Buehrlesque

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 21, 2010 -> 10:43 AM) Your assumption is correct. OK thanks. So he is going to get somewhat expensive, but hopefully not crazy expensive.

Quick question about Alexei. When his contract is up after next year, does he go into arbitration years, or does he become a full free agent? I assume its arbitration, but I just want to make sure.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 20, 2010 -> 10:18 AM) Join the club. As soon as he suffered an injury that is rare for pitchers, no matter how well the trainers say he's healing, I started to think that he's never going to be the same pitcher. Me three. I just don't have a good feeling about him ever being the same, performance-wise, even if he recovers. Hopefully we're all wrong.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 18, 2010 -> 11:33 AM) Throwing a sidebar out there, I would bet on Morel being a White Sox for the longest period of time. I'll say Beckham will have the best career and be here the longest- I don't see anything moving him off of second base at the Cell for a long time. I hope you're right about Morel though- it would be very, very nice to have that kind of stability at third base.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 17, 2010 -> 01:43 PM) It's not just you. Someone did have the balls to say something, unfortunately it was Joe West. That's right, I remember that Joe West controversy about the Yankees/Red Sox games early in the season. Still, there has to be some real rule changes or consequences, because the games are barely watchable. Wasn't Frank Robinson supposed to do something about this?

Is it me or is the pace of any playoff game featuring the Yankees unbearably slooooow? Between batters walking out of the box and chatting with the ump on every called strike, long sets by the pitchers, plenty o' mound visits (players and coaches), the amount of time between pitches is just ridiculous. I watched both LCS games yesterday- the Yankees/Rangers game was so slow-moving I wanted to pull my hair out, and then the Phillies/Giants game was, comparatively, a joyous breeze. The contrast really stuck out to me. I'm not saying everyone has to be Mark Buehrle up there, and I don't care if the game itself is long, as long as the pace is decent. Someone in MLB needs to get some balls and stand up to the Yankees on this issue.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 13, 2010 -> 11:31 AM) Frankly I have no idea. Not because I can't figure out the Padres' needs...but because I don't know the Padres' financial straits. They had a good year on the field and shed a lot of salary last year, but they're also looking at losing the guy for 2 picks in 1 season. FWIW Ken Rosenthal was on MLB Network this afternoon and said Padres ownership told him it was a forgone conclusion that AGon would be on the team for Opening Day 2011. Rosenthal said the Padres "would have to listen" if someone knocked them over, but doesn't think they'll deal him. Heath Bell on the other hand, could be available.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Oct 14, 2010 -> 02:46 PM) I like the best of 3 series idea. One game is nowhere near enough of a sample size to determine which team is better. I agree that one game is way too small of a sample size, and best-of-three is as well. Heck, I think best-of-five is too small for baseball. The only reason I am OK with a short series (one game or best-of-three) for this 2nd Wildcard idea is that I am OK with the Wildcard winner being somewhat random and uncertain. I feel like "eh, they didn't win their division, so they don't get that kind of security." If they want the "easy/fair" way in, they have to win the division.

According to Phil Rogers, it looks like MLB/Bud Selig really is going to consider some playoff changes for next year: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...ts-way-out.html I'd prefer the one-game playoff to the best-of-three series, (in which case the true Game 163s might not have to be replaced with NFL-style tiebreakers), but in either case it will be very interesting to see how owners respond to this proposal next month!

QUOTE (Special K @ Oct 13, 2010 -> 09:40 AM) I don't understand why you think that was a trade down? I concede that it was a bad move in terms of money, because Hudson can be had on the cheap and probably would have been serviceable. That money could obviously be used to sign/resign players. But Jackson is a better pitcher. Hudson doesn't have the type of season he did in the second half with the D-Backs here in Chicago. He would have been pitching in a playoff race, in a harder ball park to pitch, and most importantly in the AL. Jackson is a fine pitcher who will hopefully get back to his all star form. See, to me that could have been written at the time of the trade, so basically you're dismissing anything that happens performance-wise by either pitcher and relying on those cliches. Not to get back to beating this dead horse, but some people make it sound like Dan Hudson is a mental midget who pissed down his leg in the big leagues. He was just a freaking rookie! Of course he is going to struggle a little in the early going, it doesn't mean he won't be able to "handle" a playoff race. I get that "right now" (2010) is more important than a vague "later", but KW misused his leverage in that situation and sold out the future.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 13, 2010 -> 01:13 AM) He's a good pitcher for sure. Definitely needs to cut down on his walks. As mentioned above, he got pretty lucky on his flyballs - something like 7.3% of his flyballs were home runs. At the Cell, that would have certainly been higher and he could have easily been a 4.00-4.50 ERA pitcher. There's still nothing wrong with that. At the same time, would you consider that pitching to the strength of his ballpark? If he knows it's more difficult for flyballs to turn into homers, he shouldn't have to worry as much about it being "lucky". (The walks- for sure he needs to cut down.)

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Oct 13, 2010 -> 08:57 AM) I truly believe KW is going to go hard after A Gon this winter. With SD's GM stating that signing A Gon to a HUGE deal isn't very practical and KW stating that one of the teams first priorities is a stick from the left side- I can see some potential for a deal here. AGon is not going to happen this winter. The Sox don't have what it takes to get him anyway, unless Beckham or Sale is involved (and Sale can't even be traded yet). Coming off a winning year, I don't see the Padres moving him at all (unless they are truly blown away), until July 2011 when they are out of contention.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Oct 11, 2010 -> 11:38 PM) I think when the sox committed to pay Jackson something like $2M for the rest of 2010, $8.3M for 2011, and also committed $4M for 1 month of Manny to this payroll that our offseason was going to be very limited. I got the impression that that was our off season spending right there, instead of spending on the 2011 payroll the sox took a shot at 2010 bumped payroll in the 2nd half. That being said i expect the White Sox off season to be very quiet. Most likely AJ, PK, and Bobby are gone, its possible Putz and Vizquel come back because they are cheap. Your catcher is Castro and his $1.2M option, your 3B is Morel/Vizquel, your 1B is Viciedo, and your RF/DH combo is Quentin/Teahen. And with all that your Payroll is still about $95M. I think the Sox will be limited this offseason, but not that limited. Man, that's about as uninspiring a team as $95 million can possibly buy. Let's hope Kenny can make something more interesting than that happen.

I'll say this: The Twins typical style of ball, at least what we see against the Sox, Royals, etc., is to get in a close game and then scrapping out runs late in the game to win, often taking advantage of mistakes. When the Sox or Royals are in a 3-3 tie in the 7th inning with the Twins, you just get that feel that the Sox/Royals won't score off the Twins' bullpen and the Twins will push a run across to win. These past two games against the Yankees it has been the exact opposite. The Twins come out of the gate with high intensity and take an early lead, but then fall flat in the late innings when the Yankees seem to score effortlessly off the Twins' bullpen or fatigued starter.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Oct 7, 2010 -> 04:40 PM) They also have the chance to be awful as well. It could be possible a "token" playoff team from the NL could enter with only 75 victories. I can't see a "Cinderella" existing very long in the MLB playoffs except maybe for that one game. I could see it making the playoffs even less interesting. It works in the NFL because everything is decided on 1 game. The baseball seasons ends at a time when it has to compete with a lot more things on TV. Outdoor weather is less predictable in some areas of the country. If anything they should shorten the season. How many teams are really making any revenue in Sept? I would say 99% of people around baseball would say the season should be shortened. For example, there's little doubt MLB would be better with a 150 game season and a best-of-seven first round playoffs. I wouldn't even be surprised if the players accepted a slight pay cut to go with a week or two off the season. However owners will never sign off on this kind of change because of the loss of revenue, which supersedes any other improvement to the game.

QUOTE (T R U @ Oct 7, 2010 -> 02:46 PM) Uh, this is very necessary.. f*** the twins, I hope they get swept.. Yeah, f*** the Twins! I hope the team that built itself through scouting, drafting and developing augmented by sensible trades and intelligent FA signings that features a homegrown core and Jim Thome and hasn't won a WS in 20 years is swept by the team of hired businessmen that just buys its way into success with limitless blind spending and features two of the least likable players (ARod and Tex) on the planet for a city that just won the WS last year and arrogantly thinks it is due all the love and attention of everyone the world over. Wooo! While you're at it, let's hope Mr. Burns can buy his way into the Miss America pageant again!!!!

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 5, 2010 -> 03:26 PM) http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/m...ns-count-again/ Not just a guy playing Devil's Advocate, but instead bringing up a legitimate argument against the 2 Wild Card system. Hmm, that was an interesting point against the new model. But, it doesn't factor in the drama of the Sox vs. Sox series, as 2ndcitysaint78 said. The Red Sox finished only one game better than the White Sox at the end of the season, so they would have had to play to win on the last day to avoid a tie with the White Sox for the second WC spot. Meanwhile, under the current scenario, the Rays and Yankees have been assured of a playoff spot for weeks and have been resting their regulars, not really playing to win at all. If they knew there'd be some heat on them for not winning the division, the outcome of their games over the last two weeks would be different as well. I guess there theoretically could be a situation in which the second Wildcard team has a bigger lead over the third Wildcard team than the division champ does over the first Wildcard team, creating an unfair advantage to the lesser team. But I still think even in that scenario overall you'd see more of a sense of urgency and effort in the play of all teams involved up to Game 162, and it's a better system than what we have now.

QUOTE (striker @ Oct 6, 2010 -> 08:06 AM) Carlos Beltran anyone? If you get the Mets to eat alot of his salary and he's healthy then I'd take him. Who knows what direction their new GM wants to go. I'd be all over that, as I was around the trade deadline. He will definitely be available, as I've read several articles saying they want to get rid of him, plus they have Pagan and Martinez (to go with Feliciano, Duda and Carter). Beltran will make a ridiculous $18.5 million next year, the last year on his contract. How about Linebrink (or Teahen) plus a minor 'spect (Torres) for Beltran plus $4 million. That would bring the Sox payroll hit on the trade down to a manageable $9 million, a value Beltran could live up to while playing RF (or DH).

QUOTE (joeynach @ Oct 4, 2010 -> 12:49 AM) I was thinking about how bad or how extreme did some of our players really get off their norms when they played the Twins this year. Obviously I cant explain why some of our players, good players, just flat out sucked against the Twins or when we really needed them to do what they do, but this is what I found. #1: Juan Pierre - He didnt really fail us against the Twins, he failed us down the stretch in General. We all know he got off to a poor start in April, but his Sept was almost just as bad. In Sept he hit .223/.279/.268 which well below his 2010 and Career Averages. Why did he go so bad in Sept after such a strong July and August? Was he tired? Was he hurt? Did he just choke when the pressure was on? #2: Bobby Jenks - In 5.2 Innings pitched this year against Minnesota he was 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA, 2.12 WHIP, and a .360 BAA. For his career against Minnesota (including this year) he has a 3.57 ERA, 1.41 ERA, and .266 BAA. Why so pathetic against the Twins? Choke under pressure? Mental? #3: Gavin Flloyd - As good as he was for us for a large part of the season he was downright awful against the Twins. In 4 starts against the Twins this year he lost all 4 games with an 8.06 ERA, 2.10 WHIP, and .370 BAA. Cant beat Twins, they we aren't catching the Twins. #4: Matt Thornton - Similar to Gavin what happened to his abilities and performance against the Twins. Most baseball people will tell you, without the ability to have shut down guys late in games you can basically forget it. Thornton appeared in 7 games against the Twins, went 0-1, and posted a 9.53 ERA, 1.76 ERA, and .261 BAA. #5: JJ Putz - Same thing here with Putz, he just flat out sucked against the Twins. For as good of a season as he had (2.83 ERA), he appeared in 5 games vs the Twins and posted a 6.75 ERA, 2.50 ERA, and .389 BAA. #6: Sergio Santos - If you havent picked up on the theme our shut down bullpen basically blew it when we needed them the most. Santos as impressive as he was in his first year as a reliever couldnt get the Twins out. He posted a 4.50 ERA, 3.75 WHIP, and a .476 BAA against the Twins. OUCH!! My point is not to b**** and moan its to point out some facts and ask the question, how or why did this happen, and can or will it happen again? Is this just a symptom of bad luck where as far as playing the Twins was concerned anything that could go wrong did go wrong? Did Juan Pierre break down in Sept due to age and games played? Is there something the sox can or should do differently, especially with our pitchers in order to avoid this type of debacle. And finally is this what sports announcers and radio host call getting in your head? Were the twins in the sox pitchers heads? Ever player on this list we are going to need in 2011 in order to make the playoffs, but we wont have a chance in hell again if our pieces fall apart when the pressure is on. I think small sample size plays a role in a lot of that, and injuries didn't help Thornton and Putz. But I will say there is something "off" about Gavin when he faces the Twins. He is just completely horrible against them. Does he tip his pitches? Does he choke under pressure? Have then seem him too often?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 11:04 PM) My prediction for the opening day lineup Pierre - LF Beckham - 2B Rios - CF Konerko - 1B Quentin - DH Pierzynski - C Ramirez - SS Teahen - RF Morel - 3B Man, I would be so uninspired if that was the OD line up next year. KW always tries to make at least one big splash/impact acquisition, so I'm sure a line up like that won't be Plan A. But, due to payroll restrictions, lack of acquire-able players and a poor farm system, this might be the one offseason KW doesn't come away with anything new, and that line up you have there is entirely possible. Bleh.

Two misconceptions about this 2-Wildcard format: 1. It would NOT lengthen the season, as it only adds one game (on what would be an off day) 2. It does NOT add teams to the actual playoffs, it only adds competition for the Wildcard, thus strengthening the advantage of a division winner.

QUOTE (Twinsfan1965 @ Sep 25, 2010 -> 09:44 AM) Several years ago, Major League Baseball formed a committee to examine expansion but Selig said there were several factors that ended the discussion. Now, he thinks the time is right to revisit it. We have less teams than any other sport [in the playoffs]. Eight teams make the playoffs. One wild card in each league. We certainly haven't abused anything - MLB commissioner Bud Selig "It's a fair question," Selig said Friday before the St. Louis Cardinals played the Chicago Cubs. "We have less teams than any other sport. Eight teams make the playoffs. One wild card in each league. We certainly haven't abused anything." He's not afraid of upsetting the purists, who were vocal in their opposition when the sport added the wild card. "As the guy who brought the wild card and took a lot of abuse -- maybe from nobody in this room -- it's worked out great, nobody's against it," Selig said. Don't screw with it BUD! 8 is perfect. What do you all think? I don't want to see any kind of NBA/NHL playoff system in baseball, but I LOVE the 2-Wildcard idea that has started to gain steam recently. Tweaking the Wildcard = OK, tweaking the division titles/adding more teams elsewhere = bad. First, read Tom Verducci's take on why MLB needs to add a second Wildcard. I've been campaigning for this to everyone who will listen for the past two weeks. This is just the perfect solution, for so many reasons: Adds more teams to the playoff race without adding more team to the playoffs. Adds excitement, via a one-game, win-or-go-home playoff, to the Wildcard teams. It creates a genuine disadvantage/disincentive for the Wildcard vs. the division winners. Makes division races with two runaway teams (like the current meaningless one between the Yankees and Rays) become important. This system would improvement fairness, excitement, relevance and (yes) revenue. There are people who aren't crazy about the idea of changing the Wildcard, but the bottom line on everything is "If you don't like it, then win your division." That mantra could replace the current one of "We don't care as long as we get in," which treats the Wildcard as equal to a division title and thus actually does devalue the regular season. The great thing about this revised format is that, unlike most fads designed to bring in money, this one doesn't cheapening the playoffs; it only adds intrigue and excitement. It rewards teams more fairly based on their finish in the season, while still adding more teams to the playoff mix and throwing in a thrilling one-game playoff without watering down the product or adding more rounds to the existing bracket. Baseball is the only professional sport in which winning your division actually means something very significant. Nobody cares about raising banners to division champions in the NBA, NFL or NHL. This is a way to make that even more significant, while at the same time adding excitement to the playoffs and more teams to the chase. What's not to like?

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Sep 11, 2010 -> 02:17 PM) Truth is, Teahen was a nontender candidate when the Sox acquired him, and then the Sox agreed to commit even more money per year in future seasons than he was already making at the time. Brilliant. Perfectly put. I think KW is a great GM overall, and, yes, even great GMs make mistakes. But when you see it so clearly like this.... it's just he single dumbest, lowest-upside move he's ever made. Trading players from your team for a non-tender candidate, then signing him to an expensive extension when he was under arbitration, then handing him the starting job at 3B despite a complete lack of defense. Worst sequence of moves by KW ever. (Worse that Todd Richie, Scott Linebrink and Nick Swisher, all of which were bad but were at least somewhat defend-able at the time.)

I was actually thinking about this yesterday (proof): At the time I thought Rizzo was crazy for asking for Quentin. I was against that trade, and I think Kenny was right to turn it down. But it's funny now- half year of Dunn plus two high draft picks- we probably couldn't get that much for him in a trade today. That said, the Sox might be better off keeping him and hoping he builds value back next year than dumping him Swisher-style and watching him flourish with a new team.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Sep 11, 2010 -> 03:59 PM) He is? Teahen's wOBA is higher by about 15 points and Kotsay's no longer an outfielder. His legs are done, he no longer has any sort of range, which is why he's been kept out of the OF since late April/early May. I really don't know what Ozzie's trying to do here... I think, in this case, he's trying to call out Quentin.