Dick Allen

Desmond was similar to Alexei last year in which he was horrid both offensively and defensively the first half, but was pretty darn good the second. His k rate is starting to resemble Adam Dunn's. It was always high, but has been on the rise in recent years. But he does hit the ball in the seats which the White Sox need. When are they good when they don't hit home runs?

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:38 PM) From 2012-2015, Desmond was far and away the best SS in baseball in terms of fWAR despite a horrid 2015. I think his total WAR for those years is about equal to Cespedes. Of course he has been trending down before last season.

Dan O'Dowd really loves Desmond. He thought he would be the biggest value free agent signed this winter.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:24 PM) Historically terrible is a bit of a stretch. I put no stock into the article you linked. Every player is different. Just because most have failed that had a similar number of ABs as Avi means nothing. It took an arbitrary number of ABs and an arbitrary age and tried to show a correlation. What it did not do is show guys who were so poor in the minors that they didn't become MLB regulars until later on. Many of these type of guys have had success. Namely one of the biggest stars in the game right now in Jose Bautista. He did not even become a 1 fWAR player until his age 28 season. Or a guy like Scott Podsednik who didn't become a regular until his age 27 season and then went on to have a handful of productive years and became a sort of cult hero around here. Avi also was looking like he was on the right track until his injury in 2014. In his Sox career until the injury he had a .298/.332/.450 slash with rate stats of 21 HRs, 12 2Bs, 6 3Bs and 69 RBI per 162 games with an acceptable 22% K rate. I think all of us would take that out of Avi in a heartbeat this year. His 4% BB rate left something to be desired but other than that he was on the right track as a 22 year old. Did the injury hamper his development? Maybe. Does he still have time to turn it around? Absolutely. I am not ready to give up on him yet as he has the tools. Avi has talent and still is very young. That said, if they just expect experience to solve his problems, that isn't going to work either. He needs some drastic change.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:18 PM) I understand he wasn't good with the Sox towards the end as he let personal vendettas affect his reporting. But this will be the last time I repeat this: He's been very accurate on his Bulls reporting. How's his accuracy been with his Bulls reporting?

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 11:57 AM) So do they add Desmond on a 1 year deal at SS or go longer term & try to stick him out in the OF? If you are going to sign him for a year, why not just have brought Alexei back for $4 million? I did like the idea of bringing him in earlier this year, but I also thought he could probably play 3B. That is covered. Hopefully, Tim Anderson shows us SS is covered in 2017. I just don't know why you give up a pick and pay more money for Desmond when you had a guy who you could have brought back for peanuts.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:53 AM) Avisail Garcia, Don Cooper, Hawk, Ed Farmer, Ron Kittle, Harold Baines comprise phone sales team for #whitesox season tix customers Thurs. https://twitter.com/CST_soxvan/status/690577060436271104 I'm sure alot of fans want to hear avi calling them asking them to get season tickets lol What would a call from Harold be like? Total silence on the other end I would imagine. Did they have Coop calling fans telling them the Sox don't need them?

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:00 AM) He lists Avi as our second best trade chip after Quintana. Seriously. Seth Gruen is on Kaplan's show all the time. He's a huge Cubs fan who fawns over every Cub player. Considering he worked for the Sun Times, it should have been embarrassing, but you have to love doom and gloom articles when rosters aren't even set.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:33 AM) Ummmm....that was the strategy for what the Royals should be doing, and how it lined up with KW's old approach back when he was a darned good GM a decade ago. The White Sox don't have two consecutive World Series appearances to live off that community goodwill for the next 5-7 years. The Royals are the ones acting like they're more desperate to win now than the Sox. In the end, that Kennedy contractbwas at least an overpay of $20 million. LMAO. You are so full of it. It was copying KW only being smarter. So now if the White Sox do it, they are dumb. I will admit, your ridiculousness has started to become entertaining.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:27 AM) I respectfully disagree. I think he is worth that contract, given the current market conditions. He brings power, defense and speed to this team, which the last time I looked, we were running short on. And at age 30, where a five year contract would end before he turns 35, I think we could expect the kind of production throughout the term of the contract to justify it. That's just my opinion. Why is NO team apparently offering him that contract? Do you know something no one else knows?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:22 AM) It's one thing to implement that strategy. Fine. But be realistic about its likelihood of actual success. About time to start moving on to other options...and hopefully they don't keep trying shorter versions of that Cespedes contract or they're going to be stuck with Garcia starting in rf again. Yet here is what you posted in your Royals manifesto when you thought they weren't bringing Gordon back: 3) Stay away from long-term contracts (anything more than 3 years) or overspending...even on your own players (see Alex Gordon or Pujols/StL). I know...............sigh.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:12 AM) Yankees might have to be satisfied with Hector Santiago instead of Heaney... Hector Santiago in Yankee Stadium would be a boon to bleacher creatures souvenir collections.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:44 AM) I'm out on Cespedes. I'm over it. Got frustrated because I wanted Gordon and Upton, but there's no point in overpaying this dude. He was my 3rd choice of the top 3, but he is still the best guy out there. It won't kill me if they don't get him, but I would be pretty happy if the did. They need something.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:41 AM) I'm sure it's been discussed but what's Gardner's contract situation? I agree with your point but obviously his current deal could change the way the sox fo looks at him vs Fowler. 3 years left at $36.5 million. $12.5 million option for year 4 with a $2 million buyout. And Fowler is almost 3 years younger.

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:35 AM) FWIW (and it ain't worth much) ... Knocking down some beers with another big-time knowledgeable Sox fan ... similar to many of us in understanding the landscape of players throughout baseball and thirsting for knowledge about how these deals go down. Like me, he's a transactional attorney, so we get a special kick out of deal structuring as well (billionaires paying multi-millionaires, and all that jazz). HE has a friend that was a long-time Sox investor/advisor on the business side of baseball. According to MY friend, HIS friend said the Sox were and continue to be IN on Cespedes, but on their terms and are determined to not chase because of outside opinion. I think most of us agree that's very consistent with this ownership group from Day #1. No surprise there. They LIKE Cespedes, but don't LOVE him -- they'll take him as a value play, and that's value determined by their metrics. He's also told the framework of the possible deal is what many have suggested (this isn't rocket science): * Base deal is 3 years for X * Player opt out after year 2 * Mutual option for year 4 (player option vests upon objective performance) * Second mutual option for year 5 (player option vests upon objective performance in year 4, if any) In essence, POSSIBLY a 5 year deal with big bucks under certain circumstances. Plus, player outs to reenter the market should he feel like doing so for various reasons. Personally (and, of course, if true), I applaud the Sox for try to land a guy with a very high ceiling (but with a definite low-ish floor at this contract amount), but on their terms. At the end of the day, not only do you want a guy that wants to be here, you want a guy that is taking a deal because he's happy to get this particular deal. Mindset is important on most personal service contracts, but especially where there is reason to believe that the "talent" is a bit mercurial. I like the thought of bringing a guy in who is contractually motivated to out-perform his contract in a monster way over the next two years to benefit himself. This framework jives with the two-year plan for some of our other talent. You can't acquire players based on fan opinion or you will wind up with a payroll bigger than the Dodgers and a really s***ty team. As the old saying goes, you start taking the fans' advice, you wind up sitting next to them. I too applaud them for having a plan and sticking to it, no matter how unpopular it may be.

If you are going to trade for Gardner, you might as well sign Fowler. They are pretty similar, only Fowler is younger, would cost the now #28 pick vs. at least a couple of your better prospects.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:18 AM) Gardner's pretty good. 2014: 87 R 142 H 17 HR 58 RBI 21 SB .749 OPS 2015: 94 R 148 H 16 HR 66 RBI 20 SB .742 OPS Gardner is pretty much an older version of Eaton.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:05 AM) The Sox should just offer 5/$110M with no deferred money and an opt-out after year 2. I really think he would accept that right now. I don't think there is any question he would take it, but why are teams not offering it?

QUOTE (Moe @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 07:53 AM) And Heyman just dropped the ol' #mysteryteam. No mention of the Sox at all. The mystery team is an ass covering trick all these guys use. When is a "mystery team" not involved? Unless it is a slam dunk they are going some place, they say mystery team so if they go somewhere else, that was the mystery team even though there may have been 4 or 5 mystery teams, and some of the information they reported was a mystery to those involved. Mibelt needs to start using mystery team. He will come off a lot more credible.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 07:42 AM) Seems like Sox were used a bit in the Gordon/Cespedes sagas. Oh well, time to get creative Hahn I don't know about used. It remains to be seen if they put up the best offer. I'm pretty sure if they offered Cespedes 5 years right now without a ridiculous amount of money being deferred 20 years, they would have their man, but apparently there is a league wide reluctance to give him a lot of years. with Gordon, as long as KC was willing to give him a somewhat appropriate contract, no one had a chance.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 21, 2016 -> 08:14 PM) The emoji was the part, going along with Julie Dicaro earlier tweet about Cubs and Tampa possible trade I doubt Fowler goes back to the Cubs.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 21, 2016 -> 07:54 PM) Interesting tweet from Fowler. Some rumors about a possible Cubs/Tampa trade as well. https://mobile.twitter.com/DexterFowler/sta...327354103599104 It really is national hug day. Just pictures of hugs.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jan 21, 2016 -> 03:17 PM) its all kool....... how many are going to sox fest..... ????? I'm going to be there. The RH and RV town halls should have some additional security if Avi is still penciled in as the RF next week. I'm sure Robin will be asked if he has a pulse, and then Mr. Tough Guy who asks it will scurry away from the room when he does.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 21, 2016 -> 12:48 PM) You just like to argue. I don't know what's so hard to understand. Stylistically, they're more fun to watch than the 90's Bulls teams. That's just my opinion. Do I think they're better? No. Just more fun to watch as a whole. You are the one arguing. You're using box office and not remembering what the Bulls were to the NBA at the, wait for it............box office.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jan 21, 2016 -> 02:08 PM) The draft pool money is just as important as the high pick itself. Last year our draft sucked because we were so limited financially. If Carson Fulmer is half as good as they say he is, the draft will be great. Go check out the 1989 White Sox draft. I think you would say it was one of the better drafts in team history despite only 1 player from the entire draft ever wearing a White Sox jersey.