Random thought:

 

Maybe it isn't our draft picks that are the problem.

 

Maybe the Sox are failing at developing these kids

Real, you can potentially make those arguments about Borchard, Fields, Anderson, Morel and Beckham, to name five.

 

But a lot of questioning is going on about the "mental make-up" of both BA and Gordon, that's for sure.

 

Scouts missed out on that critical component.

Real, you can potentially make those arguments about Borchard, Fields, Anderson, Morel and Beckham, to name five.

 

But a lot of questioning is going on about the "mental make-up" of both BA and Gordon, that's for sure.

 

Scouts missed out on that critical component.

I would agree on BA. Not so sure on Gordon.

 

So we've got possibilities.

 

Jason Bay

Chone Figgins

Carlos Lee (bringing him back to Southside)

A. Soriano

Todd Helton (super unlikely)

Barry Zito (perfect match, he's owed at least $50 million and they won't want an extra year to vest)

Jayson Werth

Carlos Zambrano

Michael Young

Rafael Soriano

Dice-K

Aaron Rowand and Aubry Huff

Vernon Wells

John Lackey (possibility)

 

 

I saw a list of the 50 worst contracts (it was done in May) and we had Juan Pierre, AJ, Peavy, Paulie (that was a miss so far, but still could turn against us eventually), Adam Dunn. Funny enough, no Alex Rios. Teahen and Linebrink must have been considered to be too small fry for the list.

 

Edited July 31, 201114 yr by caulfield12

There isn't a team in the sport that would want Alex Rios. He's garbage.

 

I think the Cubs would be happy to take his contract over Sorianno's. Maybe even Zanbrano.

 

I wish Reinsdorf was the type of owner that would just dump this guy, or authorize picking up 75% of the rest of his contract just to get him out of here.

 

Maybe he is. I guess most teams don't want to touch that other 25%.

 

Look what has happened with the White Sox, KW and Guillen accepting/empowering/enabling Alex Rios for the past 12 months? There's just no way he can have the respect of any veteran in that clubhouse. Any goodwill or reserve he had left remaining in the tank was eroded tonight.

 

I think enough teams do that when there is a lot of money involved. Just look at the North side. It was last year or the year before they wanted to have Z not show up for the rest of the season. If this were the Yankees or Red Sox, they could eat that kind of money.

 

Real, you can potentially make those arguments about Borchard, Fields, Anderson, Morel and Beckham, to name five.

 

But a lot of questioning is going on about the "mental make-up" of both BA and Gordon, that's for sure.

 

Scouts missed out on that critical component.

 

They seem to miss that a lot. That's where your GM takes the blame.

 

The crazy thing is we all know Alex Rios has as much talent as anyone on this team. In the first half of last year I've never seen someone hit a ball as hard as consistent as Alex since the big hurt was wearing a White Sox uniform. And that's no exaggeration.

 

In all honesty, it sounds like this whole thing is really taking its toll on him mentally, from the comments that Ozzie just made last night. I realize it appears Alex doesn't care, and that really pisses me off as a fan as well. The one thing you are expected to do every night is hustle and give 100%. Perception is reality, as they say, but are we all in agreement that Alex doesn't give a sh*t? I wonder how much he really cares....really...

 

And for the record, I wish no one would talk to him about anything any longer and just get him back to his old batting stance where he just "felt" it. He's so mechanical up there it makes me sick.

 

The ship is sailing on Rios ever being a productive member of the White Sox...last night was the final tipping point.

 

Fan frustration has officially found a new target to focus on, other than Dunn/Walker/Pierre.

I'd honestly just spend the money to get him the best sports psychologist there is....see if someone can figure out what his issue(s) is.

 

Maybe he's got something that can be overcome like Ricky Williams did.

 

You don't just cut him. At the very least, he can be utilized in some manner, whether it be as a late-inning defensive replacement, a pinch-runner, etc.

 

I know we all hate to see a highly paid player suck this badly, but if you cut him, you get absolutely nothing out of him. What's to say he doesn't turn some corner and return to his production a few years ago? I know he appears to be a complete nincumpoop, but I can't stomach the notion of paying all or almost all his salary AND sending him elsewhere. Just doesn't make any sense to me.

I'd honestly just spend the money to get him the best sports psychologist there is....see if someone can figure out what his issue(s) is.

 

Maybe he's got something that can be overcome like Ricky Williams did.

 

You don't just cut him. At the very least, he can be utilized in some manner, whether it be as a late-inning defensive replacement, a pinch-runner, etc.

 

I know we all hate to see a highly paid player suck this badly, but if you cut him, you get absolutely nothing out of him. What's to say he doesn't turn some corner and return to his production a few years ago? I know he appears to be a complete nincumpoop, but I can't stomach the notion of paying all or almost all his salary AND sending him elsewhere. Just doesn't make any sense to me.

It makes even less sense to me to play him.

 

It makes even less sense to me to play him.

I could understand if you gave him a while off and then worked him back in after some "Mental time" or something like that.

 

Going straight to the platoon and then not even bothering to respond to last night's performance...that's white flagging it on the season.

Rios will be playing tmrw against Sabathia even if he shoots 76 kids at the Sox/Bulls Academy.

 

8/33 against Sabathia, 3 doubles, 3 HR's, 5 RBI's

Rios will be playing tmrw against Sabathia even if he shoots 76 kids at the Sox/Bulls Academy.

 

No.

 

Not funny.

 

Too soon if nothing else.

Rios will be playing tmrw against Sabathia even if he shoots 76 kids at the Sox/Bulls Academy.

 

8/33 against Sabathia, 3 doubles, 3 HR's, 5 RBI's

 

Ugg. Bad joke.

Just thinking there's NOTHING Rios could do to be removed from playing against left-handers.

 

As an aside, while I shouldn't even joke about it...it's almost a joke because we're "sanguine/melancholy/remorseful" for about 10 days after a shooting (remember Gabrielle Giffords?) we sort of pretend to unite across political lines and we then pay lip service to preventing violence and gun control but nothing ever changes. I came to the conclusion that acting cavalier and "remorseless" is the only way (like playing Devil's Advocate, in a sense), because eventual SOMEONE will wake up in the face of all the apathy and say enough is enough. But I'm still skeptical that anything will change in my lifetime.

 

BACK TO WHITE SOX BASEBALL.

 

Go Paco Martin!