Dick Allen

So Farmer didn't get the job because he was prepared for his audition and got in the way of Hawk talking about his golf game? I can assure you that is total BS. Its fine to rip on Hawk and DJ, but these guys should at least on tell stories which are total lies.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 08:30 AM) I guess you didn't read this morning's papers. Vazquez for a top bullpen guy [and moving BMac to the rotation] IMO wouldn't be a sideways move. BMac should be able to better Javy's numbers and Qualls should step right in where Bmac was inconsistent. And if Mackowiak wasn't all he was cracked up to be [not the best CFer-has played little at 2b or 3b], getting a guy like Burke could be an improvement My main point about chemistry is that Vazquez doesn't have a long history with the sox. His leaving after a 1/2 yr wouldn't affect the players like a Freddy, Garland, etc. moving could. These guys build relationships, they aren't robots. The article also mentioned Garcia as a guy who is very available. I don't know how he is in the clubhouse, but he has shown up teammates at least twice on the field this season. That and the fact that Buerhle throws harder than him at this point may be a couple reasons why he's available.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Jul 13, 2006 -> 09:40 PM) It wouldn't matter if Arizona was paying ALL of his salary. Vazquez's salary does not receive a check from the WS, the Yankees, and Arizona. The money is paid in cash and it is over with. So the WS are currently paying ALL of Vazquez's $11.5 million this year, and are on the hook for $12.5 million next season. Yes, they did receive what, $5 million from Arizona in the trade? So basically, that means the money coming out of the WS pocket is about $9 million this season and $10 next year. But if Vazquez is traded, it isn't like that money leaves the White Sox and goes with Vazquez. If he were traded tomorrow, the team that acquires him will be responsible for the pro-rated amount of his salary this season (approx 5.3 million or so?) and ALL $12.5 million next year. Of course, the WS might send cash, as the other teams had to to move him, but in that case, they had better be getting some damn good players back, not some slop of prospects. Either way, his salary makes him difficult to move to anyone other than a contender, and we aren't giving him to any contender. I understand that, and that is the point I was trying to make. Arizona didn't give the White Sox all of the money they were getting from the Yankees. But if Vazquez was traded, other teams would probably expect the White Sox to at least kick in the same amount of money they are receiving from Arizona. If KW moves a starter, and who could blame him if Gary Majewski and a couple of other bums are worth Lopez and Kearns, its going to be with an NL club or an AL club with no chance IMO. Considering what KW gave up to get Vazquez, I would be surprised if he gave up on him after half a season though.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Jul 13, 2006 -> 08:59 PM) Vazquez has no value, just because of his contract? I'd pretty much have to disagree completely with that. When the Yankees traded Vazquez to Arizona, they picked up $3 mill in each of the next 3 years of his contract(so instead of Arizona paying $9.5, $11.5, and $12.5 million, they would have paid $6.5, $8.5, and $9.5). Arizona then traded him to Chicago, and in doing so, picked up an additional $1 million for this season, and $3 million more in '07. So, with a little simple arithmetic, you see that the Sox are paying Vazquez $7.5 million this year and $6.5 million this year. In a market where a mediocre SP numbers-wise with injury problems in his past as well as a losing record for his career, but with great stuff, gets a contract equal in value to that of a .290 40 100 .900, solid defensive, under 30 1Bman, Vazquez's $7.5 million this year is a bargain, and his final year is even moreso. Of course there's a catch, in that due to him demanding and then receiving a trade, he does not become a free agent until after the 2008 season and he will enter an arbitration period following the 2007 season. I'm not exactly clear on what the details are on that situation, but if it is just normal arbitration, you could probably just not tender him a contract following the 2007 season; however, I have a feeling you probably can't do that, and his 2008 salary would be an 8 digit figure - not to say the Sox couldn't pick up some of that, but that would be something to figure out at a future date. Regardless, with the contract AJ Burnett got, I know Vazquez has value, and trading him for Aaron Rowand would be a desperate move when the team is not in a state of desperation. If you're going to get Aaron Rowand back - and it makes very little sense really, short-term and long - it's going to cost you young players, not veterans with heavy contracts. Vazquez has no value to Philadelphia, but does to other teams in the league. Arizona didnt pick up additional money more than the Yankees were picking up. In fact, at first they demanded anyone picking up Vazquez would pay his entire salary. They kept some of that Yankee money. The Sox are paying Vazquez approximately $10 million a year, maybe a little more. And if Vazquez continues to pitch like he's pitched, there is no way the White Sox will offer him arbitration in 2008 when minimally he must be offered almost $10 million.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Jul 13, 2006 -> 09:10 PM) It's not an ass rape, and anyone who thinks so doesn't follow enough baseball. Bray, Majewski are both above average relievers. The Reds had a terrible bullpen, and were terrible defensively. It makes sense to trade what you have depth at for something you don't have anything at. Kearns is putting together a good season, yes sir, and I think he'll continue to do that, but Bray's got closer material written all over him. I'd say its about even with a slight edge on pure talent, not precisely team need, going to Washington. In Rosenthal's column on foxsports.com there is a GM, and although he doesn't use the word ass rape, he thinks the Nationals got the better of the deal. I'm sure he follows at least as much baseball as you do or anyone on this board does. Majewski is a journeyman, he's average.

If the price for mediocre pitching is this high, KW should dangle Vazquez and Fields, someone I believe is Joe Borchard Jr. and whose stock will probably never be higher for a package that will most likely improve the White Sox chances this year and in the future.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Jul 13, 2006 -> 05:21 PM) "I personally love it," Reds utility player Ryan Freel said. "I'm not knocking Kearns and Lopez, but we all knew that most of the problem has been with the bullpen." I saw that quote. I wonder what he loves more, seeing Gary Majewski enter the game from the bullpen, or the fact that his view of watching him enter will be from the playing field not the dugout.

I would think, defensive deficiencies or not, Lopez and Kearns are worth more than Majewski, Bray, Harris, and Royce "cancer" Clayton. I think the Sox traded Majewski 2 or 3 times, and they released Clayton. The Nationals gave up 4 very average, ordinary players. Kearns could be a 30 homer guy. Lopez could be a 20 homer 30 steal guy, an Alfonso Soriano lite.

KW should call the Reds GM every 5 minutes until this guy gives him a deal.

I always liked Shingo. He won't be back.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jul 12, 2006 -> 09:31 PM) Gordon is being mentioned in a lot of papers. Not all of them NY. The Philly papers seem to want to sell off anyone and everyone. Gordon is one of the few trading pieces who has value. Abreu and Burrell are strictly salary dumps I wouldn't doubt they will trade Gordon. I think they'll want more than a soft-tossing AA pitcher.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Jul 12, 2006 -> 08:32 PM) Oh, you clearly haven't been here long. You see, Carlos is one of the most selfish hitters in major league history, probably the most selfish in Sox history. Everytime up, he either homers or strikes out, which means he strikes out far more than Ron Kittle ever did. And he's the worst fielder in the game, ten times worse than Adam Dunn or Barry Bonds on one leg. Thus, if Detroit gets Carlos, they're guaranteed to lose, and lose big, the second half. This is all just fact, you can look it up if you want. Now, I know you're going to say, jackie, I did look it up and it's not true. That's because you looked it up at a reputable website like mlb.com or baseball-reference.com. You didn't look it up in your gut. My gut tells me that Carlos struck out more in one year than any other man did over a lifetime. Now, that's a fact. ... Although I will admit that Carlos really was not very good last year, overall, and anyone trading for him will have to think about his second half fade in 2005. For a second I thought you lost your mind. I was going to mention that CLee strikes out less than the guy he was traded for, our lead-off man.

I don't think one trade sets the going rate for other players. Its individual teams that set the price for their players. Its a different regime in Tampa so you can't compare what they wanted last year, obviously totally unrealistic, and what they settled for this year.

I just don't see how Philadelphia could sell Gordon for Broadway and lesser prospects to their paying customers. That's beyond a white flag trade. They are white flagging next season as well. If that's all it takes to get him, KW should have made this trade yesterday. One thing to remember is Gordon, if traded will be a veteran traded under a muti-year contract and IIRC may demand a trade after the season so he could go somewhere and close. You could get his contract off the books and pick up different prospects.

I would love Gordon. It would also give the Sox an All Star closer if Jenks was unavailable or injured. I think the price to get him will be steep. I agree his acquisition would make the White Sox bullpen go from questionable at least in my mind, to a strength, something you probably need since the starters appear tired and probably won't be able to deliver the desired innings the second half. If you could pawn off Vazquez, that's even better. This guy hasn't been that strong post All Star break the past couple of seasons. His homerun allowed rate is down, chances are its going to go up, and so will his ERA if that is possible. It will be interesting to see if KW pulls the trigger on something major in the next few weeks. The quotes from Ozzie seem to indicate something is going to happen. Last year he kept saying he didn't want anything, and now he's talking about the asking price which indicates there has been shopping going on.

Reading a couple of Phillie boards, there were a couple of posts saying they believed Rowand's defense is overrated. He played too deep, took bad routes,and even breaks the wrong way once in a while. Seems plausible.

Pods isn't very good, but his OBP and slugging pct. are both higher this year than last, when, if you would have read this board, the man was destined for Cooperstown. I agree he should be a DH, but we have the best one of those. I think you play the year out with him in LF, it worked out OK last season, and deal his arbitration-eligible ass to some other sucker this winter. Hopefully he'll have a few 4 SB games to really pad his stats the second half, and KW can reap the reward.

Trading for Aaron Rowand would be dumb IMO. His reputation is built on a few nice catches and a pretty good offensive season in 2004. BA is better defensively. He gets to more balls, and makes all the catches, and his arm is far more accurate. Take away that series he had defensively vs. NY last season which I will admit was incredible, I doubt anyone cries when Rowand was moved this past offseason. I wouldn't mind the Sox dealing Vazquez, which makes the Schmidt rumors a little more plausible. If Philadelphia threw in Gordon, it would make the trade more interesting, at least for this season. I think Gordon makes around $6 million, and I believe would be eligible to demand a trade in the offseason. If it were me, Gordon would be a much bigger piece of the trade than Rowand.

Personally, I don't like Bonds. I think he's an ass. I don't understand this witch hunt to try and send him to prison however. What is that going to accomplish? I think the government should be using its resources keeping people who are dangers to society off the streets.

ESPN will still be showing games as well. I think they are in the first year of an 8 year deal.

Politte would land the Sox approximately what they got for Shingo. Nada, a non-prospect. He is batting practice. I know people will say he pitched a scoreless inning the other day and that is true. Shingo pitched several scoreless innings and averaged more than a strikeout an inning. Lets not be like Cubs fans and ridiculously overvalue even the guys who have no business being on the major league roster of just about every team. Just ask yourself, why would a team give up anything of value for 3 months of Cliff Politte.

QUOTE(innersanctum @ Jul 11, 2006 -> 07:53 AM) In his defense, we lose those 7 games his steals directly contributed to winning the game, and we would be 50-38 and no where near Detroit and probably closer to Minnesota with Minnesota winning one more because of Pods missing this "crucial" steal. You are also assuming the player that takes his place does absolutely nothing to help the White Sox win games. I guarantee Podsednik being in the White Sox line-up has not resulted in 7 extra victories.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 10, 2006 -> 08:55 PM) Anderson will be one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball the way he patrols center. Rowand did a nice job here, however when its all said and done, Anderson > Rowand defensively. Anderson will eventually be better than him offensively, as crazy as that sounds.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 10, 2006 -> 08:49 PM) He's also in a MUCH better lineup this year. Obviously. The point I'm making is he really was mediocre to sucking last year. Everyone talked about how he disrupted pitchers on the bases. If he really bothered pitchers that much, he would have scored more than 80 runs. Since he hit a homer to win a WS game, I will say he was mediocre last year.

I remember Rick Hahn saying BMac would bring back a "king's ransom" in a trade. This was before he opened everyone's eyes in spring training 2005. I don't think BMac has done anything to drop his stock. He's still learning his way, and is a future #1 or #2 starter IMO. He's been better at the beginning of his career than Greg Maddux was at the beginning of his. It would be unfair to say BMac has that much promise, but I do like pitchers who aren't easy to hit, and have good control.