CB2.0

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 03:19 PM) The reason to highlight the Astros is - 2 of those 3 seasons, they didn't get the thing that comes with 105 losses that is supposed to make you better - a successful #1 pick. Yeah they had a larger international signing pool but what have they gotten from that so far? Out of those 3 seasons, they got "Carlos Correa and a draft as good as the one they'd have gotten if they'd won the world series". That's why they can be called "what should be the worst case scenario". Your franchise has no excuse if it can't do better than that. I hear ya and agree. However, one other thing about the Astros that can't be overlooked is they also switched out of the most crowded division in baseball to the least. That had to help.

QUOTE (skooch @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 03:10 PM) I'm sure his agent is telling him that it's in his best interest to have as many teams as possible involved to drive up the market. The 'no' could very easily come later when selecting among any/all offers.

I'll say this with 20/20 hindsight: If 3 straight 105 season losses accelerates and/or increases the frequency of playoff trips vs 9 seasons at or near .500 ball, I'd rather have the 3 miserable seasons. Because really - what's the difference if you're not making the playoffs anyway? Sure as s*** isn't about putting butts in seats or this would be a very differently run organization....

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 02:53 PM) Funny how things change when you need a job. It's even funnier that we say "needs a job" about somebody who is 35 and has made $95.7 Million.

Wasn't Morneau the Twin who was burning Sox hats before a series 7-8 years ago? My how times have changed.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 12:32 PM) I'm becoming Latos intolerant. I see what you did there.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 01:28 AM) Actually, it's nowhere near impossible to go 6-19. Both the Astros ('05) and Twins ('06) were 15+ games UNDER .500 and still managed to either proceed to the World Series or win the division in what was then a stacked division. If this team is who we think it is, and adding James Shields helps a bunch (and by a bunch, I mean by one win, as long as it is Latos who goes, because he should be serving batting practice with that flat-ass fastball, not Matt Albergers), then they'll be OK. If the bullpen continues to truly implode, then fire Don Cooper. He's in charge of the pitching staff, isn't he? At what point do you hold those people who fail at their jobs accountable? Tommy LaSorda is one of the greatest managers of all time, but I don't want that guy running this team. Maybe it's time for a change in pitching coaches. Seriously, what has Don Cooper done for me lately? #HOTTAKE Fire Cooper before Robin? lol. Ok.

This.....doesn't look real encouraging... http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/batvspitch/_...4/james-shields

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 08:14 AM) BUT, His name is not Adam lol.

Personally - I couldn't care less if Robin is kept or fired. I seriously doubt it would make one bit of difference either way because this team is incomplete anyway. Having said - In reading the thoughts expressed by those here in the "Fire Robin" camp; I can recall very few that say they want to fire Robin because Abreu isn't hitting, Robertson blew a save, clubhouse atmosphere, etc. Generally, the reasons that are cited have to do with Robin simply not being very good at his own job - MANAGING. There is really no disputing he's pulled some serious head scratchers over the last 4 seasons and certainly many of them have cost the team games. Enough to mean a difference in making the playoffs? No. But possibly enough to have an effect on the team's morale and CERTAINLY enough to effect the morale of the fans.

30-30

So how many righties are we facing in this series?

Zika virus? lol. Settle down, man.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 08:10 PM) 2005 the Imdians payroll was over $30 million less than the White Sox and they had a higher team WAR. Do they get a trophy or something? There was nearly a double digit pitching delta in rWAR in favor of the Sox in 2005 which, if you remember that last series, proved to be a big deal.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 05:08 PM) Like, as in 'snail mail'? That's weird! "Dear Jerry, I am taking pen to paper today to implore your consideration in the hiring of Nicholas Hostetler to be our new amateur scouting director. He comes with unparalleled qualifications and you'll just love him. My return address is on the envelope, so write me back at your earliest convenience. Yours Truly, Rick P.S. - Wish you had let Kenny go to Toronto when you had the chance!" lol

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 02:05 PM) I think if the White Sox hesitate, the Padres take the 2nd best offer. I wonder if many teams saw enough value in him to pay even 1/2 his contract if it meant giving up anything at the MLB level. The Sox just so happened to be carrying 6 SPs.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 12:40 PM) I was more referring to the 2012 team's 4.62 runs per game (4th in AL) and 211 home runs (3rd in AL). Fair enough. Still - rather have 5.36 runs per game (3rd in MLB/AL) and 236 (#1 in AL).

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 12:33 PM) This trade is doing something for the sake of doing something. Shields experience can help the younger guys in the rotation but he isn't likely to fare much better than Gonzales or Latos have. He is supposedly a really good clubhouse guy which is a plus. The Sox gave up nothing but some salary flexibility in this trade. But I don't really believe it did much to help this team win either.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 12:15 PM) 2012 2012 LgAvg Slash: .255/.319/.405/.724 2012 Sox Slash: .255/.318/.422/.740 Now THIS team: 2006 Slash: .280/.342/.464/.806 That team could hit.

The only thing his IP/Start #s in NL vs AL show is that he got absolutely SHELLED pitching in the NL and in probably the most friendly home park in baseball. His HR9 and BB9 pretty much doubled while his H9 stayed the same and his K9 went up (that's the NL thing going both ways). Maybe the "rigors of hitting" in 93 PA made him give up meatballs and lose control.

I think not being able to assemble a hitting team in a decade is another reason to be canned.

Oh right - we need James Shields and his 6.1 IP/GS; 4.5 ERA because our string of #4/5s (Danks, Latos, Gonzalez, Johnson) haven't averaged 7. Glad we got that need filled.

QUOTE (LVSoxFan @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 11:39 AM) If this home stand tanks, especially the one against Detroit, what possible excuse would we have for doing nothing, even IF firing Ventura would be simply symbolic? Isn't Detroit sort of our Packers? Like, if we can't beat them, we're not going anywhere? (Granted it used to be Minnesota but I guess it could be any central team at this point). It literally could and SHOULD be any team at this point since all have held 1st at some point this season except the Twins.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 11:16 AM) Look at May on a game by game basis. We have had a ton of short performances since the calendar left April. It has even happened to Sale and Q lately. Ok. Here's the front 4 for April/May since #5 has been a revolving door. April: Sale - 38.0 IP Quintana - 30.2 IP Rodon - 29.1 *Danks - 22.1 May: Sale - 40.2 IP Quintana - 41.1 IP Rodon - 30.1 Latos - 26.1 Where am I missing "tons"? Look - Shields may fill a need as an ok #4, but we got a hot start playing some offensively anemic teams. For me, I just see hitting and our razor thin bench of talent as a way bigger problem.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2016 -> 10:57 AM) Team stats aren't the most accurate measure here, especially ones that include the bullpen. Those skew away from what our rotation really is. The simple fact being that the rotation is made up of 5 individuals. We have two really great starters in Sale and Q. We have one Jekyl and Hyde starter in Rodon. We have two mediocre to bad starters in Gonzalez and Latos. 3 out of 5 days there is a pretty good chance we are getting a 5 inning performance, which has been killing the pen for about the last month. There is no doubt we needed another SP who gets us 7 IP per night. You can argue if something was a "priority" or not. But deals in MLB don't work like that. If the Sox don't deal for Shields when there do, there is a pretty good chance he isn't there when they get whatever is their first "priority" taken care of. This isn't OOTP. The Padres ownership just publicly trashed Shields. They wanted him out of SD yesterday. Either you make the deal, or lose the opportunity. Realistically there is a pretty high chance that Shields is the best SP dealt this season. Reality is that the Sox STARTERS have provided the 2nd highest number of innings in the league (only Texas has gotten more). I agree the bullpen needs help, but maybe they're getting gassed for other reasons beyond the rotation, because the numbers don't prove this. And BTW - Shields has been as much of an "innings eater" as Dr. Jekyl.