oldsox

Is Vargus for real?

He threw a shutout yesterday; Now 5-0. Does anybody know if Kenny tried to get Pedro, or was it a matter of choosing Bartolo over Pedro?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 12, 2009 -> 02:34 PM) I still don't know what the big deal is about getting him one or two starts this season. With the way our season has gone, he'll probably screw up his arm. Why the urge to pitch him once or twice? I guess we're clinging to the hope we can sweep Detroit. Because it will be exciting to watch Peavy pitch, and it gives us some hope in the off season, assuming he pitches well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 12, 2009 -> 04:08 PM) So, let's say that Rios is traded for a Swisher-esque package. Doesn't that mean that KW acquired a guy for nothing, spent a little bit of money to give him a tryout, then moved him along and turned him in to a couple average prospects? In other words, he would have turned a couple million dollars in to additional system/bullpen depth. That's not the worst move I've ever heard. Balta, you are counting on the perpetuation of thr Greater Fool Theory.

Maybe Kenny was trying to improve out draft position. Just kidding. His acquisition of Rios is another example of the 'Greater Fool' theory in general managerhood. One GM (Toronto) offers him $60 MM for 5 years, making him a Fool. What, would Rios not have accepted if he were offered only $40 MM for 4 years? Was some other Fool forcing the price up, or was Toronto just outsmarted by the agent, which is often case? So the Toronto GM, Fool Number 1, wakes up one day to discover that he was a Fool, so he now needs another Fool to take him off the hook. He speed dials Kenny, and the rest is history. Unfortunately, the Fool Train stopped at Kenny's desk. No other GM is a big enough Fool to take Rios off his hands. The 'Greater Fool' theory was originally created and perfected by real estate syndicators. There is a similarity. Both play with funny money. Real estate syndicators used the public's money, and Kenny uses Jerry's money.

QUOTE (VAfan @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:27 PM) Why did KW trade Nick Swisher this offseason and go into the season with DeWayne Wise and Brian Anderson in CF? When Nick hit his tying HR last night, I sat there wondering about this move. The fact that Wise came through with a single to win the game doesn't change this calculus. Nick Swisher has produced 56.2 runs created this season in 371 plate appearances. DeWayne Wise has produced 7.1 runs created in 112 PAs. Brian Anderson produced 17.7 runs created 205 PAs. The difference is that Swisher has 27.4 more runs created. Since he has 54 more PAs, we'll discount the difference to 25 runs. If you plug that into the pythagorean expected win totals, you'll see that the Tigers are +31 runs, while we are at zero. So, had we kept Nick Swisher, we could easily be tied with the Tigers at this point -- or ahead of them if Swisher had helped us beat the Tigers even one time. Meanwhile, KW ends up trading for Mark Kotsay to fill the same kind of role Swisher fills, yet he's several years older and dramatically less productive. So unproductive offensively, in fact, that I'm not sure he's much better than Brian Anderson at this point. Swisher would have given us a major league player in CF from the start of the year. He could have kept that job when Scotty Pods came over because Quentin went down. And now he would still be a super-sub for Quentin, Pods, Dye, Konerko, and Thome, giving him plenty of ABs that will go instead to less productive hitters for the Sox. I realize KW and Ozzie wanted to dump Swisher after last season. But it was a dumb move without getting someone to replace his role. That one position has been the weakest on the team, and has certainly cost us games, and very possibly another division title. I think the better question is why did we trade FOR Swisher? We gave up a great prospect in Sweeney, who can play CF and hit. He's around .280 now and is bound to improve; plus a promising lefty in Gio.

The Rockies did it two years ago. They won their last 14-15 games or so, tied San Diego, beat Peavy in a one game playoff, went the the WS.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 03:04 PM) I do agree that part of it is probably mental. At least part, maybe most or all. It's half physical and 90% mental.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 01:06 AM) I refuse to speak ill of Dye after all he's done for this organization in his time here. He was a great player for us. Maybe we should start him in CF next year.

Arizona sent Chris Young to AAA in August, and he hit .370 in 13 games; still not hitting in NL, however.

QUOTE (CSF @ Sep 8, 2009 -> 09:05 PM) http://minors.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/09...s_thinking.html Picking in the top half is certainly nice, but with the season going south, I'd love to see them move up a few places. So, go Stros, Brew Crew, & Reds. Do you think Washington will be smart enough to stay away from Scott Boros's clients next June? Did this year's # One ever play?

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Sep 7, 2009 -> 08:35 PM) Do we have any idea how much we will need to pay him in arb? I thought it was a small enough amount where he wouldn't definitely accept it. 80% of current salary.

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Sep 7, 2009 -> 11:12 AM) matt holliday isnt making that much this year either. Holliday is at $20MM per yr or so.

Back injuries are tough, even with the best of medical care and rehab. Makes me really appreciate what Todd Helton accomplished this year.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Sep 2, 2009 -> 05:13 PM) Where's the Dexter Carter and Aaron Poreda performance threads? Oh that's right. That wouldn't serve the obvious purpose here. 1. Richard has been solid for the Padres since the trade; he had one bad start that skewed his stats. He is 4-1 for a last place team. 2. Carter is not a major leaguer; stats not relevant yet. 3. Don't have an obvious purpose. All I said was I think the Pads like the trade.

Pretty soon we won't have announcers like him. Now, they are all ex players who talk too much.

QUOTE (BaseballNick @ Sep 6, 2009 -> 07:30 PM) I assume you're suggesting that whatever the Sox would sign Figgins to would have to be a really bad contract? I've read that he'd probably sign for 4 years $44mil. Obviously, that's not chump change, but Fangraphs.com suggests that his output this season alone is worth $23.2mil. He's been an injury risk all throughout his career, but when healthy, he's a difference maker at the top of a lineup. Also, his defense has made major strides at 3B (UZR/150 of 11.2). Personally, I'd welcome that bad contract. Where does Figgins play if we sign him?

I've seen Allen play two games vs the Rockies this week. One long homer; he looks good at first base.

8th wonder of the world. 7.2 innings, one run. Lead off hitter hit his second pitch nine miles into deep right center; RF had a great jump and caught it; next guy had a single up the middle. Then, he got the DBacks out. Brandon Allen hit a long homer in second inning.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 5, 2009 -> 04:31 PM) Kotsay needs to be brought back next year What's his contract status?

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 5, 2009 -> 04:15 PM) How can you not be excited about the starting rotation next season? Agreed. Buerhle might be Number 4.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Sep 3, 2009 -> 02:56 PM) No, just no. Detroit got rid of some talent, had a declining Maggs back, had to put Porcello in the rotation and had more question marks than we did. Minny definitely does not have more talent, they just play to their strengths really well. Fields was not an iffy prospect. His rookie year he hit around 25 home runs without playing the whole year. No one considered him an iffy at best prospect. More like a potential Adam Dunn at 3B, which didn't work out. And are you telling me, Quentin having a bad spring training is good enough for you to not count on him? Wow. This guy was the MVP last year until he injured his own self. I still think Fields was an 'iffy' prospect on 4/1. True, he hit those home runs his rookie year (2007??); then, he was a great prospect. Crede came back, Fields went down, and he struggled ever since. I don't believe he excelled in ST. Hence, an 'iffy' prospect. Quentin..... wasn't he hurt in ST? Tough to count on when you're hurt. Beckham was not yet a factor. Pods was elsewhere. Getz was still a question mark. Combine all that and the CF dilemma, the Sox were a mediocre team at best coming out of ST. They had holes all over the place. Detroit and Minny had much more talent on 4/1 IMHO. Should be better next year.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 5, 2009 -> 02:17 PM) You had me until the Joe Morgan thing. I like Joe's analysis. Maybe he will manage sometime? Joe Morgan for years has said NO to manager offers.. Oakland tried years ago, someone else, too.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Sep 4, 2009 -> 08:12 PM) I listen to alot of the other team's announcers on my XM, and you can hate of chicago guys all you want, most of the other teams radio guys blow chunks. And the lady for the Yankmees makes me want to pull my haor out. She may know baseball, but her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard. And they are ALL homers. And, the obligatory good looking female between-the-innings Red Sox crew member asked Ozzie if Thome now has a better chance of making it to the World Series....

This is not a criticism of Hawk or Stoney, but sometimes the other team's announcers report differently. I'm watching the Boston telecast, and they pointed out that Rios has trouble with outside pitches and Quentin runs like his right foot is still troubling him. Not that this is newsworthy, but Chicago announcers don't seem st say stuff like that.