Dick Allen

QUOTE (skooch @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 11:23 PM) Jay Bruce = 13 HR, 40 RBI, 0.922 OPS, 142 OPS+ as a left-handed bat with 1.5 yrs of control near the trade deadline. I think it might cost quite a bit more. I think he would have been pretty cheap earlier. Now, not only are you paying for his better numbers, you have to figure some regression is coming. I wouldn't mind the Sox picking him up, but this has to be mostly a financial transaction from the Sox point.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 03:31 AM) Please name ONE team that would commit to paying Zach Duke $8 million for the next 1 2/3rd's years. Your what hurts? I think you're seriously overestimating the esteem with which the rest of MLB holds our relievers. Jennings isn't anything special. There are left-handed relievers like him all over baseball, could be the next one is Purke for all we know. Despite Duke being absolutely terrible this past month, he hasn't been pushed ahead of him into 7th and 8th inning high leverage situations. I also distinctly recall on a number of occasions reading on this board that reliever XYZ could/should be flipped for XYZ prospect, and how often has that actually happened to our benefit the last 3-4 years? NOT OFTEN. Sounds too Cubs-like. What has Don Cooper actually done that's so bad? If you want to blame him for Rodon "regressing," that's probably the closest to a direct hit you're going to get on him...because it's pretty obvious he was extracting the maximum he was ever going to get out of the likes of Latos, Gonzalez and Albers. Now they're simply returning to their norms/means. In fact, name all those teams that are highly desirous of Duke and I will start sending out the e-mails to their Assistant GM's right this moment, because we're going to need that $8 million to pay for other needed spare parts to fix this team and keep it from completely sinking out of contention over the month of June. Finally, look at that 2012 roster. How many of those rookie pitchers other than Santiago and Q are still even playing professional baseball? Don Cooper is a miracle worker, I tell you. Surely, he would also be willing to tell you. So Robin Ventura is supposed to consistently win games with these players, but it is unreasonable to think Don Cooper can do much with them because they all suck. Got it.

How does Cooper keep his job? The pitching has been atrocious,

QUOTE (ronkark @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 08:25 PM) classic sox. potential huge inning for us and we get 2, 1 on a gift walk, no big hit. then the latos walk parade continues and it's tied and their guy can settle down. and nice job holding runner mat and nice catch dioner. and i ask agani, why shields tomorrow and not today? get the wins when you can. scherzer tomorrow. even is james is great we may lose. just dumb, Meanwhile Sox 5 Was 2

The Sox have won a higher percentage of Latos' starts than any other starter.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 06:47 PM) Where did you hear this? Channel 2 news sports segment. Straight out of Frazier's mouth.

QUOTE (soxfan49 @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 06:30 PM) Not really sure if this is the spot to post this but I have some family up near Minneapolis and I may go up there July 28-31. It turns out the Sox are in town that weekend. Any idea where the Sox stay when up there? I see they have a nice JW Marriott there. I've always wanted to splurge and maybe catch a few drinks with players in a visiting city after a game http://www.wminneapolishotel.com

Hopefully it's something like Adderal and he drops to 26.

After Shields showed up, Hahn told Frazier, "there is more to come".

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 06:15 PM) I have heard multiple who work with Kaplan talk about him and he's apparently just a genuine awesome person with sources out the ears. He's a homer to special level. I have heard the same thing. But there was no place for that question in the welcome to the White Sox interview.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 05:34 PM) I would be beyond stunned if he opted out of this deal. If he opts out, he will have been awesome.

Kaplan asking Shields if he had any regrets picking SD over the Cubs while he is interviewing him as the newest White Sox. For.The.Love.Of..God.

Ozzie is in the house. They just showed him talking to KW.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 05:07 PM) Could this be another reason why they traded for Shields so soon? Pain coming from the neck to the arm wouldn't concern me so much, could be a sublexation or a pinched nerve, but it kind of alarms me they would take an MRI .

The Sox must have had to add Shields to the roster today or else they could have kept one of the bats just in case for tonight's game.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 02:51 PM) not only that but players are coming to the MLB with less games in the MILB in many cases. The learning in the MILB hasn't occurred. Buddy Bell was mentioning the Latin players who are signed after these showcases, and how they really don't play games. They just train to get signed. After they are signed, many don't know which base to throw or how to run the bases, situational hitting.. any of the nuances of the game most take for granted, because their actual game experience is so limited..

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 02:31 PM) Seems most are happier b****ing about those b****ing... Or even happier b****ing about the people who are b****ing about the b****ing. The fact is, you can tell if the Sox are winning or losing just by who is in a gamethread.

QUOTE (Coach @ Jun 7, 2016 -> 07:55 AM) I know a lot of people may not like what I am posting but Theo Epstein came into the Cubs organization and told everyone he had a 5 year plan. He redeveloped their minor league system much like the Cardinals. How is that working out so far? I have been saying for years the WS should do the same. Why can't the WS develop good players? Maybe it's the minor league coaches. Maybe start there and replace them with better ones. It seems the front office is hell bent on obtaining aging veterans (Dunn, LaRoche, Griffey Jr., Rollins, etc.) to help the cause. How has that worked so far? How many players on the Cubs were really developed by the team? Was Bryant developed? He spend a lot of money and made some astute trades. I believe the only guy Theo actually drafted that is on the Cubs active roster is Bryant. Could you imagine the crap KW, JR, and RH would take if they tanked for 5 years and had 1 draft pick on the roster?

If momentum is so real, how come the Sox had none after they came back and beat the Mets after trailing 4-0, and won the next day in extra innings? E

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 04:13 PM) Based on what? Most evaluators had Appel ranked higher than Bryant going into that draft. Just because it didn't turn out that way doesn't mean that isn't how it was seen at the time. You are evaluating this entirely based on hindsight. I read a couple things where the Astros wanted under slot for later and Bryant was represented by Boras so was not going to be considered, Boras does represent Appel but he had no leverage and signed for under slot. About $1 million IIRC. Edit, $1.45 million under slot. Just a coincidence? I don't think so, and I think it is the same reason they took Aiken instead of Rodon. 62 games 31 homers for Bryant his junior year with the dead aluminum bat. Considering their offense is based almost solely on power, he was right up their alley.

2005 the Imdians payroll was over $30 million less than the White Sox and they had a higher team WAR. Do they get a trophy or something?

The last time a team led the league in cumulative WAR and played in the WS was 2010.results are more important than surplus WAR.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 06:51 PM) Another interesting fact - this is only true if you go to fangraphs, which does have some issue with how it handles strikeouts and perhaps defense at the pitchers' spot. If you go to B-R, Vazquez put up 43.3, Buehrle put up 59, which is right on the edge of HOF-worthy. Then why when people were talking about how disappointing Shark was last year, did you use his fangraphs WAR to point out he pitched as expected and not the 0.2 on BR?

Fun fact for using WAR and money. Javy Vazquez made about $37 million less in his career than Mark Buehrle and had a higher career war.

QUOTE (harkness @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 06:17 PM) This is where I feel Robin doesn't have the ability. His strategic decisions... meh.. some are bad but I don't think it means all that much. What I see are players that in key situations... clench up. I'd like to think that the ability to get players to relax and perform is where they make their impact. Here are my ideas! Play little side games... keep track of the team "Leaders" at getting the runner in from 3rd. Give fun little awards like a case of your favorite beer... Maybe if you win that week you get to pick a players intro music for a game on the homestand. Get to play a nice golf course. Someone has to bring you some Dairy Queen if you win... Do they do s*** like that? I don't know but these guys just look so tense all the time. I don't know if that is really on him either. He is obviously kind of a laid back guy. Other posters want him screaming and publicly humiliating players when they fail. That would make things worse. They were getting the big hits earlier, and got some big hits in KC onky to blow the leads. Ever since then, offense has been a problem. Melky being gone didn't help, but it isn't like that cost them 3 runs a game. I think they will get rolling again, but it is no secret they need another hitter preferably left handed, but anyone that can provide consistent offense would really help. It seems almost every player goes through so many stretches where they have no business grabbing a bat. It is almost as fascinating as frustrating. It seems the team is full of really streaky guys.