Chicago White Sox

QUOTE (ptatc @ Apr 3, 2013 -> 06:25 PM) Not coaches. Only college coaches. There were Chicago area high school coaches with scandals recently. He doesn't mention it. But take a college coach and he's all over it. I'm not excusing any of the behavior. He is not wrong. But he has an agenda and he rides ad nauseum. I don't listen often but it's the same thing over and over again. What exactly did Coach K do to him when he was at Duke? I've heard Bernstein rip him before, but I've never heard the details.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 3, 2013 -> 08:40 AM) His rant isn't as much about Steve Alford, because if it was, he wouldn't have ignored it the entire time Alford was at NM, it's about getting Dan Berstein's name in the paper, on the internet, and on TV. I really don't like Bernstein, but I don't think that's the case. He just goes over the top when he's passionate about something. It's pretty clear he hates Alford and to his credit, he did have Alford on his show years ago and called him out on the air about the incident.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 09:06 PM) It does seem odd to me, some of the older guys not being pushed. Shoemaker in W-S? Haddow? Smith? I personally think all three have talent, and have a shot at being something of value maybe. But with guys like that, fringey prospects too old for level, I really believe you need to push them up and see what happens. Yeah, it seems like a lot of the older, less toolsy players aren't being pushed fast enough. Why not be aggressive with these guys and see what if one of them can rise to the challenge? I know most of these guys are simply organizational filler, but sometimes a guy can play above his physical abilities and become a quality baseball player. Unfortunately, you're not going to find out anything about a player if you keep him in rookie ball or low A until he's 25.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 06:44 PM) Bernstein is right to dislike Alford and think he is a scumbag, but Bernstein needs to get off his soapbox with this holier than thou routine. Once Bernstein latches on to an issue, he doesn't let it go. It's over the top and it's annoying, but it's his schtick. Perhaps Bernstein wants to be more than just an afternoon talk show host and this is his beginning into that with his column and relentlessness. So true. The Penn State ranting was almost unbearable at times. He basically called anyone that went to Penn State an idiot regardless of how they may have actually felt about the whole scandal. That's just how Bernstein rolls though. He simply knows better than everyone.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 10:58 AM) Robinson Cano fires Scott Boras, becomes the first client of Roc Nation, owned by Jay-Z. Maybe he should call up Ricky Williams and see how having a rapper representing you works out.

Absolutely disgusting how old most of the guys on our A ball teams are. Seems like we'll have a lot more age appropriate players at AA & AAA than A to start the season.

Winston-Salem's roster should be out sometime this morning per their Twitter feed.

God damn it.

Viciedo will drive him in.

Don't give him anything to hit now.

Nice little play Kepp.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 04:34 PM) Nice to see Flowers punish that mistake pitch. I fully expect him to be just as or even more valuable than AJ this season, at a fraction of the cost. If he can hit .240 or higher, with his power, OBP skills, and defensive abilities, he'll be way more valuable than AJ this year.

Come on Kepp. First and third him.

Here we go.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 09:44 AM) Would I be stupid to say I hope Hawkins is good at High-A, but not too good? I just hope the Sox don't rush him in an attempt to market the next Harper or Trout. Because he probably isn't. Honestly, if you look at the depth charts above him, I don't see it happening. Mitchell, Thompson, & Walker are all starting the year in AA or above. Plus you have some minor league depth guys / fringe prospects like Danks, Tekotte, & Short in the mix as well. I think it's almost 100% likely he get to AA this season and a decent chance he gets some ABs at AAA at some point, but I really think one of the six guys I mentioned above would get first crack at a major league job this year, whether it's a starting or backup role.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 09:17 AM) 1B? That's interesting. If he slides to 1B, he'd better develop some power. Kanny just tweeted that link as the correct roster - that is the one. If it was the winter one, it wouldn't have Brennan, the Johnsons, etc. A few head-scratchers on that roster... --Who is playing 1B? Ravelo sliding over, or Zac Fisher? --Buddy Bell had said the Brennan-Beck-Hansen group would move together... apparently not. Beck is at A+, Brennan at A-, not sure where Hansen is. --Offensively, that is not a real strong unit. Ravelo, Micah Johnson are the only two guys probably worth watching. Maybe Kiser. --On the pitching side though, some fun names. Olacio, Brennan, Leyer, Hardin, Kibby, Jaye and Gunter all worth keeping an eye on. Looks like the rotation will be Brennan, Olacio, Kibby, Jaye and Leyer. Although there is that rumor about Lopez as well. I'm still hoping Barnum is called up to Kannapolis to play 1B when he gets fully healthy. I just think he's too high of a draft pick to only play short-season ball this year. Otherwise, an ugly group of position playing prospects on the roster. Also a bit surprised neither of the HS catchers we selected last year made Kannopolis' roster. I'm cool with a longer development cycle for them, but I guess you wonder what happens next year if both are ready for low A. Hard to give two solid catching prospects on the same team enough playing time behind the plate, but I guess that's a good problem to have.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 31, 2013 -> 12:09 PM) Because we had to give them SOMETHING. 98% of the Pierre trade was them dumping salary and getting rid of him. Agree. Wasn't Pierre on the Dodgers' bench the season before we acquired him? The move might have been a big move for Ozzie, but I'm pretty sure most people saw it as a salary dump for the Dodgers and a desperation move by the Sox to find a leadoff hitter and get Ozzie some speed.

For everyone suggesting we draft multiple lineman in the draft, seems to me we now have 8 guys under contract with a high probability of being on the opening day roster: Bushrod Slauson Garza Carimi Scott Webb Williams Brown Honestly, we just need to add one interior lineman in the draft and we should be set for next year. Obviously long-term there are still issues, but this isn't going to be an overnight process. Bushrod definitely helps though and if Carimi and/or Webb can step up this year, we might be in better shape than we all think.

QUOTE (Jake @ Mar 30, 2013 -> 12:42 AM) Agree, would be a short term problem and a huge long term gain. The Yankees aren't the perfect comp because people never got so pissed in the first place, but yeah they're fine. The Yankees are a franchise loved by its fanbase for winning throughout its history, the Cubs are the lovable losers with the cool, old-school stadium and party-like atmosphere. There really is no comparison. If they move away from Wrigley and the surrounding area, they'll need to win consistently to draw fans a high level, just the Sox have to. Sounds like a long-term loss to me.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Mar 30, 2013 -> 12:34 AM) Anyone who thinks the cubs wouldn't survive outside of wrigley is delusional. Their massive fan base would easily support them in a new stadium. They'd draw so much more people from the northern suburbs. I'd actually be afraid if they moved. New facilities would do a lot of things for that franchise. Then again the white sox would technically be the only team inside the city then. I couldn't disagree more. They may draw better from the northern suburbs, but they'd draw significantly less from the city. Wrigley is one of the biggest parts of the Cubs' allure to casual fans and moving out Wrigley would simply destroy a major portion of their brand. No one is saying the Cubs wouldn't survive, but they'd lose one of their biggest competitive advantages. There is a reason the neighborhood can strong-arm the Cubs, even if the Cubs have less to lose by moving out of Wrigley than the neighborhood does. That's proven by the fact Ricketts is now willing to pay for all the Wrigley renovations. He simply has no leverage, since staying will always be better for him and the Cubs than moving would be (within reason).

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 02:43 PM) Be skeptical of defensive stats. Viciedo was a good defensive LF'er last year. Agree with both points.

If putting ads on the outfield walls leads to more revenue I'm all for it.

Let's also remember the Sox almost always find some money at the deadline if they're competitive. So yes, the team may start any given season at its budgeted payroll, but when things go well and there is more money at the gates, the organization puts some of that money back into the team. The rest most likely goes towards future payroll or other operating expenses. I seriously doubt this profit is being given out to the owners in the form of dividends.

Also, the Sox's opening day payroll is going to be about $20 million higher than last year and Hahn has indicated they still have a little money to play with. It seems to me that the organization is reinvesting its higher earning power back into the team.

Again, that's operating income, not net income. Regardless, what is your point? They can raise payroll by $20 million? I still don't see how we're a "sleeping giant".