Dick Allen

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Mar 27, 2009 -> 03:23 PM) Am I being overly negative when I say that this offense looks like it may be easily shut down again this season and could have some really ugly games????? They will have a low OBP guy leadoff. Quentin is a high OBP, but he may not be able to duplicate last season. Thome is a high OBP but has been declining a bit and he can't run. For all the "speed" added to the line-up, I see Fields for Crede, definitely more speed, but Fields will most likely be a lower OBP guy. Getz for Cabrera. I think if Getz matched Cabrera's offensive numbers of 2008, most would be thrilled. I don't see this huge increase in team speed they have been preaching. I think they will score a lot of runs but it will be just as inconsistent as it has been the past few years.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Mar 27, 2009 -> 03:18 PM) Why would they cut him early if he's out of options? Not saying he's going to turn it around but there's no upside to it. If your pinch runner Lillibridge gets hurt, you have Owens to fall back on. That's the downside to doing it, there's no upside. I'm glad fan-type passion is absent from most coaching staffs out there. He's still fighting for a starting spot. Why not have the guy who should leadoff during the season get a whirl there before the season starts? The question I have is why ignore what has happened his whole career and base everything on a couple of exibition games at the end of a brutally long spring training? Don't they know Jerry Owens yet? Are their opinions really going to change if he gets a couple of hits? What value other than a pinch runner does he have? Can a team that will carry 12 pitchers keep a guy around just to pinch run? Besides, its not like he's been tearing up the basepaths this spring.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 27, 2009 -> 03:12 PM) Bad start for Jerry, a weak popout to left is about as bad as it gets for him in the eyes of management (remember groundouts = infield pwnage) and I believe it was on the first pitch. Its pretty sad if Owens fate hasn't already been decided. I don't know why a guy going 0-4 in a spring training game or 3-4 should make much of a difference at this point. If the White Sox see Owens as a contributing major league player, they are in the minority. Let Getz leadoff and let Jerry go home.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Mar 27, 2009 -> 03:07 PM) DJ just said on the radio that it's shaping up to be Lillibridge likely making the team as a utility guy. I know he's not that young -- but being purely a ceiling guy (with little in the present).....shouldnt he be in the minors playing every day? We may never really find out about him if he's up here sitting on the bench. He hit .220 in AAA with an OBP under .300 last year. KW wants someone from the Vazquez trade on the roster and he's already been praising Lillibridge since acquiring him. This isn't a case of a guy earning a spot on the team, just that everyone that is probably better than him isn't ready yet either so he will win by default. He can run, maybe he can steal bases, but chances are, most scouts believe, his peek is a decent utility guy.

Rob Neyer pipes in, nothing too new, but its hard to disagree: White Sox's center-field options unattractive Friday, March 27, 2009 | Feedback | Print Entry Are the White Sox really interested in Melky Cabrera? According to Ozzie Guillen (via Mark Gonzales), they are not: PHOENIX - Manager Ozzie Guillen reiterated his faith in the candidates for the White Sox's leadoff and center field positions and tempered any trade speculation. "No, we're not going (outside the organization)," Guillen said. "I don't want that to happen. I don't like that to happen. If we have to go outside the organization right now, gosh, I'm not going to say we're in trouble. But as a ballclub, we have enough guys here to resolve that problem." Dewayne Wise went 1 for 4 with a double in a 3-1 loss to Arizona but was nailed trying to stretch the hit into a triple in the bottom of the first inning. As Tim Dierkes notes, the in-house options are Wise, Jerry Owens, and Brian Anderson. With all due respect, Jerry Owens simply isn't good enough to play. He's got more than 400 plate appearances in the majors -- and by the way, why? -- and his career stats include a .321 on-base percentage and a .312 slugging percentage. OK, small sample size … but Owens is 28, and in three years and nearly 1,200 plate appearances in Triple-A, he hasn't done appreciably better. He's hung around for a while because he's fast, but you can't steal first base. Owens doesn't belong in this conversation. Brian Anderson is a horse of a different stripe. He's got more MLB service than Owens and his numbers are just as heinous -- thank you, .277 OBP -- but he's two years younger and does have a solid minor league track record. Well, maybe not solid. But it's a track record suggesting he can play better in the majors than he has. And then there's Dewayne Wise. Owens' career OBP is .321. Not good. Anderson's career OBP is .277. Really not good. Wise's career OBP is .254. In 504 plate appearances. His career OBP in the minors is .310. He's 31. When Ozzie Guillen says the White Sox "have enough guys here to resolve that problem," I'm not sure what he means. You can bring in all the fast guys in the world who can't get on base, and you still won't have a legitimate center fielder. Let alone a legitimate center fielder who can bat leadoff and score 100 runs. I don't know that Melky Cabrera's the answer. He's been a bit OBP-challenged, too. What's more, every would-be contender's got a weakness somewhere. Brett Gardner's playing center field for the Yankees. Julio Lugo supposedly is playing shortstop for the Red Sox. The Indians are relying on Carl Pavano. But it's just irresponsible for a contender to enter spring training without a reasonably viable option at a particular position, particularly a key spot like center field. Yet that's exactly what the White Sox have done. And now, just more than week before Opening Day, they're still doing it.

77 wins tops with BA, Wise and or Owens as the primary lead off guys. I still think KW is going to make a trade. How lucky were the Sox that Owens got hurt last spring? If he didn't and played instead of Quentin, it probably would have cost them at least one win before they figured out Quentin was a far better player. That would have knocked them out of the playoffs and taken away 3 gates, and if you believe every dollar coming in goes out, probably cost them some payroll this year.

I would give Marquez back to the Yankees for Melky. I think Melky is overrated, but Marquez might be a mediocre long man some day. The big plus about getting Melky is Owens and Wise are probably both off the roster. Now if there was someone to take Lillibridge and Miller off as well.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 03:56 PM) Corky Miller looks like an awful hitter. In this case, looks don't lie.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 03:17 PM) Still waiting for Jeff Cox to leave his mark on this team or perhaps he has? Razor Shines was a great 3rd base coach. I know they said he didn't have baserunning teaching skills which is what got Cox the job. He apparently is lacking in that area as well.

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) Wise thrown out by a mile trying to get a triple. This team is a terrible base running team so far. Oh, and Wise is faster than Owens. Lillibridge may steal 40 bases according to KW. I never realized they figured out a way to steal first base.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 03:11 PM) marquez up with everything ....and probably pitching himself to AAA No way. He's the second coming of Jon Garland.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 02:22 PM) I absolutely refuse to believe that Owens, Wise, Anderson, or Lillibridge will hit leadoff once the regular season starts. I think that Ozzie is just giving these guys every chance to succeed (or conversely fail convincingly) by giving them as many ABs as possible. Maybe I'm refusing to see reality, but I cannot imagine any of those four hitting leadoff come April. While I was/am hoping this is correct, it really makes no sense from a White Sox standpoint. Its obvious, and has been for longer than this spring training, Owens, Wise and Anderson are not anywhere near major league caliber everyday leadoff guys. They aren't even in Orlando Cabrera's neighborhood. Its best they find the right man for the job and use the next week and a half for some experimenting. Its ridiculous Getz hasn't lead off yet. Why do they let Lillibridge leadoff? Would he have any less pressure than Getz? Why do the White Sox need to start every game off with a strikeout? The whole thing makes zero sense. KW got a little humbled by 2007. After Danks, Floyd and Quentin came up aces in 2008, he thinks he know more than everyone else again. If Wise/Owens and BA platoon and leadoff, and Corky Miller is the back up catcher and Williams is a specialist out of the pen and Lillibridge gets significant playing time, KW will be humbled again. I still think a trade will be made. A trade has to be made.

I'm a BA guy. I also said I would have traded Swisher straight up for Betimet, but I don't think he'll get the ABs to surprise. Colon, I think was a wise signing. Even if they falter, I think he perform well enough, and get paid low enough someone might part with decent piece in exchange of his services the second half.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Mar 26, 2009 -> 12:16 PM) So how was Ichiro able to adjust? Or Nomo? Or college players like Texeira who pretty much played right away? or players like Pujols who jumped from college to A ball to the majors? It is a flawed argument, Im pretty sure Alexei will be able to manage his stamina just like the rest of the league learned to do Hopefully he is stronger. He would wear down last year and be brutal for a few games, but would get a day off and be fine. I would like to see what he could do with 30 more pounds on him. He could be a 35-40 homer guy. He's still a stick and I would imagine is going to need days off, but there's no reason to believe he won't respond to those like he did last year.

If the Yankees were giving Cabrera away, I would suggest the Sox go for it. If they want anyone of significance, I think they should realize this guy apparently was beat out of his position by a guy who almost makes Jerry Owens look like an everyday player.

QUOTE (beautox @ Mar 25, 2009 -> 03:38 PM) bad base running josh Maybe next winter, Josh can spend a couple of weekends with Jeff Cox.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 25, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) I would guess 87-90 MPH. Cust just pulled a fastball, that usually doesn't happen when he's on his game. It will be a few weeks, but if he continues to stay healthy, he'll be at 95.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 25, 2009 -> 03:10 PM) DJ just called him Derek Lillibridge (former Braves pitcher)...Lilliquist. Actually is Derek Lilliquist, maybe because Brent looks like a pitcher at the plate.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Mar 25, 2009 -> 12:53 PM) That makes zero sense, they may have relatively comparable career records, but Schilling's career ERA is over half a run lower. And Schilling spent the majority of his career in the NL. Wells spent the majority pitching to DH's. I think makes at least a half of a run difference.

If Schilling is a HOF, than David Wells is right there.

South Side Irish St. Patrick's Parade ending March 25, 2009 12:00 PM | No Comments Organizers of the South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade on Western Avenue said today they would no longer hold the event "in its present form." I wonder what other forms parades come in.

Schilling was hurt by 3 mediocre years during his peak age seasons. He had a nice career and made a lot of money, but no HOF if I was voting.

Well, plane G or H isn't happening for a while, moving Ramirez to CF and making Beckham the SS, because Beckham will be the SS for Birmingham http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....-shortstop.html

Colon was throwing 95 last season after building up arm strength. Between his back and then the bone chip clean up in the offseason, he needs to build that up again. I think if he can remain healthy, he'll be at 95 again in a month or 2. He's really just started airing it out.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 24, 2009 -> 02:30 PM) I just read today that the City of Detroit has a 22% unemployment rate right now. That is a Great Depression type number. When you're there, its hard to believe its a major US city. It was about 15% in 2005 with 33% of residents living below the poverty line. The poverty line is 19k for a family of 4, 9k for a single.