Kenny Hates Prospects

Viciedo 3-4 with a 2B Danks 0-3 with a BB, BA .260 CJ 2-4, 2B Long 6IP, 6H, 0ER, 1BB, 5K so far Lillibridge 2-4 Fields 3-3 with 2 2B, RBI Flowers 0-2, BB, hitting 7th behind a bunch of garbage

Upchurch settles down nicely. I don't know what's wrong but I still love the guy. Maybe he feels bad knowing he's so much better than the competition that he threw a few bones out there.

Great article and the only thing I'd disagree with is Rios only having 4 tools. His power, if you're looking at SLG% as an indicator, should actually increase quite a bit from where it is now. A lot of those doubles are going to turn into HR's here, not just because of the park dimensions but also because of the heat in summer and the winds, and even though Rios can hit to all fields, I think he'll become more of a pull hitter here. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Rios become a 30/30 guy in the Cell once he gets comfortable. And man, Rios' D is really going to help us in CF when we're playing in larger parks, specifically Comerica. I've always had a hard-on for this guy and I'm so glad Kenny went out and got him.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 07:09 PM) I think this has a lot of Jay Cutler deal written over it. People think Cutler's overrated, somewhat of a douche. People think Rios is overrated, expensive, and also somewhat of a douche. Bears have never had a QB as good as Cutler. Sox haven't had a CF like Rios since Aaron Rowand. Most Bears fans love the Cutler deal, everybody else around the country seems to hate it, not knowing the circumstances of the Bears. Most Sox fans love the Rios deal, everybody else around the country says he sucks and is expensive, not taking into account he's only 28 and the White Sox have a terrible OF that needs defensive help. I've seen a lot more comments praising the Sox and KW for the move than anything bad. Rios is already a heck of a talent, and moving him to CF where less offensive performance is required to be considered league average, and also moving him to the Cell where his power numbers should increase, can only help.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 05:04 PM) Given what the Sox just spent on Peavy, Rios, I'd be very surprised to see them sign anyone remaining. I'd hope they'd get Morgado but even that is doubtful. If that's the case it will be disappointing to say the least, but you can't really blame them. Peavy and Rios were huge moves that I think had to be done. We got Peavy for far less than he's worth IMO (because of Peavy's full NTC) and Rios we got for nothing. I hope we at least get Justin Jones though.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 05:08 PM) Doesn't Wagner still have a year left on his contract? Harell is currently on the 7 day DL, I believe. Link hasn't pitched well. Santeliz and Nunez are two guys the Sox like though. I think you'll see Nunez back shortly not sure when we'll see Santeliz, probably after the Barons playoff run. Wagner has an option with a buyout for next year. The buyout IIRC is $1M, and I think his contract clears waivers because he's making a lot of money this year and is currently rehabbing. Yeah, Link has been having some poor performances and Harrell has to get back healthy, but I wouldn't look for contributions from either. Just call each one up before August 31st so that they're on the 25-man active roster and then immediately demote them basically. I think that's all you have to do to make them playoff eligible. I don't think they actually need to appear in a game, but if so, just send each guy out there for a batter or inning or something. At least then if someone catches fire in September we can carry that guy as the last man in the pen. Think you're right and Nunez is back soon. I hope to see Clevelan before too long as he could potentially be a weapon situationally down the stretch.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 02:22 PM) Very low risk move too. Its been two years since he's been good, but he was really good for a 3 year run. I think he'd need regular work though and that would be hard for him to find as a righty. IMO we'd be better off staying with Nunez because we could freely send him up and down depending on what our needs are ATM, specifically with the 5th starter situation until Peavy gets back. I'd also like to call up each one of Link, Harrell, and Santeliz for a quick cup of coffee before Aug. 31 since they're already on the 40-man roster. That way, if any of those 3 or Nunez goes on a run at the end of September as September call-ups that player will be playoff eligible. However I do hope Kenny is looking at Wagner and any other power lefties he can find who might be able to clear waivers. I don't trust Randy Williams. I'd name more lefties but I can't think of any other ones that would slip through waivers.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 02:47 PM) Carlos also has a very sore knee, no doubt an effect from trying to compensate for his foot injury. He comes up hobbling whenever he has to run at full speed. Carlos needs much more time off. good point

This is how it should be worked IMO: Day 1: LF CQ, CF Pods (lead-off), RF Rios, 1B Konerko, DH Thome, Dye off Day 2: LF Pods (lead-off), CF Rios, RF Dye, 1B Konerko, DH Thome, CQ off Day 3: LF CQ, CF Rios, RF Dye, 1B Kotsay (lead-off), DH Thome, Pods & Konerko off Day 4: LF CQ, CF Pods (lead-off), RF Dye, 1B Konerko, DH Thome, Rios off Day 5: LF Pods (lead-off), CF Rios, RF Dye, 1B Konerko, DH CQ, Thome off ..and then just repeat this basically. Each player plays 4 times every 5 days and Kotsay plays once every 5 days. Wise gets nothing. CQ gets 1 day off per 5 days and another day to rest his legs.

Another great write up, JPN. Good to hear Retherford has been doing well defensively at 2B. It is no surprise he's such a hard worker given how far he's come since going undrafted. JPN, for your next edition, could you talk about our relief prospects? I think you've said before that Mabee is a guy with an impressive fastball. Could you talk a bit about him, Santeliz, Omogrosso, etc. and whoever else you see as a power arm relief prospect?

The deadline is now only 5 days away. We should start hearing some things soon.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 01:22 PM) I hate to say it, but if it shows Thome as a 2-hitter...... it may not necessarily show that the program is wrong, but more shows that we're ill-equipped as an offense. Obviously Thome is not an ideal 2-hitter, but it kinda makes sense that if Beckham is being moved up...the program is telling us we really dont have another 2-hitter. Ouch. For instance, put the Yanks into this program and I'm sure just about any lineup is going to be great. No, it shows the program isn't worth anything, period. Why put a molasses-slow, high OBP guy in the 2-hole in front of a high-contact hitter who always hits the ball hard? That spells DP, DP, DP all game long. These lineups take nothing into account beyond numbers mashing and therefore they are useless. IMO, since we don't have a true lead-off hitter when Pods is out, it doesn't really matter who we use. Beckham could work but as a doubles guy we'd like to have someone on in front of him. Getz might be best equipped. Rios could get a shot, but I'd rather keep him lower as a RBI man. No matter how we do these lineups, I'd like to see the speed players bunched up together and the slow guys bunched up together.

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 12:27 AM) He will lose the Blobby Junks nickname if he keeps that up. You should lose it anyway because it sucks.

I think bringing Ozzie on board really helped Kenny excel because Ozzie gave him a clear idea of the type of team he wanted Kenny to build, i.e. one based around pitching and defense with some speed in the lineup. About one year after hiring Ozzie, we had acquired Freddy Garcia, El Duque, Jose Contreras, Juan Uribe, Pods, Hermanson, Iguchi, etc. etc. etc. With Manuel, Kenny was probably asking what Jerry wanted and kept getting stupid riddles and s*** in return, like "If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?" It seemed like Kenny didn't quite go into stealthrape mode until Ozzie put him to it.

What does he have to worry about? If the guy can't even find his OWN asshole, how is somebody else supposed to?

QUOTE (rockren @ Aug 12, 2009 -> 12:00 AM) Give JR credit, too. He gets it as an owner. I was just going to post that. JR is and has been unconventional at times (hiring Ozzie, and recently VDN, Skiles, etc. even the Phil Jackson hire was out of left field) but you look at his record and it has paid off. Sometimes JR's loyalty towards players and execs f***s things up like with Wilder, but it has also kept Kenny here to learn and grow as a GM, and it's kept Ozzie here as well when Ozzie would have definitely been canned for some of his comments if he managed in other organizations. I'll stop praising JR now before you-know-who shows up.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 11, 2009 -> 11:53 PM) How often did you hear former players say things like this about the Sox back in the '90s? Kenny and Ozzie have turned them into a completely different franchise. Completely agree.

It's hard to say for me. It's much easier to name the deals I didn't like at the time (Swisher 1, Pena) and those that turned out bad (MacDougal trade and extension, Ritchie, bringing in Rick White and Mike Jackson and Jose Paniagua, etc.) because everything else was either from unharmful/fair value to unbelievable steal. And Kenny has had sooo many of those steals it's really hard to name. Even going back to first acquiring Damaso Marte for Guerrier, Juan Uribe for Aaron Miles, signing Loaiza and Flash Gordon, etc. Kenny just has so many lopsided deals in his favor it's astounding. I think if nothing else we can say that Kenny has turned into not only a premier GM who is well-respected throughout the league and an admitted favorite among other GM's, but he's also a master talent evaluator who can screw people by giving them what appears to be fair value or better when in actually he already knows the players he is trading won't amount to anything because he's a psychic ninja sniper.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 11, 2009 -> 11:43 PM) On the three nicest players he's played with: 1) Thome 2) Mike Sweeney 3) Shawn/Sean/Shaun something....I couldn't quite catch it, perhaps Lowe or Kell(e)y (sp) from the M's pen this year? Probably Sean Casey. They played together for a long time.

Everything about Griffey screams HOF.

Phew... 2 games back now f*** Detroit, f*** the Twins

QUOTE (JorgeFabregas @ Aug 11, 2009 -> 11:31 PM) Speaking of fist fights, I think one of the Sox players or coaches should start a fight with the Mariner moose. lol agree.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 11, 2009 -> 11:31 PM) Team SSI vs Team Dick Allen Sounds like a great idea. I'll side with whoever wins - and then turn on them because I'm evil. Time to end this Bobby.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Aug 11, 2009 -> 11:27 PM) They hit homers in 2005, too. Walker is a great hitting coach when the Sox are hitting but he sucks when they aren't. It's getting old how much people hate the guy. Dye has been in pro baseball for what, 12-13 years now? I don't think he needs Greg f***ing Walker to tell him how to hit the thing. Not talking about you two, but I've always wanted to see two Sox fans get into a legit fistfight over whether or not Greg Walker should be fired.

Yeah let's keep Johnny Danks out there please. This is only a 2-run cushion here...