Dick Allen

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 01:06 PM) It's interesting that NY City is the epicenter of the economic crisis, but those two teams don't seem to be cutting back. Didn't the Yankees have $85 million come off their books?

QUOTE (klaus kinski @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 01:09 PM) Every year we get fired up for Winter Meetings and GM Meetings and all we get to hear about is Cub acquisitions and rumors. I am disappointed-we have gaping holes-and all we hear about is payroll. If spring training started next week, I would agree with you about not filling holes. I will always agree with you about payroll. Why KW has to bring up the now $.75 and everything costs $1.00 thing year after year, especially when he didn't sign Hunter, and saved $50 million when Fukudome turned him down last year is beyond tired. If, Hell freezes over and the White Sox wind up cutting payroll by as much as people are fearing, and the team doesn't contend, I hope every season ticketholder next offseason refuses to renew and uses the $.75 vs $1.00 excuse. I do think they will cut payroll, but not by a large amount.

QUOTE (thedoctor @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 12:58 PM) everyone thought he was full of crap when he said it last year, too. Why does that mean it will work again, and if it does, is a first round exit from the playoffs what the White Sox are looking for? Just remember, KW also said great things about Cabrera and Swisher. He called Borchard a big impact player. Said Willie Harris will be an All Star. Jon Adkins was going to be all world. He is full of crap if he thinks this current roster can win. But there is no chance this current roster will be the same when it comes time to play the games. He apparently felt some things didn't get done last offseason because people knew what he was doing.

Sox general manager Ken Williams, sticking to his stealth plan, ducked a question about free agents he might meet with this week. ''If I answered that question, it would go against my tactics of trying to mislead you guys as much as I can,'' he said. ''So I just have to continue on with my pattern of dodging and weaving. We generally have more success when we are operating out of sight.''

QUOTE (heirdog @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 03:20 PM) Seems counterintuitive as KW is the "scout" and wheeler and dealer while Hahn is more of the numbers guy. I would think Hahn would be talking to player agents and KW working the GM route in "listening mode." I think the Sox have a couple preliminary guys in Vegas. I think Hahn might be doing that right now. I read where KW gave his "guys" strategies for their discussions. I think Hahn wants to be a GM someday. Just negotiating contracts isn't going to get him a job. I'm sure he's been involved in trade discussions before.

Hahn could be discussing trades.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:23 PM) Jesus Christ... f*** you, Jake Peavy. I hope you lose your arm somewhere up Eddie Vedder's overrated ass. And... If they're going to eat that much of his contract, and then take back an arb-eligible player probably making just as much, how is that trimming salary? All the other GM's are playing this game on Level: Difficult, meanwhile Jim Hendry is the retard in the propellered hat working on Easy Mode with a list of cheat codes in front of him. Being a Tribune employee must really be great right now. Your basically f***ed out of all the money you throw into the employee stock plan, but one of your satellite companies apparently has free reign to throw money around like its nothing. How about a guy like Sam Smith? He takes a buyout, unless he was paid in one lump sum, which I doubt, he's screwed, but the Cubbies still can pay someone $6 million to pitch for another team. Sweet.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:19 PM) We got lucky with OC's big ego there. He would've been tough to move in this market. Absolutely, and his entire act is common knowledge around the league for sure. It certainly won't add to his value.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:17 PM) The value of the team is meaningless unless the team is sold. It does not factor in the money flow in or out of the organization unless JR used the value of the team as equity to borrow against the value. you cannot pay a player with the value of the franchise. It needs to be the revenue that is generated. They also had them making a profit in 2007. If they had lost money that season, I don't think you would have seen the contracts handed out for Linebrink, and Dotel nor the offers for Hunter and Fukudome.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:14 PM) Dumb signing by the Mets. Its better than giving up your top prospect for a guy with a screw in his right elbow, but K-Rod was ridden hard last season. The only thing that may save him from a dissappointing 2009 IMO, is the move to the NL.

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:05 PM) I think he made a huge financial mistake by acting like a jackass in a city that actually pays attention to its baseball players. He would have had a contract extension before the market collapsed or could have left with a better reputation. Now all the bad news is out there and it cost him. KW wanted to give him an extension before he ever took the field with the Sox, but OC wasn't interested. I still would love to know what kind of contract KW was talking about or had in mind.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:04 PM) Not necessarily since the contract would not have been guaranteed with the Sox and I'm pretty sure KW didn't want him. If KW don't want you, pack your bags even if you are a Hall of Famer wearing 35. I don't completely understand why I dislike Cabrera so much. The argument with Dye sealed it, but I didn't like him even before that. I really want him to play for the Twins. If they released him for any reason other than his skills declining, they would wind up having to pay him. Todd Walker was released by SD in spring training when he was hitting .225. He filed a grievance and signed a minor league deal with Oakland. Played with the A's and was horrible and wound up getting released by them. It was pretty hard to win a grievance arguing your skills warranted your release when you sign with another team and they release you. If OC got released by the Sox, another team could pick him up and if he plays like he always has, the Sox would have a problem.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 01:55 PM) Since when has running the White Sox ever been presented to us as anything but trying to break even or not dip into the personal wealth of any of the managing directors? To speculate about losing on investments or the stock market or real estate being the cause of a "firesale" is a bit premature. Has Williams done anything illogical that none of would have done were we in the same situation? If Dye actually is traded and we go with our current roster without any additions to the mix, then you MIGHT have a point. You also have to consider how far we were over budget (compared to attendance) in 2007 and 2008...I'm guessing the team spent more money than it made both of the last two seasons. According to Forbes, the White Sox pulled a profit in 2007. In fact, the value of the team in their estimation rose $60 million even after a disasterous 2007 season.Haven't heard anything about 2008, but it is way too early to determine what is going on. The chances of the payroll being $45 or even $30 million lower in 2009 is very slim IMO. If it turns out it is, then the eyebrows should be raised, especially season ticketholders who had money held hostage and were basically forced to accept price increases without knowing the team intended to spend that much less on its product.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 01:55 PM) Rosenthal Updates 2:42 p.m. — A's show interest in Cabrera The A's, who last week withdrew their four-year offer to Rafael Furcal, met late Monday night with the agents for another leading free-agent shortstop — Orlando Cabrera. The team's interest in Cabrera, however, is "very limited," according to one source, "mild at best." That's what I've heard about almost every teams' interest in him. I think he and/or his agent made a huge financial mistake rejecting arbitration.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 01:40 PM) Yeah, although I don't know where the Sox got their information and I hope the person delivering that info was one of those sent out of the organization. I'd add that Rasner was the wildcard in that deal, a low-level prospect who at the time drew comparisons to Garland. Rasner blew, and now Marquez is compared to Garland, and the real Garland is available and I don't think many people around here would want him.

I think its pretty obvious KW has someone ready to sign for big money or the White Sox are having serious financial issues and Dye's contract needs to get off the books.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 01:15 PM) We can be PRETTY SURE that either Reyes or Morton were turned down as the final piece of the Vazquel deal. If KW was talked out of acquiring "a major league ready pitcher" for Santos Rodriguez and Gilmore, why would he turn around and then acquire one of them, especially when that's EXACTLY what he was APPARENTLY looking for in order to fill out our rotation at that point, or at the very least, provide depth with Marquez/CR/AP? Maybe the scouts said the other 2 were better, not that the guy he was about to get was a stiff. They compared Rodriquez to Thornton and Gilmore to Crede, we will see in a few years. Unless the Braves want to give up one of their top prospects, I say why bother?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 09:54 AM) I would rather avoid Bradley's attitude, I just don't like him at all. Just my personal opinion, which I am sure most don't share. But no doubt he could be a huge bat in the lineup. 6 organizations and has never played more than 216 games for any of them. I don't know if he can even play the OF full time at this point. But one thing to keep in mind, KW was after him right after he became GM. He wound up in Cleveland. I'm with you, he's a volcano that can erupt at any time. Its not worth it.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 09:49 AM) I noticed he shook off AJ a lot. Contrast this to Mark Buehrle who would catch AJ's return throw, set his hands in his gloves, and start his windup immediately after seeing AJ's fingers. Buerhle throws what the catcher puts down. He'd do that if you or I was catching.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 09:28 AM) pretty good article here from the hardball times on the enigma that is vazquez http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/...javier-vazquez/ Its the same thing the White Sox tried to get through to him. Cut down on the repertoire. He just doesn't feel comfortable doing it.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 09:20 AM) Assuming Dye is gone, I count about $46 million off of last years' payroll: Cabrera 10.0 Swisher 3.6 Dye 9.5 Uribe 4.5 Crede 5.1 Vazquez 11.5 Griffey 2.0? Total = $46.2 mil Also Hall's $1.75 million. That would be $48 million gone with well over $20 million coming off after 2009 (Thome, Contreras). Its crazy to think KW wouldn't add payroll especially if he trades Dye. Losing $48 million in salaries and raising ticket prices isn't going to happen.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 09:50 PM) Wow, how can JD be brought back after a comment like this is out there? Must mean he's out the door. If not, then he sure wont feel wanted around here, especially after a statistical year like his 07-08. Statistical, mind you...but still that's harsh. Considering KW's MO is "under the radar", Dye's availability and rumored destinations have been anything but. KW said he considered JD a friend and respects him greatly, I just wonder why he'd have him twisting like that. Its kind of strange.

In Cowley's latest report, he has a major league source tell him don't be surprised to see Freddy back with the Sox if this latest problem goes away, so it is official. Scratch Freddy off the potential #5 starter list.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 09:56 PM) I dont know if it means anything in the grand scheme of things, but the Score reported that while the Tribune filed for Bankruptcy, The Cubs and Wrigley Field were not part of the bankruptcy claim I figured as much. Still, it doesn't seem right.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 09:53 PM) What did you think of Carlos Quentin's 2007 trainwreck? I'm curious. Obviously not that I think Lillibridge is going to be Carlos Quentin but the situations are pretty comparable. I liked the Quentin trade. They are 2 very different players. Quentin still hit the crap out of the ball in AAA in 2007. I get it. Every minor league position player KW acquires will be like Quentin. Every Cuban KW signs will be like Ramirez. Every minor league pitcher KW trades for will be like Floyd.