Dick Allen

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.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 06:41 PM) You should be thankful that an Ohio kid would even go to Iowa, Ohio HS football is ridiculously superior to Iowa hs football. That's obvious, but this kid had a tough game. 3 total drops on passes right to him. Hayden Fry got all the Stoops boys out of OH.

When they acquired Garcia, they received some cash back and he was making about $6.5 million then anyway with half of it paid. They only added a couple million to the payroll. With Contreras, they got cash and took on no immediate money.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 05:24 PM) The dead arm period everyone is going to go through. Freddy is no different in that case. I think you're overestimating the risk of a re-injury greatly. http://wapedia.mobi/en/Tommy_John_surgery I counted 162 names on that list and of those 162 only 15 had to undergo the procedure 2-3 times, and some of those guys had pretty scary deliveries as it was. Freddy will start 2010 almost 2 years after returning to the mound. It's not like he's spent that time sitting on the couch eating Doritos, he's been working through rehab and throwing regularly. The only reason he did not throw more innings in 2009 was because his arm wasn't strong enough to be effective, so instead they focused on strength and conditioning to get him back up to par. It's also not extremely rare as you say for a SP to step right back into it and work big innings in his first full season back. Chris Carpenter for example just this year threw 192.2IP in his first full year back from TJ. Freddy had shoulder surgery, not TJ. From what I understand, elbows are a lot easier to fix than shoulders. Its pretty rare for a guy to pitch as little as Freddy has the past 3 years and suddenly go up to 150-175 IP. I would definitely bet against it.

86: Trey Stross: 6-4/200: WR: SR: Avon Lake, OH (Avon Lake HS) This guy is not getting any freebies in Iowa City for a while. Figures he's an Ohio kid. You can't drop TD passes right between your numbers, and another one that might have been a TD, but turned into something else you can't do in Columbus, and that is miss 21 yd FG attempts, and expect victory. As an Iowa alum, I would take 9-3 at the beginning of this season. I just hope they don't have a letdown next week. 10-2 is still pretty sweet.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 04:59 PM) I think the best example would be a guy going from throwing 100 innings in the minors to trying to throw 200+ in the bigs with no step in-between. It's possible everything could work swimmingly. But it's also very possible, perhaps likely, that he'll reach the middle of the season and hit a dead-arm period because his arm hasn't been used like that before. Or, it's also possible that something that hasn't been worked out in the same way the last few years could go fine for a while and then suddenly snap. So, the answer is; all of the above. Some pitchers come up and can take a huge innings jump right away and never get hurt or really show a dead-arm stretch, but it's pretty darn rare. We can push him as hard as he can go...but if we don't have a backup plan, its a roll of the dice. I'm with you. Freddy is fine, but expecting big innings with his last 3 seasons plus his advancing age is unrealistic. Maybe he does it, but the odds are against it. To leave yourself with very little alternative after that would probably come back and get you.

They are 2 different type players. I haven't heard that Crawford refuses to play CF, he has played CF as recently as 2008, but I don't think there is a GM alive who would take Rios over Crawford.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) I seriously can't believe the Rays have the resources to commit to Crawford for a multi-year extension, esp. if they're still holding Burrell's contract the next couple years. They sold Kazmir this season already, for example. Burrell is signed only through 2010. If the White Sox don't have the money to consider guys like Figgins, I don't know how they would have the money to pay Crawford, maybe if they didn't owe Alex Rios $60 million, but they unfortunately do.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 13, 2009 -> 03:39 PM) Yeah, he does like to wait around til' June or so and see what's cooking around baseball. At that point, we are usually still competitive because our division leader is rarely running away with things, so he convinces Jerry that we can make the playoffs if we can just add that one additional piece to put us over the top... Last year was the first time I ever recall him adding significant payroll around June. In 2003 he added Alomar and Everett but the other teams paid most of the fare. I don't know about MacDougal, Horacio Ramirez and Blum being payroll busters. Usually around June he would talk to Thome and Konerko and determine what he had was fine IIRC.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 01:59 AM) Because we have a highly inept offensive coordinator who refuses to use our mobile QB and great TE's in the redzone. Everyone in the stadium knows what is coming when we get inside the 10: run up the middle, run up the middle or MAYBE to the outside/pitch, then let cutler use his arm and legs to make a play. That results in forcing it. God i hate every coach on this team Really? Both redzone INTs Thursday were ill advised attempts to get the ball to a TE. The first one needed to go through 3 or 4 49ers, the last one was innaccurate by about 5 yards. Jim Miller is pretty interesting to listen to. He probably knows more about offense than any of us. He had a point the other day about the Bears rarely, if ever, using motion, but then he thought about it and said it would only screw them up more. Many think the Bears offense is too vanilla, but apparently according to Miller, Turner had to scale back the playbook because the personnel cannot handle it. The players evidently do not have the capacity to remember assignments to a larger group of plays. He said look at anytime they try something different, like the reverse against AZ. They lost 10 yards. Apparently a lot of offensive players are lacking in intelligence.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 13, 2009 -> 02:40 PM) Lol, likewise. I guess "stats" and "history" don't mean much. Look, at the end of the day he's physically a better QB. He's taller, he's more agile, he's got a better arm, he's more accurate, blah blah. But I dunno how you can discount the similarities - both make awful decisions (generally at the worst possible times) and they have great games followed by horrible games. The view people have on this board that he's only playing this way because the offense (and team) is awful is just a fantasy. It's not based on fact. Even when he's had great weapons around him he still makes really bad decisions and turns the ball over a lot. He needs a good coach to rid him of those problems. There's no question Cutler is better than Rex, but all the excuses people use for Cutler throwing 5 picks in a must win game against a very mediocre opponent were never used for Rex. Cutler is always under pressure, he's getting murdered, the OL sucks. Grossman gets pummelled and fumbles, he gets no excuse other than his hands are the size of baby hands he can't hold on to the ball. Cutler has a lot of ability without a doubt, but if the OL is the problem how come when he was acquired no one said he would be worthless with the present OL, and if he needs all day shouldn't the money and draft picks used to acquire him be spent on offensive lineman? Wouldn't with a good defense, good running game and good offensive line a guy like Orton be able to QB the Bears to a SB? They made it when Rex was barking out signals. I personally think Cutler is far more Jeff George than John Elway, and I wish the excuse makers would stop. Do they realize that SF scored all their points off INTS? Do they realize even with those, the Bears could have won the game without scoring a TD and the 2 red zone INTs squashed what could have been 2 chipshot FGs? Its so obvious Cutler was awful on Thursday and awful against GB, but amazing how many go so far out of there way to say he has no chance. I do know one thing, if for some reason Cutler wasn't able to play against SF and Hanie played, if he played the exact same way, there wouldn't be all the excuses. It would be the Bears need a back up QB, this guy shouldn't be on an NFL roster, he needs to be cut immediately. I think maybe people put their dreams into Cutler and can't admit when he screws up. Eventually the blinders will be lifted.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Nov 14, 2009 -> 02:07 AM) If I'm Kenny I call up Jed Hoyer and offer Flowers/Hudson/Viciedo/Retherford/Link for AGon, as a base. Then I add to the trade by throwing in Torres/PTBNL (Mitchell, when we can) for Bell. Finally, I toss in Hynick for Poreda (think Gio Gonzalez, where we reacquire a prospect). Then I resign Pods for left field. Sign Olivo for backup catcher. Lineup: LF - Pods SS - Ramirez 2B - Beckham 1B - Gonzalez RF - Quentin DH - Konerko C - AJ CF - Rios 3B - Teahen That lineup has really good potential if people can just get over last years issues. Rotation stays the same (Buehrle, Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Garcia) Bullpen looks like: CL - Jenks SU - Bell SU - Thornton MR - Linebrink MR - Nunez LR/MR - Poreda LR - Carrasco Bench: 1B/OF - Kotsay OF - De Aza C - Olivo 2B/SS/3B - Nix Why would Carlos Torres have value? He is 27 years old, occassionally has a very hard time throwing strikes, doesn't throw very hard, and has a MLB ERA over 6.00. He could be used as filler in a trade, but no team would give you anything worthwhile, especially when it really isn't a salary dump with Mr. Torres being the main prize coming back.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 13, 2009 -> 05:29 PM) Things have changed. Veeck operated in a time when paying your player's salaries could be done fairly easily by filling up your ballpark. While obviously that still helps, simply filling up your ballpark doesn't make the biggest dent in paying your payroll anymore. Especially his first tour of duty with no FA. His second, he was a cheapskate who had so little money instead of releasing Ron Schueler he made him the pitching coach. At the beginning of the 90's, the Twins had baseball's highest paid player and KC had the highest payroll.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 11, 2009 -> 01:57 PM) Thank you Kenny Williams http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,1141925.story KW's comments are nice and all, but calling Ramirez a "young player" as an excuse for his lack of focus is stretching it about as much as he was streching it when he said Marquez was Garland and Lillibridge would steal 40 bases in 2009. He's 28 years old. At least.

I would bet anything the Stones find Taco Bell vile. Stone is involved in restaurants. I'm sure its all sarcastic.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 03:32 PM) So that means he doesn't know what major league ready is? That is an odd assertion, seeing as the field manager isn't the one who decides who is major league ready. That would be the general manager. Plus if you look at the teams he did manage, its not like he drove the 27 Yankees into the ground, he spent his years with some horrible Tigers and Royals teams, and meh Rockies teams. So you are saying the manager has no say in who plays and who is on the roster. Interesting.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 11:48 AM) You can't argue with results, DA. Buddy Bell has played a pretty fundamental part in this organization since his hiring, and his focus (the minor league system) has only gotten better since he's gotten here. Sometimes you got to call a spade a spade. Buddy Bell has only helped out system improve. I think he has had very little impact on the talent level improving. Until the Sox start calling up guys with a little consistency that have a clue as to what they are doing, I'm holding out buying something just because Buddy said its so.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 11:43 AM) I don't get how being a manager of bad teams means he has no idea how to recognize talent. Even getting past this, his big thing is supposed to be teaching fundamentals to some of these kids coming through the system. I said if he thinks a player is major league ready, like he said of Jordan Danks, to take it with a grain of salt. He managed groups of guys that apparently were no where near major league ready for 9 years.

QUOTE (scenario @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 11:34 AM) I think you're way off base here. Bell has an outstanding reputation for identifying/developing talent. And he's completely revamped (and dramatically improved) our minor league system in the last 3 years. Who? The system improved because the draft improved. No Beckham no Viciedo who they spent money on, no Flowers who was with someone else, the system would be near the bottom. What did Buddy have to do with their acquisitions? With whom did Buddy earn his reputation? Jordan Danks leading off for the 2010 White Sox would be a disaster.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 11:11 AM) Being able to recognize talent is much different than actually able to coax it out of players. Who has he recognized that no one else could? I think he has very little impact on draft selections. Isn't he supposed to be developing players? Being around those bad teams, he may have a warped sense of what major league ready is.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Nov 8, 2009 -> 09:57 AM) Starting each season knowing you have a very limted chance of competing has got to be tough and then when June rolls around and your season is over every year has got to be even harder unless you are Miek Sweeney then it is fine because your are on the IR anyway. On top of this Teahan was moved all over the place. I think Buddy Bell and Greg Walker are key in this. Buddy Bell managed 9 seasons in the major leagues for 3 different organizations. His teams came in last place 6 times, 4th twice (one of the 4th place finishes he was fired during the season and the team was in last place when he got the boot) and 3rd place once with a 79-83 record. I know he's highly respected but I would take his reccommendation about players being major league ready or contributing to winning with a grain of salt.