[Rick Hahn on McNeil and Spiegel Show]

For Kotsay...because he's a career .275 hitter as a pinch hitter and in the NL when you have the pitcher's spot that's incredibly important and overvalued. A team like the Padres can live with that guy on the bench because they can use him for an at-bat a game, particularly from the LH side. He's not in the AL, that's why he's still playing.

 

Wise....well, I think Rios has had what, 1 day off this season? Even when Wise was here he wasn't being used. Blame the manager for that if you want, but we need someone on the bench the manager will actually use somewhere on this team.

Kotsay is in a different league of baseball player than Wise and his career .267 OBP. Can't blame the manager for not playing Wise...applaud him.

[Rick Hahn on McNeil and Spiegel Show]

Part of the problem also is that we have a number of guys who also need to hit better.

I agree. That's a lot of the problem with the OBPs. Just throw strikes at them and they get themselves out. Can't walk on balls over the plate. T

[Will Any Team Claim These Guys?]

Cause let's face it, Hahn's explanation for how they're going to use the savings is a bunch of BS given the new spending caps on amateur players.

It's still not helpful to waste money on other teams' stiffs.

[Rick Hahn on McNeil and Spiegel Show]

If all this experience is a prerequisite, how would you have any idea what anyone is doing wrong? I take it you have zero experience in a major league dugout.

I never said I could manage. But it's not hard to identify, critique obvious mistakes. Yes it is easy to be a critic. That's why we don't paid.

It's very difficult to implement a lot of decisions, obvious as many are. That's why MLB managers get paid huge salaries. It's not an easy job.

[Rick Hahn on McNeil and Spiegel Show]

If all this experience is a prerequisite, how would you have any idea what anyone is doing wrong? I take it you have zero experience in a major league dugout.

I never said I could manage. But it's not hard to identify, critique obvious mistakes. Yes it is easy to be a critic. That's why we don't paid.

It's very difficult to implement a lot of decisions, obvious as many are. That's why MLB managers get paid huge salaries. It's not an easy job.

 

[Ken Harrelson on the banking industry - SATIRE]

Yep; that's the way they used to do it.

Hawk must have slept through the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s....

[Rick Hahn on McNeil and Spiegel Show]

He just discussed how Ventura handles players. That part's probably fine. But his use of personnel and strategic decisions are not so fine.

Ventura is Williams' guy.

Hahn is supposed to be a more modern baseball guy - needs his manager and coaching staff sans legacies.

 

 

[Rios, $1M traded to Rangers]

It would be if it weren't for the fact the previous manager presided over a team with similar issues and had the same players

Still is.

The prior manager had these problems late in his career when he tired of his job.

The current manager was brought in after a 10 year absence from MLB and are the result of lack of skill and experience, and don't indicate an organizational issue (other than hiring him in the first place).

[Will Any Team Claim These Guys?]

We lost some of our leverage in pulling prospects for Rios, as teams know we want to open RF for Garcia. They may hold out for salary only

But we still have it for Ramirez.

[So, Where is the $ Reallocated Now?]

A lot of players lose their incentive to perform when they get that long-term contract in or past their prime as well. You can use a free agent or 2 to supplement, after you have a strong core. We have no core. Getting a catcher and CF who can play defense and a 1B who can hit and field his position would be a good start....neither of those are that hard to find.

[Peavy to Boston, Avisail Garcia + 3 low lv specs to Sox]

This thread is ridiculous. With our market/payroll, you play to win every year. I can't believe I'm reading people say, "I want to lose next year."

 

I refer you all to the Pirates/Royals/Padres of the late 90s/00's. Handfuls of early 1st round picks, nothing to show for it. Look at 1st rounds in the last ten years. Your first five picks will produce 2-3 MLB starters and then the last 25 picks of the round will give you 4-5 major league starters. You play to win the game. Picking #7 as opposed to #17 rarely makes a difference. This isn't the NBA/NFL.

I agree with you. But it is getting harder and harder to win if you don't develop your own players or get young players in trade. We are good at developing pitchers...we need to use that to broaden the quality of our team.

 

As for law, he's no better or no worse than most scouts. He's a bit condescending and dogmatic at times, but he's approachable by fans...i.e. you can read his reports and ask him questions. He has a blog and does a lot on twitter (heck he's responded to several of my questions on twitter).

And he liked Rienzo...not loved but liked him. Again, a pitcher.

In the case of Garcia, he's basically developed. Let's hope we evaluated him correctly.

[MLB Tonight Trade Deadline Show]

The best trade of the deadline was the Astros getting one of KC's top 5-8 prospects for mediocre (at best) journeyman Justin Maxwell. The Royals didn't like De Aza?

[Peavy to Boston, Avisail Garcia + 3 low lv specs to Sox]

I'm not saying the contract in itself is a bad one On an island it's a good contract. But we weren't on an island we were dealing with the trade market and the market makers said, we rather have a rental than take on that contract. So in that sense it was a bad contract.

That contract and his time on the DL didn't mesh well regarding his appeal to other teams.

Hahn did well getting a player they believe is an impact player...I just hope their evaluation, which has been spotty, is valid this time.

[Rios, $1M traded to Rangers]

I posted in another thread, but Sox are going to start off Garcia in CF in AAA

Good - Give him a shot there. Lord knows we need a CF.

[Danks and the waiver wire]

Keep Danks. Trade Quintana and get 2 high end young position players in here who haven't reached their peak yet.

[Jesse Crain dealt to Tampa Bay]

I went to high school with Mahtook's dad. He died passed away at a young age. Mikie Sr was all heart, just like the son. The LSU people loved the kid.

[Sox turn down trade offer for Alexei from Cardinals]

After acquring Garcia and Jacobs, the Sox have some extra OF's that could be dangled with the most valuable probably being Trayce Thompson. Does Ramirez, Thompson, and Lindstrom get you Adams and Martinez/Wong? I'd probably rather just see if Alexei and Lindstrom could pull Adams though.

it would be nice to go ahead and turn a few of those guys into ML players because while our minors may have a surplus our majors have a big deficit, and the more we have in the minors the better chance some develop.

[Rios, $1M traded to Rangers]

Your criticism of his defense in center is all the more reason for him to move to left. He's hit better than Viciedo and Rios.

he'd be better defensively in left, yes. But Viciedo is young and has more talent and I wouldn't flush him yet. I know his D is worse, but it's also in left where it'snot as important.

[July 31st Game thread]

At the very least, Robin has to be embarrassed. Can you imagine going to work every day with these results? In the real world you'd get a lot of dirty looks and ultimately the pink slip if the guys you were responsible for were performing like this.

They have to find a graceful way out for him.

This is why you don't hire family members/insiders.

and these insider forced coaches need to go to. let them do PR work.

[July 31st Game thread]

Not that it matters, but at this stage of the season wouldn't it have been smart to let Reed pitch another inning? I mean what Axe did was sooooo predictable.

 

Again, I realize it doesn't matter, but I was hoping he'd trot Reed back out there if nothing else but as a penalty for his putrid 9th inning. I'm just frustrated, but I knew the game was over when I saw Axe. Gutty guy, but his ship has sailed. Axe is like Humber. His days are numbered.

Of course he could have pitched another inning.

wouldn't it have been smart not to waste the 2nd to best reliever in a low leverage situation in the 6th?

 

Axe may be out of fairy dust. But he doesn't have much short relief experience, and I'm not sure that the 10th inning is the time to give him his first taste.

 

I blame Ventura but it could be Cooper running this operation for all I know.

[July 31st Game thread]

The team's a joke and the manager's worse.

[July 31st Game thread]

Has there been an instance all season, late in the game with the game on the line, that Ventura hasn't intentionally walked a player with the base open?

 

And nice use of Nate Jones this evening, Robin.

[Danks and the waiver wire]

NO. He's pitching well, except for home run balls. He might be able to fix that. A lot of his other numbers are pretty good.

[Rios, $1M traded to Rangers]

The manager does not dislike walks. What are you talking about? It's the players.

That's not what I said. I said that Guillen and Sox management didn't/don't value walks and plate discipline like other teams do, as per the personnel for the last decade. They haven't brought in a strong manager to change that culture and likely won't anytime soon.

[Will Any Team Claim These Guys?]

Shared salary and a marginal prospect? If the Sox were OK with that, if they were claimed, they would just let the claiming team take on the entire contracts. Why pay for marginal prospects?

Well I was thinking that we had a handshake agreement before the claim that we'd work out a deal with them on salary relief if they did claim them, then they would claim them. Maybe you can't do that.

But if they can't do that, I'd say none except for perhaps Danks the younger and that doesn't matter anyway.