Dick Allen

Doesn't Buerhle usually have a tough time with Cleveland? I know he's pitched some great games against them, but I think he's worn it more than a couple times. It will be interesting since its short rest, he threw 120 pitches his last start and I really don't think Ozzie wants to call the bullpen phone. Does having Buerhle miss a spring training start come into play here? Buerhle is 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA against Cleveland the last 3 seasons. He's due.

QUOTE (almagest @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 09:10 PM) So what do these scouts say about Gomez? What has his mediocre 1.5 seasons on the majors done to impress them? Nothing about what Gomez currently is, or has been in the minors, points to him becoming anything special. Quite simply, he has a bunch of raw tools he hasn't done anything impressive with in 5 years. And no, I wouldn't want him on the Sox. He's all attitude, no ability. When he puts up an OPS of .800 or better at ANY professional level, he can punch his chest and scream and yell all he wants. Oh, and I guess Ventura's 3-time All-American, 58-game hitting streak, Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy, .428 batting average, .792 slugging percentage, 302 RBI (in 3 years), and inaugural induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame mean absolutely nothing because he hit with a metal bat. Right. None of that comes close to Gomez's magnificent .735 career MiLB OPS. Seriously, do you think before you post some of this? It took me all of 1 minute to check Wikipedia and find Ventura's gaudy college career numbers. You are right about one thing, though. Both were 22 year olds who need(ed) to improve. Except Ventura actually had a track record that indicated he had a good shot to improve -- Gomez has nothing but hype. Gomez was playing rookie professional ball at 18. You really think Ventura would put up the same numbers he did in college in rookie ball? Compare them at the same levels. How come Gomez in AA as a 20 year old had a higher OPS than Ventura had as a 21 year old in AA? You are the one that doesn't think. You are the one that has already written off a 22 year old talent because when he was 18 he didn't tear up the minor leagues. This is why I'm using Ventura as an example. Talented 22 year olds in the major leagues tend to improve. Hard for you to believe I'm sure. But even if he only improves slightly, and I think he'll improve You can't compare college stats with professional stats. You're boasting about a .428 college average, that turned into a .249 major league average with no power as a 22 year old. The funny thing is my point still is Jerry Owens can't hold Carlos Gomez's jock. Why don't you email KW and ask if he would trade Owens for Gomex. I bet he would say yes. I bet he would even give up more. Why don't you call into a radio program when they have some baseball people on and tell them how Jerry Owens is the same player as Carlos Gomez? Owens has a career sluggling pct. of .312. Gomez is 50 points higher as a 22 year old rookie. Yeah, they are the same player. Saying Carlos Gomez has no abililty while slamming me saying I don't think, is beyond hilarious.

QUOTE (almagest @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:40 PM) Except Ventura's numbers were at 22 in the majors, after only 1 year in the minors. Gomez has had 4 years in the minors. You keep glossing over this fact. You also gloss over Ventura's stellar college numbers, which Gomez hasn't even approached in any of his minor league seasons. I also sincerely doubt scouts will tell you numbers don't matter from 18-21. Most every scouting report I've seen mentions things like K/BB ratio. I bet that can tell you a lot about a player at any age -- Gomez has a "stellar" 82 BB / 250 K rate in 4 minor league seasons. Gomez also has an even more "stellar" 33 BB / 168 K rate in about 1.5 major league seasons. So, he has essentially no discipline so far, which sure doesn't help a speed guy. The stats I posted earlier also shows he has little power (low SLG), and can't hit much or walk (low AVG/OBP). Maybe you're right, and numbers don't matter that much at a young age, but Gomez has to improve in every single aspect of his game (besides speed) to become a good player, and he's going to have to improve a lot to earn that "5 tool player". Also, I like how you, a fan, are telling me, a fan, that I need to "ask a scout" about all these things. Since when did you go to scouting school and suddenly learn how to evaluate talent? You know no more than I do about it, except I at least have SOME evidence to back my opinion up. I do know several scouts. I never said numbers don't matter, I said they weren't all that important. Its what you can become being more important than what you currently are. You now are using Ventura's numbers in college using aluminum bats vs. Gomez playing professional baseball with wooden bats? That is as crazy as it gets. As 22 year olds, they were major league hitters needing to improve. Of course Gomez has to improve, but there's a very reasonable chance of that happening. Many don't like his brashness, but as I said earlier in the thread, I bet if he was a White Sox you and others would have a different opinion of him. I bet you wouldn't think he was a Jerry Owens clone if he was a White Sox.

Dewayne Wise struck out. Who'd of thunk it?

QUOTE (Friend of Nordhagen @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 09:00 PM) Call Soxtalk on your iPhone. I'll have to stand up and wave all game long. Yesterday a girl got a foul ball. The guy she was with was standing up waving for about 3 batters.

The good news is I will be in the scout seats tomorrow acting like a Wrigley yuppie.

Too bad Javy isn't eligible to PH right now. Considering the score, I bet he'd get a hit.

12-6 Its Swisher time.

QUOTE (Friend of Nordhagen @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:54 PM) The pen was struggling for a few weeks, but going to a 4-man rotation really plays with your whole staff, including the pen. Managers start managing differently to save guys, and the pen begins working harder. It's just a mess. A total, f***ing panic move. I never really thought if it like that, but your comments make a lot of sense.

43 runs allowed the last 5 games. FIRE DON COOPER

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:50 PM) It's painful to watch him pitch. He can't get extension due to his shoulder issue. Every pitch seems to be aimed. Exactly. You can't blame him, he's hurt, but Ozzie throwing him out there is beyond ridiculous.

QUOTE (Brian @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:48 PM) I would of brought Matt in to face Choo, but that is just me. There really is no way to expect Linebrink to get through an inning without giving up anything at this point. Linebrink had no business pitching in that situation.

The White Sox should spend any extra dollars on a time machine that gets them back to the present. Griffey playing CF shows there is a problem. Pitching Linebrink now and expecting his May performance is another example of living in the past. A certain coach for a certain team from a certain city that starts with a C ends in an O and has hicag in the middle has stated "living in the past is for cowards and losers>"

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:39 PM) Indians are going to jump right back and get some runs. I have the same bad feeling watching Linebrink right now I did watching Hermanson late in 2005. He needs to be lucky to get out unscathed.

QUOTE (Sox It To Em @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:38 PM) Imagine if Richard started. Imagine if Jenks threw Span a curveball Thursday.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:37 PM) Man imagine if Javy would have actually man up...why the f*** would they pitch him on short rest when he sucks on his normal rest anyway. I wonder if the Sox lose if they will put on the board that Javy has set a personal record for losses in a season?

Maybe AJ went out and told Javy the truth, told him he's pitching like a pussy and to grow a pair.

Hit one in the LC seats.

6,8,6 Runs scored the last 3 games. Its not the offense if the White Sox miss the playoffs.

I would have a hard time hitting against a bad pitcher with a red glove.

QUOTE (The Critic @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:23 PM) Why do idiots sing the Goodbye song when the Sox are still trailing by 5? I know the answer (because the song was played on the organ and people are lemmings), it's a rhetorical question... They used to make Nancy Faust play it during those types of situations. She finally convinced them it was dumb. I guess when she's not there, they like to be dumb.

QUOTE (G&T @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:12 PM) Has there ever been a team that lost it's last 6 games to lose a playoff spot? The Mets were pretty brutal last year, but I don't know the record. Didn't the Angels blow a gigantic lead 8 or 9 years ago?

QUOTE (G&T @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:12 PM) Has there ever been a team that lost it's last 6 games to lose a playoff spot? The Mets were pretty brutal last year, but I don't know the record. Didn't the Angels blow a gigantic lead 8 or 9 years ago?

QUOTE (Frankensteiner @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 07:09 PM) The problem isn't him realizing the importance of the lead-off hitter, it's having the resources to acquire one. I'm having a hard time thinking of anyone that will be available. He will get someone.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Sep 27, 2008 -> 08:07 PM) I think its a bad idea to only go after players that work for your stadium completely, unless you are the Twins. A balanced approach would be ideal. KW has to get the dial tilted more toward center but still pointed slightly to the power side.