Dick Allen

I remember back in 2001 when the Sox were struggling and ready to cut bait with Wells, Ohka was a rumored aquisition from Boston.

Floyd has always looked good in the bullpen. Everyone looks either great or horrible the first week of spring training.We're talkin' bout practice, man. Practice.

Considering guys like Prior got $1 million guaranteed, I would probably think Bartolo is looking at that, with a lot of incentives, some easy to reach so if he pitches like a $2 million or $ 3 million or $15 million pitcher, he will get paid like one. Maybe a team option for 2009 or maybe Colon says no to that and the guarantee goes down a little.

They edited the original article on chicagotribune.com, leaving the door open for Colon, but saying his signing isn't imminent.

According to Ozzie, they haven't spoken with Colon's people for weeks. The report is untrue.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Feb 20, 2008 -> 08:55 AM) Chisox.com: White Sox reportedly reach deal with Colon That's the same report we have seen. Its coming from the same source. Even if true it is pending a physical, and from the reports earlier Bart passing a physical is about as likely as Amy Winehouse passing a drug test. I think this is a great move if White Sox doctors think his arm is good enough to make it through the seasom. Worst case scenerio is he's a flame out and you send him home and the Sox are out half of a Toby Hall salary.

Why do I have the feeling this isn't even true?

The people who think signing Colon to a low base salary with a lot of incentives is stupid, must have also felt signing Esteban Loaisa in 2003 to a minor league contract was equally as dumb. You never know, lightening may strike twice.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 08:31 PM) I would have had no problem with the Sox eating the $1.75M remaining on Hall's deal if it meant signing Olivo. What's $1.75M to a team like the Sox? Hell MacDougal is going to make more than that next year. I guarantee Toby Hall improves on his 2007 performance. He still might suck, but he can't possibly be as bad as last season.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 09:52 PM) You want him to stay. Convince him within a short period of time to fire his agent Boras who will get him riches, and take a contract that will be slighted towards the whitesox. Eitherwise say goodbye your likeable guy. The White Sox have no intention of keeping him around. KW has already called Fields a future All Star. He's cheap for years, and KW has already made the "I called his agent from the team bus in Detroit, we tried to sign him" speech. Its just a question of do they let him play it out or trade him for scraps.

QUOTE(JoeCoolMan24 @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 09:50 PM) Well if that were the case were Colon was here to split time, then a reliever would go to AAA, and the one who is not pitching would maybe come out of the bullpen on that 5th day. Conteras maybe goes 5 innings, and then Colon comes and takes the last 3 before handing the save over to Jenks (Yes, wishful thinking). I think if the Sox do sign Colon, he'll either be in the rotation, on the DL or sent home. That's it.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 09:32 PM) No one's trading for Floyd in ST. He's the White Sox's guy right now until he's either DFA'd or earns that rotation spot. One more thing...if the White Sox were to sign Colon, and then try to move Floyd in response...that pretty much destroys any trade value that those couple good starts last year or a good ST might build. Because why would another team want him if the White Sox think a guy who's arm is about to fall off is a better pitcher? You say he's a wildcard and could get DFA'd. Then talk about signing Colon hurting his trade value. I really don't think he has much trade value, and even if the Sox signed Colon it would be for a low base with a lot of incentives, so there would be no pressure to put Bart in the rotation if he didn't earn it. Floyd still has his chance. If he can't beat out Bart in spring training or Danks can't with as bad as you say Bartolo is, then Danks should be in AAA and Floyd should be pumping gas, and if you feel that signing Bartolo automatically puts him in the rotation and KW and Ozzie will overlook what's best for the team, then you would have to conclude they don't have the White Sox best interests in mind and they should be replaced, something I know you don't feel. What would a little more competition hurt? If Floyd and Danks aren't up for it, why can't they get the Brian Anderson treatment?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 05:43 PM) BTW, heard a great segment on Cowherd's show today. Basically about a third or more of baseball's GMs hold degrees from Ivy League and similar schools. K-Dub is quite at home in baseball being a Stanford Alum. So it seems if you are going to impersonate a baseball insider, claiming an Ivy League degree is great cover. Anyway, the GM as CEO comparison makes sense in the suits. KW did not graduate from Stanford, therefore he is not an alum.

I hope its true. I don't see how it could hurt. If he doesn't have it, he doesn't pitch. Its pretty simple.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Feb 18, 2008 -> 08:02 PM) I played Little League All-Star games in Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park in the 70's. I played a High School All Star game at Comiskey Park and was playing CF when some guy from St. Rita deposited one on the right center field roof.

You trade him if what is coming back is decent, and you're sure Fields is good enough. I'm one of the few that is not sold on Fields yet, although I do think his defense is a little better than most believe it to be. If its a boatload of crap you're getting back for him, you keep him and let him walk at the end of the year. If Crede is what he was in 2006 up until September, he will be worth a halfway decent prospect at the deadline, or he may help you win. Its better than settling for someone who may get to play in Birmingham when he's 28 years old.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 19, 2008 -> 03:05 PM) Because we don't already have more outfielders than at bats to go around? No, because Lofton can still get on base and run and is a far better player than Jerry Owens. His being 40 means he will require some time off so he fits into Owens' supposed role only he's a superior player. He isn't going to cost much money.

On the ESPN.com rumors board it has Dusty Baker hoping Kenny Lofton plays for the Reds. It also has the White Sox listed next to Interested. That would be interesting. Lofton for cheap seems reasonable to me.

QUOTE(striker62704 @ Feb 18, 2008 -> 10:05 AM) I'm sure this has been posted before, but I wanted to bring it up again. http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/walkegr01.shtml Doesn't make any sense. His highest batting average was .294. His highest obp was .346. He shouldn't be instructing. I agree. And where does KW and his .218 career average get off being a GM? How the hell can Theo Epstein be a GM when he never even played in the major leagues. Same with the Texas hitting coach? Why does this board even exist. None of us have any major league hits or strikeouts or wins or saves, how the hell can anyone know anything without that?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 17, 2008 -> 04:58 PM) Implants? Huh? Is this his wife being brought in to this again somehow? It actually was exactly what McNamee testified . The 2 wives were discussing and showing their augmentations to each other with Canseco and Clemens present.

In Gammons column on espn.com today, he said the first draft of Canseco's new book had Clemens at the party Jose says now he wasn't at, and discussing implants. Isn't that was McNamee said? I wonder how long before Jose spends all the money the Rocket gave him.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Feb 17, 2008 -> 10:55 AM) I don't know that a year off matters so much, especially when the layoff after surgery might mean his back isn't as strong as it usually is. And I still don't buy that this is a "pretty small deal". Why would Crede "obviously want to avoid" some minor procedure? Why would he have to prove his health in st if he's pretty much guaranteed to be good to go? I can only find one study on microdiscectomy on athletes, and it simply follows a small group (14) of college athletes who had the procedure, but it seems to be cited in other places. 9 of 10 athletes who had single-level microdiscectomy continued playing, but all of the 3 double-level microdiscectomy patients retired early. I don't know which one Crede had, but he was having trouble with two discs in his back. As for performance, I prefer to look at more recent years when looking forward. Inge was basically league-average for the three years after he stopped catching. Last year, yes, he was bad. But even on career numbers, Inge has an ops+ of 85, Crede has an ops+ of 92. It's not a night-and-day difference. And Inge has become a premier defensive 3b. Haven't most metrics had him as the top AL defensive 3b for the past two seasons? I just think everyone's a little too quick in dismissing him. Then again, it's Sabean. I'm still amazed he didn't resign Feliz for 3 years. IIRC the danger in Crede's surgery wasn't if it would take or anything like that, but rather the delacacy of the back that nerves could be damaged in the process or something along those lines. It appears he's OK. I really don't know how long Crede's back has been an issue. It is possible its been a problem his entire major league career, and possible he is now healthier than he has ever been. I think the White Sox will really regret letting him go if they get garbage in return.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Feb 17, 2008 -> 01:54 AM) And in this plan for the future where the Sox keep Crede, what becomes of Josh Fields for the next 2 seasons while Thome is still on the roster? AAA? Some sort of crazy rotation between he, Swisher, Quentin, Owens, Konerko and Thome? Yeah it seems like a good idea to dick around with your most promising young position player during the most important developmental years of his career. And it's just good to know that western medicine has become so advanced that a chronic condition can be permanently cured with 1 simple surgery. How many back surgeries has Mike Sweeney had? Seems like it's worked out pretty well for him. I don't think Mike Sweeney has ever had back surgery. Sandy Alomar Jr. had back surgery almost identical to Crede's and never had back issues again.

When Caminiti and Canseco first came "clean", didn't they estimate about 75% of players were using PEDs? I don't think you can just look at someone who has a huge year after and before several bad ones. There are probably several fringe players that would be nowhere near the major leagues if they didn't juice. I really believe usage was over 50%. I also think there are guys you would bet anything that they juiced but didn't as well as guys whose juicing would totally shock you.

QUOTE(lvjeremylv @ Feb 13, 2008 -> 12:32 PM) The goal for some might be to win a championship. The goal for most is to make as much money as possible.