Dick Allen

QUOTE (reiks12 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 07:39 PM) I never met a hardcore cardinals fan that knew anything about the baseball world. They know everything g about the cardinals and their minor league affiliates but nothing about any other team. The group I talked to this week didnt know who Miguel Cabrera played for I don't know about a typical Cardinals fan's baseball acumen, but I do know they have some impressive fans. I was in St. Louis in May and was going to a bar Leonard Zelg reccommended. The Ballpark Village was between our hotel and the bar, so we stopped in. It was a Thursday afternoon in May and the place was packed to watch a Cardinals road game. When they got a hit everyone cheered like they were at the park. The Cards lost and the place cleared out almost immediately after the game, but I don't think that happens in Chicago on either side of town. For a playoff game or a key game in September, yeah maybe, but not for a Thursday afternoon game in May interleague game vs. Cleveland.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 08:12 PM) Sale is one of our best pitchers Top 5 on the staff.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 07:18 PM) How many position players have improved in the 2012-2015 time frame? Throwing out all the guys who are older (Dunn, LaRoche, Cabrera, Bonifacio, Soto, Keppinger, DeAza, Ramirez, etc.) You have Viciedo and Eaton for sure who showed the ability to be contributors and play soundly on both sides of the ball...before falling off mentally/focus/concentration-wise. Avi, comparing his past efforts with this season? Beckham's probably not a fair example, but what about Flowers and Gillaspie? Either we're scouting and bringing in players who don't improve (or get exposed by scouting and dont/cant readjust) ot there's a flaw somewhere in development at the major or minor league levels, or both. Matt Davidson also comes to mind here. Eduardo Escobar, Semien and Phegley have become more valuable contributors than they were for us...the complement to that. Hector Santiago is a 50/50 All-Star with the Angels. Is Vince Coleman the worst baserunning coach in the league, or the players are the worst at following his advice/instructions? Just a case of being great at something (Ted Williams and hitting) doesn't make it easier for you to coach that same skill in others with lesser talent/ability? Most players of Ventura's ability (or above) haven't been great managers, with Joe Torre being one of the main exceptions. And, since all veterans essentially "are what they are...only they will get worse or fall off a cliff eventually" shouldn't we do more to find players on the other side of that curve? Escobar has a .281 OBP with Minnesota, and Semien's OPS which was .673 with the White Sox is all the way up to .701 with 25 errors. John Danks xFIP. 4.53 Hector Santiago xFIP 4.46

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 01:53 PM) So let me ask this question then...is it not the manager's primary role to have his team prepared to play every night? Let me ask this....how do you know they aren't as prepared as another human being can make them. Can't you prepare someone about as well as can be prepared, and they still screw up? I have used this before, but have you gone to a restaurant and ordered a sandwich or something using specific instructions (like for me, no mayo) and when you unwrap the sandwich, see it wasn't prepared using your instructions? If I said please no mayo, and it is loaded with mayo, is that because I didn't manage the situation correctly to begin with? Hawk actually went off a little on Alexei the other night with 0 out and a guy on second, making no attempt toward RF. He kept saying Steverson spends batting practice telling guys to get the runner over. At some point, you have to look at the professionals getting paid millions of dollars, many make more in 6 months than most people make in a lifetime, and determine they have to execute. I think it is pretty damning that it is even considered you have to actually teach players the most basic fundamentals after they reach the major leagues.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 01:14 PM) Let me ask this then.... When is the last time we signed or traded for someone and trade evaluators commented "he has the ability to be a Gold Glove-level defender"? Rondon? Trayce Thompson...? When's the last time we've taken an average or below average fielder and he became close to great? Robin Ventura? Rondon

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 07:01 AM) Love it. Go Braves! Buehrle got a win, and Cotts was untouched in 2/3 of an inning. I think those are the only 4 currently active for the World Champions. I would guess BMac had a nice day on the Twitter recuperating from surgery.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 09:02 AM) Flowers sat for three straight games from June 16-18. It seemed to me like the Sox were going to switch and have Soto be the everyday catcher. Maybe that was the wake up call Flowers needed. Since June 19 .346/.433/.808, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K The Sox catchers have gotten a lot of grief this year and their wRC+ and fWARs leave something to be desired, but they have provided 11 HRs and 32 RBIs through 76 games. Flowers is streaky. The catching position is so thin these days, and with offense dropping off, probably only going to get thinner. Teams are going to want their catchers who can hit to play a different position to keep them healthier and fresher and their bats in line up.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 09:49 AM) I just hate how everyone is acting like they have a clue as to whether or not RV is even a good or bad manager. We know he isn't great tactically, but you know who is even worse? Mike Matheny, and his team has the best record in baseball. So that tells you how much difference that makes. Beyond tactics, none of us know anything. You're all clamoring to fire RV because you want someone to blame, period. You have NOTHING to suggest that he's responsible for the failure of the team. The guy you're blaming for instilling poor fundamentals is the same guy you praised for instilling great fundamentals like two years ago. If he's fired, it will be a meaningless move that panders to the pitchfork mob. If that satisfies you, whatever, but it doesn't actually have anything to do with the team. This message board should be better than that. But the Brewers fired their manager, and the Marlins fired their manager, and the Red Sox fired their pitching coach, and everything got a lot better. Oh wait. The thing is, one person could not do the damage some think Robin Ventura does to the White Sox without RH, KW, or JR noticing. The old" you can't fire all the players" line admits changing the manager isn't fixing the problem if the players are all still there. Maybe Robin resigns after the season, but the White Sox, and IMO rightfully so, aren't going to pin this failure all on him, fire him and hang him out in public for all the pitchforks.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 09:30 AM) I would assume that the penalties are going to carry over to the international draft? That is going to be interesting. With so many teams over, they aren't going to vote for penalties. I would assume there will be none.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 2, 2015 -> 12:28 AM) Recently read an article about common traits of millionaires. The author argued that the most important individual trait was decisiveness (not stubbornness). The article also argued that decisive "leaders" are very hesitant to change that decision (once made) and don't waver or waffle or reverse their decision until they've patiently and carefully weighed every possible factor that went into the original decision. If the front office is 100% behind Robin Ventura, then they should give him a contract extension and shut up the media and the blogosphere. From what little glimpses we've had from KW/Hahn on this topic, it seems to be the exact opposite of decisiveness. Didn't they give Robin Ventura a contract extension a year or so ago? Funny thing is, I am pretty sure KW is a millionaire, RH is a millionaire, JR is a millionaire if not billionaire, and RV is a millionaire. So apparently they have the traits you are looking for.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 05:35 PM) Hey, the Search Engine worked!! Watching Olbermann today, and on his low light segment, he showed de Aza mis-playing a fly ball in a Boston uniform. I had forgotten how bad he was/is. I saw that at the gym. That made Avi look smooth. I don't know what it was with DeAza. At one time he was at least average in CF, but when it came out he was more comfortable in LF, he became pretty bad with the glove everywhere.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 04:48 PM) And they're made lots more enjoyable when Robin Ventura is defended no matter what he does...and constantly compared to Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa? How about this? I won't post at all here starting this weekend. Since we can't ever seem to get along and play nice and it's making the site harder and harder to read...let's say, two full weeks, until July 18th? Deal? Quit the martyr act. Post how Robin needs to get fired all you wish, just don't write it is getting tiring. If it really was tiring, the solution is to stop. No one is forcing you to continue with the same theme. Plenty will pick up the slack. Besides, since you are the one saying the team has no talent, all the prospects suck, and the team will suck for years unless they spend $150 million, why would you even care who is managing the team?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 03:16 PM) I mean, not that 6 years 40 mill is chump change. But look at the athletes in other sports. John Danks made more than that on a 4 year deal and has pitched like garbage the whole time. Edit: my point here is I don't blame him. The Bulls paid Tim Thomas IIRC $18 million to go away. A couple years later, they got him back, and paid him another couple of million to go away. Like you said, $1 million-$2 million might not be that big of a deal in the NBA or MLB, but it is pretty huge in the NHL.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 03:06 PM) Wouldn't mind trading Q for a haul and signing Buehrls in the offseason. Eventually, the 84 or 86, whatever he is throwing these days, has to come back and hurt him. Probably when he signs a White Sox contract. But he seems to be, even with a few less ticks on the gun, the exact same guy he has always been.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 02:43 PM) not to get all political, but it's so strange to see how much rain the rest of the country is getting meanwhile people are digging up their lawns here in socal because of the drought. If we can build an oil pipeline, can't we build a water one too? Okay, back to baseball. That's a pretty scary situation in CA.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 02:50 PM) Miami offered him stupid money. According to fangraphs, he has put up $57 million in value. I think his contract was for $55 million with half a season to go. One free agent who worked out. It would have been interesting if the Sox held on to him. Would they have made the playoffs in 2012? Would Sale have become a closer? Who knows.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 02:30 PM) It could also be Saad's camp trying to do some damage control after the Hawks spun things fairly well talking about how Saad wanted 6.5 and it just wasn't going to fit, which was understandable. Saad doesn't want to come off like he is just a money hungry athlete, but at the end of the day you can never hold that against the player. I would have loved for Saad to take a 4.5 million dollar deal to stay with this club, but if there is a team out there willing to go 6 or 6.5 per, go make your money. I don't hold that agianst Saad, or the Blackhawks. Exactly. I will never blame someone for taking the extra money. It's not like it's 10 or 15k a year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 09:48 AM) That is like giving him credit for not stepping in front of a bus. Those were both Duh type of picks. Maybe, maybe not. A couple of teams passed on Toews. A few people wanted Kane traded before they won any cups. Tallon, whose nickname was "Fail" also traded for Sharp. He is pretty astute in the scouting spectrum, and had as much impact as anyone building a team that not only could win, but had the core to win at least a few times. I don't think Bowman is a dunce, but when you start out with Kane, Toews, Keith, and Seabrook, the "duh" the Hawks are going to be pretty good could be used there.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 12:09 PM) I think they used to have curfew rules when a lot of parks were in neighborhoods. The home team is in charge of the game starting, but once they start it's in the hands of the umpires. And when it's a teams' last time (or only time) visiting, they wait it out as long as possible. The Angels haven't had a home game rained out in 20 years.Only trip to STL for the Sox, and final game of the series. I am pretty sure this game is in the umpires' hands all the way.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 01:22 PM) Sale = will absolutely not be traded unless something crazy comes back, like Trout or Stanton. Shark = Sox don't know if he wants to stay or not, no negotiations. Possibly the worst update ever. I think my kids know more than this tool. Nightengale is usually really good with Sox stuff. Samardzija made it clear a long time ago he was going to be a FA. If the Sox want him next year, be really nice and upfront about trading him. He will go to a contender obviously, and then negotiate with him next winter. If other teams don't want to give you anything better than the comp pick, keep him, but if they do, it is silly at this point to hang on to him.

Feeky isn't happy.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 12:38 PM) I don't recall writing that I was rooting for losses to better draft position...at any rate, like many here, we just want a clear direction. Lose a lot, make changes on the roster, coaching staff or front office...improve for the future. Win enough to provide evidence of improvement. This whole 5-15 games below .500 thing gets you nowhere but exiled to irrelevance in Chicago. But I could say the same thing...if the Sox aren't winning or you can't hype/defend/protect Ventura, Beckham or Danks somehow, you're pretty much invisible. Today I spent three hours following on a mobile phone until the battery died because that's how long it took for a new residency permit in China. I even got scolded for having a phone out while waiting in line. You can blame bureaucratic inefficiency for my inability to hype up Tyler Flowers for a three year contract extension since i didn't have an ipad with me. Thanks for an attempt at a personal attack, though. Heartwarming that you care so much about everyone's fandom. No, just referring to the part you said calling for Ventura's head is getting "tiring". The fact is, and anyone can go to previous gamethreads and check it out, either it is just a crazy coincidence you are too busy on days the White Sox play well, or your claim of complaining about the White Sox getting tiresome is BS. I don't go into gamethreads much anymore because they are a joke. If the Sox aren't winning 10-0, they pretty much pure comedy bad or unreadable.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 12:13 PM) Since it's getting so tiresome arguing that Ventura should be replaced and logic doesn't work, might as well use reverse logic to see if that makes any difference. Tiresome? There isn't one poster on Soxtalk that enjoys the White Sox failing more than you. You have been posting the same thing for a couple of months with no sign of slowing down. In fact, because I have DirecTV, when it rains, I often lose the broadcast. If I want to see how the Sox are doing while the TV doesn't work, I go to Soxtalk, click on the gamethread, and see how many posts you have. A lot of posts, the Sox are getting killed. A few posts, the game is close, no posts, the Sox have the game in the bag.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 1, 2015 -> 09:53 AM) I love Chris Sale as much as the rest, but let's be careful with the "hasn't even peaked yet" thing. Aging curves -- never rigid in the first place -- have been creeping toward the younger side for years now, and we know that velocity especially peaks very young. Pitchers that have long, HOF careers typically do so because they are able to evolve their approach and arsenal as their stuff declines. I do think that Chris can be one of those guys, but we should acknowledge that his "stuff" is as good now as it will ever be and that he isn't due to become physically more dominant just because he isn't 27 yet. There are always exceptions, of course, but they're rare. That's true. Expecting Sale to get better is crazy talk. Hopefully he can hold his peak for an unusually long time.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jun 30, 2015 -> 10:16 PM) Questioning Bowman is crazy though. For some reason people still do this. He had to tear apart the team in 2010 because of Dale Tallon. Everyone said they'd never win again. They won the cup in 2013. In 2013, they had a reshuffle as well. People thought it was over again. Then they won the cup in 2015. The man knows what he is doing and Kane and Toews aren't even 28 years old yet. For all the s***ty sports teams in this city, I'm not going to question the GM of the one that isn't. I agree questioning Bowman is crazy, but what is equally crazy is ripping Tallon. If he didn't pick Kane and Toews and Keith and Seabrook, there would be zero cups. There was that one snafu, but it was revealed a subordinate screwed up. Dale took the blame, that's fine.