Dick Allen

For what the White Sox would have to pay for someone to take LaRoche, it makes no sense to unload him. The savings would be minimal. If he shows he is still the same as last season in spring training or April or May, release him then. until that time, they might as well see where he is at.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 05:30 PM) again, i do not live in chi, i do not know anything of this stuff, i had to look up who is scott. and my point will be, does anyone really think that truth will be coming out. where is the .... i don't know... seriously. when they make a article or something that mentions that it was fabricated.. i am seriously at a lost of words here. If Dan Bernstein is the source, there is a great chance the rumor is to just get attention and to get people tuning into his dying show, Cheryl Scott is a hot, Brown educated, weather forecaster formerly of channel 5, now of channel 7. I think you can figure out the truth when a guy gets suspended, and never mentions something again after a call from an attorney, if it really was true, Bernstein would have been ripping the attorney for trying to intimidate him. If he had the truth on his side, he wouldn't have shut up.

Don't ever believe Bernstein. He kept it up after it was denied by Cheryl Scott that she ever had an affair with Sharp. Her lawyer called the Score, got Bernstein suspended and he never mentioned it again. http://www.robertfeder.com/2015/06/17/grea...-another-tweet/

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 04:49 PM) Hahn was basically trying to sell Laroche as a $5 million dollar player, it was a starting point. I still think the Sox might be better off eating up to 10 million of his salary just to open up a roster/lineup spot. If he doesn't bounce back, you've burned 13 million and wasted a roster spot. He has a track record of being pretty good. There was an injury last year, and an adjustment to a new role. He was awful, but there is reason to believe he can be productive again.he does pretty well during even years.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 04:39 PM) Gordon could become a DH, for the final year or two of a 5 year deal, when he is likely to slow down. Knowing the Sox and their organization, they will probably be in a position where they could use one, in 3 years. They are usually in a position where they hav 4 or 5 DHs playing in the field

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 04:15 PM) They could always give an opt out when Upton turns 32. Then he could look for a 4-5 year deal forfeiting his final 2-3 years of a 6-7 year deal. But you still would be in the same boat, if not worse. If he doesn't opt out, it means he can't get paid more money which means he must have sucked. Upton would be my first choice because of age and power. I could see Gordon as his age probably makes him a little cheaper, he hits lefty, won't have to adjust to the AL, and is the better defender. Cespedes, could be better than the others, but it does concern me that his big year after his welcome to America breakout, was his walk year. He had so ho hum years in Oakland, and his time in Boston supposedly IIRC included problems with coaches.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 03:32 PM) Unfortunately it's something the White Sox have to do in terms of position players because they can't seem to develop their own. Makes it easier with the cheap top notch pitching they have. True, but if they land one of these guys, they improve 4 positions without giving up one of their top prospects and without giving up Q, who many thought dealing was the only way to get back to a relevant offense. I would call that pretty creative.

The funny thing is, if you sign Cespedes or Upton, when they get to be Gordon's age, at least Cespedes, the contract is going to look a lot like one people don't want to give Gordon.

At this point, I would be bummed out if they didn't sign one of the three, even though I always thought it was a long shot. I do think they will bring in an OF upgrade no matter what. I could live with that, but that is more like a single and took second on an error than a home run.

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 03:02 PM) Wilkins hit bomb after bomb in the minors, but I remember him whiffing about 50% of the time when he had that cup of coffee with the Sox... I'd say this really makes it seem impossible to deal Laroche regardless of how much $$ we might be willing to include if the Brewers would rather trade for Wilkins, but I gotta think this is a minor league depth move yes? They probably claimed him so they can waive him as well. It is getting to the point of ridiculous with him. i don't think Milwaukee expects him to be on their major league roster, or is in any way counting on him. While it is fascinating to watch him get waived and claimed so much, in a way you have to feel bad for him. At least it is th offseason and he doesn't have to move to another team. That kind of action would probably get most in his situation to give it up. He apparently is the breathing definition of 40th man on the roster.

Andy Wilkims was claimed off waivers by the Brewers. His 6th organization since the Sox waived him last spring training. It has to be close to a record.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 11:48 AM) I'd be curious to see what would happen if you developed a genuine superstar the likes of A-Rod, Jeter, Trout or Harper on the club. A nationally recognized superstar. Pair that with a WS championship and the Sox could give them a run. But not right now. The cubs have an exciting young team. And at the end of the day, that's actually good for the game. Who knows, if they were a s*** team maybe the Sox aren't as aggressive. Like Frank Thomas? There is no hope to overtake the Cubs. The White Sox shouldn't waste the time, money, and effort to try. Just worry about winning, and see what happens. The attendance trophy is permanently the Cubs.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 01:33 PM) Not looking good for the Royals. Spent years upon years getting to this point, only to see their reign on top quickly dissolve. Losing Gordon is the first domino and should really hurt. By 2018 they will have most likely lost a sizable chunk of their core. Caulfield must be in full-on panic mode right now. The Royals way is being taught up and down that organization. Caulfield already let us know. They will always be light years ahead of the White Sox. They are already doing something the White Sox have never done, learned from their mistakes, they signed a free agent OF named Alex last year and it didn't quite work out. So they don't want to do that again.

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 01:27 PM) Keeping an eye on this guy's twitter... https://twitter.com/royalsclubhouse Heyman is good at what he does, but who the hell knows anymore? This free agent season has been annoying as hell. He problem that guy has is if he doesn't sign with the Royals or White Sox, his credibility is ruined. He has been on the he is coming back to KC wagon , but was patting himself on the back when Rosenthal mentioned the White Sox, saying don't listen to the national guys.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 01:21 PM) World Series 2016 here we come!!! But seriously, do you guys think that this is a precursor to another move? No. Room on the roster, get a look this spring.

QUOTE (Boogua @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 09:22 AM) Possibly, although I think he originally took less money to play with the Bulls because he wanted to play for a contender. I believe he pushed for the no-trade clause because he didn't want to get traded to a non-contender. You could be right, but I'm not sure how much money means to him at this point in his career. He left at least $5 million on the table to come to the Bulls. Toronto is 1 game better than the Bulls. I don't see where going there, trying to fit into a new system is going to actually be desirable. Maybe a team with a really legit shot of winning it all, but does anyone really think the Raptors are a Pau Gasol away from an NBA title? I don't even think Pau would buy that.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 09:26 AM) Hey "Bear Brian", to your point: I remember that it was about the time that the Sox were desperate for a decent bat, to hit behind Abreu, that they moved Melky to the middle of the order, and he took off. He is a good run producer, and although he won't hit many homers, he could indeed bat between Jose and Frazier, it the Sox acquire Gordon and put his good OBP in the 2 hole. In any case, I will be very disappointed if the Sox start the season with La Roche in the middle of the order. I would be an advocate for your position, if he were the only other LH bat, besides Melky. I'd rather see them have 6 right handed hitters in a row, than put La Roche in the middle of that lineup. If LaRoche is in the middle of the order, it means he is back to the guy who the Sox thought they signed.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 09:11 AM) While his numbers were definitely down from 2014, if you look at his splits it's pretty much all from LHP. 2014: RHP: .305/.364/.555 LHP: .353/.437/.662 2015: RHP: .308/.360/.548 LHP: .232/.306/.352 His numbers against RHP stayed almost exactly the same, but he went from murdering LHP to struggling mightily against LHP. Both were probably a bit fluky, so if he can just split the difference between the two LHP splits next year, he'll be primed to have another monster year. I pointed this out a couple of months ago. People were so upset about the 14 starts LaRoche made against lefties, yet the problem the Sox had with lefties is hardly anyone hit them, and Abreu's OPS was down over .400 vs them. You would have to think that should bounce back a bit.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 09:10 AM) Looks like the market for Gordon/Upton/Cespedes has become a bit smaller now. Just yesterday the Giants were rumored to be looking at one of the three and it sounds as though that may have changed. "The Giants remain unlikely to play at the top of the free agent outfield market, according to the report, but might look at the next level down. Two names in play are Dexter Fowler and Gerardo Parra, with another possibility being the addition of a right-handed-hitting platoon partner for Gregor Blanco. San Francisco is also in communication with the Rockies on their outfielders, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi reports." Wonder if the Giants would have any interest in Avi as a platoon partner? I don't expect much of anything in return but it would open up a roster spot on the Sox for a FA while the Giants get a relatively cheap platoon option in Avi. I don't get the fascination with Parra. His defensive metrics have trended down quickly the past couple of years, he has no power, and he was awful with the Orioles. Whoever signs him will regret it.

QUOTE (bear_brian @ Dec 23, 2015 -> 08:28 AM) In Gordon's career he has an OPS of .653 and a career BA of .226 hitting 4th. He is not a cleanup hitter. Sometimes the feeling that you HAVE to have a balanced lineup just does not work. I will again go back to the 2005 Sox, where the majority of that lineup was RH. Unless we trade for CarGo (doubtful), I think Cespedes is the best alternative, since he can play RF and has legitimate power. That does leave Melky in LF (not good) but moves Avi out. I believe they also will keep LaRoche and hope for a bounceback - there is your LH bat. The way the game is played now with bullpens seemingly being used mor and more, trying to get as lefty righty alternating as you can get causing managers to maybe wait on using a guy or having a LOOGY face a righty or 2 may become more advantageous than traditional or even the latest advance stat idea of where guys should be placed in the line up. Obviously your best hitters have to be hitting the most, but more strategy is now involved.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 10:58 PM) Zach Lowe is a fantastic writer as well, always has fantastic insight (good to see he's still plugging along after the Grantland collapse). One point he made was how Gasol's not really a good fit in this offense that Hoiberg wanted to implement, he wants more ball movement, and Gasol wants the ball more in the post. I could see him get moved to a team like Toronto at the deadline for some future picks, if the Bulls were willing to go down that route. He has a no trade.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 09:19 PM) Would it help to know Jermaine Dye had the best year of his career with the Sox at age 32 ? I was just looking at Dye's stats from age 32 on . He had some of his best years with the Sox. One of the few guys who was hurt a lot then gets to us and gets healthy and hits more HR for the Sox then he ever had before. We always hear " this guy will hit more HR at the Cell "but we never see it actually happen very much. Even in his last year in the majors at age 35 he hit 27 HRs and a .793 OPS and .340 OBP. Dye had 44 HR's in age 32 season. , 120 RBI , 1.006 OPS, .386 OBP, .662 SLG. , OPS+ 151 Dude could still hit when he retired ( or nobody wanted him). His fielding fell of a cliff if I remember it right . Lost a couple of steps at 33 rebounded a little at 34 but still bad ,then totally lost it a lot more at 35. He fell apart offensively his final season. .942 OPS first half with 20 homers, .580 the second half. Probably why he was lowballed the next season. He looked like he got real old real fast.

Now it is just taunting.

QUOTE (Moe @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 05:13 PM) For the Sox, I think Gordon's defense is paramount. He probably would have won the GG over Cespedes (.980%, lowest OF in years) had he not spent so much time on the shelf. Also, in comparison, I'm guessing that Gordon probably would have backed up the famous Blake Swihart (yep, you read it correct) inside the park HR during which Cespedes never took his hands off his knees. Gimme Alex please! I will take any of the three

QUOTE (BigFinn @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:53 PM) The Cubs "stole" Chicago when they brought in John McDonough to run public relations and Harry Caray to call the ballgames. The Sox need to find a way to win consistently, and they need to put a dynamic personality in the broadcast booth when the Hawk retires. Hahn has been doing a good job bringing players to help the club win (they don't always perform, but that's not Hahn's fault). Now the club needs a broadcaster who will help put fannies in the seats. It wasn't until Harry's 4th season that they outdrew the Sox. 1984 , Sandburg, Sutcliffe, is what turned the tide. They can blame Sportsvision, whatever else, Harry went to the Cubs in 1982, and the Sox outdrew them until 1985, but it all comes down to the 1984 season when Wrigley was sold as a treasure, and the Cubs were winning. Winning didn't matter much after that.