Dick Allen

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 08:02 PM) I get all the waivers rules and everything except for one thing, what prevents a team(we'll say in this case a weaker team) from just claiming every single player on waivers to prevent any trades working out? The problem is the possiblility of claiming someone with an undesirable contract and the his team says fine just take him. You would be on the hook for the balance of the contract. The White Sox claiming Tejada is because they wanted him. Not to block him.

QUOTE(South Side Fireworks Man @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 01:01 PM) Fields is talented but he is not a fundamentally sound baseball player, at least not yet. Could be a lack of baseball experience. When you play football in college, even if you are on the baseball team, you do miss out on a lot of playing.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 12:59 PM) It helps that they're winning, but this team is a helluva lot more enjoyable right now. My only hopes are that they're able to deal Podsednik for a live arm by the August 31st deadline (BP suggested they're going to do so), and a decent two-month stretch by Jerry Owens doesn't convince the Sox that he's anything more than a fourth OFer. Yikes -- Josh must be hungover. I agree. I now don't dread having tickets for the rest of the season.

As the trashing of ex-Sox continue. Hey Hawk why don't you say anything when the current roster jogs around the bases?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 01:57 AM) Can you think of anything funnier than you dismissing his not even full season of at bats and then admitting that they are a full view of what he will be. Yes. Implying that the second month being a little better than the first month of a guy's career means he will do nothing but improve. I'm not dismissing anything on Crede. It takes time. You think the Sox have one option, non tendering Crede, because of all Fields has shown in his 2 months. I'm saying he hasn't shown all that much to be a regular 3rd baseman on a championship calibur team. Crede's already done that. His $5 million or so arb figure isn't going to blow the budget. The Sox also had another ex football player player moved to thirdbase who was a very highly thought of prospect. He hit the scene and initially had better numbers offensively than either Fields or Crede. Then it just all fell apart. He is now the team's GM, although in all fairness the move to 3b may have helped bring down his career.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:42 PM) I wonder if Hawk realizes that there were more than the 7 or so baseball players that played during his era. Catfish Yaz Sam McDowell Frank Howard Rocky Calavito Luis Tiant Hawk I think 7 is correct.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:34 PM) Anyone else think Bonderman is way overrated? Even last season, his first season where he wasn't below the league average, he had a 1.30 WHIP. He's pretty good and he's still young. He was in the same draft Floyd went 4th, the Sox took Honel and Bonderman went later on to Oakland.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:33 PM) Someone needs to choke the opera guy hot dog salesman. He's not quite as annoying as the hot dog guy at USCF who yells "hot dogs" at the top of his lungs every 2 seconds.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:14 PM) Did you expect the doctor that preformed the surgery to say "We really f***ed this guy up. He won't even be able to play catch again"? There is a reason Boras tried everything he could before having Joe go under the knife. If there was a guarantee that Joe would be fine after the surgery, he would have had it after 2006, and had all of 2007 and 2008 to play at full health to get the biggest deal he could when that contract year comes up. Any time you cut into the back, it's a scary thing. In terms of brining Joe back, it all depends on how the payroll is going to shake out. If the Sox go out and spend the money to try and make this team competitive( I think they are going to) then you bring Joe back, give Fields every chance to learn LF, and see where you stand with Joe after 2008. However, if they are going into re-build more, you keep Josh at 3rd. Crede had the procedure done that the White Sox originally suggested he have done. From what I have read, as far as back surgeries go, its not all that risky, but of course anything can go wrong. I would be absolutely shocked if the White Sox non-tendered him.

As I have said before and being one of Ozzie's biggest critics, if he gets this team into the playoffs he should get a lifetime contract that guarantees he's the highest paid manager every season.

QUOTE(briguy27 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:15 PM) Sure, their pitching is bad. But now that Jose is out of the rotation, and Garland's bump in the road is hopefully over, we could go back to normal. Obviously, never will we be back to 2005-esque, but I want to make a run, and not give up. If we end 6 or 7 out, that would be nice, and we'd know they didn't just quit on us. I don't expect them to make it into 1st, and go all the way, but to not give up would be a plus. And I want Dye to hit like he has been if we are making a real shot at first. If not, then he should just stop trying. I want Sweeney in RF next year, anyways. Garland's last outing was maybe the worst of his career. Contreras was replaced by Gavin Floyd.

Extend Walker. Pods with an rbi

Maybe Theo is wondering why he wouldn't move off Craig Hansen right now.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 06:17 PM) That is a very, very bold statement, and very possibly not true.... According to the doctor, he should be better than ever. Its a one year contract not a lot of money baseball wise that we are talking about. Non tender should not happen.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 06:15 PM) Gotta love the comparison between Crede's second full season in the bigs to Fields' first 200 at-bats as a major leaguer. That's a definite apples-to-apples comp right there... I do agree with you about Crede, though. Non-tendering him would be selling very very low on a pretty decent player (when healthy). I don't want Crede here long-term, but non-tendering him seems really pointless. Where can the Sox spend $5 million better anyways? Fields can play LF or RF for the first couple months of next season -- I don't think it will be a huge adjustment for him especially because he seems to be a pretty good athlete. Then compare Crede's first 200 AB. If Fields can be projected an All Star, Crede would be a first ballot HOFer. I just picked out Crede's worst statistical season because prior to September 2005 he was thought of a little less than Brian Anderson on this board. Fields puts up similar numbers with a little less defensively and a lot more Ks and he's projected to be an All Star. I don't understand.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 02:52 PM) Since when is striking out the worst thing that a player ever did? With a little more seasoning Josh will be a walk machine, and his OBP will show that. And showing Crede's worst year as something that wasnt that bad is really showing how much you ignore certain numbers. How bout his paltry .717 OPS that year? Basically Fields has shown that he can produce at the same rate right now in his first season for ALOT less money. In july Fields improved his OBP, SLG BA and his walk rate. Crede is a slow, injured, soon to be expensive player. We need his salary to pick up a piece that we are really missing, at least before his back goes out again and that only option IS non-tendering him. You're right about not looking at all the numbers. Joe's "paultry" .717 OPS in his worst season is really blown away by Fields current .723. I don't know how you can be so certain Fields will be a walk machine, and since he only played a couple of months and did improve a little in July, does that mean he will improve every month? Crede's back will be fine, and non-tendering him would be dumb. They could always trade him, or even if he gets $5 million next year, the idea of a guy coming off a lost season playing for a payday sounds pretty good to me. While Fields is not a horrible 3rd baseman, he has made some great plays, he still is not in Crede's class defensively. Maybe someday. Put Fields at 2B if you can"t bring the O-dog to town. And since you use June to July to peg improvement with Fields, if you use the exact same logic, isn't paying Crede $5 million a steal if he is healthy with his improvement every season?

QUOTE(max power @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 01:47 PM) Field is also on pace to walk quite a bit more than crede, so you don't have to hate him necessarily, if your gripe is with OBP. Comparing numbers at this point is kind stupid if you ask me. People are happy that he has shown he can be a major leaguer in a possible hole, they aren't boasting about his numbers. They make him out to be an All Star. They are saying a guy who before his back started bothering him in 2006 hit 30 homers and was hitting over .300 needs to be tossed away, because Josh Fields homers almost as often. BTW Fields OBP is only about .010 higher than Brian Anderson's last year. Non tendering Crede is a ridiculous thought. Believe me, they are boasting about his homeruns, because offensively that's basically all he provides now. Of course any one else swinging for the fences they have problems with. Fields has already fanned more than Crede did in 2006.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 09:40 AM) So, the Sox should give Crede $5 million next year while their bullpen is in shambles and they have holes to fill at SS, RF, CF, and LF? Oh, and we have no idea how Joe's back will respond to the surgery he just had. That doesn't sound like a good strategy to me. I'd love to have Joe around for another year with Fields in LF, but I'm not sure that the Sox are going to have a choice. If they don't they are fools. I can't wait to see all the guys who complain about the White Sox swinging for the fences all the time and not worrying about getting on base who think Fields is an All Star, b**** and moan about him next season. Crede's worst average as a regular player, not counting this season is .239 and as BearSox said this isn't the first time there wasn't posts on this board saying he must go. Fields is hitting .241 and is on pace to set a world record striking out if he played a full season. If you don't like Crede, you have to hate Fields. If anything Fields should get some time at 2B.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 07:27 AM) Fields has shown he can play in the majors--both in the field and hitting wise. The question for 2008 is where will he play with Crede at 3B [it would be inexcusable for the sox to non-tender Joe, or trade him now for less than they would get for the draft picks if he leaves as a free agent, as he is very valuable and should be able to put up numbers near his 2006 season and still play gold glove caliber defense]. With the sox likely to work out a deal with Dye, Fields should be given a shot in LF. With Owens likely being a 4th OFer [and Fields and Richar already in the lineup] an experienced CFer who can hit in the leadoff spot should be acquired for 2008. Or at minimum, a stellar defensive CFer should be acquired if the sox can get a SS who can hit in the leadoff spot. My preference would be for the sox to get a SS and a CFer who can both hit leadoff in case one goes down. That's easier said than done. How many leadoff CF or SS are there in the major leagues, and are they realistically available? Fields is going to have to cut down on his strikeouts. If he doesn't, he's Ron Kittle II.

Fields with his 2 hits last night has the average up to .241, and dumping Crede is the subject of the day. For as bad as Crede supposedly was before last season, if he batting more than 50 times his worst season was .239 with 21 homers and GG quality defense. Non tender Joe Crede? Ridiculous. These White Sox "prospects" are a lot like back up quarterbacks. So many people love them until they really have to count on them. When I heard Hawk say the Sox really have something special in Andy Gonzalez yesterday, I questioned why Duane Shaffer got the pink slip. WOW

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 02:45 PM) You mean like the two Class A pitchers the Yankees got for Randy Johnson after he sucked (read: 5.00 ERA) with a terrible contract (read:$13 mill in each of the next 2) aged more than 7 years (Thome is 37 this month, RJ is 44 in a little over a month)? Thome will net a very solid package, just like he did the only other time he was traded, because he's still a huge force in the middle of any lineup and I honestly don't see that ever changing. He's injury prone, and if a team doesn't understand that, they are lying to themselves. If you think Thome can only get two Class A pitchers, you are being dumb, plain and simple, because he will net a hell of a package, even as a 37 year old, because he gets on base and he hits for a s***load of power. Those are the types of players who are the most valuable to a franchise. He really is a DH only at this point, so that will limit where he could go as would his contract. The White Sox most likely would not be able to get back fair value for him. They should keep him.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 01:49 PM) When our offense blew ass earlier this year a lot of people defended Greg Walker and said that the players are ultimately accountable for their results. Then I look at the disaster of a bullpen and half the starting rotation stinking up the joint. Question is, if the players are accountable for their results then what criteria do you base the pitching and hitting coach's performance? What would it take to get them fired or, in contrast, get them a contract extension? I think a lot of depends on things we never see. How the coach relates to the player is huge. Its why Hriniak was let go, its why Eddie Murray is always moving along. The players seem to generally like Walker and I think do listen to him. That doesn't always mean they are going to execute a plan perfectly. As far as the pitchers go, they seem to get along with Cooper pretty well. These guys aren't going to make a bad hitter or pitcher a great one, and aren't going to turn a great hitter or pitcher into a poor one. I get on the fire Cooper rant occassionally as a tongue in cheek response to the fire Walker people, who actually believe he tells his players to swing as a hard as they can in case they make contact. Coaches get way too much credit when things go good, and way too much blame when they go wrong. Managers on the other hand make decisions coaches don't.

QUOTE(WHITESOXRANDY @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 01:43 PM) That's why Pablo Ozuna is so valuable. I don't know I just wanted to post something He actually was considered one of the top prospects in the game at one point. Then someone got ahold of his real birth certificate.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 01:15 PM) God, in fact, everyone from that draft sucked. I can't wait until the guy drafted after Floyd is released Go to thebaseballcube.com and look at 2000's first 40 picks if you want to see why sandwich picks may be worth less than ham sandwiches.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 01:06 PM) We should pick him up too! How can we lose? Look up Dewon Brazelton on wikipedia. You will laugh. There was the "change of scenery" trade. A decent spring training, followed by horrible starts, and now 3 releases. No one really ever gave the poor kid 10 or 15 starts in a row to see what he could do. Its really a shame. KW should sign him up. As great as Floyd is , Brazelton's career ERA is almost a full run lower.