Dick Allen

Brantley said on Sportscenter today he thinks the pitching staff can keep up its stellar performance. The windsock also got Hermanson's first name right for the first time ever, but referred to the player acquired from Seattle last year for Reed, Morse and Olivo as Freddy Guzman.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Jun 22, 2005 -> 03:34 PM) Getting a #1, #2 SP is far easier said than done. And not worth the price IMO. I think the sox would be hard pressed to find a SP out there who could better what Mark, Jon, Freddy and Jose can do. Plus, if El Duque can pitch, a 5th starter type could go to the bullpen. I know it is. KW has to be prepared to overpay. I have no faith in El Duque being healthy. He rested his arm the last month and a half of last season, and the winter, and lasted a third of a season. He then sits a couple of weeks and gets lit up 2 or 3 times, and his arm is tired again. Its not going to all of a sudden stop getting tired. This is probably the White Sox best opportunity to win a lot more than a division title in a long time. The money is supposedly there. They bring in a frontline starter, and they become the odds on favorites to win the World Series. Even ESPN personalities would have to jump on the bandwagon.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Jun 22, 2005 -> 03:25 PM) Where's Cory Lidle these days? That's another guy KW's loved. Maybe he doesn't see the point in trading for a Superstar pitcher. I don't see it. We just would need someone to help finish up the season and I think El Duque could get that done. He gets a #1 or #2 type starter, the Sox would be the most feared team in baseball, plus if they continue to build this lead in the division he could rest guys the second half. I'm not sold on El Duque in the playoffs. He's hurt, and I really don't think he's going to be in much better shape for the playoffs.

I sure hope KW is aiming a little higher than Ted Lilly.

I wonder if Brantley thinks "Chad" Hermanson belongs on the team.

I'd like the 3 or 4 Sox pitchers to make the All Star team. I'd also like to see them ride pine the whole game, so they get a little rest for the second half.

QUOTE(knightni @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 07:54 PM) He was a Rule 5 draft selection. Was last year his rule 5 year? No, its this year. I think they eventually want to make him a starter.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 07:53 PM) If they want him sent down, he goes back to the cubs right? He's not going down. Have you seen his numbers? Except for a couple outings against the Sox, the guy has been absolutely dominating.

QUOTE(knightni @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 07:52 PM) Sisco could get sent back to the Cubs. I can assure you he won't be going back to the Cubs. The Royals love him.

QUOTE(Leonard Zelig @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 07:03 PM) I thought I saw Peter Gammons in the stands, anybody else see him? He's a handsome man.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 06:59 PM) Matt Stairs is always dangerous. It seems like he's always working the count. I remember last year when the Royals signed Stairs. There were people on this board freaking out at how the Royals would be so much better than the White Sox with his acquisition.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 05:10 PM) I can't tell if that was sarcasm or not. They showed Uribe on the bench last night, and he looked enormous. Uribe also seems a step slower on the bases this year compared to last year (as does Rowand). He looks thick, but trust me he isn't fat. I stood next to him in street clothes the other night. His gut is flat and solid.

Shingo has been pretty good lately. I think BMac is going to be seeing some more of Charlotte.

The fact of the matter was El Duque rested the last month or so of last season, and the off season and lasted about a third of the season before his shoulder tired again. How long a rest would be required for him to finish the season and be able to pitch in the playoffs? I would think at least 2 months. August is going to be a tough month schedule-wise. I think BMac could very well be the man, but I'd give him a very short leash, and if he can't get the job done, I would overpay if I had to for a stud starter, and take my chances.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 12:14 PM) you are using one game as an argument for keeping a player? Your arguments are much better than that, Dick. Buehrle rarely has bombed in a White Sox uniform. No I'm not. I'm pointing out that just because the team didn't win with Carlos it is an obnoxious argument that it was time to cut bait. He was a very productive hitter during his stay with the Sox and I was pointing to an example of a 1-0 game where he had an impact when it was implied he never had an impact in that kind of situation. As I pointed out a couple of times, the key to this trade was money. If SP and LV combined made the same amount a CL, I don't think there would have been a chance in hell KW made the deal. Pods has played well, better than I expected. The others with whom the money freed up were acquired have been key performers. The total scope of the trade has worked out well for the Sox. My argument was if there was no money concern, ie. they would have still been able to bring in El Duque, Iguchi, and AJ, I would much prefer Carlos to Scott and Vizcaino.

QUOTE(thomsonmi @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 12:07 PM) Why do we keep having this argument? The salary room freed up is what made this trade. You don't have to agree with the self-induced salary cap that the White Sox live under but that's what KW has to deal with and by making this trade he was able to get AJ, El Duque, and Iguchi. Does anyone really object to CLee for Pods, Vizcaino, AJ, El Duque, and Iguchi? Let me state as clearly as possible no tradey Carlos Lee, than no signee AJ, El Duque, and Iguchi. This was a brilliant move by KW and in retrospect its even smarter than I thought it was at the time. My original post stated the best thing about the trade was the money being freed. I mentioned if money was no object, I'd rather have Carlos than Pods and LV.

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 12:07 PM) Can you blame ESPN? I mean, across the board, they all thought the Sox would suck this year. The Sox being the best team in baseball is kind of a threat to their status as "experts". Their status as "experts" couldn't be more clear.

Injuries.

He could have counted the teams on one hand who would have been interested in Joe Torre when the Yankees hired him and only needed his thumb. Now all the ESPN guys would line up to top him off. I don't understand the almost across the board White Sox bashing from ESPN related guys especially. They are making themselves look very petty and dumb so far this season.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 11:06 AM) I'm just going to reference you these brilliant words of Y2HH. Truer words have never been spoken: "We are winning -- WITHOUT Lee. Not to mention we HAD Lee and for three consecutive years we BOMBED. I recall frequent miscues by Lee, spurts of total lazyness, dumb outfield plays and then ultra-hot-streaks where he'd hit multiple home runs and drive in 6 RBI's in a game...when we were already winning that game 10-0. I never recall Lee helping us a lick when we were down 1-0, though. How many times has Pods changed the face of a game just by getting on when we were down 1-0?!" You obviously don't remember the 4th of July game at the Urinal last season when the Sox were losing 1-0 in the top of the ninth when CLee hit one into the bleachers. We also HAD Konerko and we HAD Buerhle and a lot of guys from the team when they bombed that are now on a successful team.

QUOTE(nvxplorer @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 11:42 AM) I'd like to remind the Lee backers that the Sox are third in the AL in homeruns. Only the Orioles and Rangers have more, and Frank missed the first two months of the season. Good teams need balance. The Sox have plenty of power. What they needed was speed. Pods not only has speed, he has Lou Brock speed. Even without the salary implications, the trade was wise. Power slumps. Speed never slumps. The balance argument coming from last year has been blown way out of proportion. The White Sox struggled last year because their 3rd and 4th place hitters, both among the top hitters in baseball, missed a lot of time with injury, and they were replaced with Joe Borchard, and an injured and way out of shape Carl Everett. That's hard to overcome. The fact of the matter is the Sox have been winning games this year with home runs as well. Pods has a lot of SB, but he has 9 CS and a couple of pick offs. Carlos has 8 SB for Milwaukee and 27 more extra base hits than Scott.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 21, 2005 -> 10:53 AM) I would be willing to bet that the Cubs season ticket base is double the Sox. No hard evidence, just a hunch. There's actually a waiting list on Cubs' season tickets

Carlos is having a huge season and is a far superior offensive baseball player than Pods. Defensively, Pods is better, but he's not exactly a Gold Glove left fielder either. I personally think the most positive thing about that trade was the money it freed up to acquire other players. If the money was no object, call me crazy call me dumb, but I would take CLee over Pods and Vizcaino as well.

What type of neighborhood do the Royals play in? The Sox have outdrawn them for years.

If KW trades for a starter, I doubt it would be a #5 type of guy. If I were in charge, I'd give BMac another opportunity, despite his bad location, he was very close to wiggling out of trouble last night. I think if a starter is acquired, it will be a front-line guy to help propel this team to the World Series.