Dick Allen

Where the 2008 All-Stars came from First round 22 Second round 8 Third round 3 Rounds 3-10 7 Rounds 11-25* 7 Latin American free agents 14 Japanese free agents 2 Independent leagues 1

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 11:11 AM) I'm not claiming that the Sox draft wisely. I'm claiming that teams who suck for several years on end and have several Top 10 picks, have a significantly higher chance of landing a Frank Thomas or a Jack McDowell. If the Twins hadn't gone 69-93 in 2000, there's no way that they would've landed Mauer (or had a shot at Prior). Even when the Sox drafted high they were lucky. Himes wanted Mike Harkey but the Cubs took him so they had to settle for Black Jack. They wanted Jeff Jackson, but Philadelphia took him so they wound up with Frank Thomas. Somehow, despite his pretty swing and unreal college numbers, Ventura lasted 10 picks, with the Cubs, looking for a 3rd baseman forever taking Ty Griffin right before him, and Fernandez was available because he didn't sign when he was previously drafted.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 11:47 AM) Why are our opponents weather proof when they play in our park? They really haven't been until this homestand.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 10:51 AM) Can't believe I'm the only one who keeps bringing this up. On the road, right now, the White Sox are a top 10 offense in MLB. At home right now, the White Sox are hitting worse than the Padres. It must be a mental/approach thing. We're putting up solid offensive performances on the road, but we can't hit worth a lick in one of the best hitters parks in baseball. The pitching has an ERA about a run lower at home as well. USCF has played pretty big for the most part so far. If the ball isn't going over the wall, the White Sox are going to have a tough time scoring usually.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 10:06 AM) You're going to be even more hard-pressed to have access to those players on draft day when you're winning 81, 83, and 86 games every year. Not only is the Pirates' front office completely incompetent, but they eventually trade away their high draft picks that do pan out. In 2004, the Sox had 5 picks before Hunter Pence was picked in the second round. They took Fields, Whisler, Gio, Lucy and another stiff. There have been plenty of players available that were a lot better than what they selected. Their draft was terrible. How is it Boston, which usually picks after the White Sox calls up guys like Pedroia, Ellsbury, Paplebon......................

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 01:58 AM) I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really hate to admit this knowing what we know now. But the McGwire/Sosa HR chase was pretty instrumental in getting me back into baseball hardcore style. After the '94 strike, like a lot of people, I just lost that love I had for the game. I still followed the Sox and baseball in general. But nothing like before the strike. But those two cheating fools brought the love back. I read a study on the Sosa/McGwire saving baseball and the truth was it was total BS. In 1998 when they had their run at history attendance was up about 7 million from 1997, but there were 2 new teams that drew about 6 million between them. So there was an increase of about 1 million from 97 which was less than increase between 96 and 97. Attendance actually dipped in 99. So the whole saving baseball crap is just that. It does bother me now as much as I dislike Sosa and McGwire, the villians they are made out to be now when it was so "obvious" they were doing steroids. How come no one, not baseball, not fellow players, not the media, not the fans called them out when this was happening if it was so obvious?

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 09:34 AM) What's Eddie Murray doing these days? I'd fork out a lot of $$$ to bring in Rudy Jaramillo from Texas though. Eddie Murray has been fired as a hitting coach how many times? Didn't Cleveland take off after he was let go? Jaramillo is unavailable. BTW Dontrelle Willis shut out the Rangers this year. Jaramillo must have had a bad day. For the love of God people, look at the White Sox line-up before the game starts and tell me how that line-up is supposed to score a lot of runs. Name another major league team where Wise and Lillibridge would lead off. Just one. No other team wanted Pods, this board didn't even want Pods, now he's a savior. There is a rookie or 2 in the line-up every day. Fields, BA, Wise have been and probably always will be inconsistent and below average. Ramirez is a good hitter, but he is a low OBP guy. Same with AJP. Corky Miller hit 6th for the White Sox. Name a AAA team he would hit 6th for. Quentin, even when he's played hasn't been healthy. Dye and Thome have missed time. This is not a very talented offensive team.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 09:28 AM) While it's not Greg Walker that's swinging at those sliders in the dirt -- he is the one in charge of it -- and therefore shares the blame. If my entire team stopped doing their jobs properly here at Blue Cross, they'd not only come down on us, but our manager, too. Once again how is every hitter's failure on Walker, but pitcher's failures are never on Cooper? Do you know the White Sox have given up 8 or more runs 11 times this year? That's more than they have been shutout. Its the players, not the coach. Change the coach and you will have the same result. Can someone please come up with a replacement when they said Walker must be fired?

Pods has been playing well, but chances are its not going to last.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 8, 2009 -> 08:00 AM) As the player coming in on the ball, it is Anderson's job to tell Getz that he CAN'T get to that ball. He is the general on that play, not Getz. Actually both players should assume the other one is not going to get the ball until they are called off. Not hearing BA say he's got it is a signal he isn't going to get it. The ball yesterday was no one's fault. With the infield in and the OF back, its one of the risks. I think people need to give Getz a break. He's a rookie. Rookies struggle. Plus he's far from 100% physically. There's a hitch in his giddyup still. His ankle is bothering him.

You have had guys like Wise and Lillibridge leading off. Corky Miller actually hit 6th. Quentin has been hurt. This roster is lacking a few things when at full strength and offensively hasn't been full strength all year. The GM needs to correct his mistakes. As good as Danks II and guys like Allen may be, if you have a couple of rookies in the line-up all the time, they do struggle and will hurt your offense. Strikeout machines like Wise and Fields and BA don't do much for the offense, but if they changed hitting coaches I'm sure they would all be competing for a batting title. The verdict is this team needs better players.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:19 PM) More I think of it, the more I agree. My point being the September call-up will be facing a lot of September call-ups. If you bring him up in August, you cut about 28 games from his minor league experience, but he'll face guys he will face in 2010, and you won't get the false read you get with so many guys playing some meaningless games against guys that will be in AAA or selling insurance the next season.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) Why did I get my hopes up with a White Sox offensive player coming in and producing right away? That's why I hope if Jordan Danks is in the plan for Opening day next year, they get him up in August or so.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:13 PM) Very much so. But Walker clearly isn't getting through to them either. So what's the point of having him around? The point being there isn't the personnel there to do the job. It would be like firing Cooper because MacDougal and Whisler can't throw strikes. They work on things, it doesn't mean they are truely capable of doing them in a real game.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:10 PM) Not until he stops striking out so much. Give him the entire year in the minors, and then see what you have. Striking out everyday he would really feel like part of the team.

QUOTE (Jimbo's Drinker @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:09 PM) True, but the approach we use is horrid. We do not do the little things, and have no idea how to go the opposite way. I was driving yesterday and listened to Rongey they had some guys on during BP, they were working on going the other way. They work on it, but when it comes to game time it doesn't seem to happen. Isn't there the slightest possibility it is personnel-related?

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:08 PM) So Jordan Danks got out in his 2nd ab today. His average plummeted down to .357. Supposedly Buddy Bell said he's major league ready right now.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 03:02 PM) I'm starting to learn how Chris Rongey feels after a loss It is amazing how many people really think the Sox would have a .350 team batting average and score 12 runs a game if they had a different hitting coach. They need to look at the players. That's on KW.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:58 PM) Walt Hriniak was fired and he was Frank Thomas' personal hitting coach. Performance talks, bulls*** walks Walt was fired because of his ornery personality. He didn't mix well with the White Sox young players. Walker isn't like that. Hriniak never was hired by other team.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:58 PM) Why wouldn't Fields and BA, two highly touted first rounds picks be a sign of failure? Fields was a strikeout machine in the minor leagues. You only think he's a star because he hit more homers than he ever had before in the majors in 2007. He's not that good. And Willie Harris, .262,.256 with the Sox in a limited role. .176,.270,.251,.259 since. Wow, getting out of Walker's grasp has allowed him to take off.

QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:54 PM) Magglio Ordonez won a batting title, didnt he? Maggs was a great hitter with the White Sox. I would take his White Sox years over his Tigers years any day of the week.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:55 PM) Why shouldn’t he take blame for two great minor leaguers failing to carry their success into the majors? Didn’t you just argue that he deserves credit for Q and Konerko? Konerko has said on many occassions Walker fixed him. But don't listen to him, just your own very wrong opinion. And if every failure can be blamed on Walker, why wouldn't a guy who was acquired for an A ball first baseman and was almost a MVP not be a feather in his cap?

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:53 PM) i actually feel sorry for Whisler. Do other teams call up starters and put them in the pen like the Sox do? Don't feel sorry for him. He's pitching in the Show, and unless he was in Washington or something, he'd top out at AAA.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:51 PM) My argument is that these kids had and have promise that was never fulfilled at the Major League Level. These guys were great Minor League players who failed to carry sustained success into their major leaguer performance. While you can blame a large part of that on mindset, are you going to tell me that the hitting coach escapes all blame? Fields hit .275 with 512 strikeouts in 1685 minor league at bats. He was and is far from a sure thing, no matter who the hitting coach is. He can't catch up to fastballs. That's not Greg Walker's fault. Anderson may develop but whether it was his fault or the organization's his growth was stunted the past couple of years. Sometimes you don't get that back. Again, BA hitting .250 instead of .300 and blaming Greg Walker is about as dumb as it gets.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 7, 2009 -> 02:46 PM) Who was the hitting coach? The arguement you made is that BA and Fields never had any talent. That's B.S, they just haven't realized it when they got to the Majors. Who has left the White Sox and gone on to rake with another team?