Dick Allen

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 31, 2006 -> 01:07 PM) What risk? Risk of him winning more Cy Youngs? This is the one guy that yo pay the roof for. Every pitcher is a huge risk long term. The White Sox were prepared to go a lot of years for Alex Fernandez, but luckily didn't get the chance. They liked the fact he was young and had impeccible mechanics. He blows his arm out a couple years later. I can't see the White Sox ever offering more than 4 years for any pitcher, except maybe they would go to 5 for Santana. Other teams would go to 7 or 8 though.

QUOTE(Chet Lemon @ Dec 31, 2006 -> 11:57 AM) read in the paper today that he was looking for a four-yr. $40 mil. contract. So in 2005 he goes 14-11 and has to settle for a 1 year $8.5 million contract. He then goes 8-14 with a 5.76 ERA and now is looking for 4 years and $40 million? If any GM signs off on something even close to this, he needs to be committed. I would take the guy with a 1 year incentive-laiden contract, with some options, but other than that, let him go get lit up in another uniform.

For a guy who is supposedly washed up, Johnson sure did win a lot of games in 2006.

First off, I don't think the Sox should offer Buerhle anything until he shows that he's over whatever it was that made him meat the second half of 2006. Whether you like it or not, the White Sox rarely go beyond 3 years with pitchers, and 4 only a couple of times I believe. Looking back, it actually has been a wise policy. I think if Buerhle regains his form, the Sox will offer him something fairly reasonable they know he won't accept, or if he does it will be a pretty good bargain, just to show their fans they tried. I don't think they can get fair value for him in a trade right now, coming off the poor stretch, and a soon-to-be free agent who probably isn't going to be easy for anyone to sign except maybe the Cardinals. (I still think he's going to end up there, regardless of his past comments). They might as well roll the dice and hope he bounces back. They may wind up with nothing for him, but if he helps them win another World Series, that would be better than any package KW could get unless that package were to lead the Sox to multiple championships.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 26, 2006 -> 09:15 PM) Randy Johnson makes $7 million more than Garcia next year, is more than 10 years older, is spending his offseason rehabbing from major surgery, and had an ERA of 5.00 last year (not to mention the fact that Garcia at least showed some hope with that split finger pitch down the stretch). I'm sure anyone who trades for him will have a pretty complete exam of his back before the deal is finalized. Johnson is actually 13 years older than Freddy, but he throws harder, and with both, you're looking at a 1 year thing, so the age thing really doesn't matter. Other than that, the post I initially responded to was one that said the Yankees shouldn't be able to get anything for Johnson. If Gil Meche can score $55 million, some team would be willing to take a 1 year $16 million gamble on a future HOFer who has won 34 games the last 2 seasons.

I don't think 1 year ago today people would have or could have seen the total decline of Mark Buerhle the second half of 2006. I think it would have been easy to forecast Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts taking a step back, but not falling down the stairs. Now we have guys that could be good in Aardsma and Sisco, but they also could just as easily be just as bad as Politte and Cotts. Thornton had his first taste of major league success last season. Its really anyone's guess whether or not that can be sustained. MacDougal could be a big help, if he does something he rarely does, remains healthy. Jenks has a hip problem the White Sox believe is weight related. Will his slimming down to 279 make that go away? He became pretty hittable late in the season. You would hope Buerhle's second half is just a fluke. He was as consistent as there has been the previous 5 seasons or so. Vazquez was mediocre, just like he has been most of his career. Garland was horrible at the beginning and then was great. Can he make it a full season of great? Contreras has had back and leg problems, something that usually doesn't get better as you move into at least your middle 30s. Any DL stints could be catastrophic. Then there always is the possibility that all these guys pitched lights out. You would think guys like Dye and Thome and Crede and AJ probably won't have as flashy of offensive numbers in 2007. I don't think any of them will fall apart, at least if they remain healthy, but I think with a guy like Dye, his numbers will probably be closer to his numbers in 2005 as opposed to last year. The offense, as poor as it was the second half, wasn't the issue. Its all going to come down to the pitching, as always. And considering the White Sox really haven't added anyone with any sort of track record of major league success, its probably being rather optimistic saying they are better off now. I have been an advocate of trading 3 starters. I think the White Sox window, especially with the escalating salaries, was very brief. I think trading 3 starters not including McCarthy, would have freed up a ton of cash, and added prospects who could be ready in 2008. A small step back in 2007, then having some studs ready in 2008, and a bunch a cash to spend on a bumper crop of free agents, really could set this team up for a long time.

QUOTE(Jenks Heat @ Dec 26, 2006 -> 05:53 PM) Is Randy Johnson going to net the Yankees more talent that Garcia did for the Sox? If so, KW was fleeced. I think the only reason he wouldn't net as much would be the additional cash he is owed. Its amazing on this board how awful pitchers on other teams are and how valuable they are as White Sox players when they have similar numbers.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 26, 2006 -> 05:53 PM) If the Yankees get anything of value for the Unit without paying a subtantial amount of the $16 million he's owed next season, I'll be more angry than when they traded Sheffield to the Tigers. Why? How much worse was he last year than Freddy Garcia? The Sox got Gio for Garcia and Floyd who people on this board think will be the 5th starter, and most think they didn't get enough.

I would think it would all depend on what the Yankees were asking for. Its amazing people think Johnson and his 5.00 ERA are done, but Buerhle and his 4.99 ERA is an automatic turnaround in 2007. I don't know how you could trade for Johnson before he shows if his back surgery did him any good or not.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 11:20 PM) Can't wait for the deadline to roll around when we're 8 games back...Let the minor leaguers start rolling in then. If that were to occur, I think you would see Buerhle gone to the highest bidder, along with Vazquez and possibly Contreras. I think KW was pretty set on trading another starter, which to me wasn't a bad thought. I'm just shocked it was McCarthy. I do think Buerhle was the odd man out, but evidently they couldn't get back fair market value for him. The Yankees wouldn't trade Humberto Sanchez straight up reportedly. People may believe Buerhle when he says he really doesn't want to pitch for the Cardinals until maybe late in his career (after the second half of last season, if that continues, it probably is late in his career) but I don't think many in baseball are buying it. I think his trade value is hurt by his love of the Cardinals and any team thinking of acquiring him probably assumes he is a longshot at signing an extension. If I were a GM, I would be very reluctant to give up a huge package for a guy who wasn't any better than a minor leaguer the second half of 2006, who is signed only for one season, who I have to pay pretty good money to for the one season, who I have basically no chance re-signing. Can some explain to me how playing into the WS allegedly tires a pitching staff out, but this guy Masset is pitching in Mexico during his "off season" and he could be a guy in the bullpen in 2007? Isn't he going to be totally gassed for next season?

QUOTE(scotty22hotty @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 08:59 PM) Way to F up the team AGAIN Kenny 3rd place here we come We're already there.

I thought you were giving the winning numbers for the New Jersey lottery.

Ozzie not being impressed with McCarthy has been well documented. I also wonder if there was any feeling in the organization that Ozzie would hold it against McCarthy that Garcia is pitching for someone else contributed to this.

I can't stand spring training competition for roster spots. Boone Logan was unhittable in spring training last year, and deservedly earned a spot in the bullpen. When the games counted it was a different story. As far as Danks' little brother, I think that ship has sailed. If the Sox want to sign him, they will have to draft him again IIRC, and if he's really all that great, and KW has the White Sox as great as he thinks he does, he won't be available. As for KW, this is a guy, who if the White Sox didn't win a WS in 2005 would have his head called for daily by the majority of this board. (Me included) 2004-5 offseason, KW got very, very lucky. If you recall, his original plan called for Vizquel as SS, and Uribe playing the super sub role, with Harris getting time at 2nd. He also wanted Jaret Wright, and had him just about signed until the Yankees thankfully scooped him up. He had Ben Davis catching. He initially wanted no part of AJ. Funny now how he uses "people didn't want us to sign AJ" as a way to show he is right more than everyone else. He didn't want to sign AJ. Hawk talked him into it. He also screwed around with Iguchi and almost didn't sign him. If it wasn't an offseason after Kaz Matsui appeared to be a bust, Iguchi never would have been available at the bargain price the Sox signed him at. If KW's plan A came to fruition, the WS would never have happened. It was probably his plan C or D or even lower that occurred and now he's a genius. I also wonder just what kind of trade value Buerhle has. He's going to make a decent amount of money. He's coming off a terrible second half, and unless he's traded to St. Louis, there is virtually no chance of signing him to an extension.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 05:38 PM) Just like the Carlos Lee trade? Not too sure what to think of this deal. Danks sounds good, but McCarthy will be missed. The Carlos Lee trade wasn't just about talent switching teams. It was also about money. It freed the White Sox up to pick up some more pieces. Those acquisitions could and should be considered part of that trade. This trade didn't do that. There obviously is something more to this story.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 05:28 PM) I bet the information is that our organization knows it f***ed up McCarthy's development by placing him in the bullpen and rather than spend more time off his arb clock to fix him, they'd rather get a pitcher of similar stature who hasn't hit the bigs yet. I could be wrong. McCarthy hung out a lot with Anderson. They would party until the wee hours. I wonder if that had anything to do with it. Usually when you give up the best player in a trade, it turns out not to be a good one. Danks has a chance to be really good. BA says he has a ceiling of being a #2 starter. If Ozzie doesn't think McCarthy was any good, he's probably not going to like what he sees from Danks/Sisco/Floyd in 2007. I understand trading for prospects, but that's what KW has highly-paid under-performing starters for. This trade to me is no good, unless its a precurser to something else.

QUOTE(Brian @ Dec 23, 2006 -> 01:51 PM) Worst Festivus ever!!! The airing of greviences just got better.

This trade just proves that Ozzie Guillen is the true GM of the White Sox and he is probably the only guy in baseball who doesn't think he's any good.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 22, 2006 -> 07:39 AM) I would just like someone to explain to me how you get adjusted to MLB pitching in Charlotte? There are somethings that another year at AAA, just doesn't teach you, such as the speed, nuances, and intensity of the MLB game. Ryan Sweeney could stay in AAA until 2010, but there is still going to be an adjustment period when he hits Chicago. Heck look at Joe Crede, he was MVP of AA and AAA, and he still took 4 years to put together an entire solid season at the MLB level. The only thing I would worry about is if Ozzie can only find the playing time Gload received for Sweeney, then sitting on the bench would be stunting his growth. Sweeney is a guy who hasn't played all that much baseball in his life, at least relatively speaking. His high school baseball season lasted less than 20 games I believe, something very similar to one Carlton Fisk who was a much better major leaguer than minor leaguer probably because of experience. Sweeney needs to play. If Ozzie can get him in the line-up, playing in Chicago could be good for him, I agree he's going to have growing pains whether its in 2007 or 2008 or 2009. If he's going to ride a lot of pine, he's probably better off with another year in Charlotte.

Sammy Sosa has begun "working out" and says he would be willing to play for $500k. He could look good on the Sox bench.

Floyd wasn't very good last year and gets hurt a lot, but I can't see where he could possibly be bashed as a part-time player. When he's reasonably healthy, he gets on base, hits homers and drives in runs. He can also steal you a base. He's pretty brutal in the field, but the White Sox have done alright with a brutal LF for years.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Dec 20, 2006 -> 03:38 PM) That's because those guys are called "closers" and they command $10 million per year. I don't even recall any healthy closers on the market this year. Overpaying for bullpen help is very stupid. Relievers are too unreliable from year to year (Politte, Cotts, Marte, Shingo) and even if you do find somebody good, you're going to be paying them $5 million per year to throw 60 innings. So then, how can you say the White Sox bullpen is anything but a question mark?

What about the White Sox bullpen? Adding Aardsma and Sisco perhaps improves it dramatically? Sisco may be in Charlotte. Boone Logan may be in Chicago. How do we know Thornton will continue to have success? It seems to me all the guys that Coop fixes, seem to fall back a little the following season. Loaisa, Cotts, Contreras. Jenks was mostly good, but had his moments. The bullpen really concerns me. KW has not added anyone who has much of a track record of major league success there this offseason.

Cleveland is the team I worry about the most. They actually scored more runs and gave up less than the White Sox in 2006. I think they are ready to be very good again.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 18, 2006 -> 09:35 PM) Buehrle does and we're going to let him walk. Buerhle wants to play for the Cardinals. He would really have to break the bank to stay here. The Cardinals are the team he would give a discount to. I think it would be crazy to sign him to a $100 million contract until you can determine without a doubt the second half of 2006 was an exception and not the rule. He was batting practice too often last year.