Dick Allen

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 10:34 AM) Honestly, it does, but so did Carlos Lee for Scott Podsednik. Sometimes you downgrade in value to upgrade your lineup. CF Figgins RF Abreu LF Quentin DH Thome 1B Konerko SS Ramirez 3B Fields C Pierzynski 2B Whomever wins the job That's a very good lineup. They also got Vizcaino in the Lee deal and a horrible minor leaguer.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 10:15 AM) I'd personally like to see a 2 year, $16 mill deal. When Thome's gone next year, you have DH flexibility. Next year the economy probably will be worse. You might as well go year to year with Abreu if this report is even true. I don't know why a team would trade for Dye when they could pick one of these other guys up for a lot less unless the White Sox have decided they will pay some of Dye's contract.

Either this report is BS or somebody is getting moved.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 01:38 PM) I'd just like to see evidence that Anderson is maturing as a player (I won't get into off-field antics or attitude/cockiness for now). Sometimes, I think BA's evil twin William Katt (Greatest American Hero) would have a better chance of scoring with Shannon Tweed in a Skinemax Friday night movie than BA does with the curveball or offspeed stuff off the plate. Maybe you can blame Greg Walker (whatever), but I would like to see some baseball smarts....at least occasionally. The ability to hit to the opposite side and not get pull happy (Rowand fell into this, too). Being able to bunt and give yourself up. Considering he'd probably be the 9th place hitter, the ability to really bear down (like Uribe) and get RBI's when they are most needed. Hitting the cut-off man and throwing to the right bases. While he's a gifted defender, he makes lots of mistakes mentally in terms of fundamentals, and that just drives me crazy. His baserunning could also be better, although he's getting better in that area, and he's one of our few runners that you can count on with his long strides to get the extra base (1B to home on double, 1st to 3rd on single, 2nd to home on single, etc.) How many times have you seen Lillibridge play? You seem to have a positive opinion about him, and if its based on KW's comments, KW apparently thinks the world of BA.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 10:57 AM) He gives you more of the little things (I hate to say scrappy/grindy) that you won't get from an Anderson...maybe like Iguchi with more ability but less refined at this stage of his career. I don't buy KW's comment about BA hitting .275 with 25 homers. If he played everyday, he'd be hard-pressed to hit .240, going against the best righthanders in the game, day in and day out. Of course, his defenders will argue that consistent playing time would fix all the holes in his swing...that his approach would improve and he wouldn't miss every single slider or curveball low and away. Well...the reverse argument is true too, getting the most favorable match-ups available in most games, he didn't even challenge hitting .250 for the season. Anderson's a very good defensive player, sure, but the holes in his offensive game can be more than overcompensated for by Lillibridge repeating anything close to his minor league norms prior to 2008. Of course, someone will cite BA's norms in the minors and say why would we expect Getz/Nix/Lillibridge to hit as well as they did in the minors at the major league level? What's funny is BA hits .225 playing over his head for a defending champion and now you say he'll never hit .240. Lillibridge hits .220 in AAA hits .200 in for the Braves with a bunch of K's,and you say he'll give you more than BA? Please. Keep in mind BA is only 1 year older than him. Why do you drink KW's kool aid about Lillibridge but not BA? BA hit .257 the second half of 2006 and was promptly replaced by Erstad. His attitude is improved. With consistent AB he should be pretty good. It probably will be with another team.

QUOTE (G&T @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 07:53 AM) At the very least, his sponsors will see it that way. The only reason this is a story is because he probably just threw away millions of dollars by smoking weed. I'm sure plenty of his sponsors see this as a way to get out of bad deals. Let's face it, Michael Phelps isn't making companies much money especially in this economy. So he was a dope for doing what he did when everyone has a camera on their cellphone giving his sponsors a chance at an out. As far as the actual act of doing bongs, who cares.

QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 1, 2009 -> 05:06 PM) So... in other words, KW is counting on other teams' GMs reading the Daily Herald, eh? That's what Scott Gregor and his blog want you to believe.

According to KW per the Daily Herald: Two days before SoxFest started, Williams pointed out Anderson’s skills. Maybe he’s hoping other teams read this quote: “If Brian Anderson would have played every day last year, he would have hit about .275 and would have hit 25 home runs,” Williams said. “I don't think you can disagree with that.”

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Feb 1, 2009 -> 12:46 AM) A fast guy, using a track specialist to teach him how to run to be healthy. Thats all fine and dandy, except for the fact that this is baseball and not a track meet. Perfect form goes out the window the minute your cleat hits the dirt and you realize that you are not running a relay. Stealing a base is a different type of movement than a track meet. Yes. If he's thinking about proper form when a ball is hit in the air, he will get even a worse jump than he normally gets. This reminds me of when the Bears drafted Willie Gault and he saw Walter Payton run. He said he was going to show him a better form to make him faster. It didn't go very far.

I read some scouting reports on these 2 and Marti is considered the better prospect by far. Scouts do not think too much of Gomez.

per cbssportsline: Williams will say that he's not sure he'll have the freedom to add payroll this summer, even with the salaries the Sox dropped over the winter. "We have to be cautious, if for no other reason than so we don't have to play all day games because we can't afford the electricity," he said. "This is such a volatile time, and people are going to look at their discretionary spending." The budget concerns were apparently one reason the White Sox haven't pursued a trade for Brian Roberts, the Orioles second baseman who is due to make $8 million this year and is eligible for free agency after the season. While Roberts could slot in easily at second and as a leadoff hitter, Williams insists he hasn't had any trade talks with the O's since November.

$1 MILL if he makes the team it says. That's a pretty good deal considering he can give you well above average defense at 3 positions and when he's hot, he drives in big runs.

Garland gets $6 million with a $2.5 million buyout and a mutual option for $10 million next year. $8.5 million for one year or $16 million for 2. Not bad for him.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 03:56 PM) Out of curiousity how often you do give a full three day weekend to those way less fortunate than you? Their station in life compared to ours, isn't much different than our station in life compared to someone who is say homeless, or even worse, compared to someone in a refugee camp or starving in a third world country. I just don't get the expectation that because we see pay to see them play a sport better than anyone else in the world, they somehow also owe us large chunks of their personal life and time. I don't expect anyone else successful to give up parts of their life to satisfy me, why should they? For the past 15 years you will find me serving Thanksgiving lunch and Christmas lunch for less fortunate people at a church by my home. I must admit I initially started doing it to get out of something, but it was a lot of fun. Its also nice helping people who are always last in line in life, and treating them with kindness and respect. They probably are the most grateful people in the world. If you dig hard enough, you will see I donated dozens of Bulls (when I used to get them) and White Sox tickets to less fortunate people. 48 hours of their time, probably more like 4 or 5 hours signing autographs, the other time they can go sit in their rooms is hardly asking for much considering what they get. As I've stated before, I'm not going to this event and wouldn't even if the entire roster was there, but they are employees of the White Sox. I would think, with all the riches that come with being just that, a weekend in January to make a couple thousand of their fans and customers happy would be the least you can do. As I've stated, there are plenty of legitimate excuses not to be there, but going to the SB isn't one in my mind, and I like AJP.

QUOTE (Steff @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 02:54 PM) And Thome didn't make it a previous year because of a family wedding. Is that BS, too? They devote 8 months of their lives a year to the fans. Some do more, some don't. AJ was there on crutches when he likely should have been home on the couch. I know, I know... "what have you don't for me lately...." Family obligations are one thing. I wouldn't expect Thome to try to have a relative's wedding date changed or for him to miss it, but the Super Bowl? They can fly in on Friday and leave Sunday afternoon. Its a 48 hour commitment. AJP could come in on Friday and leave Saturday evening and still be at the SB. Its pretty funny after games when a lot of these guys are out partying instead of going home to their families considering how important it is to be with them in January. They get plenty of time off. What if they all decided they have something better to do than go to Soxfest? If there are people willing to stand in line for 4 or 5 or even more hours to have you sign something, and personally I don't see the appeal, but to each his/her own, and I'm making enough money every year to live the rest of my life because of them, I think I could take 2 or 3 days in January and sign some things, perhaps watch the Super Bowl on TV. After all, I will have all the time and money I will ever need in a few years and can go to every SB until I die.

I was reading something someplace a guy ask someone with this list how the #30 prospect with the top organization would rank if he was with the worst organization and how the top prospect for the worst organization would rank in the top org. They ranked them 7th for both scenerios.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 02:04 PM) At least with the way our division looks...if one or two of these guys can step up and we get average years from the normal group (Q, Konerko, Dye, Thome, AJ, Buehrle, Danks/Floyd, Jenks, Linebrink) then we'd have a really good shot at the division. We survived last year with a couple positions sitting as gaping holes for most of the year. One or two guys step up to fill those holes and we're a better team than we were then right away. I think a lot depends on how the bullpen holds up. There hasn't been any info on Linebrink and he's a key. With rookies and Colon, chances are the bullpen is going to have a little larger workload in 2009, and that's with Floyd and Danks at least matching their 2009 seasons. It dissapoints me they didn't go after a relatively cheap innings eater in Garland but KW seems to be sold on Marquez.

QUOTE (forrestg @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 01:59 PM) Last year OG said that there was 2 fields, the spring training Fields who og said he could play a major league third base and the end of ther season where fields third play defense was beyond bad. At the beginning of the season we tried Joe. Joe played his worst defense at third and we, the fans knew it was his back. That meant that Fields plays at triple A CHARLOTTE. his knee got banged up and because of that he was not playing too well defensively. Uribe steps in and plays a decent 3rd. October rolls around and Fields gets his knee operated on unlike Crede who refused an operation on his back which cost us losing him for much of 2007. So, if this articles claims he's trying hard I want to believe it.. We haven't heard too much about Joey Cora in any offseason so to me it was an interesting article it gave me a sense of let us not sell Fields short. If Fields can improve defensively and as one man said he can learn to hit fastballs and right handers we have a bonafied new third baseman. Crede was horrible against lefties and fields hits them well. We still have Betemit who hits righties better than lefties who is not the worst option if Viciedo isn't ready for the bigs immediately. Viciedo may be more of a first baseman anyway. I hope Joey knows what he's talking about. There are a lot of players who could be pretty good if they learned to hit right handers, fastballs and how to field.

In an interview with mlb.com, KW said he thought about signing Garland but thinks Marquez is the same pitcher.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 11:41 AM) It was 2 weekends if I read correctly. I think the strory is that Fields is doing everything he can to get betterand show he wants to get better. I think his health and athleticism will help him be good enough defensively. The fact he sought out guillen and Cora to work with him will only him him when he gets to Tucson. I will give him credit for trying. I just don't see how a coach hitting you grounders for a few hours takes you from mediocre at best to a good defensive player. As I stated above, and while I'm no fan of Fields, I have never thought he was as bad defensively as most, he blows easy plays. He's made some great ones. You can't hit a guy grounders for 4 or 5 days and say his bad fielding days are over.

Garland agreed to a 1 year contract with an option. He is guaranteed somewhere between $6-8 million.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 11:31 AM) Sure it can, if the result is a change in technique. The key to success after that is being able to consistently apply it without lapsing into bad habits. He has taken 2 weekends of groundballs. That's not even a week of spring training. While I'm hopeful he has improved, for anyone to say he's shockingly better is a stretch. We will see when the games count. We are at the time of the year where every player in the news is looking like they will be awesome in 2009 or be out for a while.

Hopefully, he improves. I've seen him make some great plays. I've seen him blow a lot of easy ones. Those are the ones he really needs to clean up. Having a little more range will help the pitchers.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 08:31 AM) i don't see I-Rod as an option. If AJ has anything it's an ego and I don't think the Sox want to upset him by bringing in a guy who would split time with him. His been good and behaving so far, why mess it up. I don't see it either, but maybe they think they could use him as a RH DH a few times and maybe even play him at 2b, something that had been discussed with other teams before. I think he's about done now though. Watching him hit would be sadder than watching how much Griffey has slid.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 27, 2009 -> 03:38 PM) Then he'll sign another one-year deal... You think the guy is going to sign some 5-year $25 million deal? Yeah right. When did I say a 5 year deal? 2 years makes a lot of sense because it will probably be just as bad next year.