witesoxfan

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 04:07 PM) Why do people hate Gordon Beckham but like Rasmus? Better all around talent, plays a position of weakness, does have a couple seasons where he was really good as opposed to just his first year, and the grass is greener. I'd take him for the right price, but I think he'll get a better price from someone else and I won't be upset when they don't get him.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 01:57 PM) If Hahn can win at 75 million bless him. I just want to win and win now. Frankly the Royals are gonna be difficult to knock off their pedastal for upcoming years as they become the Detroit of our division. If they make some smart moves by replacing Shields and Butler with capable players they only figure to get better. Watching the Royals defense and pitching makes me cringe about the Sox condition. Think of all the great plays they've made in the outfield that would fall in our left and rightfield corners. GO SOX! Change the roster significantly Mr. Hahn! But I do think Mark B should be included in the retooling. Hahn and company have a plan, but plans don't always work out as you hope they do. If they spend $75 million, they (likely) aren't going to win the division. Frankly, they're not likely to win the division anyways, but it will be substantially harder at $75 million. The idea, as mentioned above, is that they are not going to spend money just to spend money. They will spend money on players that fit. To your second point, you are doing that for pure nostalgic reasons, which is OK, but it would not be an efficient use of resources. Perhaps it's something that's revisted at the trade deadline next year if/when the Sox need a starter and if/when Buehrle's (new) team is out of the playoff picture.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 01:15 PM) I've seen outside speculation about nine figure payrolls. The organization itself has expressly said it will NOT name a payroll number publicly because they do not want it out there. They don't want to have it affect negotiations or strategy in any form. It's also because they don't know it yet. If pieces fit just right, I could see them around $110 million. If they don't, I could just as easily see them around $75 million. They'll spend some money but it's hard to know on just what exactly.

QUOTE (LDF @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 11:45 AM) for me, makeup can, in this discussion or situation, mean the same thing as comfort level or mind set. however pls don't take this as a challenge b/c I am not meaning it to be. I pretty much agree with all that has been countered. either way too bad his future may not be as a starter. great K's to ER's, if he had other very dependable pitches in his arsenal, he would be a great pitcher. The Hound..... I just love the nickname. I don't think he has any problem starting games, but just reading about him, he seems to be an intense guy who likes to channel his focus into a short burst, which is why you'd prefer relieving. He seems like a guy who likes to give 100% at all times, and you can't do that as a starter or you will throw out a shoulder and/or elbow plus any number of other possible injuries, which is why guys tone it back when they start. Best case scenario, we have a poor man's version of Wade Davis. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 24, 2014 -> 12:02 PM) This of course is counterbalanced by the scientists who work on climate change who have so much free money that they snort coke off their monitors daily. Knew I should have been a climatologist.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 10:31 AM) I almost said that but cut it out. Viciedo has youth, Brown has the one good season, so to me it's about a toss-up. If the Sox trade Viciedo, I'll probably just be too upset that they tendered him an offer at all and will hate whoever comes back. Move. On. It's just glimpses here and there of watching him and looking at his numbers, but there are a lot of red flags. He is a power hitter but hits a ton of ground balls. His overall peripherals are actually OK but he still hasn't ever put up a really good year. He's a terrible defender who is probably best served hidden at 1B. I think he'd be best served as a 1B/OF guy off the bench solely against RHP, and I think Danks is a guy who is already much better suited for that role.

What I like most is Bill James' approach to leadership and chemistry. People question Ventura a lot, especially his in-game decisions (which are absolutely warranted), but frankly what's most important in a manager is how he handles the clubhouse and if the clubhouse respects him. If he cannot lead and there's no respect for the manager, he should no longer be managing. That, more than anything, is why I think a guy like Grady Little was fired by the Red Sox after 2003 - after the way he mismanaged that debacle of a game, it was going to be impossible for him to come back to that clubhouse the following season. Baseball is much different in that way than any other sport. In football, basketball, hockey, soccer, and whatever else, you can set up plays and even if the guy is the perfect leader, they can fail (and fail miserably too) if they don't have the proper scheme in place. It's how a guy like Byron Scott still keeps getting jobs even after he's had multiple failures, but I would say there's an incredibly good chance he's going to fail this time around too. In baseball, you don't run set plays where the manager has much of an effect on the players in the field. You primarily need someone who can be a general and will lead and run his team properly.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 10:08 AM) But Morales isn't a declining veteran who will require a hefty commitment. He's coming off an exceptionally terrible season with some unusual circumstances and he'll be cheap. I can see why you wouldn't want him but there are reasons to think he'll be a good buy low. The only thing unsustainable about that collapse is where it started from - his 19.3% in 2013 was well above his career norm, and it's not like he was some power monster in the minors. That was the only year of his pro career that he came anywhere near 30 homers, so just as the word potential was stretched earlier in the thread, I think you're doing the same with the phrase distinctly possible here. If you put his HR/FB last year at his career average, give him another extra homer to be nice, and assume those seven new home runs had been outs before (again, being nice), his new season line becomes .249/.299/.408/.707. We already have a player who can provide offense like that with horrible defense. Brown stinks. He's a classic bust who had one tease of a good season. He's 27. I would not give up anything more than Viciedo for him, but I wouldn't tender Viciedo in the first place. The more and more research I've done into Dominic Brown, the more I want the Sox to avoid him at all costs. Like I don't even want them to trade Viciedo for him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 09:59 AM) He definitely has a 3rd pitch, his curveball sits in the mid 70s and it looks like PitchFX has him throwing that just about as often as the slider last year. IT's not IDing his pitches perfectly (calling some a change) but it looks like when he gets good break on it, it's a strong pitch, but he hangs it sometimes and when he does that it gets destroyed. I don't know that a curve ball is anything more than an additional offering though. I don't think it'll help against tough lefties as anything more than a change of pace pitch. I think he'd need to refine a change or a cutter to become a consistently good starting pitcher, which isn't out of the realm of possibility but also isn't something that can be counted on.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) They were immature jerks without a doubt. The writer also was incredibly unprepared. You memorize their groundball rates, their walk rates, at least study who the heck they are. I still have never heard or read an interview with a player where they are discussing these types of things. It would be interesting to see how many players think much about it. There have been stories that front office guys have said sabermetrics have really changed how some players operate, it would be interesting to read. I definitely agree, and Eno being unprepared is frankly unprofessional on his part too and he admitted that, and that incident actually helped him grow. Still, I view it as a kid who toughens up and becomes a better person because he was bullied. It happens, but we don't justify the bullying.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 09:07 AM) I think $15 million would be more wisely spent on something else. I loved Buehrle. I think that ship has sailed though. I absolutely agree. I think he's someone you can possibly look into signing next season, but I think trading for him this year would be a mistake.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 08:49 AM) Wasn't Buehrle pretty bad in the 2nd half? He put up worse numbers, but it basically works out to be a correction to his career splits. We watched Mark Buehrle pitch for 10 years. He's the same pitcher now that he was then. He's going to have times when he pitches absolute gems and others when he gets hit around quite a bit.

QUOTE (LDF @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 08:27 AM) with those stats and his past stats, too bad he doesn't have the make up for a starter, or does he??? He absolutely does. He just prefers pitching out of the bullpen.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:42 PM) I have a feeling Eric Hosmer is the biggest douche ever. QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 29, 2014 -> 03:32 AM) Bingo on Hosmer being a dick. He and Moustakas are very rude, mean individuals. I better add IMO lest I get in trouble. I know people that have had run-ins. Billy Butler on the other hand ... gem of a person. Very much related. http://www.hardballtimes.com/learning-the-...-the-clubhouse/

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 02:52 PM) I can't believe I'm saying it, but I think I'd rather have Viciedo. Before Jose Abreu (BJA), circa July of 2013, I would have taken a flyer on Jesus Montero, but AJA, the year of our savior, 2014, there is no real appeal in Montero to me. He's a DH only, he doesn't fill any glaring need, and he has no positional versatility. If he doesn't hit, he's useless for everything except the ice cream sandwich toss.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 02:29 PM) When my dog is excited and wants to play she always bites and uses her mouth, mainly biting on my arms. She also sometimes when we are playing will jump towards my face with her mouth open so she gets me with her teeth. Anytime we play around she always uses her teeth. Another weird thing she does; Sometimes when my girlfriend and I hug in front of her or we play fight, I tickle her, or anything of that sort she will start barking and growling at us or me but still has her tail wagging. She never gets aggressive and tries to attack one of us but I really want to know why she does that every time. I know she isn't going to hurt me but I feel like she is really trying to protect her "mom." When we first adopted her she was afraid of squeaky toys but now all she does is squeak the toys to try and get us to play with her. She was also afraid of the bathroom and would not set foot in it or get close, but now when we shower she will lay by the door waiting for us to get out and has no problem walking in the bathroom.. She is also very afraid of any cage. If I go near her cage she lowers her back and starts to run away. And when she does go in the cage she pants so much and if we are gone for an hour or so her paws and her chest will be soaked, it is so strange. We adopted her when she was 2 so I wish I knew how she grew up and what she was taught as a puppy and what happened to her. What kind of dog? Sounds like my parents' dog, which is a border collie/German shepherd/labrador mix.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 12:24 PM) sounds like a dreamy Saturday night. Jake says that someone is going to have to tear the jersey off of him before he retires. That's not the only thing I'm gonna be tearing off Jakey boy.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 11:37 AM) apparently Peavy let it be known yesterday that him and his bro Lester are pretty interested in Chicago. I only put this here because he let it slip during his interview Sweet, I'll take Peavy and Lester in a package deal.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 10:40 AM) Richard Justice ‏@richardjustice 2h2 hours ago World Series home teams are 22-3 in Games 6-7 since 1982. is that good?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 10:46 AM) Gordon Wittenmeyer from the Sun-Times says that Jon Lester and Jake Peavy is a package deal to the Cubs in the offseason. Not too surprising. Remember when Jake Peavy was going to go to the Cubs like 100 times?

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 09:37 AM) And his 2006 sixth inning explosions. Like clockwork. Cruise through 5, blow up in the 6th.

I will gladly pay you tomorrow for a wRC+ cola today. I would also take a wOBA burger.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:47 AM) http://www.southsidesox.com/2014/10/25/706...hite-sox-career Leave it to SSS to mourn the loss of Sierra properly. He really was a character. Baseball needs more of those kinds of guys. They make the game fun to watch.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:36 AM) well at least we get a bunch of gold gloves We shall melt them down and finally have enough money to get us a slugger.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 28, 2014 -> 08:26 AM) I trade Eminor3d to the New York Yankees minor leagues for whomever they deem fit to send back. what if it's f***ing Jeter?