Dick Allen

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 8, 2015 -> 09:14 AM) It's hard to compare the LaRoche situation to Dunn's since he's what 38 now? He could just be finished. He turned 36 last month. He is a year younger than John Lackey.

QUOTE (reiks12 @ Dec 8, 2015 -> 09:09 AM) Rick Hahn on MLB Network Talked about "untouchables", Chris Sale, Jose Abreu, and Jose Quintana Interesting note, while Hahn was talking about the untouchables he said "Carlos, err... Jose Quintana". Rodon is not an untouchable? Or maybe he has Cargo on the mind? I have called him Carlos myself several times. There used to be a Carlos Quintana on the Red Sox I think. Or maybe he was thinking Rodon but wants people to think Q is untouchable. All this AJ Pollock stuff, I would trade Q straight up for him in a heartbeat.

If the Sox big moves are predicated on LaRoche's salary being off the books, there will be no big moves. The White Sox know this. They have to. If you need a new laptop but have to sell your 2002 Dell desktop to afford it, you aren't getting a new laptop.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 8, 2015 -> 08:39 AM) It would be terribly sad and short-sighted if the Sox actually DON'T make a move because they can't find a way to move the final $13m owed to LaRoche. Make the right moves, THEN worry about reclaiming some LaRoche money. If you can't, then that's the price of taking a gamble, Mr. Reinsdorf. I agree with this. It will be very hard for them ever to achieve their goal of sustained success if $13 million causes them back off almost fully from improving the team. And it's not like they have any leverage with LaRoche anyways. Fix your roster now if you can, and deal with him later if you cannot now.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Dec 8, 2015 -> 06:32 AM) I'd say if there were $5-7M on the table left over, I would do it after talking myself into thinking that he wasn't as terrible when he played the field and that he's still a good defensive first baseman. Also I think the anger with Konerko was the fact that we already had Dunn and Abreu. Yes but Konerko was the 25th man on a team not trying to contend. Spending your last dollars on Adam LaRoche coming off the season he had would really cause some anger. There are other options for teams with cheaper players with question marks. I think LaRoche can bounce back. I know he is supposed to be good in the clubhouse. I just don't see how another team is going to take more than a million or so, if that, to take him off your hands.

I think people need to look at this another way. Say the White Sox needed a first baseman where economically challenged and trying to win. If LaRoche was coming from another team, how much would the team have to eat to make you not freak out at RH and KW. Remember in 2014, when the White Sox were in a rebuild mode how many freaked out at the team paying Konerko a couple of million to take a victory lap. What if they were actually trying to win? I thing the verdict here is LaRoche is going nowhere unless the Sox eat almost all of his contract.

QUOTE (shakes @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 02:16 PM) I was just having this discussion with some friends. Some of them want the Sox to go to an all defense team to support the pitching staff. They essentially did this late in the year and have this if the play Sanchez/Saladino/Thompson. I think that team would be horrendous. The Sox play in a small ballpark and have no power and no OBP, as constructed. The defense has to be upgraded, but it can't come at the expense of offense. That's the problem with trying to field a competitor this offseason...there's just way too many areas to upgrade. I think defensively, what they do is going to be dictated by what kind of bat they can bring in. If they bring in Upton, that could mean Avi gone, LaRoche gone, Melky LF/DH, Trayce RF. we just don't know. As you pointed out, They did address the defense about as much as they could during the season, so I really don't think they now find it unimportant. They don't need spectacular defenders everywhere. Just make the plays you are supposed to make, and with the Sox pitchers, that should be fine. You can't win when you don't score, hence even when Saladino or Beckham was at 3B, Alexei awoke from hibernation at SS, Sanchez took over for Micah at 2B, and Trayce was in the outfield, they were a pretty good defensive team but still didn't win more games. I will say one of the most fun White Sox teams ever was the 1977 Southside Hitmen, and they were about as awful of fielding team as could be. But they mashed, coming off a year where they couldn't hit at all.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 11:18 AM) Question for older Sox fans. Seemingly random, I know, but this stems from a discussion on a highway/geography discussion board. Between the 1971-72 seasons, the Washington Senators moved to Texas to become the Rangers and got switched from the AL East to AL West. The accompanying move was the Milwaukee Brewers moving from West to East. Chicago is (very slightly) farther east than Milwaukee. Were the Sox not given the opportunity to switch, or did they turn it down? I have no idea but from a logical standpoint it would reason that the White Sox would have preferred the East, so I am assuming they didn't have much say.

He is going to have to be playing really well in AAA to get called up before September. I just hope he keeps improving, or if he struggles, it is early and he figures it out. If he is the White Sox starting SS on Opening Day 2017, a lot has gone right from here to then.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 11:01 AM) J.P Morosi on MLB Network suggested if the Sox don't compete this year. Trade Sale and/or Quintana next off season when the FA market for starting pitchers is weak. iit all depends on whether they truly intend to compete and can put together a roster where you can really don't have to say everything has to go right for the team to win. I do think LDF is accurate when he states the team never seems to be fully committed all in any year. They are at a certain price, but it doesn't appear they would be willing to take on a huge loss if things went wrong. That's fine, it is a business., and these days you don't have to win 98 games to make the playoffs most seasons. Trading those guys is dangerous, and I think the extra year and an alternative to spending $200 million, should make their price tags around peak right now. If the Sox are bad again in 2016, and then they trade these guys, JR needs to clean house.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 10:33 AM) From Nashville: I still don't believe the White Sox will add any free agent that will cost them a draft pick. https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/673900680839565313 I've been wrong before, and I probably will be again at some time. But as of now, I feel confident on that one https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/673900812796563456 White Sox are targeting infield: 3B, SS even 2B. But their real target is simply making dynamic improvements to a poor '14 offense overall https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/673901294269132800 The '15 offense was really bad too.

I don't know but many want the Sox to be like the Cardinals and Pete Kozma was their starting SS for a while.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 09:34 AM) Rosenthal:BREAKING: #Dodgers agree to acquire Chapman from #Reds for two prospects. Deal is pending review of medical records, sources say. 2 prospects for a rent. Friedman has gone from Tampa to the hero worship cult in LA. In all seriousness, that probably gives them the most dominating back end in baseball, but listening to O'Dowd yesterday, it makes you wonder if this messes with Jansen. He mentioned the human element when Sean Casey said Jansen probably wouldn't mind if he was a set up guy if it meant wins. O'Dowd mentioned that Jansen really hasn't been paid yet, and a lot of his future earnings are tied into saves. Not closing games costs him money.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 09:26 AM) at the same time make some trades that also may not work out ... they got to crack some eggs or so as that cliche goes. Yes, but the vast majority wind up finding other fields of work. There is no reason at all to replace Adam Eaton with a prospect unless you really like when the White Sox aren't very good.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 09:21 AM) It makes no sense. He's our second best hitter and happens to be our leadoff guy. And is signed for 6 more years at a little over $40 million total. This is what you build a team around. Prospect worship sucks.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 09:10 AM) Danny Valencia was claimed off waivers and completely unrelated to the Donaldson trade. But the A's did get Lawrie in the Donaldson trade. I know that but they are dealing Lawrie apparently and going with Valencia. What GM has ever downgraded the left side of their infield that far that quickly?

At some point in time, be it this year, next year, 5 years from now, if the White Sox want this sustained success that has been mentioned, they are going to have to hand out some really huge contracts, and be prepared for some of them to not quite work.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:57 AM) And yet he's had the A's in the playoffs 3 times in the last 5 years. Sox were "rebuilding" but that's because they didn't hame much of a minor leagues to fix issues. Billy Beane trades off parts to aquire as much talent as possible. Some might not be anything but he does get some to work which is more then the sox have at the point. He traded his 2 best trading chips and got zero impact back. The A's are going to be bad for a while.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:40 AM) Works going to be tough this week. Luckily I have half days today and Wednesday. I am off today and was actually going to take a few days to be off for the Winter Meetings, but then Christmas week and New Years week opened up so I jumped on them. So only one day for the meetings, maybe next year.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:44 AM) can't fault that logic.... so wasn't it the second one who said something about upton and the sox?? It really is. nightingale is usually really good with White Sox stuff, and when Hawk shows love for opposing players you can pretty must rest assured their name is somewhere on the wish list.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:34 AM) then who do we listen too when some news comes from the sox FO??? at what point to we choice to believe or not??? Just keep in mind teams aren't going to say we have a boatload of money to spend. thwt would destroy them negotiating and with the public because they would either have to spend that money immediately or be considered cheap just worried about how much they can pocket, you know, like the rest of us.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:28 AM) you may very well be right, but the point is, he is the only one talking from the FO and he has the eyes and ears of the owner, you can not dispute what he says unless there is some other inside source. i am using the numbers that was spell out by the sox org, and within those parameters i am dealing with.... no what if and well that is not what he meant.... \ When it comes to lack of funds, I dispute everything he says. There is an extensive track record showing he isn't being straight.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:22 AM) i am taking the interview that said the the sox will only spend about 20 mil. i do not know who said, but it was 2 weeks ago, didn't kw say that?? but that is my point, why spend the whole chunk of what the sox have said they will spend on 1 player when there are holes. now i am taking this 20 mil literally. add the fa's of catching to upton salary and that is it. now the question again is why??? think outside the box, look at the big picture, why would they only do that and maybe nothing else??? KW also said they had no money and they traded for Peavy and claimed Rios. He said no funds and they claimed Manny, he said no funds and they signed Dunn and brought back Paulie and AJP. If you listened to KW talk finances and he was actually believable,, Greensox would have his dream team of mediocre at best prospects manning every position.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:13 AM) Yes and Donaldson is going to be getting over 10 million next year. A's can't afford that. Do you have a crystal ball to know how the prospect are going to turn out. Again they are probably going to trade Lawrie which now turns into more prospects for Donaldson. Sox made at stupid trade for shark. Traded 4 players for one year rental which was a bad overall deal plus if they magical sign a player with QO then they get nothing for shark. If Beane would have kept Donaldson, he could get a lot better prospects today, if prospects are your thing. Beane also traded a top 5 in baseball prospect for Shark. So if the Sox were stupid, what was he? He ultimately got a bunch of meddling guys for a top 5 in baseball prospect SS and an MVP 3B making Zach Duke money. Yeah, he is a genius alright. Be afraid to trade with Billy Beane. Be very afraid.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 7, 2015 -> 08:07 AM) i understand what you are saying. i have always said, esp in some of my recent post, now my ideas goes back to playoff time, the sox have around 90 mil in current payroll, add 10 mil for bonuses and such... 100 mil. that is what they have to play with, per the sox FO of only spending 20 mil now. i have always have maintain the sox can go to 140-16o and i made a post on those numbers. again i still haven't chg my positions, even with some of the salary being given out to price and zach greinke or something like that. now many are seeing how trading a Q can help. either way, does the sox have that money.... yes, will they spend that kind of money .... no. now my question that is still unanswered from you, why would you imagine the sox spend that kind of money and do maybe nothing else???? for what purpose??? Why would they do nothing else? They are looking for infielders, for starting and relief pitchers, now free agent OF which is a surprise, but probably the easiest way to get a bigger offensive upgrade. They knew they were still short last year and said they weren't where they wanted to be even when we all were excited about thei chances. They will do what they can. They see the same things we see on the field, and even more things we do not.