Flash Tizzle

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Jun 19, 2007 -> 10:14 PM) Well, I can't say I expected us to win knowing our bullpen had to go five innings. Horrible move having Thornton pitch the 9th. Gammons said on BBTN he expects Buehrle and Dye to get traded pretty soon. Look on gameday on compare statistics between the two bullpens. It's pathetic. You could do the same in the lineup, but I'll save everyone the agony of that. That's one reason, other than their complete sucktitude, which suggests Podsednik and Erstad will provide nothing to this ballclub once they return. I hope Gammons is right in suggesting both players are on the move. With Detroit's victory -- which ties them with division leading Cleveland -- we're 10.5 games out of playoff contention. I don't know at which point people around here will stop giving up hope, but it should come rather quickly. We're bad; and no, we're not capable of second half runs similar to that of past Houston, Cleveland, Oakland teams. /avatar

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 19, 2007 -> 07:42 PM) Why the f*** would the Sox want to trade there best starter. The whole point in having young talent is to put it together with veterans. If all the team wants to do is trade every player that turns good than it will consistently suck. No offense, but any idea involving a Garland deal that doesn't involve the Sox absolutely reaming another team is a dumb idea. Garland should be offered an extension this off-season and this squad should be building the rotation around both him and Buehrle (plus I'd like to keep Vazquez, although I'd settle for the club picking up another veteran pitcher with two youngsters part of the back end of the rotation). Garland hasn't been their best starter any season outside of 2006. This is dating back to 2001. The entire purpose of unloading Garland would be to receive the best available package. Meanwhile, Buehrle -- under my scenario -- would remain on the team past 2007 with a new contract. You appear to be under the impression that retaining both Garland and Buehrle is a possibility, whereas I just assume one will be gone before next season. Do you honestly believe we'll sign both of those pitchers to extended contracts? How else are we supposed to suppliment the farm system with high-ceiling prospects if not for one of them leaving? Iguchi and Dye won't do it, unless we're shrewd and able to identify low-A talent.

QUOTE(elrockinMT @ Jun 19, 2007 -> 07:33 PM) Another thing about Danks is that he seems to give up a lot of homers. There are times that he looks real good and I guess with a rookie some struggles are expected, but he gives up a lot of homers as does some of our other hurlers. Danks fastball is too straight and too slow not to incorporate his changeup and curveball more. It seems he resorts to it frequently because his control if off with the secondary pitches.

That's a powerful man.

I'm still surprised few have acknowledged Garland as possible trade bait. Considering his recent success and contract status (which extends through 08'), he should command more than Buehrle. Kershaw, without question, would have to be the centerpiece of any deal if LA were our trading partner. Similar measures would have to be followed with every other ballclub. The plan thereafter would be signing Buehrle to an extension. With Garland gone and Buehrle remaining, you're only adding in an additional three million (maybe) in salary. This figure will be reduced with Dye, Iguchi, and Contreras possibly gone. Floyd, most likely, would replace Garland after being traded and Gonzalez would move into the rotation next season. We're not going to win next year, anyways. I'd prefer two scenarios, of which trading Garland and retaining Buehrle provides -- having the potential for a good trade package, and holding onto the better starter.

Thank God he's of no use to the struggling offense.

QUOTE(diegotony06 @ Jun 19, 2007 -> 01:01 AM) Well if they go on a run like I said at least 14-5 if not better, then why not go for it. Cleveland or Detroit isn't running away withthis division. Cleveland is 13 games over .500, and Detroit is 11 over. So to me no one is running away with anything. If we could have played at least .500, we would only be 6.5 out. I know we haven't played .500, I'm just using it as an example, to show no one is running away with this division. Sure Cleveland has a solid team, but they have their problems, and Detroit is solid, but I believe they are gonna fade off in the 2nd half. The Yankees have turned it around pretty quick in the last couple weeks, who says we can't do the same. Even if we only go 10-9 or 8-11 or whatever, maybe a few of these guys will increase their value. I just don't see the problem with waiting a few weeks and seeing if this team can go on a run. If they catch fire and go 16-3 or 17-2, then hell yeah I want KW to be a buyer and go for it all. If they don't, then there is still more than enough time to make deals. The trading deadline is July 31st, not June 31st. There will be plenty of time to trade people away if they can't turn it around in the next couple weeks. Define how you would want Williams to 'go for it.' Which players would you prefer he acquire -- bullpen arms, OF help? What trading chips would you be willing to surrender for such players, knowing full-well we're still ~5 games out of playoff contention? Isn't this precisely the problem, forsaking prospects for assitance when we're nowhere near guaranteed to reach the playoffs?

QUOTE(diegotony06 @ Jun 19, 2007 -> 12:44 AM) What's the big deal if you give him until the all star break to see if these guys can turn it around?? What's another few weeks. Even if they don't turn it around, maybe some of these guys can get it going, and increase their trade value. I say let them see if they can turn it around in these next few weeks. The offense looks like it's coming around, give a few weeks and see wat happens. Maybe Konerko sees something in the team we don't get the opportunity to see just watching the from the stands. Who knows?? If it doesn't turn around by then, KW better go into seller mode. The 'big deal' here concerns the value of any current player on the trade market. With Dye, Williams can risk keeping him around until the All-Star break. His value is quite low, and even if he doesn't improve we can always hold onto him and anticipate Type-A compensation. With Buehrle, however, three starts leading up to the All-Star break may have a transverse effect if he struggles. Receiving draft picks for Mark doesn't quite seem like an attractive option considering his current value. This 2007 White Sox club isn't winning anything. Why exactly should they be given an additional two weeks when they've had three months to prove themselves. Suggesting Konerko notices something from the team that fans don't is ridiculous as well. Especially when it involves onfield performance.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 11:32 PM) The Sox are going to probably stand pat until the break, so we'll get to see what happens. If they find themselves at .500 they'll consider buying and if they are still floundering we will quickly see the fire sale happen. Terrible. I'll also say, as I have in another post, that Buehrle should be wearing another uniform by June 24th if Williams has any sense of a players value. It'll never be higher. I don't care about waiting for other teams to emerge, because I'm more concerned about Buehrle losing value over several weeks than I am risking the addition of ballclubs in July who may unexpectedly require pitching. It just seems like a waste of everyones time to stand pat until the All-star breaking waiting for a collection of scrubs to somehow, someway provide a spark.

They're not winning anything this season. It's time to realize that. We're not any better than Minnesota, Cleveland, or Detroit. How can anyone suggest otherwise? Even if the White Sox were to enter the All-Star break with a .500 record overall, what does it say that a majority of the teams defeated were subpar opponents? Such a scenario would only give people (perhaps Williams) false hope. It would also set back our minor league development even further. You have to rationalize our season in these simple terms -- if we're going for it, we damn well better have sound reason to believe this team has turned itself around and can reach the playoffs. 14-5 alone doesn't do it for me. I'm talking about 17-2, with pitching performing well every...damn...day.. and offense averaging 5+ every.....game. The spark will not be lit. This team is bad. And, please, I hope we're not going to resort to the "there are sooooo many divisional games left" arguments when suggesting why this team has a chance. They're done.

You just know the game is going to be delayed now. Rain will start pouring down any minute, and if it isn't already postponed, Masset will come in and give up the lead. Scoring four runs by the 3rd inning? I must be playing MLB Slugfest.

Now's about the time for a wild pitch.

Aw, Iguchi didn't want to get his jersey wet.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 07:57 PM) At least this game isn't totally disgusting to watch. Plenty of time left to be disgusted. Far as I'm concerned, until more than three runs cross the board, we're just ahead of the "3 runs by the 7th innings and none beyond" curve.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 07:17 PM) I can officially say you are a loser. I agree with Fathom, in a sense. Meddling around mediocrity doesn't help this team's future. Let's say they do rebound from this prolonged slump and finish .500. Ok, so now we're still without impact players to combat those within the division, Dye and Buehrle (if not traded) are FAs, and there's no possible way anyone can believe we're going to be in contention for 2008. So what's the point? Why waste the energy of expecting victories from a team who, in all honestly, may be better off long-term if they do have a bad season. It's impossible to name many names, but if there are collection of tremendous player(s) available to us in the draft next season -- franchise calibur player(s) -- doesn't it seem more logical to root for losing rather than a meaningless 2007 campaign soon to be followed by a lost 2008? If Williams handles any midseason deals correctly, supplimented with a high draft pick next season, we could be well stocked for 2009/2010. That's what I'm looking towards at this point.

QUOTE(29thandPoplar @ Jun 18, 2007 -> 06:46 PM) Well the big news from the 2 hour Sox brain trust meeting this afternoon ... KW on the pregame basically says they (the players) want to see how they perform when Podsednik and Erstad get back, to see if the team can go on a run. Konerko was at the meeting, as was Guillen and Hahn and of course Williams. So it does not look like any trades will be made for now. My guess is they will evaluate where they are in two weeks, like July 1st. If the presence of Erstad and Podsednik speeds up the inevitable fire sale then management should promote both right now. It's a mistake to believe this team has any chance. They're only looking foolish to believe otherwise. Not that I expect anyone to throw up their arms and wave a white flag, but I expect someone of Williams stature to realize Podsednik and Erstad won't provide nearly enough talent to overcome our deficit in the division and wildcard. Oh, but I'm sure they'll use another excuse if the team's deficit in the standings happens to fall within 6 games. "There are plenty of divisional games remaining." Nothing like blind optimism to delay during your job: which in this circumstance involves trading players and replenishing a weak farm system. I'll say this right now -- if I were Williams it'd be wise to unload Buehlre sometime before the Cubs series concludes. His value has heightened recently against weak National leaugue opponents. Every week Williams waits there's the possibility that against his next several AL opponents (TB, BAL, MIN) push his value down. Maybe not drastically, but enough to where a general manager perhaps rethinks about including Player A. Dye is the person we can afford to wait on.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jun 17, 2007 -> 10:01 PM) From what I read....it's a vampire movie. Based off a book of the same title. It'll be butchered in the film version (as it has been under previous installments), but neverless, I'm interested in how Will Smith's character is portrayed. As with the "vampires" roaming New York.

If recent history is any indication, there's the strong possibility Williams will conduct a trade involving a player few considered available. I'm going to throw out Garland as that player. He'll easily command more than Buehrle (under contract in 2008 for 12 million) and his value probably won't be any higher than it currently is. This, of course, is contingent upon the White Sox extending Buehrle. Additional money would be available for his contract extension if someone such as Floyd were to replace Contreras.

Hmm, looking ahead at Buehrle's next projected start against the Cubs at home, I wouldn't be surprised if it were his last in a White Sox uniform. If I were Williams, I'd be looking to trade Buehrle at peak value. If he were to remain on the ballclub, the next several starts after this weekend would be against Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Minnesota. Not exactly an impossible set of opponents, but there's the possibility Buehrle's number begin to inflate against American League teams.

10.5 games out of the division lead, 9.5 games out of the wild card lead with severn teams to jump. Fourth worst record in the entire league. Last in runs. Last in batting average. Last in OPS. Bullpen ERA tied with Tampa Bay for worst overall. All you can hope for at this juncture in the season is for Buehrle to continue pitching well and Dye to immediately heat up. Williams, without question, needs a stellar package for atleast one player to suppliment the farm system with high-upside prospects. And for anyone who is ready to provide excuses for anything less than an immediate "win" for the White Sox, I'm not willing to accept it. Neither should anyone else. Our future depends upon it.

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Jun 13, 2007 -> 04:33 PM) Maybe they'll draft someone in 2008. Right now, I think they a good shot at the number one pick. Seriously. Pedro Alvarez, judging from the reports I've read recently, is someone you just don't pass at #1. Knowing that, with the first pick of the 2008 amateur draft, the Chicago White Sox select.............OF, Jordan Danks, University of Texas.

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Jun 13, 2007 -> 05:10 PM) I'm looking forward to it, because I foresee people not being happy no matter what goes down. Yeah, well, that's always going to be true. Not only with those suggesting Buehrle could have received more, but the crowd who may have held out hope the Sox could contend the second half/Buehrle would resign.

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Jun 13, 2007 -> 04:40 PM) This will be grand.. What, no faith in management?

I don't care how unlikely it is. Williams requires a tremendous haul for Buehrle if we're looking towards the immediate future with any optimism. Don't think it's possible other teams will give up top talent? Too bad. Then he needs for his scouts to identify talent in the lower levels of opposing teams. Again, I've set the expectations high and I'm not stepping down. No excuses.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 10:05 PM) Alright, I Concede Detroit is better than the White Sox. And will be for the forseeable future. I'll say right now, if losing enough games to select #2 overall allows us to draft a pitcher of Justin Verlander's calibur I'd support it. The season is over. It doesn't matter whether we finish with 70 or 81 wins.