Lemon_44

I liken Rasmus to Matt Kemp. He had a very good year, struggled mightly, and look how he bounced back this year. Thornton can't close, we all know that. If the price was Thornton and Reed, it should be a done deal. Reed may be a legit prospect but he' still a middle relief guy. The Sox bullpen will be fine with Crain, Sale, and Santos as the main guys. If Atlanta would take Rios for Lowe, which is very doubtful, that would be a done deal as well. Then there is the Q for Beachy rumor. I guess I could see Atl doing 1 of these 2 options. But no way they do both. They are right in the thick of things and won't be trading 2/5 of their rotation mid-season. I don't care how of good prospect they have, teams in contention don't do that. Jackson is the wildcard. I've liked him, and the acquisition, from day 1. I would only trade him for a pretty good package. I can't imagine the Yankees are confident with Colon and Freddy regardless of how they've pitched. Maybe we could the Red Sox and Yankees into a bidding war and one of them overpays with either of their top C propsects. It's doubtful but Jackson is the best SP out there. I think the chances of happenning: Jackson and Reed- Rasmus: probably the most likely at 25% Thornton/Reed-Rasmus: 15% Q/Beachy: 15% Jax to Yanks/ Red Sox: 5% Rios to anyboby: 1 out of a million If the Sox want to win this year. I still think the player they should get is Aramis Ramirez.

QUOTE (buhbuhburrrrlz @ Jul 22, 2011 -> 02:42 PM) Will White Sox go all in? Acquiring the Cubs' hot Ramirez makes perfect sense for an AL playoff push. http://www.thonline.com/sports/other_sport...63ef7522eb.html He could win the division for the Sox. I know he's expensive, but he'd fill a gaping hole and would add a boost to the team that could get them over the top.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 23, 2011 -> 01:24 PM) No, he cannot be sent down. You would have to designate him for assignment, which means paying out his entire remaining $43 million immediately and allowing him to become a free agent. Oh well, so much for that idea.

Does Rios's contract allow him to be sent down the minors? If so, I would do it. I know he's making a ton of money but you have to pay him anyway. Why not pay him to play in the minors, and I mean A ball, not Charlotte. At least that way he isn't killing the big league club and maybe, just maybe, but doubtful, he'll get a dose of reality and realize how good he has it at the ML level and get some focus. I seem to remember a team within the past couple years doing that to a player. It may have been a pitcher. Right now they are paying him to hurt the Sox, pay him to hurt Bristol. Like someone mentioned in another thread, Rios is worse than Brian Anderson was. If the Sox are going to let contarct size dictate who plays, then they deserve the 4th place finish they are heading toward. If Detriot can DFA a long time favorite like Inge, the Sox can DFA a bum like Rios. Inge was making good money, not Rios money, but 5.5 mill is still pretty good.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 6, 2011 -> 07:30 PM) It was just a tad more ridiculous than the serious post trying to turn Rios into Rasmus. considering that idea included Danks, or both Danks for Rasmus and possibly DFA' ing Rios, it's not ridiculous at all. Throw in the fact that Rasmus can't stand LaRussa and yes they're pretty similar threads.

the sad thing is it seems Pierre is about the only guy doing anything the last 10 days

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jul 5, 2011 -> 12:12 PM) I'm sure the Cardinals are just going to say "f*** it, let's get worse, get older, pay more money and still try and win the Central." Getting Danks, or both of them, is getting older?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 5, 2011 -> 09:25 AM) In the same world where Guillen can be traded for Logan Morrison. Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy. If you can see that as a fan, you don't think every scout and GM in baseball is and has been aware of the same issue? The White Sox are kind of seen as the organization of "last resort" for a lot of troubled players. If you can't figure it out playing for the Sox, there's a pretty low probability of turning it around elsewhere. I agree that scouts and GM's can see it as well. However, alot of GM's and managers have huge egos and think they can get through to a player and get them to perform at high levels. I'm with in that it will be vey hard to trade Rios but it only takes one. I guess they could always use him as a 4th OF and give guys rest every now and then, assuming they could even get a guy like Rasmus. It's not ideal to have your 4th OF being the highest paid but, if that's best for the team ,so be it. Isn't Manny still the highest paid Dodger this year?

Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy. I tried to like Rios and thought he was avictim of bad luck because he was hitting the ball right at people. But it sure does look like he has shut it down. Would this be a feasible trade? Sox pick up a good chunk of Rios's salary and ship him and Danks to StL. for Rasmus. Am I under-valueing Danks and over-valueing Rasmus? Or both the Danks for Rasmus and just DFA Rios. The next few years an OF of Rasmus, Q, and Viciedo sounds good to me. Toronto got someone to bite on Vernon Wells contract, maybe the Sox can find a taker for Rios.

Depending on where things stand at the trade deadline,and the Sox are right in it, I'd like to see him, or someone dealt for Scott Rolen. Their salaries match up and even though Morel has been ok, I'd much rather have Rolen and his glove, bat, and attitude in a pennant race. It's not a knock on Morel but Rolen brings alot more to the table. I think he'd be a perfect fit for the Sox.

I wish a reporter would ask Ozzie to name what he actually sees that Juan brings to the table. I know his repsonse will be along the lines of JP being a hard worker and always prepared. Big deal, alot guys can work hard but it doesn't make them baseball players. He can't hit for average, can't hit for power, can't throw, and this year he can't field or run. Pierre had a surprisingly nice year last year but it's almost July now. It's time to change. There's being stubborn and there's being stupid. Playing Pierre is being stupid. I can't believe KW doesn't have the authority to release him. He's still OG's boss. I can't see him putting up with having his authority/power taken away. The only thing he could be doing is letting Ozzie hang himself by playing JP but would KW allow that to occur to the detriment of the team?

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jun 27, 2011 -> 09:18 PM) LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL, ok Celebrity Fit Club. Great analysis. Dunn and Prince, probably the only 2 guys in the league that you be happy if they can hit their weight

I just went back and looked at pictures of Dunn. His waistline is a good 2-3 inches bigger. I don't know if that's why he's not hitting but he's bigger. Look at his double chins.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 22, 2011 -> 01:53 PM) From when, from when we never watched the guy consistently? I sat 15 feet from the field a few games ago, the guy doesnt look physically out of shape at all, nor does it look like his swing is slow. It looks like he is either cheating on a pitch, or not recognizing it quick enough. Completely 100% mental. I live in Columbus, Ohio and have followed Dunn since he was with the Reds. There is no doubt this is the heaviest I have seen him. I have no problem with him not swinging a bat in the off season but it LOOKS like he did very little to keep himself in shape physically. On TV the other day they showed his monster homerun for the Nats and even in that video he looked noticeably in better shape. It's a good thing he's wearing a baggy uniform this year or we'd see how "in shape" he is. I'd be willing to bet he's not a pound under 310. I say all this and I like Dunn but the guy probably needs to adjust his off season routine as he gets older. We all tend to gain weight with age.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 24, 2011 -> 05:02 AM) Rios, .879 OPS before ASB vs. a Brian Anderson-esque .684 last year in the 2nd half. We'd have to be elated to get 684 again this season. More of the same this year, although he's hit a couple of homers recently and showed (for a stretch) an ability to go up the middle and to the right side. Beckham was much much better, you're right there. Unfortunately, he can't seem to put together more than a solid month or two before falling back into the same bad habits offensively. Losing 2 out of 3 to the Dodgers on the road isn't surprising. You could pull up stretches for the Sox, Indians and Twins and say "how could they lose to those teams?" just like how could they sweep Boston, or play NY and TB so well? The concern about Dunn is that the constant "buzz" about his strikeouts, the home fans booing incessantly....PHing the bench for him against LHPer's, it might start to ruin his thought process for the entire season. Let's hope there's some kind of injury, eye problem, adjusting to new leagues or DHing, carrying extra weight....something to explain it. Otherwise, Cory Snyder and Steve Sax can rest easy that their negligible contributions will be forgotten in the world of White Sox FA busts. Only Jaime Navarro is keeping Dunn from being the worst (so far). I'm not as worried about Rios as others. I haven't seen all the games but a good majority and it seems like Alex is constantly hitting shots but right at people. I know he has had his problems as well but at least he's hitting the ball hard at times. Beckham and Dunn can't have the same thing said about them. They K or hit alot of easy pop outs. Beckham turned it around in the 2nd half last year so there's hope. As for Dunn, I think he's toast for this year and I think it's all about being heavy. He's not going to get in shape this year but hopefully he is motivated this off season and comes in under 300lbs. next year. Dunn looks like a softball player out there. You would think he'd be embarassed. I think he'll end up hitting about .190 with 20 HR and 65 RBI.

QUOTE (mcgrad70 @ Jun 21, 2011 -> 02:16 AM) If Ozzie slept through the games, he might be a better manager. When he's awake, he's one of the worst in-game strategist ever. A couple things, first it's hard to be a good in-game strategist when the players don't execute. Second, I think people way overrate in-games moves by managers. Earl Weaver is considered one of the best managers ever and he didn't do anything but sit back and wait for a home run all game. The players win or lose the games. I think a good manager is more about how he runs the clubhouse and things we never see. In-game strategy is not all that difficult. Heck, we all can watch a game a know when to bunt, when to steal and so on. A manager is only as good as his players. It's funny how the "great" Joe Torre never won more than 67 games as the Mets manager, and never 90 in a season anyhwere, but when he gets to the Yankees roster he becomes a genius and baseball wizard,and only won less than 90 once.

I still don't get why everyone is so hot to get rid of a guy who has averaged about 86 wins a year,won a WS, and had 1 bad year out of 7, for guys like Dave Martinez. If OG fails with this team then there may be some merit to the talk but the season isn't even 1/2 way over yet. Let me know when Martinez and Alomar have 10 wins in the ML much less a .525 win% and over 600 wins.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Jun 1, 2011 -> 04:42 PM) PK, the man is just killing it That's how you get a 16,000 square foot home in Scottsdale

For Jackson, I think his effectiveness out of the pen would depend on what role he's put in. I think they would be wasting him in long relief. If he's accepting of his role, and it sounds like he is, he has the stuff to be a Josh Bard-type pitcher out there. I think he would be lights out in the 8th inning. Of course by doing that, you're knocking everyone else into different roles but I think they'd adjust quickly. Long man- Pena, Ohman 7th-Crain, Thornton/Sale 8th-Jackson, Thornton/Sale CL-Santos

QUOTE (chw42 @ May 31, 2011 -> 10:11 PM) If only the Sox won that last game in Texas or the third game in Toronto. This would have been a pretty good road trip if that was the case. They still have a chance to make this a decent trip with a win tomorrow though. Yep, I'd take 5-5 on this tough road trip. 4-6 is still acceptable. If those 2 games had gone the Sox way, it would have been back to back great road trips.

I follow these game threads from time to time and it sure seems like alot of Ozzie should have done this, KW should be fired for that. Ozzie f'd Humber. No he didn't. Who did you want him bring in with a 10-2 lead. You can't use Thornton, Crain, and Santos everyday. Here's a novel idea, how about Ohman do his job and get a lefty out? The Sox just won 2 in a row in Boston and people are b****ing about Bruney, a guy who is going to be here about a week.

My whole question was, why send anyone to the pen? Leave everythig as is. The Sox are on a nice stretch. If something changes and a pitcher starts throwing bad, then put them in the pen. Granted, because of track record, Humber would be on a shorter leash but sending him to the pen now doesn't make sense. Factor in the history of the staff and the 6 man rotation makes more sense. Buehrle has had tired arm issues at the end of season, Floyd was shut down last year, Danks just recently became a 200 inning+ guy, who knows how long Peavy lasts, it seems like Jackson is the only "horse" and I'm not really sure of his past inning counts. Going with 6 gives all these guys extra rest for strong starts down the stretch. I think, other than Mike Marshall, people would agree that a well rested staff is a good thing, especially when you have 6 SP's throwing well and capable of pulling it off.

I see your point but why have Humber eating innings in a likely blowout when he's starting and giving the Sox a chance to win every time out? Long relief is a perfect role for Pena. When he comes in the game is likely decided one way or the other. I just think it's wasting your best pitcher, so far, by putting him in a lousy role like long relief. I know the off days are a problem, but...... I guess it's a good thing having 6 guys pitching well. I don't know what the "right" decision is but I'd stick with what's working.

Why are the Sox going to do away with the 6 man rotation at the beginning of June? Are the starters complaining about it? The results have been very good. The only bad start that comes to mind was Peavy's last start and that was rain shortened to say it was all that bad. We have 6 SP's throwing the ball well, why change it? How can you legitimately put Humber in the pen when he's been the best SP so far? Maybe the pitchers are worried about number of starts which would affect number of wins, IP's and so on, thus, in theory, could lower their contract demands/negotiation. I'm an Ozzie fan but I think he's making a mistake by changing up something that's working pretty well. If the SP's start faltering you can always make the change then.

I posted a while ago that Dunn's biggest adjustment is getting used to seeing the ball over the extra chin he now has. I was kidding about that, but he's fatter than he's ever been. I know he's a big guy but he's too big right now and has been all year. He's listed at 6'6 285. I'll bet you he's closer to 315 than 285.