Dick Allen

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 20, 2009 -> 02:40 PM) But not necessarily short term thinking only. They will sacrifice some games to get him right and producing in the future. The same with Getz and Fields. The team will let them go through growing pains to see what they have for the future. Players go through a learning process and people just need to be patient. The classic cliched example is Robin Ventura. How many people on this board would have wanted to get rid of him during the 0-41 to start his career? That isn't struggling that is horrible. Yet , the sox learned by the way he was handling it, that he could be productive later on in his career. So, as much as it hursts in the short term. We must have patience. Floyd is a little farther along in his career. If he gets getting lit up, he's leaving the rotation. There comes a point when "growing pains" become confidence destroyers. The Sox took Jose Contreras out of the rotation in 2007 and he had a lot more money left on his contract than Floyd does.

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Does she have the mom who drove her son to the drive-by beat?

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 20, 2009 -> 12:51 PM) Fields has an option remaining. I think the White Sox want to avoid sending him back to AAA. Another stint down there probably ends his status as a prospect. He has over 1100 AAA AB. But something needs to be done. Platoon him, play him against lefties , where he has had a lot of his success. If the team falls out of contention, then let him flail away and once and for all to see if you have something worth salvaging or go in a different direction. Viciedo doesn't appear to be much with the glove either, You owe it to the organization to try to win right now, and Josh Fields at 3rd base everyday isn't working.

QUOTE (chw42 @ May 20, 2009 -> 12:08 PM) Fields' UZR/150 (Ultimate Zone Rating per 150 games) is -13.6. His UZR is at -4.1 right now. If you compare that to a good fielder like Longoria, whose UZR/150 is 18.6 and UZR is currently 5.6, that's bad. Fields is below average right now. His UZR is pretty much what it was in 2007. He does have potential to be average IMO. He has made some real good plays since he's been with the Sox. I don't know who the organization thought they were fooling when they talked about his 2 weekends with Joey Cora this past offseason, maybe they were just trying to build his confidence, but it seems more balls make it past him down the line even some that aren't hit very hard, and you wonder how long the Sox can have him there defensively. Betemit's defense can't be that much worse, and he has to be better than this current version of Fields offensively. I have a feeling he's also taking his offensive struggles with him to the field, and he's one guy that can't afford to do that.

QUOTE (lostfan @ May 20, 2009 -> 11:37 AM) Nix is a plus-plus defender, I don't know that he has ever played 3rd but I'm sure he could handle it. Betemit is atrocious. Fields is not as bad this year in the field as people make him out to be. Last night, Fields was awful in the field. There were 4 potential plays to be made. An average fielder makes at least one, probably two. A great fielder makes 2 probably 3. Brooks Robinson in his prime makes all 4. Fields made none. He really has slow reactions on groundballs. He cannot hit second. That is giving the opponent an advantage. BTW, what's the deal with Pods new 16" softball style of running up and hitting the ball? I could maybe understand it if he was hitting grounders giving him a running start to first base, but everytime he performs this, he hits the ball in the air, something he shouldn't be doing too much of.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 20, 2009 -> 10:56 AM) There is no way in hell they would put Gavin in the pen or on waivers, thats just a retarded argument. He is one of their young guns that they have invested a hell of alot more than they have in other players, he'll pitch every 5th day or go on the DL. Since he isnt hurt, but only is out of rythmn, he should be out there every turn until he figures it out. If the White Sox would sent Jose Contreras to Charlotte, they would have no problem putting Gavin Floyd in the bullpen if his performance continues to blow.

I don't know why there is any talk of Ozzie getting fired. The only thing that could get him fired is his mouth. As long as he doesn't say anything so obnoxious the Sox have no other choice, Ozzie will be the manager as long as he wants to be, at least as long as JR is around.

Ozzie on Lillibridge, this is funny: “He's got to work on a lot of things,” Ozzie said. “If this kid keeps swinging the bat like that, he's going to be in Triple-A for a long time. We need him; we want him. That's the reason we made this trade (with the Braves) _ we liked him for the past two years. But when you continue to try and play a big man's game when you're only 5-11, 120 pounds, that's not a game you should be playing. “We talked to him clearly three times, the message was there. You've got to use your legs, play baseball, and when you have warning-rack power, you're going to go from the minor leagues to the Mexican League to the Korean League. “In the big leagues, he's got a tough road to come back here. He's not doing what he's supposed to do. I'm just being honest. He's got the message three times and he's got to change his ballgame.”

I've heard KW say the coaching staff is entirely Ozzie's call. If Cowley is accurate, and that is a huge if, either things have changed or KW was lying.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ May 19, 2009 -> 11:00 PM) BA had more bad luck. Hit some solid shots, but Crede just robbed him twice. His first AB was real good. A lot of pitches and a liner snagged by Crede.

Gonzalez is speculating that Contreras could eventually take Floyd's place in the rotation. According to BA he was throwing first pitch forkballs for strikes last night. Floyd is out of options so I presume he would move to the bullpen if this longshot (IMO) comes true. Here's the question. If Floyd has another 3 or 4 starts like his last 3 or 4 do you risk losing him and his new contract by exposing him to waivers? Considering in his last 21 starts his ERA is about 6.00 it would have to be a consideration.

QUOTE (heimel @ May 19, 2009 -> 07:57 PM) D-train with a surprisingly solid outing. 6.1ip 0r, 1h, 5k, 2w. Pretty impressive against the Rangers. The Rangers couldn't score against Willis? They need to fire their hitting coach.

For a guy who get ripped as much as almost any player on this board, there was an interesting note on the scoreboard tonight. Jim Thome has the highest home run percentage in the AL since he joined the White Sox.

Buehrle was great. Josh Fields had a game to forget. The boo birds have a new target. If Josh Fields made $1.5 million a year, I'm pretty sure he would make it through waivers.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 19, 2009 -> 05:56 PM) any updates on Q? He's available to pinch hit tonight and tomorrow night.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 19, 2009 -> 05:41 PM) Oh believe me, there's more of the Lillicurse to come. I'm very scared that Quentin's going to go on the DL, and Lillicurse will be right back up. Maybe not. I heard Ozzie gave Brent a beatdown to the media today. He said if he doesn't change his approach, he will be in Charlotte for a long time.

The Mets aren't going to pick up the $20 million or so left on Konerko's contract. If Delgado comes back in a few months they would have no place to put him.

QUOTE (whitesoxmanager @ May 19, 2009 -> 05:25 PM) official line: over (4) -125 I'm telling you, the over is a lock tonight.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 19, 2009 -> 04:59 PM) I don't know why anyone is happy about this. The best case scenario to me would have been Lilli going to the bench to sit there with Pods getting taken off this team. Lilli is the one guy on this team that Ozzie wouldn't start in CF over Brian. Now we're going to end up with Pods in CF every day, you just watch. We'll be 10 games out and Pods will be in f***ing CF and BA will be riding the bench. Anderson will get marginalized in a platoon role and go hitless in like 3 consecutive but sporadic starts, and then he'll sit there the rest of the year. And don't think that Pods is going to pull his groin again this year; oh no, he only does that when we're counting on him. With Quentin out, BA would be in LF and Lillibridge in CF tonight if Pods was at home playing Mr. Mom.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 19, 2009 -> 03:16 PM) How stubborn do you have to be to have people tell you that the only way you're ever going to be a big leaguer long-term and make anything more than a pittance in earnings is to make changes and for you to not do them? I remember the press conference about the Vazquez trade. KW was talking about how he had been after Lillibridge for a while and when he talked to him he asked him what happened to him in 2008? Lillibridge said he had too big of a swing trying to hit everything 9 miles. He obviously is having a hard time correcting it, if he's trying to correct it. The guy hit .220 in AAA. It should be no surprise he was overmatched in the American League.

I predict the Sox score at least 7 runs tonight.

Podsednik lf Fields 3b Dye rf Thome dh Konerko 1b Pierzynski c Anderson cf Ramirez ss Getz 2b

I don't see any team in the Central being so awesome the next few years that the White Sox need to go into full rebuilding. I wouldn't trade guys you wouldn't mind having around in 2010. There's no need to trade Thornton. I would probaby trade Linebrink or Jenks but not both. Dotel should be shopped because he won't be here next year. Konerko is limited because of his contract and his no trade. If you were to deal him, you wouldn't get much back. Same with Thome and Dye. You can't trade AJ until Flowers can show he can catch 130 games defensively and not kill you. Fields will get you nothing. What about trading Ramirez? He's signed cheaply, has shown a big bat in the past and you have Beckham waiting in the wings. As far as all the guys on the Barons. It would be great if they all panned out, but chances are one or two or maybe 3 actually will. I wouldn't want to base the entire future of the franchise on them just yet.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 19, 2009 -> 12:16 PM) I agree with that. I disagree with what he said, which is not what you are saying here. Strikeouts are a lot more tolerable if you bring something extraordinary to the table. Thome, Dunn, they bring 40 homers and a ton of walks. Granderson brings a lot of speed, a leadoff guy, some power, muti-faceted offense and plus defense. Unless he's doing something else high above average, the strikeouts at the current pace will make him an insurance salesman. The guy putting up the same numbers with the same defense with 75 strikeouts is a lot more valuable.