Dick Allen

Kotsay is no help. I'm no fan of Josh Fields, but he going to AAA and Wise sticking around with this acquisition is very curious.

QUOTE (qwerty @ Jul 27, 2009 -> 09:01 AM) 192 plate appearances, 164 at-bats, 23 runs, 46 hits given up, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 24 walks, 32 strikeouts, so/bb of 1.33, .280 average, .374 obp, .421 slugging, .794 ops against. Shockingly richard has been at his strongest the third time through the order, by a good deal too. That's because the only way he ever gets to the 3rd time through the order, he's pitching a good game. When he's getting lit up, or walking everyone in sight, by the time they come up for the 3rd time, Carrasco is facing them. I don't necessarily think how he does the first time through is an indication how he would be as a reliever. He obviously would have a different mindset, and he might face more LH hitters. As bad as everyone thinks Colon is, and as great as Richard supposedly now is, although a week or so ago Poreda was a prospect and Richard was garbage, Colon still has a lower ERA and WHIP than Richard this season.

Before Richard make 2 good starts, he was 1 bad outing from being a Charlotte Knight. He's had some good starts before, Colon wasn't too bad against Detroit himself. The Sox need another lefty in the bullpen, and anyone who thinks Richard is going to continue to pitch 8 innings allowing 1 run each outing has no clue. Maybe the timing is bad, but it needs to be done. If Richard made 1 bad pitch and gave up a 3 run homer last night and therefore 4 runs, people wouldn't have much of a problem with the move. I just hope they don't puss out and decide to keep him in the rotation and then act shocked if he is sent to the showers in the 3rd inning next outing.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 26, 2009 -> 10:45 PM) Someone said that the fence was a good 3 or 4 feet from the fans, is that true? Yes. If the fan were able to touch the ball, Wise and Willie Mays and Torii Hunter in their primes wouldn't have been able to catch it.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Jul 26, 2009 -> 08:53 PM) It's win-win for the Sox. He's pitching some good games as a starter but would certainly help the pen as well. And they really need another lefty there.

Richard will be good in the BP.

If AZ trades Haren, their GM should immediately be fired.

Jenks has 22 saves: 5 of them he came in with a 1 run lead 5 of them he came in with a 2 run lead 11 of them he came in with a 3 run lead 1 of them he came in with the bases loaded and a 5 run lead. He's 5-9 in save opportunities with a 1 run lead, and 17-17 in all others. He's having a poor season. There are a lot of guys who would have at least 22 saves put into the same situations he been placed in this season. There are a lot of guys who would have more saves. They won't command the arb number Jenks will receive, ironically because in some way of all these opportunities at easy saves. He needs to fix himself fast. Unfortunately the same could be said about almost the entire bullpen right now.

QUOTE (nastymasty21 @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 08:05 AM) They need to sure up the bullpen somehow. Linebrink is god awful. Thornton is the only one I feel comfortable with. He failed last night, but what do you expect when he comes in to clean up linebrinks mess all the time. Its time to let Thornton start the 8th. I think that might be the plan if the Sox can get Sherrill. Thornton being the only lefty leaves Ozzie in a bind.

Sox scouts were in Baltimore tonight.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jul 24, 2009 -> 07:47 PM) Is a 36 year old Dotel getting $6.5M+ guaranteed in this economy? Because that's what he'll get at a minimum if he accepts arbitration. Keep in mind Juan Cruz got 2 years, $6M from the Royals this past offseason, very comparable pitcher only 5 years younger. If the interested ballclub isn't willing to risk offering him arbitration (something the Sox probably won't do) then his value takes a big hit. Considering how last offseason went, I think a lot fewer teams will be offering arbitration to players unless they are elite.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 24, 2009 -> 09:34 PM) The Hunter contract could have been crippling in years 4 and 5, but how valuable would he have been in 2008/09/10? Probably not worth the risk at his age. Fukudome and Rowand, we really lucked out on, not signing. Of course, if we miss the playoffs, everyone will say we would have made it with Swisher and Javy. Javy is 7-7 with a 2.99 ERA in the NL with a team just below contention. Sounds just about where anyone who has noticed his career would think he would be. If they trade him to an AL contender, I bet his ERA the rest of the season would be at least 5.00 if not 6.00, he showed who he was down the stretch last year. Swisher in CF wasn't going to work. His numbers are a little better this year. I just noticed he's hitting .198 at home.

I think the Sox want Sherrill. Thornton's arm is going to fall off by September.

Why does it seem like Linebrink's ERA should be about 10.00?

I saw Fregosi at the game tonight. I wonder if he's looking at the Sox or Rays or both.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 05:57 PM) Some guy in Jim Callis' chat said the Sox and Boston discussed a Beckham for Buchholz trade, but didn't have a source and I can't find it anywhere so take it for what it's worth. I wouldn't trade Beckham for Buchholz, but I would certainly be willing to trade Ramirez for him if Boston was interested. Considering the White Sox have gone on record and said they wouldn't trade Beckham straight up for Jake Peavy before he was hurt, I don't think there is anyway KW would make that trade. There may have been a discussion but from the White Sox end there was either just "no" or insane laughing.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 05:14 PM) I'd agree with the logic if there wasn't 1 problem with it; the bases were loaded after 4 pitches in the 9th last night. If you'd told Cooper to get on the phone and get Thornton up after the first guy was on, he'd be hanging up the phone with the bases loaded. There are 2 rubbers in the bullpen. They could have been up the previous half inning, or right when it started and with stalling had no problem.

Richard in the 9th would have been scary. I have no problem with Ozzie going with Jenks, he is getting paid $5.6 million this year to get outs in the 9th. The only criticism I have is why not have someone ready in case Bobby pitched like he had the previous 4 outings? He really should have been yanked after 2 hitters and certainly after he loaded them up, and most definitely after they tied it up.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 10:20 PM) Rongy's show is a frightening reminder of how uninformed and intellectually-deficient most of America is. It really is. Its almost makes one embarrassed to be a human. I wish they would limit call in shows, and perhaps do a better job of screening the callers. Some of these guys................there is no way they should be allowed to be on the air.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 10:17 PM) You don't think Poreda could have been a second lefty option in the pen? Or at least a lefty specialist? I do. I think Ozzie had gotten to the point where he could have ramped up his usage of Poreda, but instead he threw him into a tough situation after having not pitched in a while. Usually Ozzie lets his guys fail a ton before demoting them, but Poreda is a different case (see Boone Logan). Also, when Thornton got here he was used in a similar way and like Poreda, he basically only used his fastball. I hope Ozzie is sending Poreda down simply because of a numbers game and the uncertainty at the back of the rotation. There are now 3 guys (Richard, Colon, Torres) in the picture, with Harrell also in Charlotte, Garcia on a rehab assignment, and both Whisler and Egbert having gotten a cup of coffee. So really that's 7 options right there, and I'd actually be surprised if Poreda is down for any other reason. He can't throw strikes consistently. If he can't do that, he can't pitch effectively in the major leagues. He seems like a free spirited fun guy. I hope he finds it, because I think he could really be a character, but he's not ready now. He can mop up fine, but using him when you absolutely need an out isn't ideal.

QUOTE (allupons @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 10:13 PM) What about exactly? Some fan is probably ripping Ozzie and Rongey is probably defending him. Every show is pretty much a rerun after a loss.

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 07:06 PM) Brian's options had a part in it as well. Maybe. I'm as big of fan of BA than anybody, but BA only has himself to blame for having to enjoy Charlotte at this time. He didn't have to do much to distinguish himself vs. Wise, and he failed to do so. Its on him.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 10:00 PM) Sure. That explains why Poreda was doing well in the pen until Ozzie's brainfart, and also why we held on to Jimmy Gobble so long. Poreda hasn't been throwing as hard as he was in the minors and none of us know the reasons behind that. His slider isn't enough to survive as a starter in the big leagues but to make it out like he wouldn't have been successful in relief is another matter entirely. He was doing well because he was used in non pressure situations with match ups that were very favorable towards him. Ozzie handled him with kid gloves. I rip Ozzie as much as anyone, but he used Poreda correctly. He is not ready to get major league hitters out when they need to be out. Maybe in time he will be, but he's going to have to get the gas back and/or improve the secondary pitches and get some command.

QUOTE (Jimmywins1 @ Jul 21, 2009 -> 08:53 PM) Aaron Poreda's average fastball has been 92.5 mph, Clayton Richard's has been 91.6. One never goes more than 2 innings. Richard seems to be throwing harder than Poreda. There is no way Poreda would have had an outing like Richard tonight. 92.5 with no command and weak secondary pitches get you what Poreda got, a plane ticket to AAA.

That was predictable. At least we have the guy we want up now.