Dick Allen

What would be interesting is if he doesn't have it shortened and they ruled on it Monday, his return date would be the series against the White Sox.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 16, 2006 -> 02:34 PM) People are going to love him no matter how poorly he plays, I'm not sure if it's the Scotty the Hotty thing or maybe they just don't know how he compares to other leadoff hitters around the league. The love for him has faded for some. Its mostly based on his lower average, but his OBP is basically the same, and the enormous amount of errors. Next offseason will be interesting with Pods arbitration eligible.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 16, 2006 -> 02:27 PM) I don't think there's anyone who thinks he was great last year and bad this year. There's many a person who felt he was mediocre during last season as well. I got slammed so much last year commenting how Pods was not all that good.

I've never been a fan of Pods, but I've never seen a guy go from must have to must get rid of faster on this board for really no drop-off in performance. In fact his performance may even be better this season, at least offensively. His OBP is only .008 lower than last season, even after his recent slump. His slugging percentage and OPS are both higher. He has only scored 35 less runs than he did all of last season, and is only 5 short of his entire RBI total from 2005. I can't see where you can say he was great last year and bad this season.

I was wondering where that would have landed at USCF. Centerfield, at least the area that is covered by the scoreboard out there is the one area at USCF where the ball doesn't carry all that well.

QUOTE(kevin57 @ Jun 16, 2006 -> 12:27 PM) Can anyone tell me if Freddy has ever even tried to incorporate MB's style of pitching (i.e., quick & efficient)? Whenever I've seen him pitch it is torturously slow, and as a general rule, I think that less thinking and a more direct "go at 'em" approach works. (Jon, are you listening?) He's incorporated his 86 MPH fastball.

I don't see it as that big of deal one way or the other. We have been assured by several posters that the Tigers are a mirage.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Jun 16, 2006 -> 12:21 PM) I'm just glad I'm not a Cubs fan. As a 12 year old, those bright colors, and that cute little bear are extremely enticing, especially when all your classmates and peers are rooting for the Cubs. When I went to USCF against the Cubs, someone in the lot had one of those little bears on a spit, and was spinning around the BBQ. They called it a Cub-bob.

From the Tribune: Aug. 30, 2005 Guillen is incensed after Jermaine Dye, who hit two home runs and drove in six runs in the second game of a doubleheader, was hit by a pitch from Texas left-hander Erasmo Ramirez in the ninth inning. Guillen gets more suspicious when Showalter pinch-hits for slugger Mark Teixeira. "I'm not going to hit anyone today. I'm not going to hit anyone tomorrow. But to me, that's a bunch of [stuff]. . . . I don't know if Showalter did it or the pitcher did it on purpose. . . . You put it all together, and you start scratching your head. ... Good pitchers win games. Horse [manure] pitchers hit people." My how Ozzie's attitude has changed. Either he thinks Tracey is a "horses***" pitcher, or he's a hypocrite. I will say this though, it appears Tracey was going back to Charlotte anyway. Ozzie showing him up was wrong IMO, and could have been handled away from cameras. I am happy that Tracey's failure to hit someone wasn't why he was sent back to Charlotte.

QUOTE(Felix @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 09:37 PM) Montero didn't hit someone because there was no one else warming up in the pen at that time, and since he would have gotten tossed, a pitcher would have to have pitch without warming up. No. Its like an injury. They would have given a replacement adequate time to warm up.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 09:35 PM) Hawk just dry heaved into the mic. Hawk obviously doesn't loooooooooooooooooooooooovveee cough buttons.

QUOTE(Contreras @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 05:34 PM) The crappiest arm on the staff is the most expendable in the case of a suspension or injury-causing brawl. Vazquez would be a very large loss. Tracey is a loss we can laugh off. It's all excellent risk management on Ozzie's part. Now that Tracey's gone, who becomes the designated beaner?

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 05:26 PM) So what? The kid didn't hit Blaylock, he got him out. The $12 million a year pitcher pitches to Blaylock and he hits one 10,000 ft. Maybe the wrong guy was throwing at him. Pitchers usually don't have to be told to hit someone. Buerhle wasn't against Baltimore last year, and he got tossed without warning costing him a streak of games where he went 6 innings.

The problem with how this was handled is that Tracey will always be known as the guy who pissed Ozzie off for not hitting someone, and whether its true or not, the guy who was sent to the minor leagues because he didn't drill someone. If Ozzie would have handled this in the clubhouse or the runway, away from cameras, Tracey would have been a guy who was sent down because a veteran was acquired.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 03:43 PM) Randy Johnson was suspended 5 games today by MLB along with Torre picking up a game. No warnings were given out and I'm pretty sure Randy didn't even hit Eduardo Perez. If this is any indication I'd have to say Vazquez would have received something like 6-7 games for hitting a batter after warnings were given out and Ozzie more than likely would have picked up 2. Just an FYI. He didn't hit him, but there was warnings given. This is why Vazquez needed to plunk someone before the warnings were given. Once he failed to do that all bets were off. There wa ample opportunity to protect White Sox hitters, particularly AJ before the warning was issued. It didn't happen. Its not Tracey's fault.

How come Ozzie doesn't scream and throw water bottles and dress Juan Uribe down when he fails to execute a bunt? How come when Pods drops a ball and then takes his time going after it, Ozzie isn't waiting for him at the top step reaming him out? Rookies make mistakes. Every single one of them. Showing up your player like that will eventually bite you in the ass.

Tracey's lack of control is a pretty good reason not to send him in to hit someone. Seriously, he could throw it at him and hit him in the head. As wild as Tracey was that game against Cleveland, you would have to think a ball intended for Blaylock's ribs or elbow could just as easily strike his coconut.

Considering all the disdain the White Sox and at least one of their broadcasters had with Victor Martinez celebrating a home run in the dugout, Ozzie has to be aware that what he does in the dugout is going to be seen. We may never know the whole story. Maybe Ozzie told the bullpen coach to tell Tracey he was coming in to hit Blaylock, and maybe that message didn't get translated properly. I do think that if the Sox are sick of getting HBP, maybe they should start retaliating BEFORE warnings are issued. I didn't think chewing Tracey out was fair last night, and I don't think sending a guy with onlh 2 or 3 major league appearances under his belt, a guy who looks like he has a decent future out with the sole purpose of sticking one into Blaylock's ribs is fair either. Vazquez should have hit somebody after the first HBP, one where he himself said he thought was intentional. Protect your players. Hitting someone in the 7th or 8th inning of a game that is out of hand is not protecting your players.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 01:04 PM) Three Year Splits for Riske vs. LHB .195 vs. RHB .233 Sub 3 ERA in June, July, August and October 3.3 or so in Sept. 2.86 post all star 1.78 ERA against Detroit in 30 IP 2.65 ERA @ the Cell What's surprising is his success against lefties. I read where Boston really needed someone to come in and get a lefty out. I wonder why they didn't give him a whirl. I heard they gave up 2 slams the last couple games to left handed hitters.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 12:56 PM) So are we talking about a RH Damaso Marte? Million dollar arm, 10 cent head? Meh, its still an improvement on the question marks we had, plus he will be the middle relief guy, not nearly as much pressure there. I don't think he's as electric as Marte, but his head probably isn't as screwed up. Its well worth the gamble IMO. I'd much rather has Riske come in with the game on the line than Montero, no matter what his reputation. I really don't think KW could have acquired more for Lopez, and it would have taken several injuries to get him to Chicago.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 11:56 AM) I didn't know about a bad back until now, but on the surface, how can you not like this deal? We gave up a guy with picked up for nothing to get a solid RH reliever, who will step right into the set up role. Even if his back acts up, we still lost nothing. Great move, especially this early in the season... This is exactly right. Obviously, the Sox weren't all that high on Lopez. If Riske bombs, all it really costs is cash.

Indians fans will tell you Riske sometimes suffers from the, as Hawk likes to say, "can't pull a greased tee out of his ass with a pair of pliers" syndrome, although he can be very tough. I do recall, at least 3 or 4 years ago, he was compared to Keith Foulke.

QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Jun 14, 2006 -> 10:17 PM) Frank had a good night with a walk and an RBI single with a run scored but he was pinch run for so I wonder if he might have pushed it back a tad soon or if this was just Macha trying to avoid Frank having to run so soon back. Haven't se the game and htere is no injury note yet Looks like a pulled quad. Frank said he will be out "a while". Looks like his annual trip to the DL.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 14, 2006 -> 09:22 PM) He almost traded Carlos Lee for him when he was with the Giants before the 2003 season. Here's the problem; every team is saying to themselves the exact same things we are saying right now. He would only cost the minimum for the rest of this year and the next two. That's only if he clears waivers. It's going to be a matter of which team will take on the most money, and then which team will actually give up something of value to get him. If some how he does clear waivers, I'd take him over Tracey or Politte. I could only imagine this board's reaction if he were to sign with Detroit and pitch in Maroth's spot and take advantage of that monstorous park. He's going to clear waivers. Anyone claiming him would be responsible for the balance of his contract. Arizona's only option is to try and trade him and get someone to pick up more than the minimum, or if they will only pick up the minumum, give the DBacks some lower level prospect.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 07:04 AM) Nah, not pussing out, not having any control. He tried twice and missed. That's good enough for me, at least it sends the message. Evidently its not good enough for Ozzie. The Tribune said Tracey was packing his bags last night. We moan about how other teams throw at the Sox but the Sox get warned. If they thought the guy was throwing at AJP the first time, why didn't Vazquez retaliate right away? There would have been an eye for an eye, and the incident would have been over. I feel for Tracey. He gets demoted for not hitting someone.