Dick Allen

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.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:09 PM) I am not melting down. Please don't put words in my mouth. It's just annoying how the Royals and Tigers upgraded and the Sox got absolutely no one. But that's how it always is so I'm not surprised. Frazier, Lowry, the catchers, and the season hasn't started yet.

3 years $70 million opt out after 1 year

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:47 PM) Sources: Both #Mets and #Nationals operating under assumption that other teams also are pursuing Cespedes. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/690740739370782720 News of three-year talks between Cespedes and #Mets might have enticed other teams into mix at same term - if they weren’t involved already. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/690740745410646017 But the Nats gave him 5 years.. Looks like Roc Nation had it's bluff called, and the Mets offer was a bit lighter than they hoped.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:34 PM) I never thought the White Sox would sign Cespedes...we were, nevertheless, somewhat led to believe that and nobody with the White Sox ever corrected that notion until the past couple of days of Avi fluffing. But obviously I am the only person considering all the options and backup plans and contingencies....Hahn would never do that, right? And nothing in the offseason is ever fluid or the product of changing circumstances...if they don't get Cespedes, clearly no other moves are possible. They will just jump off the roof when they realize their scheme wasn't successful to get a steal of a deal with him. it is a nice attempt to backtrack but people aren't stupid. Why is it whatever the White Sox are rumored to be doing, you insist they should be doing something else? If you want to use the everything is fluid, maybe you shouldn't say they are wrong because so far signing Cespedes has been a dumb idea, and then must. Desmond has been the better choice and then not even close. All in 4 days with no games played. The only real news was a team allegedly offered Cespedes 5 years.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:31 PM) 1) For the 500th time, that was for the Royals...because the situations of the two teams are exactly identical! 2) For the 500th time, Cespedes at no more than four years and no more than $100 million. 3) For the 500th time, Desmond and Fowler if they aren't costing draft picks. When it recently became quite obvious Cespedes was lost and they were looking seriously at Fowler, that's the only time it makes sense because you throw away one draft pick you might as well double down and throw away both...like last year. The first round pick is the important one. And it's not like they are investing all that money into signing a blowout Latin American class. You have actually said both the Royals and White Sox are in 2 year windows. And it wasn't just for the royals you mentioned the tidbit about Free agents. You even mentioned Pujols who has nothing to do to with the Royals.It wasn't obvious Cespedes was lost 4 days ago when you started that thread.In fact there was growing optimism the Sox were becoming the front runners.

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:21 PM) Yeah, the NBA doesn't work that way. It's not like baseball, where you have an excess of pieces you can move across multiple levels. NBA teams have 12 guys. The Bulls have very little in terms of desirable pieces. In fact, I would argue the only tradeable piece the Bulls have is Gasol. The Bulls would arguably have to draft Hoiberg system players in concert with trading what they can. Right now they have nothing tradable. Please I know how the NBA works. The Bulls weren't throwing this season away. The only guy on last year's roster who isn't here this year is Nazr. They had a few opportunities to bring in different players. A good coach adjusts to his personnel. Not the other way around. Why can't they trade Gasol? They aren't winning a title this year and he is opting out anyway?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:18 PM) Which is yet another reason for the White Sox to strike now... The Phillies will be one of the teams pushing the envelope to be at least competitive in 2017. That fanbase won't be patient forever, although they did change GMs and managers so that buys them at least one year. Does anyone realize in one thread you started you said to never give free agents more than 3 years or overpay.In this thread you think the sox need to pay up to sign Cespedes, And in another thread you started, you said it would be smarter to sign Desmond and/or Jackson. Of course you started the never give more than 3 years when you thought the sox were going to get Gordon for 4 years.Started the Desmond/Jackson thread when you thought they would sign Cespedes, and now said sign Cespedes when you think there is no chance they sign him.

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:35 PM) http://www.coachesclipboard.net/HoibergTra...DragScreen.html Basically, the personnel on this team isn't right. GarPax have committed to changing the team by hiring Hoiberg. OK I am calling bulls***. Don't tell me how competent Gar/Pax are when they hire Hoiberg and don't make one move to get the correct personnel for his system.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:08 PM) Therein lies the rub. Closest to a franchise-changing free agent available without trading Anderson/Fulmer or giving up draft pick compensation prior to October, 2017...is the caveat here. And franchise-changing player is exactly what he was last season. Close to MVP-caliber. Much lesser contract seasons have caused the White Sox to overbid on free agents in the past. You have stated you shouldn't sign a free agent for more than 3 years have you not? How many top free agents sign for 3 years or less? Until Adam Dunn, the white sox hadn't signed another team's free agent for more than $20 million, so overbiidding on free agents is really not something you can say the White sox have done.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 05:40 PM) Cy: I think your posts are well thought out and logical but I did notice this statement from you, "Now, continually making the wrong choices is a good way for management to lose their job, but sticking to sound process is not." In a 'normal' organization you'd be correct. I submit however the Sox are not 'normal' everyone is well awhere of JR's loyalty factor. I mean six losing seasons in the last nine years is the worst stretch of sustained bad baseball for the franchise sine 1968-1980. Throw in dropping attendance in nine of the past 10 years from the season before and TV ratings dead last and you'd think changes would have been made long before this. But they haven't been. The Sox won't even fire a manager who has the worst winning percentage in franchise history for any manager who lasted four full seasons. What can you do? Loyalty appears to mean more than accountability in the front office and certainly on the field or else Dunn and LaRoche would have been cut a long time ago too to cite two examples of players. Just my opinion. Mark New GM new Scouting director all new position players since 2013. New Latin America presence. Yeah nothing ever changes.

I'd hang on to Anderson. Finally, a toolsy guy who seems to be improving in every area.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 01:03 PM) That's why they're saying he's flexible in moving to the OF. If he can also play other infield positions and LF, his market may be stronger. Yes, but playing those positions vs. him playing SS , decreases his value. And what if he is Hanley Ramirez in the OF?

If the Sox signed Desmond, I would imagine Saladino or Sanchez would become part of the bait to lure an OF.