Dick Allen

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 07:48 AM) From the media point of view he is. Konerko has never met a microphone he doesn't like, especially when he is playing decently. But he has said nothing here that is wrong. Ozzie referred to Konerko as the team leader a couple of weeks ago. Ozzie supposedly doesn't lie.

Frank has quotes about Magglio too. They were the guys that were asked about him.

QUOTE(Cubs Suck23 @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 06:12 AM) Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko gets to play against the best player he ever played with -- Tigers rightfielder Magglio Ordonez. "I just know he was a great teammate, and he's the best player I ever played with, period," Konerko told the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Ill. Konerko spoke on the eve of Ordonez's first game against the White Sox, which happens tonight when the Tigers visit U.S. Cellular Field. Ordonez spent his whole 14-year career in the Sox organization before signing with the Tigers for $75 million in the off-season. "No offense to anybody I've played with, but when that guy's healthy and playing well, I've never played with anybody better," Konerko said. That statement seems more impressive considering Konerko played with Mike Piazza in Los Angeles and, for the past six years, with Frank Thomas. Ordonez played three games before July because of hernia surgery. He missed any chance to stop Chicago's runaway season in the Central Division. Chicago (61-29) has a 12-game division lead largely because of a 30-5 record in the Central, 7-1 against the Tigers. Four of those wins came in the first month. Konerko came to the Sox in 98 or 99. Who was a better player than Magglio since that time?

There is a couple guys at the Red Line 35th St. stop who have loads of tickets. I bet a couple of them have 8 together, or very close.

Isn't Gload's rehab assignment up on Monday as well? Does he have options left?

Does anyone on this board realize Magglio not taking the White Sox offer turned into a very good thing for the White Sox? The bitterness is puzzling. He did us a favor. I believe his reception will be mixed. There will be the boo birds, but there will be a lot of people who will appreciate his accomplishments in a White Sox uniform. Hopefully, no one will do something stupid. It is half price night.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 17, 2005 -> 04:41 PM) The 2000 team was built around power. It was built in a way that if the power didn't appear...and if those 4 guys (and/or Valentin) struggled...we couldn't win. What is this year's team built around? Everything. We're not just a power team, we're a team that plays defense, pitches the hell out of the opposition, has good power, and has the ability to score runs without power. Even if Thomas, Everett, Konerko and Dye all struggle (like they did in May) we can still win by getting good pitching, getting guys on base, moving them over and knocking them in. Neither of the 4 I mentioned was a homerun or bust type of player. That 2000 team was not one dimensional. They had Durham with 25 steals, Singleton with 22, Ordonez with 18, Valentin with 17 or 18. They moved runners up, did the little things. Ordonez hit .315 that season, Frank hit .328, Lee hit .301 and Konerko hit .298. If anything, Thomas and Konerko have become more of a homerun or nothing type of player since. If Thomas,Everett, Konerko and Dye, particularly Thomas and Konerko since they're batting 3 and 4 struggle like those guys did in 2000 the Sox aren't going to win. They can beat Detroit, Cleveland, Tampa with struggling hitters. They can't beat Oakland, and won't be able to beat Boston, New York or the Angels without some offense . BTW, the White Sox still rely on the long ball to score a majority of their runs.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jul 17, 2005 -> 02:56 PM) IMO, El Duque has just as much chance as Jason Schmidt, or AJ Burnett [not to mention the lesser tier SP's mentioned] to give the sox 6, 7 strong innings in a playoff game. Yet it wouldn't cost the sox a penny more or any prospects. Then the sox still can get a top tier closer and another bat. I was looking at the box scores from the 2000 ALDS. I think adding a bat might be wise, and I'm with you about adding a closer, moving all the bullpen down a spot. In that 2000 series the Sox scored 7 runs in 3 games. They scored 4 in the first 2 innings of the series, all against Mr. Freddy Garcia. Lee,Thomas,Konerko, and Ordonez combined to go 3-40 in that series. The 2 guys still on the team, Thomas and Konerko were a combined 0-18.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 17, 2005 -> 11:11 AM) That was as close to an infield single as Thomas will get all season. It pretty ironic that with the White Sox emphasizing speed they have, with Thomas, Konerko and AJ, maybe the 3 slowest players in the league.

Buster Olney was on ESPN and claimed the Sox were still in it for Burnett, and Florida is insisting they take Lowell. He said the Sox could absorb some money and spin either Lowell or Crede somewhere else. A lot of teams are looking for thirdbaseman. He also mentioned Wagner and the Sox in the same sentence. Said this is the White Sox "window of opportunity" and that they will do whatever it takes.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 04:44 PM) I still say this makes no sense...if a guy's almost about to be traded, you're fine to pitch him unless he's actually already gone. Until a guy is traded there's no reason not to use him. Hell, you might as well get the innings out of a guy if you've still got him. You would use him only if you absolutely have to. The Sox had a lot of options in the ninth. Even the most minor of injuries could negate a deal. Plus if there's a deal on the table, the other team isn't going to appreciate you running a guy who is, for all intents and purposes their's, out to the mound.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 04:37 PM) I saw the same segment, and Olney made it sound like the Marlins will only trade AJB if the team will take Lowell also. Lowell is due 25 million over the next 3 years. It's time for KW to walk away from the table, and quick. The Marlins seem to be asking for a ton for someone who's proven nothing. You could make a case that Contreras has outperformed Burnett this season. To take on Lowell too would be silly.

I really think if there was anything imminent, Ozzie would have known, and Shingo wouldn't have pitched today.

With the Bulls horrid start and how they wound up with homecourt in the first round of the playoffs, and playing a lot of the season without Curry and Deng, I think barring injury they are a lock for the playoffs.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 02:44 PM) The thing is, I have no problem pitching Shingo when he was in there. I just didn't understand bringing in Viz instead of Politte or Hermanson. Have we found out if it's Elarton or Lee tomorrow? They said Elarton on Fox.

The Sox just wanted to pad their record in 2 runs or less games.

QUOTE(Yoda @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 02:19 PM) There's Shingo pitching against the Tribe who completely own his ass. This is definitely his last day with the Sox. You just don't put a guy who's been owned by such a team like the Indians. They put him in on opening day in a 1-0 game.

Shingo has also really struggled against Cleveland.

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 11:55 AM) I love Ozzie putting the pressure on the Indians. If he doesn't call for the steal, it's still 0-0. Dye might have done that on his own. Sometimes when you're thrown at you have an urgency to get back at the pitcher.

Hopefully the Sox will be able to take batting practice against him when the Yankees come to town in August.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 03:50 AM) After Quentin and Jackson, here are the D-Backs next 3 top prospects FWIW, splits and John Sickels pieces as shown; Zeringue - .260/.301/.356, 52 K's, 13 BB's Santos - .241/.301/.420, 67 K's, 26 BB's Kroeger - .274/.332/.458, 65 K's, 24 BB's My guess is that if it's going to be anyone of those 3, it'll be Mr. Santos, since if the Sox decide to keep the prospect, they'll want an infielder over an outfielder. I was reading my Baseball Prospectus, and Santos is supposed to be horrible defensively. They actually liked his bat, but said he would have to make a position change.

QUOTE(Soxnbears01 @ Jul 16, 2005 -> 08:24 AM) shingo really is a waste of a spot in the bullpen. When he's struggling, which he has been this season, he's useless. We don't need 2 mop up guys (vizcy and shingo). Yes, this might ruin the chemistry with gooch, but i'm willing to take that chance if you can up the bullpen I disagree. Since the end of May Shingo has been pretty darn good. The only run he allowed in June was a homer in Colorado. He has given up some runs this month, but only when he was stretched beyond 1 inning, which was the time he gave up runs last year, and when some bizarre occurances happened in the field. He still gets over a strikeout an inning. Shingo, used 1 inning at a time, is still a pretty good pitcher. I know KW is going for the kill that's why I think if this trade occurs, its just a prelude to acquiring someone else. I will be dissappointed if its just simply picking Bobby Jenks over Shingo.

I would hate to lose Shingo. This guy is rounding into form and the White Sox are going for a championship. There has to be another deal lined up where the Sox are going to be getting bullpen help, or this trade makes Mr. Zero sense. I just have a feeling Billy Wagner or Eddie Guardado will be wearing a White Sox uniform in the next couple of weeks with Hermanson sliding into a mostly set-up, sometimes closer role. Doesn't Shingo have a no-trade?

Wasn't there a wedding at the Saturday Dodger game last month? Is this an old story? At that Dodger game they were sitting in the club level down the left field line with a huge Just Married banner, and the Sun Times the next day had a story about JR officiating it. Its 10k to get married, and if you get a pre game party as your reception you probably save money in the long run. I wouldn't have had the balls to even ask my wife if she would consider this though.

Tony G. is a butcher in the field. If you don't like Ozuna playing 3B, you're not going to like Tony's work there.