Dick Allen

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 8, 2008 -> 08:37 PM) I have a solution to our disagreement. This year, we win the whole f***ing thing. That way, Quentin, Swisher, Anderson, Floyd, Danks, Logan, etc., all have 1 full playoff run under their belt, while Buehrle, Konerko, AJ have 2, and guys like Vazquez, Linebrink, and so on are in-between. That way, when we bring up Richar and Fields next year...everyone else has plenty of playoff experience. Deal? If they win the WS, they must change the entire pitching staff because of the fatigue of the playoffs if they want to repeat. No?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 8, 2008 -> 07:57 PM) Who? Garland? We won that trade. Gio and DLS, we clearly got the best of that for this team. 30 million and a pitcher like Sabathia on the market=better. There is no way the White Sox sign Sabathia. If he doesn't stay with Cleveland, the Yankees will give him half of Manhattan for a lot of years. The White Sox stretched out their policy for Buerhle and Linebrink, giving them 4 years each. CC is going to cost at least as much as both of them combined for more years. There's no way KW and JR would give that kind of money and years to a great but extremely overweight pitcher.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 8, 2008 -> 05:14 PM) See, I think it's foolish to look at Fields as the guy you've got to keep simply because of the salary differences. I consider myself a fairly sophisticated baseball fan, so I understand the notion of keeping your pre-arb players and letting go of your older arb-eligible or FA-eligible players. But I think it's also important to have a mix of youth and veterans on a club, for leadership as well as experience reasons. You guys are talking about losing Cabrera, Uribe, and Crede after this year, and then Thome and Dye the year after that, and moving in Ramirez, Richar, Fields, Anderson, etc to replace them. While that's nice for the payroll, and in theory, I don't think we want to go too young. I'm in favor of keeping guys that are still near their primes and solid fits for the team. I really think there are a lot of factors in play here that we are not accounting for that are very important for a baseball team. I hinted at this in the other thread last night but there are going to be some big contracts coming off the books in 2010, which would mean any re-signing of Crede might only be a money crunch for 09'. That fact, to me, makes exploring the possibility of re-signing him an absolute necessity. Simply because Fields is pre-arb eligible and therefore subject to very low salaries does not mean he can't be moved for another pre-arb player that actually fulfills a need for this team. While KW probably idealistically sees BA, Fields, Ramirez and Richar taking over for the veterans and really not missing a beat and giving him some payroll to play with, I'm sure he knows the reality is that probably 2 or 3 of these guys won't develop as hoped. Whether they just can't get over the hump or get hurt, s*** happens. Just think of what KW's board for 2008 looked like 3 years ago. Probably nothing like today's roster.KW only has to look into the mirror when he thinks of guys having some success in the major leagues, showing a lot of promise to perhaps become stars, only to crap out shortly thereafter.

I don't know how anyone can think a strikeout is the same as any other out offensively but important for a pitcher. I happen to think they are important to a certain extent for a pitcher. Its situational. While there are good pitchers that don't get many strikeouts, there aren't a lot of bad ones who do. Usually when pitcher's k rates drop significantly, their ERA's and other bad stats rise significantly.

I'm not an Ozzie guy, but I do like the fact that he defends his team. That umpire is known for his rabbit ears. Taking your mask off and looking into the dugout is showing up the entire team. Umpires don't like to be shown up, they shouldn't show anyone up either. No one came to see them call balls and strikes and call people out. Ozzie did what he had to do yesterday. I love when he starts pointing and bobbing his head.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 09:29 PM) Attendance was around 38,000 (that was announced), but it didn't look like that much. The Cell holds up to 40,500+. I'm not saying it was completely empty, but it wasn't packed. I was able to move from row 19 in section 522 to first row without ever having to move. There were several rows just completely empty. The lower level concourses were jammed from what I could see. It took a long time to get into the park.

QUOTE (DaveBrown85 @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 09:13 PM) I am glad the PA announcer was just a sub because the one at opening day today just was no good. The LCD were sweet. And was it me or were more people standing in the outfield walkway then ever before. Plus i am a a guy and hate to wait in the bathroom line for 15 mins the three times i went. There's no wait on the club level.

QUOTE (RME JICO @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 02:09 PM) LOL. Millwood 0-2, 1 CG, 1.29 ERA. To pitch a CG with 0 ER and lose. That has to suck. Andy Hawkins once pitched a no hitter against the White Sox and lost. His next start he pitched 11 scoreless innings and lost the game in the 12th inning. His next start after that, the Yankees got no hit in a 6 inning game by Melido Perez. 3 consecutive starts with 0 run support.

QUOTE (JFields27 @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 06:44 PM) This thread shouldnt have even been started. What Crede did today is why he is up here is it not? Just dont get your panties in a bunch when Crede leaves this season because his agent thinks he can get more then 15 mil a year and thats all i'll say, and its all that is needed to say. Its 7 games. And why was I wrong about Joe Crede? Pretty sure we know what he did in 06 we should just be glad he is not one of the players that careers fizzle with a bad back injury. If Boras thinks Crede can get $15 million a year after this year, it will have meant he had a monster season, and would probably have helped the White Sox win a lot of games.

QUOTE (SoxPride56 @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 07:47 PM) What new additions are on the club menu? foot long sloppy joes, tacos , foot long chili dogs. I didn't order any food though, so I can't give a review.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 06:31 PM) Today at opening day I noticed some new stuff for the 2008 season. First of all the new Legacy Brick area is awesome. Its not just bricks, there are new statues, bricks, landscaping, lighting, flower boxes, ornamental brick and ironwork, etc. It really looks great and well done. Also I noticed they implemented a host of new LCD TV's around the ballpark, little ones at the food concessions and larger ones hanging from the Beer Stands in the outfield. They have some new big billboard adds in the outfield, not a big deal but actually looks good. I also noticed some sort of Marble like memorial built into the side of the Gate 5 complex (the ticket office part) on the side closest to Shields Ave. I didn't get a good look and Im not sure what it is. The sox intro video had some nice additions; Buerhle's no hitter, Thome's 500th Homer, and Bobby's Consecutive Innings Streak. On the not so good side I noticed the prices for Beer and Food were up, shocker, at least Hot Dogs and Polish's. Im sure the price of parking is up, that seems to be a favorite thing of the sox to do. And I noticed there was no Pitch Speed being displayed at all, in the normal location where it usually is was just pitch count. Which is strange cuz then thats 3 separate displays for pitch count, doesn't make sense. I hope it was only a fluke and the pitch speed will be back, its basically a mainstay of the modern ballpark. In fact a lot of other stadiums display not only the speed, but the pitch type, that would be nice. Anyone else have any stadium observations to add. Yes. The scoreboard operator needs to be replaced. Crede fouled 2 balls back and it said the count was 2 and 1. AJP was at the plate the scoreboard said he was 0 for 1 with a groundout and a single. I thought the substitute PA announcer was the best they have had.

QUOTE(bmags @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:54 PM) I feel like Joe Morgan is really wishing detroit doesn't suck so much. ESPN probably has a lot of their games this year and visiting Detroit and watching a bad team is probably not high on his list of things to do.

QUOTE(Bhay99 @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:51 PM) Miggy Cabrera looks awful....maybe he is hurt more than was speculated He has a bad quad, just like Dye had for a time last season when he looked bad.

QUOTE(Maverick0984 @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:48 PM) It's a long season... They will eventually hit, but if they can't improve their bullpen, its going to be tough for them.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:44 PM) Either way, we found a slump buster for him. Canseco used to find his slump busters at Hooters.

The Sox faced 2 lefties and an ace this series and are going to sweep. That probably hasn't happened in years.

QUOTE(kjshoe04 @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:37 PM) I'd agree if it weren't so annoying. I think its funny. You can almost hear him gritting his teeth.

Asking Dombrowski about his bullpen. Too bad he couldn't just say the truth and announce, "We're f***ed".

QUOTE(DonnyDevito @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:34 PM) I'm callin it right now... Joe Crede hits a Grand Slam Just maybe not this AB.

Quentin gets hit at I think double the rate of anyone else.

I didn't think it was possible, but I think Paulie may have lost a step.

Don't you think Dombrowski wants to throw something right now? He's got to be so pissed off.

QUOTE(JFields27 @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:22 PM) Sure, use that as an excuse. if you want to 'stick up' for Crede, then I'll 'stick up' for Fields Fine, but its fairly apparent, the correct 3rd baseman was chosen at least for the first week of the season. I am really surprised at the free pass Cabrera gets around here. Uribe and Crede constantly get slammed, but this guy is down to .136.

QUOTE(DonnyDevito @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:21 PM) if there's one guy i'd like to b*tch slap, it's dave dombrowski. i'd knock that stupid look right off his face. get him outta the booth!! Hawk canned him from the White Sox when he was GM.

QUOTE(JFields27 @ Apr 6, 2008 -> 08:16 PM) why do we have to keep that in mind? did Fields not play any games in the MLB last year? Keep in mind they have things for Fields to do down there, mostly work with the fastball deep in the count. Keep in mind Crede will not be here next season Sure, use that as an excuse. Work with the fastball, deep in the count, OK. He's trying to show KW they made a mistake and trying to hit the ball 600 ft. I'm just sticking up for Crede, who, despite his now hitting .333 with some clutch hits, still gets treated like a minor leaguer. His hit contributed to 2 runs last inning.