Dick Allen

The more good hitters the Sox have in their lineup, IMO, the less chance some of them totally crap out. The weight on individual shoulders lessens.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:39 PM) Any three of them is an improvement to the team, I just would prefer to not take a chance on a guy that is most likely going to start declining over the contract. They should all decline over the course of the contract. The younger guys will get a longer term.

His age is always a concern, but he seems to be getting smarter as a hitter. If he signed for 5 years, you would have him through his age 36 season. USCF isn't a bad place for aging OF. And Paulie was fine his age 36 season until his wrist gave way. He was hitting .400 in May. MGordon seems more athletic. Any way you slice it, you probably have to give any of these OF a contract until they are at least that age.

So who would move to RF? Melky or Gordon? I am thinking Melky. He will be brutal but Eaton should be able to help him a bit more, and one thing Melky does really well defensively is throw.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:27 PM) So your argument is that with Victor Martinez instead of Dunn from 2011-2014 we never would have made the playoffs? The only reason we were so close in 2012 was probably related to that injury weakening Detroit relatively. Yes. I think anyone who actually looked at it, would conclude the same thing. Martinez is better, but the only time 1 player could have made a difference for the White Sox at that time was the year Victor didn't play because he was injured during the offseason. Dunn was helpful that year. Victor would have been able to contribute as much as you or me.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:22 PM) Lol. You have the opposite idea. Every time Gordon makes a mistake for the White Sox, that will be your chance to jump all over him. Gordon Beckham was so bad for us there was little need to rub it in, but I'm sure you won't be able to resist. I'm also happy to know that we never even considered Victor Martinez over Adam Dunn. Just think, if the Roylas didn't give Alex Rios $12.5 million to stink up the joint, they could throw that money at Gordon. I love hindsight.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:18 PM) Yes, because clearly we lost the 2012 race by not 3 but 16 games. When you sign a free agent, it has an impact over more than one year. In fact, you wanted to being back Victor Martinez instead of LaRoche just two years ago. Obviously you were impressed by something about him. Victor Martinez didn't play in 2012, Dunn hit 41 homers.

Caulfield in full meltdown. His biggest nightmare, Royal hero a possible White Sox, and now he is back to the White Sox should have been in the playoffs this many times in the past. It is happening. Hahn making moves and the chronic whiners are melting.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:05 PM) I would say the fall back plan is going to be stick with Avi and hope someone can get him to fix his s***... From Hahn's comments last week, it seems to me the Avi shipped has perhaps sailed. He talked about his talent, but I don't think another year of experimentation is even a thought. He admitted he needed an OF.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:06 PM) By your line of thinking, nobody would or should ever consider past history when choosing a mutual fund or the make and model of an automobile purchase for that matter. So what exactly would cause us to disregard all past Sox history about bad/wrong moves and never giving up more than a contract in the mid to upper $60's (Danks, Dunn, Abreu the highest)... What does have bearing that we can objectively consider or quantify, pray tell? So if the White Sox ever make a bad trade or bad free agent signing they should never make a trade or signing again. Also using this logic, they should drop out of the draft.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 04:01 PM) Typical. If there was a clever retort to be made...or a substantive response. Oh well. Why give a response to guy who thinks Victor Matinez over Adam Dunn would have made up 16 games in the standings.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 03:55 PM) Honestly, Gordon to the White Sox doesn't happen because we are never on the right side of the ledger in these deals where we add and subtract from a divisional foe... 2003 Kenny Rogers cheaply to the Twins, Sox have no fifth starter and fall short 2010 Thome to the Twins, Kotsay/A. Jones to the Sox Miguel Cabrera to Detroit because of better minor league talent in Maybin and Miller at time of trade 2011 Dunn to the White Sox, Victor Martinez to the Tigers That's three White Six playoff teams alone (2003/2010/2012) and the likelihood of even more with Miggy Cabrera in the fold that whole time. See below. You could make the same arguments even about last year...had the White Sox brought in Morales instead of LaRoche, C.Young/Madson/Volquez/Cueto instead of Shark, Robertson and Duke...Zobrist over Cabrera. Granted, the Royals were willing to sacrifice much of their farm in the process, as they didn't pick up any of the two month remaining salaries for Cue-to and Zobrist. I can't think of any time predating 2000 where we hurt a divisional foe and helped ourselves simultaneously. Guess it has to happen someday, right? Whatevs.

He isn't going to play CF is he?

The 66-96 2006 Cubs drew 200k more than the defending world champion White Sox which was a record for the White Sox. Anyone who really thinks the White Sox can overtake the Cubs either doesn't live in Chicago or is stoned beyond belief.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 11:35 AM) Another scenario that hasn't been mentioned yet is that this whole negotiation with Gordon could purely be a ploy to bid up KC and make them pay more for him. I have no idea if that's truly the case or not, but it could be a possibility. Whether that is the intent or not, and I kind of doubt it, it will be the result if he goes back to KC, which I still doubt.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 22, 2015 -> 08:29 AM) I think its worse than they are saying, but it also gives them a chance to win without him which could be valuable. I've never known a knee surgery that was only 2 weeks out and then fully healed. Different sport, but Brandon Scherff an Iowa lineman last year, had his knee scoped and missed one practice.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 10:11 PM) Why do people keep asking when Garpax is getting fired as if they don't know who is Garpaxs boss? They aren't getting fired, people. The team still plays in front of a mostly full crowd, they have been in the playoffs every year for a long streak, Jerry don't give a f*** Actually their boss is JR's son . I know someone who knows him quite well. He obviously respects and admires his father but has different ideas about things. Whether he would fire Gar/Pax, I have no idea, but I do know a full house and making the playoffs doesn't trump falling short. The problem I have is it seems the only people who thought swapping out Thibs for the Mayor would or at least could lead to the promised land with basically the same roster, work in the Bulls front office. The hatchet job they did on Thibs when they let him go was unnecessary and disgusting, and they are looking like bigger fools than ever now. Jeff Van Gundy has material for years.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 04:30 PM) Yeah the homeland finale was weak but I really don't know if they could have done it any better. They had too much to wrap up for one episode leaving everything a bit short IMO.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 03:38 PM) I think that is probably true, but once again that is not what I'm saying. I am talking about a general increasing interest in the city's baseball, which is bound to increase interest and attendance on both sides of town, even if disproportionately on the North Side. Please forget about persuading people to switch allegiances. I understand that we are all accustomed to thinking about being a baseball fan, from our passionate perspective. Think about a young person who has no allegiance and no prior interest in baseball. Now, they are curious to experience what all of the excitement is about, in Chicago. If both teams are playing well, and in their respective races, some of these new fans could certainly be Sox fans. To that person, they might look at any number of seemingly irrelevant factors in choosing their team. Maybe their cousin roots for the Sox, or maybe they like the idea of being able to get tickets to the games, or maybe they just like the uniforms better. (Hey, could you blame them?) It's really very simple, and shouldn't touch off any big debate. Having the town get caught up in baseball fever should be a good thing. Management just has to be sure that, in that favorable environment, the team is good enough to be in the conversation. I just think that market is minimal. Sure a,few people pick up baseball every year, and a few drop it, and if both teams play well probably more pick it up than drop it. But I don't think it is enough that would make a noticeable attendance increase. Brooks can trot out the family of 5 from Dyer who,wanted to go to the Cubs game but tickets were not available or too expensive, so they thought going to a Sox game would be great, and they loved it, but is it going to make a 5,000 increase during the season? I doubt it. If the Sox win they will draw better. It won't be great, but better. They understand this better than anyone.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 11:13 AM) Omar: The proof I have is to look at the scores from 2000 through 2004. How often did you see the Sox score seven, nine runs in a game then get two or none the next few days? I also remember many of those games came (and still do) against garbage, mediocre, soft tossing pitchers who make the Sox hitters look like complete buffoons (Bruce Chen immediately comes to mind...) "Home Run or Nothing" attitude, philosophy leads to those swings in my opinion. I actually still remember focusing in on that after a particularly strong rant from Bill Melton on the post game show after the Sox were handled in Texas by a particularly bad pitcher, I think it was in 2003. Melton blistered Sox hitters for making no adjustments against a soft tossing guy instead simply trying to hit "eight run home runs..." Like you say home runs are needed, I agree but to me the Sox have yet to recapture the balance that helped lead them to a World Series title. More "adjustments" to that attitude are needed including for God's sake getting some guys who can actually catch a baseball and execute fundamentals (which falls directly on the manager and his staff in my mind, that's what spring training is for...) Mark The 2005 White Sox won 21 games in the regular season scoring 3 runs or less. The difference wasn't a balanced offense, thy still were one of the most homer dependent offenses in baseball.i It was a pitching staff,with a bullpen that didn't give up leads. They scored 124 runs less than the 2004 team, but gave up about 190 less.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 02:17 PM) Didn't really care for Homeland finale after a great season leading up to it Yes, it might have been the worst episode of the season. I was really disappointed.

I wonder the validity of the tweet. No one else has it but this guy. I do agree, if the offers are similar if it is between KC and the Sox, he has no reason to leave, but if KC is offering Adam LaRoche money, I find it hard to believe several teams wouldn't blow that away.

Depends on prices, but I like Austin Jackson. He couldn't hit with Seattle, but is still only 28 or 29. He would be an upgrade.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 09:53 AM) but the ownership is different. i was nailed on this board and rightfully so on the ownership part. 2 different companies and 2 different income for 2 different items. i wish i can remember who nailed me, but they right The Bulls and White Sox have different ownership. Many of the same players but different. They each own a percentage of CSN.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 21, 2015 -> 09:33 AM) no it doesn't ..... the owners of that is a little different. it like saying more fans comes out that mean more money for the sox to invest b/c of more money the vendors make. The White Sox own part of the network. When teams are good and ratings high, the cost to advertise increases, which increases revenue, and profit.of which the White Sox snag a percentage. I read an article about it in Crain's last year. When the teams are interesting, not only do the ratings rise for the airing of their games, but all their programming gets a bump. And the more money the vendors make, the more money the White Sox make. They make more per beer sold than any vendor,