Dick Allen

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 03:21 PM) I can use the Bears to prove this statement wrong. They went to the Super Bowl with Grossman/Orton. While they did lose to a franchise QB, you can't say they weren't contenders. And that was Peyton Manning's only Super Bowl victory, the greatest quarterback of all time from a statistical perspective. A couple of mediocre QBs have won Super Bowls, including McMahon, but the defense has no margin for error.

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 03:19 PM) I'd say the opposite. He may it about as clear as muddy water ..... the only thing he's made clear is that he wanted to test the FA market... “You go out and step in the outfield to shag, or pitching, or whatever you’re doing outside, you take a deep breath and it smells like I’m on the Valparaiso High School field playing. “There is just a comfort level to being in this area. I always have to show up well because I have a lot of people in the stands that are here expecting a lot of me. Yeah, that is absolutely something that is on my list; I love it here,” Samardzija said Even this quote.. he was talking about how he wanted to try free agency but basically wanted to stay on the Sox if they could match the numbers ... Sometimes you have to do that in a month. It's important for me to be able to be on this team all year and really get to know all the players and what the future holds is exciting. I've been pretty adamant about being a free agent. It's really something you shoot for. You are so close to it and you really want to experience it, but like I said before, when the situation is right, it's right. When the numbers are right, the numbers are right." The proof is in the pudding. Sale signed one of the most team friendly extensions in baseball, Samardzija didn't negotiate.

Exactly. People are so focused on LaRoche vs. LHP, they completely ignore how horrible Abreu was vs. LHP. LaRoche is supposed to be bad, Abreu not. The team was just horrible at the start and it snowballed. Any time it seemed they might turn the corner, another clunker. It was a bad year. The Sox talent level isn't as bad as it is made out to be. Every team has holes. Mike Olt was the Cubs starting 3B on Opening Day.

They need to get Swisher on the team. Even if he sucks, the first year, the team makes the playoffs. Awful with the Sox...playoffs. Good with the Yankees...playoffs. Awful with Cleveland....playoffs.

Apparently Bulls fans are getting sick of not advancing in the playoffs, and seem to think the Mayor isn't going to change things. I have been contacted each of the last 3 days trying to interest me in season tickets. Kind of shocking to me. They had really great attendance when they were the most awful team in NBA history. I guess the sticker price is getting a bit ridiculous.

QUOTE (captain54 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 01:28 PM) Since the Sox fade down the stretch in 2012, (where they went 4-11, from 9-19 till the end of the season).. a terrible offensive slump and starters ERA in the 5's was their doom.. Combined record to date over the course of roughly three seasons: 212-279…87 games under .500 Understood that the win pct. has gone up since the end of 2012, but comparing 2014 to 2015, we are only taking about 3 wins… the nightmarish 2013 record will skew this, but we have an average seasonal record over 3 seasons of roughly 70-92 Now I challenge anyone to name me one organization that puts this type of product on the field, and makes NO major changes concerning the powers that be that have engineered this mess over three seasons…. Underperforming players? (By the way, Rongey's favorite catch phrase).. Somepne in authority has put these under performers on the roster, on a consistent basis for a while now.. yet.. no responsibility.. no accountability.. Counting the record the last few years would be like holding John Fox responsible if the Bears start out 0-3. They ran out of gas in 2012, it was all they could do. Youk was cashed, Sale was cashed. In 2013 Paulie was hurt, the people's choice at that time behind the plate showed why he was a back up. The Sox traded away pieces at the deadline. Last year was a rebuilding year. No need to get depressed about that record. This year, yeah, it was disappointed, but they are closer than they were a couple of years ago, and plan to get closer in the winter. The difference between good and bad can be a rather slim line. Take the Cubs, what if Houston drafted Bryant? What if Samardzija accepted the extension? What if Arrietta was the same pitcher or slightly better than he was in Baltimore?

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 01:29 PM) Not totally, the advice I was given by some about certain individuals appears to be right on the money. I wrote this piece about my feelings towards the Sox on August 25th, my 60th birthday for Sox Net. If you missed it, you may want to read it: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/08/l...rthday-to-mark/ I stand by my comments and my feelings towards anyone including you. Mark I find this to be a personal attack, but that's OK, it's from someone who thinks Dye, Iguchi, Pods, AJ, Loaisa, Contreras, Garcia, Quentin, Abreu, Eaton, all became horrible after they put on a White Sox uniform, and it has to have something to do with Kenny Williams or Buddy Bell.

At least you admit there is no logic to your statements today. A rather large amount of inaccuracies.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 01:08 PM) Logically thought out post and brings up some good points in my opinion. Mark If Jeff Samardzija was Jake Arreitta, and Jake Areitta, Jeff Samardzija, Theo, who offered Shark $85 million, wouldn't be a genius, and Rick Hahn would be a boy wonder, and KW would have had nothing to do with the treade.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 12:34 PM) When Sale signed that deal as I recall he said he did it because he wanted some security for himself and eventually his family. Also when Sale signed that deal a few years ago the Sox weren't in as bad a shape as they are right now in most areas save for financially. Things change don't they? I find it hard to imagine that Sale has to be happy about the overall state of the team the past few years and again I go back to his competitiveness and how that flares up from time to time. No athlete with that kind of fire wants to spend a career and not get the chance to showcase his talent on the biggest stage and I've been around pro athletes for almost 40 years so I do know a little something about it. Mark He signed it in March of 2013. They lost 99, then 89, and this year it should be fewer than that. Trending up. It really amazes me how many people have their favorite thing to do is to complain about something you have no control over. If it depresses you that much, I am sure professionals would tell you that you should probably spend your time doing something else. In the end, it's just a game.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 12:27 PM) Sorry my post offended you. JR was not mentioned at all in it, nor was it my intention to include him in the discussion. I was referring more towards Kenny Williams and Buddy Bell myself. Since you brought it up however he certainly is a factor in this decline which assuming the Sox go on to have a losing season again you have to go all the way back to the time period from 1968-1976 to find such a sustained stretch of bad baseball. At least in that time period the Sox 'excuse' was they didn't have any money...I can't find an excuse for this past nine years period that's comparable especially in this era of parity. Mark What about 84-89? Roland Hemond left the team so barren, even drafting perfectly after he was fired, it was another 10 years until playoff baseball. Why am I not surprised you missed that.?KW>RH.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 12:04 PM) Outside of last offseason and Dunn, when did we pay full price in free agency in the last decade? I'm not seeing the trend here. Yes, and when talking 2005, Garcia was full price. Scotty Pods was as well. They got Iguchi cheap but were the high bidders. Hawk talked them into AJ. Dye was a rehab project. It all depends on your budget. Andrew Friedman operates the Dodgers a lot differently than he operated TB. And we all know if it was clear the Sox were pocketing money like Loria because they didn't want to pay full price, that would be just as criticized.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 10:48 AM) When discussing possible Sale trades everyone seems to leave out something. Namely what does Sale want? I've never heard or seen anything indicating he wants out...yet. But keep in mind when the season ends in two weeks he'll have five and a half years of service in the big leagues...and still won't have ever pitched in a post season game. That has got to be bothering a guy as competitive as he is. Sooner or later (probably sooner) if the Sox continue to look like buffoons on a baseball diamond Sale (or his agent) are going to cross a line and say "I'm leaving when my deal is up so trade me for what you can and get me out of here." Mark If Sale didn't want to be a White Sox, he wouldn't have signed the ridiculously team friendly contract he signed. I know doom and gloom is in. The funny thing is, players as a rule, seem to really enjoy playing for the White Sox. Why do you ignore that?

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 08:41 PM) and his wRC+ is 99 and Flowers' is 71. Can we just stop using batting average? Soto takes walks and hits for power. Those are useful qualities and it's reflected in the slash lines and wRC+. Soto isn't an every day catcher. He is fine as a back up.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Sep 24, 2015 -> 07:46 AM) How did it work out for the Mariners by not trading Felix to the Red Sox for the prospects that didn't pan out? Sometimes you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. If Felix was pitching well in Boston and they won a WS like they did a couple of years ago, the trade would look lopsided. Frankly, if the Sox are going to suck, I'd rather have them suck with Sale going out there every fifth day than a bunch of junk shuttling between Charlotte and Chicago. Besides, the Mariners can still trade Felix. You're pretty much stuck with the junk when you have a collection of busted prospects.

How many times has a guy signed long term like Sale been traded for a bunch of prospects and it turned out to be a good deal for the team trading the star?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 02:57 PM) That's great and all, but, Mr. Record Keeper at the Police Department, why is your evidence bag outside of the evidence room? They can say all they want that the chain was never broken between the time they collected the sample to the time it was tested, but if they can't keep custody of the evidence after the test, why on earth should we believe them when they say they had it before the test? Maybe it's another evidence bag. Or maybe there is another explanation. If not, I'm with you, the chain had to be broken.

And even if someone did tamper with the evidence, why would they leave that bag where they did? What would that accomplish besides getting a lawyer to hold a press conference?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 02:28 PM) Of course he would say that...right after he leaked the DNA test "results" to the press. I would think if Kane or his "people" had anything to do with this, they would be smart enough not to leave the baggie in the parents' door. This is so bizarre.

Abreu has struggled vs. LHP this season.

Geo actually has struck out more per PA than Flowers this season.

I look for LaRoche to bounce back a bit next year. He never DHd, and his poor performance seemed to snowball. By all accounts he is a pro, and I think he still has it in him to have a decent year. Just remember 2012. People were mortified the Sox had to pay AJ $6 million, what with Tyler Flowers waiting in the wings. He came up big, put up career numbers. LaRoche had a season like this several years ago, and bounced by nicely. Maybe it won't be as nice since he's a bit older, but he should be better next season.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 02:14 PM) The Dodgers basically have bottomless pockets. Why would they want to give up substantial prospects for Sale when they can just go out and sign David Price? That's true, the other problem is it is too much for the Dodgers to give up, and at the same time, not enough for the White Sox.

These September out of contention performances mean nothing good or bad. Most players struggle initially in their major league careers. There are others that do good things as youngsters in September that they never do again, even with the White Sox. Jerry Owens, Brent Morel, Josh Fields...there are more.

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 01:44 PM) Micah has pretty outstanding minor league numbers and only 114 MLB plate appearances. He has value to a team that values offense over defense and while he may not be a centerpiece to a deal he could very well be a piece to add to maybe a Quintana trade to net us a 3b. If the Sox have to add Micah to Quintana, the 3B they get better be an All Star.