caulfield12

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/colum...,3147892.column Phil Rogers fires the first warning shot across the bow. Poor, Greg. http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/...go-chicago-cubs Ozzie on reaction waiting for him, Zambrano and Buehrle

Juan Uribe works, too.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 12:09 PM) I really have no inside info, just a brother-in-law who works in sports at WTMJ in Milwaukee and he texted yesterday to say he was surprised to hear the Sox are aggressively after Greinke. Maybe just kicking the tires like everybody else? Sounds like the Cubs are going to get some good offers on Dempster, and I could see the Tigers making a big splash by getting Barney as well and sending back the likes of Turner and Castellanos. Talk about a game changer... I'm assuming you mean Garza AND Barney. That would make a LOT more sense.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 10:32 AM) You must have very little idea how the trade market works. Normally, you have to give something of value to get something of value in return. Surprise, surprise, Ramirez has MUCH more value than when you wanted to dump him 2 months ago. Back then, you would have been lucky to get someone just to take his contract and give you a B prospect.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 10:36 AM) This one: What is your point? That we SHOULD have learned from the Hudson trade in 2010 for Jackson not to make moves that will put us behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to compete on a consistent basis down the road. Same thing happens this year with Viciedo, everyone will be saying how much better we would have been in 2013-14-15 with Viciedo and Hudson part of 3 consecutive playoff teams rather than rolling the dice twice and coming up snake eyes. We already did this in 2010, with Edwin and Manny.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 10:12 AM) So you'd be against any trade. Any trade now involving Viciedo is fine.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/cowley/1379...-scores-to.html So Cowley doesn't constantly use Ozzie as an excuse to fill column inches, just like he's complaining all the Chicago media "take advantage" of the Ozzie story? Cowley wouldn't exist without Ozzie. He tried to get in front of the "Ozzie Coming Back to Chicago" story again and almost no one even noticed. "Chicago tough." I bet Ozzie Guillen didn't even say that, Cowley surely made that quote up just to rile up KW. And he's going to take credit for Viciedo in the outfield when he patently refused all season long to bench Pierre for him? HILARIOUS. Maybe he should take the credit for Dunn and Rios playing so well in 2012, as a result of his not benching them last year. Just admit it: You miss Ozzie Guillen. Oh, sure, you’ve fooled yourself into believing life is better for the White Sox without all the noise. You’ve convinced yourself the newfound tranquillity on the South Side is just what everyone needed. In your eyes, Guillen in any other ZIP code is a good thing. Then again, denial is the first stage of grief. Guillen will be at Wrigley Field on Tuesday for the first time as the manager of the Miami Marlins. And before he takes one step onto the field at the Friendly Confines, he knows what awaits his homecoming. Most columnists already have their stories written about how the Sox are so much better without Guillen. Radio talk-show hosts have their ‘‘Ozzie moratorium’’ in place. It has been broken 12 times since June, but they mean it this time. Guillen knows what to expect, and he has been keeping score. (has to be a shot at the radio station, hasn't his appearances been cut back there???) ‘‘Good, make that excuse because the manager [Robin Ventura] is my friend,’’ Guillen said in a phone interview. ‘‘I want that ballclub to succeed; I have friends on the White Sox. People want to run around and say the coaching staff is better now. Well, check the numbers. Check the numbers for what I did for that city. ‘‘And good or bad, they won’t stop talking about me. Every time they walk into U.S. Cellular Field, the first thing they see is me holding the World Series trophy.’’ It’s an image far too many would like to erase. (where did that come from? the persecution complex is worse than Hugo Chavez) But what can’t be erased are Guillen’s 678 victories with the Sox, the fact he was the only manager to guide them to more than one playoff appearance and, of course, that World Series trophy. Plus, Guillen’s influence is all over the first-place Sox this season. It was Guillen who wanted Alexei Ramirez to play shortstop when the Sox’ brass was thinking of him as a center fielder. It was Guillen who thought Dayan Viciedo should be an outfielder, while others were cramming him into corner-infield spots. It was Guillen who saved second baseman Gordon Beckham from being busted down to Class AAA Charlotte multiple times. And the list goes on. (Because Gordon Beckham's career has clearly been turned around in a positive fashion by Ozzie and Walker). Guillen’s fingerprints are all over this Sox team, like it or not. ‘‘I was in Chicago last week for the All-Star break, and I heard the [bleep] that people are talking,’’ Guillen said. ‘‘I hear the backstabbing comments. I said when I took the job with Miami that if [the Sox] played like they were capable of, Robin will be manager of the year. They didn’t play well for me, and I take that blame. ‘‘But the media is all of a sudden angry with me? I answered every question I was ever asked. They don’t have the balls to say [bleep] when I was there. Tell the people in Chicago to look up and see who I blamed when we lost (pretty much every member of the White Sox was thrown under the bus at one point or another, except AJ, Buehrle and Konerko). I’m not a chicken [bleep], like the media there.’’ He’s not backing down from where his Marlins are in the National League East standings, either. They are 42-46 and trail the Washington Nationals by 10 games. ‘‘We’re not playing good baseball, and that’s on me,’’ Guillen said. Guillen would like to promise a turnaround for the Marlins, but he can’t. What he can promise is that certain media members — the ones who once smiled to his face but since have stabbed him in the back — shouldn’t bother talking to him Tuesday. ‘‘Write your [bleep],’’ Guillen said. ‘‘I remember the cheap shots and the names. I see people around me [Tuesday], it will be a pretty quick conversation.’’ (Yeah, right, it that press conference will go longer than the Marlins' longest winning streak this year.) What can’t be overlooked about Tuesday, with the Sox playing in Boston and the Cubs about to be broken up for prospects, is that Guillen will be the epicenter of Chicago sports. Now that’s staying power. ‘‘See everyone Tuesday,’’ Guillen said. ‘‘I’m not hiding. Like I’ve said, I’m the real Chicago tough.’’ So you don’t miss him? If you reached this point of the column, you really do.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 11:07 AM) To hear you talk not only is Viciedo going to hit 35-40 homers in the near future, he's going to save the Sox from bankruptcy. It's possible. He might save your favorite newpsaper from going belly-up too, the Sun-Times.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 10:56 AM) For 2 months, I'd take that chance. People were complaining nobody's getting on for Youkilis in the gamethread last night. Well those nobodies are Viciedo, Ramirez, Beckham, and De Aza. What's wrong with trying to solve that? Yeah, because Ramirez hitting .400 over the last how many games and driving in more runs than an All-Star 1B at the SS position... Clearly, a nobody. http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/pos.../OPS/order/true Gordon Beckham is 17th out of 21 qualifying 2B in the majors. Shouldn't you be advocating a trade of him, when he's clearly BELOW AVERAGE offensively? Whereas VICIEDO is ABOVE AVERAGE AT HIS POSITION AT AGE 23. How old is Gordon Beckham again?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 10:24 AM) Their TV contract is up after this season if I'm not mistaken. So you think the opportunity to win a World Series is not worth giving up Viciiedo from a financial standpoint? And they don't have an opportunity now? The Cardinals in 2006 and 2011 would disagree. So 10-11 starts out of Greinke, that doesn't even mean we'll go 10-1. Look at Jake Peavy's results vs. offensive performances in those games. Let's say he somehow goes 8-3 (or the team's record is that), who's to say Danks couldn't do the same thing? Young, cost-controlled position players are worth a lot more to a team than a starting pitcher rental for 40% of the season. I think you mentioned it was easy to find a LF who would put up a 727 OPS, which is the big league average for that position. So who is this player who's so easily obtainable right now or available as a FA? Oh, that's right. Juan Pierre. Surely that combo of DeAza and Pierre at the top of the line-up is going to guarantee us 2-3 World Series championships.

Because the Rangers went from bankruptcy to a cash machine in less than 3 years (50% because of the new t.v. contract, 50% because of 2 consecutive World Series appearances)...the White Sox should now trade for Greinke, sign Josh Hamilton in the offseason as well as retain the services of Peavy and Youkilis. Why not? It's not Marty's money.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 09:14 AM) For his career, Pierre has a .712 OPS against RHP, .654 over the last three years. No, no, no. Just cherry pick the statistics from this year and completely ignore a full body of evidence just to be a contrarian. If that doesn't convince (which it won't), complain about Molina and Morel. Ooops, can't really go there because then you'd have to admit it would be better to take back $7.25 million in guaranteed salary for a guy with a bad wing who relies almost completely on a power arsenal. GEE, WHY DIDN'T WE GET THE !996 ANDRUW JONES??? STUPID KW. WHAT AN IDIOT.

Shouldn't we be benching Adam Dunn for Andruw Jones (or let's just trade him for Chavez and Andruw)...then, we can give them DeAza for Jayson Nix and some random bench player, because their splits are probably better than DeAza's against LHP. Then we should trade AJ because he also doesn't hit LHP very well.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 17, 2012 -> 09:51 AM) Why would that be a joke? Pierre hits right-handers better than Viciedo. So do Robin Ventura and Frank Thomas. Maybe we should bring them out of retirement? Because Pierre's basically at that point. Better yet, I bet Andruw Jones is hitting better against LHP, and Eric Chavez against RHP. Maybe we should just give the Yankees Dunn and take back Andruw and Chavez. That's the Marty34 plan.

Pedro Hernandez slated for Wednesday, Quintana Thursday....or vice-versa. All indications though, including speculation from Mark Gonzales, point to Rookie pitcher #9. Or #10, if you include Deunte Heath, who was on the roster but never pitched.

No, this is just DUMB, DUMB, DUMB. Sometimes...it just makes you wonder.

Time for Lillian to appear again quoting Dan Johnson's AAA statistical line.

I wonder if there's another team in baseball in either first place or right in the middle of the wild card hunt whose fans are more concerned with the lack of minor league depth than where their favorite major league team is in the standings currently? Seems some people are losing their perspective here. Maybe we should go back to the time of the Cabrera for Maybin/Miller deal and rue that we didn't have the pieces to acquire Miguel then. What good will it do? James Shields isn’t the only member of the Tampa Bay pitching staff who could be traded this summer. The Rays are open to moving any of their right-handed starters, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Right-handers Jeremy Hellickson, Wade Davis, Alex Cobb and Chris Archer would all appeal to teams in need of pitching. Here are more of Rosenthal’s notes from around MLB... •The Rays probably won’t sell if it appears Evan Longoria will be able to return before long, but the third baseman’s timeline remains unclear. •It’s highly unlikely that the Athletics will trade Bartolo Colon, Rosenthal reports. The A’s value Colon more than the mid-level prospects they’d be able to acquire for him in a trade. •Executives say the Angels have enough young talent to trade for a pitcher of Zack Greinke’s caliber. Though GM Jerry Dipoto is reluctant to trade Peter Bourjos and Garrett Richards, both would appeal to other teams. One executive noted that prospects Jean Segura and Kaleb Cowart are also appealing trade chips. •The Angels are looking for a left-handed reliever, Rosenthal reports. (Let's trade them Santiago since we didn't have a clue how to use him). •The Cubs are exchanging names with teams interested in Ryan Dempster. The Dodgers, Tigers, Braves and Red Sox are in the mix. A friend of Dempster’s said the right-hander would probably approve a trade to Boston but considers the Dodgers a better fit. The Dodgers have enough prospects to build a package for Dempster, rival executives tell Rosenthal. •The Red Sox are still interested in Matt Garza, another potential trade chip. •The prospect-rich Blue Jays are interested in Justin Upton. GM Alex Anthopoulos is pursuing numerous players and willing to listen on all of his own players, Rosenthal writes. The Pirates have shown considerable interest in Upton, but the Diamondbacks don’t view Pittsburgh as a fit. •The Rangers are almost certain to bolster their bench. One option: upgrade over catcher Yorvit Torrealba. •It’s not surprising to see the Giants pursuing relief help, Rosenthal writes.

Mitchell and Castro aren't there now. Talent-wise or potential, maybe. If Mitchell was consistent and actually was around .300 still instead of slumping into the .240's, sure. (KWJR and Saladino are now hitting higher.) He just hasn't been consistent, which is probably the biggest criticism you can make of Dayan's 2012 season. If we're going by potential, then Hawkins, Barnum and Beck would be there. Maybe even Trayce Thompson. And Hawkins definitely will be on the Top 100 list coming into 2013. It's almost automatic for a pick in the first half of the first round to be included. That said, some people are being insanely unrealistic. They want Viciedo to be Harper or Trout, or Miguel Cabrera. Those players are once a decade type talents that don't come around very frequently. Every team except the Yankees and Angels missed on Trout, it's not just the White Sox.

Left-hander Pedro Hernandez, who is 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA at Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, is in line to be promoted to start Wednesday. Left-hander Jose Quintana will stay in his normal spot and pitch Thursday's series finale, with Jake Peavy and Chris Sale opening the Tigers series against Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello. The Sox are undecided about Sunday's starter, while the Tigers will start Jacob Turner if left-hander Drew Smyly doesn't come off the DL. 'Giddy' Danks: John Danks expressed elation over throwing 90 feet for the first time since July 3. "I'm giddy right now, and it's still sore," said Danks, who hasn't pitched since June 12 in a minor league rehabilitation start because of a left shoulder strain. "Just to go out there and throw and feel like we are making progress again, it's definitely huge. "I needed something positive to happen. It was getting kind of tough there for a little bit. I don't know how much longer we have, but for sure we are moving in the right direction." Mark Gonzales/www.chicagotribune.com/sports Looks like it's Hernandez/Quintana on WED and THUR

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 16, 2012 -> 10:19 PM) If he's truly hurt. I don't believe he is; at least I don't believe it is any injury that a short DL stint is going to fix. Hawk is pretty close to the players, especially PK, and he hasn't said a thing about him being injured. Just has continued to say "he is close," and clearly cheerleading for him to get back to being himself. If he was injured, I think we'd be hearing Hawk make more injury excuses for him. PK puts a lot of pressure on himself. He is obviously struggling a bit mentally. He is pouting more than I have ever seen him; more than in 2003 even. He isn't running out of the box. Move him down to a lower-leverage position in the order, let him get his head right, and get back on track. We're going to need him down the stretch. http://www.southsidesox.com/2012/7/16/3161...-konerkos-slump

White Flagging it would be suicidal. We've come this far, let's see it through. Not going to touch the Danks comments. Floyd is on the DL or will be and can't be traded. So that leaves you trading who: AJ? Crain (who's on the DL)? Thornton? Rios? Dunn? Peavy? Konerko, who has a lingering hand injury and whose production has nosedived? Trade Youkilis to yet another team? A White Flag trade makes absolutely ZERO sense. I guess we could try to dump as much of Dunn's, Rios' and Peavy's salaries, but then what? Turn around and spend on more free agents, buying high inevitably? No thanks.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 16, 2012 -> 08:28 PM) Guess who is moving into the 2nd wildcard spot after tonight? Probably the Tigers.

Luis Silverio then, lol.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 16, 2012 -> 10:38 PM) Come on now Fathom, you don't want to pay a guy and you don't want a rental. Relying on Humber and Danks is the riskiest of all moves, imo. So was dealing Quentin, Santos, Frasor and letting Buehrle walk. Turning the bullpen over to completely inexperienced rookies with the exceptions of Crain, Thornton and Ohman. Giving lots of starts to Quintana, Axelrod and even Eric Stults this year.