Dick Allen

1000 to 1 at best.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 04:29 PM) Sorry, he had the protection of Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand/Aj Pierzynski. That's hell of protection. Your protection argument is total BS. The higher up in the order he hit, the worse he hit. Its not like Pods provided much protection for him when he hit ninth. He isn't exactly a guy who can drive runs home.

Considering Crede hit .333 batting 9th, .241 batting 8th, and .155 batting 7th, the last thing you would want to do is have him hit 3,4 or 5.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 04:19 PM) I'm pretty sure Crede was the 9 hole hitter until the last month or so of the season. He had 102 ABs batting 9th and hit .333 with 9 homers batting ninth. He had 253 ABs in the 8th spot with a lot less success.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 04:18 PM) I don't know if we should trade for Blalock or not but why do people worry so much that he only hits well at Ameriquest? Would he not hit at the Cell as well? No. He could only hit at Texas. Which is good because the Sox have struggled there in recent years.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 04:17 PM) Cleveland has a pretty good staff. The Tigers have 2 good pitchers. Royals have like 1. Seattle doesn't have a great staff. Oakland does, but Harden was injured for more than half the year. The Angels had Colon and that's it. Washburn and Lackey weren't bad, and their bullpen was pretty good.

Hank Blalock isn't going to suck anywhere. He will hit with comparable or better numbers than he has put up thus far in his career. Joe Crede had to get hot at the end of the year to hit .250. He was nails in the playoffs, and seems poised for a breakout. The Sox have been here a few times with him already in his career and have been dissapointed each time. I think Crede has the better glove, but only slightly.

nitetrain, I noticed in the Frank Thomas thread you wrote you never want him to leave. Ever notice his horrific splits the last 4 or 5 seasons between home and away? There's nothing to say Blalock wouldn't flourish at USCF, and as to his numbers dying in the second half, maybe not playing in the 100 degree heat for half his schedule will keep him stronger.

QUOTE(quickman @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 02:49 PM) Last year on the Radio in an interview JR was asked why he won't go after Boras clients, he said" I don't work with liars" I think that should sum up the whole Crede issue. BYE BYE, maybe not this year, but next year for sure. Joe had a great postseason, but lets face it, for the 162 game season he's been pretty mediocre. He's also had his hot streaks before to make you think he is going to break out, only to return to his mediocre form. If they can ride his high stock right now and replace him with a guy like Blalock its a no-brainer no matter who his agent is.

I find all this talk about Blalock's splits amusing considering the clamouring for the returns of Konerko and Thomas. Konerko had a pretty wide split this year, Thomas had huge differences in home and away numbers for several years.

QUOTE(Greg Hibbard @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 12:22 PM) I swear I posted in this thread, but I don't see it anywhere anyway what I meant to say was...if you could have Garland for 06 only knowing he'd walk but you'd get to at least to the CS (not knowing whether you'd win or lose the CS or series) or two top prospects, which would you rather have? You would keep him. How many people would have been upset the Sox didn't move Konerko and get something for him last winter if he had signed with the Angels? Of course it was a different circumstance. The White Sox didn't want to negotiate with Konerko last year. If the Sox don't trade Garland, what you get for him if he walks is a season of his pitching, which, if he pitches anywhere near last year is a good deal, plus a couple of draft picks.

It was the dumbest trade of all-time. It made no sense from the get-go. There are bad trades, but at least with most you can see some sort of logic with them. This was stupid from the time it was official.

Wasn't he supposed to be included in the Garland/Erstad trade that the Angels backed out of a few years ago?

Is there any chance El Duque flunks his physical and the Garland trade talk becomes moot?

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 09:53 AM) So are you guys saying you wouldn't do Blalock, Wilkerson and Danks or Diamond for Garland and Crede? I hate giving up Crede, but if Crede's back is going to be an issue, I'd make the move. I think Blalock has a heck of a lot of talent, but he has definately struggled as of late. Blalock has some serious tatoos. The Sox can use a guy like that.

If they are resigned to trading Garland, pitching is at such a premium, KW should act like Chuck LaMar and ask for ridiculous amounts of major league ready players and prospects. He can always lower his demands a little bit, but he holds the cards. A talented pitcher who appears to have turned the corner, and you get exclusive negotiating rights with him until November. If all that is out there is a deal like they got for Ray Durham, KW would be much better off keeping Garland for 2006 and getting the draft picks.

For all those who think the Sox could get Carl Crawford for Garland.............forget about it. No way. Why would TB trade a guy they have signed to a reasonable contract for a guy who certainly would walk away at the end of the season.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 05:55 PM) Blalock is icky. Even though he's not a pitcher, I'm sure Coop could turn him around.

Ralph Malph has a great source. Potsie Weber knows the Rangers inside and out.

Hey, I see quickman is on line. I have a question, is 2006 the year of the Baj? They have a couple openings in the bullpen.

QUOTE(JimH @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 05:23 PM) Can someone tell me where these gigantic glasses of "Expect The Worst" are being dispensed so I can avoid the area please. Top talent? Rowand, El Duque, Vizcaino, and prospects?? I'm pretty sure he is talking about the prospects. When's the last time the White Sox acquired a top prospect from another organization? I can't remember. Maybe Jerry Owens, but I don't think he was all that highly thought of. The White Sox are going to need some cheap players on their roster. It would be nice if these cheap players could actually play a little bit.

QUOTE(JimH @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 05:16 PM) Why is that, has the GM not proven himself? KW seems to have given a pretty big discount to teams acquiring White Sox players with expiring contracts in the past. That Durham trade was ridiculous, considering the White Sox paid most of his contract anyway.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 05:08 PM) I don't want Garland on the team next year if it's a sure thing he's not coming back. Those situations can get ugly, and I'm not sure how Ozzie/Garland would publically handle the situation. With some players, I would agree with you, but Garland is pretty laid back. I don't think it would bother him at all to play with a one year deal, and head back to California for his huge contract. I would hate to trade Garland and get a package back like the great Omar Minaya got for Bartolo Colon. For some reason I see Garland going and 3 Jon Adkins coming back.

QUOTE(Wanne @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 04:50 PM) I think you answered your own question DA. Did you or KW know PK was going to have a solid year again and be a post season hero?!? He could have fallen flat on his face this year and KW was just being cautious in case he needed to move in another direction other than Paulie. All he's saying is he doesn't want to put himself in a situation like they were with Paulie this off season and have their hands tied by other teams overspending. If KW didn't know if Konerko was going to have a solid year again, how can he be so sure Garland and Contreras are if he is offering them extensions. Of the 3 of them, Konerko was surely the best bet to have a big year in 2005. I think its pretty clear KW wants to get guys signed so it won't cost him like it did to sign Konerko. I think both Garland and Contreras should be solid in 2006. It may be tough for them to match their 2005 numbers, but anything close, how could you say they don't deserve a contract equal or better to the one Vazquez is playing under?

QUOTE(Wanne @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 04:50 PM) I think you answered your own question DA. Did you or KW know PK was going to have a solid year again and be a post season hero?!? He could have fallen flat on his face this year and KW was just being cautious in case he needed to move in another direction other than Paulie. All he's saying is he doesn't want to put himself in a situation like they were with Paulie this off season and have their hands tied by other teams overspending. KW's approach with Konerko cost the White Sox a lot of money and obligations for at least 1 if not 2 more seasons with him.