Hahn Confirms: Ventura back for 2016

[lasttriptotulsa]

I said good free agent contracts. The big deals.

 

Oh so you mean like the $73 million the Angels ate to get rid of Josh Hamilton? Is that a big enough deal?

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Shuck at DH lol

 

 

That's one of the dumbest f***ing things I've heard.

[southsider2k5]

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 1h1 hour ago Phoenix, AZ

 

White Sox having scouting and player development meetings this week at Camelback Ranch. Hahn, Williams, Cooper and Steverson all here.

[Boopa1219]

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 1h1 hour ago Phoenix, AZ

 

White Sox having scouting and player development meetings this week at Camelback Ranch. Hahn, Williams, Cooper and Steverson all here.

 

OH MY GOD, THEY DID NOT MENTION VENTURA

[GreenSox]

I have no objection if the Sox keep Shuck around.

I think they need to take a step back anyway.

[kitekrazy]

Oh so you mean like the $73 million the Angels ate to get rid of Josh Hamilton? Is that a big enough deal?

 

Depends on the team. We know one team where it's a little different.

[caulfield12]

Depends on the team. We know one team where it's a little different.

 

I would hardly hold up the Angels as an example of wise free agent spending.

 

A decade before, when Moreno wasn't involved, they were much more into player development.

 

The whole point is that the White Sox have never just eaten a contract when the value was over the $5.5-7.5 million range.

Keppinger, Downs, MacDougal, Linebrink, Paulino, Bonifacio, not comparable to Danks, Dunn and LaRoche for that reason.

[The Ginger Kid]

Steverson led one of the worst hitting sox teams in history and his job is apparently safe.

[Boopa1219]

Steverson led one of the worst hitting sox teams in history and his job is apparently safe.

 

Take a deep breath and think about that for a second. Also think about his bigger role in the org.

[The Ginger Kid]

Take a deep breath and think about that for a second. Also think about his bigger role in the org.

Help me understand. His bigger role in the org? Is it because KW was so quick to defend him during the season?

[caulfield12]

Well, theoretically, with Baines and Parent gone, that magically moves him up a peg or two as a "survivor."

 

At least, that is, until we see how powerful and how much of a threat the new bench coach will be to Ventura's job.

 

OTOH, I don't think anyone's looking at Steverson as being someone who will be promoted to Buddy Bell or even Nick Capra's position anytime soon.

[COACH612]

Shuck at DH lol

 

 

That's one of the dumbest f***ing things I've heard.

 

 

Here's whats wrong with your statement. For one thing, you don't even mention an alternative. The second thing is the 2015 Sox did not have a good enough DH but they kept putting LaRoche into that role. So putting Shuck into that role after the break would not have produced anything worse. So why not shake it up some and see what happens because for the most part, LaRoche was an automatic out anyways.

[Jose Abreu]

Here's whats wrong with your statement. For one thing, you don't even mention an alternative. The second thing is the 2015 Sox did not have a good enough DH but they kept putting LaRoche into that role. So putting Shuck into that role after the break would not have produced anything worse. So why not shake it up some and see what happens because for the most part, LaRoche was an automatic out anyways.

You don't put a decent defensive OF at DH when you have two other outfielders who play bad defense.

[COACH612]

You don't put a decent defensive OF at DH when you have two other outfielders who play bad defense.

 

 

But he doesn't play OF every day so put him in the DH when he's not.

[lasttriptotulsa]

But he doesn't play OF every day so put him in the DH when he's not.

 

You're not getting it. If Shuck was going to be in the lineup everyday, which he's not, he wouldn't be at DH. He would play in the outfield and one of Melky or Avi would DH. Playing Shuck at DH eliminates the ability to use him as a defensive substitute late in games.

[Bob Sacamano]

You're not getting it. If Shuck was going to be in the lineup everyday, which he's not, he wouldn't be at DH. He would play in the outfield and one of Melky or Avi would DH. Playing Shuck at DH eliminates the ability to use him as a defensive substitute late in games.

 

Agree. if Shuck were going to be in the lineup, Garcia/Melky would be the DH that day. When Thompson played for LaRoche, Thompson didn't DH. Him being in the lineup moved a lesser defensive guy to DH. Same would happen with Shuck.

[he gone.]

It's amazing reading some of the ideas and comments on here sometimes because I have to stop and say ---- these are the fans that watch the most games. These are the fans posting in the offseason, after the Sox finished another woeful year. Which leads me to believe that we are the fans most attentive to the game. But then I hear these crazy ideas like Avi at 3B or Shuck to DH while keeping Avi in the OF. It baffles my mind. It is also why it's so hard to deal with actual casual baseball fans. Because it's like even 5 steps below this level.

 

That is all. Just had to get that off my chest.

[LVSoxFan]

I had a laugh re-reading the thread title because it should read:

 

Hahn Confirms: 2016 Will Be 2015 Repeat

[Lip Man 1]

I did find it interesting that at the upcoming organizational meetings including some of the folks who run the minor leagues that Ventura won't be around for it.

 

You'd think the manager of the major league team who could eventually be working with these guys would be present to get a better understanding of what's down on the farm.

 

Seems strange to me. I know if I was in that position I'd certainly be there.

 

Mark

[COACH612]

It's amazing reading some of the ideas and comments on here sometimes because I have to stop and say ---- these are the fans that watch the most games. These are the fans posting in the offseason, after the Sox finished another woeful year. Which leads me to believe that we are the fans most attentive to the game. But then I hear these crazy ideas like Avi at 3B or Shuck to DH while keeping Avi in the OF. It baffles my mind. It is also why it's so hard to deal with actual casual baseball fans. Because it's like even 5 steps below this level.

 

That is all. Just had to get that off my chest.

 

 

 

You all missed my point so for the last time I will say it again. I never, and I mean never, said Shuck should be the full time DH. But my point was since LaRoche was an automatic out, why not try to shake things up by having Shuck try it. Yes, I know he is a decent OF but for those days he isn't, why not try him in the DH spot. After all, what could happen? The Sox could lose more games and drop to 5th place? So what, they get better draft picks.

 

Now I am done with your assessments since none of us would have known the outcome. Everyone is a freakin genius in hindsight.

[lasttriptotulsa]

You all missed my point so for the last time I will say it again. I never, and I mean never, said Shuck should be the full time DH. But my point was since LaRoche was an automatic out, why not try to shake things up by having Shuck try it. Yes, I know he is a decent OF but for those days he isn't, why not try him in the DH spot. After all, what could happen? The Sox could lose more games and drop to 5th place? So what, they get better draft picks.

 

Now I am done with your assessments since none of us would have known the outcome. Everyone is a freakin genius in hindsight.

 

Time to fact check

 

Dick,

 

Your LaRoche stats fail to state an obvious point. In 2014, he struck out 21% of the time. In 2015, it was 33%. At some point during any season, a player who cannot hit simply needs to be kept out of the lineup until they can figure out how to hit, or to at least have better contact. LaRoche left so many men on base this past season, he cost the Sox runs. His QAB was so incredibly low he was pretty much an automatic out, especially with 2 strikes. A manager's job is to win games and nothing else. Putting LaRoche's needs above the team's most likely cost them runs and perhaps some wins. There's that pesky WAR factor again.

 

If I were Ventura, I would see what happens to him in Spring Training. If it's the same, I would say eat the salary and get someone else. Shuck only struck out 11% of the time, so why not let him DH? They are both lefties. Why is this so hard for Ventura to figure out?

 

LaRoche is the everday DH. If you replace him with Shuck that would make Shuck an everday player.

 

Dick,

 

I didn't say play Shuck everyday. Put him into the full time DH slot. All his numbers are better.

 

What do the words "full time DH" mean to you? I'm pretty sure most people would take that as, you know, full time.

 

You're still missing everybody else's point so I will say it one more time. If you are taking LaRoche out of the lineup to play Shuck, whether it be full time or one game, you would not play Shuck as the DH. You would play him in the OF and let Melky or Avi DH. Shuck is a better OF therefore it would make more sense to have him in the outfield than a worse defender.

Edited October 8, 2015 by lasttriptotulsa

[southsider2k5]

You all missed my point so for the last time I will say it again. I never, and I mean never, said Shuck should be the full time DH. But my point was since LaRoche was an automatic out, why not try to shake things up by having Shuck try it. Yes, I know he is a decent OF but for those days he isn't, why not try him in the DH spot. After all, what could happen? The Sox could lose more games and drop to 5th place? So what, they get better draft picks.

 

Now I am done with your assessments since none of us would have known the outcome. Everyone is a freakin genius in hindsight.

 

This isn't highsight. If you have two players who play the same position, and you want to DH one of them, the person who DH's would ALWAYS be the worst defender, unless you are trying to get someone a day of rest off of the field or something like that.

 

In this case, Shuck is a much better defender than Melky or Avi, so one of those guys would be DH, and Shuck would be in the field.

[COACH612]

This isn't highsight. If you have two players who play the same position, and you want to DH one of them, the person who DH's would ALWAYS be the worst defender, unless you are trying to get someone a day of rest off of the field or something like that.

 

In this case, Shuck is a much better defender than Melky or Avi, so one of those guys would be DH, and Shuck would be in the field.

 

 

Shuck is a better defender than either Melky or Avi. But my whole point was to keep LaRoche out of the lineup completely. With him in, it's like have 8 in the lineup. But Shuck only played OF occasionally (96 games) and hit in 79 games. Ventura and Co. has to manage with the roster they have. So, as you said, put Shuck in and have Melky DH just as long as LaRoche gets splinters in his @@@@ .

[lasttriptotulsa]

Shuck is a better defender than either Melky or Avi. But my whole point was to keep LaRoche out of the lineup completely. With him in, it's like have 8 in the lineup. But Shuck only played OF occasionally (96 games) and hit in 79 games. Ventura and Co. has to manage with the roster they have. So, as you said, put Shuck in and have Melky DH just as long as LaRoche gets splinters in his @@@@ .

 

Against RHP, LaRoche had a .697 OPS with 12 HRs and 37 RBIs. Shuck had a .694 OPS with O HRs and 14 RBIs. How exactly would replacing LaRoche's bat with Shucks help anything?

[caulfield12]

Seattle not only fired their GM, they also fired their manager now in Lloyd McClendon...probably the end of his MLB managerial career.