Dick Allen

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 10:04 AM) If it helps the Sox play with a chip on their shoulders...then, who cares? The quote that bothers me is the quote about Danks. He calls him a front of the rotation starter and says they sat him because they knew what they had. Then why wouldn't they sit Jenks, or Konerko or Vazquez or Buerhle don't they know what they have in them? It was an outright lie. This was a 90 loss team. They can play with all the chips on their shoulders they can find, but it won't make them a contender. They need some new players. KW knows it. Its why he tried to get Hunter and Cabrera. He just tries to throw this other BS out because he knows there are those that because of 2005 think he can do no wrong.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 10:01 AM) Meche was a decent signing. Guillen is getting paid to sit out for awhile. Guillen is being overpaid. Guillen can hit, but I'm with you, I wouldn't want to be on the hook for $36 million with him. He is the loosest of cannons. If Guillen gets suspended, all the guys in the Mitchell report and all the guys like Byrd and Matthews Jr. are going to get suspended as well. Its going to be a very interesting report.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 09:55 AM) I guess some people would rather have the Sox brass say things like, "We suck...yep, that's right, I said it. We stuck to our guns and didn't overpay. We gave what we thought were good offers. We offered fair price for free agents. But, our fan base wants us to do things that we tried to do, but couldn't for whatever reason. So, flame on." No matter how ridiculous it sounds, I want that confidence, even if it borders on ridiculous. Cuz, if he doesn't believe it, then no one else will. Go ahead folks, flame on. Confidence is one thing. Ridiculous and outright lying is another.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 08:32 AM) 1. I agree with Rowand44, in that, honestly, does it matter what he says? Especially when he's notorious for not being straight-forward anyway? 2. The only thing in that article that bothers me is his comments about other GM's. Not that it isn't true, because he's probably right. But because for one thing, he talks too much about it himself. And for another, he's going to burn some bridges doing that, which serves no purpose. 3. Try to differentiate between Gonzales' words and Kenny's quotes. This is one of the reasons why I point out what awful beat writers the Sox have in the various papers. MG has a habit of surrounding quotes that are one thing, with conjecture and exaggeration of his own mind, to make it seem like things are being said that are not. The quote in the Sun Times blog about the pitching staff, especially the quote saying the reason Danks sat down the last month was because the White Sox knew what they had and what they think they have is a top of the rotation starter is just delusional if true.

QUOTE(NCsoxfan @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 08:07 AM) Let's think about this for a moment. Did KW act too quickly in trading Garland and signing Linebrink? It seems like he now only has half of his plan completed. Would he of traded Garland for an established player if he knew he would wiff on Torii and Miggy? My guess is no. If he knew these events were to unfold, would the Sox have made a decision to rebuild? Does anyone else think KW is half way into a plan that is not feasible anymore? Read KW's quotes this morning. He thinks he has a championship team. The guy has totally lost his mind.

For all those that say this is just KW showing confidence and trying to go back to 2005 and saying nobody considered that team any good either, what would you have said about the KC GM if in 2006 after the Sox got Thome and Vazquez, if he said what KW said?

The quote about Danks is hysteical as well. KW is now desperately reaching out to all those who think he could do no wrong. There actually will be people who will buy some of this BS just because of 2005. These quotes really should be an embarrassment to the White Sox organization. They must think the fans of their team are stupid.

QUOTE(frankie5angels @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 12:10 AM) This quote makes me really scratch my head and wonder what the hell he is talking about "All this does is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us"???? I am pretty sure the Tigers aren't worrying about us. Cleveland won the division last year. I think they are a little more worried about contending with Cleveland than they are with us. We will be contending with KC for last place. That quote from KW indicates he probably is in dire need of therapy, and probably has forgotten what has taken place the last season and a half.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 10:10 PM) 10:03 p.m., from Amy Nelson • If Brian Roberts is traded to the Cubs, it's believed that it might not happen until the Orioles complete a trade for either Erik Bedard or Miguel Tejada. According to a source with knowledge of Baltimore's trade talks, the O's have had so much interest in their players that they "have a lot on their table." But the relationship between Andy McPhail and Cubs GM Jim Hendry dates back several years, so a trade could happen faster than it would with other clubs. Rich Hill, originally thought to be part of a deal, is currently not in the discussions. Instead, Chicago likely would send upper-level prospects to Baltimore. Among the names being considered are Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Felix Pie and Donnie Veal . So she's saying if it happens, it might not happen until the Orioles make another trade or two or it might happen quickly. I think she's probably right.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 09:30 PM) probably, but thats been happening for a couple of years now. If they would have been able to get Cabrera, I could see them trading Konerko for something like that, but now, I just don't see it.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 09:27 PM) Seems like it would be smarter to just go out and sign Fuku and Jones and keep your young pitching. I know, the Cubs are getting Fukudome, but I won't count him out until he actually signs somewhere. As for the Orioles, I was poking around on a solid board of theirs earlier, and they were speculating on a possible Tejada to the White Sox trade. They were suggesting asking for Gio/Quentin from us. The Orioles are notoriously difficult, but that could change a bit with McPhail running the baseball operations. The Sox are set at Tejada's positions.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 09:28 PM) Well he has ONE full season in the majors, thats gonna happen, but he should put up a better OBP over his career than Kong has. And right now, yes Konerko is the better hitter, but Kotchman is a good young 1B, who plays GG defense. He would be a good fit with our team, and Konerko would offer great protection for Vlad. If we could swing Kotchman+another player, it would be an even trade IMO. Teams would be able to call up lefties from AAA just to beat the White Sox.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 04:53 PM) Get Roberts for a reasonable price, and have Richar move to the OF. He has played a little OF before and I think he could make the tranisition. I would assume it would cost something Fields and someone else for Roberts. You will not get him for a reasonable price. If you want him, you will have to overpay.

Roberts is pretty darn good, but he's another guy who may surface on a certain report.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 09:16 PM) They are similar but not the same type of player. Kotch is a good OBP, but hasnt yet shown the power, and Konerko is a power guy who does always have the top notch OBP. The angels would only be interested because they need the middle of the order power production from a proven player. My point is Konerko is a better player. BTW, Konerko for not having the "top notch OBP" compared to Kotchman a good OBP guy who lacks power, surprisingly has the higher career OBP. The other thing with trading Konerko is with all the problems the White Sox have against lefties, he is an exception. They would just get even worse if that's possible.

QUOTE(klaus kinski @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 09:08 PM) He's been in the post-season since he left us, we havent He didn't do so well though. I would take him if the price wasn't ridiculous. If he hits like he did in 2004 and 2007 he'd be pretty worth it. If Levine is accurate and the Sox offered him 4 years and $55 million, and it was turned down, its time to tell him to go scratch.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 08:55 PM) Absolutley. I still think the Angels would have interest in Konerko. They are clearly still looking for a big bat, and there are some fits between the two teams. I think A Konerko-Crede/Kotchman-Figgins deal could make sense for both clubs. Why if Kotchman is just as good as Konerko and will probably make at least $30 million less than him in the next three years, would they make the trade A. straight up and B. Adding Figgins their leadoff guy for a physical question mark who will certainly be a free agent after next season? If you're saying the deal makes sense to the Angels, you're saying Konerko is a heck of a lot more desireable than Kotchman.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 08:11 PM) We are also talking about a 24 year old compared to a 31 year old. Kotchman has put up solid numbers in everyone of the stops he has made, and I see no reason to think he is anywhere close to his peak. Coming into next season, Konerko will be 32. Why should I think Paul and his arthritic hip will have a bounce back season, and mash another 40 HR? I still think Konerko is a very productive player, that has an affordable deal and has a lot of value on the market, but to cast judgement on a 24 year with less than 800 AB's in the majors is, well, not smart. Then you can look at it the other way, if Kotchman is basically just as good as Konerko is at a fraction of the cost and is only going to get better, the Angels would probably have zero interest in Konerko so why even bother speculating a trade with them.

It also may be they talked to them before they got Quentin.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 07:13 PM) It isn't horrible, but my biggest issue is that I don't think that a guy like Luis Gonzalez helps us rebuild from a 70 win season unless he's there as a backup. If he takes AB's away from Quentin, or right now, even Owens or Anderson, then all that does is prevent our young guys from having a chance to either learn or to build some value on their own. If he's a backup, fine. Otherwise, if you're thinking of him as a starter, then that means you think Quentin isn't ready, and if that's the case, then the Carter/Quentin trade was moronic. The other single benefit of going after him is that maybe 1/2 way through the season someone finds they need an OF so you consider picking him up just to move him for an A ball pitcher at some point in the hopes of restocking, because Luis Gonzalez is not going to fix this team. Esp. not if we think he's a starter. Unfortunately KW has decided to try and win as many games as possible in 2008, so while I agree seeing what the younger players can do over the course of a full season and getting them some experience, while perhaps acquiring more of them for older expensive players makes probably the most sense at this point, that's not going to happen. Quentin has a chance of being a very good player, but there are some concerns. KW's win now attitude has him not as an everyday player, but a guy who will split time at several spots and probably get fewer ABs than most regulars. Injuries and performance obviously can change that. I don't want Gonzalez batting 600 times either, so if he expects to get paid like a guy who would, I would pass, but if he's willing to fit himself in the budget, he can still hit a little and get on base, and is a good clubhouse guy.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 07:07 PM) Well, the one thing worth noting is that he would cover our need for a backup corner OF. If he's paid like a backup, and plays like a backup, ok. But we really don't need to try to platoon every single one of these guys. As "horrible" as people might think he is, he hit .278 with 15HR and a .359 OBP with the Dodgers last year. That's not exactly a hitters paradise in LA. I wouldn't want to pay him $7 million, but if he wanted to play for half that, its certainly more production than they got out of Pods.

QUOTE(whitesox94 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 07:01 PM) please no... that would be hell having him... isn't he like in his 40's? He will turn 41 during next season, but he's essential the same player numbers-wise he was 10 years ago. Hits about .270, 15 homers, good OBP. He is awful defensively, but is supposedly the second nicest guy in baseball behind Thome. They would have a real "neat" relationship. He wouldn't be bad to platoon with Quentin or give Thome's back a rest at DH as long as the price wasn't too high.

Crasnick on the espn.com blog reports the White Sox are one of a few teams he has talked to about him. Looks like KW envisions Quentin as a 4th OF at this point.

QUOTE(bschmaranz @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 06:29 PM) You never know... with the current state of Kenny Williams madness, he may have thrown something insane at him. It's possible, but the White Sox usually come in second place or lower in bidding wars.

QUOTE(daa84 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 04:19 PM) for what its worth the marlins payroll next year to start may be 8 millions dollars......the yankees will probably average that per player....the marlins highest paid player will probably be andrew miller (if he makes the team) at a bit over a million per year....otherwise it will be kevin gregg at around .5 mil per year.... unbelievable....but i heard on mike and mike this morning that someone in the marlins office confessed that they had 350 people show up to a game last year.....i have to think that more than 350 people work at the cell alone I heard today the Marlins are guaranteed $60 million in revenue if they don't sell 1 ticket. Loria is printing money.