Dick Allen

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 08:35 AM) Buying 2 years of free agency on Sale isn't much of an extension in my opinion. Are you kidding me? Ian Kennedy gets $70 million. What do you think Chris Sale would get?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 08:23 AM) Okay. The jumbotron there is absurd. And the White Sox one os bigger than that one. What is interesting is where these things are going to go. I believe at the time the White Sox installed the video board in CF in 2003, it was one of the biggest in the league. There is probably a decent chance in 10 years some will be complaining about the boards being installed now.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 07:28 AM) Look at Harper's age now, the year 2018 and when Trout will become a free agent (after 2020)...it's going to be closer to 12-13 years than 16 imo. And there's no telling how much wear and tear he will have on his body at that point. One of the other key notes is never to give a pitcher a long-term extension in general, and not until they're one year away from free agency to mitigate against injury risk. Sox f***ed up giving Sale and Q long term extensions.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 08:06 AM) He's unlikely to average $16 million per year for a two or three year pact, that's pushing it. The questioning was on why not to take one year at $15.8 million and then go back into a slim FA class next year. Put up huge numbers as a complementary piece in that more experienced offense in 2016 and it will make you look better than you really are in actuality. He will be lucky to average $12 million. The fact is, if someone offered him what you are suggesting, he wouldn't still be out there.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 08:11 AM) Did you go to Wrigley at all last year? No.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 07:37 AM) I know some people are angry about the direction that this offseason went but as someone who goes to a ton of games, these boards are going to be awesome The boards really were no big deal to me, but I admit, I am excited to see these in action. The Soldier Field boards are really nice, and a huge upgrade. The boards they had before were like watching standard def on a high def TV with it all stretched out. One problem with the Soldier Field boards, the ads still took up most of the board space most of the time, but when they took them down for a reply it was fantastic. That said, I don't think the boards will attract anyone to the game. It will enhance the game experience.

I wouldn't be shocked if they don't do something before Soxfest, but will be shocked if they don't do something before Opening Day. I am sure they have wanted to do something just as much as anyone on this board, but in the end it didn't make sense for them. We all, myself included, have no problem spending someone else's money, but we all make the same types of decisions in our lives when buying things. Sometimes the cost doesn't justify the purchase.

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 07:52 AM) It's too bad GarPax blew up Niko's appendix. What? I think what is shows is the Bulls roster is full of guys who keep getting hurt. The theory that they kept getting hurt because Thibs played them too much was garbage, and now it shows.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 28, 2016 -> 07:22 AM) What's the highest salary you would have the White Sox pay him for one, two and three years? Would you stop at three or go to four? How close would you be willing to go to $68-72 million? I'd wouldn't give him what the Royals gave Ian Kennedy, even though he's a better player. It isn't my money being spent so I really don't care what they give him, but I really doubt he averages anywhere near $15 million a year. If they are saying he should have taken the QO, his offers must be significantly lower than that.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 06:11 PM) Fowler is not worth what becomes a late first round draft pick. If we sign him and lose the pic then keeping the Shark and offering him arbitration was just a waste of time. We should of just traded him at the deadline and picked up prospects. Its one thing to lose this pic for an Upton or Gordon. Its another thing to lose it for 2nd and 3rd tier guys. 3 of the last 4 years Fowler has put up a better WAR than CarGo. Including CarGo's 40 homer season in 2015.

While he is not a great defender, he still improves the defense. Career .363 OBP, has some pop. Probably the best of what is out there without giving up your top prospects. Definitely improves the team.

Not much of a chance Kennedy will be opting out: $7.5 million in 2016 13.5 million in 2017 16 million in 2018 16.5 million in 2019 16.5 million in 2020

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 02:28 PM) That's nice of him. I continue to hear that MIke Tirico is a world class guy when it comes to helping out people starting up on the career (tirico also mentioned in article). Yeah, just ask the ladies of ESPN.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 10:16 AM) I dont agree with the article on the last place finish but the overall point still stands. It's been an unacceptable offseason so far. If they are going to call it an offseason, I agree. But I don't think that is the case.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 10:02 AM) Please look at Bruce's actual numbers both offensively and defensively in recent years and forget about the brand name/reputation. .226/.294/.434 145 strikeouts. Jay Bruce's numbers, and I agree, the Sox should stay away. Yet on the other hand you seem to ignore Ian Desmond's numbers .233/.290/.384 187 strikeouts I know he plays SS, but you have touted him as a possible OF as well. The biggest concern about Desmond is 3 years in a row his batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage dropped, and his strikeouts rose. Is it not a desirable pattern.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 09:42 AM) We made lots of them for Alexei and Dunn and numerous others throughout the years... http://deadspin.com/ian-desmond-solves-the...scre-1711269609 And he made 8 errors in the first 15 games and played quite well after that...but those two weeks planted the idea in the minds of some fans he was a defensive liability. If anything, you want to have guys like that with something to prove on your team...the old chip on the shoulder often works wonders. Fowler won't have the same edge on the Sox that Jackson and Desmond would bring, trying to reestablish themselves and prove the doubters wrong. So you want a guy with something to prove, but a guy who also supposedly caved under the pressure of turning down $107 million. His defensive liability comes from the fact he makes a lot of bad plays, but apparently makes up for them as well. I think also people look at his offensive decline the last several seasons with an increased strikeout rate, and see a guy who if he came to the White Sox would be switching leagues, and the team hasn't had too much luck with that, at least initially. I advocated signing this guy back before the got Lawrie, and then Frazier. I thought he could move to 3B. But signing him has a couple of issues. First on a multi-year contract, if Anderson is the SS of the future and that starts next season, how would Desmond react to having to change positions for a rookie? Some guys don't go for that. And assuming Lawrie and Frazier work out, where would he play? The OF? He loses a lot of value there. Both Desmond and Jackson were playing for a payday in 2015 probably with the supposed chip on their shoulder you seem to think is important. They both faceplanted. As a buy low, it could make some sense, but using the chip on their shoulder doesn't hold water because if it did, they wouldn't be in the situations they are in.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 09:21 AM) Be sure to walk around the downtown area and relax in the parks. Really cool layout down there. The river section is the main tourist trap, sort of a poor man's navy pier, but still worth walking up and down. There's a visitor/tourist center somewhat close by if you need a jumping off point. Didn't Hawk come from there? There should be a statue. Mercy.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 09:25 AM) Can someone please post the drs and uzr and range factor numbers for Desmond? He was terrible offensively and defensively the first 2-3 months last year but it doesn't fit at all with his career numbers in those two areas. Most of it has been attributed to the stress and pressure of rejecting a 7 year, $107 million contract extension. Not to mention the Nationals have been better judges of offensive talent than the Sox, they can't be totally wrong about a player who spent his entire career there and is still just 30. Why don't you post them? Desmond might be fine, but excuses, except for an injury don't work. Just because someone speculates about it on the internet doesn't make it true. If he couldn't handle turning down $107 million, maybe he shouldn't have turned down $107 million.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 27, 2016 -> 08:34 AM) http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseba...very-incomplete Cbssports writer implores Sox to sign Fowler/Jackson and Desmond. Seems to prefer Garcia/Cabrera platoon in rf to Garcia/LaRoche dh platoon. DH Navarro or Saladino against lefties? Last paragraph seems to be pretty spot on, albeit tough. So they are a last place team, but if they sign Fowler or Desmond they are a contender? LMAO.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 03:46 PM) Some folks scoffed at FS putting him in the Top 30. He's got very good zone judgment and bat to ball feel, plays good defense with a strong arm. Has consistently put up some of the best BB:K rates in the system. Catchers always have a better chance at a NRI to spring training just based on practicality.

He was #3 before Harold. RIP No Neck. My brother's all time favorite.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 03:29 PM) That isn't just who he traded. It is who he passed up to draft less expensive players, and the draft picks they gave up to sign players. It isn't as simple as who they traded away. So another answer for nobody. I will give you they passed on Boras clients, but so did a lot of teams. Other than that, they gave Borchard the biggest bonus of all time at the time. KW fired Duane Shaffer because of his bad drafts. It wasn't bonus money that made them pick Mitchell over Trout. And how many draft picks did they give up to sign players? They gave up one for Dunn, other than that he was the first free agent from another team KW gave more than $20 million. The vast majority of draft picks wind up in a different profession. Some are good, and some you hope can become inventory for trade. I will give you there will be a player or more available at 28 who will be a future all star, and maybe even better than that. What evidence does one have that the White Sox will select him? The better chance is it becomes someone you can trade someday for someone like Fowler. That is essentially what you would be doing anyway.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 03:23 PM) Which is exactly the point. When you give away these guys, you create future holes for the major league team. This is what Kenny did for 10 years. Who did Kenny give away other than Gio who would changed the White Sox fortunes in the slightest? He sold high on a lot more prospects than he did not.

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 03:13 PM) The pick itself is important because we do have to stock the farm with some talent. You never know if some one slides due to some concern and tears it up quick making another player expendable to help for 2017. However for a player like Desmond or Fowler who you could get a little cheaper than normal, I'd be okay with losing it. You would still have 2 picks in the top 50, and it may behoove the Sox to spend some of the money they would have spent on pick #28 internationally, maybe even go over the allotment. I guess technically you can say they would spend it on Fowler, but the alternatives cost money as well.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 03:12 PM) At market price, when there are other options. So no, I am not missing that, I am just able to handle the different considerations for different options for the white sox and come up with conclusions for what's best for the White Sox. You, on the other hand, are solely entertained by taking what you take to be a "board opinion", mash multiple opinions into a single, made-up poster, and push the made-up poster's opinion to an illogical extreme that suits you: the 28th pick is more valuable than Dexter Fowler. No, but the 28th pick + market price and years may be reason to not sign a player that provides just elite OBP to Sox. I have no idea how you get to that conclusion about me. I just think Fowler is worth giving up the 28th pick. That's all. Considering all the trade proposals on this site including Anderson, and some thinking certain players would cost Fulmer, I would be fine giving up the 28th pick for a pretty significant upgrade considering it was an extra pick as it is. It is funny, I defended the Sox not trading Shark last year and mentioned this pick. It wasn't considered nearly as valuable then. If Fowler was signed to a contract last July and the Sox traded Shark for him, I doubt many would say the draft pick was more important than the player.