Dick Allen

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Sep 3, 2007 -> 09:05 PM) I'm not going to try to find the link, but Jim Callis said the CWS would likely be his pick for worst farm system. Houston is the Sox main competition. The Reds (Bailey, Votto) and Pirates (McCutchen and Lincoln) both are better from what I've read... I read that too, but who really knows? It wasn't long ago everyone said the Sox had the best, and that was far from accurate. I just hope there are more surprises than busts. The Sox are very thin in position prospects. They have had the philosophy of drafting pitchers because that is what is most valuable, thinking if they develop they can always trade them for something else.

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Sep 3, 2007 -> 09:00 PM) I'm going to go ahead an agree with that. Why do people want to drop Thome? It makes no sense for a number of reasons: 1) He's the best hitter on the team, the only one with OBP skills. 2) He's not that expensive and is a relatively short term commitment. 3) He has a no trade clause 4) If you want more speed from the DH slot...well, whatever. If "plodders" are a concern Crede and Konerko are the ones you should look at. 5) If you want to trade a bat, Konerko is the one. LAA and BALT probably still like him and his contract is more onerous than Thome's. Plus it should be easier to come close to replacing Konerko's production. You can argue the Sox should semi-platoon Thome against LHP and I'd agree... Thome got blasted last season for only hitting 42 homers, driving in 109, hitting .288 having a .416 OBP and 1.014 OPS. So this season he will be considered worthless. People want to replace him with someone who does about half of what he does, but someone who can play a position for those 9 away games at NL parks, obviously not realizing that will misplace one of the other regular players.

I fail to see where Broadway's performance at Charlotte merits a call-up. Another $50k+ wasted by the White Sox. Unless its in his contract he must be called up so he can walk people all night long.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 2, 2007 -> 12:53 PM) If Contreras can go 6+, no ER today, that should be much more important than the L. I guess the best case scenario right now would Count going 7IP, no ER, and the Bukvich and Myers exploding at the end, losing the ballgame. If you are talking about his trade worth, I really don't think a few September starts will make much of a difference even if he is lights out. For the White Sox to trade him, they will have to eat a lot of his contract IMO. They are better off keeping him if thats the case and he shows anything. He has been better as of late although not dominant. If he can get back to a middle of the rotation guy, not even a #1 or #2, he will be worth more next offseason and you will get a season of decent pitching.

I wonder if any team had ever had 6 hits with no one out in the second inning and hadn't scored.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 1, 2007 -> 08:09 PM) Fields underachieves? He's been the brightest spot, along with Jenks, the second half of this season. Its pretty sad isn't it when a guy who is hitting below .230 in the second half with an OPB of about .275 and more than 1 strikeout every 3 ABs can be considered a bright spot.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:53 PM) Did you really have that in mind when you said you didn't understand why people thought Anderson was crap and then a few posts later go on to say you don't like Richar even though he's putting up better (yet still bad) numbers through equal ABs? Guys who play at the collegiate level on average make it to the show with much fewer minor league ABs than guys who don't. Anderson/Richar were/are the same age as rookies. Yeah, but Anderson has to get used to wood bats and his minor league seasons were cut short due to injury. Richar still had more AB even if you throw in BA's college numbers. I haven't ripped Richar BTW, I just said I wasn't high on him and and frankly shocked by all the love a guy with his numbers gets. That's all.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:47 PM) Not that you are wrong about this, but are you EVER wrong? Just wondering. I'm wrong a lot. I'm also right a few times. Just like everyone else. What's the point, I'm not allowed to give an opinion?

QUOTE(3E8 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:42 PM) And you were optimistic about Anderson? Do you remember his line through 85 ABs? Yes, but Anderson had quite a few less minor league ABs than Richar.

QUOTE(max power @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:41 PM) The dreaded lead off walk. Has josh really been that bad in LF? No, I haven't been watching lately. I haven't been watching although I was at the game he dropped one. Its a good time for him to be out there. If he can't hack it, you'll be able to tell when the season is over. No big deal. I still think 2B could be a good place for him. He could be Jeff Kent-like.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:38 PM) this is a good season for those guys to be up in those situations and - hopefully - learn from their mistakes. But the question is, do they learn from their mistakes or is this what they are? If the Sox are legitimately trying to win next year, which seems like they are, Owens and Richar based on this year's performance not only should not be starting, they should have to fight to make the team.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:31 PM) I must be the only person, it seems like, who's not a fan of Richar. No, predictably I'm with you on that one. He may be the most liked .190 hitter I've ever seen though.

QUOTE(daa84 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:20 PM) not everyone here is totally against the all or nothing approach...in addition you have to accept the guys you have for what they are....not to mention fields minor league track record (much like that of chris young, which has been well talked about on this board) suggests he will draw more walks and his obp and probably average will increase.....either way id wayyyy rather have fields who is an all or nothing guy and actually gets the HR here and there vs. anderson who was also an all or nothing guy and barely ever hit he ball outa the park I'm not saying Anderson is a better hitter than Fields. I'd rather have Fields at the plate myself. I just don't understand how one is just crap and the other destined for stardom. I think there was a pretty good chance Anderson's power and OBP and average would increase over his rookie season as well. Maybe he does have an attitude problem, but it can't be too easy breaking in with the defending champion, trying to repeat.

QUOTE(daa84 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:16 PM) inconsequential given the fact that fields would have 13 or so more HR in the same number of ABs.....also josh fields never hit .255 at AAA with a .318 obp I'm just concerned about Fields strikeouts. He's at 100 in 284 AB, and his walk rate is going down. Only 4 in his last 108 AB. His power has been nice, and I wouldn't mind him fanning 175-200 times a season if he also walked 90-110 times and hit 35-40 homers. He seemed to coax walks a lot better earlier. Maybe they found something that he will go after. Hawk mentioned that he will learn to lay off certain pitches and that may be true, but it can't be automatic.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:13 PM) Fields' SLG is over 100 points higher than '06 Anderson and his OPS+ is 30 points higher -- 65 for BA and 95 for JF -- (which is a BIG difference.) I thought people on this board didn't like the all or nothing approach? Isn't Fields probably the most extreme all or nothing hitter on the team?

QUOTE(daa84 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:11 PM) he also hit 9 fewer homers in 80 more ABs He also is a better defender by quite a bit.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:07 PM) 6 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K's, 3 ER Another mediocre outing from a mediocre pitcher who isn't getting paid like he's mediocre. When Gavin Floyd does that, people get excited. Garland gets a lot of money for what he is. I'd be shocked if he's a White Sox next year. KW had the right idea dumping him last season, he just held out for a little too much, now he will have to settle for something along the lines of what he got for Garcia, maybe less, because Garland makes more, will be coming off a less successful year, and has complained of a knot in his shoulder.

QUOTE(Vance Law @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:02 PM) If he got really, really hot batting average-wise he could make it interesting, but not too likely. He is #1 in HR, #2 in RBI, #2 in SLG, #4 in OPS. He's top-5 in the voting. Funny what a difference a year makes. Brian Anderson has on OBP of .290 and he can't hit a lick, defense be damned. Josh Fields has an OBP of .290, he's a future star and a ROY candidate.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 09:45 PM) 19 of 20, that's not a typo? Maybe they need a new scouting report.

QUOTE(Vance Law @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 08:59 PM) Thome 19 of 20 against the Rangers now. Yipes. And he's reached in 7 straight at bats. I swear we've been told he's washed up.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 07:17 PM) I wouldn't have made the trade in the first place after seeing that Freddy was maxing out at 87 all of last year. Freddy was getting by on smoke and mirrors. His velocity sure as heck wasn't there at the end of last year. As was I. We needed to get rid of one of them and he was the one who's skills had apparently declined the most. He was on a roll at the end of the season and finished with decent numbers. Of course it was a mirage, it reminded me of when Jim Abbott came back to the Sox after being released and went 5-0 at the end of the season throwing junk up to the plate. Milwaukee gave him some decent money that winter and wound up eating most of it as they released him fairly quickly. Not everyone thought it was a mirage. They were raving about his split.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 07:14 PM) Dick Allen, I assume you are a Dr. with actual knowledge of Freddy's condition, as compared to just saying that a physical (which is completely different than a simple mri) would have shown nothing. And I thought Freddy was injured, judging by the loss of velocity. Just because he invented a split finger, didnt mean that he didnt look hurt. Yes, but Gillick gave Freddy nothing. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/200...s_warranty.html Seems the Phils fans dont think it was so obvious not to give a physical either. We were told it was the World Baseball Classic and playoffs that had Freddy's velocity at about Charlie Haeger level. We were lied to? I thought he had to be hurt. Freddy had stiffness in the spring when they checked him again, at least as thorough as they would have had him checked in any trade, and it came back clean. If Gillick is a fool what does that say about Ozzie, a guy who knows Freddy a lot better than any of us, and a guy who would know a lot better than any of us if something is not right? He said Freddy would win 20 games in 2007.

The physical wouldn't have shown anything. Freddy also was sore in spring training and had an MRI done, and that came back fine. Go back to the boards here when Freddy was on a roll at the end of the year and tell me how many people thought he was going to fall off a cliff? Ozzie Guillen who knows him better than anyone on this board and apparently a guy who always speaks the truth, said Freddy would win 20 in Philadelphia, so he must be a fool as well. I was one who didn't like Freddy's immediate future, and was criticized for it. I applauded KW for the trade. He couldn't lose. Even if Floyd and Gio are busts he saves money.

If it was KW who shipped Gio and Gavin Floyd out somewhere to acquire Freddy Garcia, and what happened still happened, the KW fans would say Garcia throws 200 innings and wins 15 games every year, how could KW have foreseen what happened? They would have said getting rid of Floyd was no loss (I agree) and shipping a AA pitcher like Gio was a good gamble on a guy with Garcia's track record. Of course since KW is on the other side of the trade he is a genius as well. Read the article I posted about Rosenthal's interview with KW in spring training, just how pompous he was. The bullpen arms, how the White Sox don't care what others think, they have their own evaluation procedure. Now when it blows up one reason being KW forgot that you still have to throw an occassional strike at the major league level, we hear how no one could possibly have seen this coming. JR mentions Jim Leyland praising their bullpen. I thought others opinions didn't matter? I'll just say that I certainly don't think KW is the best GM, I don't think he's the worst. I do appreciate his agressiveness and his effort, but in business, which baseball is, results are what counts. If I had a say, he'd definitely would be put on notice that the lackluster play, and the losing will not be tolerated any more. He has been given the resources to succeed. He succeeded with a lot less. The years of minor league neglect probably have finally caught up to the White Sox. They just don't have many cheap guys they can plug in to fill holes, so the payroll is going to have to go even higher, which means Brooks and his guys are going to have to sell a team that may lose 90+ games and have a price increase on tickets. The minor league problems should have been sorted out a lot sooner than they were. Its amazing they have bottomed out. It makes me sick when the broadcasters try to sell an Andy Gonzalez on the viewers. C'mon, I'm not that dumb.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:03 AM) once again, whats with all this "measured by finish place" etc etc. He has a ring. Thats the ultimate goal in professional sports. I would gladly trade in 10 division titles for one World Series ring. Considering the White Sox don't have 10 divisional titles in their history and have 3 WS wins, it wouldn't be a good trade.