Dick Allen

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:46 AM) I would think one the worst organizations in baseball would be ecstatic to make it to the World Series. Not if they lost. Regardless of what you want to say about the White Sox FO personnel acumen, they really don't like to lose, even if it swells the bank account.

QUOTE (coco1997 @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:41 AM) One thing I noticed about the bobbleheads this year is that, unlike in previous seasons, most of them were not announced prior to the start of the season, which is frustrating because I usually plan my schedule around the bobblehead giveaway games. With the exception of the Sale K Counter bobblehead, I'm pretty sure the superhero Lawrie, Jedi Southpaw and Scottie Pippen bobbleheads were only recently announced. The promo schedule on the Sox website hasn't even been updated to show the Pippen bobblehead which is a giveaway on 9/14. But I agree, the giveaways have been pretty great. I have a friend whose brother interned with the Sox this season and as a perk received two of every giveaway, so he hooked me up with the pullover BP jersey and the '76 replica jersey. A little annoying that the '76 jersey came in just M and XL, though. I'm an awkward size between a medium and a large so the medium is a little snug. I gave the 76 jersey to my 14 year old nephew who is 6'4" and built like Chris Sale if Sale didn't eat in a week. Really skinny. The XL barely fit him.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:37 AM) so if they would be less than ecstatic to lose the WS, what would they be to have the fourth-worst record in baseball from 2013-2016? You really think the White Sox are happy with where they are at? And could you imagine if they were jumping up and down with joy if the made the WS and lost, how that would go over? Would you be happy if they made the WS and lost?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:25 AM) So now you're assuming his season would have unfolded exactly the same way under Herm Schneider? How can you know that? Why didn't the Dodgers when they did his physical? At any rate, you're much more entertaining when you point out how terrible Danny Duffy is or how Brandon Finnegan should be banished to the bullpen (with a similar stat line to Carlos Rodon), so of course he gives up zero runs in his last start and Duffy's another month away from pushing into the Cy Young Top 5. Greg-like. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb...cided/88642126/ The Reds are the ones thinking Finnegan to the bullpen. He had a nice game against the tough SD line up, buthis numbers are still garbage. Duffy is doing well, but advanced stats would indicate he's been pretty lucky. BAA not very impressive. High strand rate. It's amazing you would bash Greg, one of the very few who buy anything you post. But while you are bashing others , just remember what you wrote, Frankie Montas would have been very helpful this season had the White Sox not traded him. That's one of the more ridiculous things you have written. And there have been more than 100 real doozies. The Finnegan/Rodon comparison is gold just don't look at their WARs.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:17 AM) the owners of the team would be ecstatic to lose the world series: they'd be making a ton of dough. I don't think anyone is ecstatic to lose the WS.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 10:20 AM) The way I see it is that the front office is always highly collaborative. There is usually a single person—typically, but not always, the GM—who leads the front office and makes the final call and when quick decisions are necessary, the leader makes them perhaps without consultation of others. But there are many people who have a lot of input. Your GM will not make many good draft picks or international signings without good scouting advice. Once the advice is there, the GM has to sift through it, make risk calculations, etc. But even then, there are other members of the front office like the assistant GM who will play a role in the weighing of risks and benefits. Lots of teams seem to have a "money man" who will play a large role in deciding whether a move is financially prudent. The GM gets the glory and the blame, but both glory and blame may in many cases be an organizational rather than individual failure. Another thing about collaborative work like this is that some try to work towards consensus. Not always in the sense that the final decision is the one each individual would make if he or she were in charge, but that everyone involved contributed and doesn't outright oppose the final decision. So my question has been whether the big picture decisions for the White Sox are really being decided in much of a different way than before Hahn and Kenny were promoted. Beforehand, Hahn could have pushed against Kenny and/or Reinsdorf at times but it wouldn't have been news to anyone because who cares what Assistant GM thinks. But if the decisionmaking structure is unchanged but the people in it have new titles, does it now matter? Of course, maybe the structure has changed and Hahn has much more of a say than in the past. He certainly is taking on some tasks that Kenny did previously, but it's unknown to us if those are really the major decisions or not. I think he has more of a say. He is the one doing most of the communication with other GMs, agents. How much more remains to be seen. It has been reported how his ideas have been rejected, but are they every idea? I doubt it. I'd venture to guess the Sox have done something the last few years that Hahn really wanted and KW and JR weren't so sure.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 09:40 AM) Not to mention getting there once and coming up short can often serve as a springboard to even more success the following season...just like teams who win can become complacent and rest on their laurels just as easily. Often? 4 times in the last 50 years has the loser of the WS made it to the WS the next year and won. And except for last year's Royals, the other 3 were so complacent and rested on their laurels after then winning, they made it to the WS the year after that.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 09:58 AM) Hahn should get a prize for selling damaged goods? It's not like Frazier has led us to the playoffs. Marcus Semien has put up similar numbers at a tougher position for a fraction of the cost. And it's not even 100% a sure thing we will offer him a QO after next season if he hits below .200. You said Montas would have been very helpful. You love to make stuff up. He probably can't even help carry equipment. Semien was a trade that had to be made. Your words. Just clarify how Montas would have been helpful this year. The answer isn't Marcus Semien or Ubaldo Jimenez or Gordon Beckham or Robin Ventura is a HOF manager. You just blasted KW for mentioning a couple of bullpen pieces that got hurt. Now you are saying a guy who has been hurt all year would have been very helpful if they had not traded him. Make sense of it.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 09:46 AM) The 2012 team found a way around that problem by bringing up 10+ rookies. Needless to say, this year's rookie class has come up woefully short and/or has failed to gain the trust of Ventura. We've gone a full year and still haven't produced one reliable pen arm, with the possible exception of Burdi. Duke, Jennings, Ynoa, Kahnle, Putnam, Turner, Ranaudo, etc., all came from other organizations. Danish, Beck and Fulmer all have struggled mightily. Montas would have been very helpful there. Montas would have helped a ton this year. What idiots for getting rid of him. He's had an unbelievable year.

If Rick Hahn is what many want to make him, no power, always gets kyboshed on any idea. Just does as he's told and spins KW's and JR's bad decisions to the media, he isn't nearly as bright and talented as he is made out to be. That's why I think, while I am sure they do not agree any everything, they do not disagree on everything as well. So however you want to make it, all 3 deserve equal blame. If Hahn really has no say so, or very little he has no backbone and should leave his job immediately.

https://suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com/2...w=670&h=521 Maybe he just doesn't want to watch, but I'm thinking Shields shouldn't be looking away as he is releasing the ball. Perhaps maybe it is part of his command problems.

If some HS pitcher was mowing zit faced kids who will never be drafted, down like this, he would definitely be noticed. The fact that is guy is doing it to professionals, albeit low level pros, adds to the intrigue. It will be interesting to watch him develop or not develop. Right now the pick is looking pretty genius.

Sox score 3 in the first, then they remembered Q was pitchings, so only 1 more run. Shuck made a couple of really great catches, or it could have been a different story. Nice job by Q though. It is amazing how consistently good he is, and with such little fanfare.

Lawrie is actually a couple months younger than Saladino. It is probably a given that at some point he will land on the DL every year, but he has some power and plays so hard. I hope they keep him around for a while

At least they didn't waste a gem. 2 hits,

QUOTE (GhostofDickeyKerr @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 09:26 PM) Glad you're arguing the important points, as per usual. Solid post. Post more often.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 09:02 PM) Okay Lawrence Halomes Barojas. There is a difference between a typo and not getting names right. Especially when you find it inexcusable for others to get names wrong.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:54 PM) Except for Erik Johnson, yeah. Hahn went into desperation mode because of the early hot start. Danks would probably be putting up the same numbers and quietly exiting if they went out 10-23, or even retired before the end of the season. If you add Javy Guerra, Ian Desmond and a decent veteran reliever and part time catcher to this roster, it's a very competitive team. Why they have stuck with Matt Albers this long after running off Danks, Latos and Rollins is completely beyond me. It is Junior Guerra. For someone who still give KW crap for Berry/Barry you would think you would be better with names. He is also on the DL

Preller is awesome. He is paying Shields more than Hahn.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:48 PM) That makes zero sense when Schneider has led MLB training staffs in recent years in terms of avoiding DL stints. If injuries to guys like Coats, Kevan Smith, Tilson, Avi Garcia, Lawrie, Petricka and Putnam are lethal...you just have zero quality depth. Gonzalez and Rodon, same thing. If anything, the Austin Jackson injury hurt the most because that forced a lousy bat AND defender into the lineup. Avila simply exposed Navarro. Every contending team in the AL Central has gone through worse. Even the Tigers lost JD Martinez for almost three months. And if the team actually had anything to play for, you wouldn't see so many guys missing time imo. You just mentioned 11injuries It is a huge number on a team that is banking on leading the league in healh, and have zero depth.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:42 PM) and a pen costing them games......... Petricka and Putnam being hurt didn't help. And if they were contending they probably pick up a guy like Rodney during the season. But I do agree, a stellar pen is key to winning.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:39 PM) I have outfield seats for Shields next start vs Seattle. Should be interesting Bring a mitt. They are coming out there pretty quickly.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:35 PM) They both are god awful Maybe. KW at least won once. You would think the law of averages would catch up to the Sox at some point. Something has to work out. But they do need to be all in if they are going for it. The hoping 3 or 4 bargains work out, nobody gets hurt, and everyone else has a big year hope needs to end, and something more realistic needs to take its placeThe injuries hurt them and I know some teams are missing better players but the Sox have no depth so their injuries result in guys who should hardly ever play getting a lot of play.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:31 PM) So bottom five is good enough? Who said that? But calling them the most inept is hyperbole.would you trade Hahn and kW for Stewart and LaRussa?

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 19, 2016 -> 08:30 PM) Did he? Who f***ing cares? Releasimg him does nothing. You just have to hope he shows up in AZ next spring with better command, and he could maybe be decent.