Dick Allen

It's too big of task to make non baseball players baseball players. It's not like other sports. Football, basketball, you can get a guy with a ton of talent to be decent in a few years. Baseball, no way. There aren't stories of guys who picked up baseball as 16 year olds and became big league stars.

I was going to post the same as above. If that would be the next Sox great hitter, God help us all.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jan 25, 2016 -> 03:28 PM) So was Charles Woodson. They've actually done a pretty good job when they actually decide to sign free agents. It's just far and few between. I can almost name every free agent that Thompson has signed without having to look it up. They don't count Peppers as a true free agent. Of course the Packers got really good when they signed Reggie White as the type of free agent they don't like to sign anymore.

QUOTE (BigFinn @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 09:50 AM) Welcome aboard, and thanks for your post. Upgrading in the outfield is not just about improving the offense. The White Sox outfield defense was about as bad as I can remember and I go back to the days of Walt Williams, Buddy Bradford, Ken Berry, and Tommy Agee roaming the old barn in 1967. There are no "split stats" on defense. 2008 with Quentin, Griffey and Dye from left to right is about as bad as it can get.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 26, 2016 -> 09:26 AM) Yeah -- all three of those players have very loud flaws. I think the Cubs know it, but honestly I think the reason a deal hasn't been done is that other teams know it, too. I think they've been trying to sell Baez as a premium prospect for years, while the rest of the league sees his value as the median of the superstar outcome and the complete failure outcome. RE: OF -- It's just going to be difficult to excuse the front office if they fail to SOMEHOW make a substantial upgrade over Avi. I think whiffing on all of those free agents was a huge mistake, because that represented several of the most effective options by far, and the prices were downright reasonable. I don't love Fowler either. Jackson is really more of a bounceback candidate than anything. The system is still weak enough that a major trade is going to have real implications on near-term depth, even if Hahn pulls another Frazier/Samardzija-style deal out of his ass. I don't know, I just don't feel great about the remaining options overall. I don't know if the prices were all that reasonable. Cespedes you would probably have to guarantee over $30 million and risk losing him for 1 season. Gordon wasn't leaving KC, and Upton, a guy I wanted, was signed by a team where money is no obstacle. If the Sox offered him 6 years $150 million, you don't really think Illich would have topped that?

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 25, 2016 -> 02:16 PM) Well DA, this is an interesting quote you used of mine I saw that. I have zero idea how that happened. I wasn't trying to quote any posts.

Here's the schedule, looks like they are having photo sessions this year: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/commun...e.jsp#wristband

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 25, 2016 -> 08:05 AM) Broncos defense has to go even more beastmode than they did yesterday against New England, and I dont really see how that is possible. Plus, Cam isnt a sitting duck in the pocket like Brady is, I really cant see any scenario that the Broncos win this game As a 30 year old coming off an almost 7 WAR season he settles for 3 years $75 million. If he opts out next year after being paid $27.5 million, can he get another 3 year $75 million contract as a 31 year old if he puts up a 3 WAR season? That deferral must have been huge.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 24, 2016 -> 04:54 PM) 1. At what point did you know that Derrick Rose wasn't going to be Derrick Rose any more? If he was still Derrick Rose, with the way Gasol is playing, Butler turning into a top 20 player, and a strong lineup around them, this would be a championship roster. 2. What can you do to rebuild when you're holding one of the worst contracts in the league, top 10 money for a player who can't get there? 3. Unfortunately we found a top 20 player late in the draft and that also made any "Rebuilding" effort extremely difficult because right there, even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls were going to have to rely on the guys they could find later in the draft. The only thing that is a legit mistake is the thing the Bulls couldn't do - Trade away Rose after that first Bulls/Heat series. If they'd done that, then youv'e got a legit rebuilding path. If you didn't do that, then you don't have cap space, you are continuing to try to put a lineup on the court that can compete around Rose if he comes back healthy, and you're consequently not getting high draft picks. If one really wants to nitpick and use hindsight, even if he had stayed healthy, Derrick Rose may not have been the best point guard in his draft class..

QUOTE (ozzfest @ Jan 24, 2016 -> 04:02 PM) So why did GarPax tell us this was a championship roster? And if they have no shot at winning...why aren't they rebuilding? This is where I agree with you. We were led to believe this was a championship caliber roster only the ogre coach was holding them back. They had to humiliate him, but still pay him $9 million to go away. Now it's wait, this isn't a championship team, we have had a lot of bad luck?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 01:56 PM) Mama's Fish House. My favorite meal on our 2 week trip to the islands. My wife and went to Mama's on an evening it was pouring in Maui,we were staying in Wailea. Just as we were finishing dinner, the roof right above us sprung a leak, and got us all wet. They comped us the meal which was pretty nice.

Gar/Pax has found gems in the 20s, but I still think they should go much for the same reasons they fired Thibs, and then classlessly publicly shamed him. Many don't have a problem with Thibs being gone, they say he can't get the Bulls over the hump. Apparently Gar/Pax can't provide a roster to get over the hump. It wasn't Thibs running guys into the ground that got players hurt. The same guys, Noah, Rose, Hinrich, are still coming up injured frequently. Hoiberg has decreased Butler's playing time a whopping 30 seconds a game. And if the reason, which I don't buy, that they are struggling now is they don't have Hoiberg players, that is on Gar/Pax as well. It isn't like they just happened to hired Hoiberg. Everyone knew he was coming 20 games into last season. If it takes you 2 years to acquire 1 Hoiberg player, then you need to run a different system because it isn't going to work.

QUOTE (Saufley @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:04 PM) IMHO the Sox have to do something by SoxFest! I look for a busy week with at least a couple of transactions. I may be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time but. they still need to do something!! I think they will do something as well. The guys out there shouldn't take a lot of time. The more the players wait, the fewer openings, and the lower the offers at this point.

QUOTE (Saufley @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 01:55 PM) Dick, If the opportunity presents itself, what will you be asking? I would ask about the 3 year plan and what effect last year's disaster had on it? And if the moves division rivals made changes their focus at all? But respectfully. Soxfest is fun but it also is fluff. The people who ask questions or get up to the mic and blast the people on the stage really ruins it for everyone. It isn't the Jerry Springer Show. I would venture to guess Hahn is just as disappointed as anyone he didn't land one of these guys. But there is always someone who will say the Sox are cheap , and at the same time question why he has to buy a lower deck seat to sit in the lower deck.

I am all for having 42 and 21 displayed in all parks, but do the numbers really have to be retired? Let the individual teams do that. Wouldn't it make more of an impact on the legacy of Jackie Robinson if a player wore 42 in his honor, and a broadcaster mentioned it rather than having no one wear it except everyone wear it one day a year?

QUOTE (MuckFinnesota @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 11:08 AM) This signing makes me wonder if people will actually ask some hard questions at SoxFest about the "three year plan." I sure hope some people step up and ask some legitimate questions. I would like to know what the coaching staff and FO really sees in Avi and not just some bulls*** coming out of KW's mouth. I'd also like to get a full understanding about Hahn's philosophy about maintaining the farm system and acquiring veterans because I am not positive he is on the same wavelength with KW in trading all prospects for vets. I think the real loss this offseason is Thompson and hope they will be able to fill his void in the minors through the draft. That being said, I'd call the offseason a success if they got a veteran outfielder like Austin Jackson, didn't surrender any picks, let Saladino play shortstop and didn't overpay like someone will for Fowler (and someone did for Cespedes). I hope ther is some intelligent questioning. I will be there, but am a bit afraid the Hahn/Ventura session is going to turn into a top that Meathead contest. Last year was a love fest, so I guess the fans even though they will never admit it, were just as dumb as the Sox.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 11:04 AM) Again, just 1 year ago two guys signed here with higher offers elsewhere. I think the whole "players don't want to come here" is way overblown. Exactly. If Cuddyer doesn't retire, or if the Royals don't come off their lowball offer, or don't make another 8th inning comeback and beat the Astros, the Sox IMO have one of those guys. With Upton going to Detroit, does anyone really think if the Sox offered him $150 million and 6 years, Illich wouldn't have topped that? Once Detroit was locked in, there was no chance. He pays what he has to pay and doesn't care about the budget. That is all fine and dandy with the fans, but the day of reckoning will occur. His heirs are probably a little antsy.

QUOTE (GREEDY @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 10:52 AM) My reasoning to be hesitant to give up the pick (I know I gave it away about five posts above lol) is because Hahn paid about 5 million for it (the remaining money due to Shark), and turned down whatever low level prospects were available at the deadline. So I dont think most fans desperately want to keep the pick, it is just that we assume that Hahn will be hesitant to eat crow and surrender the pick. But he could look at it this way. If the Sox sign Fowler and surrendered the pick, he essentially traded Shark for Fowler.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 10:26 AM) Can we stop acting like because we missed out on the Big 3 that all of Hahn's plans fail to come to fruition? He targeted Lawrie and Frazier and got those done. What was he supposed to do here? There was no way we were going to pry away Gordon or Cespedes unless we grossly overpaid, and Upton didn't want to come here. Sometimes choice #4or #5 turns out better than your other ones. KW wasn't nearly as hated when the Sox had smaller payrolls and had to go farther down his wish list. When more money became available, the choices higher on the list were acquired and they didn't work out. Right now, I don't think there is a Sox fan anywhere that doesn't want them to have one of Cespedes, Upton, or Gordon, but a couple of years from now it is pretty unlikely we won't be thinking thank God the Sox didn't sign at least one of these guys. There are still players available both free agents and trades, and the season doesn't start for over 2 months. The fact that they let Alexei walk over $4 million indicates to me they aren't just going to stand pat here. I would really be surprised if another starting quality OF isn't acquired, and maybe a guy like Desmond, although I can't see that on a one year contract, and if he goes multiple, where will he play assuming Anderson continues to grow? Early in the offseason I mentioned Desmond and thought he could move to 3rd, but that was before Frazier.

FWIW, John Danks average fastball velocity in 2015 was higher than Lincecum's since 2013. If you have ever thought John Danks should be released, you really don't want Limcecum. Besides, he cut his hair.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 10:14 AM) That deal really only makes sense for the Mets in my opinion. Mets should really thank Cuddyer for this. Who knows, if Cuddyer doesn't retire, the Mets don't go this high, maybe he winds up with the White Sox.

I have seen so many trade proposals which include Tim Anderson, yet the pick the Sox got for Shark is sacred to many. Is it now fair to say that holding on to him wasn't so dumb after all?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 09:58 AM) If they clear Hammel off the books, it's simple. Soler to TB for pitching...Heyward back to RF where he has the most value and comfort. With all the money the Cubs have already spent, they'll sacrifice another $5-7 million to get more certainty from Fowler. So they have to make 2 pretty major trades just to get Fowler on the team. Odds seem long to me.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 09:53 AM) And your choice for improving the club or you prefer wasting posts in attempts to mock? You should be proud, you've also got Dick Allen emulating you but he adds four names. Better effort on his part, and he varies them randomly. Ubaldo Jimenez. John Danks. Gordon Beckham. Don Cooper. No the reason I add names is because I have noticed you randomly throw names out in a post that have nothing to do with your post. Usually 3. I figured it was like the contest they have in between innings at the park where they give someone20 seconds to name as many cereals or other items, and then have a player on the board do the same thing, and if they get more than the player they get.a prize. Usually you throw 3 names out there, so I went with 4 for the win.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:11 PM) did many really think the sox will pull this off???? now I would like to see if they get anyone else. I thought they were going to have a chance about 30'secomds before Rosenthals tweet.