Dick Allen

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 11, 2009 -> 03:19 PM) We got Swisher off the books, got Betemit who can be a contributor offensively and a couple prospects who may or may not pan out, and used the money for Viciedo who still has loads of talent. I think it was an OK deal. Swisher's average is starting to dive and his K rate is rising. I'm with you, Marquez and Nunez, if they turn into anything, are gravy. Financial relief and Betemit is a good deal IMO.

I also read both teams were issued warnings before the game yesterday. It makes the White Sox offensive showing even more disgusting.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 11, 2009 -> 10:27 AM) Ugh, he's going to get a suspension for this. If Ozzie would have just taken care of this in Texas, none of this would have ever happened. The good news is the Sox apparently have no use for a closer at the present time.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 11, 2009 -> 08:02 AM) I love how the Sun Times editor writes blaring headline "Guillen rips Sox" when the opposite was really the case, he seemed, from all accounts, somewhere between resigned and crying, certainly frustrated, but definitly not "fiery." As many have argued, having to send Contreras down to the minors after everything he did to start the season, and then having no real options to replace him with, as well as having to run Lillibridge out there in the line-up, not good. ''A very no-life day. That's what it looked like to me,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''I know when you're struggling it's not easy to get pumped up and smile and enjoy this game. Padilla pitched well, but at the same time, I didn't see any life. ''We're swinging at good pitches,'' Lillibridge said. ''We need results now. We need to string some hits together. That's what we want.'' ''We have good hitters,'' Guillen said. ''When things don't go your way, that's when you have to step it up. It's hard because we've tried everything. We've tried different lineups [19 so far], but then it becomes inconsistent. Someone gets hurt or that lineup on that day doesn't work. ''We'll hit, but we have to get going. I expect to have a better road trip than the last one [1-4]. Hopefully it's a wake-up call to play better. ''Hitting is contagious and winning is contagious, but losing can be, too. I don't want to keep hoping we come here and win. We've been through worse than this. I know it's still early, but it's better to work on it early.'' Lillibridge tries to hit everything 9 miles. Maybe instead of playing him in the game, they can have him hit whiffle balls on the fundamentals deck. If he clears the 15 foot fence he gets a gift card and can run around the bases.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 10, 2009 -> 08:35 PM) Two hits? My god. I wonder if anybody has kept track of all of Kenny's moves. Some have worked; some haven't. Lillibridge is a joke. He can't hit a baseball thrown by a major leaguer. And Alexi and Carlos, what the f***? Are they going to get it going? If so, when? There are traditions and there are White Sox traditions.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ May 11, 2009 -> 06:46 AM) Why does it seem like when our pitchers try to intentionally hit someone they always miss? I know it happened a few times last season. In my mind, throwing behind the runner looks more intentional then if he had actually hit him. Jenks would have just played it off as an pitch that slipped. Good pitchers like Jenks just dont miss two feet off the plate, behind the batter, on accident. If there is a program out there capable of tracking all of Jenks pitches as a major leaguer, I'd guess he has maybe thrown a pitch that far off the plate once or twice. And the other instances would probably be in scenarios he also tried to hit the batter and missed. Also, I always hate the argument that people use of, "well, why would he hit him in (insert situation) because (insert scenario in which runners on would be terrible)." That's EXACTLY the right moment to him someone, when you shouldn't do it. The entire point of Kinsler representing the tying run gave them plausible deniability. I really dont know how people, like Hawk for example, couldn't see through it. It reminds me of an excuse I used when I was younger, when I'd say "why would I do (act of mischief) because (scenario in which doing act would be terrible)" and people would buy it. Supposedly, Jenks' point was not to hit him, just a pitch to say hello and the Sox had enough of getting hit.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:40 PM) this will be the third straight series loss, not counting the one game against the kitties The Sox swept them.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:39 PM) Carrasco is officially in. AWESOME, thanks KW/Ozzie You would think Richard should still be good to go on Wednesday now. He won't go more than 4 or 5 anyway.

I wonder how much payroll the Sox are going to have to lopp off in order to be able to pay the higher prices of bats.

Corky got some hits early, but now he looks like a pitcher with the bat. He doesn't look close to having a chance.

He looks like a Corky.

I don't think Alexei was exactly busting it down the line there.

Contreras has to clear waivers, and that is a 48 hour process. Once that's out of the way, he will be sent down. It will be interesting to see what gasoline container they call up to take his place.

Richard in. I'm telling you, the options after Contreras are a lot worse. They should just let him try it again.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) Coop said he readily accepted the trip down there because he knew he needed to work on things Stone just said Contreras will be working out of the bullpen.

I'm pretty sure Hawk is convinced there is an umpire conspiracy against the White Sox.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) It's ridiculous...he's not MLB caliber (he's not even AAA caliber). Yet, Ozzie keeps trotting him into the lineup, and his results are so damn predictable. I've never seen a player stay on a roster as long as he has who has absolutely no prayer at the plate. He makes me beg for Jerry Owens to play in CF. The sicker thing is he is hitting high in the order. If he was with the Cardinals, LaRussa would have him batting after the pitcher.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:06 PM) Your right it does, but I think he has to clear waivers? But maybe not? If he does, its academic. No one is going to assume his contract.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 10, 2009 -> 02:01 PM) The pathetic thing is that with Pods wife giving birth, Loserbridge might play the next 2 games in Cleveland. If Lillibridge goes 7 for his next 28 with 4 doubles, 1 triple and 1 homer with 8 RBI, he will equal the production he had with Atlanta last year that got him sent back to AAA. With the Sox, its probably a contract buying out his arb years.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ May 10, 2009 -> 11:42 AM) caulfield's a top 5 poster here, easily I disagree with him occassionally, but I agree he's a very good poster.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 10, 2009 -> 11:34 AM) He also said he didn't think it would help Jose any to go to the bullpen, lol. Our roster has so many issues, it's a miracle we're only 3 games back and still plodding along, with the same exact record (14-15) we had last year after 29 games. We should learn a lot more over the next two weeks as we go back into the AL Central. 1-4 against the Royals is not going to cut it, we'd have to go 11-2 the rest of the season to equal our mark of 12-6 from last year against them, when it seems we had a really tough time beating them or putting them away in games. Cleveland actually outdrew us by quite a bit on an equally cold (maybe colder) night at the same time the Cavaliers were playing against the Hawks. It was Cliff Lee bobblehead night, but the attendance numbers are never good at USCF unless the team's playing well or it's the summertime. Of course, that all could change with a winning streak of 8-2 or 7-3 (somehow, we'd have to beat TOR), but the casual White Sox fans are rightfully skeptics this year. The team raised prices on everything, slashed payrolled by the 2nd biggest margin in baseball, and reminded its customers how bad the economy is. On top of that, the Chairman mentioned how boring the 2008 Central division championship team was. I really wonder what they are thinking. The talk of how last year's record and this year's record is the same may be comforting to some, but I also think its the same or worse than it was after a similar number of games in 2007 when as late as August, the White Sox did have the worst record in the AL and maybe in baseball. They need to pick up a major league player or two. I don't want to hear how KW saw someone's sinker in the AFL where that pitcher had an ERA of about 6.00 and tell me how its going to translate to huge success at USCF. Looking at KW's career stats, it appears his opinion of any pitcher's pitches is probably a bit overestimated.

Ozzie says Richard isn't developed enough to be a starter, then 2 weeks later, puts him in the starting rotation. Great job this past offseason KW.

Getz 2B Lillibridge CF Quentin LF Dye RF Thome DH Konerko 1B Betemit 3B Ramirez SS Miller C I just hope Ozzie has learned not to hit and run with Lillibridge since he doesn't make contact. Lillibridge has had only 2 games this season when he's had at least 3 AB where he hasn't struck out at least once. Maybe he should just bunt every time at bat.

QUOTE (whitesox901 @ May 10, 2009 -> 08:35 AM) I think taking a chance on Oliver Perez would be a huge gamble, but I think we should take a look at the idea for a sec. Paul Lo Duca was on a New York sports show and was talking about how Oliver's mechanic is the key to his succession, and once he has a bad inning, he starts to over think (which is what was going on with Floyd) and completely falls apart, I think if we gave it a shot, I think Peres would work out. my back up plans are to sign Pedro and Sheets, now with Sheets, even though he won't be ready until sometime next season, you sign him but don't guarantee him any money until he proves himself, so when he returns and goes 0-4 with a 12.00 ERA or something, you don't have to give him any money except for the league minimum So you think the Sox should consider bringing in a guy who has been worse than Contreras, makes more money than him and has 2 years after this one left on his contract? That is probably the worst idea I've heard in a long time. As for some others mentioned in this thread: Odalis Perez. I'm pretty sure he's been blackballed by MLB right now for what he pulled earlier, and if he's not, there is nothing to suggest he would be anything better than Contreras. Look at his AL numbers in 2007 in a pitcher's park in KC. Pedro Martinez. Makes a lot of sense, however, he hasn't been too stellar in a pitcher's park in the NL the past couple years, wants a decent amount of money, and who knows exactly how long it would take him to be ready. I'm afraid we are stuck with the old #5 starter of the day for now, like it was 5 or 6 years ago, and have to hope Contreras finds his control ASAP.

QUOTE (beck72 @ May 10, 2009 -> 07:15 AM) I'd imagine, this year or offseason anyway, the sox would have to trade Josh Fields in order to get a guy with a high enough ceiling to be a "horse". Yet for 2009, the guy would have to be solid enough to be a 5th Starter, someone who can give them 6 innings a start. Of course, that potential horse would have to be underperforming [like Fields], but has the stuff/ makeup to put it together. If Beckham can play 3b reasonably well, it could make Fields expendable. Esp. as the sox have other options at 3b in the minors with Viciedo and C.J. Retherford. The place to look would be pitching rich teams in the minors and young solid SP's in the bigs that have a need for a position player like Fields. I don't think the current version of Josh Fields could get you anything but a potential "horse" that needs a lot of refinement. The White Sox had the opportunity to address this during the offseason when Contreras wasn't expected to be with the team let alone the starting rotation. They thought Marquez was a stud. Jon Garland on a 1 year contract would have looked very nice in a White Sox uniform. Too bad KW thought Marquez was the same pitcher and didn't want to spend any money.