Dick Allen

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 4, 2006 -> 01:53 PM) For the price? I would like to know who you are thinking of, thanks Ryan Sweeney is better than Pods, and he will play for the mimimum. Or the White Sox could use some of the money they are making by drawing 3,000,000 fans + all the extra revenues, and at least have a major leaguer in LF. Right now the starting OF of Pods at $2.9 million, Anderson at about $400,000 and Dye with his $1,000,000 kicker to get him to $7,000,000 is less than they paid Magglio Ordonez in 2004. In fact, its less than they paid their LF in 1997. Pods is not a good leadoff hitter. He doesn't get on base enough. He doesn't make enough contact, and he now gets thrown out as much as anyone in baseball. It also is petrifying watching him try to play LF defensively.

I'm not an Aaron Rowand fan, but I almost hope KW reaquires him so we can stop discussing reacquiring him.

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Dec 3, 2006 -> 06:31 PM) If you add in all the caught stealings, Pods OBP last season was around .296. He's not good. Even during the 2005 season when everyone was calling him the ignitor of the White Sox offense, the guy that made the White Sox go, he scored 80 runs and drove in 25. He wasn't in the Top 50 in baseball in OBP or BA. If he was such a distraction on the bases, how come he only scored 80 runs?

I do like the idea of trading 2 starters, but I would keep McCarthy. I also wouldn't mind Crede being traded if they could come up with a better replacement than Fields. Crede is a great defender, but he's has as many great offensive seasons as Gary Matthews Jr., and his agent and his back will most likely always be an issue.

QUOTE(shoota @ Dec 2, 2006 -> 03:57 PM) Yes, which is why I'm uncomfortable with his lack of quality, agressive deals this offseason (so far). Relax. The Winter Meetings haven't even arrived yet. The 2 main free agent pitchers haven't signed yet. KW is actually being wise waiting this out. Teams aren't going to suddenly not need pitching. He has all the cards. When one of the big market teams gets shut out of the Zito/Schmidt sweepstakes, the price for a White Sox starter should skyrocket.

I think this Ramirez song and dance will have the ending it does every year with Manny playing LF in Fenway in 2007.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Dec 2, 2006 -> 12:51 PM) So you're expecting every journey man reliever and minor leaguer the Sox bring into Spring Training to have a plus fastball and always be able to pitch in pressure situations? Good luck finding him. Do the Sox or any team need all 6 of their relievers to meet those qualifications? The ones that are making $2+ million do. The White Sox need to stack their bullpen. That's what they did in 2005. Even that year, they had to use 3 closers, and none of the 3 got paid what Riske would get in arbitration. BTW, the rules have changed. Just because the Sox didn't offer arbitration doesn't mean they must stop negotiating with Riske. They could still try to sign him at a number below what his arbitration figure would be. I don't believe there is even a deadline anymore for that.

FWIW, Gammons said this morning that Manny Ramirez to the White Sox is still a possibilty. He claims OG has convinced KW that Manny would not be a distraction. He also said McCarthy is who Boston wants. Everyone wants McCarthy except Ozzie.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Dec 2, 2006 -> 12:41 PM) You honestly believe the Sox will be able to find a journeyman pitcher to sign a 1 year deal around $2.5 million with him knowing his role in the bullpen would be limited? Oh yeah, he better perform well wnough to compensate for those two draft picks not gained that could've been used to get a "young guy making close to if not the league minimum." Also, who's to say Riske is such a lock to accept arbitration after making only $1.8 million last season. It would be a pretty good bet that he would accept the arbitration. If the chances were that it would be declined, the White Sox would be smart enough to offer it. Riske is not any good. He has lost his fastball, and if he's placed in a pressure situation, Hawk's plyers couldn't get the greased tee out of his ass.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Dec 2, 2006 -> 11:51 AM) Well if we indeed would have been stuck with him he would have never had to pitch with the game on the line. He's not a great reliever by any means but having a guy with a high 3's era in the back end of your bullpen isn't exactly the worst thing in the world. This honestly makes no sense to me, we either get picks or get "stuck" with a guy who isn't very bad at all. But you could fill that roll with a journeyman or young guy making close to if not minimum. I think a lot of people think Riske is the David Riske of 3 or 4 years ago. Cleveland insisted Boston take him in the Crisp trade. Guys that go to arbitration or get offered it generally get raises, and Riske would be in line for a significant raise, not based on what he is, but based on what he was, and some misleading numbers. KW doesn't want to pay him what the cost would be to keep him and I don't blame him. I think he has his sights set higher. At least I hope he does.

KW talking about the insanity of contracts is kind of amusing. Are any of the contracts being signed very far out of line with Javier Vazquez's. KW unloaded a lot for Vazquez and if he wants to keep him in 2008 will have to pay him probably $13million to $15 million. He is making $12 million a year and has a career record of 100-105 with a 4.32 ERA. Last year on a 90 win team, he wasn't even .500 and had a 4.84 ERA.

Riske can't be used when the game is on the line. Cleveland found that out, then Boston, then the White Sox. No team is going to give Riske enough money not to accept arbitration and give up a draft pick. Face it, Riske isn't very good and the White Sox don't want him. Offering him arbitration would almost guarantee they would be stuck with him at a price a lot higher than what a similar replacement, a minimum salary guy would cost. If the Sox wanted him, I'm sure they tried to negotiate a contract to avoid arbitration and the 2 sides obviously couldn't agree.

If McCarthy is in AAA next season, it would just confirm how much Ozzie and KW screwed up in 2006 and wasted a year of their top pitching prospect's career. Rick Hahn, before McCarthy turned heads in spring training 2005 was mentioning the "king's ransom" Brandon could return the Sox if they wanted to trade him. If he's in AAA in 2007, his career could be off the track. I think its a very slim chance McCarthy isn't in the White Sox rotation. KW has to move at least 1 starter.

Pods has 4 full seasons in the major leagues. His OBP those 4 years is .342. The major league average, and this includes NL pitchers, is .339, so basically this guy is average at best at getting on base. I think a team in a big market, that has sold out season tickets, can and should find a leadoff hitter a little better than that.

QUOTE(TheBigHurt @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 05:58 PM) I generally (although not always) agree with you on things, but you are doing exactly what I've said. YES If the White Sox pitchers pitched in 2005 like they did in 2006, there would be nobody who would have thought Pods was all that great in 2005. The bottom line is he's a very mediocre major league player. It was considered a bad year for him when he stole 70 bases with the Brewers. He doesn't come close to that here. He doesn't score all that many runs which should be his primary job. He didn't bunt well. He couldn't move runners over, he's a bad OF who can't throw with many of the fans fathom has described who scream for him. Basically, IMO, the White Sox would be better off saving the money and letting Sweeney play LF. Eventually, whether he wants to or not, KW is going to have to give out a contract or trade for someone with a contract bordering on insane. The savings on Pods might ease the pain a little bit, especially if you pick someone up at the deadline and only are on the hook for half a season.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 12:09 PM) Some of you guys are amazing. Has it occurred to you that, even if we were to trade they guy, we'd STILL have had to sign him first?! And if we waited for arbitration, it would mean waiting on using the chip. In other words, this means absolutely zero about whether or not Pods is in LF come Opening Day. The chances of that happening have not changed. Its still maybe. I normally agree with you but not on this. If they couldn't find a taker for Pods via trade, if they hadn't have signed him to this contract they could let him walk away. Now they are stuck paying him if they can't get rid of him. I do agree he still could be traded. In fact, I'm going to Holy Name after work to light a candle and pray for that.

The thing is, if you don't sign him and can't replace him from outside the organization, you still have this $3 million to play with. That's money that could be used to pick up a $6 million a year reliever at the deadline.

KW and JR must be in the holiday spirit giving out a nearly $3 million gift. Worst case if they couldn't acquire anyone, I'd rather non-tender him and put Sweeney in LF. This is a waste of $3 million. Too bad they couldn't spend $3 million on the bullpen.

The White Sox pitching staff actually allowed more runs in 2006 than the Cleveland Indians' pitching staff. KC was the only team in the AL Central which allowed more runs, and do they really even count?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Nov 30, 2006 -> 05:52 PM) The White Sox still have a ton of pitching. An ungodly young, quality bullpen, 6 starting pitchers, one of whom makes the minimum, 4 of whom are under White Sox control through the end of 2008. I don't know how the bullpen can be considered "quality" after 2006. Thornton has had 1 good season now. It wasn't long ago that this board was bbqing him after his first outing in Tucson. MacDougal most likely will get injured, he seems to almost every season. Jenks ERA was higher than Todd Jones, and we were all making fun of the Tigers for having Todd Jones as their closer. Aardsma has been given up on by 2 organizations now. He was part of a deal for LaTroy Hawkins, and he got traded for a guy who couldn't get anyone out at the end of his White Sox career in Neal Cotts. Haeger hasn't proven anything yet, and KW was on the airwaves the other day singing the praises of one Boone Logan who for the most part has been a gas can in the major leagues. All 6 of the starters have issues as well. Obviously at least 1 is going to go. I hope at least 2 go. Its amazing how much more highly this pitching staff is thought of after not having watch them throw meatballs up to the plate for a couple of months.

TWIW, but Peter Gammons has reported that KW has been discussing Ramirez with Theo Epstein. If the White Sox have the ability to take on Manny's contract, I can't understand why they would not spend that money on pitching AND a better OF.

Didn't Magglio use a form of shock therapy when he got his knee treated overseas?

QUOTE(Hangar18 @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 02:12 PM) Few people I know are having a schedule conflict, Friday nites being optimal times to wash hair apparently. It was suggested we do a Hair-Washing thing Friday nite, for those who wish to partake I usually reserve Friday nights for sorting socks.

Crede has basically been a dissappointment except for the Sept.2005 thru Aug. 2006. He has a great glove and the Sox would be wise not to move him until they have an adequate replacement. Fields does not fall into this category. He didn't hit all that well during his late season call-up and was a strikeout machine until he walked away from Venezuela. Pitching wins and defense helps pitching. I have no problem dealing Crede, he's apt to hit .240 next year. I am concerned about defense though. A butcher at third would really hurt this team.

I don't worry about what Santana did outside of Anaheim. Those types of splits change from year to year. Michael Young was used as an example with the conclusion he can't hit outside of Texas, but if you look at his 2005 splits, his home and away numbers are almost identical. Frank Thomas had a tough time hitting homers outside of USCF in recent years. He moved to Oakland and seemed to be able to reach the fences with no problem. Santana is a stud. I think the only reason the Angels would even consider moving him is probably concern about his health. He's been compared to Pedro Martinez. If he's half as good as him, he would look very good in a White Sox uniform.