Flash Tizzle

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 31, 2015 -> 09:16 PM) Oh well. I'm too confused by this team to be real negative any more. Now we're three below .500 again. Rodon gets rocked by a good team. Danks could have the same fate tomorrow and we be four under. Whatever will be will be. ... You're not confused, you're awake now. The only confusion about this team was the last week, and it was foolish to believe a half season of futility should be overlooked for a 7-1 run.

Well, I hope all of you riding the last week's win streak have sobered up. Thankfully we have Shark to finish out the remainder of the season. I'm sure he'll win us just enough games to lose a few draft positions

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2015 -> 05:09 PM) And let's deal with some reality here. Logically a trade of Samardjiza should have been done if the returns offered were greater than the Comp pick we are looking at in 2016 if he signs else where. But the odds of the playoffs here that do matter to a fan base the team is constantly trying to convince to show up. I'd be willing to bet each writer in Chicago had a White Flag article ready to go if he was dealt, thus decimating any ticket sales for the rest of the year. Instead even the illusion of a chance at the playoffs can be used for some period of time to convince people that it is still OK to show up. If the team had been 1-7 instead of 7-1 on that road trip, that illusion wouldn't have been there. But they didn't and the idea, however small, is planted. The last few days are as excited as I have seen the bandwagon since the off-season. To a franchise that has to beg for fans like a nerd looking for a date on prom night, that has a value. With a more stable fan base, the team could have taken a more conservative approaching, knowing that people would have come back next year. The White Sox don't have that luxury. Much like a boy band, the window is short. If trading with San Francisco in 1997 while several games behind Cleveland was the White Flag Trade, then what is it called when we're 3.5 games behind Minnesota for the Wild Card.......and do absolutely nothing to help a team offensively struggling? No one in the front office should care what the media or fans think of ANY deal which could help this team. They obviously didn't care enough about any of our opinions since they neither sold nor traded for anyone. I honestly wish this team would go through a rebuilding period. Just so all the speculation, all the fears people have about the fan base being decimated and if Hahn/Williams are capable of building through the minor leagues would be answered. We'd atleast have something to draw from aside from years of rebuilding on the fly, nonsense. Or wondering if our window is open.

Also the way people around here have been touting the Shark compensation pick as something of value, I really hope that player drafted becomes a ML contributer. Otherwise I just can't believe of all the deals we've seen so far for rentals, the White Sox couldnt get even ONE player of value? Absolute s*** and I fail to believe that. When other teams were given up two, three prospects for Price and Cueto we couldn't get even ONE Top 10 prospect (basically the equivalent of what youd hope for from a draft pick in the 40s). I'll guarantee the issue was we wanted ML level players capable of contributing right away, basically playing the three year window nonsense again.

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Jul 31, 2015 -> 04:38 PM) My thought is the reason they didn't trade Smardjiza is the returns weren't attractive. Q is as good as gone in the offseason. Essentially auction him off to all of baseball -- someone will get a no doubt about it Top 30-40 starter (plus a lefty who has been as consistent as any pitcher in years); the Sox should absolute expect to get the proverbial "haul." And they need that haul for sustained success. I'm sure they'll be some collection of excuses to explain why this doesnt happen. -With Shark gone and Johnson as his inevitable replacement, the White Sox cannot afford to lose another starting pitcher. Second year of the three year window! - With the FA pitching market so strong and teams bringing in increased revenue through profit sharing and TV deals, long term deals can be afforded without having to give up prospects/and or young talent. Prepare yourself, but while I agree trading Quintana should happen I'm sure it wont. That would be too inlike the White Sox to trade someone with high value

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 31, 2015 -> 03:14 PM) Right move though it bored me. I'm actually more pissed off they were unwilling to trade Shark than acquiring anything. This team is NOT going to the playoffs, but we're also not going next year unless drastic improvements are made across the roster. I have a feeling we'll remember this season more for the useless 7-1 run at the trade deadline and it's impact on our future more than anything else.

Very surprised that the Cubs havent made any moves yet.

And to the point, I would not suggest that Shark should be sold for scraps or someone (patticularly a rental) should be acquired by giving away the farm. However, as we've seen recently through the media, the winning streak pushed Shark off the table and only allowed us a short period (close to the deadline) to acquire our bat. granted the day isnt over yet, but id hope we make a decision one way or another

Only the White Sox could manage to enter the trading deadline neading to make a decision about selling or buying.......and do absolutely nothing. I hope Shark is dealt, and I've believed through the streak he should have been sold regardless of our position. But if we're not trading Shark, or pursuing anyone else, what exactly does that suggest? It sure as hell doesn't fool me into believing our inactivity is because our FO is confident in the team. What it tells me is the indecisiveness of the front office allowed an opportunity for improvement (through trading Shark, even if it is a rental for rental swap) to be passed over, and now the deadline mirrors so many seasons post 2008 -- without direction.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jul 31, 2015 -> 10:32 AM) And the issue is the teams are making moves to get better. Sox have been sitting on the sideline going are we in or are we out Typical White Sox. I'd personally still trade Shark for best available package, since I'm not convinced this team (even in its WC position) is a playoff calibur team. However, If they feel they're in it you have to do something. What sense does it make to stand pat? It's honestly the worst decision at this point.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 28, 2015 -> 08:50 PM) The ironic thing is if they trade Samardzija tomorrow afternoon, a lot of us will be disappointed now Not I. I'd thank him for providing us with whatever package is received (hopefuly something decent) and send him on his waY

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 28, 2015 -> 03:21 PM) I can only imagine the overreaction in this thread tonight if Samardzija gets torched and the Sox lose. I'll be one of those overreacting. We should have moved him by now, anyway. If say he does poorly and the Sox lose, whatever package is received for him afterward we will question whether or not it was the same as few days prior. I just feel we have very little to gain and a whole lot of leverage to lose tonight.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jul 28, 2015 -> 04:03 PM) Losing 7 out of 10 in August and Sox will kick themselves in the ass for holding on to Shark. We just lost 5 of 6 last home stand when playing good teams. They'd never admit it. Us fans will, though. Although the excuse is probably going to be, "we weren't going to get much for him anyways." I hope we find out what was offered for Shark if the White Sox decide to keep him for the remainder of the year. It'll be fun to see what we dismissed under the possibility that we can make the playoffs

QUOTE (shysocks @ Jul 28, 2015 -> 09:11 AM) In principle I agree with your post - hopefully the front office isn't being shortsighted. But something absolutely has changed in the last week. A week ago the Sox were 7 games out of a playoff spot with six teams between. Now they're 4.5 games out with four teams between. That's a pretty big shift in seven days, whether one believes they can pull this off or not. Here's the other point --if you believe they're in it, then Shark still should go to bolster the roster with an additional bat. Don't forget the misery and embarrassment of this offense because of one week. That's my concern, here. Shark shouldn't even be here now, let alone at the deadline. He wont be a part of our future past this season, and if forsaking him for an everyday offensive player meant risking the remainder of this season with Johnson id accept it.

I reluctantly vote yes, because we've sat on our hands and have forced ourselves to. Hopefully Shark pitches a great game, maintains whatever trade value he still has left

QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Jul 28, 2015 -> 05:43 AM) The crazy thing is 2016 and beyond could be determined in the next 3 days. Seems a bit ridiculous really that we will judge whether or not we can make it to the playoffs based on 3 games out of 162. It's more like stupidity to decide the course of a team's future on three games. So what's the combination for selling or buying? 3 wins -- nothing 2 wins -- nothing 1 win -- sell 0 wins -- sell Or what if we win all three and dont gain any ground in the WC? These combinations and possibilities from it are ridiculous to me. Nothing should have changed from last week to today. Whatever combination of wins or losses these next games hold, I'd still trade Shark. If we're resurging, which I doubt, it has been largely due to the offense. There are still four other pitchers in our rotation and Johnson to carry the starting pitching. My only question wouldn't be IF I trade Shark, but whether they'll look for ML playera or prospects in return for him. I really hope there are people in the FO who are thinking past the Boston series.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Jul 26, 2015 -> 04:13 PM) And selling will help that? We are in a complicated spot No we're not. We were ALL convinced last week this team wasn't going anywhere, Shark (or perhaps Quintana) needed to go, and this organization desparately needed a significant return to help improve this team's future. Now four days have past and we shouldn't be sellers because of the Indians series?! It's so ridiculous and shortsighted that I fear that the FO thinks similarily. They're too cowardly and afraid to admit their vision for a playoff team failed miseralbe. Hahn should be not be waiting until the conclusion of the Boston series, even if the team happens to sweep them. This is NOT A PLAYOFF TEAM. Have people not been aware of this historically terrible offense? Or it's record against contending teams? I hope they do sweep Boston. It'll test how much courage our front office has to do what's right. After they would inevitable cave and keep Shark, we could then all sit back and watch the White Sox finish around 82 wins for the season. After Shark leaves, we'll have the same offense, same front office, but one supplemental round pick!

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 24, 2015 -> 09:59 AM) JimH: Jk he's still totally posting. Also bring back nuke cleveland. Lol crazy ol' Nuke. He was a blast during the old Chat Crew days. It's odd reflecting now on the amount of time I've been with this site, and for others it has been longer. To think through everything that one experiences in 12+ years that there are some who still find the time to consistently post. I'm sure there are many posters still browsing even if they dont post regularly. I know I've been doing that the last several years. Many random names spring to mind too, even if theyre not at 25,000 posts: Qwerty The cheat Cwsguy406 Beastly, wsc425, whatever other name Ross had Cwsox Super Steve Gregory Pratt Brandofan Cluer Bmr Spiff I know several of the previous guys were banned though lol.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 01:14 PM) Here's the problem. "Oh no, the White Sox would never be able to sustain a rebuild. Could imagine what it would do to the fan base if they had like 4 losing seasons out of 5 years?" Yeah, we've already done that. We're going to really pay for it next year based on how terrible the walkup crowds look this eyar. The "rebuilding will destroy this fan base" threat doesn't work when we've done exactly that without any rebuilding and with a roster that looks very, very far from a sure thing over the next few years. Exactly! Maybe rebuilding won't work, but what we're doing now (some patchwork combination of rebuilding on the fly) hasn't proven itself to be successful either. I feel every passing year we're having the same arguments on Soxtalk about the pitfalls of rebuilding, usually hinging on these ideas: the fan-base will be decimated, and can we trust our organization to identify and develop talent through trades and/or drafting. How the fan base reacts should be irrelevant. They're either not going to support a 80 win team......or not support a 69 win team. Does either record ultimately matter? Floundering around .500 for years on end hasn't proven itself effective at anything other than proving the methods used by KW to assemble his ballclubs have bot produced sustained success. Yes we're all grateful for 2005; but that was a decade ago and it's about time for some new strategies, since im sure the Good Ol Boys Club at the top won't be changing soon. Has anyone else ever thought if maybe we had begun rebuilding in 2010, if we would be in a better position today to compete? If we had only realized then that maybe a new direction should be attempted, there'd atleast be a comparison to draw from. We'd know for sure whether that period of time was successful in developing talent, and ultimately, if the organization was capable of resurging from the depths of the AL central. Let's not waste another five years doing the same damn thing.

QUOTE (Whitewashed in '05 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 11:22 AM) Is any team realistically willing to give up what Q would bring back in a trade though? I mean you don't trade him for anything except a huge haul. You almost have to trade Quintana. With a historically terrible offense and defense, we have to be willing to deal someone who's capable of providing us with a package that inproves the team. Not just in 2016, but beyond. If not from Quintana, how does this team improve with dealing Shark for a b rated prospect? We're sure as hell not going to replace six full-time position players off FA/waiver deals, i'll tell you that much. We need help.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 10:32 AM) Addicts. Just hoping that the next series of moves are in our favor. Sox are due for some good luck, right? Absolutely, if they're smart and take the best available trade package and not just whatever replacement level players put them in the best position to compete in 2016. You know, during their supposed three year window.......

I don't believe we're intent on trading Shark. As a perceived rental among other rentals he's not a highly sought after commodity. Quintana will be dealt in a package with Montas to Houston, Toronto, or Los Angeles. I'm not up to date on those teams full rosters and which players (particulary from their minor league systems) are expendable,, but it'll be following this order: 1 MLB bat, 1 Top 5 offensive prospect, 1 Top 5-10 rated pitching prospect And years from now we'll be regretting dealing Montas. Also we'll resign Shark to a below market valued contract Those are my predictions

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 10:28 AM) Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 8m8 minutes ago Sources: #WhiteSox in “listening mode.” Samardzija most likely to go; only potential free agent of significance. Team also could add. Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 8m8 minutes ago #WhiteSox will not tear down, trade Sale, etc. Did not simply put club together for 2015. View season as first of at least 3-year window. I don't expect the White Sox to just disclose to everyone their sellers, but it's annoying hearing of a three year window. Its the type of nonsense I can imagine them believing in. That idea to me is nothing more than being bull-headed and reassuring yourself that while things didnt go as expected, this is our "window" so lets just try mixing around more pieces and ignoring our farm system so we can compete next season!

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 09:48 AM) Alvarez is about to be traded by the Pirates. He has two more years until he a fa. If he can still handle third I'd love to buy low there. Problem is he can't handle 1B, yet alone hit. Pittsburgh is essentially platooning him. He has never really been able to show any consistency offensively, so all we'd really be buying on is his potential from 5+ years ago and his power. We'd be better off with Gillespie than throwing Alvarez in any trade. However I can honestly imagine the White Sox doing it, though. For all the typical White Sox reasons. It seems like a move in the mold of Gavin Floyd, a highly regarded from Top Draft pick struggling (with Alvarez though his struggles have extended far longer than Floyd with Philadelphia).

QUOTE (harkness @ Jul 19, 2015 -> 04:14 PM) Did you guys catch that? I'm reading that as he didn't agree with leaving Sale in that long. I immediately thought of Robert DeNiro when I saw it, probably just as pissed too But Really it could have been that, or maybe they weren't warmed up soon enough for his liking