Dick Allen

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 9, 2018 -> 09:05 AM) Naming the exceptions to the rule doesn't invalidate the rule. If you're going to list all the pitchers that DIPS got wrong, put them next to the massively larger list of pitchers DIPS got right. No one has ever claimed that it works 100% of the time. It is a fact that it works most of the time. That is why it makes sense to target DIPS anomalies like Soria. I will bet Soria's ERA, K-rate, FIP and x-FIP are all higher in 2018 than they were in 2017. If they are not I will apologize for ever questioning peripherals permanently at the bottom of my posts, if you will put at the bottom of your posts that Greg and Dick were correct if that does occur. How bout dat?

Oprah has made a lot out of her life, and obviously has some power. But I think we all would be better served if she put her power behind an actual candidate rather than continue reality TV in the White House. Besides, why would she need the headache, not only of campaigning, but of actually being POTUS if she won?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 9, 2018 -> 08:37 AM) I can't think of a better symbol of the death of an empire than the stupid wall To Pay for Wall, Trump Would Cut Proven Border Security Measures Mexico is paying for the wall. Believe me. I am sure they are just waiting for them to wire the money.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 9, 2018 -> 06:49 AM) Since you seem to think Soria sucks so much, what are you basing this opinion on? Clearly you didn’t watch him enough to form this opinion through the “eye test”, so I’m curious to hear what qualitative data you’re using to come to this conclusion. I have seen him pitch and have seen his numbers and have followed him a bit. He used to be a stud. 2 TJS later, not so much. He isn't good, and really no one whose job depends on them being correct thinks he's good. It's why they throw in a reliever who actually is halfway decent as part of the eating the contract part. Plus, he's going to be 34. Again, I will write this because some people actually think the argument is the trade was bad. It wasn't. He is. What are posters basing he will be worth even more than he was now at the deadline? Past performance does enter the equation. It's been a while since Soria was elite.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jan 8, 2018 -> 11:45 PM) Thanks. I thought it only logical to inform everybody what the peeps in KC were saying about finally getting rid of Soria. If the stats don't prove me right, fine, but I do think it's significant the guy blew 7 saves. It makes the home fans believe he's worthless and he's definitely the scapegoat in KC. Again if the stats don't back me up, whatever. My eye test told me Fathom could line doubles off Joaquim Soria last season. Peripherals lie just like the eye test. It is hard for some to believe it but it's true. Look at the peripherals, Javy Vazquez was a far superior major league pitcher to Mark Buerhle . I don't know why people defend these peripheral kings to the death when you say they suck. Who is invested in Joakim Soria. I got the same crap you are getting a few years ago when the White Sox signed a pitcher from KC who I said sucked, but evidently the peripherals didn't agree, therefore I was a stooge. Felipe Paulino, how you doin? Zach Duke, same thing. Luckily for White Sox fans, Soria's stay will be closer in length to Paulino..

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 8, 2018 -> 11:11 AM) Early Nov. - Trump removes protections for 2,500 Nicaraguans in U.S. for decades Late Nov. - Trump removes protections for 60,000 Haitians Now - Trump orders nearly 200,000 Salvadorans out. He's consensual.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 8, 2018 -> 11:08 AM) At the very least he should have been in the tent for tests. He had all the symptoms - hard hit, head contact on the ground, clearly struggling to get off the field/walk straight. He did go in the tent.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jan 8, 2018 -> 11:01 AM) Love it especially considering Andy Reid's coaching tree. Top 3 on my list. He loved MT10. And Andy Reid's guys usually turn out pretty well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 8, 2018 -> 10:06 AM) Oh and I forgot to mention this yesterday but Cam Newton had no business being back in that game at the end without passing concussion protocol. Dude couldn't even walk straight while heading off the field, fell down, and they attributed it to his mask. Probably in the protocol he should have had to have gone to the locker room, but as someone who has been grazed right above the eye in a basketball league, I had the exact same response. I actually was cut and needed some stitches, but initially I kind of walked away from it thinking I was injured but OK, then staggered, and knelt down. Then I was fine in a few seconds except for the bleeding in my case. Being concussed didn't even come to mind.

The Lakers must have had Lonzo rated head and shoulders above everyone else to put up with his dad. I just wonder if he ever does get that good how bad the dad is going to get. Personally, I would have left that headache to someone else.

To be fair, Chris Berman did a piece today on the Bills being in the playoffs and all that has happened since their last appearance. The White Sox winning the WS made his list.

I Tonya was a lot better than I was expecting. It had a bit of everything, times you wouldn't feel sorry for her. Times when you think most of her problems weren't her fault, and a lot of laughs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 6, 2018 -> 10:48 AM) The Kardashians, Honey Boo Boo and Paris Hilton have to qualify as well...going by this new standard of reality television success. Shouldn’t it actually be Mark Burnett, due to multiple successes like The Apprentice, Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank? Trump is the People’s Choice Awards of geniuses. He can’t even recall running for president in 2000. Should have gone with JFNJr’s A Beautiful Mind, instead. Heck, Mr. Ed was a more “stable” genius! Bankruptcy = 6 times Trump University =Failed Trump Airlines = Failed Trump Steaks = Failed GoTrump.com = Failed Trump Vodka = Failed Trump Mortgage = Failed Trump the Game = Laughably Failed Trump Magazine = Failed Trump Ice = Failed The New Jersey Generals Football Team = Failed Tour De Trump = Failed Trump on the Ocean Resorts = Failed The Trump Network = Failed Trumped! Radio Network = Failed Trump New Media = Failed Trump hiding his real height from doctors so BMI can’t declare him obese = Succeeded Making Bush2 look like a genius = Succeeded Bankrupting numerous casinos = Genius Trump Water = moderate success (probably created to avoid poisoning by wives) The shocking thing is when he throat was dry and his dentures were falling out, when he reached for a water, it wasn't Trump, but imported Fiji. MAGA.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 6, 2018 -> 10:37 AM) If belicheck leaves the pats for the giants and we don’t even call I’m going to lose it. They wouldn't call. Pace, Phillips and George would have to give him full control. It wouldn't happen.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 6, 2018 -> 08:14 AM) The president is, like, really smart I have actually mocked that a few times in this thread. But it is at least 5 times now I have heard or read him using those exact words.

If the plan for KC was to free up cash for Hosmer, Dayton Moore has either lost his mind or they are satisfied with their run and will be going to the old Cubs method of fielding a crappy team but keeping a fan favorite around . They weren't good enough with Hosmer, Cain, and Moustakas. How do they make their bullpen even worse and bring back one of these guys and think they have a shot? The sad reality is even if you get to the WS 2 years in a row, the small market teams can't keep their players. Sustained success is big boy only. One thing I guess Hahn mentioned in his conference call several times is that they expect Nate Jones to be good to go when the season starts.

The Sox have 12 OF on their 40 man. As soon as teams sign some more guys, outrighting a few of them will be pretty easy. I still don't know why a couple of them hav survived as long as they have survived.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 04:32 PM) If the White Sox took on the full salaries of both Kazmir and McCarthy, that would be just under $30 million for 2018. Let me put it this way.... for $26 million, the White Sox got Luis Robert. It would have to be a pretty big return. Teams aren't going to give you the elite prospects for taking these guys and even if they did it would be less money in the bank to go after Machado if that is a real possibility at this point.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 03:09 PM) The only issue I have with what you said is that the peripheral argument is weak, because you're not providing any evidence for that claim. You're saying that Soria must suck, otherwise the Royals wouldn't have traded him for so little. That might be true, but that doesn't invalidate evidence to the contrary. As I said, he was replacement level in 2016, his next worse season was 2015, trending downward, then 2017 age 33 season highest WAR in 7 years, best k-rate for a full season in 8 years. Age 34 projections have him very similar to 2016, replacement level. He gave up 1 homer last year. Previously HR had become a problem. That could rear it's ugly head in his new home park. If the White Sox were actually trying to win, the optimism wouldn't be so great, despite all these peripherals. We can all argue until the cows come home. I wouldn't want Soria on the mound if it was a game the White Sox had to win. And a lot would have to happen for that opinion to change.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 02:43 PM) People tend to disagree when someone says something that is clearly contrary to the most recent available evidence. See, I don't see the evidence. His advanced stats were the worst of his career in 2016, just beating out his 2015. Last year they rebounded a bit as he kept the ball in the park, and suspiciously threw the ball harder during his age 33 season. His age 34 season projections seem to take him more toward the replacement level pitcher he was in 2016. Replacement level 34 year olds aren't too flippable.

QUOTE (Tony @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 02:32 PM) There are not 30 teams looking for a 33 year old RP making 8 million. That's false. You're arguing a small point made on this board because....well it's what you've done here for the last decade. If Soria is pitching well in July, the Sox could absolutely flip him to a team for a prospect better than Peter. The Sox could also throw money into the deal to sweeten the pot. If Soria sucks.....then he sucks and the Sox lost Jake Peter for him. Oh well. Right, I have no problem with the trade, but a lot of people got their panties in a bunch when Greg called a spade a spade and said Soria isn't so good. So talk about arguing a small point just because. I doubt anyone will give him credit when he turns out to be correct. It will just be of course he wasn't any good, that wasn't the point of the deal...

QUOTE (2005thxfrthmmrs @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 02:19 PM) No. They’re trying to shred payroll and re-sign Hosmer. Paying $10 mil for a setup man does not work for their payroll. Soria isn’t the best reliever, but I can name 200 relievers who “sucked” more than Soria in 2017. Yes, but relievers are valuable and there are 30 teams looking for them. If he is a good bet to be well worth his money why did KC have to include one of their better relievers with him, and pay some money? It's pretty obvious not many teams think very highly of the guy.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 02:02 PM) Just to be clear, the argument you're making is "Soria can't be good because if he was, the Royals wouldn't have traded him." The argument you're NOT making is "Soria is bad as evidenced by his peripherals." No. Teams trade good players all the time. They don't include good players and money for basically junk prospects if these players are as valued as some want to believe. I have no problem with the trade. I think it's a no brainer. I just think all the Soria optimism is misguided. The guy sucks. It's the reason why this trade was available to the White Sox.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 01:25 PM) Exactly! I was kind of kidding about that part, but it's ridiculous the guy was able to play at all once the complaints were filed. If he sucked, he would have been given the heave ho long ago. Every school does it. The Illini did it with Jamar Smith years ago. I don't think he actually played anymore for them, but that was only because he messed up again while suspended and on probation.

QUOTE (wrathofhahn @ Jan 5, 2018 -> 01:39 PM) Happens all the time teams are looking to cut salary of players inorder to direct resources to other needs or in the KC Royals case appear to sign a FA and get the numbers in budget. In any case I don't think with the cash considerations anyone thinks he is overpaid so why worry? It's a lottery ticket I feel some people are carrying on the conversation just for the sake of it. Noone is saying his peripherals are some guarantee he bounces back next year either all we are saying is it makes it worth the risk. Besides he wasn't even bad last year. Examples? If Soria was thought of as highly around MLB as he is on this board, not only would the Royals have been able to trade him and not eat money, they wouldn't have had to include a valuable piece with him. They had to do both.