Dick Allen

From the White Sox perspective, I think there are a few reasons they don't want to make this committment although it seems very reasonable. I think they are at least a little spooked by Buerhle's second half last year. He appears over it, but maybe they feel if he lose just a little bit of command or just a couple miles of his fastball, he turns into one of the worst pitchers in the league. I think Alex Fernandez may also be a factor. I remember JR talking about how if allowed, they would have broken the team's policy and offered him a 4 year contract because of his age and they thought he had near perfect mechanics. He wound up blowing out his shoulder I believe a little while later. I also think KW may have his eye on someone huge this winter or next, and wants the money to be available. Finally, they probably have a better idea than us, and they probably have concluded they are going to lose a decent portion of their season ticket base this year, with no guarantee it gets any better the following years. Buerhle's been great. Except for the second half of 2006 he's probably been the most consistent pitcher the Sox have ever had. But he has a couple things against him. KW didn't acquire him, and he doesn't sell tickets.

QUOTE(mmmmmbeeer @ Jul 8, 2007 -> 07:47 AM) Edited to add: For those of you wanting KW gone after this, don't think JR isn't noticing how badly KW handled this. JR is a good business man who understands the importance of strong management. This wishy-washy, non-committal mode of "management" that KW just displayed couldn't have gone unnoticed. This is the type of situation that can cost someone their job. I don't think JR gives a s*** about losing MB, that's not why KW would be canned as many of you imply. He does give a s*** about incompetence. JR is just as responsible for the they way this has been handled as KW. KW has pretty good job security no matter how bad the Sox play this season, or probably the next several.

The Knights scored their runs off of Arnie Munoz and Felix Diaz.

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Jul 8, 2007 -> 02:16 AM) unless something else comes out, this just seems to me the Sox had zero intention of signing MB. IMO what happened was Sox made one final "run" at him for PR purposes and MB really wanted to stay and tried to work with them on a deal that the Sox never had any intention of going through with. I have no clue where KW and the Sox are going to go at this point. they're going to pull the whole "free agent contracts are out of control" routine they pulled this year. I'm really left clueless as to what the big picture plan is This will be one of the biggest slap-in-the-face to the fans during this ownerships regime. I agree 100%. If the Sox won't accept this offer, this whole dance was a publicity stunt.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 7, 2007 -> 11:17 PM) KW had some quotes tonight....he said he doesn't know where the agent's comments came about things being taken off the table. Of course, no one believes this. For someone who "is sorry that negotiations" became public, KW sure does get quoted a lot about it.

The Sox are 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees for 6th place in the WC standings and only 3 games ahead of Tampa Bay for the worst record in the AL.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 11:39 PM) The competition level in the International League is brutal. There's a reason Timo is one of the top hitters in it. And I don't know if this was mentioned anywhere else, but Masset has allowed 51 base runners in his last 17 innings in relief. Besides for two games with the Sox, he might be the worst pitcher I've ever seen stay on the team for 81 games. Out of the 10 guys the White Sox have used out of the bullpen this year, 6 have ERA's over 6.00. 8 have ERA's over 5.00. The only 2 below are Bukvich, who is not a major leaguer, and Jenks. I think I read where the Sox starters ERA was second in the AL, probably not after today, but KW just might have assembled the worst bullpen in team history. If Jenks second half is like his second half of 2006 it will be. He's probably the only guy in the bullpen who would make every other major league roster.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 11:28 PM) Did you like his mound presence, especially when he went into the stretch after allowing Morneau's first homer? He sucks. Maybe if some things go his way he can be a journeyman pitcher and bounce around from team to team as a #5 starter. If he lasts a while there's a lot of money in that. People getting excited about his mowing down hitters in this his 4th season pitching in AAA were setting themselves up for dissappointment. The knock on him is he has no balls.(Maybe they hit those over the wall as well) It doesn't appear he had them put in in Charlotte.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 10:57 PM) Being there all day today was quite the spectacle. It's amazing how poor this is fundamentally, with horrible base running, pathetic defense, and just idotic things like Gavin Floyd pitching from the stretch with no one on base and Jerry Owens not stealing 2nd base when he's not being held on. And as for Ozzie...all I know is that 36 runs later, I can't believe we didn't throw a purpose pitch. The entire White Sox organization appears to bow down to the Twins. Pretty amazing considering the White Sox payroll is $37 million higher.

Gavin Floyd made a nice attempt at getting everyone sitting in the bleachers a souvenir of his first White Sox start. Its getting to the point where I'm not angry, I'm not breaking things like WHarris. I was sitting in the stands laughing. At least we know there's about a 99% chance Floyd improves his next outing, if he gets one.

Its nice to know the Sox still are using that "we have 12 games against Cleveland left and 13 against Detroit" crap they used prior to winning a WS. If the White Sox baseball people still think this roster, with this bullpen in particular, is a championship contender, its time JR set them straight and passed out a few pink slips. Ozzie's still waiting for a run. That's rich.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 04:05 PM) I thought about that but you're kinda limiting yourself for game 2. Although I suppose it wouldn't matter in some cases. Masset won't be used, so he can go without any loss. At this point, they should have Mackowiak take the mound.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 04:03 PM) Kenny may just make the moves before game 2 of the double header. He should give Masset a ticket to Charlotte. He's another guy with no business being in the major leagues.

Nick Masset is really good.

Good to see the White Sox show up for this "huge" series.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 02:27 PM) Garland kicks another. They are letting him wear it today with the doubleheader and the rookie pitcher going tonight. Does Floyd still qualify as a rookie? You would think they would let him wear it, and protect the $10 million+ a year guy. He needs to be yanked.

I take it the main requirement, the only requirement to leading off for the White Sox is the ability to run. Getting on base has no place in the equation.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 01:15 PM) Its nice to see the defense including Garland, is kicking the ball around. Execution on defense is key to winning baseball. Well so far, the usual. The twins show up, and we quickly stick our heads up our ass. Then give good quotes about how great they are, and how their brand of baseball is the right way. We see their execution, we see how we want to be, but we dont put that product on the field day in and day out. 3 zip now. They're just spotting them a few runs today to keep it interesting. Cintron's in the line-up.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 11:28 AM) True, but Ozzie backed it up and was Rookie of the Year. I think if Rauch put up a sub-4 ERA or Anderson hit .280+ with about a .350 OBP, they would have gotten a lot more leash. But they didn't. Ozzie is a put up or shut up kinda guy. Always has been. Ozzie was ROY in 1985. That year he had virtually identical OBP and slugging pct. as Brian Anderson in 2006. So BA is a cocky SOB, but Ozzie backed it up?

MacDougal is no stranger to the DL. Its probably a legitimate injury.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Jul 6, 2007 -> 11:29 AM) Masset wasn't stretched out enough. He's only pitched once in like...12 days or something like that. I understand that, but if they were just planning on sending Floyd back, why not have him pitch the first game and have another guy like Day or whatever around for game 2? They will need another pitcher on the roster. Maybe Day is not quite ready, but I think there will be some dealing taking place in the next few days.

There probably won't be any trades today, because that would leave the roster short for the DH. I'm surprised Floyd is pitching the night game. It must mean they are keeping him around. Maybe they will use him out of the bullpen.

5 runs in the first is pretty sweet.

4 hits in a row. What's the over/under on White Sox hits for the game? 7?

I wonder who Hawk and DJ think is the best baseball player in the world, Andy Gonzalez or Darin Erstad.