Dick Allen

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:59 PM) You trust them when they're sustained and not short-term and inflated by a crazy BABIP. I trust that a AAA walk rate of 3% and strikeout rate of 20% combined with a lack of power is probably not going to transition well to the majors What about his 2014 in AAA? And why would you be anti Tyker Flowers? His AAA are oretty good.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:48 PM) wRC+ for batters with over 110 PA: 200+: Bryce Harper 100-200: 254 guys 50-100: 126 guys 40-50: 9 guys 30-40: Jose Ramirez, Rene Rivera 20-30: Nobody 10-20: Nobody 0-10: Carlos Sanchez Didn't you say we have to trust the AAA numbers?

QUOTE (Big Hurtin @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:41 PM) I tell ya, they are just snakebit. Everyone wins 60, everyone loses 60... Pffffft At least they are getting hits. That wasn't happening a week ago. Maybe next week the will start scoring runs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:34 PM) Not according to the Twins' own announcers... You always post what you claim to ne your opinions and when challenged say they are the opinions of announcers. Why don't you put that in your post right away? Alexei was playing up the middle for a DP. It was a slow roller in the hole. The other ome was a hit too.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:30 PM) Easy force at second No way, and it was hit in the hole he was playing up the middle for a DP. The Sox suck, but the complaimts are getting ridiculous.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:30 PM) They can't let this keep going on for another 3 1/2 months, CAN THEY? Two base hits, two plays that legitimately could or should have been made behind Samardzija. That ball deflected off Alexei's leg somehow, lol. Then you have LaRoche who probably had a better play on the first single and doesn't quite have that comfort level yet knowing which balls Sanchez will get to...and which to go for himself. For the love of God, those were hits against any team in baseball.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 07:29 PM) And another play Alexei fails to make. Good thing they didn't bench him. That would have been a hit anyway.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:57 PM) I think the whole idea of participation awards making kids ok with losing is BS to begin with. I'm almost 40 and we had those awards back when I played. It's not a "new" thing. The thing is, kids aren't stupid. They know what those trophies are. They know that they aren't nearly as good as the first place trophies the other kids are walking around with. Often times we would get ice cream or some other treat after the game even if we lost but it didn't make us want to win any less. Honestly, I think the bigger problem is the kids that are getting pushed by their parents who are trying to re-live their failed sports aspirations through their kids. I have 3 girls and only the youngest had/has any interest in playing any kind of sport. She's not the worst, but she's not the best either. If she wants to continue to try and get better I'll support her but I'm not going to push her thinking she'll be the next Cat Osterman or Jennie Finch. I agree. The problem isn't the kids. It's the parents. The kids deserve a trophy for putting up with them. Go to a youth league game and watch how many buffoons are coaching and watching as parents acting like their entire lives are dependent on the outcome of a game between 10 year olds.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:41 PM) You're making less and less sense with each post. The one thing he does say that makes total sense is if the White Sox don't think they can win for 3 or 4 years, they should, if the packages were right, trade these guys.

Chris Sale helping the Cubs to a WS would be a devastating blow to this White Sox fan. There is no way if I am Rick Hahn, I would trade Sale to the Cubs unless it was the overpay of all overpays.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:42 PM) It's crazy how both the Santos and Reed trades worked out. The Sox sold at the perfect time on both of the guys, with both of them turning into bad pitchers. It's just too bad the scouting part of the return in the trade failed. Molina was simply a terrible idea by the organization, as not many people even viewed him as a starter when he was acquired. Not only that, but most teams didn't know Santos was available, and judging by other closers that were traded that offseason, it seems a higher return was very possible. As far as Davidson goes, I think it was a good risk, but unfortunately it appears something happened between 2013 and 2014 and Davidson hasn't been able to recover. I do think they should give him a shot after they sell away players next month, as it wouldn't hurt to see if something can click at the big league level. There's not a lot of use in having him repeat AAA for a 3rd season next year. Wasn't Paddy influential with the Santos trade? Molina had awesome numbers but he was ranked fairly down the Blue Jays prospect list. IIRC during the teleconference discussing the trade, KW was under the impression he was playing in the Winter League, which he was not, and he was using his numbers from a year earlier when he was. The trades turn out to be nothing for nothing but the point I was making was that doesn't mean no harm no foul. When you don't have a ton of assets, you need to get something when you are giving them up.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:25 PM) Clearly. My point is that the argument in the past has been that the Sox can't afford to trade stars because it will hurt the brand. I think that's hogwash. Chris Sale is obviously a phenomenal pitcher, but he hardly a household name. I think it's foolish to hang on to Sale in hopes that he will be same pitcher 3 or 4 years down the road when the team is ready to contend and even more so with Abreu. I don't care how many burgers Sale could sell on a McDonald's ad, but he is a star pitcher. You need good players to win. Now, if they don't think they can win for 3 or 4 years, I agree with you, trade them all. I just don't think the White Sox situation is as dire as Cameron is making it. They have the makings of a good pitching staff. The offense is horrendous, but I don't think that means some of these guys like Melky are done. They do have to improve the defense. But if they get the offense to just average and Fulmer is as advertised, and they get something out of a Johnson or Montas or Danish, even out of the bullpen, if the offense is average, which is what it was when they won it all, they can be a contending team.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:24 PM) So what were the offers for Reed? I have no idea, but neither do you and you are assuming Davidson was the best offer for him. If that was the case, and the White Sox knew what Matt Davidson would be, I am guessing they don't make that trade. At one point teams were saying he was not available, so as crazy as it seems, I think they could have received a player who would contribute at the major league level for his services.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:16 PM) That's $100 million in theoretical prospect value if all prospects pan out too. I mean Sale's $150M of future performance value might be theoretical too, but it's a hell of a lot more likely than counting on some prospects to play well at the major league level. But you are still giving a $50 million or 33% discount. I know he is taking that as salary, but you are going to have to pay the guys you acquire, and if they aren't as great as advertised, and most usually are not, you are going to have to pay others just to make up that deficit. To me, if you are not winning enough games, trading a guy who is "worth" $150 million and acquiring packages "worth" $100 million means you just lost that trade. I will gladly give anyone $100 for $150 any time they would like.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:10 PM) Yet the player we traded sucks, so... If anything they could have received for Reed would have sucked and never made the majors, you would have a point. But a team with few assets trading one for a bust is a blown trade. Davidson has gone from a guy many were wondering if he would be called up after his super 2 status expired to a guy who it will take a disaster for him to be called up.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:00 PM) If you're moving Sale, you're not going to tie an anchor to him to save money. Without Sale, there's no need to reinvest that $14m next year anyway, and SOMEONE is going to have to soak those innings up. Yeah, I don't know why you have to take what would be fewer prospects so you don't have to pay Danks next year if you are dumping salary anyway and aren't going to be winning. If you are going for prospects, you don't include these guys in the deal lessening your reward. You just suck it up and pay them, and brag about your top farm system for a year or so.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 01:43 PM) From the comment thread on the article: "The cost is high but he’s definitely not untouchable if only due to his contract. If Sale is to earn roughly $50MM over the rest of his contract and puts up $150MM in value, that’s $100MM in value they need to get back. Using a market rate of $8MM/Win, that’s 12.5 WAR they would need in order to move him. Doesn’t seem untouchable to get back several prospects who can be expected to contribute that amount, but they would need to be very good prospects. Even with Javier Baez’s terrible ML line last year, his KATOH projection is still over 5 WAR. Combined with Schwarber and Alcantara, and the players Dave proposed seem perfectly reasonable." What the hell is KATOH? How reliable are prospect projections anyway? What if Schwarber can't cut it at catcher or LF and ends up becoming a DH, thus lowering his value considerably? So he's saying trade Sale and his $150 million in value and get $100 million in value back. Yeah, that should make you a better team.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 10:22 AM) i cant speak for anyone else, sox fan or cubs fan, but I think the lives of people in the viewing area trumps any game coverage at any time. Knowing the possibility of a tornado is on its way is pretty important for a lot of people They probably wouldn't break into a Sox game. Nobody's watching.

QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 08:40 AM) I watched last night CWS games and started thinking outside the box. I know it wouldn't be done due to egos and the risks/embarrassment of failure but look at Vanderbilt pre Corbin. Vandy was a program with no history and one of the greatest disadvantages in recruiting there could be. Many of you may not realize that most baseball scholarships are fractions of a full ride. At Vandy if you are on a third or half ride you must come up with the rest of the money. That extra is often 20-30k just in tuition. That cost severely limits your player pool. Academic requirements are substantial and most academic scholarships start with needing about 32 on an ACT. Yet he has built a very solid program all while the MLB raids his roster and recruiting class. They play smart aggressive baseball. They develop pitchers and hitters. I would consider hiring someone like that to run my minor league system. I think the minors are much more like college than MLB. You are dealing with developing players and dealing with kids away from home and life problems. I would seriously consider a guy like Corbin and give him a huge say in hiring scouts and instructors. So often scouts and instructors are former MLB players or failed minor leaguers who seem to have little qualifications. There is a place for people who have MLB experience but not in an organizational nepotistic way. Imagine guys developing. Coming up and able to hit behind runners, execute a bunt when called for, knowing how to play defense. Playing smart. The problem is the White Sox do all these things in the minor leagues, and either they have players that just can't grasp it or have instructors that just can 't teach it. There was a photo on Twitter of Micah Johnson being schooled about playing 2B in Charlotte 6 hours before the game. I was told the same thing was going on in Chicago. He wasn't getting better. Is it because he can't or the White Sox don't know how to make him better? I also heard another reason Micah is in Charlotte was the pitching staff was getting very frustrated, I heard especially Samardjiza, with his glove work.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 08:23 AM) If they both amount to basically nothing we win due to the money saved. Maybe that money is being spent on Bonafacio. The problem with the trade is whether anyone really wants to admit it or not, Reed was a definite asset on a rebuilding team. The asset was traded away for a strikeout machine, which the White Sox apparently are attracted to in their system, who has little chance to ever help the team. If you trade Reed fine. But it isn't about well, Reed ultimately failed so getting a guy that failed is great. Whoever is responsible for scouting Davidson blew it. If you make a trade for a team's #1 ranked prospect, but could have had their #10 ranked prospect, and the #10 ranked prospect turns out to be a better player. You blew it. When Hahn or KW are making trades, it doesn't matter what the BA ranking is. It doesn't matter what the mlb.com ranking is, or what BP or Fangraphs thinks, it's ultimately what the White Sox think. And what they thought of Matt Davidson was wrong.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jun 22, 2015 -> 01:26 PM) wasn't there talk about him being a catcher as well?? with a possibility of a recurring injury and surgery..... there is always that possibility. but then again, he will be rehabbing with the sox people which i would trust more than college coaches. He was a catcher until last season when he pitched 35 innings. I would think either genetically he may have issues in his arm, or he must have some messed up mechanics. Then he pitched in the Cape Cod league before busting loose this season. He has 119 IP as a college pitcher, not counting what he did in the Cape Cod league. Of course he was a catcher, so it wasn't like he wasn't throwing before. It just seems really quick to get injured.

Anyone read the Sullivan column on Castro and Ventura? I didn't know Sveum got fired in part because of his "tough love" act with Castro. Sully wrote Maddon uses a pat on the back approach, and seems to be getting the same results. They say the guy wants to win and be really good. It appears despite a ton of talent, (and he at least was ahead of Pete Rose in hits at his age earlier this year) he either doesn't have it in him or he has to grow up. I don't know if his contract is bargain enough to consider him a huge piece of a trade at this point.

The one thing that does seem a bit scary even if you are of the belief TJ surgery is no big deal, it's not like this guy has a lot of pitching under his belt. He blew it out quickly. Maybe I am way off, but that would make me think he is a guy who would be a good candidate to have this surgery again.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 22, 2015 -> 11:57 AM) Just for my own curiosity, I looked at the standings last year. When the 11 worst teams played a total of 770 games, it was through 6/17/14. Out of the bottom 11 teams through the same point, no team ever got over .500. Only one team made it to .500 and it was the worst team- Tampa Bay started 28-43, and went 33-18 the next 51 games to reach .500. And then immediately dropped some games and stayed under .500 the rest of the season. The Sox were 33-37, and managed to get to 54-56. I think even the most optimistic of us realizes the odds are stacking against the White Sox. But regression to the mean tells us the team should, at some point, start performing better. The offense cannot be this bad. Every year is different. I still hope the Sox get on a roll, and think they will at some point. I don't know if it will be enough, but stranger things have happened. They were 55-27 in 2006 after going 11-1 in the playoffs and never not being in first place the season before. They didn't make the playoffs. Some teams that are playing well now, won't continue to play well. Some that have been not so good, will get better.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jun 22, 2015 -> 11:30 AM) Much of this was the annual AL feasting on the NL. We just had a bit of that and promptly lost 8 in a row. Edit: pods was 2009. That was a fun run. Houston is AL. I have to remind myself about that a lot.