Dick Allen

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 09:23 AM) Considering your benchline/standard for best position player produced by the White Sox is Gordon Beckham over the last decade...infinite's not a bad choice of words when Semien still comes out well ahead of Alexei production-wise. Gordon Beckham supposedly needs to be released. His WAR -0.1. Eduardo Escobar is the best SS the Sox have produced recently according to you, his WAR -0.5. Facts suck when hyperbole is available. Semien's 0.6 WAR and falling and 28 errors at SS doesn't exactly warrant long term answer at that position. Nor does it suggest he would make a difference on the 2015 White Sox.

QUOTE (harkness @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 06:55 PM) Your going to have to give me some links where its stated that Cooper "makes pitching decisions" as in when to take the pitchers out... I've read that 3 times in this thread and have never in my life heard that. I think Coopers has a lot of input but when it comes to "the Hook" that's Ventura all the way. I read something about how Robin lead the league in "Slow Hooks" last year which is understandable since the bullpen was horrid. (this is from Bill James) it didn't say Cooper led the league in slow hooks... Not everything is Robin's Fault but your relentless defense of him in all things is pretty strange. Robin is one part of the problem but not the entire problem - but he is indeed part of it. Strange? Cooper slams the phone after his ace gives up a 2 run homer and you are the one who comes to the conclusion he wanted him yanked. Yeah Don Cooper, the guy who said anyone who mentions pitch counts are idiots wanted Sale yanked in the 7th inning of a 2-0 game. Get a clue.

There has been some talk about Conor's foot issue. I really think if it was an issue that was lingering and truly causing his poor performance, the White Sox would have DL'd him. The fact that they didn't tells you the foot isn't an issue.

The defense has improved some. Ramirez is back to being a good defender. Eaton has his head out of his butt, and Gillaspie is no longer on the field. The offense is a different story. They still have a tough time scoring, although they are starting to get more hits. It just seems everything stalls once guys get on base.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 07:31 AM) With the '05 reunion and the influx of Royals fans, a high crowd of 33,550 doesn't bode well for the rest of the year. Although they do have upcoming weekend series vs. the Yankees and Cubs which should help. Crain's or somewhere else said the White Sox expect to draw about 1.9 million this season. Considering they know exactly how many tickets are sold, and historically how many tickets will be bought, it probably is a pretty accurate figure.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 04:25 AM) So there you go...if the best of the worst is awful, whose responsibility is that? As has been noted 1,000+ times with Semien, if we can't develop hitters or fielders, what can we do well, as you don't think Cooper has done a good job with the pitching, either? No, the point is Escobar wasn't the best. Players become infinitely better in your mind the secomd they are traded. You were making excuses for Semien and his 28 errors saying the A's see potential and brought in a coach to help him. They brought in a coach because he is awful, and the bat has come back to earth as well. Escobar is a utility guy. Trading him made plenty of sense. It didn't work out, but he will hever be a difference maker.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 09:51 PM) It's arguable. Neither player is Rondon. Garcia has the better arm and slightly more range. Saladino's serviceable, but that doesn't get you in playoff contention. The best guy we've produced is Eduardo Escobar, fwiw. Escobar's UZR/150 -15.1 falls into the "awful" range.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 05:14 PM) Didn't see it...at what point did it happen. Analyzing the play by play, and knowing Coo makes pitching decisions I can't see how you can pin this on Robin. Which is clearly what you'you're trying to do. Sale in a 2-0 game in the 7th, after an 8 day rest,,with a taxed bullpen, right around 100 pitches. How can it be anything but Robin is the biggest idiot? The more opinions I Read, the more I understand why innocent people take plea deals.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 12:08 AM) Then I hope you pop up and disagree every time we hear...."Well, the White Sox could have made a legitimate run at the second wild card....were winners of 9/12, etc., but the All-Star Break came at the most inopportune moment." At any rate, those who witnessed the Jose Paniagua disaster in 2003 might disagree about the Twins seizing momentum from that game on...that was the last victory of the season series, I think. Maybe one more win the final weekend or so when the playoff picture was already decided. Jose Paniagua legend was the biggest piece of BS ever. The only game he appeared in, the White Sox won. Next time the Sox are down 10 and score 4 runs against a team's worst pitcher in garbage time, let's see if anyone talks momentum. It was ludicrous.

How do all the Hahn fans know he is capable of making the correct moves? This past offseason, all he got was praise, and when those moves didn't work out, it is all KW. If Hahn has been KW's assistant for 10 years before becoming his alleged puppet, what is there to suggest he actually know what he is doing? I guess what I don't understsnd is The notion that KW and JR have no clue, but for some reason their underling, the guy with ZERO baseball expereince before being trained by them has this vision of excellence that needs to ne followed. My point is if you think JR and KW are beyonf their expiration date, tthere is no logical reason you should not think the same of Hahn.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jul 19, 2015 -> 12:01 AM) I don't hate either, hah. Like I said prior to the year, Beckham is rendered useless when you have Tyler Saladino. Tyler Saladino's TJ recovery was more of an issue than I understood. Now he's recovered, Beckham has been worse than his normal terrible self and he should be gone (not that he should ever been signed as I repeatedly said when he was). There is validity to this, but if Saladino is like every other White Sox prospect, at some point in the next few weeks, many will wonder what he is doing in the major leagues. Conor hit really well albeit with zero power the first half of last year, has regressed, and defensively, is beyond awful. Bonifacio pinch hits before him now. In an hour or 2 I might be proven wrong, but it sure does seem Gillaspie has played his way off the White Sox roster.

Since Conor is out of options, I think he gets DFA'd or DL'd today, clears waivers and gets outrighted to Charlotte. He has become intolerable with the glove, and hasn't hit for a calendar year, so I doubt anyone grabs him. If they do, it probably won't cost the White Sox a world series. Beckham can't hit, but he can field. Saladino tskes the playing time for now, but chances are he will hit a wall. Bonifacio can fill in as a PR and 5th OF. Conor playin 3B horribly, and 1B covered, with about a .280 OBP the last year with no power is the odd man out. The thing I wonder is would you even want him in Charlotte? Davidson sucks, but at least he hits homers. I think if they could get a guy that throws 100 but walks 15 per 9 for him they would take it.

I think Robin didn't want to be in the situation where Robertson wasn't available tomorrow. If the Sox tied it again, I am sure he would have come in, he was loosening up when Cain homered, and then he sat down, It seems they are trying to get through this weekend so Carroll and/or Jones can be put on the roster. I think Hahn needs to do something for tomorrow's game.

If the Sox don't win this game is on Hahn for being a pitcher short.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 18, 2015 -> 10:27 AM) Why are the Sox playing so many Sat afternoon games instead of early evening? It is sort of weird, but this is the last Saturday afternoon home game of the season. The rest are 6:10 starts. I like them. They did move the fireworks shows to Friday.

QUOTE (Bruce_Blixton @ Jul 18, 2015 -> 03:01 AM) Really? Conine was solid but never a "stud hitter" in my mind, a great 6-7 hitter in the lineup but never able to carry a lineup in the 3-4 hole. His 162 game average slash line was .285/.347/.443/.789 and he never hit more than 26 HRs in a season (even during the steroid era). I honestly believe that Coats could put up that type of production, maybe not his rookie season but given a full season of ABs I could see him eventually putting up a similar line. Coats is a 25 year old in AAA puttimg up a .720 OPS. How can one project him to put up a .790 at the highest level? If he does, I hope someone with the White Sox reads this and hires you to scout, and I am not kidding.

I think Danks is 9-1 lifetime vs. kC and 6-0 at home with an ERA in the mid 2's. I wonder if they call him Cy Danks in KC.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Jul 16, 2015 -> 01:52 PM) Where did you see this? I'm hoping he's not hurt. The Score is reporting it. Off day Monday would give him a 10 day break, just like skipping a start.

It looks like even though he didn't pitch in the ASG, Sale still will sit out the entire KC series.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 16, 2015 -> 01:14 PM) I think that Frank Thomas is getting better and better at doing TV work. I wouldn't be against him as a color guy for the TV broadcasts. No doubt about it.

When there is a conflict, the Bulls would be on the Loop 97.9 FM.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Jul 16, 2015 -> 08:34 AM) So Dick, give us the final word. Good move, bad move? Who knows? It probably was the best deal out there, and it looks like JR used the Bulls to bring in max dollars, so the Sox are probably better off, but radio rights these days I don't think bring in very much. So I don't think it will make much difference in payroll.

Why in the world would the White Sox want to "loan" Chris Sale or any other player to another team for them to abuse? Its the human equivalent of a rental car. Would anyone really ever want to buy a used rental car?

And it's official. The Bulls are moving to WLS after next season as well.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 15, 2015 -> 02:33 PM) I've never once been to Lawrence's applebees. Not ever even considered it actually. Too many local places to savor. I wouldn't have cared except for the issue being reported before the game. If he just hadn't pitched and we didn't know why that would have been fine. Although I would have wanted Sale to get revenge on Yost this weekend. Because KC is 18 over .500 and we are 4 under. Sox are not a threat to KC even if they win all 4. Sale is a big name in baseball. A lot of people notice when something like this happens. I'd have rather had a backdoor deal like this alleges than Robin and the Sox seeming like whiny people over this. I still want to know the reason if Sale doesn't pitch Friday. Again that is just as maddening. Danks is 8-1 with a 2.73 ERA lifetime vs. KC.