.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 07:01 PM) The Rangers got hosed. How come Gonzalez didn't hit anywhere near like he hit in SD under Rudy Jaramillo? I thought all he does is makes hitters better?

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Nov 18, 2009 -> 06:26 PM) With our park and our defense, Floyd is a little less valuable here than he might be somewhere else. With our park, we can stretch our dollars more when we go out and get cheap free agent power guys that do actually matter. I guess I just see it as....with our current situation we badly need a guy who will get people out with the bat on their shoulder. Obviously no one is going to argue with me on that being a good thing, but I guess you're all arguing with me on how necessary that is for our team specifically to have a championship hope. If you put the Doc/Peavy staff out there, all you would need to go right is the team HR total going back up...which i think is doable with 5-8M somehow freed up for a cheap power guy. I only say this because I think there's no way we get a high OBP team together for next year....... but in 05 we had a great staff and a steady group of power guys...and it was just enough. I'm not exactly Floyd's biggest fan, but he's a heck of a lot better at home than on the road. Split W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP SO/9 SO/BB Home 6 3 .667 2.47 13 13 0 0 0 0 91.0 70 30 25 8 23 3 89 1 0 366 1.022 8.8 3.87 Away 5 8 .385 5.47 17 17 0 1 0 0 102.0 108 63 62 13 36 1 74 1 0 431 1.412 6.5 2.06 The ballpark factor is no factor. The guy was a HOFer at home and a AAA pitcher on the road in 2009. If the White Sox have the kind of money they would need to upgrade to Halladay from Floyd, not only in 2009 but moving forward, they would be better off using that money fixing the bullpen and other holes.

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 07:46 PM) im sorry to say writting e-mail to cowley isnt going to much begin with. cowley said it all in his twitter and I even knew before that he was jackass. just ignore the twit and keep doing good work ya do here. You're right, the only thing its going to do is give him something he will stick in your face if the trades never occur. I do know Cowley used to post occassionally on whitesoxinteractive but got into a fight and was banned. It would shock me if he isn't reading this thread laughing at what his big mouth has caused, thinking how wonderful he is. IMO, the guy has a screw loose. OTOH, if the trades did go down, do you think his bosses at the ST would be livid he didn't have the scoop and popped off like he did? He probably would be re-assigned to High School hockey.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 07:22 PM) Funny you mention this, my unofficial broadcast career started last Friday doing play-by-play for the GVSU Hockey team. Remember that PM you sent me a while back? That was reassuring. :lol" Oh, and my favorite line from the reponse he sent you: "so don’t tell me how you can do my job. You can’t. You don’t have the training, the access or the staying power." There are many comments we all could make about Cowley's "training" but they all are suspension-worthy.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 07:20 PM) Jason did so in an email he sent earlier this evening. Cowley basically scoffed at the notion and told Jason he was "out of his lane" in reporting these rumors because he doesn't have the access or knowledge to do so. You would think a guy who beat cancer and gets paid to do what he does would be wound a little less tightly. I could understand how a guy writing for a paper would really despise any and all bloggers, but if the information is wrong, why would it upset him so much? The only way Cowley is going to look bad is if he gets scooped by a blogger. If anything he just made a lot more people read the blog. He really is a loser. He thinks he's a writer, comedian, talk show host, but all he really is is an insecure hack.

Someone needs to point out several moves reported on this board while Cowley was busy flexing in front of his bathroom mirror telling himself how great he was. There have been plenty.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 05:57 PM) Tyler Flowers should get more seasoning at AAA next year so this, or any back up catcher, makes sense That's the rub. Flowers needs to catch to get better. With AJP behind the plate, unless he gets hurt, and he's never been on the DL, he's going to catch 120-130 games. That would pretty much be a wasted year for Flowers if the Sox view him as a catcher down the road. Its a pretty rough decision, but if AJP were to go down, Flowers would leapfrog Blanco. I was hoping Blanco signed last year. He may have one more year left in him.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Nov 17, 2009 -> 04:53 PM) And what does it say that a bunch of Sox fans who cover the team AS A HOBBY scoop Cowley on stories? Isn't Cowley the guy who said Uribe was going to be released several times--------never happened. Said the Sox were going to go hard after Orlando Hudson------------------never happened. Said Chone Figgins was going to be the target this offseason earlier in the year---------------------not going to happen. Who is this hack questioning anyone? I wouldn't care what the Sox gave up, just to make him look like a fool it would awesome if they got Gonzalez and somehow sent Paulie to the Angels. As far as the rip on training, I would assume Cowley was a journalism major. What kind of training did he have to be on the radio? He's a Hineybird wantabe, and he can't even hang with him.

Even if they couldn't get Gonzalez, if the Angels want to give the Sox a good prospect for Paulie and take his contract, I say, as much as I like Paulie, send him west. There are going to be bargains galore this winter.

Keith Law had Beckham at #5. I'm fairly certain if Albert Pujols was traded to the Sox, Law would come to the conclusion he was terrible. KW must have pissed him off somehow.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Nov 10, 2009 -> 09:03 PM) Adidas has let players on teams with adidas contracts wear other shoe brands before, including 2 UCF football kickers who didnt like the adidas football cleat. No way were the adidas higher ups going to let a Jordan wear a Nike shoe when the school had an adidas contract. Adidas probably told their local reps to ok the the agreement in hopes of strong arming UCF and Jordan once he signed his LOI. And Marcus wore unmarked Nikes and had adidas ankle braces above the shoe. If you were to stare at his feet, the only brand you would see is adidas. .

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 11:11 PM) I couldn't tell, but it didn't seem like it was enough to overturn it. I don't know if the NFL rule is the same college used, I am a Notre Dame hater and I thought they were hosed, but when you look at it again, the ball was starting to come out before his arm when forward although he still was able to make the ball go forward. I don't know the interpretation of the rule under that circumstance. What I like about the college way is the referee on the field has nothing to do with it except report the finding.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 11:01 PM) DA, I'm sure if the White Sox were to sit down with you, an accountant, they would be happy to give you the more detailed and specific situation regarding their finances. But when you're dealing with the masses, yeah, you say it in simple terms: "We don't have much money to spend on payroll. Should a player become available that we believe is a high-impact player or a difference-maker, we will explore ways to get creative with a possible acquisition..." I just don't get what else you expect them to say...do you expect them to give a detailed financial presentation to the fans? Every team other than the Yankees and Boston basically says things like this. And even they have been saying it recently. You are talking out of both sides of your mouth here. You are basically agreeing with my argument. Just because they say they have no money, doesn't mean they actually have no money. See Peavy, Jake and Rios, Alex. Thats what I've been saying. You and ss2k5 buy into their claim they spend every dime that comes in, they only break even and if something down the road looks good they magically find the money somewhere to make it happen. Isn't it even slightly possible that Forbes is right and the Sox make a profit between $15-20 million every year? I agree more teams have been chirping about lack of funds, perhaps not the extent KW does, but chirping nonetheless, and the players believe, and I'm sure there is at least a little validity to their claim although proving it would be difficult, that collusion is taking place. Of course more businesses and people are talking about less funds these days, and paying players less, especially the mediocre ones, in the long run is only a good thing for people like us who pay to go to games. BTW, only a select few get to see their books. I wouldn't qualify. I also don't have a problem with them making a profit. Its the lack of money talk that bothers me and the raising of ticket prices while lowering payroll in 2009 that got me to complain about spending for the first time.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 09:23 PM) DA, For a guy that is an accountant, I just don't understand how you can possibly have such an incredibly naive view on how professional sports organizations operate. I'm absolutely certain if you've worked on corporate accounts, or even the more complex personal accounts, that you've seen how monies within the umbrella of the organization or even a personal portfolio can be moved around to support different functions they were not necessarily earmarked for to begin with. This is what happens in professional sports. Teams and owners have access to monies they might not have earmarked for payroll previously that they might access in order to make a key acquisition, or if their team is competitive near the trade deadline, to make an addition that might put them over the top. However, those monies may have been designated for other purposes before, so they were not counted on originally for payroll. I simple cannot understand how you refuse to grasp this concept. It's as if the White Sox have credit cards, and unless they max every single account out, you're angry with them. Personally, no, I'm not angry with JR or KW or the way the organization is operated. On the contrary, I feel quite blessed to have a General Manager that is extremely aggressive and not afraid to make bold moves or look into acquiring every marquee player that becomes available. I am thankful to have an owner that wants to win titles as badly as I do, and makes every effort to do so. All one has to do is look around at the rest of the teams ahead of the White Sox in payroll, and it's usually pretty obvious why, when you see their stadiums filled and their franchise-owned tv networks, etc., etc. As for the acquisitions we haven't made, such as the Soriano's and the Delgado's, you may as well be Jay Hineybird. Delgado refused to accept a deal to come here. Soriano would have been a massive mistake, and luckily KW apparently decided the risk was not worth it. But we do look into impact players and difference makers as they become available, and to be honest with you, considering our attendance, as well as our relative standing in the major leagues, the number of impact-type players KW and JR acquire is disproportionate to that. Yet, I don't know what would satisfy you. You've never really stated what would actually make you happy. You are just on some ridiculous quest to prove that JR is embezzling White Sox money and hiding it in numbered accounts in Antigua or something. I'm not complaining about not getting Delgado or Soriano, and its not me who says every dime that comes in is spent on the team, that's what KW says, and several people believe him. You know what he says about spending. Their checks aren't going to bounce. The fact is, if the White Sox pick up payroll, they aren't operating in the red. Forbes has estimated their collective profit from 2005-2008 to be $70 million. That's profit. That's after they pay everyone and everything, etc. The White Sox make money. That's usually a business' goal. I don't condemn them for it, I condemn the crying poor. Every team gets $35 million a year in licensing and media money from MLB. Some teams like the Marlins, could lock their gates and not let anyone in and still turn a profit. I had no problem with how the team was run until 2009 when they went cheap. Wise, Lillibridge leading off games, that was just being cheap. They spent some money eventually, but for the most part 2009 was getting what they paid for. I've never said he's embezzling money BTW. He and his partners are making it. Your the one who said they hold out money for June, well when KW talked to Konerko and Thome and decided they didn't need anyone what did they do with that money? Have a big party with a bunch of hookers? I don't understand how when KW talks, everyone laughs and says he's full of it because he would never tip his hand to other clubs, but when he talks about spending he's suddenly George Washington, and cannot tell a lie. The White Sox make money. Its not an evil thing.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 07:50 PM) Dude, you have a really scary obsession with the White Sox budget... No one is really claiming that we have added significant payroll at the break, but we certainly have left room over the years to make a few additions at the break. If we were constantly taking on significant salary at the break, fans (like yourself) would immediately jump on them for hiding that money and not spending it prior to the season (as you did when they added Peavy and Rios). The point is that KW likes to shape his team as he sees fit both prior to the season as well as in the midst of it. I'm just stating facts unlike yours where you say he waits around until June and asks JR for money. Its happened but its rare and its guys like you, the guys who think they spend every dime they make who should feel cheated when guys like Delgado and Soriano aren't acquired because by definition they would not be doing what you think they are. Its exactly the opposite of your thinking. If you are saying they left room for deadline deals and didn't make those deals, like most seasons, they wouldn't be spending all the money would they. The only year I ever b****ed about spending was 2009 and , as it turned out, I was right, as they upped the payroll significantly in season for the first time in KW's tenure. It must really kill you when I'm right. The big problem with waiting until the deadline to acquire someone is it takes two to tango. Who knows if the other teams will be at least slightly reasonable and who knows what other teams also need a push and are willing to meet demands. If the Yankees or Boston or the Angels are looking for the same players you are, there is a definite disadvantage. JR doesn't want to break even, although no one will be in trouble if he does, he doesn't want to lose money, and that's fine. All you really need to know about how he and his group really operate is to see the current state of the Bulls. It is a different situation because of the cap, but the Bulls make a lot of money and currently because of injury they have 10 guys who can play, Normally they have about 15 guys on the roster with 3 inactives but they only have 12 or 13 this year because they are right near the luxury tax. They won't take on a minimum salary guy because it will push them over that limit and instead of getting a piece of the pie from everyone over it, they would be forced to pay dollar for dollar what they are over. They would still make a big profit, but it would probably cost them a couple of million for a guy who would rarely play but with the shortage of players, may help the team. Now I don't advocate paying $2 million or more for a guy who may not ever play 8 minutes in a game, but if its all about breaking even, the extra player would certainly help in practice and in blowouts etc.