Dick Allen

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 01:53 PM) Given this is from Rogers, I think it's fake leak and Sox are pushing towards the end with Fowler. That's what came to my mind first. Although Ethier, depending on how much money they eat could make sense. And Kaplan does get Cubs inside info. He basically said they were out yesterday.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:35 PM) I never stop being amazed how hard it is to read articles on sun times. I actually found it on a yahoo page not knowing it was the Sun Times and it worked OK for a minute. But you are right, the Sun Times is ridiculous on line.

For those who can't deal with the Sun Times on line, Cowley basically said Gar knows he won't win a power struggle with Pax and he is letting the rest of the league know the Bulls mess has nothing to do with him just in case he gets whacked. He is also cozying up to Michael Reinsdorf. He is getting his ducks in a row. But it is Cowley.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 01:20 PM) As long as you're content with the performance of the White Sox for the past several seasons then I will concede. The White Sox should continue playing guys who are likely to fail in a number of positions while spending heavily elsewhere and ignoring those holes. It's likely to keep working just as well as it has been. And no one is more content with how this organization is performing than you. When did I ever write that? Please show me. The one thing I have noticed from the doom and gloomers, your ideal situation is a guaranteed 3 or 4 year stretch where the White Sox are even worse than they have been. Seems to me they have been attempting to fill holes the past 2 offseasons, and are still trying to fill one or two right now.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 01:12 PM) Tell you what, you read my post, look at the bolded which you didn't bother reading because otherwise you would never have said that, and then go read a statistics textbook to figure out what the odds are of failure for a guy who I call a "1/5 shot to turn their career around". But you said earlier the White Sox don't give guys like Avi a chance to play because they are in win mode. Apparently you were wrong. If you want the White Sox to be in the business of fielding a team full of 1/5 shots, you probably wouldn't last long.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 01:05 PM) Then it's a clear mistake to give time to guys or trade for guys who are 1/5 shots to turn their careers around. And of course, why we needed to find a different RF for next season, bringing us back to the reality that Ethier's just about the best option remaining. But the Sox gave Avi Garcia a young player a lot of playing time to fight through his struggles, correct? Is he going to breakout if given another chance?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 01:03 PM) You keep acting like they won't be doing that anyway if they miss the playoffs for the next 1-2 years while the Cubs dominate the market, as the teams are set up to do. If the White Sox could average another 1 million a year more than they draw now to tank the next 4 seasons, it might be worth it to see at least what you could get for Sale and Abreu and Quintana (hey a minor league free agent the Sox let pitch), Eaton, etc. But they don't. It is nice to know you find rebuilds to be quite easy and damn near foolproof.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:58 PM) So you agree the White Sox should be in rebuilding mode? Absolutely not.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:51 PM) Drops the f***ing mic. The White Sox haven't done that? Obviously, not the same result as Arreitta, who was a throw in, and who never really fought through these struggles with the Cubs you speak of, but they certainly have given plenty of young players a shot the past 3 seasons.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:42 PM) But of course, that silly notion pretends like "drafting high" is the only thing you do when you're rebuilding. Other things include "Trading to acquire talent" and "playing guys who have struggled but have talent and letting them work through their struggles", and sometimes "taking on guys other teams are willing to sell for a pittance because they believe they're competitive and you have playing time to give them". All of which are valid strategies that have been employed by the teams you cite, and none of which can be employed by a team that gets impatient and insists "We'll be right there at the end!" Who are these players the Cubs gave all the time in the world to work things out, and are now contributing to winning? They did trade to acquire talent. But the only significant player they traded was Samardjiza, and they did that after he turned down a decent extension offer. Seems to me the White Sox have been giving their younger players playing time the last 3 years. Just without success.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:29 PM) Um...ok???????? The Sox got Rodon, not bad. We will see what Fulmer does. Sale was a 12 pick. Do you know, since Dayton Moore has been the GM of the Royals, the White Sox have more accumulative WAR out of their 1st round picks than the Royals? In fact, all of the Royals 1st round picks since 2007, and they have had 6 in the top 8, 5 in the top 5, don't add up WAR wise to Chris Sale. Yet, somehow they won the World Series.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:15 PM) Worth pointing out every time this statement comes up this season: Theo Epstein took over the Cubs in October of 2011. Since Theo Epstein took over the Cubs that franchise has won 297 games over 4 seasons. Since that same date, the Chicago White Sox have won...297 games. You should also point out during that time the Cubs drew 11,137,363, the White Sox drew 7,140,999. Close to 1 million fans a year more. In fact it they could have matched the Cubs attendance, it would have been the greatest 4 year stretch in their history. The only reason to tank is for the first round pick. After that, any player you can select is available to a team that tried to contend but did not as long as they have their draft picks. The Cubs being awful got them Bryant and Schwarber. All the other guys they could have acquired anyway.

It's Cowley so who knows how much is made up: http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/7/71/12...lf-preservation

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 12:04 PM) Umm...even with those numbers, would you be comfortable paying $36 million over 2 years to a 33 year old who's essentially a platoon player at this point? I'm desperate, but not that desperate. Considering major league pitching is 80% right handed, his being a "platoon player" is no big deal. The other stuff, you're right.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 11:52 AM) Since 2001, Cleveland has one ALCS trip and lost the play-in game once. That's it. Worse than the White Sox, they aren't winning at all, that's why the fans aren't coming back. They never won it all when they were selling out. The White Sox drew less the last time they made the playoffs than the season before when they lost 90 games. Tanking for a few years would require some pretty spectacular results. I don't know why people have a problem watching Chris Sale and Jose Abreu play baseball and hope the guys around them improve enough to win. It isn't like tanking guarantees you anything either. KC and Pittsburgh were horrible for a long time. The Cubs have sucked for years. The White Sox are getting high draft picks anyway. So what is the difference other than the prospects they would get for their better players. At this point, do you really think the prospects they get for Sale will be better for the White Sox than Chris Sale? Maybe when he is a year or 2 from leaving and there is no hope for competing. This is a fanbase that still holds trading Alvarez, Hernandez and Danny Darwin at the trade deadline 3 games out, against the organization.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 11:42 AM) They are already 26th in attendance without rebuilding. How much of a difference would it really make? It makes a difference. Look at Cleveland, they sold out every game how many years in a row? They have made the playoffs since, but still now draw less than the White Sox. Once they leave, it's harder to get them back. Winning doesn't always work.

It was sad to see him his last year with the Padres. He could barely walk. What is odd, is for all the times he has been HBP, and all the times he has been injured, I don't think one of those extended times hurt was because of a HBP. You would have to think for as often as he has gone down, one of those times would have broken a bone in a hand or something.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 10:44 AM) The Dodgers are pretty clearly prioritizing depth and have yet to indicate they care about their payroll levels at all. They've got surplus OF, IF, and SP. I don't think they're worried about Ethier's playing time, and I don't think they're too desperate to rid themselves of his contract. I'd be shocked if he weren't available, but I'm betting that it'll either cost us a decent prospect or to take the entirety of the contract off their hands. Otherwise, they'll just keep him and have a good platoon piece. Given that, Fowler is younger, less injury prone, and the cost of a comp-round pick is probably similar to what Ethier would draw anyway. I think they are starting to care about their payroll, or there really wouldn't be a reason to let Greinke walk.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 10:18 AM) Why does everyone keep trying to give them Laroche. They absolutely have no need or room for him. You might have been more likely with Danks before the Dodgers went on a bringing in a ton of pitching but probably not now. Most likely you are probably taking about a bullpen arm at this point for Ethier. It's for the cost, and it opens up a roster spot. Like it or not, the White Sox need Danks. It's another way to throw cash the White Sox way. The Dodgers could just waive LaRoche.

QUOTE (Finkelstein @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 10:03 AM) LaRoche and Putnam for Ethier and 2.5M (covers the 2018 buyout). If it were me, it would take at least $8 million more, and no Putnam.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 10:12 AM) Out of everything this is a super weird thing to blame Hoiberg for. Pau has been lost defensively his whole career. Pau thinks he's playing in an All Star game on the defensive end.

Kendall Gill blasted how they defend pick and rolls. He said if they defended it the way he thinks they should defend it, they would have 10 more wins.

Remember last year when it looked like Snell was breaking out? That was awesome.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 09:54 AM) I will say the Bulls team last year had some really bad runs when Dunleavy was out of lineup, much stronger with him in it. He is one of the few players who plays within the flow of an offense. He always makes decisions quickly and keeps things moving. Love him as a player. He's a nice player, especially at his price level. I just don't think things are going to change much when he returns.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 2, 2016 -> 09:45 AM) I haven't been impressed with Hoiberg, but I haven't really seen the Trestman level screw ups either. I think he's a guy that inherited a team with expectations and then immediately got hit with really tough injuries. Not having Dunleavy is a huge missing component to this team. People say he's old, but he's a very smart player, a very good shooter, and a guy that moves without the ball. One of the few on the roster that does that well and that's really what this team is missing. He's also lost Noah and Rose for some games. Moore and Hinrich here and there. And now Mirotic. That's not easy. This team is probably a lost cause, but getting the 3 position solidified with Dunleavy is going to help immensely IMO, assuming he's 100%. That's all that really matters at this point. Either they reach their peak at the end of the year heading into the playoffs, or they continue to play .500 ball and bow out early. No sense in getting all worked up over it before the All-Star break. Yeah, I don't think the Mayor is anywhere near Trestman level. Gar really set his "friend" up for failure. It is crazy Dunleavy is now suddenly Michael Jeffrey Dunleavy, savior, to many Bulls fans. He's 35 with a bad back. As for injuries, that is nothing new to this franchise. I mentioned it before, Thibs won games through a ton of injuries, and many wanted to blame the injuries on him. The fact is, the Bulls are loaded with injury prone players.