witesoxfan

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 29, 2008 -> 06:22 PM) 7 RBI in 2008. 3 RBI in 2007. Toby Hall blows. I'm not using it against him anyway. Get someone else. His .902 OPS against lefties meant squat, and defensively I feel he leaves a lot to be desired. There are better catchers sitting at home. He had 26 PAs with runners in scoring position this past season, had 6 hits, walked 4 times, and drove in 6 runs in those instances. That doesn't do s*** for me either. It's kind of hard to drive in runs when you are not given the opportunity to do so, isn't it? I have no opinion either way, but I still have yet to see anyone else who could be brought in that would be a clear upgrade over Hall. Hall's biggest downfall is his inability to hit RHP, and next year, if Ozzie manages the team as well as he can, Hall should have fewer than 40 PAs against RHP (if Hall is brougth back). Preferably not at $2+ mill, but I have no problem bringing him in for around $1 mill at all.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 29, 2008 -> 03:42 PM) I think the Sox have to replace Toby Hall, even if he wanted to play for the minimum. He seems like a fun guy, but 10 RBI in 2 seasons and not exactly Johnny Bench defensively. Its time to get someone else to back up AJ. Either get a guy who can hit lefties or a defensive specialist, I don't care. Not some guy whose biggest contributions are shaving cream pies. Toby hit .377 with a .920 OPS against lefties last year...it was limited ABs, but he's hit lefties decently over the past 4-5 years too. I don't care if Toby's back or not, I just don't think that is an argument you can use against him.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 29, 2008 -> 10:36 AM) KW traded a pitcher who made how many starts for the Phillies? And how long was he around? And he got Gio-which turned into Swish, and a #2 starter out of it. How is that not stealing talent? Carter brought more to his team than Freddy ever did. That is what is called a steal. I'm not looking at it in hindsight, I'm looking at it from the time the trade was made. Obviously looking back now, it was a steal, but Garcia was a valued commodity. This is a dumb argument anyways, so I'm done with it.

Am I the only person on earth that has thought that this has been an interesting series? And that the Phillies have played at a semi-high level and the Rays just won't go away?

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 11:57 PM) Which one is more valuable? Which one do we need now? I would go with starter right now based off your assumptions, just because it would be cheaper to go with Richard then any free agent (duh) and I dont really like any FA more than Richard except maybe a Colon or Garcia, even then Im worried about health there. I feel like a bullpen piece could be found for cheaper (whether inhouse or FA) and be effective enough to not hurt us. The Sox had 1 good lefty reliever last year. I don't consider Boone Logan as an option, I see the depth of the bullpen as a problem, and I see the depth of the rotation as much more fixable, due to Richard, Egbert, possibly Broadway, and any other AAAA starters the Sox bring in on MLC's. Richard, to me, right now, seeing what he featured this past season, is more valuable in the bullpen than the rotation.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Oct 29, 2008 -> 01:15 AM) Yep. Swish in April: .211/.368/.333 Swish in May: .176/.272/.275 Swish in June: .315/.402/.630 Swish in July: .193/.327/.349 Swish in August: .224/.337/.539 Swish in September: .164/.235/.311 Yeah, um, Swish was f***ing pathetic last year. He had one great month and everything else was like looking at Andy Gonzalez version 2.0. With his lack of defensive abilities in CF there is absolutely no reason to justify those horrific numbers. Take all the stats you want, in the end the guy hit .193 or lower 3 out of 6 months of the season, he hit .224 or lower 5 out of 6 months out of the season, got on base at a .337 clip or lower 4 out of 6 months of the season, and slugged .349 or lower 4 out of 6 months of the season. June is the only month that I could safely say Brian Anderson couldn't have out-produced him. BTW, for all the people who think batting average is a dumb stat, walks don't drive in runs unless the bases are loaded. Sooner or later Major League hitters need to hit the f***ing baseball. Anyone who tries to come up with stats to put a positive spin on those frighteningly bad numbers above is embarrassing himself and every intelligent baseball fan that reads it. Runs scored is a statistic too, and, generally, is just as valuable as RBI is - meaning it's dependent upon every other player around you. A .368 OBP will help you score runs, no matter how many times you are on second base. From what I see, I see a run scoring month, a run producing month, an absolutely fantastic month, and 3 terrible months. Andy Gonzalez has nothing on Nick Swisher. If you would, please inform me the last year where Andy Gonzalez had two months in one season at any level where his OPS for that month was atleast .876. I'm sure he did it, but if you would point it out, that would be fantastic. KTHX. However, Russell Branyan on the other hand...

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 11:07 PM) I realize Quentin was ridiculosu this past season but its hard to say he was stolen at the time of the trade. Chris Carter is an above average power hitting prospect (40+HR Power and he hit for ridiculous power this season in the minors). Problem is he has absolutely no position. I doubt you'll find a person on this board who had any beef with the Quentin trade at the time, even considering what both had done in their careers up to that point. There were damn near hundreds on here who hated the Garcia trade because the Sox didn't get enough value for him. I guess that indicates stolen to me; even if Williams wanted THE Carlos Quentin, he was acquired relatively cheaply; Gavin Floyd, seeing as how Gio was traded the next offseason, essentially cost a "durable" innings eater. The Sox valued Gavin very highly, and I don't see how he was stolen. It's a small point that's really not worth arguing, I just don't like people suggesting how Gavin was stolen given the cost, even if he was the "afterthought" (though I don't think he was ever the afterthought, and I think there are people on the board who will agree with that statement). Quentin was the quintessential buy low, expect high type of player. The Sox gave up a lot to acquire Floyd. That's really all I'm saying.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Oct 29, 2008 -> 02:00 AM) I think now is the time to trade Floyd, hes value is ridiculously high and we could get a team to absolutely shell out to get him. I, of course, wouldn't mind keeping him but we could great value in return. Floyd isn't Konerko, Thome, Vaz or Dye, he's got real value that can make your team much better. As far as I'm concerned, Floyd is as untouchable as Danks is. Floyd, from what I see, is a 220+ IP, 4.00 (give or take) pitcher who will get Cy Young votes at some point in time. His curveball has started to become more consistent; his changeup is a plus pitch; he has atleast two different variations on his fastball. Floyd is a stud - a fantastic #3, a luxurious #4, and a good #2 pitcher - for any team in the major leagues. His HR/9 decreased, K/9 increased, and BB/9 decreased in the second half. The only thing that increased - as expected by any numbers given to anybody - was his H/9, and his H/9 in the first half was unsustainable throughout the course of the year based on regression to the mean (because with the minimal K/9 and the amount of walks and homers he was giving up, a .213 BAA is lucky). Gavin Floyd, as a pitcher, was living, breathing proof of a pitcher developing throughout the course of the year, and he did become the stopper for the Sox as the season winded down, even if it came with a 4.50 ERA. The team that Gavin Floyd has the most value to is the Chicago White Sox. If some team really feels that they want Gavin Floyd, they better be willing to give up a ton of value, because Gavin Floyd - atleast to the Sox - has more value than Matt Cain. Write that down. So, in that regard, Floyd isn't Konerko, Thome, Vazquez, or Dye - he's a starting pitcher the White Sox can plug into the rotation for 4 years and get a ton of innings out of and, likely, some damn good innings too.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 02:07 PM) Firstly a bit about the SP; Considering the success that Kuroda had this season, the Sox could maybe decide to trade Vazquez for prospects or pre - arbitration players at the major league level, and make a run at Kawakami possibly? Japanese pitchers, regardless of their Japanese track record, have always been pretty hit or miss. The best ones usually stick around but there have been quite a few stinkers recently and it's scary to give a multi-year guarantee to a pitcher who you have no idea how he will respond to MLB hitting.

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 10:24 PM) sox are more likely get thomas retire here on one day contract then maggs ever wanting step back here Maggs has virtually no choice in the matter. He may not want back, but if the Sox traded for him, he'd be back and then he could demand for a trade the next offseason.

QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 10:29 PM) I'd like to see Alexei try the leadoff spot in Spring Training. I think his production is much more valuable lower in the order. I have no problem with guys that get on at a .330 or .340 clip that hit for damn good power, ala Reyes or Rollins, but Alexei hasn't even shown that amount of patience at the plate. To me, he's a good #2 or #6 hitter, and I really don't think I'd put him anywhere else.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 02:43 PM) And that doesn't sound like an awful lot of rookie pitchers to you? John Danks last year for example had that problem and he still had it this year to a lesser extent. I'm not saying Richard will end up a starter but to have confined him to a bullpen role based on what we've seen in 8 starts of his rookie year is absurd. It sounds nothing like Danks. Danks came up with a good fastball and changeup and his curveball hasn't fallen far off even though he doesn't even feature it a ton anymore. He's learned a cutter and become a stud pitcher. Richard's cutter won't do as much for him and I think he has the stuff to be a pretty dynamite reliever but pretty mediocre starter.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 10:13 AM) He already called President...BAM! LOL, I so had something close to that, but it was worse so I took it out.

I could survive for 1 minute, 13 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor Created by Bunk Beds.net winnar

QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 10:04 PM) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=sea So are they going to give Zduriencik less power during his 4th and 5th years or are they going to give him less power than Bavasi had, especially in Bavasi's 4th and 5th years? I assume the latter but that's a terribly written sentence all the same. Regardless, that's honestly too bad. I'd say just tighten the ship up for a while, as any new GM should face, and then let him go out and make calculated decisions. That's usually what happens, especially when you have a good GM at the helm.

I'm just going to say very quickly that I don't understand how Gavin Floyd was "stolen." He had fallen out of favor in Philadelphia and was included with a talented pitcher who had stunk in AA the year before for a pitcher who had thrown 200+ innings the previous 6 years, had World Series experience, and was coming off a solid season. Perhaps KW knew he was injured and he dealt him for chump change, but that's more than a bit unethical as it is. KW traded Freddy Garcia for the best package he felt he had on the table, and Gavin Floyd was a highly valued commodity coming back to the White Sox. Carlos Quentin and Bobby Jenks were stolen much moreso than Gavin Floyd was. The Sox gave up an A-ball slugger and a 40-man roster spot respectively for the aforementioned; compare that with a guy who helped the White Sox win a World Series. You tell me who was more stolen.

In the right circumstance, I would trade Paulie to the Angels. That would mean Morales coming back, because as hopeful as I am for Swisher returning to decency next season, I do not want him as the 1Bman (though LF would be just fine by me). The only "bold" prediction I will make, and I emphasize bold because I don't think it really is that bold, is that one of Konerko and Dye is dealt for pitching and perhaps a hitting prospect of some type (I don't have anything brewed up in my head, just a thought) or that Swisher is included in a package for a better player, which I think would be a shame but something that, at this point, you can't really be opposed to. As nice as Swisher's contract is - paging Dick Allen - it's too expensive to be sitting on the bench as an OF/1B so you either need to make room in the lineup for him somehow or you should trade him. It is nice to have that insurance policy on the bench, but that's an insurance policy that's more expensive than Juan Uribe was last year, is signed to a longer term deal, has had success in the past (so there is some precedent for value), and has never proven to be able to produce consistently while coming off the bench, which Juan Uribe has done. You shouldn't force any moves, and it would suck to trade Swisher at an incredibly low value, but what has to be done in any manner is what has to be done.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 11:17 AM) Yes he did, although not sure how much that had to do with him. Im just sick of, well there is an opening, what other retread can we bring back into the fold? Its the same in almost every sport. Look what happens when you bring in someone who isnt the same old name. Guillen, Maddon, Scioscia are just a few who have had success in their first managerial stint after not much consideration anywhere else. Gardenhire and Wedge too. I don't mind "retreads" being brought back though, I would just have to know that they are good baseball guys and know how to manage a game. Leyland, Piniella, McKeon a few years back...hell, even Francona and Torre sort of fit into that category. It's when a guy like Jimy Williams gets chance after chance when I start to get pissed (and thankfully, he hasn't had that chance in a while).

QUOTE (Reddy @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 08:05 PM) because it's the first interesting thing to happen. and we're bored. When I think of interesting, I generally think of different things than a guy who hit .125 for the Rockies. The boredom I understand though.

at the price of Paul Konerko, Chone Figgins is icky. That is all.

I'm surprised more people weren't this excited over Brad Eldred last offseason.

It was 25 degrees out last night. A dude told me it was cold. So I promptly and soberly took off my shirt, walked around our house for a little bit, and came in through the front door. And I told him it was beautiful out.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 07:54 AM) How many franchises have you seen turned around when the ownership declares ahead of time that all decisions will go through them and the GM would have less rights there than anywhere else? Basically, ownership is going to make the decisions, therefore he really doesn't have to do much at all. Again, he's just there to collect a paycheck. I'm not knocking him for it. I must have missed where Seattle ownership said that. Do you have a source to it?

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Oct 28, 2008 -> 09:34 AM) How can you disagree with me 100% when you just validated one of my claims in your opening sentence? Because you said batting average is a meaningless statistic and batting average does not make a player good. I said you can be a good player without having a good batting average, but batting average can make a player good. You follow yet? I think I made my point as to which of the claims I disagreed completely with, and if you really want me to go edit my post because I was too lazy to take out 6 words, I really will. I have no problem with it.

Kind of sucks...seeing a legend, even if he was over the hill, in a Sox uniform was fantastic, and giving him a shot in the playoffs for the first time since leaving the AL was awesome too. I think he'll have a good year next year, but resigning him may very well send the wrong message to others on the current roster, even if Griffey was fantastic in the clubhouse. If Griff hangs around for 2-3 more years, I could certainly see him becoming the new butt of KW re-trading jokes.