Dick Allen

QUOTE (captain54 @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 01:43 PM) You're wrong. It's not originally from WSI. I'm totally serious That's where Lip got it. The whiners here can't hold a candle to you guys.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 01:35 PM) I just can't imagine getting worked up about this. It's from WSI. They literally get upset if the guy taking the money in the parking lot isn't smiling at them. I am totally serious.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 01:09 PM) The Upton discussions with Tigers rumors happened like 10 minutes before it was finalized That entire Upton process was spectacularly secretive. This one, not so much. What I don't understand is why would the Nats be interested in paying Cespedes but not Upton?

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 01:02 PM) They won't report unless they're 100% confident in their report Yeah, but if I was Cespedes' agent, I sure as hell would leak it to those guys and a few more that things were getting close to a conclusion in case any team wanted to make a late run.

I don't know why I'm so enthralled. Rosenthal and Heyman have nothing. You would think if anything was close they would have something.

peavy knows what he is talking about. Sox to cheap. Cespedes no sign.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 12:21 PM) I have a feeling he won't sign for another week. It seems his market is out there. I don't know what waiting around another week would do. If I were him, I would want to get the ink on the paper ASAP. What if he injures himself working out?

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 11:35 AM) They traded for Ben Revere to play center. Forgot about that. Does that mean Werth would be out of a job,

QUOTE (Frank_Thomas35 @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 11:18 AM) He's Sticking to it: @cronebender I'm aware of people's issues but I don't see what I did wrong. It's true. Report will come out soon. Just watch. https://mobile.twitter.com/JakeBauer21/stat...855725254922240 About the same as that guy who said it was a 6 year contract a couple weeks back. Then said the issue was the Sox would only go 5.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 11:18 AM) http://metsmerizedonline.com/2016/01/shoul...-cespedes.html/ More fuel for the fire. So sell high on Granderson, and buy even higher on Cespedes. I like the way these guys think.

Well it is Wednesday. If they are going to sign him, it probably would be today.

The Nationals need a CF. I don't think Cespedes is a CF. Would they move Harper to CF? Would they want to do that?

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 10:05 AM) How did the 05-06 Sox attendance compare to the 05-06 Cubs? I dont really know the best source for that type of data. The 79-83 Cubs outdrew the 2005 World Champions by 758,000 The 66-96 2006 Cubs outdrew the defending champions who set their franchise attendance record by 166k.

When the White Sox won the WS, a year they never where not in first place even for a day, they had below AL average attendance. When they won the division in 2000, they were over 300k below average attendance wise. That is probably where they are at right now. Win a division, you will be about 4k a game below average. Win a playoff series or 3, you will get a bump the next season. 2000 300k below AL average 2005 18k below AL average 2008 36k above AL average It isn't really like the Sox fanbase goes overboard to support a winner. They become average.

QUOTE (MDWhiteSoxFan @ Jan 20, 2016 -> 07:51 AM) At first I was very optimistic about one of the big 3. Yo being who I was most optimistic about with all the reports. Upton getting 6 years 130+ diminishes all optimism for Yo. That said I would be cool with going A Jackson and someone like Latos on a prove it deal. I'm not a fan of giving up a pick for Fowler who I've been a fan of his tools since his days in Colorado. People suggesting Desmond for stop gap SS then OF next year. Has he ever played the OF? I don't follow the Nats but he never blew me away when I would occasionally watch the game so I'm not the best to judge him but for the price difference I guess him paired with Jackson and Latos would be OK. No he's never played the OF. It was mentioned on the intranet a month or so ago, and a couple of people ran with it, but if he isn't worth the contract he is going to get as a SS, I have no idea why he would be worth it as an OF. He would have to be a SS. It would make no sense to bring him in as a OF. If you want to work with him when you get him to see if he is truly capable of that, and to make room for Anderson or Saladino at SS, that makes sense. But to bring him in as anything but a SS initially would be hard to understand the logic.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 09:00 PM) I know you're the "blame the customer" guy, but your point on ratings is exactly why the Sox need to invest in the team and go into the red if needed. Our current TV deal expires in 2019 and if ratings to continue to suck, we're going to get a s***ty long-term TV deal. Therefore, there is every incentive in the world for Reinsdorf to spend some money and build some excitement for this team. The potential payoff in the long-run would be tenfold the likely short-term costs. While what you say I mostly agree with, there is zero chance if the terms were s***ty that the White Sox would sign a long term deal,

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 05:21 PM) Isn't knowledge of the strike zone, and patience at the plate, one of the most translatable skills? If a player could draw walks at a 20% clip, in AA, wouldn't you be impressed? Oh, like Tyler Flowers?

I think another thing that has to spook them at least a little bit was the lack of attendees during the 2012 season when they were in first place a good deal of the way. They have to think that making the playoffs is they only way they can increase attendance significantly, and that won't happen until the following season, and going by 2008, that might not work either.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:18 PM) I would really dispute if they are really improved. Losing Alexi will hurt more than most think. Not enough OBP guys at the top to make the power acquisition of Frazier worthwhile and I really am I not sure that Lawrie will be an upgrade of what I think Sanchez would have done this season. The rotation is not any better and the bullpen is worse. Catcher may be a wash, but the continuity that came from pitchers working with Flowers is gone which may be a negative as well. Given the further expected decline of LaRoche and Cabrera and I don't think that you can say that this team is improved. I think the Frazier acquisition was necessary just to get the team back up to their level of last season. I really hate the idea of giving up young assets, especially Montas seeing what closers have garnered on the trade market, for what at this point is at best an incremental upgrade. How is Frazier at 3B an incremental upgrade? WAR wise, it's one of the biggest one player positional upgrades in baseball? I liked Montas myself, and still think he could be a starter. A lot of people look at his innings and say he is a ways away, which he could be. One thing they didn't look at were his pitch counts. They were numbers guys pitching 6 or 7 innings a start get, so theoretically, if he could learn to limit his pitches a bit, he could jump up drastically in innings pitched without the normal extra wear and tear. Alexei was negative WAR last year, so improvement shouldn't be that difficult.

10 years ago also was the peak attendance of the franchise. The thing is, they drew a lot more last year than any year before Reinsdorf owned the team.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:05 PM) I've already told them I'll sign up for my season ticket package again this year if they sign Cespedes. I will absolutely fly from Texas to see them play. Just get it done. You're the man.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:59 PM) Wall Street Journal had a story today on the "15 Pro Franchises Running Out Of Fans..." The Sox came in 5th from the top (which in this case is the worst). Here is what they had to say numbers-wise: 5. Chicago White Sox > Sport: Baseball > 10 year attendance decline: 24.1% > Avg. home game attendance: 21,947 > Avg. capacity filled: 54.0% The only baseball franchises ranked worse than the Sox were the Indians (4) and Phillies (2) So you've got the Sox among the biggest decline in fan attendance over the last decade coupled with both Fan Graphs and ESPN.com stating they were the worst watched franchise in MLB ratings-wise. This is a franchise in major trouble. Mark OK. What is the estimated value of the franchise? I wish I could be in that much trouble.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:26 PM) 670 The Score ‏@670TheScore 7m7 minutes ago White Sox among final teams in Yoenis Cespedes sweepstakes -- @MLBBruceLevine with details: http://cbsloc.al/1OE7pfe This could be true, or it could be the White Sox feeding Levine with being a "finalist" so when he signs with another team, they tried. I have been on record the half assed approach doesn't work. The we will see where we are at around the deadline and act accordingly. That is conceding games. I never would have dreamed in October they would sign Upton or Gordon or Cespedes, but with all the chatter, if they strike out, I'll be disappointed, but if they get one of the next tier guys, and maybe some additional help, they still will upgrade their team immensely. I hate to agree with Caulfield on anything, but if the did get Desmond and Jackson, on paper, they would have a pretty nice line up.

That Dan Hayes stuff yesterday was odd. And if people really thing the White Sox will sign Cespedes if they call 500 people and 450 say they will buy tickets if they do....

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 01:59 PM) When Cespedes signs his contract it will be a terrible contract. The White Sox are not getting him on the cheap or for some OMG what a steal type deal. If that deal is on the table other teams will get involved as he has some value at that point and everyone can use value. My issue is that the White Sox have some great bargains in Abreu, Quintana and Sale. As this season looks right now the great contracts will be wasted for another year. One bad contract will not kill them but they once again seem to be tentative in pulling the trigger. Does Cespedas add the wins needed... potentially, who knows, but you don't win awards for having the best contracts in baseball. Fowler, Jackson, Pearce all add some value but at this time the White Sox are looking to waste another year of the cost controlled players they so cherish. They either take on a bad contract or remain where they are and watch the circus that is Avi Garcia mindlessly running around the outfield and on the bases. They chose not to rebuild so at some point this year or next they need to sign some talent. The cost of winning keeps going. There definitely will be people on this board and off who say Cespedes is a must, who, if Cespedes does become a White Sox will eventually complain about the contract. It's not my money, spend, spend, spend. Of the big 3, Cespedes was my 3rd choice, definitely coming off an outlier year during a contract. Supposedly Beane didn't like him as a player, Boston was happy to get rid of him. He basically carried the Mets to the WS but they only want him back at a cheap rate. He would be an upgrade, and who knows, my handle was known as trouble and a malcontent when he came to the White Sox, maybe he gets with Abreu and that keeps him motivated. He is the best out there now, but if they don't get him and get Fowler or Jackson instead, they still should be an improved team. Any kind of bounce back from LaRoche and they really could be cooking with gas.