Dick Allen

QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:31 PM) I'll be in the air on my way to Chicago. Is it just me, or is it difficult to hear the announcers when they're on WGN? The crowd noise drowns out Hawk and Stone. I live in Chicago and have that problem when they are on WCIU.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:17 PM) Is James the best player in the NBA today?Do we need to see a Kobe and James Finals to decide it?Or the fact that James won the MVP decided it...I still think Kobe has the edge because I think his overall offensive game is more complete and a better defender though James is a better ball distributor.I also put Wade in the debate but he is out of the playoffs so I'm focusing on these two. The funny thing is in LeBron's second year, there was talk that he had peaked as a player. Not on this board, but NBA scouts and people like that.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:21 PM) Let him actually play for a full week. He's shown more baseball know how than half the team so far. You can say that about many 8 year olds. I think Fields will be in Charlotte within the week unless he starts hitting, and Beckham will be the third baseman. I also wonder if bringing up Beckham is part of the show to woo Peavy. 3rd baseman with below average to average defense with .212 averages that strikeout at a 200 a season pace aren't exactly pitcher's best friends.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:14 PM) Nix should see the field over Fields, if we are serious about at least be competitive. You could flip flop him and Ramirez in the order, but Nix has been making the pitcher work and usually puts the ball in play. If we gave him some consistent playing time, instead of this start one game, sit the next 2-3 crap, I'm positive we'd see a rise in average. I'm not sold on us calling up Beckham anytime soon, but if we do, 3B is his. Nix has played the last 3 in a row and is 0 fer. He's played the last 4 out of 5 and is 1 for 11. He was 2-13 when he played 4 games in a row a week or so ago. The more he plays the worse he does . Its probably why Beckham will be here soon. Fields needs to be taken out back. An amazing fall from grace for him.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:09 PM) Yeah, he's had good ABs compared to some of the rest of the jabronis, but there's no way he should be batting 2nd. It's getting scary with Quentin. He's just rolling over everything. He wasn't moving very well tonight either. He did look a little better running on the DP ball, but the first couple of AB, it appeared he wouldn't be able to play LF for quite a long time. As far as Nix, I understand the love he's getting because the others have been brutal, but as you said if he were on any other major league team, he'd be hitting 8th or 9th or in AAA. If the Sox had to send him through waivers, I don't think they would have any problem getting him through. Colorado got him through twice last year.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:07 PM) He's been putting together good AB's and been hitting the ball well. Soon, those line drives he's been hitting at defenders will start to go where no defenders are at. Plus, he hasn't even had 40 AB's yet. Little too early to look at stats for him, especially batting average. His AB quality is starting to drop.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:05 PM) Ramirez likely scores on that weakly hit grounder anyway. No way. He would have been out by 15 feet.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:04 PM) I know we won, but a couple moves I'd like to see made. Option Fields to Charlotte, call up Andy Phillips. Trade Wilson Betemit to a national league team for any lefty relief pitcher. Have that lefty relief pitcher take Gobble's spot. I don't care what we do with Gobble, just get rid of him. Call up Kroeger. Make Nix the starter at 3B with him playing 2B vs. lefties with Phillips at 3B. Lineup: (vs R) 1. Podsednik, CF 2. Nix, 3B 3. Dye, RF (should be Thome, followed by Konerko, but Ozzie would never do something so logical like that) 4. Thome, DH 5. Konerko, 1B 6. Quentin, LF 7. Pierzynski, C 8. Ramirez, SS 9. Getz, 2B (vs. L) 1. Nix, 2B 2. Ramirez, SS 3. Dye, RF 4. Thome, DH 5. Konerko, 1B 6. Quentin, LF 7. Pierzynski, C 8. Phillips, 3B 9. Anderson, CF Isn't Nix below .200 now? Be careful what you wish for, he really can't hit either.

Floyd was outstanding. I have no idea why Pittsburgh didn't play the infield in with Pods up when they scored the first run. He rarely hits the ball very hard and doesn't drive in runs. We take that one. Ramirez looked good too. The guy across the aisle scream at Josh Fields after he struck out and told him he sucked. His girlfriend scolded him. His response? "He does suck."

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 22, 2009 -> 06:06 PM) Yes, because Peavy has the power to decline everything and force the Pads to make a deal they do not want to make. Peavy can sit around and be happy losing while waiting for the Cubs to finalize the sale, draw up their plans, and clear salary. If Peavy says, "I'm only going to the Cubs unless other teams do this and this and this..." and rattles off a laundry list of impossible demands, then the Pads could be forced to trade him for basically non-prospects and salary relief if it came to it. It could be another Kenny Lofton + Aramis Ramirez for Bobby Hill scenario as long as Peavy doesn't mind losing for another year plus, and by the looks of it, he doesn't care about winning at all. I don't know about not caring about winning. Let's face it, right now SD has a better record than the White Sox, but everything else you said I agree with. SD gave him the NTC. Moorad didn't have to buy the team. Its all on the Padres. What the White Sox offered is probably the best they will get, and if SD is so desperate to dump his salary, they probably will trade him for next to nothing, although I think his no trade protection decreases a little next season, but he could just refuse trades to teams except the Cubs who could afford his salary.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 22, 2009 -> 06:01 PM) It goes both ways. Let's say the Sox spent about an extra $20M this offseason and ran out this team: CF Taveras 2B Hudson LF Quentin RF Dye DH Thome 1B Konerko C Pierzynski 3B Crede SS Ramirez Bench: Betemit UT, Anderson CF, Blanco C, Nix/Getz UT Rotation: Buehlre-Garland-Danks-Floyd-Contreras Bullpen: Jenks-Thornton-Linebrink-Dotel-Cruz-Richard-Carrasco What does that look like? A better 2009 team sure, but it's an aged veteran team of a bunch of guys who should be beginning their declines. Why would a young pitcher want to be apart of something that may soon resemble the Bonds-era SF Giants? I don't care what anyone says, the farm system is important to everyone. The better the system, the better chance of good players coming up to help or good players being used to acquire even better MLB players. The fact that the Sox have improved their farm system and that Kenny was willing to acquire Peavy with pieces from it should send the message right away that 1) the team on the field now is not the same team that is going to be out there through 2013, and 2) the Sox want to win and aren't afraid to acquire an impact player in order to do so. I'm happy they have some players that look like they can play in the minors as well. For a team that operates on a tight budget, its very important. I just don't think AA guys who are at least a year away have one ounce of influence in Jake Peavy's decision in a positive way. KW can say they are the greatest prospects in baseball. He can say the Sox will let Thome and Dye go, but Viciedo and Allen will more than cover the loss of offense. He can say Gordon Beckham is the greatest prospect in the world and we will find a spot for him, and he could be 100% correct, but veteran players trust veteran players. Even if Allen had a 95% chance of outproducing Thome in 2010, I don't think a guy like Peavy would believe it.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 22, 2009 -> 05:36 PM) Really??? Plenty of teams have the kind of talent in Double A or higher that we do? I know the Cubs and Astros, two of the teams he's gunning for, certainly do not. Atlanta has Heyward probably on the fast track and Hanson is ready, but the Braves aren't going to be adding that contract. If you're going to be traded somewhere for the next 4.5 seasons I think you'd care about both their immediate and long-term futures. Knowing about some of the players coming up helps. Also, it means payroll flexibility, i.e. more money to spend on veterans in other areas. I'm sure there are a ton of teams out there that would love to pencil in an IF of Fields/Viciedo-Ramirez-Beckham-Allen for a combined $5M or less per season. I think the point he was making was Jake Peavy couldn't care less about the guys in AA. If the plan was to bring them all up next year or the year after, chances are the team will struggle. Rookies struggle. If I were Peavy and if they tried to sell me on the AA guys, I'd be thinking their up in the majors in 2010 and/or 2011. It takes them a season or so to get their feet wet. If all goes well, they become solid championship-type contributors in 2012/2013. What's up until then? All this money coming off the books? How will that be spent? Will it be spent? Does my salary count towards spending it? What if the current crop of youngsters on the big league club continue to struggle? How long do you stick with them? Can you bring in someone better if they can't do the job. Can you do a little better than Dewayne Wise? We have a bunch of talent at AA isn't going to make Peavy hop on a plane.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ May 22, 2009 -> 03:04 PM) What the hell happened to fathom? Quaaludes and gin.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 22, 2009 -> 01:29 PM) I actually agree with what Heyman said about the White Sox in his article. Verducci makes it look like the Sox may actually be worse than the Padres. Maybe they are.

Hawk didn't think the deal would get done because of the NTC. Seems like the White Sox were swinging hard in case they hit it and they missed. Although I suppose there still is a chance this gets done, I find it extremely doubtful. BTW, a guy I work with works out at the same gym as Mayor Daley. His grandfather was an alderman so he has conversations with him. Regarding the 2016 Olympic bid..........if Chicago gets the bid, Mayor Daley will be the most surprised guy in town.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ May 22, 2009 -> 12:38 PM) I'm not listening to it, but I'll give it a guess... Not afraid of the AL, but he's a better fit for the NL, White Sox are great and it was a tough decision, he could revisit it at any time, no money specifics were talked about. I heard it went exactly how you predicted except he threw out how much he would love playing for the Cubs at the end. I'm sorry, I have no problem with a guy using his NTC for whatever reason, but to throw Cubbie love in at the end is BS. I now hate Jake Peavy and Barry Axelrod.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 22, 2009 -> 12:27 PM) Barry Axelrod on ESPN 1000 right now. Has he mentioned the atmosphere at Wrigley Field yet?

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ May 22, 2009 -> 12:30 PM) I don't always like using the Sox draft history to cast doubts on those currently in the system(it isn't fair to them), however, given this teams inability to devolp pitchers consistantly, having to give up Ely and Hudson isn't that tough of a pill to swallow. Again, I don't want to make it sound like the enitre system is awful, or Hudson and Ely aren't worth a s***, but at this point they are lower level prospects, and if can get you Jake Peavy, you bite. I agree.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 22, 2009 -> 11:06 AM) Did you see the rumors about Peavy's contract demands? For the Sox sake, I hope it is over. If he ever agrees to go to the Sox, he'll have to drop those demands. The only thing I think there's flexibility on is a broader NTC in a couple years and maybe re-working that option year to a guarantee worth far less money. He does have 3 small kids and just built a new house so maybe he does need a week or so to sit on it. The only thing is he did say he would play for the Cubs so I don't know why he would have a problem with the other side of town. From what Rozner wrote, he hasn't rejected the trade, he just said he needs more time. I do think if its a week or so from now and he still hasn't made up his mind, its time for KW to move along unless something else opens up for him sooner. Who knows. Maybe Peavy had some concerns about this year's team and KW told him how the holes would be addressed and he's told him, fill the holes and I'll say yes. SD is a bad team, but their record is better than the White Sox.

According to Barry Rozner, this isn't over yet.

I think its between Pods and Wise and I think Wise wins. For some reason, Ozzie loves Wise. Letting either of them go isn't going to be much of a loss.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 21, 2009 -> 11:39 PM) Hudson also would have cost us a first round pick. Which would have saved about $1 million in a signing bonus for someone who chances are will never amount to anything. The fact is JR isn't going to take a bath on Peavy, not with the current roster, because Jake Peavy with no other changes isn't the difference between a World Series and winning 75 games this year. He's not this mythical "special player" that guarantees victory. They went after Hunter. They went after Fukudome, a guy who had never played in the major leagues before. The money is there. Their every dime in goes out BS has been exposed a few times. There's nothing wrong with a business making a profit, but KW needs to stop the woo is me, I have no money, and then hey Jake Peavy I just found $50 million, come play with us, then Jake says no and we will go back to the "we have no money" routine. Some will buy KW only has $.50 and can't pay the electric bill. I think most know better now. He said he was working on Peavy for 11 months, maybe he withheld his salary believing he would acquire him, but there is money available. JR doesn't operate in the red.

QUOTE (Krivanka @ May 21, 2009 -> 09:27 PM) Indeed, Peavy canceled the trade today, enacting his No Trade Clause. He did? Do you have a link?

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ May 21, 2009 -> 09:17 PM) It's not that you don't take long-term picture into consideration but if it's a guy that you want badly you can always make it work. Four years is a long time and a lot of changes/moves can be made in that time frame. The necessary adjustments can be made and be done smartly as you have plenty of time to make them, this opposed to the situation that the Padres are in right now where they are over budget by 5 mil and have to trade their best player for pennies on the dollar to get under budget. The White Sox are going to have some cash to play with for a couple of years, however if a few of the Barons pan out, they will all be hitting their arb years together. Some will be bought through them some will not. It would be a shame to have to rid yourself of a good young player because you foolishly guaranteed a $22 million option in a trade 4 years earlier. One thing about pitchers, its not a question of if they are going to get hurt but when.

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ May 21, 2009 -> 09:07 PM) You don't go into a trade situation worrying about making salary room 4 years down the road. If you want the guy you get him and make it work out when you cross that bridge. We can only have 5-6 guys tops that are even signed through 2013 so its really not much of an issue. Totally disagree. You have to plan that far out. If some of the younger guys pan out, they will be making some good money.