Chicago White Sox

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Feb 21, 2013 -> 08:33 AM) I don't think anyone is suggesting that we play Morel regardless of how he performs (at least, I haven't been). But if he shows a strong bat for a while, I'm inclined to believe that last season's abysmal start was truly due to his back and give him another shot. In a more perfect world, the Sox are better off with a good Morel at 3b and Keppinger as a super-util. Sounds to me like some people would rather have Morel starting if he has a strong spring. That's the concern right there. Let's not let somewhat meaningless spring stats skew our decision-making. Keppinger was brought in to be the starting 3B and he should have that role on opening day, regardless how he or Morel performs in Arizona. A couple months into the season, you can reevaluate the situation and if Morel is deserving of the starting job, maybe it makes sense to move Keppinger to the super-sub role. While I think a super-sub role is the ideal spot for Keppinger long-term, I'm not convinced Morel is the guy to push him there yet.

Morel put up a .653 OPS in 2011, despite a monster September. He also didn't have any significant back injuries that year. Ignore last season, and this is basically his body of work at the major league level. All he's shown so far is that he can be a good glove, light-hitting 3B. Let's be honest, no one knows what we have in Brent Morel at this point in time. A rookie season doesn't define a player, but let's not forget Morel was never an elite prospect to begin with. However, given what's he shown in nearly 600 ABs, there is simply no reason to rush him back to the majors, not when we have a capable starting 3B. Let him get consistent at-bats in AAA and prove himself once again. If he shows enough at Charlotte, then he can be considered for a role on the major league team later this season.

Lol...AJ may have been a smart, gutsy player for us, but I do not see him being a good leader of men. Players don't need to love their manager, but they have to at least respect him, and I'm worried way too many guys would simply hate AJ due to his personality.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Feb 13, 2013 -> 04:44 PM) Yeah, just about anything is better than your average Chicago sports radio buffoon. Personally I wish they would just televise the B games & the minor league scrimmages/etc. in general. I have literally no interest in watching veteran MLB hitters watch pitches or veteran MLB pitchers through 9 straight change-ups. Let me see the arms on these prospects, their defense, baserunning, etc. Totally agree, seeing and hearing about the prospects are the best part of a spring training telecast.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 03:34 PM) I don't disagree with you at all about the game, but B&B are the WORST. Oh my god they're excruciating. Yeah, I unfortunatelt listen to them daily due to my lengthy commute, but good god do they piss me off. Bernstein is a smug know-it-all, while Boers is just a bumbling idiot. They can be funny at times, but I'd honestly prefer a lame spring training game just for some White Sox discussion.

Downton Abbey is incredibly overrated. The acting is very good for the most part, but the stories are fairly average. Too many B plots IMO.

I actually agree with Dunn not batting third, at least not to start the season. I understand the theory behind having a three true outcome player batting third, but that's conditional on said hitter getting on-base at a high level. Dunn's OBP last year was .333, which is the direct result of him batting .204. Unless he can boost that average up some and get his OBP back in the .370 - .380 range, I think he's better suited for the five hole. I'm still not sure what kind of Dunn we'll get next year and I'd rather have Rios or Konerko bat third until we know for sure.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 12, 2013 -> 08:20 AM) I think that qualifies you as an optimist. You had to write off the team in October to be a realist. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 20, 2012 -> 02:27 PM) No matter what they say, they aren't going to compete next year. You wrote the team off in November, so what does that make you?

I've got to be honest, I see no reason why Morel should break camp with the big league team. He needs to prove himself over an extended period of time, which means regular at-bats at AAA for at least a couple months. A strong spring shouldn't be enough to demote Keppinger or Beckham from the get-go. If he does well in AAA, then you can reevaluate the situation mid-season, depending on how the guys ahead of him are doing. Also, Morel doesn't make any sense as a reserve infielder. I get you can move Keppinger around, but you still wouldn't have a backup SS. Plus Morel wouldn't be getting consistent at-bats, which is what he desperately needs.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 7, 2013 -> 05:20 PM) http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8927362/...wap-sources-say Bulls are looking to trade Boozer for Bargnani. Both suck on defense, both aren't really inside players. I don't know... If you trade for Bargnani, I don't think you can amnesty him. Something to consider given our future financial obligations.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 04:26 PM) How many rotations have no question marks?what you expect roster wise is just not realistic, but I think most would take their chances with one of those 2 vs. paying what it would take to sign Lohse. And you want to rebuild but also place zero value on the draft pick you would lose. Let's be honest, Marty is not going to respond to your question, because he'd have to admit the White Sox have one of the stronger rotations on paper. That is unless he can find all these rotations that have consistent 180+ innings-eaters as their #4 starters and two quality, young left-handers with some major league success as their #5 starters.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 04:02 PM) And if any of them don't...then Castro, Rienzo, and a couple of the iffier-guys like Axelrod and Leesman, plus the usual Cooper Fix-em option give us a number of candidates already in the org who could step up and take that position. You're not even accounting for our two best pitching prospects in Johnson & Snodgress, who will both start the season in AA. There is a decent chance one of these guys could challenge for a rotation spot in 2014 if not at some point this season. Finding starters won't be a problem for us next year. The real concern for us is developing a replacement for Peavy in 2015 (i.e. a #2 starter). Maybe Johnson or Beck can put it all together and reach that level, but if not, that's an area we'll need to go outside the organization for. And if we have do, I'd rather have that $12 million to use towards a legit front of the rotation starter than an overpriced #4 starter who is getting up there in age.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 02:46 PM) No, I prefer a tear down. Since they aren't going that way and have the 28th farm system, they are going to have to spend their way out of this middle-of-the-pack mess they are in. Yup, nothing like going the full blown rebuilding route right after CBA changes that makes rebuilding much more difficult and time consuming.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 02:35 PM) What's the going rate for starting pitching upgrades these days? Doesn't matter what the price is, we don't need a marginal upgrade in our rotation right now. We already have six quality starting pitching options. Look around baseball and see how many rotations have utter crap in the 4th & 5th spots. I just don't get how you think paying $12 million to get slighter more production than Quintana or Santiago (and that's a maybe) makes any sense. And if you want to sign Lohse to trade Floyd then you've just weakened the rotation IMO.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 01:54 PM) Lohse at $12M per for 3-4 years doesn't tie up the payroll. If you want a similiar pitcher it's going to cost more in 2014 and beyond This is just a terrible idea. Committing to $36 to $48 million for a marginal upgrade (at best IMO) is completely stupid.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 3, 2013 -> 10:27 AM) Give me a break...people deserved to know the guy wasn't really at the Super Bowl? It's not like he said he had cancer and was collecting donations or something...whatever, I'm over it. I don't get what your agenda is here. The guy was trolling, everyone was suspicious and it was becoming a distraction for the board. The mods were able to confirm he was trolling, communicated it to the rest of the board and now we all know the truth and can move on. I don't get why would anyone advocate protecting a troll from public humiliation.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Feb 1, 2013 -> 11:19 PM) Wow, I love the hate that I get here.. Thanks so much for spending much of the day talking about me... Go 49ers!!! We will destroy the Ravens this weekend..

I think he put the nail in his own coffin when he claimed to be a fire fighter/tattoo artist from San Francisco who can afford $12k Super Bowl tickets because he's also a classic car resterator in his free time, which is whenever he's not in Chicago using his White Sox season tickets or traveling the country in support of his 49ers.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Feb 1, 2013 -> 10:54 AM) 25.1 WAR since 2009. 3rd in baseball behind only triple crown boy and Pujols. But he makes $5.5 million next year!!!

QUOTE (3E8 @ Jan 31, 2013 -> 12:10 PM) Viciedo's line against RHP two years ago in Charlotte was .305/.357/.501 in 373 PAs. Better than he hit against LHP that season. He's not going to be as bad against RHP as his major league split suggests. Thanks for posting that. The kid has a much better hit tool than people realize.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jan 31, 2013 -> 12:30 PM) I give two s***s if he likes the Niners or not. I told anyone on this site back in feb, that the 49ers would win the SB. Why are you even posting on this website right now? Shouldn't you be out on Bourbon Street getting f***ed up and celebrating your upcoming victory!

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jan 31, 2013 -> 06:10 AM) This article suggests that Ethier might be available: http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/art..._la&c_id=la I don't know what it would take, and that contract is pretty expensive, but he is the kind of left handed #3 hitter who could really help versus RHP. If Viciedo were not traded, he would make a great platoon with Ethier in LF. I suggested that once, some time ago, in another thread. That would be one expensive platoon.

QUOTE (WilburWilhelm @ Jan 30, 2013 -> 07:38 PM) In your baseball world wins don't matter. It was about run differential. Of course wins matter. They're ultimately what get you into the playoffs and what you need to win a World Series. Unfortunately, wins don't tell the whole story, since output and outcomes aren't always equal. Look, I'm not arguing that the Sox are the better team on paper. I think the Tigers are the favorites heading into 2013. I just think the two teams are a lot closer than a lot of people realize. A big part of that IMO is the defensive advantage we have, which was my original point all along.

QUOTE (WilburWilhelm @ Jan 30, 2013 -> 07:38 PM) You're cracking me up dude. But, if you're under 12 years old I seriously apologize. In your baseball world wins don't matter. It was about run differential. Now, it's all about defense. But, you don't want to address the fact that the already far superior World Series appearing Detroit Tigers were better than the Sox prior to adding Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez and a full year of Anibal Sanchez? That somehow improves the Sox chances? Are you feeling alright? And, for your information, I never stated that Detroit's defense was better than the Sox. Please try to repsond to actual comments. Let's see, my original point was about defense, specifically how the White Sox's defense was far superior to the Tiger's defense in 2012 and how I expected it to remain a signicant advantage in 2013. QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 03:07 PM) I think the defense part is what needs to be emphasized here. Detroit was horrific last year, while we were very good. I anticipate we'll be much better than them in 2013 as well. Seems like a lot of people are overlooking this. Then you come along to discredit my opinion, using the Tigers' World Series appearance as proof the difference was minimal or non-existant. QUOTE (WilburWilhelm @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 04:46 PM) Yep. It killed Detroit so much last year they ended up having to play all those World Series games. I then use run differential to show that if the Tigers have a better pitching staff and offense, then the Sox must have significantly better defense. Again, my point was always about defense. QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 05:38 PM) LOL...we had a higher run differential than the Tigers last year. If the Tigers' offense and pitching staff were so much better than ours, as you've already implied, then how do you explain this?

QUOTE (WilburWilhelm @ Jan 30, 2013 -> 07:24 PM) And, if you are going to respond to my comments please learn how to respond to the comments that I've actually made instead of fabricating them in your head. LOL...I've asked you the exact same question three times and you've dismissed it three times. Not sure what I could possibly be fabricating.