Dick Allen

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 03:20 PM) No it was the bone spur the size of a golf ball. His 2001 injury was the triceps.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) The basic overview of the market is alot like what happend with the Cards. Teams have made offers, waited, waited, waited, their agents say they want to look at other offers because the initial offer was lower than what they wanted, the team pulls the offer. And here we are. I think all these guys are getting lowballed and no one wants to set a precedent and sign a cheaper offer. Once one or two of these guys sign for less, it will snowball.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 09:13 AM) The lack of a floor with the luxury tax is the biggest problem I have with our existing system. If you are taking in money from the system, you should be obligated to spend it if you are turning a profit. The MLBPA will never agree to a floor. They believe if a floor is established, a ceiling would be next.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 10:08 AM) OzzieWorld, lol? Well, David Wells was also "coaxed" out of retirement by KW, and he was/is also a former Yankee, so perhaps stranger things have happened in the history of baseball. As far as Ramirez and Dye being expected to put up similar numbers in 2009...well, I'll leave that for others to decide. It would be a huge gamble. There's no doubt about that. And I haven't even really seen the question posed to KW or Ozzie in the last 2-3 weeks, when it's become more and more obvious that no team will give him more than 2 years at $20 million plus, nor are many teams capable of dealing with "Manny Being Manny" playing on a one year deal if he's not happy with anything at all around him. However, KW and Ozzie have pretty healthy egos...I think there's a part of them that believe they could control/manage him. Whether that's true or not, I have my doubts. David Wells was a disaster from the beginning of his White Sox tenure, and Albert Belle wasn't as helpful as his statistics would indicate either. It's not quite so crazy as Bonds or Sosa...I don't know, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense, if there's a team out there willing to bite on Dye for young pitching. I would be pretty surprised if KW offered Dye for Jackson to the Rays and was turned down in favor of Matt Joyce, but stranger things have happened this offseason I suppose. If that is/was the case, maybe we're overvaluing Dye a bit...or maybe overvaluing him because he's more valuable to the White Sox because of our stadium then he would be to almost any other team in baseball. Wells wasn't coaxed out of retirement. He was coming off a big year. He didn't do too much for the White Sox, hence his $9 million option for 2002 was declined, but KW only gave up a whole lot of garbage to get him. Wells actually started out fairly well, pitching a great game in Min. IIRC, but his back couldn't handle it and he was back with the Yankees the next season. Ozzie has been on record about Manny saying he wouldn't fit in with the White Sox. Also, there was a report from someone in Boston at the trade deadline, that Boston offerred Manny to KW for Ken Griffey Jr. hours after he acquired him. I have no idea if its true but a Boston radio station did report it. They probably have their share of Offman's as well.

It really doesn't matter what the team looks like now as far as what it will look like on opening day, and maybe KW feels he has a much better chance of pulling off whatever his plan is by not being in the news. What does hurt the White Sox now is the fan who has been contemplating buying season tickets for a few years. Saying you're slashing payroll and going with young guys who have failed before doesn't sell season ticket packages. Of course if his big moves are made a month or two from now, those packages could be sold then, but you always risk that money that was going to be spent on White Sox tickets being spent on something else. Maybe the fan decides, I'll get a big plasma and home theater system instead and watch Hawk and Stone.

Everyone who hates the Yankees for spending all this money, saying its bad for the game, would think the owner of their favorite team was the greatest if he shelled out this type of cash for players. The Yankees had $85 million coming off the books and are moving into a new stadium. What did everyone think was going to happen? The only thing that shocks me is they don't appear like they will add Manny as well.

I doubt SF would want Paulie's contract. I think he's worth more to the White Sox than most teams. The Sox have to have some offense in 2009.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Dec 27, 2008 -> 03:38 PM) They have Brett Gardner waiting in their system. He apparently is very, very fast, draws a lot of walks, and has good plate discipline; just a few things that make a leadoff hitter. They also have Austin Jackson, who is very athletic, from what I've read. You don't spend over $400 million on free agents and then promptly entrust your leadoff job to a rookie, although I suppose they could move Jeter back to the top.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 04:36 PM) Gracias. No doubt about it their best bet is to trade either Matsui or Damon. I can't see them getting much in return for either of them, though. They won't trade Damon, they need a leadoff guy and he was pretty productive in 2008. Matsui they would love to trade, but they would have to eat a lot of contract to do that.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 24, 2008 -> 12:52 PM) Just because things aren't being done correctly/legally in our current system doesn't mean that it's impossible for things to work correctly/legally in a totally different system. Part of the reason why these online gaming things are loaded with scams right now is the fact that they're forced to go to great lengths (run outside the country, etc) just to exist. There is therefore little regulation of the fairness of those games, because they've already ducked out of the country to places that aren't going to regulate their right to exist. It wasn't the site that was doing the scamming, it was numbers of guys working together to snag money. You could be at one of those poker tables with 4 other players who may be on the phone with each other. Its pretty hard to win money that way and all their money is basically pooled. One of the guys accused is a former WSOP champion, but because of it being international, they can't really do much to him but they estimated he and his group have basically stolen 10's of millions of dollars from gambling addicts.

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Dec 24, 2008 -> 12:45 PM) http://www.esquire.com/the-side/richardson...lization-122308 I don't know how I feel about this... personally I'd rather see the legalization, regulation and taxation of prostitution, on-line gambling, sports gambling and here in Illinois firework sales, before marijuana. Imagine if the US government, similar to the Casino licenses here in Illinois, put up to auction 3-4 on-line gambling licenses. How many hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars would be spent to get those licenses and in addition, at a 40% tax rate (which I believe is the gambling operator profit tax rate) how much revenue that would generate and how many new "high-tech" jobs it would create. Too many scams for on-line gambling. I watched some expose on current on line gambling and people are getting played.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 10:10 PM) I guess just talking in terms of mutual interest and years/$$. Besides that, I have no explanation. But that wouldn't be negotiation would it? At least not "deep" negotiation.

Can someone explain to me how a team can be "deep in negotiations" yet has not made an offer?

QUOTE (Jimmywins1 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 07:34 PM) BA had more AB's and a higher batting average against righties last year. If the options were mediocre retread, Owens or BA, I would love for them to give BA the same opportunity they gave him in 2006 when he wasn't ready for it at least mentally. It wouldn't surprise me if the annual search for a CF came to an end. My only concern with BA is he seems to get hurt a lot if he plays.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 04:07 PM) He'd only be as slow as PK. And I think there is a good hitter underneath there. By no means is he a long term solution probably, but for a year or two, I think he'd do for cheap. The rest of the 1B market is thin. I'd still rather have Kila. If KW unloaded Paulie, and I think that it won't happen, Swisher I am sure is available. With the way the market has dropped on players his level, his contract isn't the "bargain" it once was, even if he regains most of his Oakland form. KW probably could get him back for lower rated prospects than he acquired.

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 03:57 PM) I personally don't see a lot of value in the guys he got from the Yankees. Now if he trades Dye or Paulie he has to go out and fill that hole instead of using Swisher in one of the spots. It was a salary dump and Betimet isn't that bad. I wouldn't be surprised if Nick Swisher never plays a game for the Yankees.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 03:57 PM) How is that a la KW? I don't see the Sox getting a big bat from their system this year. 2010, 2011, sure - Beckham, Allen, etc. But who do you bring up now that is a powerful offensive player for 1B/DH or OF? KW said he's filling his holes at P, 3B, 2B and CF from within.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 03:48 PM) Yankees sign Teixera. See Diamond Club thread. Angels now definitely in seach of a bat. According to Rosenthal, they are going to find the bat, a la KW, from within.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 10:41 AM) Basically the whole off-season is in a flux right now until Teixeira signs. After that, I think things are definitely going to pick up, and it could make for a very interesting January around here, to see if we sign the likes of Abreu etc. He's supposed to decide today. Indications are its Boston.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 12:08 PM) Playing a full season, I think BA could hit 15-20 HR, but he'd also hit .210 I think with a sub-Uribe OBP. Kotsay if healthy would give you a .330-.340 OBP, though only marginal power (maybe 10 HR). Anderson gives you very good defense, but looking at recent years, I think Kotsay gives you good (but not as good) D as well. Anderson could spell Kotsay defensively like he did Griffey. Given that, I'd rather have Kotsay. But you of course take the chance on health, which is why its good to have BA around as a backup plan. Interesting looking at the defensive stats for Kotsay and Anderson in 2008 - they played very similar number of games, though Kotsay played 50% more innings. They both had 1.000 FPct, Kotsay had a BETTER RF (I was surprised at that), and had 3 assists to BA's 0 (small sample size there, of course). Anyway, I agree BA is better defensively, and stats aren't great for defense. But Kotsay is no slouch out there, even now. I think every year you don't give BA a chance increases the likelihood he will never amount to much. If you're going to give a chance to guys like Fields and Lillibridge, BA has earned his shot too. They threw him into a very tough spot in 2006, although he could have handled it better. Since then he has been pretty much blown off. I have no problem with him being a 4th OF if they get someone legit. If it were for Kotsay, if I were BA's agent, I would tell KW its time to move BA on.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 11:51 AM) So, instead of finding numbers from a couple seasons back... how about you tell us what your opinion is on the topic? Which is better of these two scenarios, in your opinion: --Anderson/Owens in CF --Kotsay in CF, with Anderson/Owens as plan B Sorry, I'm just point out Kotsay isn't the OBP machine you suggested. I would rather have Anderson and Owens. I like BA, and don't like Owens, but Erstad was a mistake, and Kotsay would be making the same mistake twice IMO. He isn't the GG quality CF he used to be. Doesn't run. Doesn't hit with power and will most likely wind up on the DL. Unless KW is going to get a legit CF, he might as well see what BA can do. If he had 500 AB last year he probably would have had 20 + homers and we all know what he can do defensively. Why banish him to the bench for a guy who isn't as good? Not saying BA is a star in the making, but there's no doubt in my mind if he played everyday he would have better numbers than Kotsay. BTW, Kotsay and Erstad have identical career OBP. Strange it would be exactly the same.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 11:45 AM) Erstad's OBP the year prior to signing with the Sox was .279. Kotsay was .340 in ATL, .286 with BOS in very limited at bats there. And I was making a comparison, not saying Kotsay was some huge OBP guy. I know you want to focus in on any specific thing that doesn't fit, but, look again at my main point here: Kotsay with Anderson as a backup plan > Anderson/Owens in CF for the Sox, as long as Kotsay can be had for fairly cheap. Its low risk for a possible high reward, and if he can't stay healthy or is truly done, then you are back where you were anyway. One thing that does concern me though about Kotsay, aside from health, is the dropoff in SLG after 2006. .279 also was Kotsay's OBP with Oakland in 2007. He has back problems.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 10:46 AM) Erstad had missed games due to injuries, a lot of 3 of 4 seasons prior to going to the Sox. Kotsay has had those issues 2 seasons, but his numbers were still decent last year, and he's an OBP machine that Erstad isn't. But in any case, I am not saying its ideal - I am saying I think that's likely to happen. And remember too, Dye came with that injury issue as well. KW likes those types of moves. Erstad was similar, not the same. OBP machine? He's got a .337 career OBP and hasn't been able to match that the past 4 seasons.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 10:37 AM) Kotsay actually had decent numbers for Atlanta this season FWIW; .289/.340/.418 Not saying he's a great option, but if he came cheap, I'd probably rather him than Owens if he could put up a line like that again. Excellent plate discipline also (45K's in over 400 AB's). He also was brutal with Boston and doesn't play defense like he used to.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 23, 2008 -> 10:39 AM) . Also note that he came in to close out games often, started to give up hits/runs, and was pulled for someone else who would close it for him. I don't think that's true. I think if it were it would count as a blown save and he only had 2 of those in his White Sox career.